Chapter 12: Whispers of Moonlight
*Author*
She complied. Her eyes closed, avoiding the sight of his half-naked form. Akai, suppressing a smile, took the coffee cup from her hand and placed it on the table.
Doubt flickered in her mind. Eveline opened her eyes to scenery, his broad, muscular shoulders. His shirtless body was something impossible to ignore. When he turned, she averted her gaze with a swift motion, her cheeks aflame.
Akai stepped closer, and she thrust the orchid into his hands, eager to escape.
But before she could flee, he pushed the door shut, trapping her inside. Eveline's mind raced. What is going to happen?
A soft chuckle escaped from the notorious duke. He marvelled at how easily he could read her face. She was like an open book, he found her innocence endearing.
While Eveline hurried away, Akai remained in his room, still shirtless, as he stepped away, he wondered about the orchid she'd left behind.
Eveline ran back all the way to the maid residence, as she entered, she saw all the girls there—chatting, laughing, and playing games.
She spotted Saerom and Reem and went to sit down with them. Reem asked if she was okay because her face was red. Eveline stammered,
"Yes, yes, I just ran here, that's why."
Duke Akai was about to make his way to the office. But, Claire and Jennifer stopped him.
Claire mentioned that outside was a bit chilly. And she decided to sit with Jennifer inside. She inquired if he and Zella would like to join them.
Duke Zella approached them. But he declined the offer, since he was also busy. But Jennifer held his arm, telling him they would only be there for a little while. He nodded in agreement. Akai excused himself as he had work to finish.
Akai's footsteps echoed through the corridor as he descended the stairs where Michelle's office awaited him.
He knocked on her door, the sound echoing in the quiet hallway. Michelle's voice beckoned him inside. As he stepped across the threshold, her smile welcomed him in.
Seated across from each other, Akai cut to the chase.
"Michelle,"
he began,
"I need Eveline."
Michelle's nod was decisive.
"Consider it done,"
she assured him.
"I'll dispatch someone immediately."
Eveline revealed in the laughter of the girls while playing games,
Lexi, head held high, delivered Michelle`s message.
"Eveline,"
Lexi said,
"Duke Akai requires your presence in his office—now."
The sun's golden fingers stretched across the corridor in the mansion, casting elongated shadows as Eveline stood before Duke Akai's office.
Her heart raced. She hesitated—knuckles poised to rap against the polished wood door.
"Come in,"
The voice beckoned. And Eveline stepped over the threshold. Akai sat behind the imposing desk, leather chair cradling him like a throne.
Duke Akai took a few steps closing the gap between them.
Eveline's mind raced through worst-case scenarios, each more dramatic than the last. Akai's hand reached for a book—a shield against vulnerability. He turned away, concealing a smile.
His voice broke the silence.
"Eveline,"
he said,
Eveline looked at the stack of papers before her. Akai's instructions echoed in her mind:
Organize them after the dates on them.
She settled onto the couch, her fingers danced across the first paper. Tracing the inked numbers—their significance veiled.
Eveline's unwavering focus carried her through the labyrinth of paperwork.
The minutes blurred into hours.
Akai, stealing glances at her—a silent admiration for her determination.
But beyond the paperwork, fate wove another thread—one that led to an unexpected scene.
Claire, in silk robe trailing, knocked with softness. The voice within beckoned her. She stepped over the threshold of his office with allure. She did so to seduce Duke Akai.
Her smile faltered as she glimpsed Eveline—the quiet observer on his couch. But Claire was a master of masks; her smile returned once again. She glided past Eveline, her head held high.
Before Akai's desk, Claire leaned in, her hands tracing the wood's grain.
"Shouldn't you get some sleep, my dear Akai?"
Her voice, a velvet murmur, held concern, hidden with malicious intentions. But Akai's eyes remained fixed on the papers. Unbothered.
"You, do not have to bother with that,"
he said, his voice filled with coldness.
"If you mind, I wish to focus on my work."
She was insulted in front of a maid, But she would not give up. She sat on the table's edge, close enough to Akai. Her whispered words hung in the air:
"If you want, I can help you release some stress"
Meanwhile, Eveline battled fatigue. Her gaze flitted between the papers and the unfolding scene. She tries to slip away, leaving them two alone. But Akai's voice halted her
"Sit"
He commanded, retreating to the couch.
Claire was once again insulted, him ignoring her words once again. She made her way to exit, her steps fueled with anger. She slammed the door with a loud sound.
Midnight loomed, its shadow stretching across the room. Eveline's eyelids drooped; exhaustion tugged at her resolve.
The papers threatened to blur into dreams, She shook herself awake. Duty held her upright, even as her energy waned.
Her voice, a fragile thread, reached Akai. He turned, his eyes softening as they met hers. Eveline announced her completion, Akai nodded, acknowledging her effort,
"Wait,"
He instructed,
"There's more paper to organize, I just have to be done with them first".
Eveline nodded and settled back.
In the quiet of Akai's office, time wove its delicate threads. Eveline's eyes, weary from paperwork, sought solace elsewhere.
A book on the shelf beckoned—a canvas of green adorned with crimson rose petals. She stepped toward it, drawn by its silent allure.
