The darkness and quiet amplified his senses. Soon, Damien Vaughn once again caught the familiar scent wafting from Cecelia Archer.
The faint fragrance captivated him, intoxicated him, and relaxed him. He found himself unconsciously wanting to draw closer to Cecelia Archer, to pull her into a tight embrace.
But reality wouldn’t allow it.
Damien Vaughn desperately suppressed his urges. Forcing his eyes shut, he tried to make himself sleep. Gradually, his eyelids grew heavier and heavier.
Likewise, Cecelia Archer also caught his familiar scent.
She had thought she would hate it, would feel repulsed. She’d assumed that lying next to him would be so nauseating she wouldn’t be able to sleep.
But not long after she lay down, her eyelids grew heavy, her body relaxed, and she drifted off to sleep.
She woke up from the heat.
Cecelia Archer instinctively kicked at the blanket and tried to turn over, only to find herself pinned by a pair of strong arms.
When she looked up, she was met with Damien Vaughn’s warm breath and hard chin.
Even though it was too dark to see his expression, Cecelia Archer was startled. She hurriedly tried to wriggle out of his arms, and the movement woke Damien Vaughn.
"What’s wrong?"
His voice was still clouded with sleep, laced with a deep, incredibly magnetic rasp.
Cecelia Archer’s face burned as she scrambled out of bed.
"I’ll see what time it is. I think we overslept."
She got out of bed, grabbed her phone, and saw it was indeed late—already past 8:00 PM.
They had slept for a solid six or seven hours.
Cecelia Archer was frustrated.
’I was planning on returning to Veridia tonight. After all this delay, will I even be able to find a ride?’
Damien Vaughn sat up slowly. He got out of bed, walking past Cecelia Archer to pull open the curtains.
The sky outside wasn’t much brighter than the room. Distant lights twinkled like stars, a sign of how late it had gotten.
He, however, was quite satisfied.
"What time is it?"
"8:20 PM," Cecelia Archer said, scrolling through a rideshare app on her phone.
"I don’t know if I can get us a ride, but I’ll do my best to get you back tonight."
"Get a ride in this godforsaken place?" Damien Vaughn, feeling content and well-rested, stretched his arms leisurely.
"If we really can’t go back, then so be it. I’m not blaming you. I’m hungry. Let’s find a place to eat first."
’He used to be so particular about his time. Even on business trips, he’d race against the clock to finish his work and rush back. Why is he so relaxed today?’
However, Cecelia Archer couldn’t just ask him directly.
"I have things to do. I have to get back tonight. I’ll check if there’s a train station nearby and if I can buy tickets."
As she was about to continue scrolling on her phone, Damien Vaughn suddenly walked over and snatched it from her.
"Did you not hear me? I said I’m hungry. Trains are filthy and disgusting. I’m not riding one."
Cecelia Archer said, "...How about we call Ryan? We could ask him to make the trip out here."
Damien Vaughn replied without a second thought, "Ryan has important matters to attend to. He’s not in Veridia today."
"Then..."
"What does it matter to you whether I go back or not? Right now, I’m hungry and I don’t have any money. Is it that hard to treat me to a meal?"
Cecelia Archer was left speechless. She had no choice but to go out with him for now.
When the two of them went downstairs, the proprietress stood up, her enthusiasm blazing.
"Sleep well? You two look so refreshed! You must have had a great night’s sleep. Our little inn isn’t too bad, is it? It’s so late now, there are no rides available. Why don’t you just stay another night?"
Damien Vaughn handed the phone back to Cecelia Archer, tacitly accepting the proprietress’s pitch.
"Extend our stay."
Cecelia Archer couldn’t believe he had gotten addicted to staying in this run-down inn. He actually wanted to stay another night!
She was in no mood to stay here with him. Unwilling to give up, she asked the proprietress,
"Is there a train station nearby? Or any taxis we can hail? I have urgent business."

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