I Walked Away And He Lost His Mind (Zephyra) novel Chapter 67

His words hit me like a physical blow. I was stunned, completely speechless. "Uncle Julian! You've misunderstood—"

Before I could finish, Horace and Steven simultaneously held out their plates of sliced apples. Horace’s eyes were sparkling. "Uncle Julian, what were you and Zephyra whispering about?"

Julian took the plate from Horace, completely ignoring Steven, and asked him warmly, "The gifts I gave you and Zephyra, have you opened them yet?"

Steven’s expression didn't change, but he continued to hold his plate out stiffly.

Horace grinned and pulled a pendant from under his shirt. It was a semi-circular piece of jade, intricately carved with the image of a dragon. "I've opened mine, Uncle Julian."

Julian nodded, then turned his gaze to me. "Zephyra, what about yours?"

A sense of dread washed over me, growing with volcanic intensity after seeing Horace's gift. I instinctively glanced at Steven. He stood before me, his tall frame perfectly silhouetted by the window, but he was radiating a chilling aura of immense pressure.

"Mine's still wrapped. I'll get to it later, no rush." I tried to laugh it off, hoping to deflect the question.

But I had forgotten that the gift box was sitting right on the table. Steven’s eyes flickered toward it, his voice dangerously low. "I'll open it for you."

My heart pounded. I tried to stop him, but he was taller and faster. In a moment, he had the box open and was holding up its contents. His face instantly turned to ice. I saw the carved phoenix on the matching pendant, and my own expression froze.

I could see how flustered he was. He was a man of few words, but now he was stammering. I felt a headache coming on. I never imagined he could have made such a colossal mistake. "He's my best friend. He came to see me as soon as he got back in the country, and he's been helping out because he was worried I was overwhelmed."

Julian was utterly dumbfounded.

Horace's gaze shifted to the pendant in Steven's hand. He calmly removed his own, held it out to Steven, and said without a hint of embarrassment, "Uncle Julian, this gift has a profound meaning. It wouldn't be right for me to keep it. It should go to its rightful owner. However, I hope I can still call you Uncle Julian, and perhaps, one day, I'll have the chance to earn this gift."

He said it with an innocent smile, but the underlying challenge was unmistakable. Julian looked from me to Steven, and then to Horace, his beard doing little to hide his deep embarrassment. "Fine. You can call me what Zephyra calls me."

Horace smiled again and looked at Steven. Wedged between them, I couldn't understand why he was deliberately provoking him.