Devilish secretary - Chapter 233

Chapter 233: Chapter 233 Devotion
At night, the private mansion was bathed in soft golden lights. The curtains swayed gently with the breeze, and the kitchen carried the warm aroma of something delicious. Lilith, dressed in a simple white shirt and loose pants, looked effortlessly beautiful…barefoot, hair loosely tied, and a soft hum escaping her lips as she stirred something on the stove.

She was calm, almost glowing, lost in her little world.

But then—

footsteps.

Slow, heavy, familiar.

Before she could turn, two strong arms wrapped around her from behind. His large hands rested against her stomach, holding her close, and his head leaned into the curve of her shoulder. His scent…clean, expensive, unmistakably him washed over her.

He didn’t speak.

She didn’t either.

She simply stood still, her fingers still holding the spoon, as the warmth of his body slowly sank into hers.

She waited.

Waited for his words.

For questions about what she did to Grandma Bria. For his scolding. For his worry.

But instead, in a low, sincere voice, he murmured—

“You’re great, Lilith.”

And then he kissed her neck, softly.

Her eyes widened.

That… wasn’t what she expected.

The kiss lingered on her skin. Slow. Meaningful. As if he wanted to thank her in silence. As if he had watched everything, understood everything… and admired her more than he could ever say out loud.

Lilith’s lips parted, but no words came.

Only her heartbeat answered him.

Because for once—

Even her devilish self didn’t know how to react to a man who called her great.

Dinner was quiet. Too quiet.

The golden lights above the dining table cast a soft glow on the warm dishes between them…roasted vegetables, creamy pasta, a fresh salad he didn’t touch. The silverware clinked gently now and then, but that was it.

Because he never stopped looking at her.

Alexander sat across from her, having changed into a black shirt slightly unbuttoned at the collar, the sleeves rolled up just enough to reveal the veins along his forearms. But it wasn’t his clothes that held her attention.

It was his eyes.

He didn’t blink much.

He didn’t speak either.

He just… watched her.

And the way he did it like she was a slow-burning fire, like she was made of mystery and meaning—it shook her in ways she never expected.

Lilith kept her face calm, pretending to focus on the meal. She sliced her food carefully, chewed slowly, even took a sip of water just to distract herself.

But his gaze stayed.

And it wasn’t cold or curious.

It was dreamy. Intense. Warm.

Like he was memorizing the curve of her lips, the flicker in her eyes, the way she twirled her fork without noticing.

Lilith felt her heartbeat stutter.

She tried to act unaffected, but she knew.

She knew her hand trembled just once.

She knew he was peeling away every wall she had so carefully built.

She looked up finally, meeting his gaze for just a second.

And in that second, she saw it…

adoration.

Possession.

And something even more dangerous…

Devotion.

She looked away quickly, biting her inner cheek.

“Eat,” she muttered, not meeting his eyes.

But her voice didn’t carry its usual sharpness.

Because even a devil could lose her balance—

when a man looked at her like that.

After dinner, the silence lingered…soft, thick, and strangely comforting.

Alexander stood first, and Lilith followed behind him, quietly..like a shadow, or maybe a flame chasing the wind. He didn’t speak. He didn’t turn. But he knew she was there.

They reached the bedroom. He loosened his collar with a slow breath, fingers fumbling slightly. The air was cooler here but not nearly enough to douse the fire burning in his chest.

Lilith walked past him toward the washroom, her steps light on the floor. She didn’t look back until she felt him behind her.

She paused at the door, one hand on the handle, and turned around.

He was standing close.

Too close.

His eyes were half-lidded, lazy but sharp like a hunter deciding whether to pounce.

Lilith raised a brow. “…Are you planning to come in with me?”

Alexander didn’t answer.

He just tilted his head slightly, as if wondering why that was even a question.

She stared at him speechlessly, then scoffed lightly. “You’re unbelievable.”

But when she turned back toward the door…he didn’t stop her.

He just leaned against the wall beside the washroom like a guard on duty, arms crossed, eyes never leaving the door even after she stepped inside.

Because even if he didn’t say it..

He was addicted to her presence.

And she knew it.

And maybe… she didn’t mind.

The night was quiet, the only sound was the distant hum of city lights beyond the tall windows. The room was dim, warm, wrapped in a blanket of silence.

They had already climbed into bed. Lilith turned her back to him at first but he didn’t let her stay that way for long.

Without a word, Alexander reached out and pulled her into his arms.

She didn’t resist.

Her head rested softly against his chest, and she could hear it– the fast, uneven rhythm of his heartbeat.

After a moment, her voice came gently, barely a whisper against the skin of his shirt.

“You want to say something?”

Alexander didn’t speak immediately.

He just held her tighter, one hand gently rubbing the back of her head. His fingers slipped into her hair, slow and comforting. She closed her eyes at the feeling.

And then, in a low voice that trembled only at the edges, he said—

“Thank you for coming into my life…”

Her eyes opened slowly, but she didn’t move. She let him speak.

“You have no idea how I’ve been living before this…”

His voice was soft, but there was something behind it, something heavy.

She felt it in the way his chest rose and fell under her cheek. The way his grip around her waist never loosened.

“My mom and dad… they loved me. I think they did. But they were always so busy. Meetings, traveling, saving the Carter name. And my grandfather…” He let out a dry chuckle that didn’t sound amused.

“He cared more about paintings than people.”

Lilith slowly rubbed her cheek against his chest, saying nothing, just listening. And that made him continue.