BVS CH 18

Chapter 18

As soon as we got out at the exhibition hall entrance, Martin just stood there, frozen like a robot.
He looked like a machine that had suddenly broken down—creaky and unmoving.

Martin put his right hand on his waist and kept motioning to me with his eyes.

“What are you doing right now?”

I had no idea what he wanted. His behavior was so weird that I gave up trying to figure it out.

“Should I just go in first?”

“Have you already forgotten?”

It must have looked like I was really going to walk away, because Martin quickly stopped me. His eyes were still pointing at something.

— Maybe they’d walk arm-in-arm? —

I had no idea why that comment I’d made earlier suddenly popped into my head.
The empty space between his waist and his arm stood out way too much.

‘No way…’

When I glanced at Martin, he nodded.
Even then, his eyes kept pointing toward that same spot.

Hesitantly, I stepped closer and took his arm.
That naturally turned into me linking arms with him.

Right away, the tips of his ears turned red, and his pace quickened.

I tilted my head but figured this was just for show—it was an official event, after all.

The exhibition was packed with important guests.
Martin didn’t have any friends, but people came anyway—likely just to be seen, since the Cloud family name had weight.
There wouldn’t be much conversation, just polite nods here and there.

But something was bothering me.

“I’m just going to check the mirror for a second.”

“Go ahead.”

I let go of his arm and headed toward a small lounge at the back of the exhibition hall.
Taking out my hand mirror, I removed the hair ornament I was wearing.

It was the one Mary had worked so hard to put on me this morning.
‘Sorry, Mary.’

Mary had said a duchess needed to look dignified in public, but today’s real star was someone else.
When I got here, I decided it would be better if Baron Gilbert was the one to draw all the attention.

After taking off the ornament, I felt more comfortable and went back to the main hall where Martin was.

But strangely, when I got there, he wasn’t around.

‘Where’d he go in just a few minutes?’

I moved through the crowd, scanning for him.
Then I spotted him—standing in a quiet corner, staring intently at a painting.

‘What’s he looking at?’

It was a painting of a lion crouched low, caught in a trap among thorn bushes.
Martin stood there silently for a long time, unable to take his eyes off it.

Did he feel like the head of the family trapped in his own thorns of responsibility?

I didn’t dare call out to him.
I didn’t know what expression he was wearing, but I couldn’t shake the thought that it might look like the lion’s eyes in the painting.

At that moment, Martin didn’t seem cold at all.
‘Maybe he’s more human than I thought.’

I decided it was better to leave him with his thoughts and quietly turned to go.

“Here you are,” his voice called from behind me.

When I turned, Martin was smiling brightly at me.
It was the first time I’d seen him smile like that—and definitely the first time he’d smiled at me that way.

He didn’t look like someone who had just been deep in thought over a painting.

I went a little blank looking at the completely different expression on his face.

“Oh, I just got here,” I said.

“You found me quickly. But…”

His eyes seemed to be searching for the hairpin I’d worn earlier.

For the first time, his usually intense red eyes looked warm and gentle.

‘What’s wrong with me?’

I was definitely startled by how warm his gaze felt.

“It… felt too flashy, so I took it off.”

“…Shall we go, then?”

Just like when we first entered the exhibition, Martin offered his arm again.

When I linked arms with him, his satisfied smile made me tilt my head.
Maybe he was actually enjoying this whole “show-window couple” act?

‘I really can’t figure him out.’

Without knowing what I was thinking, Martin quickened his pace.

“There you are, Duke, Duchess.”

Today’s star, Baron Gilbert, approached us—looking dashing in what must have been a custom-made suit.
His hands were still stained with paint, though.

Still, he was the guest of honor today. A little compliment wouldn’t hurt.

“Your outfit looks great, Baron Gilbert,” I said.

“It’s an honor, Your Grace.”

The baron thanked me but glanced at Martin, who then gave him a once-over—from head to toe—before looking over his own clothes.
Almost as if comparing.

And then he said, “Hm. Well, we’re quite busy, so—”

Before I knew it, he was pulling me away.
Since our arms were linked, I had no choice but to follow.

After a few steps, I stopped, unlinked my arm, and asked,
“What was that just now?”

“What do you mean?”

Don’t play dumb.
“You were talking to the baron.”

“It’s not really proper for a wife to compliment another man while her husband’s right there, don’t you think?”

