Was it because it was similar in the sense that it was located at the edge of the territory? For some reason, Adeline kept thinking of the days she spent at Horn’s villa.

Even Casius’s small actions began to overlap with Mel’s bit by bit. Watching Casius quietly examining her hand, Adeline couldn’t help but smile softly.

‘He’s like Mel too.’

Perhaps because she was reminded of Mel again. Adeline kept seeing Mel overlapping with Casius.

It wasn’t that the Mel she knew didn’t exist at all.

She had thought she would never see Mel’s face again due to his terribly cold and hypocritical demeanor.

A corner of Adeline’s frozen heart was slowly melting.

Adeline quietly followed Casius as he headed towards the dining room. Today, her steps felt infinitely light.

The two entered the dining room and naturally sat across from each other.

A fragrant appetizer to whet their appetite was placed in front of them.

The soft yellow egg proudly displayed atop the creamy seafood soup stimulated Adeline’s appetite.

Unknowingly swallowing her saliva, Adeline glanced at Casius across from her.

‘I thought I would get indigestion just from eating together.’

Until recently, she had been too busy avoiding Casius, let alone sharing a meal, because she felt nauseous just looking at him. Adeline was amazed at how her appetite had returned in just a few hours.

Adeline devoured the appetizer in front of her in one go.

“You’re eating well now.”

Casius was satisfied with Adeline’s noticeably changed expression since coming to the villa. She used to retch just looking at him, but now she was swallowing food well.

“Is your morning sickness over?”

“Oh, I guess so?”

Adeline’s eyes widened at Casius’s words.

Not only had her appetite returned, but she hadn’t felt nauseous looking at Casius even once today. Surprised for a moment, Adeline attributed it to her comfortable state of mind and didn’t think much of it.

Soon, the main dishes began to be served one by one.

As if to make up for what she couldn’t eat due to morning sickness, the maids began to fill the table with elaborate dishes.

Adeline lifted her knife to cut the meat in front of her, but unknowingly dropped it.

“Ah!”

When she gripped the knife, she felt a stinging pain from her cut palm.

With Adeline’s single cry, the knife fell helplessly to the floor with a clang.

“I’ll cut it for you.”

“It’s fine.”

It really was fine. She was just startled by the unexpected pain. The cut wasn’t so bad that she couldn’t use her hand.

However, Casius frowned at Adeline’s answer. He strode over to her and roughly placed his steak plate in front of her.

“I don’t have a hobby of watching unsightly scenes.”

Casius only shot a spiteful remark as he took Adeline’s steak plate and returned to his seat.

Adeline stared blankly at Casius as he returned to his place.

“Are you going to drop the knife again?”

‘Is he embarrassed perhaps?’

Contrary to his malicious words, Casius’s ears were blooming red.

Adeline’s lips kept curling up at Casius’s irony.

It was truly amusing. Just because Mel’s image overlapped a few times, she had let her guard down like this.

Adeline looked down at the steak plate in front of her. In that short time, the steak had been beautifully cut.

Adeline put a small piece of meat in her mouth. Her expression relaxed at the flavors spreading in her mouth. It was a proper meal she had in a long time.

The pain in her palm had long been forgotten.

After finishing the abundant meal, Adeline was freely enjoying her rest.

The lake embraced by the villa was always a spectacular sight regardless of the time.

Although it was still the Beginning of Autumn with lush greenery, here and there the quickly changing autumn leaves fluttered like flowers.

Adeline, who had never leisurely enjoyed nature in her past life, savored this moment to the fullest.

Adeline sat in a comfortable chair prepared by the lakeside and reclined fully.

How much time had passed? Adeline fell asleep, intoxicated by the warm sunlight.

Casius had just finished his work early and came to the lakeside where Adeline was said to be.

Adeline was sound asleep on a comfortable sofa inside a pergola in front of the lake. A cool breeze was blowing. The wide-brimmed hat covering her face fell off with a thud.

Due to the hat falling off, sunlight shone on Adeline’s face.

Adeline, who was sleeping obliviously, frowned at the untimely intruder.

At Adeline’s frown, Casius unknowingly stretched both hands over her face.

His large hands cast a shadow on Adeline’s face.

He had intended to block the sunlight disturbing her sleep. But contrary to his intention, the sudden darkness woke Adeline from her nap.

“Mmm.”

Adeline, opening her eyes, couldn’t help but be startled. There were two large hands right in front of her eyes.

Adeline, who hurriedly sat up, repeatedly grasped at the air.

