“Ah!”

Ariel let out a small scream of surprise after her body was embraced by a large, firm chest. As she tried to remove the large man’s hands wrapped around her waist, Ariel’s body was laid down on a wooden bench.

“Don’t…”

Ariel couldn’t finish her sentence.

In an instant, Kaius cupped the back of Ariel’s head and devoured her lips. Though Ariel struggled frantically in shock, his restraint only grew stronger.

How can he do this?

Instead of money, he wants to be repaid like this? No. His fierce kiss sent chills down her spine. Realizing what was about to happen, Ariel frantically tried to hit and push him away, but it was of no use.

Ariel’s mind went blank, forgetting that he was someone she needed to save, that he was soon to be her husband. Before she knew it, her cloak had come undone, and the man’s firm hands caressing her body and his increasingly hot body felt so strange that she shuddered. When his lips reached her neck, tears finally flowed from Ariel’s dazed eyes. Her hands that had been pushing him away fell limply onto the bench.

Accepting him out of mere guilt was much harder than she had thought.

It wasn’t until a faint sob mixed with the silently flowing tears that Kaius lifted his head. A self-deprecating sigh escaped Kaius’s lips as he confirmed her unfocused eyes and the tears streaming down her cheeks. But Kaius’s hand, still not releasing Ariel, moved to her face.

Ariel’s body trembled when his fingertips, slowly moving across her wet eyes, touched her swollen lips. The fear and anxiety that filled her gaze towards him made Kaius deprecate himself once again.

Just one kiss and this reaction.

Is this the same woman who undressed and touched an unknown man, offering to heal him? The same woman who boldly proposed marriage first, trying to win his heart? He couldn’t help but chuckle, unsure if this was really the same person.

What did she think marriage was?

Her eyes, reddened from crying, still trembled with anxiety but glared at him. Annoyed at the woman rejecting him, yet unable to subdue his desire for her, Kaius chuckled again in frustration. With a dejected heart, he got off Ariel’s body and closed his eyes as if trying to erase his rising displeasure.

Only then did Ariel’s breath become a little easier. As she rubbed her wet lips with the back of her hand, Ariel recalled how they had ended up in this situation.

She wouldn’t do as he wished.

To pay with a kiss.

Afraid that such a thing might happen again, Ariel got off the bench and distanced herself from him. She walked a few more steps on shaky legs before stopping. Only then did she tidy up her disheveled appearance, and after catching her breath, Ariel finally gathered the courage.

“I’ve made my intentions clear. I will pay the money.”

After articulating her thoughts clearly, Ariel left the greenhouse alone. Only when the cold air blew through the open door as Ariel left did Kaius open his eyes. His deeply sunken gaze was as quiet as the night.

Entering the path, Ariel walked almost at a run, seeking any bit of light.

Why did this narrow, dark path feel so much longer than when she came? When Ariel stopped midway and looked back, the greenhouse was still lit.

Finally feeling relieved, Ariel let out a long breath. Only then did she realize she had left without her cloak, but she didn’t have the courage to go back for it. After tightening her gown once more, Ariel began walking again only after confirming once more that the lights were still on.

One way or another, the greenhouse issue had to be settled like this.

What worried her even more was that this incident had made one thing clear. That he wanted other things from this marriage too.

“Haah…”

If it had been a purely political marriage from the start, she would have naturally accepted the duty of producing an heir. But ours is a one-year contract marriage. What if a child were to be conceived? As her thoughts reached that point, goosebumps rose and her body trembled.

Absolutely not.

But would Kaius accept that?

Shaking her head, Ariel unknowingly looked back once again. This time, there was only darkness.

He had left the greenhouse.

Realizing this fact, Ariel’s steps quickened in panic. Rushing up to her bedroom in one breath, Ariel struggled to move the sofa and placed it against the door connecting her room to the Duke’s room.

Even after thoroughly washing away his traces and changing into new pajamas, she still couldn’t fall asleep. The longer she kept her eyes closed, the more vivid the memories he had given her became.

The fierce kiss from earlier.

The hot passion transmitted from him.

Finally giving up on sleep, Ariel’s eyes slowly opened. This wasn’t something that could be resolved by avoiding it. She needed a plan.

When Kaius returned, an emergency meeting of Caldenbach’s directors was called.

The luncheon was held at the Metron Hotel in the Tris district. Everyone seemed tense, as it was such an urgent matter.

The agenda was ‘Le Cordon Bleu’, now just two weeks away.

“Although we heard from Representative Devian about keeping it confidential, we’d like to hear the specific plans as well.”

One of the directors spoke with a very curious expression. However, the contact with the Elia company was known only to Kaius’s close aides, and no one else. If it were to leak out, it was clear that Berryhouse would try to contact the Elia company.

