The moment Ho turned to look at Wanda, he noticed that the smile on her face had frozen. Although he hadn't technically started anything yet, it felt like he was already caught! Wanda's expression clearly indicated that she knew there was someone upstairs, and it was the voice of a girl.
He truly didn't expect that, just when it mattered most, Gwen would call out to him. He had intended to find an excuse to distract Wanda, but now it was evident that there was no way to deceive her.
Creak, creak.
Wanda's smile was now tinged with anger, and he could even hear her teeth grinding. She had also noticed that Hode's clothes were completely soaked, and the words he had just spoken implied he was taking a shower. Thoughts crossed her mind of Hode enjoying being in the bathroom; could it be...
"My dear Hode, it seems there's a girl upstairs calling for you," Wanda said, taking a deep breath and forcing herself to look calmly into Hode's eyes. However, it was clear from the way the bag in her hand was open that the clothes likely weren't meant for her. After all, Hode had no idea when she would come over, and she was only here tonight because she missed him. She never expected to walk into this situation, and a mix of feelings—resentment, anger, and a sense of unfairness—swirled within her.
Her chaotic feelings left her unsure of what to do; she even considered the possibility that she had misheard.
"Really?" Hode replied with a stiff expression, "It must be the maid."
In that moment, he felt like his head was spinning like mush. It wasn't that he was slow to react; rather, the whole situation felt completely different from the usual trivial affairs. Before he met Wanda, he had encountered similar scenarios multiple times without feeling a thing. But unexpectedly, he found himself in a state of panic.
"Wanda, you gave the maid the night off today, and there won't be any maids here at night." Wanda's body shook slightly, her eyes filled with pain, and they reddened at that moment. She had already guessed the truth, but she was unwilling to accept it; she hoped Hode would come up with a reason to deceive her. Yet this reasoning was so flimsy that even she couldn't fool herself.
She felt a sharp pain in her heart; clearly, she had fallen in love with him, and yet here they were—so many complicated matters twisting her emotions.
"Wanda..." Hode took her hand, wanting to say something.
But Wanda pulled her hand away forcefully. She grabbed the bag containing the clothes and rushed upstairs.
Since there was no way to deceive herself any longer, she had to see it with her own eyes. Because even she didn't know what to do next. The only thought left in her mind was, who could it be? Who could possibly be better than her?
"Little witch, even if you're anxious, there's no need to rush so much!" Hode gritted his teeth, forcing a smile as he hurried to catch up with her.
He could feel Wanda's current emotions; they were like volatile powder kegs, and he wasn't sure if Wanda would tear Gwen apart the moment she saw her.