Lord Preston's Secret Tutor (47 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 38
“Thank you for coming to meet me. To be honest, I was just worrying whether it was too rude of me to insistently ask Miss Humble—I even feared you might not come at all.”
Evan paused briefly there, then gave a bright smile—so radiant it lifted the mood of anyone watching.
“I’m relieved. Truth be told, I was even prepared to wait until the shop closed.”
Evan tugged the corner of his mouth in a light, teasing manner, as if joking—but Jacqueline knew it wasn’t merely a joke.
He truly would have waited for her until the shop shut its doors.
His straightforward, earnest feelings weighed heavily on her today—likely because she couldn’t return them.
Jacqueline, bearing both her own heart and Evan’s, couldn’t help but feel burdened. Meanwhile, Evan, who had offered his heart to her, felt as light as if he might float away.
She exhaled slowly and lifted her chin slightly.
“The reason I came here today is…”
Just then, a waiter placed coffee in front of them, followed by plates of cookies and muffins set before each of them.
Jacqueline gave the waiter a slight nod of acknowledgment, and only after he left did she speak again.
“Mr. Knox, the reason I came here today is—”
“Let’s have some coffee first. I heard the café owner studied abroad in the Northe Kingdom, so their coffee is quite excellent. I hope it pleases you, Miss Somerset.”
As he spoke, Evan brought the cup to his lips. His brow soon relaxed in evident satisfaction—but he couldn’t entirely conceal his nervousness.
His slightly trembling eyes, his subtly lowered voice, his stiff fingertips—
Evan clearly anticipated the rejection about to leave her lips. The once-easy smile at the edge of his mouth now hardened awkwardly.
Jacqueline, who had been staring fixedly at his lips, suddenly spoke.
“Why me?”
Evan, lowering his cup, arched an eyebrow slightly. Jacqueline, not having touched her own cup yet, looked him straight in the eyes.
Their gazes met, and out of habit, Evan smiled. For a fleeting moment, she realized how vastly different he was from Windsor—Windsor had never once offered her a smile.
Apparently, that was the Preston family tradition.
Jacqueline tried to imagine what Windsor’s smiling face might look like, but it wasn’t as easy as she’d thought. She had to summon every ounce of imagination, as if conjuring a mythical creature she’d never seen.
And she ultimately failed.
She would probably be utterly astonished if she ever saw Windsor smile—just as she’d been dazzled the first time she witnessed Benjamin’s smile.
Jacqueline swiftly cut off her wandering thoughts and refocused on Evan before her. From between her lips flowed a voice that sounded calm on the surface.
“As you know, Mr. Knox, broken engagements are quite common in high society. There are countless young ladies far more accomplished than I am, and you could easily meet any of them without difficulty. So why me? After all, aside from our engagement, we’ve only met a few times. Or perhaps…”
She paused briefly, then cast him a piercing look.
“Are you using me as a stepping stone to escape Lord Knox’s shadow?”
“!”
At those words, Evan’s eyes widened as if he’d never expected to hear such a thing.
Then, almost immediately, his expression turned wounded. A sad smile formed at the corner of his lips—clearly, he hadn’t imagined she’d think that way.
Unconsciously, she bit her lower lip. She’d suspected he might be using her merely as a tool to rebel against his father.
But it seemed that fear had been unfounded. His expression was now as downcast as a scolded child’s.
“If that’s not the case, then I regret it, Mr. Knox. I spoke too harshly.”
“It’s all right.”
Evan quickly returned to his usual self, flashing her a refreshing smile. He wasn’t the sort of man so inconsiderate as to make a lady apologize.
Gazing at her with warmth-filled eyes, he let out a sigh that sounded almost wistful.
“It seems Miss Somerset doesn’t remember.”
“Remember… what?”
Frowning slightly, Jacqueline clasped her teacup with both hands, trying to guess what forgotten past he referred to. The warmth of the coffee gently seeped into her palms.
Meanwhile, Evan’s eyes, lost in memory, took on a drowsy glimmer.
“The first time we danced together.”
“I remember.”
