Rebirth Of The Heiress And The Tycoon's Lover (Alina) novel Chapter 280

Chapter 280

Chapter 280

AUTHOR’S POV

Time seemed to drag that night. Every tick of the antique clock on Alina’s nightstand echoed louder than it should, stretching the silence between her heartbeats. She sat on the edge of her bed, legs drawn close, eyes fixed on the faint light filtering under the door.

It had been hours since Damien left, but she couldn’t sleep. How could she, when the plan she’d made the one that had been looping in her mind all week, burned brighter with every passing minute.

She had waited patiently, watching her family hover around her day and night, feeling both suffocated and strangely… loved. But now, the manor was growing quiet. The moment she’d been waiting for was finally

close.

Outside her door, she could still hear the faint hum of movement. The staff were making their final rounds, dusting, polishing, ensuring every hallway was spotless before morning. She clenched her jaw.

She was half–tempted to call Talia back but the thought died quickly. It was late, and Talia had probably gone to bed hours ago. Waking her now would be plain insensitive, and Alina couldn’t afford that.

So she wa

stening.

Her ears picked up the faintest footsteps in the corridor beyond her doorthe slow shuffle of tired workers wrapping up their night shift. She stood, barefoot, the chill of the marble floor biting her soles as she pressed closer to the door.

Soon, the noise began to fade.

Alina cracked the door open, just an inch at first. Her heartbeat thudded loud enough that she feared someone might hear it. The corridor stretched in both directions..,dimly lit, empty except for the flickering sconces that lined the walls.

She exhaled quietly.

The staff quarters were two floors below. The family study…the one her father used and where she suspected the most valuable information was hidden, was on that same level. She couldn’t wait until everyone had retired completely. If she did, she might lose her nerve.

Taking a deep breath, Alina stepped into the hall and let the door close softly behind her. The click sounded deafening in the silence.

She moved like a shadow, he outfit making her blend effortlessly. She stuck close to the walls, avoiding the light pooling from chandeliers.

From the stairwell below came the low murmur of conversation. The servants hadn’t left yet.

Alina crouched slightly, keeping her steps featherlight as she crept closer, peering between the railing posts.

“Did you see her today?” one of the maids whispered. “Lady Alina, I mean. She smiled at me when I served tea this afternoon. She’s even prettier in person.”

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Chapter 280

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Another voice, a younger girl’s, sighed dreamily. “She really is. No wonder everyone’s been talking about her since she woke up. It’s like her presence brought light back into the manor.”

Alina’s lips twitched into a smile. Warmth stirred faintly in her chest at their words.

“She looks like Lady Luna too,” the first maid continued, lowering her voice. “Same eyes, same gentle smile. I used to think all that talk about their lost daughter was just a rumor. But now…”

“Now it feels real,” someone else murmured. “It feels like things are finally right again.”

Alina pressed a hand against her chest, her throat tightening unexpectedly. She hadn’t expected this kindness from people she barely knew. For years, she had been called a burden, a failure, a shado

loptive home. Yet here, people spoke of her as though she mattered.

A faint laugh drifted up the stairs then, snapping her from her thoughts.

“Oh, but have you seen Lord Damien lately?” the younger maid said with a giggle. “He’s been helping Lady Alina around, hasn’t he? That smile of his could melt a nun’s resolve.”

The others burst into quiet laughter.

Alina bit her lower lip, trying to suppress her own amused snort.

Of cou

y’d talk about Damien.

She could already imagine his smug grin if he overheard them, how he’d lean back, feign modesty, and say something ridiculous like, ‘Well, I can’t help it if charm runs in the family.

She shook her head, a small chuckle slipping past her lips before she quickly covered her mouth.

The laughter downstairs faded again as the staff resumed their duties. From her spot by the staircase, she watched them descend toward the study floor. They carried cleaning cloths, oil lamps, and quiet chatter.

Patience, she reminded herself.

She waited, pressed against the cold banister, every nerve on edge. The sound of gentle sweeping and furniture shifting drifted upward for several long minutes, then softened.

“They’re almost done.” She whispered under her breath.

She could hear them moving toward the far end of the hallway, the direction of the family archives and the guest quarters. The study would be empty soon.

Finally.

When the sound of footsteps and soft chatter began to fade completely, Alina straightened, adjusting the hem of her robe and letting out a slow, controlled breath.

“Alright,” she murmured. “The moment of truth.”

Moving with deliberate care, she began her descent. Each step creaked faintly beneath her weight, and she

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Chapter 280

froze every time, waiting for any sign of alarm. But one came

The manor at night was hauntingly beautiful the glow of sconces flickering over marble floors as shadows weaving along the walls like silk. The portraits that lined the corridors seemed to watch her, silent witnesses to a truth she wasn’t supposed to uncover.

When she finally reached the second floor, she paused, crouched behind a decorative pillar, and peered down

the hall

The workers were gathered at the far end, folding up their supplies and exchanging soft goodnights.

“I’ll see you in the morning” One said.

“Don’t forget Lady Luna wants everything perfect for the party,” another reminded,,

Alina’s pulse quickened. They were leaving.

She waited, her body tense but her breathing steady. Her mind replayed the plan. Move only after the last footsteps fade, check the hall for guards, and head straight for the study. She couldn’t afford to wander. One wrong sound could ruin everything.

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