Bonds at War: The Untouched is Mine novel Chapter 419

419 /438

**Attachment 419**

**MINA**

Oh, so he was aware.

I tightened my grip on the firewood, feeling the rough texture against my palms, and gave a small, almost imperceptible nod.

“Okay,” I replied, trying to sound indifferent, though my heart raced beneath the surface.

His brows knitted together in a frown, a clear sign that my nonchalance hadn’t gone unnoticed.

I attempted to sidestep him, making my way toward the door, but he moved in sync with me, his arm casually propped against the frame, effectively blocking my exit.

“I have to cook,” I muttered, shifting the wood against my hip to avoid dropping it.

His jaw clenched, an unspoken tension hanging in the air. “Your damn scent,” he muttered under his breath, as if the words had slipped out before he could catch them.

“What?” I asked, my voice sharper than I intended.

He didn’t respond directly. Instead, he raised his hand, his thumb hovering near my shoulder, and I instinctively recoiled, a shiver running down my spine.

“What perfume do you use?” he inquired, his tone curious yet probing.

Without thinking, I subtly sniffed my own skin. I smelled like I always did—clean but unadorned.

“I showered this morning before we left,” I confessed, my voice steady. “I don’t use any.”

He stared at me, clearly perplexed. “You don’t?”

“I don’t have the money to buy one,” I replied, my words tinged with a hint of defiance. “I clean myself really well.”

His lips parted slightly, as if he were about to say something, but I didn’t give him the chance. I turned away, pushing the door open with my shoulder, feeling a rush of relief as I stepped past him.

“If you don’t want to smell me,” I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper, “then don’t get near me. Just keep talking with Calista.”

With that, I slipped inside, leaving him behind.

I heard him exhale sharply, a sound filled with frustration.

“That wasn’t what I meant,” he called after me, his voice trailing off.

I chose silence, my heart pounding as I walked straight into the kitchen, dumping the firewood beside the stove with a sense of finality.

Calista had vanished from the living room. She reappeared a moment later, already donned in one of the flashy dresses she had bought earlier. She looked like she was ready for a stage, radiating confidence and charm. Her eyes darted around the room, searching. “Where is he?”

I tilted my chin toward the backyard, a gesture that seemed to sharpen her expression instantly.

She approached me, gripping my wrist with a fierceness that surprised me. “Don’t ruin this for me,” she hissed, her voice low but urgent. “Okay? Cook good food. I need him to stay here as long as possible.”

I bit the inside of my cheek, a swirl of thoughts racing through my mind. If she married Elias, would she finally leave this place? I clung to that hope, imagining the peace it could bring me.

Finally, she released my wrist, sweeping toward the living room, transforming back into the polished version of herself that she always presented to the world.

I turned my attention back to the stove, the familiar rhythm of cooking calming me as I began to prepare the meal.

The house soon filled with the enticing aroma of sizzling meat, spices mingling with the faint crackle of oil in the pan. Alongside that, Calista’s animated voice floated in from the other room, bright and excited.

“…and Montrose was just pure chaos! Everything was so hard, especially when the war was active. Imagine walking through the plaza with so many controlled bodies and experiments happening in each town. Entering university was impossible. People were panicking everywhere.”

Elias’s voice followed, steady and reassuring. “We’re also in talks of rebuilding that,” he said. “It won’t take long before the country is stable again.”

Calista gasped dramatically, her excitement palpable.

I paused in my stirring, a flicker of surprise coursing through me. As much as I wasn’t fond of him, it was hard to ignore the fact that he was leading efforts to rebuild Montrose.

I glanced at the pan where the meat was simmering, flipping it carefully, the savory scent filling the small kitchen and wrapping around me like a comforting embrace.

“It’s ready,” I called out quietly, my voice barely breaking the surface of the bustling atmosphere.

Almost immediately, footsteps approached, the sound echoing with anticipation.

They entered the kitchen together, Elias slightly trailing behind Calista, who practically radiated happiness. She gestured to the table with a flourish.

“Have some food,” she said sweetly, her tone dripping with charm. “My mom is out since she’s back to work, and my brother’s helping with the rebuilding operations, so we have this place and the food all to ourselves.”