Nodding readily—as if to say, “Is that what you mean?”—Jacqueline’s own eyes drifted back to that moment in the past.
It had been the ball held to announce their engagement. That day, Jacqueline and Evan, meeting for the first time, danced together under everyone’s watchful eyes.
One year after entering boarding school, she’d been abruptly informed by her father of her engagement—without any prior discussion.
It wasn’t unusual; most young ladies learned of their own betrothals in much the same impersonal way.
Jacqueline had been intensely curious about Evan Knox, the man named as her fiancé. She’d scoured the entire school, searching for any young lady who might know him.
Even after gathering information about Evan beforehand, their first meeting was still nerve-wracking—especially with her maids fluttering about in excitement.
Evan, standing somewhere between boyhood and manhood, was just as courteous and gentle as rumors claimed. That was her first impression of him.
“We were both awkward. It was my first time dancing with a man other than my father, so I was quite frightened—afraid I might step on your foot in front of so many people.”
“I know. You said exactly that back then too.”
Evan’s lips curved softly, as if that day were as vivid as yesterday. Jacqueline looked at him with puzzled eyes.
“Did I?”
Suddenly, she realized many people seemed to remember their first meetings clearly—just as Samantha vividly recalled hers with Jacqueline.
Perhaps memory was relative. A moment deeply imprinted on one person might mean little to another.
In that sense, her first meeting with Lord Preston had been truly unforgettable.
Evan briefly looked disappointed by her response, but soon softened his expression into a kind smile.
“I thought it was admirable—your courage to honestly admit your fear.”
“…Did I seem that way?”
Jacqueline cast her eyes down slightly, flustered. Evan, however, persistently tried to meet her gaze.
Licking his lips as if his throat were dry, he slowly spoke again.
“That day—”
Jacqueline lifted her head. Their eyes met, and her expression gradually faded away.
“I fell in love with you at first sight, Miss Somerset.”
“!”
Jacqueline’s eyes widened in shock. For a long moment, she could only stare at Evan, speechless.
She’d never realized—he, too, hadn’t viewed their engagement as just another noble obligation.
“Oh.”
She let out an embarrassingly foolish sound before she could stop herself. Evan, avoiding her gaze with evident shyness, took a sip of coffee before continuing.
“You seemed to shine so brilliantly when you said those words.”
“Mr. Knox, I…”
Jacqueline began to speak, but Evan was quicker. He lightly touched his throat and let out a dry chuckle. “Ha ha.”
“It takes more courage than I expected to confess one’s true feelings. That must be why you seemed so dazzling that day.”
True to his words, a faint flush crept beneath his eyes. Jacqueline could only stare at him mutely.
His kindness, which she couldn’t return, pressed down on her like a massive boulder. Just as she struggled to bear the heavy guilt, Evan spoke with unexpected firmness.
“I know your situation isn’t easy. Let me help you—”
“No, Mr. Knox.”
Jacqueline, who had been dazed just moments ago, shook her head quickly. She met his gaze with determined eyes.
“I appreciate your kindness, but I can manage my own affairs. I’ve leaned on others for so long that I’ve surprisingly found I can hardly do anything alone. So now, I’d like to try by myself—even if I’m not sure how well it will go.”
At her polite refusal, Evan didn’t show disappointment; instead, he laughed brightly, his eyes gleaming with even deeper warmth.
“I expected you’d say that.”
A beat of silence.
An awkward expression crossed Jacqueline’s face. Evan added more words, his eyes clear and bright like a summer sky.
“I don’t intend to pressure you, Miss Somerset. Nor do I wish to burden you with one-sided feelings. I’ll simply keep expressing my feelings openly from now on. This time, I hope we can become engaged by our own will—not by our fathers’.”
“Mr. Knox.”
Jacqueline found she could say nothing more than his name. She was at a loss for how to refuse such honest sincerity.
Suddenly, her heart fluttered—a cool summer breeze drifting through her soul.
She knew well how comforting unconditional affection could be. The temptation to lean into Evan’s kindness quietly rose within her.
