Chapter 27
Deborah had truly not expected this. The security in the Damian’s estate was already tight–but the defenses around Skyrift Hall were far more extreme. Not only were guards patrolling both inside and out, but there were also countless elite fighters hidden all around.
Her lightfoot skills, taught by Simon himself, were decent–but even so, she had to move with extreme caution across the rooftop. After what felt like a long, tense search, she finally spotted a room with its lights still on. Inside, voices murmured.
“You knew it was dangerous. Why did you still marry her and bring her back? If she uncovers the secret here, we-”
The voice cut off abruptly.
In that instant, Deborah felt the atmosphere around her shift–danger charged the air like lightning. She’d been discovered.
With a swift motion, she rolled off the roof just in time. Three sharp thunks landed where she’d just been crouching–three bone–piercing darts, embedded deep in the tiles.
The force and precision were terrifying. If she’d hesitated even a moment, she’d be badly injured—if not dead.
Deborah barely touched down before springing toward the outer wall–but to her shock, two shadow guards appeared atop it, swords already drawn. The force of their presence pushed her back, forcing her to retreat into the courtyard.
They were masters–far beyond ordinary guards.
Not daring to hesitate, Deborah turned and darted deeper into the rear garden.
“An intruder! After him!”
Behind her, a dozen shadow guards moved like phantoms, swift and silent as death.
Despite her skill, Deborah quickly realized she was trapped. The entire rear courtyard was crawling with hidden sentries. The sheer strength of Skyrift Hall’s defenses was beyond anything she’d imagined.
Two more bone–piercing darts whizzed toward her from behind. She twisted mid–step, barely dodging. But the guards were closing in fast.
Sweat beaded on her brow. Her breath came quick and shallow. She was running out of options.
Then, suddenly–a rush of wind.
A blur of movement. A figure appeared out of nowhere–right in front of her.
Without thinking, Deborah lashed out with a palm strike. But the figure didn’t dodge. Instead, he caught her by the sash at her waist and, in one fluid motion, lifted her into the air.
He wasn’t attacking. He was getting her out.
They shot into the sky, flying across the rooftops at a speed so fast she forgot to breathe. The world blurred around her–the pace was superhuman, far beyond anything she could ever hope to achieve.
Moments later, the wind stopped. With a sharp thud, Deborah was tossed onto her bed–back in her own room.
Stunned, she turned to see who had rescued her–and froze.
Him. Of all people, him.
This was his residence. Yet he had just helped her evade the very guards that served him.
Tonight, Damian’s expression was colder than she had ever seen it. His face was like carved ice, and his eyes held no warmth at all.
His gaze swept over her black nightclothes, dark and unreadable. Then, his voice came–low and sharp, “Take it off.”
“Your-”
“If you don’t want me to do it myself, take it off. Now.” He stepped forward.
That steely gaze and the chill in his voice left no doubt–every word he spoke was deadly serious. And yet… under her nightclothes, she wore nothing at all.
“So, you’d rather make me do it myself,” he said.
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Chapter 27
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Damian stepped forward and, with a swift motion of his hand, tore a large section of Deborah’s nightwear. The soft fabric gave way with a loud rip. leaving her pale skin suddenly exposed.
“I’ll do it! I’ll take it off!” she cried, her voice laced with panic as she tried to back away. But there was nowhere to run.
She turned around, her fingers trembling as she fumbled with the fabric. At last, she slipped off the top. All that remained was a whisper–thin undergarment, sheer as gossamer, barely concealing her.
Biting down on her lip, swallowing her humiliation, she said hoarsely, “Is this enough?”
But Damian’s eyes were already fixed on her trousers, his expression turning even colder. “Still don’t understand what it means to obey, do you?”
He closed the distance between them again. This time, he shoved her down onto the bed, ignoring her struggles.
With one brutal pull, her trousers split apart beneath his hand. Ker startled cry cutting through the air.
Worse, he’d torn so forcefully that even her final layer of clothing was ripped away. Her long legs, fair skin, and everything else were left completely exposed.
