Broken Vows and Buried Twins novel Chapter 190

190 /235

Seraphina took a deep, steadying breath, forcing her racing heart and erratic breathing back into a calm, seductive rhythm.

Raising her hand, she gently rapped her knuckles against the polished wood.

The soft sound echoed in the quiet hallway.

She waited, but there was no response.

Her brows knitted together in confusion. She knocked again, slightly louder this time.

Still, complete silence.

Perplexed, she leaned closer to the wood and called out in a hushed, breathless whisper, "Julian? Are you asleep?"

The study remained dead quiet.

Had he drank too much at his business dinner and passed out?

The thought sent a thrill of anticipation through her veins. She bit her lip, summoned every ounce of her courage, and reached for the doorknob.

She turned the handle.

It wasn't locked.

A triumphant glint flashed in her eyes as the heavy door swung open.

The room was pitched in total darkness.

Relying entirely on the faint light spilling in from the corridor, Seraphina stepped inside, scanning the space for any sign of Julian.

He was nowhere to be found.

She froze, utterly bewildered. Was he not in the study?

Right as the panic began to set in, a sharp click shattered the silence.

The overhead lights blazed to life, instantly flooding the room with blinding brightness.

Seraphina spun around in sheer terror.

Hester was standing casually in the doorway, her arms crossed as she leaned against the frame. One eyebrow was cocked in ruthless amusement as she took in the pathetic scene.

All the color drained from Seraphina's face. "Hester..." she choked out.

With devastating calm, Hester raised her smartphone, aiming the camera directly at Seraphina's half-naked display, and snapped several high-definition photos in rapid succession.

"What... what are you doing?!" Seraphina shrieked, her voice cracking with pure hysteria.

Panic-stricken, she desperately tried to yank the silk robe back over her exposed shoulder, but with one hand still clutching the glass of honey water, her frantic fumbling looked incredibly foolish.