Chapter 68 Late-night commotions
CHAPTER 68: Late-night commotions
Vera
The morning light spilled in through the cracks in the velvet curtains in sharp, unforgiving lines. As I stirred from a deep, the ache in all my muscles and the localized soreness that radiated through my hips and in between my legs made me catch my breath.
For a fleeting second, panic flared inside me.
Then, like a tidal wave, the memories of the previous night came crashing down, the feel of his flesh on mine and in me, the branding heat of his hands on my body, and the way I had responded to his touch with equal fervour.
I had given myself to him.
I lay there, naked and wrapped in the silk sheets that had borne the witness to the inferno that had erupted last night, waiting for the familiar wave of nausea to hit me. I waited for the soul-crushing disgust and the bitter regret that used to swallow me whole every time I’d stirred after being with Damien in the past. That wretched feeling that always had me rushing to the bathroom to rub my skin raw, trying to remove his scent and touch from my body
But it didn't come.
Instead, there was a strange feeling of satisfaction humming in my marrow. There was neither repulsion nor disgust, just an aching body and a thrusting sense of satiety.
Last I had crossed a line I couldn't uncross, but for the first time, I didn't feel like a victim. I didn't feel like something had been taken from me without my consent even though my decision was partly influenced by what Lily said.
I felt like a woman who had finally awakened something she was never aware of.
Despite the delicious ache in the middle of my legs, so many things about last last still seemed surreal to me.
He had even called the doctor to be sure it was okay for the baby.
The approaching sound of footsteps from the closet snapped my eyes fully open, just in time to see Silas step into the room, nearly fully dressed in a charcoal suit.
Immediately I was hit by the sheer force of the stark difference and duality of this man.
The raw, panting man from last night was gone, replaced by the CEO with ice in his veins.
He paused for a fraction when he saw me, then he continued walking.
“You're awake,” he said, his voice flat as he adjusted his cufflinks.
“I am,” I whispered, my voice raspy as I adjusted the sheets around me.
He didn't look at me. “Freshen up and come downstairs for breakfast.”
And with that, he picked up his phone and was already heading out of the room.
I don't know why I felt that strange, tiny spark of deflation when he turned away.
“Silas?”
He paused, his hand on the doorframe, his face a mask of granite. “Yes?”
I swallowed, losing my nerve. “Nothing. I’ll be down in a minute.”
He stared at me for a second, then he left. I couldn't understand why I felt a tiny prick of disappointment that he didn't address last night.
I managed to drag my aching and sore body to the bathroom. There with utmost tenderness, I managed to clean myself, the marks on my skin serving as a silent map of the night before.
By the time I finished dressing up and navigated the stairs, wincing at the persistent ache in my core, the dining room was already abuzz with the sharp clink of silverware.
“Well, well,” Claudia drawled the moment I stepped into the room. She was leaning back with a glass of juice, a predatory smirk on her face. “Look who finally decided to join the living,” she said. “The lady of the house finally joins us.”
I pulled out a chair, trying to keep my movements graceful despite the soreness. “Good morning, Claudia.”
I sat down and reached for a glass of water.
“Is it?” she teased, her eyes dancing with mischief. “Well, I wouldn't doubt it is for you, Vera.” She turned to Silas. “Honestly, brother, I expected a peaceful first night back in my own home. I didn't realize that I'd be treated to a live performance and would have to need earplugs to get through the night. You two didn't let me rest a wink with all that… commotion.”
I almost choked on the water.
“Careful there,” she smirked.
I felt the heat crawl up my neck.
Silas didn't even look up from his black coffee. “Eat your breakfast, Claudia.”
"Oh, don't be so grumpy, brother, I'm quite proud,” she laughed. She turned her sharp gaze back to me. “I'm just making an observation,” she continued, her eyes dancing with mischief. “Though I wonder how you can still walk to the table if that's the regular night routine around here,” she smirked.
My face grew hotter with shame.
“I suppose I shouldn't be surprised,” her eyes settled on my stomach. “After hearing the two of you last night, I finally understand how you ended up in your current... condition so quickly before the wedding. You certainly don't waste any time, do you, brother?”
The implication hit, she thought this child was the result of her brother's ‘commotion’ she’d heard through the walls.
If only it were that simple.
“Claudia,” Silas said, his voice rising a notch with warning.
“Oh come on, Silas. You're so shameless,” she rolled her eyes, taking a sip of her juice. “You Rutherford men all are. And what were you aiming to achieve?” She asked, gesturing to my stomach. “Add another one?”
He shot her glare but didn't reply to her.
“Eat,” Silas said, his gaze flicking to me. “You have to eat everything on that plate. You need it,” he said, his void devoid of emotions.
Claudia chuckled. “Of course she needs to refuel after that intense workout last night—”
Silas’s cold gaze cut to her and she backed off.
“Alright, fine. I'll stop. But you better get soundproof walls or knock me out every night,” she retorted. “I can't live through that again.”
I sat, my hands trembling as Elena moved forward to serve me.
I leaned in close as she placed the silver tray containing fruits, crackers and soup down.
“Elena, where is Lily? I haven't seen her yet.”
“Miss Lily left for her school trip early this morning, Ma'am,” she informed me softly. “The bus picked her up at dawn.”
My heart sank. “She's already gone? I didn't even get to say goodbye.”
She didn't tell me yesterday that she was leaving for the trip this morning. And she didn't bother to bid me goodbye this morning before she left.
“She seemed quite eager to escape,” Claudia chimed in, tossing a piece of fruit into her mouth. “So, that little firebrand I ran into in the hallway at five in the morning is your sister?”
I nodded.
She scoffed, turning to her brother. “It’s comforting to know our new in-laws have just as much family drama as the Rutherfords.”
“Claudia, enough,” Silas snapped, fully setting his tablet down beside his cup of coffee to glare at his sister. “Tell me, what are your actual plans now that you’ve returned? Or is your only goal to be a nuisance?”
Claudia laughed, though the sound was sharp, and her eyes… sharper.
“I want to relax for a while, brother. Allow me to reacquaint myself with the city for five minutes before you start grilling me or trying to shove me back into a boardroom.”
The table went silent for a moment, the tension thick and uncomfortable.
I picked at my food, feeling Silas’s gaze on me every time I moved.
That was until the rhythmic clacking of shoes approached the dining room.
Natalie walked in.
“Good morning.”
She looked as composed as ever, but the air in the room curdled instantly. Claudia’s smirk didn't just fade…it vanished.