جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 20

The doors opened before she could knock. Cordelia stood there in an elegant black dress, expression unreadable. “Welcome back, Chloe,” she said smoothly, stepping aside to let her in. Chloe stepped into the marble-floored foyer, her eyes adjusting to the dim glow of golden chandeliers hanging above. The rich aroma of garlic, wine, and roasted meats drifted in the air, teasing her senses. Her heels clicked softly as she walked forward, led by the faint sound of cutlery. In the grand dining hall, Valerius was seated at the head of a long, lavish table, draped in blood-red velvet. The table overflowed with an extravagant feast: succulent grilled lamb, glazed duck, oysters on ice, truffle-infused pasta, crystal glasses brimming with deep, dark wine, and silver domes steaming dishes that she couldn’t even name. At first, he remained focused on slicing into a blood-rare steak, each cut executed with a grace that hinted at a lifetime of practice. When he finally did glance her way, t

His hands moved to her waist, gripping her tightly as he pulled her against him. She could feel the bulge of his erection pressing against her thigh, the promise of what was to come sending a thrill of anticipation through her. "But first," he murmured, his lips brushing against the shell of her ear, "I want to taste you." Chloe's breath hitched, her body trembling as his words washed over her. She knew what he meant, what he wanted, and the thought sent a rush of wetness between her thighs. His fingers settled between her thighs. He cupped her, his fingers pressing against her wetness, and Chloe couldn't help the moan that escaped her lips. "So wet for me," he murmured, his voice filled with satisfaction. "Such a good girl, lie down," he said, motioning toward the velvet chaise near the fire. Chloe obeyed, her breath shaky as she reclined, the flickering firelight casting golden shadows across her bare skin. Valerius took his time. He didn’t pounce. He moved like a man who kn

Chloe hadn’t slept much. Valerius’s strange words from the night before… “Your desire, your taste is perfection unlike anyone else” kept playing over and over in her mind. It haunted her, crept under her skin like a whisper she couldn’t unhear. Was it just a sexual compliment? Or did he mean something more? Something darker? The room was still. Silent. For the first time she could remember, she’d slept in his house. The sheets still held his scent, rich, timeless, and utterly intoxicating. The faint sounds echoing through the mansion had startled her more than once during the night. Groaning wood. Distant creaks. Or maybe it was just the wind outside his remote estate, brushing against the walls like curious hands. Still, she’d been afraid to look around. Afraid she’d see something she wasn’t ready to understand. As morning light filtered through the tall windows, she finally sat up, blinking sleep from her eyes. On the bedside table sat the two objects that made her smile des

The late morning sun spilled through the cracked curtains of Chloe’s old apartment, illuminating the half-empty room. Cardboard boxes were stacked against the peeling wallpaper, some marked with hurried black marker labels: clothes, books, kitchen. Zoe was kneeling on the floor, folding Chloe’s modest collection of clothes into a suitcase. “You know,” she said with a grin, “this is the easiest move I’ve ever done. No moving company, no endless truckloads. Just… your life in a couple of bags.” Chloe chuckled, taping a small box shut. “Yeah, I didn’t exactly have much to begin with.” She glanced around the room, the chipped dresser, the rickety chair, the faded curtain that had been there since she first moved in. In a strange way, it felt like closing the last page of an old, worn-out chapter. She knelt by the open wardrobe, folding the last of her older clothes. “Honestly,” she said with a small laugh, “I don’t even need all these boxes. My stuff isn’t much.” Zoe glanced over

Noah moved toward the bed with a calm urgency before Chloe could find her voice. His fingers, steady and practiced, pressed gently against Helen’s wrist, then to the side of her neck. “She’s fine,” he reassured after a moment, his tone both soothing and firm. “Her pulse is steady. She’s just sleeping.” Sleeping? Chloe’s breath quickened, a panicked rhythm in her chest. Her mother's face was serene as if she hadn’t just spoken those impossible words she couldn’t unhear. The words still echoed in her skull, sharp, urgent, almost inhuman. Don’t go there. Don’t move to that house. Her heart raced, hammering against her ribs. She wanted to tell Noah. She wanted to grab him, shake him, say, You didn’t see it? You didn’t hear her? But her tongue felt like it was glued to the roof of her mouth. Noah glanced back at her, brow furrowed with concern. “What happened? Why did you scream? Did you see something?” “Nothing,” she said too quickly. “I just… thought she…” She stopped herself.