Chapter 1062: Temptation

Chapter 1062 – Temptation

Naomi’s expression cooled further.

Elise noticed.

Naomi did not like her looking.

Elise smiled a little sweeter. "Since he is dating Naomi, we should give him a good impression of our family."

Hugo turned to his sister with a frown. His look was obvious. ’That was not the plan’.

Elise met his gaze calmly. Her look answered just as clearly. ’We need to know this guy. Because Naomi chose him for something’.

Hugo’s frown shifted. Then his mouth curled into a small, mocking smirk.

His head tilted slightly.

His eyes said exactly what his mouth did not. ’Huh. You fell for him. You said you wouldn’t be as stupid as Naomi, but look at you.’

Elise’s smile did not move.

Her eyes, however, promised murder at a later, more private time.

Hugo’s smirk deepened.

Sibling communication was beautiful.

Before Adrian could answer, Maribelle spoke. "I agree."

Everyone turned.

Maribelle stood beside Celeste, tablet in hand, posture perfect. Her secretary uniform was neat enough to shame the entire concept of wrinkles. Her expression was calm, professional, and utterly unreadable.

"Let us have tea," she said. "Everyone needs to cool down."

Lux glanced at her.

Maribelle did not look at him.

She kept her eyes on Victor, Elise, and Hugo with the harmless serenity of a woman who had already opened three mental files labeled possible enemy, possible flirt, and arrogant heir with poor impulse control.

The reason she agreed was simple.

Information.

Opponents became generous over tea.

They relaxed, performed, hinted, exposed habits, checked reactions, and believed themselves clever because porcelain cups made knives look less sharp.

Maribelle loved tea meetings.

They produced excellent minutes.

Hugo’s gaze moved to the source of the voice.

Then stopped.

His first impression was simple.

Secretary. Definitely a secretary.

A very good one.

He had seen many assistants in high society. Most were either invisible, ornamental, exhausted, or dangerously ambitious. Maribelle looked like none of those.

She looked precise.

Her hair was pinned perfectly. Her eyes looked like they could find a mistake in his breathing. Her uniform hugged just enough to remind him she was a woman and warned him strongly against making that observation out loud.

Hugo blinked. "I’ve never seen you before," he said.

Maribelle turned to him.

Her gaze landed on him like a document stamp.

Approved for observation.

Not yet approved for survival.

"That is correct."

Hugo’s brow lifted. "You work here?"

"No."

"For Mr. Vaelthorn?"

"Yes."

Hugo glanced at Lux.

Lux was still holding the cat and watching this unfold with the faint satisfaction of someone who had released a knife into a room and was waiting to see who cut themselves first.

Hugo looked back at Maribelle. "And you are?"

Maribelle inclined her head by the exact degree required for professionalism and no more. "Maribelle Quillatrix. Executive secretary to Lord Lux Vaelthorn."

A pause.

Then she added, "Administrative operations, retaliatory structuring, and high-discretion strategic documentation."

Hugo stared.

"That’s... a long title."

Maribelle’s smile appeared.

Small.

But deadly.

"I shortened it for mortal attention spans."

Naomi made a sound.

Not quite a laugh.

Lux looked down at the cat to hide his smile.

Hugo blinked. His face should have flushed in offense.

It did, slightly.

But the insult landed so cleanly, so confidently, so elegantly, that his heart did something annoying.

Not a ba-thump like Elise.

More like a sharp little stab of interest.

She was dangerous.

Hugo liked dangerous women in theory.

Usually because theory did not insult him back.

Maribelle looked at him for one more second, then returned her attention to Celeste as if Hugo had been filed and temporarily archived.

That hurt.

Strangely.

Victor’s eyes narrowed.

He did not like this secretary.

Not because she insulted Hugo. Victor had insulted Hugo internally for years.

Because Maribelle looked too calm.

She had not reacted like staff. Not like a guest. Not like someone intimidated by Delacour tension. She watched the hall as if counting assets and liabilities.

Victor had a sense for dangerous assistants.

Important men were often protected by the people who carried their folders.

And this woman?

This woman carried invisible knives in alphabetical order.

Celeste spoke before Adrian could refuse the tea outright. "Tea would be appropriate."

Adrian looked at her.

Celeste’s gaze remained steady.

Adrian understood her.

Maribelle wanted information.

Lux probably wanted amusement and information, which was worse because he would get both.

Adrian exhaled through his nose. "Fine."

Victor smiled. "Excellent."

Adrian turned to the servants. "Prepare the west sitting room."

One maid bowed. "Yes, sir."

Naomi looked at Lux. "We still need to bring the cat to Ely."

Lux nodded. "Yes. But I guess it can wait."

Elise immediately stepped in, smile soft. "Oh, poor thing. Is she injured?"

Lux looked at her.

-Ba-thump!

Elise hated herself a little more.

"She is stable for now," Lux said.

His voice was smooth.

Elise moved one step closer, eyes lowering to the orange cat. "May I see her?"

Naomi stepped closer to Lux before she even realized it. Naomi’s silent claim.

Elise had thought Naomi foolish for falling.

Now, seeing the way Lux automatically angled his body slightly toward Naomi while still answering Elise with perfect courtesy, she understood the appeal far too clearly.

Naomi had chosen him. And he stood beside Naomi like the choice mattered.

Elise felt something sour and sharp beneath her ribs.

She was not ridiculous.

But envy?

Yes.

That was embarrassingly possible.

Lux glanced down at the cat. "You can see her from there. She doesn’t need more attention right now."

Elise’s smile held. A polite rejection.

Naomi’s eyes softened by a fraction.

Victor watched that tiny exchange and understood several things at once.

Elise had noticed Lux.

Naomi had noticed Elise noticing Lux.

Lux had noticed both.

And Lux had chosen not to play.

That was unexpected.

Playboys played.

That was their nature.

But Lux Vaelthorn, supposed city playboy, did not take the bait.

He was either very disciplined... Or Naomi mattered more than temptation.

Victor did not like either possibility.