SMR | Chapter 85

~Chapter 85~ 

“Looks like Tez Roark, the so-called greatest seducer in Genoa, is losing his charm,” Bella sneered coldly from the edge of the lavish round bed.

“You couldn’t even seduce a girl like Harriet.”

Tez chuckled at her words, clearly unfazed. He shrugged off his jacket and carelessly tossed it aside. Then, like a lounging predator, he crawled across the soft sheet, his movements slow and deliberate, until he was right in front of Bella.

“You’re impatient, Bella,” he said smoothly. “Someone who’s been burned before won’t fall so easily. You have to take your time.”

Bella rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “So, how long do you expect me to wait?”

Tez smiled, eyes gleaming with a sly glint. “I’m working on it. I’m slowly tearing down her walls. To her, I’ll look like the only person who’s ever been sincere.”

Bella raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “Is that so? Because I heard you two didn’t even cross paths at the party the other night.”

“Wrong,” Tez said with a smirk. “I ran into her at the perfect time, in the perfect place. If it hadn’t been for the interruption, I might’ve made real progress.”

He was now close enough to cause the cushions to fall under his weight, the shift pulling Bella toward him. Her body tilted, brushing up against his, but her expression remained cold despite the closeness.

Tez reached out and gently kissed her forehead. But Bella didn’t melt under his touch. Her expression remained sharp and annoyed.

“Interruption? Sounds like another excuse to me.”

“It’s true,” Tez said, brushing his fingers through her hair lazily. “How was I supposed to know someone would show up? And the guy just stood there until I left. Didn’t move an inch.”

Now, Bella’s gaze sharpened.

“Who was it?”

“Cedric Kailas,” Tez said with a slow, dangerous grin. “No idea what he was doing there, though.”

He let her hair slide through his fingers like silk, his grin widening. The golden rose of Genoa—Bella—was finally in his arms. He’d fantasized about this moment for so long.

Who would’ve thought that Harriet Listerwell’s return would lead him here?

He’d been surprised when Bella reached out to him in secret. But the reason for her offer had stunned him even more.

“Seduce Harriet. Play with her, then break her. Ruin her completely.”

She had practically begged him to take her body in return, without hesitation. That fiery night when she explained her plan had been one of the most indulgent and exciting night of his life, even by Tez’s standards.

So there was no need to rush.

As long as I keep Harriet on the hook, I get to enjoy this honey for a while longer.

Tez had a very simple plan. He would pretend to seduce Harriet, using that as an excuse to keep calling on Bella. And when she eventually tired of him, he’d toss Harriet aside as well—just like Bella wanted.

It was a win-win situation. At least, it had been.

Until he actually saw Harriet at the Laurel party.

She’s too beautiful to just toy with and throw away.

He hadn’t expected her to change so much. Her once naïve and shy demeanor was now layered with maturity and subtle defiance. She wasn’t the fool Bella made her out to be.

In fact, after speaking to her face to face, Tez found her to be clever—carefully guarded, but not unreachable.

This one will take more effort. Maybe even more than Bella.

There was something incredibly captivating about breaking down a strong-willed woman. He imagined what it would be like to finally have her in his arms—how sweet she would taste once that hard shell was cracked.

The mere thought of it made him shiver with desire.

Still, for now, it was Bella’s body he was tangled with.

He leaned in and whispered near her ear, his lips brushing her sensitive skin.

“I told her we’d talk again. She’s cautious now, so I’ll move slowly—make it look natural.”

“Can I really trust you on this?” Bella asked, her eyes narrowing.

“You know better than anyone—Harriet’s hopeless when it comes to men. She’ll fall for me soon. And a girl like her? Once she tastes pleasure, she’ll be addicted.”

His hand slid inside Bella’s shirt, brushing against her skin with practiced ease.

“Relax, Bella. I’ll give you exactly what you want.”

“I want her destroyed,” she growled. “Completely. So broken she’ll wish she were dead. Do you understand?”

“I’ll earn a dark reputation, thanks to you.”

“To have Bella Listerwell, you should be willing to pay that price.”

“I accept.”

And with that, Tez crushed his lips against hers, cupping her soft breast in his hand. Bella’s body responded, but her eyes remained sharp.

