Chapter 122 - Divine Retribution

'Have some goals…' Devon stared at herself through the vanity mirror as Ghost Lin's words lingered in her mind for a long time. The ghost just vanished once again without a word, leaving her with those words to think about. 

"It's not like I don't have a goal," she murmured, sighing heavily. "My goal is to live peacefully and happily… but she is quite correct."

Even without Ghost Lin telling her, Devon was aware she was being too dependent on Lewis. Not that it was a terrible idea, but she couldn't just make him her entire world. She had experienced it before... being someone else's world and… it suffocated her.

"My world, huh?" Devon snapped her eyes, gazing up, and stared at Lewis' reflection.

"Are you talking to your ghost friend again?" he asked, leaning on the door's jamb, arms crossed.

Devon shook her head. "Just talking to myself and thinking of the ghost's words."

"Oh? What did she say?" he inquired, marching towards her. 

When he stood behind her, Lewis bent over and wrapped his arms around her, his chin on her shoulder. He instantly got a whiff of the lavender scent of her damp her.

"Did she say something upsetting? You look a little upset." He pointed out, as it was easy for him to tell that.

Devon pursed her lips, staring at his reflection. "She said something that made sense and truths are always upsetting."

"Is that so?" Lewis quirked a brow, drawing his head back a little to study her side profile. 

"Mhm. I should have some goals as well. I can't just stay at home all the time and bother Dion. He already got in trouble…" Devon's face suddenly distorted as a memory suddenly resurfaced in her head. She nearly forgot about it, but now she remembered it, her entire body froze.

Lewis furrowed his brows as soon as she gazed down. He slowly let her go, walking towards the vanity mirror as he propped his bottom on it, arms crossed.

"A goal? Didn't we agree you will start taking classes in a few months?" he tilted his head to the side, getting a good grasp of her point. "I will completely support you if that is what you want, you know that, right?"

"You don't have to be upset about it, love," he added as he bent over, lifting her chin with his thumb. "You have me, hmm?" 

His pair of gentle eyes that were full of affection tugged her conscience. She didn't deserve this trust… she thought.

"I… I've sinned." She confessed under her breath, lips trembling.

Lewis furrowed his brows, confused. "What do you mean?"

"Will you forgive me?" Devon pursed her lips into a thin line, on the verge of crying, as she couldn't believe she just forgot about it! How could she forget?

"For?"

"Dion." She averted her eyes, mustering the courage to come clean to get a lighter sentence.

"What about him?" he narrowed his eyes suspiciously, having this ominous feeling in his heart.

"He…" Devon clipped her finger on his collar, her eyes full of regret. "… kissed me."

"…"

Lewis had to take a few seconds to process this confession. Dion? What did he do? He had to ask himself that to clarify what she had said.

"He… kissed you?" he asked, and she nodded. Her nod gave him a ten-second countdown before his eyes glinted and dark shrouds enveloped him as if someone had to die.

"He said he didn't mean to, but —"

"Didn't mean to?" Lewis drew his head back, standing upright as he gazed down at her. "Did he accidentally trip over and, for some reason, his lips touched yours?"

Devon felt a sense of dread crawling up her spine. He exuded danger, making her unable to speak.

"But it's nothing like that!" she exclaimed in panic, springing up to her feet and stood on her toes. "His lips didn't touch mine directly."

His brows furrowed, appalled. "Don't cover for him, Lin Devon." He didn't want to assume that Dion, his little brother, falling for Devon after spending so much time with her. However, that possibility… felt like a stake stabbing right through his chest.

"I'm not! He kissed me, but not like his lips touched mine directly."

"Devon." Lewis ground his teeth, making her hold her breath. "Say that again and I swear I'll lose my mind."

"I'm already angry that people are thinking there's something going on between you two, but I am trying to be rational." He continued through his gritted teeth. "Where did he kiss you?"

"Lu…"

"Where?" he asked under his breath, staring at her straight in the eye.

"The glass."

"Glass?"

