Chapter 57
“Not taking her home? By now, the Barons’ household must be asleep.”
“Yulia’s bedroom isn’t ready yet. I don’t want to risk putting her in my bed and hearing some foolish comments. I’d rather not listen to pointless, lecherous words.”
Listening to Henry’s conversation, it seemed they had arrived at Yulia’s house. Cayente called Lucy, and the sound of Lucy running across the small garden and knocking on the door followed.
“What should we do, my lord? It seems everyone is fast asleep. There’s no answer.”
After knocking several times with no response, Lucy came outside the gate, her voice sounding troubled.
“Well, we didn’t contact them since it got so late. It’s understandable that they’d be asleep.”
Hearing Henry’s reply, Yulia felt like forcing her family awake just so she could lie down comfortably. Yet at the same time, she didn’t want to leave Cayente’s warm embrace. Whether it was because his body temperature was higher than others or something else, his arms made her feel drowsy. As Yulia wriggled closer into Cayente’s hold, Henry spoke with a smile:
“Let’s take her home. You’ve already shared a room at the hotel, and the wedding is in three days. What’s the harm?”
“Do as you wish, my lord. The lady looks uncomfortable in that position.”
She could feel Cayente’s gaze quietly observing her as he spoke, and Yulia let out a soft, amused laugh.
“I wonder what pleasant dream I’ve been having. Let’s go home.”
“Yes, my lord.”
For a man who had spoken so cruelly about wanting misfortune, his voice was surprisingly gentle. Come to think of it, Cayente always spoke like this when he thought Yulia was asleep or couldn’t hear him. At other times, he seemed to deliberately maintain a cold, composed tone.
—Why not look until the end? You might find yourself wanting my happiness someday.
It would have been nice if that was said not in mockery but as a hint that his feelings could change. Foolishly, Yulia felt that way again in Cayente’s arms. Even ten or twenty years from now, she thought, it would be nice if there were at least a glimmer of hope in this relationship.
Though she had been comfortable, the unfamiliar surroundings had tired her, and Yulia fell into a deep sleep as soon as she got into bed, only leaving Cayente’s house when the morning sun rose. Upon returning home, she found Baron Rufer waiting in his pajamas at the entrance. He spotted the carriage from the Clu Baron’s household approaching from afar and even ran out to the roadside.
“Yuri!”
“Father, why are you out here?”
“What happened? Where did you go last night?”
“Pardon?”
The Baron’s eyes were bloodshot as he examined Yulia’s body the moment she stepped out of the carriage. Seeing his anxious, restless state, it seemed he had woken early and waited without sleep all night.
“I looked out the window late and didn’t see you in Cayente’s arms. And then you just left… I couldn’t sleep wondering what happened. Why were you in his arms? Were you hurt? And why did you just leave? You should have come inside once you got home.”
“Oh… I was just asleep in his arms, and since there was no answer when we knocked, we went to my brother’s house instead.”
“I see.”
The Baron, who had been fretting like a debtor pursued by collectors, finally relaxed a little and asked again:
“Nothing happened while you were there?”
“Of course not. Nothing happened.”
Yulia wondered if a father would worry about his daughter spending the night with a man she was to marry, but even by that measure, the Baron’s concern seemed excessive.
“Why worry so much? Did you hear some rumor or something?”
“Rumor? What rumor?”
She wondered if someone had seen Cayente treating her roughly and spread gossip, but that wasn’t it either. Seeing no reaction at the word “rumor,” it seemed the Baron hadn’t heard even the usual talk circulating among people.
“I’m always worried that Cayente might make you do something against your will.”
Yet he spoke like this. It was strange because others who had seen Cayente’s cold treatment of Yulia had no doubt they were in love, but the Baron, who had seen nothing, said this. Tilting her head in curiosity, Yulia asked:
“Father, why?”
Perhaps it was a premature thought, but it felt as if the Baron knew everything: how capriciously Cayente treated Yulia and even that he wished for her misfortune.
“Well… this is such a sudden marriage. Even if you knew each other before, there’s no time to grow close. Cayente had to spend a large sum and even spoke as if he ‘bought’ you, so I worried he might treat you badly.”
His flustered excuses seemed suspicious. Come to think of it, when the marriage was first arranged, it felt like he knew how things would turn out.
“That’s not… the case.”
Yulia corrected him, thinking it was somewhat doubtful. Cayente treated her like a possession, yes, but not entirely like an object. Though “possession” and “object” might seem the same, there was a subtle difference depending on whether he recognized her value as his own.
“Father, perhaps…”
She wanted to ask if he had prior knowledge of Cayente or his situation, and whether that was why he immediately approved the marriage.
“Though it got hot during the day, the morning is still chilly. Let’s go inside before you catch a cold!”
Ignoring Yulia’s voice calling him, the Baron guided her inside.
She wondered if her father truly had no idea she was being called a legendary femme fatale outside, but she also felt it was possible he acted out of urgent financial necessity.
“Yuri.”
“Yes, Father.”
“This marriage… are you really sure it’s okay? I tried to stop it before the wedding, but nothing went as planned. If only the investment had come in a few days earlier… sigh…”
The Baron seemed, strangely, more reluctant about this marriage than Yulia herself.
“I’m really okay, Father.”
“Good. Still, if you ever feel you can’t live with Cayente… you can always return here comfortably. I’ll make sure that option is ready for you.”
“Yes, Father.”
The Baron acted as if Yulia would inevitably be unhappy marrying Cayente. His worry seemed excessive for merely feeling sorry that his daughter would have an unwanted marriage. Yet Yulia thought his nervousness could only stem from the overprotective love he always had for her.
“I can keep playing the cello.”
“The cello?”
“Yes, my brother allowed me to continue.”
She hoped this news would lighten his expression, but it did not.
“Did you need his permission for that?”
At the word “permission,” the Baron’s face darkened even more than before.
Yulia couldn’t remember the last time she had slept so long without collapsing from exhaustion. Even after the morning sun had been up for a while, Cayente sat on the bed, staring blankly at the traces of Yulia, who had disappeared without him noticing, after checking a note from Henry saying he’d left for work early.
“My lord, the curtains for the lady’s bedroom have arrived. Shall I hang them immediately?”
“Yes, do so.”
Even when spoken to from outside, his mind remained dazed. His tension had completely relaxed, making it hard to focus. And it was all because of Yulia.
—My lord, could you turn away for a moment? We need to remove the lady’s dress so she can sleep comfortably.
At first, Cayente thought it would be troublesome. Since realizing Yulia was the only woman he truly noticed, except for when she had fainted, they had never been left alone like this. He had no intention of acting on the urge even while she slept, yet he couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t be overwhelmed by such an impulse.
However, lying beside Yulia after she had prepared for bed, he felt a strange peace rather than desire. It was the first peace he had felt since his father’s death. Having someone trust him completely, lying defenseless by his side, brought back the same feeling he remembered from facing Yulia as a child.
Always clutching the sweet-smelling blanket, Cayente sighed.
—With what right…
After making that child cry, imposing conditions even to allow her lifelong desire to play the cello, how dare he seek comfort from Yulia? It was self-loathing at its finest.
Knock. Knock.
“My lord, it’s Mark.”
“Come in.”
Hearing the light knock, Cayente finally got off the bed and threw on his robe. Mark entered briskly, already sweating from the morning, stepping into the bedroom. Feeling like Mark had intruded on a space still holding Yulia’s scent and warmth, Cayente frowned slightly, but Mark quickly got to the point.
“I’ve completed all the arrangements as instructed. Now we just need to proceed. Shall we continue as planned?”
