“No… don’t…”

Melly pushed Edric away with a flushed face. It was a reaction typical of her prudish nature.

But Edric realized that Melly wasn’t being sincere.

The hazy, unfocused look in her eyes was proof of that, just like the night before.

He chuckled to himself, thinking:

‘Her body is so honest.’

He was determined to strip away that ill-fitting mask from Melly.

His hand delved a little deeper inside.

It seemed as if her hot breath was seeping into every shirt hanging on the rack. Her pale neckline appeared even longer and straighter due to her head tilted back alluringly.

For a moment, Edric felt like a vampire.

He wanted to sink his teeth into her pale neck and suck her blood. The scent of her skin couldn’t be more intoxicatingly sweet.

Melly no longer resisted.

She wrapped her arms around his neck. Then, looking at him with clear eyes, she closed them like a convict awaiting sentencing.

“Open your eyes.”

Edric said.

“I need to see your eyes.”

He needed to see her clear brown eyes clouded with ecstasy. He needed to see tears welling up in them, as if yearning and pleading.

He had to prove that he was living with a person, not a doll wearing a smiling mask.

Melly opened her eyes.

The corners of her mouth trembled slightly, as if already frightened by the unusual atmosphere.

His hands had somehow found their way to the front of Melly’s shirt.

His fingers gently caressed the emerald brooch on her chest, then slowly moved to her shoulders, stroking down her arms before grasping her wrists.

“Follow me.”

“Wh-where to?”

Melly asked with a puzzled expression.

This situation felt oddly familiar.

It was similar to the day he had taken her to a private room to make her his woman.

Recalling how desperate he had felt that day, Edric couldn’t help but laugh. Then, looking at her round eyes that still didn’t comprehend, Edric said the same words as that day.

“You’ll see when you follow me.”

It seemed more fitting to say that in this situation.

Rather than clearly telling her where they were going now.

“Th-this place…”

Despite her hopes otherwise.

Melly was shocked when she realized where she was.

“We can’t be here, Edric.”

Of course not. How could they possibly… in the main house. In her mother’s quarters…

“Why not?”

Edric looked down at her, blinking slowly.

“Mother went to the Renisis villa and won’t be back until next week.”

Melly was dumbfounded.

This man, was he mistaking this place for a hotel right now?

Did he think it was fine to use it however he wanted just because no one was staying here? Regardless of the purpose?

“Even so, this isn’t right. Let’s go somewhere else.”

Melly wasn’t like him. She knew what was proper. This was absolutely unacceptable.

But he didn’t back down.

“I want to do it here.”

He said with a determined look in his eyes. His mischievous nature that craved the forbidden, which had been dormant for a while, had chosen this moment to emerge.

Melly pleaded.

“Please. We can’t do it here. Let’s go to my quarters.”

“Your quarters?”

He tilted his head as if hearing something unfamiliar. Then, he said something even more shocking than suggesting they do it here.

“That works too.”

“…”

“Quickly making this your quarters as well. After all, the main house has traditionally been the duchess’s quarters.”

He added with a lazy smile.

“You choose. Either we do it now, or after this becomes your quarters.”

Melly swallowed hard. Either choice was unfilial.

The former would be disrespecting her mother, while the latter would be driving her mother out of her own quarters.

She bit her lower lip gently as she looked at him.

His eyes were relaxed as he stood with his arms crossed, calmly gazing at her.

He would inevitably impose his will. He would inevitably corrupt her.

“I think it’s better if we do it here and now.”

He said again, with his back to the living room of the main house. Then he took a step back and added.

“If you don’t want to, we don’t have to. The choice is yours.”

“…”

His attitude remained consistent. As if saying both the choice and the responsibility were hers.

Melly’s gaze fell to the floor.

She could smile in the face of criticism and rebuke, but she couldn’t pretend not to want what she wanted. She wanted Edric.

If what he desired was to fall into corruption together, then yes. She would gladly comply. It would be better to wallow in the mud together than to pretend to be noble alone.

Melly raised her eyes with a resolute expression.

“Alright. Let’s do it.”

