Chapter 260: My Dear Leon, Do You Still Want to Pretend?

"Alright, you two, don't fight like that."Noticing the tense atmosphere between them, Leon quickly got to his feet and stepped in to separate them.

He knew that if he didn't intervene immediately, they might start fighting right then and there.

As Leon spoke, Liliana and Athena gradually regained their composure, though their hostility lingered as they turned away with cold snorts.

Leon felt a headache coming on but chose to remain silent as he sat back down.

"Ahem! Alright, let's discuss this matter carefully," Leon said, clearing his throat.

He then turned to Athena and asked, "Is it really necessary to exclude Liliana from this discussion?" seaʀᴄh thё NôvelFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Athena nodded and replied calmly, "Yes, Leon. This needs to be discussed privately."

Leon was taken aback by her firm stance and regarded her with a doubtful expression.

"Then, could you at least tell me what the topic is?" he asked.

Athena's insistence on keeping Liliana out suggested that the matter was both serious and confidential.

However, he couldn't fathom what could be so important that Liliana, his partner, wasn't allowed to hear it, which only deepened his curiosity.

Athena smiled endearingly at the curiosity on Leon's face and folded her long legs as she replied in a playful tone, "Leon, you're familiar with the black token that has a star and moon pattern on both sides, right?"

"A black token with a star and moon pattern?" Leon was momentarily stunned before recalling his conversation with Miranda a few days ago, leaving him shocked.

The black token with the star and moon pattern was a weapon created for him by the Demon Emperor Amon Crimson and the Hero of Mankind, Luminus Troya.

With the token, he could foresee and prepare for the possible betrayal of the hidden races, who had stayed concealed for over 7,000 years.

However, Miranda had mentioned that the token was in the hands of the dragon ancestor, making him deeply regret his earlier decision to decline Athena's invitation to meet with her ancestor.

With Athena suddenly bringing up the topic of the token, it was impossible not to be taken by surprise.

Snapping out of his reverie, Leon took a deep breath to steady his racing heartbeat and looked up at Athena, who was smiling at him.

"Athena, do you have the token?" Leon asked, his tone betraying his nervousness.

If the token was indeed in Athena's possession, his decision not to visit the dragon ancestor had been the right one, and Athena's arrival today was a blessing for him!

Still smiling, Athena didn't answer his question directly. Instead, she raised an eyebrow and teased, "Guess what?"

Leon felt the corner of his mouth twitch at her playful response, but he remained unperturbed.

Knowing Athena's nature, he realized that her teasing likely meant she did have the token.

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Beside Leon, Liliana, who was confused by their conversation, couldn't help but pout as she looked at him.

"Leon, can you explain what you two are talking about?" Liliana asked.

Feeling left out and neglected, she grew upset as she realized she was the only one who didn't understand the conversation.

Additionally, she felt a pang of jealousy as she watched the two of them engage so intently, which was quite annoying.

Leon took a deep breath and turned his gaze toward Liliana, ready to explain. However, he suddenly felt a sharp gaze directed at him.

Subconsciously, Leon glanced at Athena and saw her lips moving as if she were about to say something to him, which stunned him and caused a slight throb in his head.

Turning his attention back to Liliana, he gently patted her hand and said, "Liliana, could you give Athena and me a moment alone?"

Liliana's eyes widened in disbelief, and she was about to respond, but Leon's index finger gently pressed against her lips, silencing her.

"I understand you're upset, but could you please grant me this request? I promise I'll explain everything to you afterward, including the topic of my conversation with Athena," Leon said soothingly.

Liliana paused, her gaze shifting to him with a look of doubt.

She was reluctant to allow Athena and Leon to speak alone without her there.

Beyond the risk of Leon's true identity being exposed, she also felt a pang of jealousy at the thought of Athena being alone with him.

Their relationship had been built on an embarrassing incident from the past, and the idea of Athena having private time with him made her uneasy.

However, since Leon had chosen to speak privately with Athena, she knew she couldn't be selfish.

