Vampire's Veil Of Obsession-Chapter 149: His Intentions..

Lilia’s eyes widened, caught completely off guard. She was shocked by what he was about to do—but even more surprising was the look on the man’s face. He, too, seemed stunned, as if he couldn’t believe he had gone so far just to prove someone wrong with their own words.

"Please... wait," Lilia said quickly, just as he reached for the next button. His hand froze mid-motion at the sound of her voice. She met his eyes with a pleading gaze.

"Please, I’m hungry..." she added softly, placing a hand over her stomach. The moment the words left her mouth, his lips parted slightly—then shut again. Without a word, he rebuttoned his shirt.

Lilia sighed inwardly in relief. She didn’t even want to imagine what would’ve happened if he hadn’t stopped—though, truthfully, she was hungry. Thankfully, the thought had come to her just in time.

Running a hand lazily through his dark hair, he looked at her, confusion and disbelief in his eyes.

"What are you?" he asked, voice low and baffled.

Lilia raised an eyebrow, not understanding what he meant.

"Never mind," he muttered under his breath. Then, after a pause, he stretched out his hand.

Lilia placed hers in his. It was strange, but somehow... this felt much better than watching him undress.

He moved, and they walked out of the room together. The door opened, and they stepped into the hallway.

"Prince William," Lilia called softly.

He turned to her, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"Just William, please. I’m not that old, am I? A handsome young man like me—the most handsome of all," he said with a playful wink.

Lilia rolled her eyes internally.

Wait till you see my husband. You haven’t seen anything yet, she bragged to herself.

"What’s your name, beauty?" he asked gently.

"Lilia, Pri—William," she corrected quickly, catching herself. He chuckled.

As they walked side by side, Lilia glanced at him, a flicker of pity crossing her heart. He really was handsome, but he wasn’t meant for her. Someone else would suit him far better.

William turned, catching her gaze.

"Oh, don’t hold back. You can stare all you want—this handsome face is hard to ignore," he said, clearly amused.

Lilia rolled her eyes again.

What is wrong with this man? So full of himself.

"Lady Lilia," he said more seriously, "if I may ask... what was it you wanted to say to me earlier?"

She paused, realizing that everything had started because she had wanted to ask him something. A smile played on her lips as she remembered.

"I was just curious... do you have any plans of going to the land of the living?" she asked lightly.

He froze for a moment, her question clearly catching him off guard.

"Why do you ask?" he said, his tone touched with surprise. It was obvious no one had asked him that before.

"Oh, nothing much. Just curious," Lilia shrugged. "You’re regarded as one of the most handsome, right? If you were to visit the land of the living, well... there are a lot of more handsome men there, you know. So, you’ll be getting quite a competition."

William stopped in his tracks, eyes widening slightly.

"Oh really? That’s why you weren’t the least bit impressed when I first met you?" he said, almost in disbelief.

"Oh no, that’s not it. You are handsome. It’s just... I’m already interested in someone," Lilia said.

The moment those words left her lips, the man’s face darkened. His aura shifted—deep, heavy, and suffocating. It was the kind of presence that could make anyone tremble. Yet Lilia stood still, unshaken. Her calm expression told him she had seen far worse.

His eyes widened slightly.

"Who is he?" he asked quietly, trying to keep his voice calm.

"He’s not in this world," Lilia replied softly.

William’s mouth opened, then closed again in shock. His eyes dropped to her lips as she smiled gently—too gently. A frown tugged at his features—not because of her mesmerizing smile, but because she was smiling because of someone else. He stepped closer and lifted a hand, lightly gripping her chin.

"Tell me...?" he asked again, this time with a distant coldness in his voice.

Lilia bit her lower lip, her cheeks flushing crimson. William’s eyes widened further, stunned. He had never seen that look on her before—soft, shy, and glowing with something... different. It shocked him, mesmerized him, and made him painfully curious.

Who was this man that could make her smile like that?

But just as she opened her mouth to speak, her stomach growled. The moment broke. Her cheeks turned even redder now in embarrassment.

