Chasing the Unexpected

Chapter 793

Damon stiffened and averted his gaze. “It’s nothing.”

“Is your arm still hurting?” Nyla asked, trying to look at Damon’s arm, but he turned away.

He dismissed her concern. “It’s fine. Let’s get ready for dinner.”

He didn’t even glance at Nyla as he walked past her toward the dining room.

Nyla frowned, sensing something was off about his attitude. She thought back and realized his demeanor had changed after she returned to the car from the pharmacy.

Could it be because she hadn’t mentioned Ruby to him? Was he sulking?

During dinner, Damon spoke only to Mason, ignoring Nyla unless she initiated the conversation.

After dinner, seeing Damon head toward the study, Nyla quickly followed him.

“Damon, wait! I need to talk to you,” she called out.

His tone was somewhat cold when he replied, “What is it?”

Nyla looked up at him. “Are you upset with me?”

Damon avoided her gaze. “No.”

“If that’s true,

then why were you only talking to Buddy at dinner?” she pressed.

“You’re overthinking it,” Damon replied dismissively.

Displeasure flashed in Nyla’s eyes. “If you’re unhappy about something, spill it. Keeping it to yourself will only upset you and sabotage our relationship.”

“It’s really nothing,” Damon insisted.

Noticing his indifferent expression, Nyla felt a surge of frustration.

“You always do this, keeping everything to yourself. How am I supposed to know what you’re thinking?” Her voice rose slightly, tinged with hurt.

Damon frowned, seeming to realize he might be in the wrong.

He sighed and pulled Nyla closer. “Don’t be mad. I just… I saw you talking to another guy and asked what you said, but you wouldn’t tell me, so I felt a little jealous.”

Nyla widened her eyes. “Is that really why? You’re being so petty.”

Damon chuckled helplessly. “I know, I shouldn’t have reacted that way. It won’t happen again.”

Most of Nyla’s anger faded at his sincerity. She retorted, “Who told you that delivery person

as a man?”

Damon frowned. “If it wasn’t a guy, then was it.” NôvelDrama.Org (C) content.

Then, he seemed to realize something, his brows furrowing even more. “Wait, that delivery person was a woman?”

Nyla nodded. “Yeah, and I know her.

Damon was speechless. He hadn’t expected to be sulking over a woman.

Unable to help herself, Nyla laughed at him. “Your possessiveness is a bit much, don’t you think? I was just talking to someone else for a minute, and you’re all jealous.”

A hint of guilt flashed in Damon’s eyes as he rubbed his nose. “That’s because when I asked you, you were so vague about it. You kept spacing out afterward, making me think you were hiding something.”

“Are girly conversations even appropriate for you?” Nyla asked.

Damon looked sheepish, not saying anything else.

Just when the atmosphere between them became a bit more relaxed, Nyla’s phone rang unexpectedly.

As soon as she answered, Valarie’s slightly downcast voice came through. “Nyla, can you come keep me company?”

Surprised, Nyla asked, “Valarie, what’s wrong? Did something happen?”

Valarie was silent for a few seconds before giving her the name of a bar and saying she would wait for Nyla there before hanging up.

Nyla put her phone away and told Damon, “I don’t know what’s going on with Valarie. She’s at a bar, and I need to go check on her.”

Damon picked up the car keys and said, “I’ll take you there.”

Worried that Valarie might get into trouble at the bar, Nyla nodded. “Okay.”

+25 NONUS

By the time they arrived at the bar, an hour had passed.

When they found Valarie, she was already a bit dazed and being hit on by a drunken man. Nyla stepped forward and swatted the man’s hand away from Valarie.

“Stay away from her!” she warned.

The man, his face flushed with alcohol, turned angrily to face her. When he saw how

beautiful she was, his eyes lit up. “Hey, gorgeous,

1. up. “Hey, gorgeous, what’s your number-”

Before he could finish his sentence, a chilling voice came from behind him. “Touch her, and you’ll regret it!”

The man turned to meet Damon’s icy gaze. He shuddered, sobering up a little.

Noticing Damon’s distinguished appearance, the man awkwardly smiled. “Sorry, I mistook her for someone else.”

He quickly turned and left, clearly eager to avoid Damon.

Nyla supported the dazed Valarie, who was nearly unable to stand. “Valarie, what happened? Why did you drink so much?”

Valarie looked up with bleary eyes and recognized Nyla. She smiled and greeted her, “Nyla, you’re here…”

“I’m taking you home,” Nyla said.

“No… I don’t want to go back. I’m not drunk! I can still drink! Let’s keep going…” Valarie slurred.

She struggled to get up and reach for an empty glass on the bar, but the room kept spinning, and she couldn’t grab it no matter how many times she tried. .

“Hey… why is this glass moving…” she mumbled.

“You’re drunk. Let’s go home,” Nyla coaxed.

“I’m not drunk!” Valarie insisted stubbornly.

Nyla didn’t want to argue with someone who was intoxicated. Thus, she nodded and played along, “Okay, okay, you’re not drunk. It’s too noisy here. Let’s go back and drink together. I’ll drink with you until you’ve had enough!”

734

“You promised… hic… that!” Valarie exclaimed

“Yep, no stopping until dawn,” Nyla placated.

Finally, Valarie relented and allowed Nyla to lead her out of the bar.

As they stepped outside, a cold wind blew, and Valarie shivered.

Nyla took off her jacket and draped it over her.

In the next moment, she felt another jacket being placed on herself. A surge of warmth filled her as she inhaled Damon’s scent of pine.

11

Nyla helped Valarie toward the parking lot. Once they were in the car, she fastened Valarie’s seatbelt. Just as she was about to close the door, Valarie started flailing her arms and legs, screaming, “Help! I’m being choked! Let me go! Who’s trying to hurt me…‘ Watching Valarie twist and turn in panic, Nyla was speechless. She pressed Valarie down gently, reassuring her, “Valarie, it’s just the seatbelt, not a rope.”

“I don’t care! It feels like a rope! Waaa… Nyla, are you trying to hurt me…” Valarie cried. Nyla was dumbfounded. She turned to Damon and said, “I’ll sit in the back to take care of her.”

“Okay,” Damon replied.

Nyla climbed into the back seat and comforted Valarie until she finally calmed down.

“Should I take her back to the Weirs?” Damon’s deep voice came from the front seat.

Nyla pursed her lips as she considered his question. “If we go back now, her parents will definitely worry. Let’s have her stay with us tonight, and she can go back tomorrow when she’s sober.”

Damon nodded. “Okay.”

By the time they returned to the villa, Valarie had already fallen asleep.

Nyla and Lydia helped her to the guest room on the first floor.

“Ms. Kinsey, I’ll make some soup,” Lydia said.