"He… snatched my refreshment and drank on it. He said he wanted to check if my drink had some alcohol mixed." Devon gazed down as her voice muffled. "I knew it was ordinary in this world, but alas, it was a little insensitive for me. I'm sorry."

Again, Lewis had to take a moment of silence to register that explanation. After a while, a deep sigh slipped past his lips, resting his forehead against hers.

"So that's what you mean?" he uttered airily, feeling his breathing constrict from that sudden news. "I'm sorry. I thought I entrust you to the wrong person even after telling you I will protect you."

"That's why you're angry?"

"And I'm jealous too." Lewis snaked his arms around her, gripping her tightly as his mind just went on and on, hopping into many scenarios. "Did it traumatize you? I will ask him to stop coming for now."

Devon shook her head, looking up, and smiled. "I already scold him for that. It is just that, I don't know how to face you."

"I know it bothers you, but I understand. I will talk to him." Lewis cajoled, stroking her back as he calmed his heart by feeling her warmth.

"Mhm. I will dry my hair. You shower so we can rest." She slowly pushed him away after some time, smiling as she was relieved nothing major happened.

His eyes scanned her damp hair before he suggested. "Can I dry your hair?"

"Hmm?"

"I missed you, that's all. I want you to be reminded of me in everything you do." He looked at her straight in the eye, brushing her cheek with his thumb.

Devon frowned, as she couldn't say no to him. Just how the hell did Ghost Lin expect her not to make him her world if he was this sweet? He was just too lovable and she couldn't help but love her more every passing second. 

"Sit down. Let me." He placed his hand on either side of her shoulders, standing behind her. Lewis then placed a towel over her head, massaging her scalp while drying her hair.

"You're good at this!" Devon's eyes rolled back as she felt sleepy.

"It's talent."

*****

Meanwhile, in the other room of the same presidential suite, Dion sneezed. He rubbed his nose, feeling a chill ran down his spine.

"Damn… why am I getting chills? Am I going to have a fever?" he wondered, shaking his head as he squashed down the sense of dread crawling up his spine. "Whatever. Let's see what these people are saying."

Dion smacked his lips as he checked his social media with thousands of messages and notifications. It was still a surprise how his phone could still work with all this.

"Shit…" he cursed under his breath, reading a thread started by a fan defending him. "Wow, my fans are so kind. But…" he took a deep breath before throwing a huge fit.

"They're making things worse!!!" 

The forum was actually just fans supporting this 'marriage', and some speculations about who it could it. Bella's name was obviously brought up, but then, other female artists that were linked with him in the past were also included.

"Geez… how can you wish us a happy marriage? My brother will totally kill me if they kept saying this." Dion sighed as he barely survived tonight. He knew Lewis didn't bury him alive was because their grandfather will. 

"More than a backlash, people just branded me as an overprotective husband…!" he pinched the bridge of his nose, getting more stress in every comment he read and he was just starting. "And they're trying to figure out who is this 'lucky' girl.'"

His eyes fell on the stolen photo of Dion and Devon's back. It was taken the day they both went to Dion's agency and fans were saying, 'the wife is just as cool as the husband!' 

"Please, people. Stop calling us wife and husband." He lamented. "She will be someone else's wife…"

Dion suddenly tossed his phone away when his grandfather's name turned up on the screen. His eyes dilated as his entire body broke out in a cold sweat. 

"What? Why is he calling me now?" he stammered, reaching for his phone with a trembling hand. "Is bad luck fucking me from behind? Why are the problems keep popping up one after another?"

The phone stopped vibrating when Dion picked it up, but then rang once again. Dion nearly wept as it seemed their grandfather wouldn't let him off easily. 

"Damn… he won't stop unless I pick up." Dion gritted his teeth as he forced his thumb to press answer. Just as he did, his grandfather's fuming voice instantly filled the line that even Dion could hear him before placing it in front of his ear.

"Hey, you punk! How can you taint the angel, ah?! Aren't you afraid of divine retribution?!"