All Chapters of VOWS OF DESIRES (DS1): Chapter 81 - Chapter 90

I still couldn’t get the problem with Blu Arte’s out of my mind. Absent-mindedly, I went home to Bryle’s house and headed straight to my room. I didn’t go to Bryle’s room where I had already grown used to sleeping beside him. Instead, I chose to isolate myself here so I could think clearly.I stared at the ceiling, trying to process every possible reason behind the gradual downfall of Blu Arte’s.Could Aeun and Haze possibly be right about their suspicions? What if they were correct—what if Fleur and Jacob were behind the scheme to destroy my company?No. I shouldn’t accuse them without solid proof that either of them is truly responsible.Besides, it seemed unlikely that Jacob would sabotage my company. He was one of Blu Arte’s sponsors. He would never do such a thing to me.I ran my hands over my face in frustration. I was already exhausted from overthinking everything happening in my life. I didn’t know what I was supposed to do anymor

“What did you say? Jacob apologized to you?” I glanced at Aeun when I heard her faintly sharp tone. “And you forgave him just like that? Just like that? Didn’t you even make him pay for what he did to you?” “Aeun, why would I do that? He hasn’t done anything truly wrong to me. He said it was all Grandpa’s plan anyway, so what reason would I have to be angry at him?” “You know, you’re far too gullible,” Aeun snapped, dropping the folders she was holding from the table with a clatter, visibly frustrated. “You believe him so easily. You’re far too innocent, Eli. It’s obvious that Jacob is just manipulating you because he doesn’t want his image in your eyes to suffer! Wake up, Eli! You’re completely blinded by the goodness he’s showing you!” “It’s not like that. I just really know Jacob,” I defended quickly. “Maybe if you tried to get to know him, you’d find him kind too.” “Even if he can manipulate you, he won’t be able to foo

Three days had passed since Bryle and I fell out, yet the silence between us remained as heavy as ever. It wasn’t the kind of silence that felt peaceful or temporary—it was the kind that lingered, stretching itself into every corner of the day, making even the simplest moments feel tense and incomplete.We weren’t arguing, but we weren’t talking either.Meanwhile, Lee Corp continued to improve—strangely, almost suspiciously so. Problems that once seemed impossible to resolve were now being handled with unexpected ease. It should have brought relief, yet the more things stabilized, the more uneasy I felt. Something about it didn’t sit right with me, like pieces of a puzzle falling into place without anyone actually solving it.Aside from that, I had buried myself in Blu Arte’s matters for the past three days. It was easier to focus on work than to confront the growing distance between Bryle and me. Haze had been helping me investigate, sticking by my side a

Because of what Grandpa had told me, his words lingered relentlessly in my mind. No matter how much I tried to focus on the documents in front of me, every sentence he had spoken replayed with unsettling clarity. I knew him well—too well. If Chairman Lee wanted something to happen within the company, then it would happen. He would ensure that every plan he devised came to fruition, no matter the cost or consequence.And that was precisely what I could not allow.This was no longer merely about business. It had gone far beyond corporate strategies and family expectations. It was about my future—my life. If prioritizing myself over the interests of the family business made me selfish, then perhaps I was exactly that.Perhaps… I was not a good person after all.“Eli, you need to sign these. You also have to review the reports I gathered—they’re all here—”Aeun’s voice suddenly halted, her sentence left unfinishe

“Why are you only arriving now? I thought you were already on your way—you said you were just here in the mall.”Haze’s voice carried a hint of confusion the moment I reached the café. Both he and the detective were already seated, their expressions making it clear that they had been waiting for quite some time.I exhaled quietly and composed myself before taking a seat across from them.“I ran into someone I know,” I replied, my tone steady despite the lingering tension in my chest. “They had a lot of questions so I couldn’t leave immediately.”It was a lie—but a necessary one.There was no reason to bring Fleur into this. Not yet.“Alright…” Haze muttered, though his eyes lingered on me for a second longer, as if trying to read between the lines.I ignored it and shifted my attention to the man seated beside him.“So,” I began, my voice turning more formal, “what updates do you have regarding the task I assign