Interfering might lead Leon to harbor grievances, potentially jeopardizing the relationship they had built.

Emerging from her thoughts, Liliana took a deep breath, looked at Leon, and said softly, "Alright, I'll give you some privacy with Athena. But you must promise to tell me everything afterward. If you forget, I'll be upset and ignore you."

Leon chuckled softly and nodded, gently brushing her silky white hair.

"Of course, Liliana. You don't need to worry—I'll definitely keep my promise," Leon replied confidently.

Liliana smiled, saying nothing more, and closed her eyes as if savoring Leon's affectionate touch.

The tender moment was beautiful to anyone watching, but Athena felt her anger boiling.

Throughout her interactions with Leon, she had never experienced such affection from him, leaving her intensely jealous of Liliana.

'At first, I thought Liliana and Leon were just pretending, but I was completely wrong,' Athena thought with a cold edge.

Her hands were clenched so tightly that her nails cut into her palms, drawing red droplets of blood.

However, she paid no mind to the pain, focusing entirely on taking Leon from Liliana, regardless of the cost.

Leon belonged to her, and no woman, including Liliana, could take him away!

Athena's red eyes turned cold and shadowy as she glared at Liliana, though she quickly masked her emotions to avoid detection by Leon.

After a while of savoring their intimate moment, Liliana slowly rose to her feet and looked at Leon with a gentle gaze.

"Then I won't disturb you any longer," Liliana said lightly.

Turning to Athena, her gentle smile turned cold as she added, "I hope the cooperation we discussed earlier will come to fruition, Athena."

At her words, Athena wanted to ignore Liliana, but she knew she couldn't.

"Yes, I hope so too, Liliana," she replied with an expressionless face.

Liliana nodded briefly, said nothing further, and left, leaving Leon and Athena alone in the parlor.

As Liliana's figure gradually disappeared, Leon turned his attention to Athena and cleared his throat.

"Ahem! With Liliana gone, let's move on to the topic you wanted to discuss," Leon said with a faint smile as he brewed fresh tea for them both.

The black token with the star and moon pattern was crucial for dealing with the hidden races in the future, so he was eager to discuss it with Athena without delay.

Athena responded with a slight smile as she sipped the freshly brewed tea Leon had prepared.

"Why the rush, Leon? Aren't you enjoying the chance to be alone with me, away from Liliana?" Athena asked playfully, her red eyes gleaming with a cold intensity.

Leon felt a flush of embarrassment at her words, as he did indeed feel that way. The memory of their past incident still traumatized him, making him uneasy around her.

Nonetheless, he concealed his discomfort and maintained a calm expression.

"Ahem! It's not that I don't enjoy being alone with you, Athena, but the black token your ancestor gave you is of immense importance to me." Leon sighed helplessly and took a sip of his tea to hide his embarrassment over the half-truth.

Athena responded with a cold smile, remaining silent.

She slowly rose to her feet, then unexpectedly walked over to Leon and sat down beside him, startling him instantly.

Before Leon could respond, Athena crossed her long legs and fixed him with an intense, obsessed gaze.

"Before we dive into our discussion, shouldn't we address the main issue first?" she said.

Leon was once again taken aback by her words and stared at her in astonishment.

"The main issue? What do you mean?" Leon asked, his brows slightly furrowed in confusion.

A lustful smile suddenly spread across Athena's lips as she leaned in closer to Leon, whispering into his ear with a hint of breathlessness, "My dear Leon, do you still want to pretend?"

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A/N: Hey~ I didn't realize it was almost the end of the month. My updating schedule has been quite chaotic this month due to my heavy workload, leaving me little time to write new chapters.

I apologize for this, and I promise to aim for updating two chapters every day next month to ensure the story progresses as it should.

Well, that's all for now. I'm incredibly grateful for your support throughout this time—it's moved me deeply and almost brought me to tears. ｡｡ ･ﾟﾟ･(＞_＜) ･ﾟﾟ･｡.

So, stay tuned, and thank you once again! o(〃＾▽＾〃)o