Page 108 of Barbi and the Villain

A guilty look flashes across his face.

“You…knew?” he asks as he scratches the back of his head.

“It wasn’t that hard to figure out.”

“It is that one.” He steps forward and grabs it for me. Taking it to the table, he chops it in small bites and he adds them to some boiling water.

“PomPom and BonBon have grown on you, haven’t they?”

“You could say so.” He shrugs. But I don’t miss the smile that tips his lips.

We fill a small pouch with pieces of meat and abscond away. Well, technically, our shift at the kitchen is done since I finished cooking.

PomPom and BonBon are chasing each other around, playing together, and immediately, worry grips me. Shouldn’t PomPom be more careful? For the first time since this adventure, I wish we were home since a vet could run tests on her and ensure she’s doing fine. But I guess we have to make do with Mr. Foerie’s advice.

The door closes behind us, and PomPom and BonBon notice us. To my surprise, it’s not me they hurry toward.

It’s Nykander.

“Aha.” I narrow my eyes at him. “This is why you’ve been feeding them all this time. You wanted to gain their favor.”

He doesn’t answer, a hidden smile playing at his lips. He takes out the pouch with meat from his pocket. The dogs immediately jump up and down, spinning to express their joy. He lures them with the food to the corner where we’d placed their feeding bowls, and he splits the meat between the two.

They do another happy dance in front of him—one that PomPom used to do only for me.

I stand on the sidelines and glare at him.

He stole my heart, and now he’s stealing my dogs.

After the dogs eat, Nykander takes them out for a walk, and again I can do nothing but follow behind, feeling like a damn forth wheel. Especially as he continuously praises PomPom and calls her his good girl.

“Such a good girl,” he murmurs as he scratches her ears after she poops. BonBon, wanting to be praised too, starts running in circles around him. He raises himself on his hind legs and dabs Nykander with his little paws.

“You too, BonBon. You are a good, good boy,” he says with an easygoing laugh.

I sulk.

Despite the routine we’ve established with our chores around the village, he’s never once been this relaxed with me. There’s always tension between us, as if he holds himself back.

I am a few steps behind them as I watch their interactions green with envy. It’s not that I’m actually jealous of my dogs—they deserve the world. I just wish he gave me the same love and attention, too.

PomPom barks as she jumps on him, yapping back and forth.

“You like that, do you not?” He laughs as he pets her gently. “Yes. Good girl.” She responds to the praise, pushing her snout into his palm and asking for more.

“You are the best girl,” he says with a chuckle.

“What about me?” I blurt out, crossing my arms over my chest.

He turns to regard me with a raised brow.

“What about you?”

“Am I not a good girl too?”

PomPom and BonBon also look at me questioningly.

Nykander tilts his head and stares at me, his gaze deep and penetrating.

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