Chapter 85
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 85
"Tez Roark, once hailed as Genoa’s greatest rake, seems to have lost his touch. You can’t even reel in someone as insignificant as Harriet."
"You’re more impatient than I thought, Bella. Someone who’s been burned once isn't going to fall so easily a second time."
Tez shed his jacket, tossing it aside with practiced ease, before prowling toward Bella like a leopard.
"So, how long exactly am I supposed to wait?"
"I’m going to dismantle Harriet’s guard, piece by piece. All while playing the part of the devoted suitor."
"And how much did you dismantle at the party the day before yesterday? I heard the two of you didn't even manage to meet."
"Nonsense. I met Harriet at the perfect time and in a wonderful spot. If it weren't for that meddler, I would have made significant progress."
He came right to the edge of the bed and leaned in. The mattress and cushions sank under his weight, tilting Bella’s body toward him. Tez pulled the sulking Bella into his arms and kissed her forehead, but her expression remained cold.
"A meddler? You’re just making excuses."
"It’s true. How was I supposed to know someone would interfere? And the man didn't move an inch until I left, I tell you."
Only then did Bella finally look at him. "Who was he?"
"Cedric Kailas. Though why he was passing through there, I have no idea."
He toyed with Bella’s hair, flashing his characteristic sly smile. The Golden Rose, still radiating her intoxicating scent, was finally in his arms. How long had he dreamed of a day like this?
Who knew Harriet Listerwell’s return would be such an opportunity for me?
It was surprising enough that Bella, who hadn't given him the time of day until now, had secretly contacted him. But her reason for doing so was even more astonishing.
"Seduce Harriet. Toy with her. Then, ruin her completely."
She was so desperate for Harriet’s downfall that she had readily agreed to his condition: she had to give herself to him first.
And that scorching night!
The night he heard Bella’s plan was, without a doubt, the best of his life—a life already embroidered with debauched nocturnal escapades. There was no reason for him to rush.
As long as I have Harriet as bait, I can keep savoring this sweetness.
Tez’s true intention had been simple from the start. He would keep calling Bella out under the pretense of reporting his progress with Harriet, playing with her until he grew tired of it. Of course, if he didn't keep his promise, this venomous she-cat wouldn't stay quiet, so he intended to toy with Harriet and then discard her as well. For him, there was nothing to lose.
However, after meeting Harriet in person at the Laurel family’s party, his plan had shifted slightly.
She’s too good to just toy with and throw away.
Who could have known she would transform into someone so beautiful and charming? Moreover, Harriet wasn't a fool. Bella had spoken of her as if she were a non-entity, but after meeting her, Tez found her quite intelligent.
I need to approach her carefully. Perhaps she’s a woman who needs to be melted down with more care than Bella.
How delicious would the flesh hidden within that hard shell be? Just imagining it made his loins ache. But for now, it was time to taste this wicked, beautiful witch.
Tez pressed his lips against Bella’s ear and whispered, "I told her we’d talk again later. Harriet has her guard up, so it’s better to approach her gradually, like this."
"Can I really trust you?"
"You know better than anyone that Harriet is naive when it comes to men. She’ll fall for me before long. And women like that, once they taste pleasure, they can never escape it."
Tez’s hand crept between the open folds of Bella’s bodice.
"Don’t worry, Bella. I’ll do everything you wish for."
"I want her defiled and discarded. I want her so broken she loses the will to live. Understood?"
"I suppose I’ll be raising my infamy to new heights because of you."
"To have Bella Listerwell, you have to be prepared for that much."
"Agreed."
Unable to hold back any longer, he devoured Bella’s lips, his hand seizing her soft, ample breast. Yet, even amidst the heat, Bella’s gaze remained sharp.
Cedric Kailas... It’s strange how the Kailas name keeps getting involved in Harriet’s affairs. Am I being overly sensitive?
Bella herself had created the point of contact where Harriet and Cedric first met, but other details had been bothering her—the fact that the Grand Duchess Kailas used soap from Saint Clarissa Convent, or the rumors that Harriet had been seen at the Kailas Mansion.
And then, of all times, the Duke himself had appeared precisely when Harriet was meeting Tez.
Cedric Kailas and Harriet.
"..."
Bella recalled their faces and let out a scoff.
No, that’s impossible.
Just then, Tez licked a sensitive spot with his tongue.
"Ah!"
She felt him rejoice at her reflexive cry of pleasure. Bella loved moments like this—the way men lived and died by her every reaction. She erased Cedric and Harriet from her mind and began to focus on the ecstasy offered by the man consumed by lust.
After all, Tez Roark had always been exceptional at this one thing.
* * *
Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock.
The pendulum of the grandfather clock swung, its rhythm stitching together the edges of the silent night. The harder he tried to sleep, the clearer the sound became. Was the noise from the hallway so loud because the night was too quiet, or because he was lost in thoughts he ought to forget?
"Haa..."
Realizing sleep wouldn't find him tonight, Cedric rose from his bed. Bright moonlight streamed through the uncurtained window.
Ever since the Laurel family’s party, he had been losing sleep. The memories of that day resurfaced every time he closed his eyes. It had been a week already.
"Cedric, hic... wait...!"
Harriet’s voice, echoing in his mind at all hours, was driving him mad. If he allowed that memory even a small crack, he would be lost for hours, thinking of Harriet as she looked within the lace shawl that night. It went without saying that his work was suffering.
But what consumed him even more was the self-reproach.
"No matter how drugged I was, how could I have..."
Cedric ran both hands over his face. He was beginning to understand what it meant to want to crawl into a hole and disappear. Harriet, who had been subjected to his sudden outrage, had sacrificed her own honor to protect his reputation. Meanwhile, he hadn't been able to escape his carnal desires for her right up until the moment they parted.
That woman must be half a saint. Is that what happens to everyone who lives in a convent?
Not all his memories were intact, but he hadn't forgotten the important parts. He had chased after Harriet, driven away the man who was clinging to her, and then clung to her himself.
"I don't know how to sober up... but I think I know a way to feel better."
Where on earth had those words come from? He could confidently say it was the worst line he had ever uttered in his life. Why wouldn't the memory fade?
Of course, the most intense event of that day wasn't his vulgar words.
"..."
Cedric slowly traced his lips with his fingertips. The mere touch made him swallow hard. Her lips—so sweet and soft! They had yielded to his persistent, delving tongue, following his lead little by little without resistance.
"Damn it."
He buried his face in his hands again. He had never imagined such contact with a woman was possible. The future destined for him was a life of marrying the daughter of a suitable family, engaging in obligatory relations to produce an heir, and maintaining a facade of perfection. In such a relationship, it would have been impossible to feel a thrill that sent shivers down his spine.
If he could have such a kiss again, he would kneel before her.
I am only a man, after all.
He hadn't realized it until now, but it seemed he had thought himself different from other men. This incident had proven him wrong.
In any case, because of that day, a rumor had attached itself to her like a shadow: Harriet Listerwell was engaged in a scandalous display of affection with a man.
Because of me, she’s in trouble again.
Sending her to the convent should have been enough. But with witnesses present, he couldn't make the rumor disappear, and if he stepped forward, it would only turn into an even larger scandal.
Cedric sat with his arms crossed, lost in thought. Having incurred such a debt, he had to repay it as quickly as possible, with significant interest.
To wash away this disgrace, she will need a reputation and connections far more powerful than a mere scandal.
Recalling the best connections he could offer, he nodded. Soon, his expression turned cold.