Chapter 19\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 19\u00a0<\/p>\n
Damien\u00a0<\/p>\n
Those confident eyes. That effortless, lazy grace. I had never seen a woman like her. She spoke as if the world were nothing more than pieces on a board, and everyone around her was a pawn, disposable at her whim. Every word was a calculation, and everyone else was already struggling to keep up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I prided myself on reading people. It was both a craft and a tool. But with her, I was powerless. I couldn\u2019t tell what she thought, couldn\u2019t guess what she wanted. She was a knot I couldn\u2019t untangle, and knots fascinated me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The more I watched, the more curious I became.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018You\u2019re curious, Damien. She intrigues you too,\u2019 Thane rumbled in my mind, amused as always.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I raised an eyebrow. \u2018You\u2019re awfully chatty today. One more word and I will cut you off,\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018Hmm, and you\u2019re awfully easy to rile today. I\u2019ll listen for now. But don\u2019t let her slip away. Her scent calms me. I want her, Damien.\u2019 Thane replied, voice laced with hunger.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I ignored my wolf and kept my focus on her. Who was this woman to make Thane bare his teeth in interest? He looked ready to pounce the moment I gave him the chance.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The guard stepped forward, face twisted with fury. \u201cYou damned woman,\u201d he spat. \u201cIf you won\u2019t follow orders, I won\u2019t waste my breath. I\u2019ll be the first to destroy you.\u201d He closed the distance, blade angled in his hand.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Jason moved, his hand going to his sword. \u201cMy lord?\u201d he asked, as if seeking permission to finish it quickly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cStand back,\u201d I said flatly. Jason went still immediately.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I wanted to see what she would do. Some people broke under pressure; others burned brighter. The guard\u2019s arrogance was dull, but the woman\u2019s calm composure intrigued me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The guard raised his sword toward her, the blade glinting. For a moment, I expected something predictable. Instead, she glanced to the side. My attention snapped there too. I caught movement at the edge of my vision, there was a shadow between the trees, half hidden, someone about to step forward.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Was she really planning to let someone handle it? I narrowed my eyes, but then she did something that caught me off guard. She shook her head, signaling for the person to stand down.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Interesting.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I tilted my head, watching the scene unfold with curiosity. What was she thinking?\u00a0<\/p>\n
The guard\u2019s sword gleamed as he raised it higher, sunlight flashing along the blade. Her maid moved instinctively, stepping in front of her like a shield, arms spread wide, eyes squeezed shut.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo!\u201d she cried.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Brave, but foolish.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The guard didn\u2019t stop. His blade came down in a vicious arc, but before it could land, a blur of movement cut through the air. A pale, delicate hand snapped up and caught his wrist mid-swing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The sound of steel halted in midair.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The street went deathly still. Every breath seemed to vanish at once. Even Yara, ever composed, muttered under her breath, \u201cWhat the hell\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
12:41 Tue, Dec 23\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 19\u00a0<\/p>\n
My brows lifted slightly. The rest of my face remained calm, but my eyes betrayed a flicker of surprise. That fragile-looking woman, small enough for the guard to break with one hand, was holding him in place with effortless strength. His sword trembled midair, frozen, while she stood still, unbothered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The maid blinked, her eyes wide with disbelief, staring at her mistress as if she\u2019d never truly seen her before.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The guard\u2019s face drained of color. His mouth opened, voice shaking as he stammered, \u201cYou-how\u2026?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her eyes had shifted. The indifference from before was gone, replaced by pure, searing anger. Her fingers clenched around his wrist, and a crack echoed, the sound of bone yielding under impossible force.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAHH!\u201d The guard\u2019s scream ripped through the air as his sword fell to the ground.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The crowd froze at the sight.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDid she just-break his hand?!\u201d someone yelled.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes\u2026 she really did,\u201d another stammered, voice trembling with disbelief.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even the second guard flinched, unable to look away as his comrade was held fast by a woman.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She ignored them all. Her grip didn\u2019t falter, her blue eyes glowed faintly, a lighter shade creeping in. I recognized the tension radiating from her, she was teetering on the edge of losing control.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her maid stepped forward hesitantly, touching her hand. \u201cM-My lady\u2026 you can\u2019t hurt him.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The woman blinked, as if shaking off a trance. Her gaze dropped to the guard\u2019s wrist, then to his twisted, pained expression, before letting go.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAh,\u201d she said, dusting her hand lightly, \u201cit seems I got carried away again.\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My lips curled up before I could stop them.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Got carried away?\u00a0<\/p>\n
That wasn\u2019t the look of someone who got carried away. That was the look of a mad warrior, someone who\u2019d seen blood, lived through it, and didn\u2019t hesitate to draw it again. All because a guard almost struck her maid.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She sighed softly. \u201cLet\u2019s not make this into a big deal,\u201d she said, like she hadn\u2019t just broken a man\u2019s wrist in front of a crowd.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The guard, clutching his mangled hand, glared up at her. \u201cYou little bitch-\u201d he started, but she ignored him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Instead, she turned to her maid, took the bag from her hands, and reached inside. Her fingers emerged clutching a white pendant, and the atmosphere shifted instantly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Gasps spread through the crowd. The maid\u2019s eyes widened in shock. The guard froze mid-sentence, his face paling\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cW-Where did you get the Temple pendant?\u201d he stammered, stumbling back.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The woman only tilted her head and shrugged. \u201cYou don\u2019t need to know. But since I have this, that means my identity, and theirs, are confirmed. I\u2019m associated with the Temple. You wouldn\u2019t dare treat us like criminals, right?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Silence.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The guard stared at her, clearly fighting between fear and humiliation. Finally, he bowed stiffly. \u201cYou\u2019re right. I apologize for the trouble, my lady. We\u2019ll\u2026 take our leave.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He turned sharply to the other guard. \u201cLet\u2019s go.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
12:41 Tue, Dec 23 @ MG.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 19\u00a0<\/p>\n
The man nodded fast. They both hurried off, not daring to look back.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When they were gone, she let out a quiet sigh. Her maid hurried to her side, inspecting her arm, worry etched across her face. For a brief moment, the woman\u2019s smile was soft, and she didn\u2019t seem dangerous at all.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t believe you actually took Lady Sienna\u2019s Temple pendant, my lady,\u201d her maid whispered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat? I don\u2019t have one, I thought taking it would make the journey easier, people are just as scared of the temple as they are of the palace,\u201d she replied, then paused.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She turned her head; our eyes locked, and she lingered for a moment, studying me as intently as I had studied her. Then. without a word, she started walking toward me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Jason took a half-step forward, instinctively ready to intervene. One look from me, and he froze in place.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She stopped before me, her presence oddly serene. I looked down at her as she lifted a hand toward me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t move. Neither did my men.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even her maid looked perplexed, eyes flicking nervously between us.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The woman\u2019s smile turned sly as she twisted her fingers into the familiar gesture for coins.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI saved your lives,\u201d she said, her tone casual, but a mischievous sparkle danced in her eyes. \u201cDon\u2019t you think I deserve a reward for that?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
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12:41 Tue, Dec 23 @ MG\u00a0<\/p>\n
Editorial Board: Our editorial team works behind the scenes to refine each chapter, maintain consistency, and deliver the best reading experience.<\/p>\n
Hope Is Not Optional \u2014 Manuel Flores 19 Chapter 19\u00a0 Chapter 19\u00a0 Damien\u00a0 Those confident eyes. That effortless, lazy grace. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[82],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27813","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-ruthless-tycoons-obsession-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27813","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27813"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27813\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27813"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27813"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27813"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}