Chapter 177: Midnight Claim
Despite being the heiress of the Montelli family, Carlotta was not the type of sheltered noble who never lifted a finger.
Her elite education had exposed her to various fields, and cooking was among them. Even without deliberate study, growing up around the family's top chefs had honed her skills.
"Try it. I made this beef stew with potatoes myself."
At the dinner table, Carlotta propped her chin on the back of her hand, smiling at Ray.
The warm yellow light spilled over her silver hair, adding a touch of warmth to the moment.
"I never knew the Second Miss could cook?" Looking at the fragrant stew before him, Ray's stomach, empty all day, let out an honest growl.
He eagerly forked a piece of beef into his mouth
The rich flavor exploded on his tongue instantly. The beef was cooked just right, tender yet with a satisfying chewiness.
Even better, the thick gravy carried a subtle hint of red wine, adding a touch of refinement to the dish.
"See? I'm not like those naive young ladies." Watching his satisfied expression, Carlotta's eyes sparkled with anticipation. "How is it?"
"Mm, really good." Ray nodded, then as if suddenly remembering something, looked at Carlotta. "Oh, what about Ciaccona?"
"Ciaccona?" Carlotta gently stirred the soup in her bowl with a spoon and smiled. "Don't worry. Bards hate being tied down, you know. Making her stay here would be more painful than being caught by the Order. Right now, she's probably perched on some tree branch at the Breezy Waterside, playing her lute to the moon. She'll be back tomorrow."
"I see."
Ray listened to Carlotta's words and nodded thoughtfully. "By the way, Second Miss, about the banquet this weekend…"
"The banquet? What about it?"
He had originally wanted to ask if Cantarella would be attending, but considering the potential fallout, he swallowed his words. "Never mind, it's nothing."
This strange behavior naturally drew Carlotta's attention.
She frowned slightly, eyeing him with suspicion. "You wouldn't be thinking about that jellyfish, would you?"
"No, no!" Ray quickly denied, almost dropping a potato from his fork. "Why would I be thinking about Cantarella?"
Well, actually, maybe a little.
Carlotta puffed out her cheeks, lightly poking at the potatoes in her bowl with her fork, muttering quietly, "You'd better not."
"Wah! Eating dinner without me!"
A soft glow suddenly emanated from the Tacet Mark on Ray's hand as Anby leaped out.
The little creature fluttered down onto the edge of the table, eyes fixed on the steaming pot of beef stew, then looked at the two of them with a pitiful expression.
Ray lazily glanced at it. "Isn't it true that as soon as the food smells good, you pop out on your own?"
"That's true!" Anby spun in the air indignantly. "But the ritual matters! It's a basic respect for good food!"
"Alright, Anby." Carlotta couldn't help but laugh, reaching out to rub the little creature's fuzzy head. "I've already prepared your portion. Come on, it'll get cold if you wait too long."
"Miss Carlotta is the best!" Anby flew over to Carlotta, nuzzling her cheek affectionately, then couldn't wait any longer, hovering over the pot with a knowing smile. "Well then, I won't hold back!"
In no time, the entire pot of beef stew had been devoured. Anby lay sprawled in the middle of the table, its little paws rubbing its round belly, which trembled slightly with each satisfied burp.
"Played all day, ate so much…" It rolled over lazily. "Time for a nice dream!"
"Mm, suddenly I'm sleepy. I'm going back to sleep now."
With that, Anby disappeared back into Ray's Tacet Mark.
Ray looked at the Tacet Mark on the back of his hand and sighed helplessly.
When his gaze swept over the empty stew pot, he suddenly remembered something and stopped.
"Damn, I forgot to save some for Phrolova."
The moment the words left his mouth, Carlotta's resentful gaze shot over.
She slowly set down her napkin, the silverware clinking softly against the plate.
"After all this, you're still thinking about her."
Ray smiled awkwardly. "Well, we do live under the same roof."
"That's none of my business." Carlotta rose to clear the dishes. "This dinner was specially made for a certain two-timing idiot."
...
...
After dinner, the night had grown deep.
