MTL NOVEL Chapter 23: Chapter 23
As Damian entered the room, his gaze immediately sought out Evelyn. The tension in the air was palpable, but the moment he saw her, his expression softened.
"Evelyn," he said, his voice carrying a warmth that sent a shiver through her. Without hesitation, he strode towards her, ignoring his mother entirely.
Lady Celeste's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, but she maintained her composed smile. "Damian, dear, I was just keeping Lady Evelyn company while she waited for you."
Damian barely spared her a glance. Instead, he took Evelyn's hand, lifting it to his lips. The gesture was slow, deliberate, and intimate. "I would have come sooner had I known you were here," he murmured against her skin.
Evelyn's cheeks warmed. His mother was watching, but Damian didn't seem to care. His thumb brushed over her knuckles before he finally released her hand, but the tenderness in his eyes lingered.
Lady Celeste set down her teacup with a soft clink. "How sweet," she said smoothly. "You seem quite taken with Lady Evelyn, my son."
Damian turned to face her, his arm instinctively wrapping around Evelyn's waist. "Of course I am. She is to be my wife."
Evelyn almost gasped at the way he said it—firm, unwavering, as if no force in the world could shake his conviction. But Lady Celeste wasn't so easily deterred.
"How charming," she said, though her smile was strained. "Love is a fleeting thing, my dear. A marriage built on passion alone often crumbles."
Damian's expression darkened. "This marriage is built on much more than that, Mother."
Evelyn could see the way Lady Celeste's fingers curled slightly against the armrest. She was losing control, and she knew it.
"I see," the duchess finally said, her tone deceptively light. "Well, I do hope your feelings are not… misplaced."
Evelyn felt Damian's grip on her tighten, a silent reassurance that he would not waver. But even as he held her close, she couldn't ignore the unease in Lady Celeste's gaze.
She wasn't done.
And Evelyn knew—this was only the beginning.