Cedric Kailas… why does his name keep popping up in everything related to Harriet?

She had been the one to create situations where Cedric and Harriet might meet. The soap from St. Clarissa Monastery, the rumors about Harriet visiting the Kailas estate—they all seemed to point to something.

And now, of all times, Cedric himself appeared while Harriet was with Tez.

Cedric Kailas and Harriet Listerwell…

She tried to picture them together, then scoffed at her own imagination.

No. That’s ridiculous.

Just then, Tez’s tongue grazed a sensitive part of her, making her cry out involuntarily.

“Ahh!”

He smiled with satisfaction at the sound. Bella enjoyed these moments—where one moan from her could make a man unravel.

She pushed aside the distracting thoughts of Cedric and Harriet and gave herself over to the pleasure Tez offered.

After all, if there was one thing Tez Roark knew how to do, it was this.

***

Tick, tock, tick, tock.

The sound of the clock echoed in the hallway, like stitches holding the silence of the night together.

It was a quiet hour. Too quiet. And in that stillness, Cedric could hear every tick of the clock clearly, as if it were pounding in his chest.

Maybe it was just the silence. Or maybe it was the thoughts he couldn’t let go.

“…Haa.”

Realizing he wouldn’t be able to sleep again tonight, Cedric sat up in bed.

The moonlight streamed in through the uncovered window, painting the room in silver-blue light.

Since the Laurel party, he hadn’t slept properly. It had been a week, and every time he closed his eyes, one particular memory surfaced.

“Cedric… wait… just a moment…”

Her voice echoed in his ears, sweet and trembling. 

Every time he recalled her voice, the scene would replay in his mind—the moment under the lacy shawl, the two of them pressed together in shadow.

He couldn’t work properly. He couldn’t concentrate. But worse than the distraction was the guilt.

“…Even if I was drugged… how could I…”

Cedric dragged his hands down his face.

Now he understood what people meant when they said they wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear.

Harriet had been caught completely off guard. And yet she’d still tried to protect his reputation, sacrificing her own in the process. Meanwhile, he had barely been able to resist the overwhelming desire he felt for her, even up to the moment they parted ways.

She’s practically a saint. Is that what happens when you’re raised in a monastery?

He couldn’t remember everything clearly—but he hadn’t forgotten the important parts.

He remembered chasing after her.

He remembered scaring away the man who had been with her.

And then he remembered sticking to her side like glue, completely ignoring how inappropriate it was.

“I don’t know how to come to my senses,” he had said. “But I think I know what would make me feel better.”

What kind of awful line was that? He cringed just thinking about it.

It was, without a doubt, the most embarrassing thing he’d ever said.

And of course, that wasn’t the worst part.

“….”

He touched his lips gently with his fingers. Just the memory made his throat dry.

The way her lips moved against his… the softness, the warmth, the way she followed his lead, and the way her tongue followed his, shy but eager. Hesitant but willing… it had been addictive.

“Damn it.”

He buried his face in his hands again.

He’d never imagined he would have that kind of physical experience with a woman.

His entire future had been planned out: marry the daughter of a powerful family, produce an heir, and maintain appearances. Passion and intimacy were never part of the equation.

In that kind of life, there was no room for the kind of desire he had felt that night.

But with Harriet… he had felt something real. Something unforgettable.

He could kneel in front of her just to experience that kiss again.

He finally admitted it to himself.

He had always believed he was different from other men. More disciplined. More rational.

But now, he realized he wasn’t so different after all.

Because of that night, rumors had started.

“Harriet Listerwell was seen in a passionate embrace with a man.”

She was being called “Scandal Maker” again—because of him.

She’s suffering again because of me.

I sent her to that convent once. Wasn’t that enough?

And now this.

There had been witnesses. The rumors couldn’t be stopped. And if he tried to intervene, it would only cause a bigger scandal.

Cedric crossed his arms and stared at the floor in thought.

I owe her. And I need to repay that debt—with interest.

To erase this disgrace, she would need something bigger than gossip: she would need recognition, power, and influence.

Something only he could give her.

The most powerful connection I can offer…

His eyes narrowed with resolve.

It was time to repay his debt.

And the only way to do that—

—was to give her the highest honor he had.