Episode 15- The Conclusion of the Kiss
“Haa… Nora.”
Honestly, whether it’s this world or the other, I don’t have much experience with kissing. So I really had no clue which part of it got him so worked up.
But one thing was clear—Enoch’s kiss, which had started out slow and relaxed, suddenly turned urgent and rough.
The hands that had been holding my shoulders slid down to my waist and the back of my neck, pulling me flush against him.
Our lips pressed so tightly together it was like they were glued, and he started to kiss me with a desperate, almost greedy hunger.
My instincts screamed at me—if this went any further, things could get really dangerous!
Crash!!
Just as Enoch’s hands, sliding down my neck, were about to touch somewhere dangerous, a loud shattering noise exploded from above.
We froze in place, then slowly turned to look up.
The window of Irene’s bedroom was completely smashed to pieces.
“My lady, are you okay?? Kyaaa~!!”
Far away, one of the maids let out a shrill scream. Looks like Irene, seeing us kissing in the courtyard, had thrown a tantrum and smashed her window.
I quickly came back to my senses and stepped back from Enoch.
Taking a deep breath to calm my pounding heart, I looked up at him.
He was also breathing heavily, his gaze locked on me.
“Enoch!”
Wanting to calm him down, I gently placed my hand on his chest.
“Nora, don’t touch me carelessly.”
He grabbed my hand roughly, growling low.
“Right now, even the slightest touch from you could make me explode.”
“Oh, sorry.”
I tried to pull back, stepping away, but he didn’t let go of my hand.
“But don’t pull away too fast either.”
Uh… what’s that supposed to mean??
From the look on my face, he must have caught my silent accusation, because the heat in his eyes suddenly faded.
He chuckled softly, pulled me into his arms, and hugged me tightly.
“Nora Conell, I didn’t know you could be this cute.”
He kept laughing quietly while holding me, as if something about me was just too funny.
Hmph! Well, I didn’t know you could be this moody, Enoch!
I wriggled in his arms, but he was so strong I couldn’t budge an inch.
“Just for a moment. Let’s stay like this for a bit.”
There was still a playful tone in his voice.
In the end, I didn’t say anything back. I just stayed in his arms quietly.
It wasn’t funny at all—but his broad, warm chest felt surprisingly comforting.
I figured I should talk to Irene, so I went straight to her room.
But inside, she was still making a racket, smashing and throwing things.
Geez, at this rate, she’s gonna break every piece of furniture in there.
I gave up on seeing her and returned to my room instead, calling for my maid.
“You called, Lady Nora?”
Her face went bright red the second our eyes met. Yep, she definitely saw me kissing Enoch out in the yard.
Ah, whatever. Who cares anymore?
“I’m going back to the Conell estate tomorrow morning. Pack my things. Oh, and let Irene know I’m leaving tomorrow.”
“Yes, my lady.”
She turned to go, but suddenly stopped, eyes wide.
“What is it?”
“I just noticed a necklace I’ve never seen before. The pendant looks like a ring?”
“This? Oh, yeah. It’s Enoch’s engagement ring.”
“You two are really getting married?”
“Probably?”
“Congratulations!”
“Thanks.”
She got more excited than me, jumping around and squealing before running out of the room.
Well, I guess the whole mansion will be buzzing with wedding rumors soon enough.
That night, lying in bed, I thought over everything that happened with Enoch.
He said if we marry, we’ll share the same bed like any married couple, and he wants children too.
Just imagining living with him as a real husband and wife made my cheeks burn.
Can I really have a normal marriage with a husband who doesn’t love me—without getting emotionally attached?
Then the kiss came back to mind. It started out soft, but…
It grew deeper and deeper, until in the end, Enoch lost control. It almost got out of hand.
It felt like—like he really did see me as a woman.
Even though he told me himself he didn’t love me, one kiss had him burning like that? Guess Enoch’s still just a man in the end.
Well, his father was a notorious womanizer.
What if Enoch inherited that same blood?
I don’t ever want to be hurt by a man again.
