Devilish secretary - Chapter 267

Chapter 267: Chapter 267 I hated you for that
Lilith wandered slowly through the garden, her feet pressing softly into the stone path as the wind brushed against her hair. The evening light had dipped into gold, and the trees swayed gently, casting long shadows across the carefully trimmed hedges.

But she didn’t notice the beauty around her. Her mind was far from the peaceful surroundings. Her eyes were distant, unfocused, as if searching for something invisible in the air.

She wasn’t sure how long she had been walking. Minutes? An hour? All she knew was that her chest felt heavy. She could still see his face..pale, still, far too quiet lying on that bed like he had given up. And the worst part? He didn’t even scream for help. He just collapsed, silently, like he didn’t think he deserved to be caught.

Lilith paused near a rose bush, her fingers brushing one of the soft petals. The red reminded her of fire. Of the fight in him. The fight she refused to believe was gone. “You idiot,” she muttered to herself.

She exhaled slowly and looked up at the sky. It was turning indigo, the stars just beginning to appear. A moment later, she sat down on the stone bench under the oak tree, crossing her legs, resting her elbows on her knees.

She didn’t cry. Lilith didn’t cry. But there was something quiet in her expression something raw. She hated this feeling. The helplessness. The waiting. The silence after someone strong falls.

She clenched her fists on her lap.

And somewhere deep inside, she swore if he couldn’t save himself… she would walk straight into the storm inside him and drag him back, no matter what it cost.

***

Gray stirred with a low groan, the weight of a sharp headache pulsing behind his eyes. His mind felt foggy, like he’d surfaced too quickly from deep water. Blinking slowly, he took in the ceiling, then turned his head toward the faint sound of movement.

There was a woman sitting beside his bed.

Instinctively, his muscles tensed, his body alert despite the pain. His eyes narrowed for a second before recognition clicked into place.

The Tara smiled warmly. “Brother-in-law?” she said, her voice gentle. “You’re awake?”

He blinked again, confused.

She reached for the glass on the bedside table, filled it calmly with water from the jug, and handed it to him. “Drink,” she said, still smiling.

He hesitated, then accepted the glass. Her presence didn’t feel threatening, and there was something oddly comforting about her calmness. He drank slowly, the cool water easing his dry throat.

“Where is she?” he asked quietly as he handed the glass back.

Tara tilted her head, puzzled. “Sister-in-law?” she asked innocently.

Gray’s hand paused mid-air.

Sister-in-law?

His heart skipped—just once but loud enough that he could feel the echo in his ribs. She called Lilith… sister-in-law. That meant… Tara thought they were married. A misunderstanding, maybe. Or someone told her. But still…

The idea rolled through his mind like a quiet storm, and unexpectedly, it brought a strange warmth to his chest. His shoulders, once tense, loosened just a little. His usual coldness didn’t return. Instead, his tone softened.

“Where is She?” Gray asked sharply, already rising from the bed.

Tara blinked, startled by the urgency in his voice. “She’s in the garden,” she replied quickly. “No one dared to go near her… she’s…” Her voice trailed off. Scary? Angry? Untouchable? She couldn’t find the right word, but it didn’t matter he was already gone.

The hallway was silent as Gray stepped into the dimly lit corridor. The cold wind whispered in through open windows, bringing with it the rustle of distant leaves. He walked fast, ignoring the ache in his head. His pace quickened once he reached the outer corridor, boots tapping softly against the stone as he stepped outside.

“Lili,” he called gently.

“Liliy…”

No answer.

The garden stretched out before him under a dark velvet sky, full of shadows and shifting wind. His eyes scanned the path between the hedges, the silver shine of moonlight over flowerbeds, the way the trees bent in the breeze. And then—

He felt it.

A presence behind him, silent and fierce.

Before he could turn, he was shoved forward roughly, but with strange care, his front hit the cold garden wall. Yet even as he braced, a hand slipped on his forehead, shielding it from the impact. The scent that followed was unmistakable. Wild. Warm. Her.

Lilith.

His tense muscles eased slightly as her body pressed close, her breath ghosting over his back. But something about her energy was different—darker, hotter, more intense. She trailed her nose slowly along his spine, making him exhale in a strained breath.

He groaned softly. “Lili…”

She turned him around.

He stared.

Her eyes were glowing like embers, burning with something unspoken, dangerous, and deeply intimate. Her gaze didn’t waver—it devoured him.

Gray reached for her waist on instinct, his grip tight. His breath caught in his throat as he leaned in, lips slightly parted, moving to kiss her. But just before their mouths touched, she tilted her face away with a slow, mischievous look.

Then her fingers slid up into his hair those small, deceptively delicate fingers and tugged gently but firmly. He met her eyes, dazed and aroused, lips parted but held back.

She was driving him crazy.

And she knew it.

Without a word, Lilith leaned down, placing a slow kiss over his chest, through the thin shirt Ethan had made him wear. The warmth of her lips, even through fabric, made his skin burn beneath.

His hand slid along her back, possessive, aching to pull her closer. But he didn’t speak. He didn’t dare break the spell.

Because in this moment Lilith wasn’t just dangerous.

She was mine, his heart screamed.

And he was already on fire.

He was breathing hard now.

Not from pain.

From her.

Lilith stood in front of him, her hand still tangled in his hair, her lips brushing just below the collar of his plain shirt. And Gray…Gray who was logic and control, who analyzed before feeling stood frozen. His fingers gripped her waist like she was the only solid thing in his world.

But he wasn’t the one in control.

She was.

“You want to know something?” she whispered, her voice smoky and slow. Her breath grazed his ear like a warning. “I hated you today.”

His breath caught.

“Your silence… your sadness… the way you just collapsed,” she said. “You gave up, human doll. You almost left me behind.”

Her hand slid down his jaw, sharp nails teasing the sensitive skin at his neck. Then suddenly she gripped his shirt and yanked, hard. Buttons popped loose with a snap. The open collar exposed the hollow of his throat, his collarbone, the heat of his skin. His heart thundered beneath it all.

“I hated you for that,” she said, her voice low but seething with emotion.