Mike bore Vincent's particular tastes with a mix of compliance and indulgence. He enjoyed the act itself, and even laughed when Vincent rolled stockings up his legs and fastened them with delicate garters.
They were indeed quite harmonious in this regard.
Afterward, Vincent encircled Mike in his arms, gently stroking his bare back, now and then. Having spent the whole day in the woods and then engaged in vigorous lovemaking upon returning, he was quite fatigued now. Eyes half-closed, he was on the verge of sleep.
"Vincent..." Mike called softly.
"Hmm?"
"What have you been busy with?"
"What you already know."
"With Baron Hild?"
"As you saw."
Vincent's answers were vague and nonchalant. Mike lay on his chest, feeling the coolness spread from his fingertips.
But he did not relent. "The people in the woods, they were sent by you, weren't they?" Mike pushed himself up from Vincent's chest, his gaze intense.
Vincent smiled with interest.
"Yes, my dear."
"So what's in the woods? Treasure, wealth?"
"You're getting close, dear." Vincent stroked Mike's smooth back, almost encouragingly.
There were no valuable trees or rare animals in the woods. Anything hidden on the surface would be discovered eventually. Only what was buried underground could be preserved for long.
Mike suddenly realized, "It's a mine."
"Your wisdom is like the stars in the sky, guiding me through the dark night."
Vincent's exaggerated praise confirmed it.
"So that's why you approached Baron Hild?" Everything on the estate belonged to the lord, whether it was trees growing on the land or minerals buried underground.
Mike recalled their first meeting, Vincent suddenly appearing in the woods, the Duke's family moving in abruptly. In this unusually hot summer, so much had happened one after another, making the entire town of Hope restless.
The calm surface was like the water on a lake, easily disturbed by a gentle breeze.
"You came here for this from the beginning," Mike murmured.
The truth came easily, and it wasn't too hard to accept. Pursuing money and wealth was far more convincing than fleeting romance.
Mike had always thought he was the rational one, investing passion while observing coolly, ready to withdraw at any moment. But he had merely been played by a young man. After all, someone as young and handsome as Vincent was immensely attractive to older people. A little affection from him was enough to make Mike dizzy and his heart race.
How was he different from those wealthy, lonely older women?
He couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
Just a little.
Vincent didn't seem to find anything surprising in their conversation. He was exhausted and soon fell asleep. Mike remained silent, watching Vincent's face in the dim light. His prominent nose and brow cast shadows. His eyes and profile, hidden in the shadows, appeared calm and serene.
He slept deeply.
Mike got out of bed and put on Vincent's clothes, not caring about the black marks on them. He took a lamp and Vincent's boots, carefully pushed open the door, and didn't look back.
Passing through long corridors and spiral staircases, the dim light illuminated only a narrow patch ahead, with the darkness stretching endlessly. The thick carpet muffled all sounds; the entire estate seemed to be in a deep slumber.
No one noticed him.
Mike smoothly reached the stables. Most of the horses had their saddles removed and were sleeping quietly. Mike carefully inspected them with his lamp, and one horse suddenly snorted.
It was Angela.
She was a brown mare with a gentle temperament. Mike had ridden her before when he went riding with Vincent. Now, she seemed to have been awakened, looking at Mike with soft eyes.
"Oh, good girl," Mike approached and patted Angela's neck. She wasn't the fastest horse, nor a particularly prized breed, so the servants didn't pay much attention to her, leaving her with her tack on overnight.
This delighted Mike.
He led Angela out. "Without you, I'd have to walk back," Mike sighed and mounted the horse, guiding her into a trot.
On horseback, Mike glanced back at the estate, a massive shadow in the faint moonlight.
It looked like a lurking beast, ready to pounce.
Back at the Rocha estate, Mike was exhausted. The doorman looked shocked, clearly not expecting his master to return so disheveled in the dead of night.
"Shall I prepare hot water for you?" The servant suppressed his exclamation, asking politely.
"No need, tomorrow will do." After an intense sexual encounter followed by a night ride, Mike was too tired to think about anything else. "This is Angela. Take her to the stables and make sure she's well taken care of."
"Yes, sir."
The servant took the reins and left.
Finally back in his room, Mike felt a sense of relief as if he'd survived a disaster. He tossed his clothes and boots aside and crawled into bed, falling asleep immediately.
The next day, the old butler Hughes heard about Mike's sudden return in the night. As a servant, he couldn't ask questions. But as someone who had watched Mike grow up, he was very concerned and tried to ask subtly, only to be brushed off by Mike.
Mike had no heart to deal with Hughes' concern.
Knowing the truth weighed heavily on Mike. His glamorous past with Vincent had vanished, but the lingering emotions were hard to dispel. For several days, Mike was immersed in sadness and pain, sitting silently in his study.
This worried Hughes greatly.It looked like a lurking beast, ready to pounce.
Back at the Rocha estate, Mike was exhausted. The doorman looked shocked, clearly not expecting his master to return so disheveled in the dead of night.
"Shall I prepare hot water for you?" The servant suppressed his exclamation, asking politely.
"No need, tomorrow will do." After an intense sexual encounter followed by a night ride, Mike was too tired to think about anything else. "This is Angela. Take her to the stables and make sure she's well taken care of."
"Yes, sir."
The servant took the reins and left.
Finally back in his room, Mike felt a sense of relief as if he'd survived a disaster. He tossed his clothes and boots aside and crawled into bed, falling asleep immediately.
The next day, the old butler Hughes heard about Mike's sudden return in the night. As a servant, he couldn't ask questions. But as someone who had watched Mike grow up, he was very concerned and tried to ask subtly, only to be brushed off by Mike.
Mike had no heart to deal with Hughes' concern.
Knowing the truth weighed heavily on Mike. His glamorous past with Vincent had vanished, but the lingering emotions were hard to dispel. For several days, Mike was immersed in sadness and pain, sitting silently in his study.
This worried Hughes greatly.
Vincent did not come looking for Mike, nor did he demand Angela back. To the Duke's family, a horse was insignificant. To Vincent, Mike was merely a diversion. Every time Mike thought of this, he felt a pang of sadness, despite his age.
But this sadness was unfounded. After all, there was never any intention of a long-term relationship. Thinking otherwise seemed overly sentimental. Mike knew this and found it somewhat ironic.
Yet he couldn't control it.
Sex and love are intertwined, and the words of love nourishing these feelings, making them grow uncontrollably.
It wasn't until a letter from the Hild estate arrived, inviting him to come over, that Mike snapped out of his sorrow.
God, he had completely forgotten about Susan and the others!