When Pride Falls at Your Feet - Chapter 1

The moonlight shone into the dark room. Unlike Emilia’s face, which glowed white in the blue moonlight, shadows draped over Enrico’s face as he stood with his back to the window.

“Where are you going at this hour?”

Emilia’s body staggered back slightly. As if taking unconscious steps backward, she fluttered her eyelashes and placed both hands on her chest as Enrico approached, closing the distance between them.

“…And what brings you here at this late hour, Your Grace?”

She had intended to leave quietly. Their contract had long since ended, and as their relationship had become unnecessary for both of them, she thought it would be fine to leave now. Especially since his curiosity towards her had hit rock bottom and evaporated, she believed there would be no variables at all.

Enrico took another step closer. No, he seemed to have no intention of stopping, gradually narrowing the distance.

“……”

Emilia, who had been instinctively stepping back, felt the bed behind her and tried to stop, but it was too late. With a thud, she sank down onto the bed, losing her balance and half-laying down.

Emilia put strength into her arms supporting her upper body and tried to get up right away. However, the shadow draping over her was faster. As his long arms braced on either side of her face, a woody musk scent and a chill breeze were felt.

“Your Grace.”

Despite her calm voice, the end of her words trembled.

Emilia blinked her eyes uneasily as he lightly grasped her chin. It wasn’t a strong force, but it was an irresistible touch.

As her head was turned to follow his touch, her gaze met Enrico’s as he looked down at her.

It was truly strange. His beautiful face, which was always at ease, was now overshadowed by indescribable, unfamiliar emotions. His deepened violet eyes did not leave her as if they would devour her at any moment, but his neck with protruding blue veins simply took a deep breath as if suppressing something.

“…Please move aside. And now that we’re no longer in a contractual relationship, please stop dropping by uninvited like this.”

“When.”

“Pardon?”

His furrowed brows twitched subtly.

“I never ended it.”

He felt like a solid wall. To the point where there seemed to be no gap to escape from him head-on.

“What do you…”

In the end, Emilia trailed off and raised her leg to cross over the bed. With a thud, the sound of her shoe catching on the bed and falling to the floor was heard. The sole of her foot rubbed against the cool sheet, and her attempt to hurriedly back away while seated was halted by a sudden grasp on her ankle.

“…!”

Her whole body stiffened as if shackled. Emilia’s eyes widened greatly.

“You can wear them when doing ballet, but don’t use them when running away from me.”

His hand tightly grasped her left ankle once and then slowly loosened its grip. The ticklish touch descended to her toes, leisurely caressing her toes and the top of her foot. As she flinched and tried to pull away from the persistent touch, it slid up her calf, and his other hand firmly pressed down on her right thigh.

Enrico’s gaze remained fixed on her. However, his hand on her thigh began to slowly ascend towards her intimate inner flesh. Startled breaths and moans escaped her lips.

“I have no intention of ever letting you go.”

Soon, his hand stopped precariously, and a low, husky voice whispered. And her leg was lifted high.

How did it come to this?

As Emilia’s vision grew distant as if grasping a long-ago memory, the shadows began to lengthen.

The layers of tulle skirt ruffled like breaking foam around her calves. Emilia Este, who had been walking briskly, exhaled an uneasy breath as she re-wrapped the brown shawl draped over her white ballerina costume.

‘What’s going on all of a sudden?’

It was a long-awaited day. She had endured people’s contempt and lived solely for ballet, and now she thought all that remained was to prove herself and clear the shadows cast over her life. If only that shadow hadn’t sought her out now.

Giorgio Este.

The man who had appeared at the viscounty as soon as her parents passed away in an unexpected accident, introducing himself as a distant relative.

‘How did I get here…’

She knew that Giorgio, who had never hidden his lustful eyes from the moment they first met, would not easily back down. But this stage was meant to give Emilia a foundation to become independent as an adult and an opportunity to join a foreign ballet company. It was only natural for the lead ballerina among the many dancers on stage to receive attention.

So if it were up to her, she would have ignored Giorgio’s summons. She definitely would have if it weren’t for the message delivered by the servant who had come to her dressing room.

‘If you don’t come willingly, he’ll come and drag you himself.’

