Provoking a Graceful Bloom Novel

Chapter 69 Liam returned to the tree not long after . Before he left , he called down to her , " His Highness has had quite a bit to drink tonight . The wind is strong , so please make sure he doesn't catch a chill and fall ill . " Selena took a deep breath , forcing herself to stay calm . After a moment , she stepped outside and found four trusted guards to stand watch by the garden gate . No one was to enter except Sally and Yuvan . When Sally and Yuvan later escorted Sebastian home , Selena pulled Yuvan aside to tell him to personally guard the courtyard gate .

No one asked questions , and no one dared look back . The gates of Moonview Pavilion were locked tight . With everything arranged , Selena finally exhaled in relief . She went inside , grabbed a blanket , and returned to the pavilion . Nathaniel was indeed sound asleep , clearly worn from recent fatigue , his soft snores occasionally breaking the silence . As Selena moved to drape the blanket over him , she suddenly froze . While she had been busy making arrangements , the Obsidian Monarch had shifted and was now lying on his side .

Half of his mask was pressed down , revealing the other half of a flawless face . In the moonlight , the features were sharp but soft , clear and striking . ཕ རྫལ ཚེད ཇ འད བརྗེ བཇ His dark , dashing brows arched boldly , and his straight nose commanded attention . But it was the long lashes resting against his closed lids that cast a fan - shaped shadow , lending an almost hypnotic allure to his features . His lips , touched with the scent of alcohol , caught the soft moonlight and shone with a tempting glow .

Their color was fresh and inviting , almost as if they carried a natural fragrance that made them hard to resist . As a breeze stirred , stray strands of hair , loosened from his temple , fell across that breathtaking face . In an instant , the delicate disorder gave him a haunting , almost intoxicating allure . Without realizing it , Selena unconsciously reached out her hand , wanting to brush away the stray strands of hair on his face . By the time she realized what she was doing , her fingertips were less than half a finger's width away from his skin .

Her heart skipped a beat , and with a sudden , sharp intake of breath , she drew her hand back as if burned . Hastily yet carefully , she draped the blanket over him before quietly leaving the pavilion , unwilling to linger another moment . The most handsome man in the capital , huh ? It was true , undeniably true . Just half his face revealed a beauty she had never before witnessed , a kind of breathtaking perfection that stole her breath away . Shaken , she retreated to her room and closed the door behind her , but her heart was still racing with a mixture of awe and unease .

When she was younger , she hadn't understood the weight behind the title " the most handsome man in the capital " . Now , she finally did . But it was her plan that sent the Obsidian Monarch to the Northern Frontier , where his face was scarred beyond repair . 1 For an ordinary person , having their face ruined would already be tragic , let alone someone who was considered the most handsome man in the city . If his features had remained untouched , would the title of " most handsome man " still be tossed about ? Would Frederick or any of the other nobility even come close ?

1/2 Chapter 69 +25 BONUS Selena closed her eyes and took a slow , steadying breath , forcing herself to calm down . She had caused his ruin . Would he not hate her with a burning fury ? Tonight , he had said the only time he'd ever been trapped was because of her doing . Surely , the Obsidian Monarch must despise her utterly . Had all these recent events been part of some calculated revenge ? With the weight of those troubling thoughts pressing on her , Selena not only shut the door behind her , but closed every window as well before collapsing onto her bed .

Sleep eluded her , leaving her tossing and turning through the long , dark hours . When dawn crept near , exhaustion finally claimed her . Yet , even in her dreams , she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her . 2/2 Chapter 70