Seducing The Shadow의 모든 챕터: 챕터 1 - 챕터 10

Habang nakaupo sa loob ng kotse ni Sophia, ramdam ko ang bawat kabog ng dibdib ko. The city lights of Makati blurred past the window like streaks of neon paint. Sophia was driving fast, her hands steady on the wheel, but she kept glancing at me. Alam kong naguguluhan siya. This wasn't the Elena she knew.“Elena, are you sure about this? You look like you’re ready to burn the whole world down,” untag niya sa akin.“I’m not burning the world, Soph. I’m just taking back what’s mine,” malamig kong sagot.Bago kami makarating sa bar, bumalik sa isip ko ang nangyari kaninang hapunan—the final dinner before the "Big Announcement." It wasn't a family dinner; it was a summit. Isang pagpupulong ng dalawang makapangyarihang pamilya kung saan ako ang pangunahing putahe.Sa mahabang mahogany table ng aming dining room, nakaupo kami ni Papa katapat ang mga Monteverde. Julian was there, looking bored as usual, scrolling through his phone habang sinesermonan siya ng tatay niya tungkol sa bagong logis

Bawat hakbang ko papalapit sa kanya ay tila isang sumpa na binibitawan ko sa hangin. The air in the VIP lounge felt thicker, charged with a strange electricity that made the fine hairs on my arms stand up. The smell of his scent—isang halo ng mamahaling tabako, sandalwood, at ang matapang na amoy ng whiskey—ay tila isang lason na masarap langhapin.He didn’t move as I approached. He just watched me with those cold, obsidian eyes. He looked like a king sitting on a throne of shadows, and I was the fool brave enough to enter his court.“You’re too far away,” I whispered as I reached his table. My voice was surprisingly steady, despite the wild thumping of my heart.He slowly set his glass down on the mahogany table. His movements were calculated, graceful, like a panther about to strike. “At ikaw naman ay masyadong malapit sa panganib, Miss.”Ang boses niya ay malalim, baritono, at may kakaibang gaspang na tila humahaplos sa balat ko. It was the kind of voice that commanded obedience, p

Nagising si Dante sa lamig ng aircon na humahalos sa kanyang hubad na balat. He reached out his arm instinctively, expecting to feel the soft, silky skin of the girl from the bar. Inaasahan niyang mararamdaman niya ang init ng katawan nito na tila naging mitsa ng pagsabog niya kagabi.But his hand hit nothing but cold, empty sheets.Agad siyang napadilat. Ang kanyang penthouse ay maliwanag na dahil sa sikat ng araw na tumatagos sa malalaking bintana. He sat up, his muscular back aching from the intensity of the previous night. He looked at the pillow beside him—may bakas pa doon ng bango nito, isang amoy ng vanilla at mamahaling pabango na tila nanunuot sa sistema niya."Fuck," he hissed, running a hand through his messy dark hair.He looked around the room. Her black silk dress was gone. Her heels were gone. Even the scent of her skin was starting to fade into the smell of the expensive cigars in the room. She left without a word. She left without leaving so much as a name.Dante st

Isang linggo na ang nakalipas, pero ang bawat sulok ng penthouse ni Dante ay tila nakasigaw pa rin ng pangalan ng babaeng hindi niya kilala. The smell of her perfume—a mix of vanilla and expensive jasmine—seemed to have seeped into the very fibers of his couch, his bed, and even his own skin.“Fuck,” he muttered, slamming his laptop shut.Hindi siya makapag-trabaho. On the screen was a dossier provided by Marco. Full name: Elena Maria Dela Vega. Age: 23. Education: Business Administration, Summa Cum Laude. Background: The crown jewel of the Dela Vega family.He stared at her picture. It was a formal portrait. Her hair was pulled back in a tight, elegant bun. Her dress was high-necked, pearls gracing her throat. She looked like a saint. Cold. Untouchable.But Dante knew better. He knew the girl behind the saint. He knew the girl who gripped his shoulders until her knuckles turned white. He knew the girl who begged for it rougher, harder, as if the pain of his touch could erase the pai

Ang sikat ng araw na tumatagos sa kurtina ng aking kwarto sa mansion ay tila isang parusa. I opened my eyes, expecting to see the dark, modern ceiling of the penthouse, but instead, I saw the familiar cream-colored molding of my childhood room.Ang bawat parte ng katawan ko ay masakit. It was a dull, aching throb in my thighs and a tender soreness between my legs—isang permanenteng paalala ng bawat marahas at mapusok na pag-angkin ni Dante sa akin kagabi.Dante. I didn't even know if that was his real name, but it was the name I kept whispering in the dark habang nilulunod niya ako sa sarap.I sat up, pulling the duvet to my chest. I felt empty. Leaving his bed at 4:00 AM was the hardest thing I had ever done. Panoorin siyang natutulog, ang kanyang tattooed na dibdib na dahan-dahang tumataas at bumababa, ay tila isang tanawin na ayaw ko nang iwanan. But I had to. I had a role to play. I was still Elena Dela Vega, the sacrificial lamb of a shipping empire."A morning without a goodbye