Of course, now that they knew Ariel was the representative, even so, Kaius couldn’t do as he pleased with Ariel’s company.

The secret had to be maintained.

“I’m sorry, but that matter has been decided to be kept secret until the end of the competition. You all agreed to this beforehand, didn’t you?”

Devian spoke up first.

“But as it’s a matter of life and death for Caldenbach, we also have the right to know.”

“That’s right. Right now, Berryhouse is gathering all the famous chefs from each continent. But since we don’t see any such movement on our side, we’re worried.”

The directors who seemed to have some say all chimed in one by one. Just as the murmuring was about to grow louder, Kaius put down his cutlery. Everyone seemed to have been watching his movements, as they all held their breath, waiting for his words.

“Elbartan never loses. Please trust and wait.”

Despite it being an ordinary statement with nothing special, the directors all quietly returned, believing in that one sentence from Kaius.

“Finally, we’re free from the harassment.”

Devian, who remained in the luncheon hall, looked at Kaius with a wry smile. It was because Kaius had been away visiting Letiana during such an important time.

“Your Grace, let’s return now. They say you’re choosing the design for Madam’s wedding dress today. If you want to see it together, we should leave now.”

At Lemon’s words, Kaius’s eyes deepened as he recalled Ariel. Kaius took out a cigar from the mahogany case placed on the table and put it in his mouth.

The long exhaled tobacco smoke seeped into the low-lying silence. After a few more puffs of smoke were blown out, Kaius rose from his seat.

“Let’s go back then.”

The Duke’s residence was in an excited mood with wedding preparations.

Madam Bella from Bella Boutique visited the Duke’s residence along with several employees. Their arms were full of design books and sample clothes and shoes to try on.

“Wow, wow… Lady Ariel, there’s certainly a wide variety.”

Dozens of books were piled on the quite long sofa table. Each book had a name written on it. Autumn clothes and winter clothes, underwear and sleepwear, party dresses and coats. And wedding dresses. The quantity was enough to make one sigh.

“Anna, you can choose the casual clothes and party dresses.”

“Yes, don’t worry.”

Anna winked at Ariel with one eye. Before Madam Bella’s visit, she had received prior instructions from Lady Ariel.

Casual clothes must be modest. Party dresses should be fitting for the dignity of a Duchess.

Just as Ariel, who had just come out after having her measurements taken, started to choose her wedding dress, the voice of a maid waiting outside the bedroom door was heard.

“The Duke is entering.”

As Kaius entered, everyone stood up to show respect. Kaius’s gaze briefly passed over Ariel’s face and stopped at Madam Bella. After nodding in greeting, Kaius approached and sat down next to Ariel.

Startled, Ariel unconsciously moved a step to the side before sitting down again.

“Everyone, please continue what you were doing.”

Although Ariel’s gaze was clearly directed at the wedding dress designs in front of her, they didn’t register in her eyes. It was because the scent of him sitting close by vividly reminded her of last night’s events.

“Have you chosen a design?”

Kaius’s eyes were calm as he looked at Ariel, as if he had completely erased last night’s events. Feeling self-loathing at his detached gaze, Ariel’s face turned red. Kaius, who had been calmly observing this sight, shifted his gaze to the design book in front of her.

“Yes.”

Ariel, of course, hadn’t chosen yet. She had just barely turned two pages. But to send him away quickly, she decided right away.

“This one. I’ve chosen this one.”

When she pointed to one of the two designs spread out before her, Kaius simply nodded.

“Madam Bella. Please prepare this design as quickly as possible.”

After Madam Bella answered and stepped back with the wedding dress design book, Ariel looked quizzically at Kaius, who wasn’t moving from his seat, thinking he would get up now.

Why aren’t you leaving?

As Kaius didn’t leave his seat, Ariel’s eyes filled with perplexity. Despite her blatant gaze asking him to leave, Kaius paid no heed and slowly scanned the table. Eventually, he reached out and brought a book in front of him.

Of all things, it was the design book with sleepwear drawn in it.

As if he hadn’t mistakenly opened it, Kaius turned the pages one by one with an expressionless face.

As the chemises passed and negligees and gown-type sleepwear started to appear, Kaius called Madam Bella and ordered each one, pointing directly. The more orders increased, the redder Ariel’s face became. Just as she was about to snatch the book away, appalled by his behavior, the book closed and was pushed aside.

A small scream burst from between Ariel’s lips, who had been feeling relieved, right at that moment.

As he brought and opened another book, it was full of underwear drawings. Kaius again began to turn the pages one by one with an insensitive gaze, as if nothing was wrong.

Ariel was already feeling suffocated just by him looking at the embarrassing underwear, but then he called Madam Bella.

He must be crazy.

Ariel von Letiana. For the first time in her life today, she completely forgot her manners.