The Indian pink satin dress looked fuller with the pannier underneath.
With my hair styled up adorned with flowers and feathers, white gloves, and a fan in hand, I was the epitome of an aristocratic lady.
“Haha, really?”
A shy smile spread across my lips.
Then, a soft baritone voice came from behind.
“Yes, truly beautiful, Your Grace.”
Turning around, I saw Adrian smiling warmly, standing at the entrance of the drawing room.
“Oh? Adrian, today…?”
Surprised by Adrian’s different appearance, I blinked slowly.
‘That’s right. Today Adrian was also invited to the banquet as a representative of the Monter family.’
His honey-blond hair perfectly complemented his pure white formal attire and the light lavender cravat.
The outfit, formal yet artistic, was a choice very much in Adrian’s style.
He stood there, looking stunningly beautiful for a while, then walked up to me, knelt on one knee, and looked up at me.
“The star of tonight’s banquet will undoubtedly be you, Your Grace.”
Adrian pressed his lips to the back of my gloved hand.
At that moment, exclamations filled the drawing room.
Looking around, I saw Mina and the other maids all gazing dreamily at Adrian.
Even I had to agree with their thoughts this time.
‘I knew Adrian was handsome, but was he always this charming?’
As I gazed down at the smiling Adrian, there was a sound.
Knock―. Knock―.
Between the locked gazes of Adrian and me, the sound of knocking entered slowly but heavily.
My eyes widened as I turned my head.
Leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed, observing Adrian and me, stood a figure.
It was Cedric.
‘How long has he been there?’
Cedric, dressed in black formal wear, looked even more sophisticated than usual.
His high nose bridge, lips slightly reddened, and sharp jawline…
And there was a strange sense of intimidation in his long eyes.
Everything about him was the same, yet there was an inexplicable feeling of otherness.
It was definitely different from the usual warmth that had begun to envelop him.
That subtle chill caused me to hesitate for a moment, and without realizing it, I withdrew my hand from Adrian.
Then, I slowly approached Cedric.
“Cedric, what brings you here at this hour? Are you here to pick up Bianca?”
There were still about thirty minutes left until the scheduled meeting time in front of the mansion.
I asked with a puzzled expression, but Cedric just gazed at me silently.
After a moment, his beautiful lips parted slowly.
“No, I came to pick you up.”
His deep, heavy voice overwhelmed the surrounding air.
As I lifted my head, my eyes met Cedric’s directly.
There was not a hint of wavering in his steady gaze.
During that strange moment of overpowering intensity, his gaze slowly traveled downwards.
It swept over my nose, lips, small chin, and the slightly exposed collarbone.
Then to the softly shining dress below…
And finally to my gloved hand, where Adrian’s lips had lingered.
Cedric’s gaze lingered on my hand for a long while.
“Perhaps it would be best to remove that glove.”
Cedric’s large hand gently grasped my hand and turned it over.
The pale wrist with its blue veins stood out starkly.
His deep gaze dwelled there.
“This doesn’t suit you.”
Then his fingers began to smoothly slide over the inside of my wrist.
The cool touch sent a strange thrill through me.
Unconsciously swallowing, the moment Cedric’s fingers brushed my wrist, he skillfully removed the glove.
It was just a hand, yet the moment his gaze fell on my bare skin, my heartbeat started to quicken.
‘Why is it suddenly so hot…’
I could feel a faint warmth from Cedric’s hand still holding my wrist.
But it was trivial compared to the heat emanating from my breath.
As I exhaled softly and turned my head away awkwardly, I heard a voice.
“Oh? Archduke!”
Just then, Bianca returned.
Seeing Cedric, she ran towards us, and I hastily withdrew my hand and stepped back.
Cedric, observing me, then gently lifted Bianca into his arms.
“Did you come to pick up Bianca and me?”
“That’s right.”
“Isn’t it beautiful today? Bianca.”
“Yes, you look very pretty today, Bianca.”
Bianca cutely pouted her lower lip and turned her head towards me.
“Hey, I’m not talking about me! Look at Your Grace, Archduke! Isn’t she incredibly beautiful?”
“Bianca, there’s no need for that…”
As I tried to awkwardly dismiss her with a smile, Cedric’s gaze returned to me.
I diverted my eyes elsewhere and replied a bit bluntly.
“There’s no need for Cedric to say something he doesn’t mean just because of Bianca.”
Lately, Cedric had been overly faithful to his role as a ‘show-window’ husband.
‘He’s probably going to make some over-the-top statement again… Oh, I won’t be able to hide my embarrassment this time.’
But contrary to my expectation, Cedric just continued to look at me with Bianca in his arms.
“……Right, there’s no need for that.”
Feeling a slight disappointment at his response, I was about to dismiss it when Cedric’s lips curved up attractively.
“After all, among all the looks I’ve seen of you, today is genuinely the most beautiful.”
My Step-brother Is Obsessed With Me (Female-dominant)
A gentle female protagonist vs pitiful in the early stage, and a sick male protagonist in the later stage
Cheng Songer transmigrated into the body of a vicious cannon fodder female supporting character with the same name as her in a female-dominant novel.
In the original story, the cannon fodder female supporting character was inhumane, committing domestic violence, gambling excessively, being lustful, and even wanting to sell her stepbrother to a brothel for money.
As luck would have it, she just happened to transmigrate at this time.
Seeing Cheng Qingzhi biting his lip, enduring the tears in his eyes, looking pitiful, her heart softened.
She stuffed the money back into the Madam’s hand and reached out to him.
“Brother, come home with me.”