Swallowing the rising sigh at the threat that a thug would make, Emilia hastened her steps, realizing that this man was her uncle.

At least she was fortunate to have a private dressing room; if there had been many people, she would have undoubtedly received strange looks from the moment the servant appeared.

In the world of ballet, where most were commoners or from fallen families, if it were revealed that Emilia had been hiding her noble status, there was a high possibility that she would be subjected to unwanted attention from her peers and restrictions from her teachers who felt burdened.

Moreover, her top priority was to safely complete today’s performance, so she couldn’t provoke Giorgio and cause a commotion from the start.

As her steps became almost running with her anxious heart, the emergency exit soon came into view. Although it was a corridor connected to the second-floor box seats, it was a secluded place, so there was no hesitation. As soon as she turned the doorknob, her body leaped out.

‘…Huh?’

And at that moment, Emilia’s eyes widened greatly. As if overturning the thought that there would be no one around, a large figure abruptly appeared. She instinctively raised her arms and belatedly tried to stop, but there was no way to prevent her body from colliding. In the end, with a thud, her arm hit a solid back, and her body was pushed back as if bouncing.

“Ah…!”

The only fortunate thing was that the mishap of falling did not occur. Emilia reflexively gripped the wall with her hand, supporting her staggering body. Then she raised her head to find the person she had collided with.

‘I was told it’s a place rarely frequented, so is it a staff member? Oh…’

Emilia’s gaze stopped at one spot. From the shiny shoes, she had to raise her sight a long way to see the tall man who was walking away as if nothing had happened. She held her breath for a moment and blankly stared at the nonchalant back that continued to walk. The man, wearing a black coat made of luxurious material, could be presumed to be a nobleman at a glance, and he exuded an unapproachable aura not only in his appearance but also in his demeanor.

“My lady, are you alright?”

“…Yes.”

Emilia blinked her eyes for a moment before opening her mouth. It was fortunate that he wasn’t a nobleman who would make a fuss about rudeness, but on the other hand, she wondered how to react when he treated her as if she didn’t exist.

Should she wait until he leaves first? Still, shouldn’t she at least apologize to the back of his head? A momentary conflict flickered across Emilia’s face. And just as her lips, which had been closed again, were about to reopen, a man suddenly intervened from the side, standing in front of Emilia as if shielding the nobleman from her sight.

“I apologi−”

“If there is anything that has inconvenienced you, please let me know.”

“I’m fine. But…”

“I’m glad to hear that you’re alright, my lady.”

When Emilia glanced at the receding nobleman, the man standing in front of her interrupted again with a smile. It seemed as if he was reluctant to even mention the nobleman.

‘Ah, he just wants him to leave quietly.’

Emilia closed her mouth and nodded slightly. In any case, she was also in a hurry to go. Since it was something to be grateful for that he didn’t stop her and confront her, Emilia stepped aside while adjusting her disheveled shawl. Then, just as she was about to give a slight nod, indicating for him to go first, the nobleman suddenly spoke in front of the entrance to the auditorium.

“Fabio.”

A low and cool voice, like the sky at dawn, pierced her ears.

“Yes! Your Grace.”

Emilia’s eyes wavered.

Your Grace? He was an unexpected grand duke. As Emilia stepped back with her hands clasped in front of her chest, the man also swiftly turned around and bowed deeply in response. The duke still had his back turned. However, as he slowly turned his head to the side, his side profile was slightly revealed.

‘…Enrico Michele?’

She could recognize him instantly. Even Emilia, who was ignorant of the nobility due to losing her parents and solely focusing on ballet, had heard about him countless times from her colleagues, and in the first place, his existence itself could not be hidden as he was such a revered figure.

After all, he was the current king’s brother and the greatest magnate in the kingdom.

“Bring me a new coat.”

The black coat draped over his broad shoulders fell to the floor with a thud. As his high, sculpted nose bridge and deep eyes were revealed, his amethyst-like eyes briefly passed over the man named Fabio. Even with only half of his face visible, Enrico Michele’s countenance was strikingly beautiful and as heartless as the chilly weather outside.

Emilia stared at the receding back of the man with a hard-fought calm expression, then suddenly raised her head at the sound penetrating her ears. Ding- ding- the ringing bell signaling the entrance filled the theater. Now was not the time to be doing this.