Love and deceit のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 61 - チャプター 70

🌹Aurora 🌹The knock at the door had shattered the moment, leaving my heart racing and my thoughts tangled in confusion. I stepped into the hallway, pressing a hand to my chest as I tried to steady my breathing.What had just happened in that room?The way Damien had looked at me, the way I had leaned in, wanting more—I wasn’t supposed to feel this way.I shook my head, pushing those thoughts aside as I reached the door and opened it.One of the servants stood outside, bowing slightly. “Miss Aurora, the doctor has arrived to check on Sir Damien’s injuries.”“Oh,” I said, glancing back toward the room. Damien was still inside, probably irritated that someone had interrupted. “Alright, I’ll let him know.”The servant nodded and left. I took a deep breath before stepping back into the room.Damien was still sitting on the bed, his expression unreadable. His eyes flicked to me, then away, as if he was trying to bury whatever had just happened between us.“The doctor’s here,” I said softl

🌹Damien 🌹The night was deep and clear, the full moon casting a silver glow over the estate. I found myself on the terrace, away from the stifling formality of the day—a quiet refuge where the noise of duty was replaced by the gentle rustle of leaves and the soft chirping of crickets. The cool night air wrapped around me, and for a rare moment, I allowed myself to breathe freely.Aurora had joined me there. Earlier, she had excused herself from the bustle of the reception to seek solace under the open sky. When she appeared at the terrace door, I almost didn’t notice her through the soft light. But then our eyes met, and something in that glance spoke of unspoken dreams and fragile hopes. I motioned for her to sit beside me on the stone bench.For a long while, we sat in silence, our shared quiet punctuated only by the distant sound of the city and the whisper of the wind through the trees. I felt a stirring inside—an emotion I had long kept buried beneath layers of duty and strateg

🌹 Damien 🌹The knock on the door was sharp and urgent. Who could that be, at this early hour of the day.I was already expecting bad news. It always came when things felt too quiet.Pulling the door open, I found one of my men standing there, his face grim. “Sir, Victoria sent a message. It’s urgent.”Behind me, Aurora tensed at the mention of her name.I took the sealed envelope from him, tore it open, and scanned the words. My grip tightened.“She’s summoning us.” My voice was cold. “Apparently, she wants to ‘discuss’ Reynolds Pharmaceuticals.”Aurora stood from the couch, her arms crossed. “You don’t think she’ll try anything, do you?”I met her gaze. “Victoria doesn’t call unless she’s already set a trap.”Aurora frowned. “Then why go?”I exhaled, already irritated by this game Victoria was playing. “Because avoiding her gives her power. And I’m done playing by her rules.”She hesitated, then stepped closer. “I’m going with you.”“No.”“Yes.”“Aurora—”She lifted her chin, refu

🌹 Aurora 🌹 The tension from Victoria’s threat still lingered, thick as smoke. Damien didn’t bring it up again. Neither did I. Instead, we drove in silence, the morning sun casting long shadows across the road. My fingers still tingled from the brief kiss I had given him, and my heart pounded against my ribs—not from fear, but from something far more dangerous. I hadn’t planned to do it. It just happened. And now, I had no idea what he was thinking. Damien kept his eyes on the road, his grip firm on the wheel, his expression unreadable. No reaction. No teasing smirk. No reprimand. Just silence. I stole a glance at him. The sunlight illuminated the sharp lines of his face, making it impossible to decipher his thoughts. Fine. Two could play that game. I turned my gaze back to the road, crossing my arms. If he wanted to act like nothing had happened, then I wasn’t going to be the one to bring it up. When we pulled into the estate, Damien killed the engine and sat there for a mom

🌹 Aurora 🌹Something was wrong.I knew it the moment Damien walked back into the estate.His stride was controlled—too controlled. His jaw was tight, his fingers flexing at his sides like he was restraining himself from breaking something.The few staff members in the hall quickly stepped aside, sensing the storm brewing beneath his carefully composed exterior. He didn’t acknowledge them. He didn’t acknowledge me, either, as he passed.He just kept walking.Straight to his office.I hesitated, watching the door swing shut behind him.I should leave him alone.I knew that.But my feet moved before I could stop myself.I knocked once. No response.I knocked again, harder this time.Still nothing.I exhaled and pushed the door open.Damien stood by the window, his back to me, shoulders tense as he stared out at the estate grounds.For a moment, he didn’t react. Then, without turning around, he said, “Go away, Aurora.”His voice was low. Rough.I ignored him and closed the door behind m