My Beloved Has Risen from Death's Embrace novel Chapter 234

"They're weak and foolish, and they dare covet you? And why, why are you so kind to them? Why isn't all this kindness meant just for me? I want you all to myself, to be good only to me!”

"You're insane.”

Phoenix shook his head. Yet Maximus smiled, "Yes, and that's why Prescott must die.”

The mention of Prescott stirred something in Phoenix, but she stifled the emotion, fearing it would draw his attention and truly lead him to carry out his threat.

But no matter how much she tried to hide it, she couldn't fool Maximus, who knew her too well.

"So you care about him that much? Enough to betray Ignite Camp, betray me, and even risk your life to protect him?!”

He growled lowly, but Phoenix pretended not to hear.

For reasons she couldn't yet reveal, her betrayal of Ignite Camp wasn't for anyone else but a personal vendetta.

"I won't let you die.”

Orion opened a lunchbox, bringing a bowl of soup to her lips.

She turned her head away, clearly refusing, even as he pinched her chin, forcing her to face the bowl, she remained unresponsive, resigned to her fate.

"Not drinking, huh?” Orion scoffed, taking a sip of the soup himself, "Then I'll just have to feed it to you one mouthful at a time.”

"I'll drink!”

Phoenix quickly changed her tune, even moving her hands, "Just untie me, and I'll eat by myself.”

Her sudden compliance caught Orion off guard.

In the original book, Maximus had to feed Phoenix a few mouthfuls before she submitted and agreed to eat on her own, but now, she had surrendered without him having to do anything.

"Got it, let's start.”

Phoenix "struggled" to swallow the soup under his coercion, and Maximus, seeing her finally agree to eat, couldn't help but smile.

"Phee, do you remember the days we spent together at Ignite Camp?

"Remember that time I messed up and got punished by the camp leader, locked in the water cell overnight? When I came up I was nearly suffocating, and you gave me mouth-to-mouth. When I woke up, you asked how I felt, but all I could remember was how sweet and soft your lips were.

"And another time, we were on a mission pretending to be a couple, and I got 'drunk' and clung to you saying I felt awful, which was both true and false. False because I wasn't really drunk, true because the way you were twisting made me feel uneasy. I pretended to be drunk just to hold you, it was incredibly uneasy, and I even almost…”

He trailed off, leaning close to Xanthea and whispering the last few words in her ear.

Xanthea's eyes widened in shock, her hand trembling with the utensil at his words.

This must be what he referred to in the Realm of Illusions blog post. How could he say such a thing?