Semua Bab Forbidden Obsession Married By Contract To His Uncle : Bab 41 - Bab 50

The Meeting at the GazeboThe morning passed in an unsettling silence.After hiding the cream-colored envelope in a place no one would ever think to search, Aixa returned to her room and locked the door behind her. For the first time since entering the Castello mansion, she felt she possessed something far more valuable than all the jewelry stored in her private dressing room: information capable of shaking the very foundation of this household.She did not open the envelope again. Instead, Aixa sat on the edge of her bed, clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and took several slow, measured breaths. She forced herself to recall every detail she had managed to glimpse the night before, before Fernando caught her.The photographs.Valeria.Fernando's expression.The look on his face when, for the first time, he had completely lost control.The more she replayed the scene in her mind, the clearer one conclusion became. Valeria was not merely a woman from Fernando's past. If she

Warmth Without Demands The footsteps drew closer. Aixa held her breath. Her fingers instinctively clenched the edge of her dress until her knuckles turned white. Her survival instincts took over at once. She stepped back half a pace, not to hide behind Elio, but to stand beside him. Ever since the night Fernando had nearly discovered the envelope, Aixa had realized one thing. No one would always be there to protect her. If she wanted to survive, she had to learn to stand on her own. Elio glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. The corner of his mouth almost lifted as he noticed the subtle change. "You don't have to be afraid," he said softly. "I'm not afraid." The words left Aixa's mouth faster than she expected. She was still nervous. Her heart was pounding hard enough to leave her breathing shallow. But this time, she refused to let fear take control. The leaves rustled once more. A shadow suddenly leaped out. "Meow..." A stray cat darted across the garden path befo

Confession in the GreenhouseThe greenhouse on the eastern side of the garden had become the only place that still felt safe enough for them to talk.Ironically, that very sense of safety was what frightened Aixa the most. Ever since the mysterious flash of light on the balcony a few days ago, paranoia had begun to eat away at her mind. She could no longer believe they had escaped everyone's notice. Maybe no one had been out there. Or maybe someone had been hiding in the shadows, holding their breath, simply waiting for them to make the same mistake again.That was why Aixa had come today, not to meet Elio as she usually did, but to put an end to the madness that was slowly slipping beyond all control."I don't think we should keep meeting like this."The words finally left Aixa's lips, shattering the suffocating silence. She had held them back for days until they had turned bitter on the tip of her tongue, but now they drifted into the damp air of the small greenhouse. Around them, r

Awkwardness at the Breakfast Table The footsteps stopped right outside her bedroom door. Aixa held her breath. Without realizing it, her fingers tightened around the armrest of the wicker chair until her knuckles turned white. For several long seconds, she could do nothing but stare at the closed door, waiting to hear the doorknob turn. Every second felt endless. She could almost picture Fernando standing on the other side. Maybe he was considering something. Maybe he wanted to make sure she was all right. Or maybe... he had simply stopped in the hallway by coincidence. Her heartbeat quickened. But the sound she was waiting for never came. There was no knock. No greeting. No simple question like, *Are you asleep already?* A few moments later, the footsteps resumed. They slowly faded away toward the east wing of the mansion. Not long after, she heard the soft click of Fernando's study door closing. Aixa lowered her head. The faint smile that had almost appeared on her lips

A Cracking Boundary, Part 1"Mom... Mommy," Aixa stammered, struggling to steady the frantic rhythm of her heartbeat.For a moment, no answer came.Sovia simply stood where she was, looking at Aixa in silence. There was no judgment in her eyes, yet neither did they waver. That gentle gaze was far harder to endure than anger ever could have been.Aixa lowered her head first.She couldn't bring herself to hold Sovia's gaze any longer. Her fingers tightened around the edge of her cardigan until the fabric wrinkled beneath her grip.The silence lasted only a few seconds, but it felt endless.Countless possibilities raced through her mind, impossible to stop.Did Mommy notice me looking toward the hallway over and over?Did she realize I was waiting for someone?Or... does she already know something about Elio and me?That last thought sent a chill creeping up the back of her neck.No.It couldn't be.Nothing had happened between them. There had been no touch that crossed the line. No wor