Chapter 24
While Vivienne tried to calm her swirling thoughts and climbed the mansion’s stairs to hide in her room, Edmund, who had just returned from a brief ride, spoke to the maids in several languages in turn.
“Treat her like a lady.”
Among them, she could understand the Mekalentian.
Vivienne looked at the late breakfast tray on the bed.
Jars of colorful jam called out to her. A whiskey glass. Juice and neatly arranged pieces of bread. She wondered why there was a whiskey glass, only to notice Edmund perched on the edge of the bed, picking it up and taking a sip.
Seeing his fingertips flushed red from the cold, she realized it was probably meant to warm himself. Vivienne, on the other hand, was restricted in movement by the muscle soreness that had followed yesterday’s events—but he looked fine. In fact, seeing him sweat while stretching outside suggested he was full of energy.
Vivienne replayed the sound of his Mekalentian accent in her mind.
No.
She shook her head. Perhaps all voices speaking that language sounded similar to her because she barely understood Mekalentian. She calmed her anxious heart and thought back to earlier. She had overlapped Count Colt with the crime syndicate leader!
The agent hadn’t known any Mekalentian at all, which only confirmed that the man in front of her wasn’t an intelligence officer. And she was simply using him.
Suppressing her guilt, she pressed down on a piece of bread with her fork. Edmund looked at her face and spoke.
“So, you called, but your ex-fiancé answered, huh?”
“Yes. How did you know?”
“You looked pale. Your expression gave it away.”
Vivienne nodded, holding her breath. She didn’t feel the need to explain that her mind had wandered. Edmund continued.
“You have the look of someone who wants to say something.”
“I thought I should go home for a while.”
“So now you want to go home.”
“An engagement isn’t decided solely by the two of us. I need to settle my own matters, and you should speak to your uncle and father first, shouldn’t you?”
Though it worried her that her parents were with Ludvik and calling for her, Vivienne wanted to believe Ludvik’s words that as long as she obtained her parents’ permission on paper, everything would be neatly resolved. She would gain their approval and begin a new life.
She intended, shamelessly, to intrude into his life.
“Then come with me.”
“It’ll be an uncomfortable situation. It’s bothersome to risk that just to take my body.”
Vivienne countered his words.
It would be ugly. Her father had already heard why she had been broken off with the Rex family, and he would blame her for ruining his plans. She didn’t want to show that ugly side to Edmund.
“You know I can’t just not go. And you didn’t tell your family either.”
“I’ll take care of that.”
“I am a noblewoman. Reputation is important. So rather than create a scandal and have it fizzle out, I’ll go quietly and explain things. And since your side won’t welcome me either, I want to be careful.”
Vivienne had managed to say this with as much dignity as possible.
“You’ll do that for me, right?”
“Maybe.”
Edmund took her hand and pressed his lips to the back of it.
“Since you value dignity, Lady, I’ll treat you like a noble. Just slipping you a ring and sending you off—would that be noble behavior?”
“……”
“Your hands are shaking.”
Vivienne realized how tense she had been. She decided to change the subject, speaking casually without expectation.
“Aren’t you curious about me, aside from my body?”
“……”
“I’m curious about you, Count. What you do.”
She paused to gauge his expression before continuing.
“…Your food preferences, what kind of music you like, things like that.”
“Well, I know the best music is whatever comes from your lips.”
He answered, then tilted his head, holding her chin and brushing his lips lightly against hers. She had only sung a single song in front of him, so her face reddened.
He licked the jam from the edge of her swollen lips. It was a surprise move while she let her guard down. His voice whispered into her ear.
“What else are you curious about?”
“If you are truly sincere with me, Count.”
Even though she meant it as a playful test, he merely chuckled low.
“Eat what’s on your plate first. It’ll take almost two hours to reach the estate.”
“……”
“And your body?”
“It’s fine. Just need to be a bit careful when walking.”
At that moment, a knock sounded, and a lady entered the room, placing a teapot and teacups on the tray. The scent of Eastern continent herbs filled the room. When she left, Edmund personally poured tea into a beautifully patterned cup.
“This is probably your first time smelling tea like this.”
Vivienne tilted her head.
“What is it?”
