They Hated Me in My First Life, But Now I Have the Love System

Chapter 489: I’m in Love with Somto?!

For a moment, the room was quiet, just the two of them, basking in the afterglow of shared thoughts and steady silence.

But even silence between them didn’t feel awkward. It felt... comfortable.

Safe.

"Your office here is really cool," Nnenna said, her eyes darting around with curiosity. She wondered how many other secret compartments it had.

"I know," Somto replied with a small, amused smile.

"By the way, when did you come back?" she asked, turning back to him.

"This morning," Somto said casually.

Nnenna’s eyes widened. "Wait... don’t tell me you rushed here overnight?"

Somto chuckled at her shocked expression. "I did."

"Why??" Her voice rose with concern. "You could’ve just waited till this morning! Were you even able to finish what you were working on?"

He most likely rushed over to teach me...

She suddenly felt like she was being a troublemaker, and guilt crept into her tone.

"Well," Somto began with a shrug, "you need the best person to teach you strategy. And that’s me. So how could I not rush back?"

Nnenna blinked at him.

He leaned back a little, voice softer now, "Didn’t you tell me to come back soon?"

She nodded, caught off guard by the tenderness behind his words.

"And," he added, with a small but honest smile, "I missed you. So using that as an excuse to return? Perfect."

Nnenna stared at him, her heart doing a strange little flip.

"My subordinates can handle the rest of the work," he finished, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Nnenna was now speechless, completely caught off guard by how casually Somto had said those words.

He missed her?

So he rushed back overnight, using the excuse of teaching her? And left all his work for his subordinates?

Her heart fluttered, but at the same time, she felt a bit bad for his team. Being under Somto couldn’t possibly be easy. His responsibilities must be enormous.

And yes, she did tell him to come back soon that day, but she definitely didn’t mean for him to travel overnight just because she finally picked a talent.

And now he was saying the real reason... was because he missed her?

She didn’t know what to say. So she just gave a small nod and looked away, her cheeks burning. But she could feel Somto’s gaze on her, steady, intense, unreadable.

"I think I should go now. It’s getting late and I still have some things to do," she blurted quickly and stood up.

Before he could even respond, she was already halfway to the door, fleeing like her life depended on it.

Somto blinked, stunned. He hadn’t expected that. A small wave of sadness crept in as he watched the door close behind her.

She still wasn’t completely open with him.

That stung more than he wanted to admit.

She was getting older, just a few months away from seventeen. Eighteen wasn’t far off either. But the emotional gap between them still lingered.

He remembered Carl’s words echoing in his head: "Be patient."

But patience was easier said than done.

Nnenna, on the other hand, practically flew back to her room, one hand pressed to her chest as if that could calm the wild thudding of her heart.

This has been happening to me since back in Lionara... whenever I’m around him.

Is this... what they call love?

The question echoed in her head louder than it should’ve, and the blush on her cheeks only deepened. f.(r)eew ebnov\ll.com

Driven by a mix of curiosity and urgency, she grabbed her phone and opened her browser. She didn’t hesitate this time. She typed in the question with trembling fingers:

"What are the signs that you’re in love?"

The first result popped up and she tapped it open. Her eyes skimmed over the list:

You feel nervous around them even if there’s no reason to be.

Check, she thought, remembering how she could barely look Somto in the eye earlier. noveldrama

Your heart races when you see or think about them.

She almost laughed, racing? It’s doing cartwheels right now.

You find excuses to be near them or talk to them.

Wasn’t that exactly what she kept doing just this morning till this late?

You remember every little thing they say.

She could write an entire book with Somto’s compliments burned into her mind.

You feel safe and happy when they’re around.

Her shoulders always dropped when he smiled, her thoughts clearer, her fears quieter.

You worry about what they think of you.

That one struck deep. Too deep.

Nnenna stared at the screen, frozen for a moment.

"...I think I really do like him," she whispered to herself.

Then, she clutched her phone to her chest and fell back on her bed, eyes wide open, mind spinning.

What am I supposed to do now?

And

How did this happen?

Nnenna still couldn’t wrap her head around it. She sat up slowly, blinking at the glowing screen of her phone like it had just whispered a secret too big to believe.

Out of disbelief, she scrolled back up and read the write up again. Then again. And again. Each word struck deeper the more she read it, like they were chipping away at the wall of denial she hadn’t even realized she had built.

Her lips moved, barely forming the words.

"I’m... in love with Somto?"

She said it softly. Then again, louder, with a note of stunned confusion.

"I’m in love with Somto!"

The sentence danced around her head like a whirlwind. Since when? Since Lionara? Since the day he protected her without saying a word? Since he smiled at her like she was the only one in the room?

She couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment. But the feelings had been growing all along, quietly weaving themselves into her heart until she could no longer ignore them.

But then, did he feel the same way?

That thought slammed into her like a wave. Her hands tightened around her phone as worry crept in, cold and sudden.

---------------------------------------------------

The big exams are closing in fast, and trust me, you’ll want to brace yourselves. What’s coming soon will change everything. Get ready!