Ray lay back in the soft bed, waves of exhaustion washing over him.
The day's play with Phoebe had drained his energy, and now even his fingertips were too lazy to move.
He closed his eyes, sinking into the soft bed, nearly drifting off at any moment.
The bathroom door clicked open, releasing a moist, fragrant scent.
Carlotta stepped out in a silk slip dress, the lamplight tracing the soft curves of her youthful figure as she moved.
She stood by the bed, gazing at the drowsy Ray. The scene from the living room earlier flashed into her mind, stirring a rush of jealousy.
I'm the real girlfriend…
Someone needs to know who the main one is!
Biting her lip lightly, she lifted the corner of the quilt and sat down.
The slight dip of the mattress made Ray force his eyes open. Carlotta was leaning close, her hair brushing his cheek with a faint, delicate fragrance.
"Cat's Eye." She whispered near his ear, her warm breath like a gentle tickle. "You've had your fill of dinner, but I… still haven't been satisfied yet."
"Second Miss, can we skip it today…"
"No way! This is to stop you from sneaking around!"
"But Phrolova's right next door."
"I'll just be quiet."
Carlotta didn't wait for any more protests. She straddled his hips, the silk slip riding up her thighs as she pulled it over her head in one smooth motion, revealing her bare body. Her breasts bounced free, nipples already tight and flushed. She leaned down, capturing his mouth in a hungry kiss while her hand slipped between them, stroking his cock until it hardened fully against her palm.
"Second Miss…" Ray groaned as she guided him to her entrance and sank down in one slow, wet slide, taking every inch of him inside her tight heat.
Carlotta moaned softly against his lips, her walls clenching around him. She began to move, rolling her hips in deep, deliberate circles, riding him with possessive rhythm.
Her breasts swayed with every thrust, and she pressed them against his chest as she rode him harder, faster, her breathing turning into desperate little whimpers.
Ray gripped her hips, thrusting up to meet her, the wet sounds of their bodies filling the room. Carlotta buried her face in his neck to muffle her cries, but her body betrayed her, her pussy fluttered and squeezed around his cock as she came hard, soaking him with her release.
She didn't stop. She kept riding him through her orgasm, chasing another, then another, until the bed creaked steadily beneath them.
They changed positions twice, once with her on all fours, Ray pounding into her from behind, and again with her legs wrapped around his waist as he drove deep and slow.
Carlotta came three more times before Ray finally spilled inside her, filling her with thick, hot pulses while she trembled and clung to him.
The entire night blurred into hours of breathless, possessive sex.
...
...
Around four in the morning.
Phrolova lay still on the bed, her open eyes glimmering faintly in the dark.
She didn't need much sleep, but tonight she was especially awake, because the sounds from the next room were like an endless tide, continuously knocking against her eardrums.
She slowly sat up, the blanket slipping from her shoulders and revealing the pale, flawless skin of her small breasts, the faint pink of her nipples.
After a moment's hesitation, she pressed her ear to the cool wall, rhythmic soft sounds, muffled whimpers, the unmistakable slap of skin against skin.
Phrolova listened expressionlessly for a while, until the corners of her mouth finally twitched uncontrollably.
"Four hours…"
She covered her ears, burying her head under a pillow, but only for a moment before pushing it away in frustration, letting the sounds seep into her consciousness unhindered.
Staring at the ceiling, her gaze gradually lost focus.
It seemed that at some point in the past, she had experienced something similar.
But now…
She suddenly felt a strange emptiness in her body, a missing corner in her heart, craving to be filled.
Even a numb heart still longs to bask in its own light.
Her slender legs unconsciously rubbed together, thighs pressing and shifting as heat pooled low in her belly. The motion made her small, perky breasts rise and fall with each shallow breath, nipples brushing against the sheet.
"If that fool hadn't broken his promise back then…" She murmured into the void, a slight choke in her voice she didn't even notice. "If he had remembered those vows…"
The young woman suddenly curled up tighter, one hand sliding down her flat stomach until her fingertips brushed the slick heat between her thighs.