Page 108 of King of Ruin

Her eyes remained fixed on the candy with unmistakable caution before returning to Elise once more.

Back.

Forth.

Again.

It was as though she were weighing every possible outcome of accepting such an innocent offer.

Elise looked from the candy in her hand back to Astrid's guarded expression, her lips parting slightly in confusion.

It took her only a second to understand.

Rather than feeling offended, a look of quiet realization crossed her face.

"Oh..."

She lowered her hand without the slightest trace of embarrassment, carefully placing the candy back onto the porcelain plate before turning toward Layla, who had remained standing quietly near the door the entire time.

"Layla," Elise called gently.

"Yes, Miss Foster?"

"Would you mind bringing another plate of snacks?" Elise asked with an understanding smile. "Could you make sure everything is unopened and still in its original packaging?"

The request had barely left her lips before Layla's expression stiffened.

Her eyes flicked toward Astrid, and the displeasure on her face was impossible to miss. Her lips pressed into a thin line, and the corners of her mouth twisted downward as though she wanted nothing more than to argue.

‘Seriously?’

The look she shot Astrid could have bored holes straight through the young woman.

Miss Foster had gone out of her way to welcome her with nothing but kindness, and this was the response she received?

For a brief moment, Layla looked as though she was about to protest.

Then she caught the gentle warning in Elise's eyes.

The words died before they ever left her mouth.

Taking a slow breath, she forced the irritation from her expression, though not very successfully.

"Of course, Miss Foster," she replied, her voice polite despite the obvious reluctance behind it.

With one last dissatisfied glance in Astrid's direction, Layla turned on her heel and walked out of the sitting room, the soft click of the closing door leaving the two women alone once again.

Chapter 12

Seeing that Elise hadn't questioned her caution or tried to force the candy into her hand, Astrid gradually allowed herself to relax. She settled a little deeper into the plush armchair, the rigid tension in her shoulders easing as she leaned back against the cushion. Although she remained alert, the guarded look in her eyes wasn't quite as sharp as before. She studied Elise quietly from the corner of her eye, as though trying to reconcile the woman sitting across from her with everything she had expected before arriving.

After a long moment, she finally spoke.

"You're pretty too."

The unexpected compliment caught Elise completely off guard. She blinked once before looking up, her lips curving into a surprised smile.

"I wasn't expecting you to be this beautiful," Astrid admitted, her voice quieter now. "To be honest... you're prettier than any woman I've met in my whole life."