A Summer with My Bitter Rival - Chapter 1
Chapter 1.1 – The Engagement Announcement (1)
A late night, blanketed in silence and shadows.
Unable to sleep, a woman tossed and turned restlessly in bed before finally slipping into a light slumber.
Her soft breaths came in short pants, and she suddenly began to whimper, as if trapped inside a nightmare.
That’s when someone gently brushed her hair aside, away from her face.
Feeling the warmth, her brows furrowed slightly in response before she slowly opened her eyes. As her lashes fluttered open, her dark, ocean-blue eyes emerged from the darkness.
“Hello, Emeline.”
The voice greeted her warmly as their eyes met.
It was the man lying beside her, propped up on one arm, gazing down at her with a serene expression. His green eyes softened as a slight smile appeared on his lips.
Still groggy from sleep, Emeline blinked and mumbled, “…Zenon?”
“Yeah, it’s me.”
His clear response made Emeline blink in confusion, but then her eyes slowly widened.
Was this… a dream?
Otherwise, how could he possibly be here? Right in front of her?
Before she could even wrap her mind around it, Zenon reached out again, gently brushing her black hair aside. His lips curved into a slow smile as he spoke in a teasingly low, deep voice.
“Did you have a nightmare? You kept calling for me.”
“How… are you here…?”
She stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence due to the shock.
Zenon chuckled softly, amused by her confusion.
“Why do you think?”
His hand paused as he combed through her hair, his fingers lingering on her forehead before drifting down to caress her cheek.
The warmth of his touch felt surreal, almost too hot.
Why was he here, in the bedroom of the Delzeor manor?
Still confused, Emeline stared at him with unsteady eyes. His deep green eyes gazed back, holding that familiar mix of mischief and intensity she remembered so well.
Her first love—the one who had abandoned her. Her betrayer.
There was no way Emeline could ever forget him.
Zenon leaned in close, whispering in a low voice.
“I got your letter.”
“Letter…?”
His hand gently trailed down her cheek, moving toward her mouth. He pressed his thumb against Emeline’s bottom lip, parting it slightly under the pressure.
Without a word, Zenon shifted his body so that he was hovering over her.
“The letter where you said you were getting engaged to another man and leaving me behind.”
Now positioned directly above her, Zenon’s sharp brows furrowed slightly.
Brushing his thumb across her lips, he applied more pressure, moving from the dry surface of her skin to dipping smoothly into the warmth of her lips.
“In your last letter, you were practically begging me to come back… You said you loved me. Was that just a lie?”
There was a faint trace of hurt in his eyes.
Emeline tried to speak, but no words came out. She had so much she wanted to say, but her body wouldn’t cooperate.
It was as if she were paralyzed, trapped in a nightmare.
Zenon smirked, quickly wiping the emotion from his face.
His voice sounded smooth, calm, and casual.
“Well, it was all just a game to us… wasn’t it? We had fun. Even if I did lose something pointless.”
Emeline’s heart sank at his words. They were the same ones he had said before leaving her behind.
While she remained frozen in shock, Zenon’s hand began to slowly descend from her lips.
His touch was as fluid as water.
He playfully traced her chin, sliding down her neck with a teasing caress before finally settling on her collarbone. His fingers stroked the sharp edges, his expression one of triumphant satisfaction.
His breath was warm as he let out a low sigh.
“Your hair is… still the same length, huh? Just the way I said it looked best.”
He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
Leaning down, he pressed his lips against her exposed neck. The wet sensation startled Emeline, making her flinch as a shiver ran through her at the contact.
She gasped and finally managed to speak.
“Zenon…”
She should have told him to stop, but it was as if her tongue had frozen; no words would come out.
In the meantime, Zenon dipped his head further and tugged at the strap of her chemise with his teeth.
Emeline gasped in shock, her breath catching in her throat. After struggling, she finally managed to lift her hand and grab Zenon’s shoulder, but her effort was in vain, as he immediately grabbed her wrist, stopping her hand.
“Ah…”
He guided Emeline’s hand to the top of his head.
Just as he finished loosening her clothing, Zenon lifted his head and smiled.
“You know we’re just messing around, don’t you? Just like we did back then. You enjoyed it too.”
“Ze-Zenon…”
“So, if it hurts, just pull.”
With deliberate ease, he began to undress.
But his movements turned hasty as he bent down, pressing his lips against the exposed skin beneath Emeline’s loosened chemise.
The heat of his breath on her sensitive skin made Emeline’s mind go completely blank.
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