Elias chuckled, amused. "Calm down, Benedict. Are you that threatened? Do you really think I’d lay a hand on your wife?"
The tension between them was suffocating, and I refused to be caught in the middle. "Enough. We should go back inside." My voice was clipped with frustration.
I turned to leave, but Benedict pulled me back, stopping me in my tracks. His next question made my blood run cold.
"What were you two talking about?"
I felt the color drain from my face, but I forced myself to remain composed. "Nothing. He just asked if I was okay. That’s all."
Benedict’s sharp gaze flickered over me, pausing at my reddened chin. There was something knowing in his eyes, something that made my stomach twist. I quickly looked away, but Elias wasn’t done.
"Don’t hurt her, Benedict," Elias warned, voice low. "You might forget, but I can do something about it."
Benedict ignored him, leading me back to the dining hall without another word. Not that I expected him to say anything. His moods shifted like the wind, unpredictable and volatile. He always believed he could control me, that I would stay silent and endure. But I wasn’t that woman anymore.