William chuckled softly and took her hand. Without another word, they walked toward the large dining hall doors. The guards standing on either side pushed them open in sync, revealing the grand interior beyond.

Lilia’s eyes widened in awe as she took in the sight. The palace dining hall was immense. Maids moved gracefully, placing food with practiced precision. At the sight of William, they bowed in unison before quietly leaving the hall.

Silence fell as Lilia stepped in. Her gaze swept over the long table, beautifully arranged and filled with a variety of rich, aromatic dishes. Her mouth watered. It had been so long since she last ate—and now, fully in her physical form, she realized just how hungry she truly was.

Noticing her gaze, William’s lips curved into a slow smile. He moved toward the table and pulled a chair out for her.

"Please, sit," he said gently.

Lilia nodded with a soft "thank you" as she took her seat gracefully. William sat across from her, and soon, the quiet clinking of cutlery filled the grand hall as they both began their meal in silence.

Her eyes fell on the small pieces of meat on her plate. It reminded her of the time she shared steak with Zethan—how he had annoyed her over something so simple. A small smile tugged at her lips as she gently poked a piece of meat with her fork, lifting it slowly toward her mouth.

"Tell me," William said quietly, "what’s making you smile? I want to smile too."

Lilia paused, blinking. One thing she was beginning to realize about this man—he was good with words. The kind of smooth line that would easily sway most girls.

A soft smile curved on her lips.

"I just remembered something funny," she replied simply.

To his surprise, she giggled—soft and brief. But then she quickly cleared her throat, as if suddenly aware of herself.

The moment lingered for a heartbeat before she glanced up at him again. Maybe it was time to ask a few questions of her own. It was rare to dine with a prince, after all—why not make the most of this golden opportunity?

"You haven’t answered my question yet," Lilia said quietly, her gaze lingering on him.

William paused, then leaned back slightly in his seat. "Truthfully, I haven’t thought much about it," he admitted. "But now... I am curious."

He gave a small, thoughtful smile, but it faded quickly. "Even so, I don’t think it’s possible. My father has limited time left. Once he’s gone, I’ll be next on the throne. That’s why he’s so determined to see me married soon—to ensure there’s an heir. Someone to continue the line when my own time ends. That’s just how it is."

Lilia nodded slowly, absorbing his words. She had no idea things worked like this in his world. It felt... heavy.

"What about your younger brother?" she asked, curiosity piqued. For some unknown reason, it felt wrong to her that he was here—in the land of the dead. Something about it just felt unfair.

William’s expression remained calm as he picked up his glass of water and took a small sip. "The rule here is simple: it’s always the first son who inherits the throne. That’s how it’s always been."

There was a brief pause before he set his glass down and picked up his cutlery, but then he stopped again, as if remembering something.

"There will be a ball in two weeks," he said, shifting his gaze to her, steady and intent. "I hope you’ll attend."

Lilia lifted the red napkin and gently dabbed her lips, hiding the subtle surprise in her eyes. She didn’t answer immediately, unsure whether to see this invitation as formal... or personal.

"I had no idea... If I may ask, what is it about?" Lilia asked in a curious tone.

William smiled lightly. "It’s a Thanks Ball—to honor the king and thank him for all he’s done before he finally..."

He paused, the words lingering unsaid. Saying them out loud felt too final.

Lilia observed his hesitation, understanding even without him finishing the sentence.

"Then, if that’s the case... I’ll attend," she replied gently.

As soon as the words left her lips, a slow, almost relieved smile spread across William’s face.

Lilia rose to her feet. "Thank you very much, Prin—William... for the dinner. I truly enjoyed it."

William stood as well, his eyes following her.

"I hope we can share more moments like this in the near future," he said quietly.

Lilia offered a polite curtsy and turned to leave, but before she could take a step, William’s voice stopped her.

"My lady," he said, almost a whisper, "I must make my intentions clear—I wish to marry you."

Lilia froze, slowly turning back to him. She offered another curtsy, this time lower, more formal.

"I apologize, Prince William," she said gently but firmly. "But I must decline... as I am already married."