Life with him would surely be far more comfortable—financially, physically. He would make a gentle husband, and the home they built together would be as stable as an ancient tree with deep roots.
“I’ll approach you slowly, so please don’t worry.”
“…”
Jacqueline looked at him as if he were a stranger, her eyes filled with unfamiliar curiosity.
She’d once thought him weak—someone who’d never dare oppose his father. That had been her first impression of him at the engagement party.
Even after several more meetings since then, that impression hadn’t changed. Count Knox was rather short-tempered, and Evan had never dared stand up to him properly.
Yet the Evan Knox before her now showed remarkable resolve. So unexpected was this change that Jacqueline blinked, staring at him in silent wonder.
Had three years truly transformed him this much?
Just as she herself had changed dramatically over the past few years, had Evan, too, reached a turning point?
“Ah—”
As if suddenly remembering something, Evan turned his gaze to her. Jacqueline looked back at him, still lost in thought.
“I mentioned I’d started a publishing house, didn’t I?”
“Yes, you did. I remember now.”
Though confused by the sudden shift in topic, Jacqueline nodded steadily. Unknowingly, she was being drawn toward him—but she wasn’t yet aware of it.
“I’m planning a new publication, and after seeing you at this season’s ball, I thought you’d be perfect for it.”
Male lead is a clingy little husband
One-line summary: The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
Introduction:
One day, Lu Yuner’s soul transmigrates into a female-dominant world. She enters the Imperial Academy and takes up the position of a doctoral instructor, teaching classes and grading schoolwork.
One day, she encounters the young prince Su Qingwan secretly skipping class from the male academy.
As a result, Su Qingwan is punished.
From then on, Su Qingwan sees Lu Yuner as a “thorn in his side”.
But before long, this “thorn” becomes the person he cherishes most, and he goes to great lengths to win Lu Yuner’s affection.
Mini scene 1:
One day, the sun is high in the sky but Su Qingwan still hasn’t gotten up for class.
Servant Xiaoyuan: “Young prince, it’s time for class. You’ll be late otherwise.”
Su Qingwan says arrogantly: “I’m not going. I am the esteemed prince, my status is so noble, why should I suffer this hardship? Besides, isn’t learning all this just to please women? Hmph, they’re not worthy!”
Mini scene 2:
After Su Qingwan falls for someone, he completely changes. He no longer skips class and diligently learns how to be a good husband and father. But he discovers that Sister Yuner is always surrounded by admirers.
Drunk and overcome with jealousy one day, he clings to Lu Yuner, crying beautifully like a pear blossom in the rain.
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan likes Sister Yuner.”
Lu Yuner: “Young prince, you’re drunk.”
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan isn’t drunk. Qingwan likes Sister Yuner, likes you so much, likes you to bits…” Before he can finish, Lu Yuner’s eyes flash with emotion and she leans in closer.
[Reading Guide]
1. The female lead is gentle, gracious, humble and polite but not weak. The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
2. 1v1, a bit torturous in the beginning but definitely sweet later on.
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MANGA DISCUSSION
2 Comments
Chapter Comments (57)
I just hope that she wont pour put those frustration to Jacqueline and be rude towards her. Because technically, she’s innocent
…No, Roman you fool…why did you have to say that🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️
UGH! I felt his heart too seing her with another man. 😭
Inline Comments (1216)
“Or is that precisely why? Since no one else would dare take on this task, you a
She’s knocked him flat a few times already with her straightforward questions. First about separating from his dad, and now this… She really doesn’t go easy on the kid. It feels like he needs a gentler approach…
“Would it be acceptable to publish under a pseudonym?”
It’s a good idea to make some money. The main thing is that no one leaks the information.
She had smiled wholeheartedly not only at Windsor but also at Evan with equal wa
How could he understand what he is feeling being raised the way he was???
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TehShy
….ahhh, love at first sight…you really just need that perfect moment with that special person then boom! your in love…
Ashiel_26
UGGGHHH!! MY GOD FL!! You should have said direct-to-the-point and flatly reject him HAISH😓