Seriously?
Even if he felt that way, leaving mid-conversation was still rude.

“It’s not like I said anything wrong.”

I mean, Baron Gilbert had dressed up nicely for once—what was wrong with acknowledging that?

“It is wrong. Obviously I outshine him in every way.”

And there he went, puffing himself up.

That handsome Adam’s apple wasn’t meant for this kind of childish speech.

I rubbed my temple.
The cold, calculating businessman I knew had turned into a sulky schoolboy today.

“I don’t get why we’re even talking about who’s better.”

“You’ve never said that to me before.”

“Said what…?”

He hesitated, lips moving but breath coming heavier—as if even saying it embarrassed him.

After a long pause, he finally said clearly,
“Things like… ‘You look great,’ or ‘That suits you.’ That sort of thing.”

His face was flushed, and he half-covered his mouth with his fist.
Was he shy right now?

I had to hold back a laugh.
He looked at me with eyes like a drenched kitten.

‘…Kinda cute.’

Wait, had I really never said anything like that to him?

I had thought he looked good today.
And when he’d smiled earlier, I’d even felt his eyes were warm.

They say a kind word costs nothing—might as well give one.

Taking a deep breath, I squeezed my eyes shut and blurted,
“Y-you look great today too.”

When I peeked at him through half-lidded eyes, I caught the corners of his mouth twitching upward as he ducked his head.

The exhibition ended without any incidents.
Baron Gilbert’s work drew a lot of attention and sold for a high price at auction.

That had been a week ago.

Since we’d spent the whole event glued together, the rumor about the Cloud couple being close had quickly turned into “fact.”

And for some reason, Martin had been grinning ear to ear ever since.

“Sister-in-law, is it true?”

“True… what?”

“That rumor.”

Somehow, Erica had heard it too and barged into my room to grill me about it.

‘If even Erica knows, it must be all over town by now.’

Whether that rumor was good for me remained to be seen.

I smiled peacefully.
“What’s wrong with a married couple getting along?”

Sure, we hadn’t been close before, but I figured it was better for Erica to think we were happy.

“Oh my god.”

Erica clapped both hands over her mouth, then added,
“See? I knew it. Something did happen when you two went on that trip.”

She even clapped her hands together in excitement, giggling and trying to make me spill the details.

Then—knock, knock.

“?”

We both blinked at each other.
No one ever knocked like that without announcing themselves.

Mary, Babel, or any other servant would have said who they were right away.

We stared at the door, frozen.

Then the person appeared.

“Leaving me out, are we?”

It was Martin—the other half of this rumor.

“What are you doing here, Brother?”

“It’s not like I’m not allowed to be here.”

I muttered to Erica, “Looks like your brother’s got a lot of free time lately.”

It was more stage whisper than real whisper.

“I can hear you, wife.”

“Brother, is our family going bankrupt or something?” Erica teased.

Martin sighed softly, carrying a faint air of the lonely family head.

“What brings you here?” I asked.

“I’d like to have dinner together.”

Dinner?

“You came all the way up here just to say that? If you’ve got time, you can just come down later and eat.”

At my simple answer, Martin scratched his head.

Erica, watching closely, suddenly smirked like she’d figured him out.

“Sister-in-law, I think my brother’s asking you out on a date.”

“…A date?”

I turned sharply toward Martin.
‘That’s not it… right?’

Sure, I’d told Erica the rumor about us being close was true—but this was different.

I stared at him, silently begging for a denial.

‘Say no. Now.’

Now was the time for him to tell Erica to stop talking nonsense.

But for some reason, Martin stayed completely silent.
Why wasn’t he saying anything?

No way…

“…Is it true?” Erica’s eyes were gleaming with amusement, watching us like we were part of a show.

She was probably loving this chance to confirm the rumor herself.

Before I could even think about giving her popcorn, Martin spoke.

“Is it strange for a married couple to go on a date?”

“There’s nothing strange about it, Sister-in-law,” Erica chimed in instantly.

Blood really was thicker than water—she’d taken his side without hesitation.

“So you two are on the same team now?” I muttered.

“Sorry, but getting in the middle of a couple’s fight isn’t my hobby. I’ll go now. Good luck, Brother!”

Erica patted Martin on the back and strolled out of the room.
She even waved at us on her way out, as if she had eyes in the back of her head.