“Tea with contraceptive effects.”
“……”
“Whether you want children is your decision. If the procedure is that important, I wouldn’t want to persuade your parents about a baby in your belly.”
Vivienne took a sip and looked at him.
“Still, I think I’d like to have children someday.”
“……”
“Not just to resemble you, Count, but because of your mother. I heard she worked as a nurse even in a noble family. I hope my child can be like that too—brave and unafraid of injury. I wasn’t, but at least my child could be.”
“Everyone fears getting hurt.”
Though his reply was dry, it was the first time he had said something considerate for her sake, and Vivienne felt oddly moved.
She focused on the food and said:
“I don’t think you would be like that, Count.”
“Really think so?”
“Yes. You seem impervious to pain.”
“It hurts when you get hurt.”
“……”
“So that’s also scary.”
Vivienne silently chewed, knowing he might be exaggerating, yet his words struck deeper than any casual comment.
Suppressing the guilt of letting go of the dead agent’s hand, she said:
“Thank you for saying that.”
He paused briefly before answering:
“You’re welcome.”
The Langston limousine was parked in front of the mansion, ready to take Vivienne and Edmund.
When Vivienne got in, she didn’t sit close as she had last time, recalling her previous ride with him. But this time, Edmund opened the door on the other side and sat next to her.
About an hour later, as Vivienne struggled to sit upright and dozed off, she felt a solid shoulder supporting her head.
Though it was still winter, the sunlight streaming through the window was warm compared to the cold air outside.
As she succumbed to the drowsy warmth and fullness, the scenery outside gradually revealed the outline of the estate.
Startled, Vivienne looked up to see the Marquess’ mansion approaching.
Recalling the events on Coleman Street, she turned her head away, and he held her hand.
Vivienne used the time to look at the ring on her intertwined hands.
The mansion gates opened, and the car stopped. The door on her side opened, and she stepped out, gazing at the estate she had left so long ago.
“We’ve arrived.”
The engagement breakup with the Rex family would likely follow from Edmund’s report on her behavior at the Senovic estate, so she expected scolding. Yet she felt better than when she had considered coming alone. Vivienne walked forward cautiously.
Perhaps mindful of her earlier remark about walking awkwardly, he matched his pace to hers.
Before she could get lost in thought, the mansion doors opened, and in an instant, an arm shot toward her from the entrance.
Vivienne flinched, but a firm hand caught it.
Edmund held back Ludvik’s arm.
As she moved behind Edmund, Ludvik let out a derisive chuckle.
“I didn’t expect to see you here again, Count.”
Ludvik continued:
“My engagement termination papers arrived at this mansion this morning, and I was discussing them with the Marquess. My fiancée said she saw those papers at your estate as well. Did you send them, Count?”
Vivienne alternated her gaze between the two men.
Clearly, the story of her conduct must have reached them first, prompting the Rex family to draw up the breakup documents.
But why was Ludvik surprised that Edmund sent the papers?
Vivienne recalled Edmund’s previous words:
“If you kiss me, I can get it out.”
And her fiancé had emerged from the detention center and arrived here.
In her mind, Edmund’s voice echoed:
“We’re not done yet, and I needed you, so I did as I was told.”
Her heart raced. Surely, Edmund had brought the breakup documents to find her.
“Yes. I’m glad they arrived safely.”
As Ludvik’s expression stiffened, Edmund continued calmly:
“Apparently, someone delivered them to me urgently for your signature and returned them today.”
“You speak as if you don’t know who that person is, Count.”
“Well, then, do you?”
“……”
“I just thought you might already know, so I asked.”
Edmund said this while wrapping his arm around Vivienne’s shoulder.
“Since you were talking with the Marquess, please guide me inside. We can discuss the engagement matter further within.”
Vivienne glanced up at Edmund, thinking:
‘If he means the stranger he met this morning, that must be the one who mentioned the ring. Did they make some other deal beforehand?’
It was surprising that Edmund had negotiated with the underworld to obtain her engagement breakup, but she believed it had been purely because he desired her, not due to a deeper connection.
She settled her thoughts and moved forward. Thinking of her father trying to assert pride before this arrogant man, and anticipating the clash between them, she had no time for other worries.
