Chapter 296 Sheltered By Illusions

• Connie POV
• My heart hammered as Chase guided me out of the kitchen, his hand firm around my waist. I could practically feel the tension still clinging to my skin, left behind by Adam's furious glare. That confrontation had jolted me badly, far more than I cared to admit. Yet the shock of seeing Chase rush to my defence overshadowed everything else. No one had ever bothered to stand up for me like that.
• My breath caught in my throat the moment we stepped into the hallway. The old wood panels were dimly lit—only a distant lamp near the stairs offered any real glow. The hush of early morning wrapped around us, neither of us daring to speak above a murmur. My body was still trembling, half from fear, half from that odd exhilaration of being protected. Despite myself, I pressed closer to him, savouring the illusion that he truly cared. I knew how to exploit illusions—I was the master at that. But for the first time, I wanted to believe this particular one was real.