The hat that was barely hanging on Adeline’s shoulders flew towards the lakeside, caught by a strong wind.

“Ah!”

Adeline ran quickly to the lakeside after the blown hat.

The hat that fell into the lake was within reach if she stretched her hand. Adeline reached out with all her might.

The wind, as if playing a trick, pushed the hat further into the lake.

“What’s so special about that hat? Leave it.”

Despite Casius’s words, Adeline stretched her hand a little more. If she reached just a bit further, it seemed she could barely touch it.

“If I stretch a little more, I think I can reach… Ah!”

Adeline, reaching out her hand, couldn’t finish her words as she lost her footing.

Adeline eventually fell into the lake and flailed about.

“I told you to leave it… Hah.”

Adeline, who couldn’t swim, flailed with all her might, but Casius knew.

The reason this villa was built for the young duke was because this lake was not deep. If Adeline stood up, it would only reach her waist.

Step by step. Casius approached behind Adeline and lifted her up all too easily.

“Struggling like that will tire you out more. Relax your body.”

Adeline, saved by Casius, clung to him tightly as if she couldn’t let go.

As Adeline finally calmed down, she realized she was clinging too much to Casius.

Through the thin wet clothes, Casius’s hot body temperature was clearly felt. Along with the hot temperature, embarrassment rushed in.

“Let me go.”

Casius’s eyes caught sight of Adeline’s flushed cheeks.

A mischievous light flashed in his eyes.

“You’ll fall back into the water?”

Adeline, who had no way of knowing the water was shallow, couldn’t bring herself to ask to be let go again.

Casius, holding the embarrassed Adeline, came out to the shore and sat her down on the lakeside.

Casius, who retrieved the hat from the lakeside, handed it to Adeline.

Slowly closing the distance with Adeline, Casius’s hands gripped the hem of her dress tightly.

The wet dress hem spread on the ground wrinkled in his hands.

Adeline, who had become trapped between Casius’s arms, clutched tightly the hat she had been given.

Their gazes that met began to become as sticky as the wet dress.

The two’s gazes endlessly tangled in the air.

Passion began to boil from deep within Casius’s eyes as he looked at Adeline.

At his burning gaze, Adeline unknowingly took a step back.

Casius, as if he couldn’t tolerate even a little distance, grabbed Adeline’s waist.

Casius’s hands soon began to fidget with the hem of Adeline’s waist.

Due to the wet dress, Adeline’s curves were clearly revealed. Casius tensed up at Adeline’s clearly visible skin.

His remaining hand on Adeline’s dress hem was torturing her dress even more, as if unable to endure.

Adeline felt like she would lose her mind from the hot sensation wherever Casius’s burning hands passed.

His blazing red eyes were like an invisible trap.

That trap bound Adeline even more, making her unable to move.

Adeline could do nothing but bite her lips at the rising heat. Adeline’s lips, as red as Casius’s eyes, shone as if wet.

As if he couldn’t just look at that light, Casius’s lips began to slowly draw closer.

Their bodies began to fit together without gaps as much as their lips.

Adeline’s body weakly gave way to Casius’s close pressing.

When Adeline’s abundant wet hair was about to touch the ground completely, she squeezed out her voice with difficulty.

“I want to go inside and wash up.”

It would be troublesome if both of them lost their reason any further. Adeline continued speaking in a voice as small as an ant, grasping at her fading reason.

“I’m. Not alone, you know.”

The words she uttered herself were endlessly embarrassing.

Adeline covered her face completely with the wide-brimmed hat Casius had given her.

Even without looking, she expected her face to be burning.

Casius immediately came out of the water at Adeline’s words.

Looking at Adeline, who remained motionless with only her face hidden by the hat, Casius couldn’t help but smile.

Casius lifted Adeline in one breath and walked briskly towards the villa.

Adeline, who was princess-carried before her embarrassment could fade, buried her face in the hat to the best of her ability.

The path to the villa felt like an eternal time, as if time had stopped.

Just as Adeline’s pounding heart was about to burst, Casius’s footsteps slowly decreased in speed and eventually stopped.

“Wash up and come out.”

At Casius’s words, Adeline lowered her hat slightly and peeked out with her eyes. The lakeside scenery had already changed to the bathroom inside the villa.

Casius didn’t easily put down Adeline, who was watching carefully with only her eyes exposed.

“If you want me to wash you, we can bathe together.”

Casius’s smile blossomed even more mischievously.