Akai, ever observant, followed her movements. His gaze traced her path, a silent symphony of curiosity.
But before she reached the book. A flower near his chair captured her attention. Eveline's course shifted, and she approached the delicate bloom—a testament to life amidst bureaucracy.
Yet her wanderlust persisted. The window, framed by heavy curtains, called to her. She stood there. A silhouette against the fading light.
Duke Akai was curious about what she was doing standing behind him. Her hands clung to the fabric, and the curtains swayed in tandem with her breath. Akai glimpsed her shadow in front of him—a fleeting dance on the office door.
As if fate conspired, Eveline's gaze fell upon it: a pendulum— on Akai's table. She leaned in. Her eyes tracing the pendulum's arcs, following the rhythmic motion.
For Akai, time seemed to pause. Eveline's focus held a quiet enchantment.
Eveline's curious gaze lingered on Akai—a silent study of weariness etched into his features. His hands moved across the papers, a dance of duty and exhaustion. She tilted her head. her eyes narrowing slightly, as if deciphering a hidden code.
Her voice, a soft intrusion, caught Akai's attention.
"Don't you ever sleep. . .I mean your grace?"
She asked. The words hung in the air, a delicate balance between concern and curiosity. His eyes met hers. What did she think? Perhaps she believed he never slept. Her whimsical mind imagined him as a vampire that only sleeps only in the daylight.
He put down his pen, rested face into his hand, intrigued. He said
"What do you think?"
Eveline's unspoken words hovered on her lips, but something else in her.
"Give me five minutes, I will be right back"
She left the office in swift motion, her footsteps echoing down the corridor making her way to the kitchen.
Eveline stepped toward the kitchen. She was greeted by an unexpected scene.
Saerom seated on the table, feet wiggling, a lollipop in her mouth. Beside her, Theodore diligently peeled potatoes. Their debate—boiled versus fried potatoes—filled the air
Eveline chuckled, the absurdity of it all lifting her weariness. She moved to the shelves, fingers seeking solace among the tea canisters.
Cherry blossom tea—its delicate fragrance promised respite. She measured out the dried petals, their pink hue like a whispered secret. Another herb, chosen with care, joined the mix.
And then, the final touch: a spoonful of honey—a golden elixir to sweeten the night. Eveline stirred the concoction, the spoon clinking against the porcelain
As she left the kitchen, the warmth of the tea cradled in her hands, Saerom's curious gaze wondering who the tea was for?
Eveline entered. Her purpose was clear. The tea cup, a vessel of solace, found its place before him.
She settled across from him, her eyes tracing the lines etched into his features. Akai observed the cup—a silent appraisal.
But Eveline only guessed what his thoughts could be- was it fear or could he think it is-?
In swift action, she lifted the cup to her lips, a savour of warmth.
"See,"
She declared,
"it's not poisoned."
Her fingers brushed her mouth, a gentle caress. Akai's gaze remained fixed, a mask of inscrutability.
"Did I say, it was poisoned?"
Eveline's annoyance flared—a spark in the quiet room.
"Your face told it all,"
She retorted, her words edged with mischief and annoyance.
In a twist of fate, he mirrored her— his lips touching the cup where hers had been.
Her eyes widened. In the hush of the moment. She whispered to herself in the language of Atheni: "Did we just kiss indirectly?"
Akai maintained his composure, a master of restraint as he understood what she said. Eveline's whispered words lingered—an indirect kiss.
She then took the tea cup and made her way down to the kitchen still shocked by what just happened to her.
In the kitchen, another surprise awaited. Duke Zella who sat on the chair in front of Saerom, her face etched with annoyance by his presence.
Eveline greeted them, her mind still spinning from the tea-induced encounter. She brewed another cup, zoning out into the distance.
Back in Akai's office, she placed the tea cup on the same spot.
He remained engrossed in his papers, the weight of responsibility etched into every line. The clock's hands crept past midnight, and Eveline settled into the chair she had positioned in front of him.
Valiant in her struggle against sleep, Eveline rested her hand against her cheek.
The moonlight painted her features—a portrait of vulnerability. Akai recognized her weariness. But then, as if fate intervened, her hands slipped, her face descending toward the desk`s hard surface.
His instincts kicked in—a silent savior. Akai's hands intercepted her fall, cradling her face. Her skin against his palms—a delicate connection.
His heartbeat raced once more.
He rose from his chair. Eveline is still in his grasp. He carried her, her head nestled against his chest, seeking warmth and solace. She lay comfortably in his arms.
As Akai descended the stairs, he encountered Saerom—a witness to the unexpected tableau. Eveline, cradled in his arms, elicited widened hazel eyes from Saerom.
His voice interrupted her thoughts:
"Can you show me to her dorm.?"
Saerom stepped forward, hands outstretched. In serious tone, she said
"I can take her,"
But Akai's response was firm:
"You'll drop her."
He persisted, asking once more about Eveline's dorm. Saerom led the way, and Akai followed, Eveline nestled between them. The door opened, revealing a room adorned with flowers and teddy bears
Gently, Akai placed Eveline on her bed, Saerom lingered, still shocked by the scene. Akai retreated, closing the door behind them.
The moonlight whispered secrets as it spilled through the window, casting shadows on the room's walls.
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