And what if, before Irene becomes his “true love,” some other so-called “true love” shows up? Just imagining it makes me shiver.
One thing’s for sure—if I cling to Enoch, my life in this world is doomed.
And I can’t even call him a womanizer, because truth is, I enjoyed the kiss too.
I had to remember the reason I accepted his proposal in the first place—my selfish original goal.
I came into this world suddenly, and my priority is surviving safely, nothing else.
I need to shove away these silly daydreams and just face the facts:
First, Enoch doesn’t love me.
Second, even so, he proposed to protect my honor and save me from my grandmother’s criticism.
Third, he promised loyalty and respect. That’s something I can trust.
Fourth, he’s a man—so of course he can get turned on by a little skinship. It’s on me to not get swept away.
As long as I keep these facts in mind, I won’t get confused by his words or looks.
Sorting out my mess of emotions like that kept me awake all night.
But I wasn’t the only one lying awake in the Branden ducal estate that night.
Enoch, too, couldn’t sleep, tangled up in his own thoughts.
All his life, he’d never really been drawn to any woman. He never felt the urge to hold one in his arms.
Before becoming Duke, he was too weighed down by the duty of supporting his family. Afterward, his focus was always on proving his bloodline.
But today, he’d come face to face with a desire he hadn’t even known existed inside him.
And the fact that Nora was the one who awakened it—that was the ironic part.
Because to Enoch, Nora had always been more of someone he respected and admired, not a romantic figure.
Then he remembered what she’d said earlier that day.
“We’re not marrying for love. So if real love comes along someday, let’s give each other freedom.”
His expression turned cold.
Yes, he’d agreed they weren’t marrying for love. But—
‘Love? Who cares about something so fickle!’
To Enoch, the emotion called love was worthless.
And “true love”? Ha. Did that even exist? It was laughable.
For someone who never believed in love at all, the idea of some “true love” showing up was nothing more than a mirage.
And no way was he giving up Nora for some mirage.
‘She must’ve said that because she still can’t forget Philip.’
Or maybe she’s clinging to the foolish hope she might meet someone like Philip again.
So basically, when she said, “If true love comes, let’s break up,” what she really meant was: If someone like Philip shows up, I’ll leave you.
Enoch suddenly shot up in bed.
‘Nora, once we’re married, no man but me will ever come near you.’
He clenched his jaw so hard the grinding sound echoed through the room.
‘You’ll look only at me, hear only my voice, and sleep only in my arms. And after three years of that, you’ll finally look back at me.’
His determination burned hot—but just as quickly, anxiety crept in.
‘But what if even then, she still clings to her idea of true love?’
His confidence wavered, dropping like a stone.
Then he remembered her awkward but willing response to his heated kiss. She hadn’t hated it.
‘So the only way… is to prove myself.’
To show Nora that he could be just as irresistible as Philip—no, even more so.
That was the conclusion Enoch reached after a completely sleepless night.
I too had stayed awake, and by dawn, I was standing at the window.
Having sorted out my feelings overnight, I called for my maid with a much clearer head.
“Before we leave, I want to see Irene. Can you let her know?”
“Yes, my lady.”
By the time I’d finished breakfast, the maid came back with Irene’s reply.
“My lady, she says she doesn’t want to see you.”
I’d expected that, but still… leaving without even saying goodbye weighed on me.
So I went to Irene’s room anyway, without her permission.
“Irene, it’s me. Nora.”
She turned her back on me the instant she heard my voice.
“I’m going home now.”
“……”
“I’ll tell Father you’re doing well. And… please take care of yourself. Don’t skip meals.”
I stood there a moment, waiting, but she gave no reply.
I sighed, turned to leave—
Then her voice, sharp like claws, cut into my back.
“Don’t you dare think this means you’ve won, Nora!”
I froze, holding my breath, waiting for more.
“I will get Enoch back. No matter what.”
She spoke with such confidence, as if Enoch had belonged to her from the very start.
A cold chill ran through me, making me shiver.
Because deep down, I had this awful feeling—someday, her words might come true.
I couldn’t answer. I just walked out of her room in silence.
