He thought that if anyone would catch the meaning of the buttercup he left, it would be Christoph. Though he had no interest in flowers, he was sharp and clear, so he would have understood her intention before long.
But he hadn’t expected this response. That she would respond to the meaning of the flower with a meaning of her own. It was uncharacteristic of Christoph.
So Marianne hesitated to reach out. As if taking the bouquet would mean she had to return to him, even if it represented Christoph’s heart.
Christoph, too, stubbornly refused to withdraw his hand.
“….”
“….”
Mrs. List, who had been watching the strange standoff between the two, suddenly took the bouquet. She threw a friendly smile at Christoph.
“Don’t worry, Christoph. I’ll put it in a vase and decorate Marianne’s room with it. Perhaps it will brighten up the room.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
At Christoph’s smile, Mrs. List turned around, saying, “Thank me for what.” Her cheeks were slightly flushed.
“Where was the vase?”
She mumbled to herself and disappeared beyond the stairs. Marianne let out a short sigh at the confrontation that had ended in Christoph’s victory.
It reminded her of a previous time. Before marrying Marianne, he had wooed her father. Christoph was a strategic man and was skilled at winning over those close to her.
Marianne, who had been staring at him intently, repeated the same question.
“What’s going on here?”
“Is your head okay? You drank quite a bit yesterday.”
“Ugh.”
Marianne inadvertently dropped her gaze. She felt her neck and cheeks gradually heating up. But she feigned indifference to the end. She couldn’t be sure if it was working.
“Did I yesterday….”
Marianne, who was about to say something, bowed her head in front of his black eyes.
“No.”
What would she do if she knew? There was nothing to change.
“It’s a day off today.”
At the natural response, Marianne stopped thinking and looked up.
“And?”
“How about having coffee together? I know a tea shop you’ll like.”
Marianne wore an incredulous expression, doubting that the person before her was Christoph. Spending a holiday with him was a luxury for her.
Beyond business gatherings and meetings, she couldn’t even imagine going out with him side by side. She lost her words when faced with an unfamiliar situation.
As the silence lingered, Christoph, fearing she might refuse, hastily added more.
“There’s also something related to the case that I want to discuss with you.”
“A case…?”
Marianne, who had unconsciously followed his words, tilted her head sideways. Then, as if something occurred to her, she slowly nodded. She had something to say to him anyway.
She who had been staring at Christoph turned her back.
“Wait a moment, I’ll change clothes and come back.”
“…Take your time getting ready.”
Christoph finally answered softly, as if relieved. Marianne paused in her stride, smiling faintly. A halfmuttered murmur like talking to herself flowed from between her teeth.
“It’s the first time.”
“What is?”
“You waiting for me. I always waited for you.”
“…….”
Christoph said nothing. Or rather, it would be more accurate to say he couldn’t. He unconsciously took a step closer to her fleeting smile, as if it would disappear at any moment.
He wanted to ask what she meant, but the memories that surfaced in Christoph’s head were always of him making her wait.
―I have an important meeting. I’ll talk when I come back.
―Judge Botenstein has called. I think I’ll have to cancel tonight’s appointment.
―Wait, Marianne. I have a case file I need to look at right now.
He thought Marianne would always be there, no matter how late he was, that she would wait for him forever. He was so complacent about it.
But that was not the case. Marianne’s waiting for him was only out of goodwill and kindness, not something taken for granted. Christoph only realized that after losing her.
Selfrestraint.
Pride.
“It’s okay.”
Christoph swallowed his hot emotion and licked his lips. He stared piercingly at Marianne with his dark eyes, as if a strong hand was keeping his mouth shut.
Through that, a low, exhausted voice spilled out.
“This time I’ll wait for you. It’s okay if you make me wait as long as I’ve made you wait, Marianne.”
“…….”
“You can waste as much of my time as you like.”
He realized this fact far too late.
Ugh.
Marianne quickly turned her back, trying to swallow her rising emotions. Otherwise, she feared that her shaking self would be entirely exposed.
Now, at this point.
She clenched her fists to hide her resentful heart and deliberately straightened her back, ascending the stairs one step at a time.
Christoph never took his eyes off her retreating figure. His past mistakes swept over him like a massive tidal wave. To not be swept away by the raging current, he braced his legs and endured. There was nothing else he could do.
Bang.
Marianne, returning to her room, leaned her back against the closed door. Out of Christoph’s sight, she collapsed, lifeless.
Marianne buried her face in her knees. Her heart pounded thoughtlessly again, and her shameless expectation sprouted new shoots.
“Don’t, Marianne. Please, don’t.”
She warned herself, knowing how futile it was.
“Sigh.”
Marianne, rising from her place with a short breath, walked to the wardrobe. A moment later, she was smiling bitterly at her reflection in the mirror.
A lowcut purple dress, a bonnet hat, a ribbon around her neck. Marianne had pulled her best outfit from her shabby wardrobe.
She still wanted to look beautiful to Christoph. Foolishly.
Top Celebrity Younger Brother Bears Her Child (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: Forced to live stream romance with a top celebrity in a female-dominant world.
Yan Jin transmigrated into a brothel, with a fellow transmigrated junior beside her.
Hearing the obscene words coming from outside, the unfortunate junior covered his ears tightly, his cheeks flushed red, and whispered to comfort her, “Don’t worry, I will definitely help you escape.”
“Don’t worry, I will definitely defend your chastity.” Yan Jin looked at the flawless and delicate features of the unfortunate junior and gently comforted, “Because we have transmigrated into a female-dominant world.”
※※※
Top celebrity Yu Shu suddenly fell into a coma during a concert.
Research scientist Yan Jin fainted in the lab after working overtime.
Two people with no connection were rushed to the same hospital.
Three days later, neither of them had woken up.
Suddenly, the entire nation discovered that a live streaming app had been forcibly installed on their phones.
Upon opening it, they heard the two discussing how to escape from the brothel.
The entire internet was in an uproar.
After the two successfully escaped from the brothel, Yu Shu’s fan group rushed to make a banner and sent it to the hospital overnight.
“Big sister bravely took action to defend the chastity of our idol!”
※※※
When Yu Shu was diagnosed with pregnancy, Yan Jin stared at his belly for a long time.
Covering his stomach, he muttered gloomily, “If you don’t like it, I’ll go get an abortion.”
“It’s not that I don’t like it.” Yan Jin hugged Yu Shu and said softly, “I just feel like I’m not human.”
Yu Shu comforted Yan Jin, “I was already an adult when we got together.”
Yan Jin hesitated, “But you won’t be of legal marriageable age even after giving birth to the child.”
At the same time, a flood of bullet comments appeared in the live streaming room that the two couldn’t see.
[Although it’s inappropriate, I also want a young and handsome boyfriend to have my child.]
①Male pregnancy (highlighted)
The female lead is five years older than the male lead, and the male lead is already an adult when he appears.
