Misfortune 35

Chapter 35

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Roan continued to look down at his desk, as if there was still some work to be done.

Delnia didn't bother to make her presence known, instead turning her attention to the window that led out onto the terrace.

Sunlight filtered through the thin muslin curtains and broke on the blue carpet. The faint, ethereal glow was almost mesmerizing.

"Come here."

Roan finally called her when he finished.

The tone of his voice, like he was calling a puppy, made her feel a little strange, but she didn't argue.

As she approached, Roan held out a letter to her.

Delnia took the letter and tilted her head. She took it, but she couldn't tell what it said.

Regardless, Roan leaned back in his leather chair and closed his eyes. Then he commanded bluntly.

"Read it out loud."

"What?"

Delnia repeated, startled. Reading someone else's letter out loud?

But despite her astonishment, Roan continued calmly.

"My eyes are tired and I can't read."

"But it's disrespectful."

"Why?"

"I'm sure whoever sent the letter didn't expect anyone else to read it."

"Well. Do slaves fall into the category of others?"

Delnia's face stiffened at the insult thrown in his casual tone.

Roan, still with his eyes closed, didn't seem to notice and continued on with his instructions. Or maybe he knew.

"If you read it out loud, I'll know the whole thing anyway, so what's the problem?"

"Still................"

"Then read it as best you can and try not to be rude."

Apparently, there was no way to stop a man who was unstoppable.

Delnia let out a shallow sigh and slowly examined the antique envelope.

Strangely, it bore no sender's name. Nor was there the usual seal.

Shaking her head, Delnia gingerly tore the envelope open. As she pulled out the letter, she was immediately hit by the strong smell of perfume.

Her brow furrowed reflexively, but she composed herself and unfolded the letter, reading the first line in an extremely businesslike tone.

[Dear Colonel Barthez.]

Delnia read the rest of the letter in a flat voice. No, she tried to.

[Do you know how lonely I feel at night when I think of you?]

Delnia's eyes narrowed sharply, startled by the sentence she had read aloud.

She quickly skimmed through the letter, trying to keep her eyes from shaking with agitation. Only after a quick glance at the general contents did Delnia realize what it was.

It was a love letter, a very bold and obscene one.

Now she understood why there was no name on the outside of the envelope. They wouldn't send a letter like this out in the open.

She didn’t think Roan didn't know the contents of the letter. He must have known, and he must have done it on purpose.

'To embarrass me on purpose.’

Delnia turned her head toward Roan, her eyebrows raised fiercely. She protested with her eyes, asking him how he could do such an unscrupulous thing.

But once she was face to face with him, she could do nothing.

Roan's eyes were still closed, but a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Like an innocent boy up to no good.

Like he was back then.

Any resentment toward him melted away at the unprepared reminder of the past. The sharply raised eyebrows slowly fell back into place.

She wondered if Roan knew what he looked like now.

Probably not. It was not something he would ever show her, not when he hated those days.

"Go on."

And then, with his eyes still unopened, he urged.

Shaken out of her reverie, Delnia squeezed her eyes shut and opened them, trying to clear them of the lingering images.

She found herself unable to resist him anyway. Not just because he was her master.

If she couldn't escape, she might as well end it quickly.

She began to read the letter again, trying to clear her head as best she could, but she couldn't stop her voice from shaking.

[From the first moment I saw you, I knew you would make my body............... hot...................]

As Delnia stammered and barely read the letter, Roan slid one of his closed eyes open and stole a glance at her.

The fingertips holding the letter were shaking, and her face and the nape of her neck were red, and it was easy to see that the rest of her body was no different, even if it was hidden by her clothes.

The letter, crumpling between her slender fingers, was one of several anonymous letters that had been sent to him every day since his arrival in the capital.

It contained subtle clues to their identity, but he hadn't bothered to look for them. After all, they were no different than the ladies flirting with him at the banquet.

They probably thought a commoner, no need for dignity, a perfect target for pranks, and if they could make him a lover, all the better.

He had always responded to the effort by burning it without reading it, but he never thought he would find a better use for it.

[I.............have been waiting for...................]

Her voice became increasingly quieter as she reached a point where she could not bear to read aloud.

Roan, of course, was having none of it.

"Continue."

Delnia's shoulders stiffened as the single word fell.

Roan was now glaring at her with both eyes open. Her feverish eyes narrowed, but she held his gaze and refused to let go.

She took a small, deep breath, as if to prepare herself. The breath, probably very hot, spread like a sigh over the obscene letter.

Then her lips, even darker than usual, parted with difficulty.

[Roan, I want you to touch me..................]

Her thin, quivering voice whispered, like a sea nymph tempting him. Calling to him, asking him to touch her.

The words should have been unpleasant, but the clear, crisp voice made them sound soothing. Almost enough to make him want to touch her, just for once.

[I'm looking forward to it.]

She took another deep breath, as if she'd just gotten over a big hurdle, and finished her sentence quickly.

[Those big hands, my............]

But to her chagrin, and to his delight, the nameless lady's passion was not yet over.

Roan watched her predicament with amusement, wishing he could send the anonymous lady a thank you note.

Of course, Roan didn't realize he was being ridiculous. The things he was doing to tame her were all so unremarkable and childish.

But it wasn't all bad. There was a satisfaction in watching a helpless woman that was more than fulfilling.

Except now there was a problem. She wasn't the only one who was suffering.

He glanced down at his increasingly heated lower half with annoyance.

He'd started this whole thing to torment her, and now he was torturing himself.

It was his loss in more ways than one, for whatever pleasure he was currently enjoying, it was clear that it wasn’t worth it.

[I'll be waiting for that day to come.]

The rambling recitation finally came to an end.

Roan watched her visibly relieved as she caught her breath, then suddenly opened a drawer and pulled out something. Then he pushed himself to his feet and approached her.

A rush of heat shot through her from the man's body. His cologne was thicker than ever.

Delnia resisted the urge to back away and bowed her head in a feigned act of politeness.

She couldn't face him. The corners of her eyes burned, as if she wanted to cry.

"Give me your hands."

The short command fell from the top of her bowed head.

Delnia slowly lifted her hand, unsure of what to do, but a large hand snatched it up.

Startled, Delnia looked up and met a pair of blue eyes staring down at her.

They were strangely warm for such a cold color, and they held her tightly.

So transfixed was she by those eyes that she didn't even realize what he was placing in her palm.

"A reward."

The blunt words made her stare down at her palm.

A single gold coin, gleaming yellow, rested there.

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