Fake Mate Beta Rises to Alpha Heiress (Natalie) novel Chapter 16

**Chapter 16: I Need Rest**

**Chapter 16: I Need Rest**

**Landon’s POV:**

Aaliyah was still awake, her eyes bright with concern as she waited for my return. I cast a fleeting glance toward Natalie’s room, the door firmly shut, not a hint of light seeping through the cracks.

Had Natalie really played me like this? Leaving me alone in the cold shadows of the night, waiting for her to show up?

Frustration surged within me, and I instinctively loosened my tie, feeling the constriction around my neck. I quickly changed my shoes, my mind racing with irritation, and strode towards Natalie’s door. Just as I reached for the doorknob, a gentle but firm grip caught my wrist.

“Landon, what’s wrong? This is Natalie’s room,” Aaliyah whispered, her eyes wide with confusion and a touch of apprehension.

Reality hit me like a wave. Of course, I had always respected the boundaries of our separate rooms. What was I thinking, trying to enter Natalie’s space in the dead of night, especially right in front of Aaliyah?

I inhaled deeply, forcing my anger to subside, and allowed Aaliyah to guide me away from that door, away from my reckless impulse.

**Aaliyah’s POV:**

Back in the sanctuary of my room, Landon finally let the dam break. He poured out everything that had transpired, his voice a mixture of frustration and disbelief.

A knot of worry had been tightening in my chest, fearing that he might be developing feelings for Natalie. But as he spoke, a wave of relief washed over me.

“She never used to behave like this with me,” Landon murmured, his voice low and heavy, carrying a weight of frustration I had never encountered before. He was usually so composed in his relationships, always maintaining an air of control, even when he was pursuing me.

“Do you see it now?” I replied softly, hoping to soothe him. “Women can become spoiled easily. You’ve been far too lenient with her over the years. Now, she’s taking your kindness for granted. She doesn’t want to adhere to the Richardson family rules anymore.” I poured him a cup of warm honey water, the steam rising gently, and settled beside him, my fingers working their way into the knots of tension in his shoulders.

Landon placed his hand over mine, but his eyes remained clouded with doubt. “Natalie isn’t like that.”

Even after everything, he was still defending her. It was as if he couldn’t see that Natalie’s behavior was a reflection of her true self. Did he believe this was merely a cry for attention, a response to feeling neglected since I had moved in? His attention, divided, was causing ripples in our relationship, and today, his frustration was fueled by his sister’s antics.

The thought that Landon’s feelings for Natalie might be shifting sent a pang through my heart, tightening like a vice.

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