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Her breasts were full and round, her nipples hard and erect. His eyes darkened further, and he bent down and took one in his mouth, sucking and nibbling on it until she moaned with pleasure.

He moved to the other breast and did the same, his hands roaming over her body as he sucked and licked her nipples.

Suddenly, he hoisted her naked body up, and she wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him closer, her body aching for him.

“I want you inside me,” she whispered. “Please, Matthew.”

“Yes,” he groaned, walking them backwards till her back hit the wall, and she let out a soft gasp.

He looked up at her. “It’s going to hurt…” he whispered, and she nodded, uncaring.

It could hurt all that much.

“Yes.”

He nodded, straining as if trying so hard to control himself.

In one single powerful thrust, he impaled himself inside her.

Agnes froze, tears rimming her eyes as pain seared her body. “It hurt,” she whimpered with a painful chuckle, and Matthew laughed, kissing her sweaty forehead, even though he was sweating way more than her.

“I told you,” he groaned and kissed her forehead again.

“I wasn’t thinking,” she murmured.

This time, she didn’t sound like she was in much pain, and slowly, Matthew started to move. Her eyes widened as such overwhelming pleasure took over her body.

“M-Matthew,” she whimpered.

Goodness, she felt so good.

As if understanding what she wanted, Matthew began to move faster and faster, their bodies doing more of the talking.

They held unto each other with such intensity that made things even more pleasurable, taking each other to the brink of it all over and over till crying, panting, sobbing and moaning, they both fell over the cliff, still holding onto each other.

“I love you. I love you so much,” she heard him say somewhere far in her mind. “I shall call on you tomorrow, and nothing shall stop me. I love you, Agnes.”

CHAPTER23

He loves me. Matthew loves me, and I love him, too.

The carriage rumbled down the familiar path toward Grouton Manor, but Agnes felt as if she floated on air.

The echoes of Matthew’s declaration of love resonated in her mind, drowning out the distant scolding of her mother. She couldn’t hear the words hurled her way, for her thoughts were consumed by the warmth of Matthew’s touch and the promises whispered in the quiet moments they shared.

As her mother’s voice grew more distant, Agnes allowed herself to bask in the afterglow of their intimacy.

A sense of contentment enveloped her, a delicate cocoon shielding her from the criticisms and expectations that had haunted her for so long. The weight of her family’s secrets, once oppressive, now seemed inconsequential compared to the newfound connection with the man she loved.

Images of Matthew’s earnest gaze replayed in her mind like a cherished melody. The vulnerability he revealed, the sincerity of his words—each moment etched into her heart. Agnes couldn’t suppress the smile that tugged at her lips, a testament to the joy that radiated from the depths of her being.

Lost in her thoughts, she glanced out the carriage window, watching the landscape blur by as they approached the familiar facade of Grouton Manor. The towering trees whispered secrets of centuries past, their branches casting fleeting shadows that danced across the carriage window.

Her mother’s disapproving tone remained a distant hum, overshadowed by the symphony of emotions that accompanied her on her journey. She wondered how her mother could be so oblivious to the profound change that had taken place within her. The secrets she had guarded with utmost devotion had been laid bare, and in their place bloomed a blossoming love that held the promise of a brighter future.

As the carriage came to a stop, Agnes couldn’t help but savor the lingering euphoria. The door opened, and she stepped onto the familiar gravel pathway leading to Grouton Manor. The air seemed to shimmer with an unspoken magic, as if the very estate acknowledged the transformation within her.

Her mother’s voice, sharp and scolding, tried to pierce through the euphoria. “Agnes, are you even listening to me? Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”