But there was one thing she couldn’t concede.

“But not on the bed. That’s… really off limits.”

That was the one thing she absolutely couldn’t allow.

Edric uncrossed his arms and sighed.

“Fine, I understand. We won’t do that.”

He could accept that much. There were plenty of other options besides the bed.

“Not on the sofa either.”

“…”

“And not in the armchair… Basically, nowhere that would leave traces.”

Edric’s expression hardened.

‘What is this? Does she want to do it or not?’

What was meant to make Melly uncomfortable had instead made him uncomfortable.

He wanted to tell her to just forget about it altogether.

But he had already delved deep into his instincts. He wanted to have Melly here and now.

He wanted to see her respond honestly to his every touch.

Exercising patience, he said:

“Anything else you want?”

“…”

“If there is, say it now.”

His tone was almost like a growl, but Melly carefully considered.

It felt like this was her last chance. But, there wasn’t anything else.

“No, that’s all.”

She answered honestly.

“Are you sure?”

He confirmed one last time before taking a step closer.

It was just one step, but suddenly they were close enough for their chests to touch.

He gently stroked Melly’s hair for a moment, then carefully removed the firmly secured hairpin.

With a swish.

Her curly hair swayed like curtain tassels near her shoulder blades. The next moment, Melly could feel large hands encircling her waist.

“You made a mistake.”

He said with eyes flashing an intense blue.

“You’ll end up wishing we had used the bed.”

For a moment she felt weightless. She thought it was because of his piercing blue gaze that made her dizzy, but that wasn’t it.

He had lifted Melly up effortlessly.

She instinctively wrapped her legs around Edric’s waist. And then…

Indeed, it was just as he said.

The bed would have been better. Her hot breaths permeated every corner of the main house.

In such subtle forms that she dared not try to wipe away, precisely because they weren’t clearly defined.

Eida returned from the villa with a clear and fair complexion like that of a young person. She had even gained a little weight, likely from eating well and resting.

Edric and Melly had tea with Eida in the main house after a long time.

The lady, who had been cheerfully recounting her travel stories, suddenly looked around and tilted her head.

“But this room seems a bit different.”

“…”

Melly’s lips twitched at the lady’s words.

“Did you rearrange the furniture while I was away? But that’s not it…”

The lady narrowed her eyes and scrutinized the room carefully.

Melly felt her palms growing clammy. She feared that Eida would soon discover traces of the inappropriate play her son and daughter-in-law had engaged in within the room.

To Melly’s eyes, the remnants of their lovemaking were still vividly present. On the mahogany cabinet, on the curtains, on the chair back she had clung to while moaning. Everything seemed to be drawing attention to itself.

Melly looked at Edric with anxious eyes.

But he was calmly sipping his tea.

He played the role of the perfect, upright son so naturally that she couldn’t even think to call him shameless.

“I instructed that the room be maintained properly even in your absence, Mother. That’s probably why it looks different to you.”

“I see.”

Eida nodded in understanding.

“That could be why it looks different. Thank you anyway, Edric.”

She seems sharp yet careless at the same time. She accepts things as long as there’s a plausible explanation. And she still doesn’t know her son, now as before.

How casually he has committed misdeeds and transgressions, how mischievous and daring his actions have been behind that neat appearance.

She doesn’t even know that the diamond pendant around her neck, inherited from her mother, has been replaced with a fake cubic zirconia fifteen years ago. She’ll never know until the day she dies.

Melly felt relieved that they hadn’t been caught, but at the same time, her husband seemed even more distant.

She had known it all along, but seeing him act so nonchalantly, as if such lies were nothing, made him seem like a different being from another world.

Trying to forget her troubled feelings, Melly asked cheerfully.

“How was the villa? Was your stay comfortable?”

“It wasn’t uncomfortable at all.”

Eida said with a satisfied smile.

“You should go there sometime if you have the chance. There’s nothing better for a woman’s body than hot springs.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“Edric, while we’re at it, why don’t you write an access pass for Melly to the villa as well.”

Eida said, looking at her son. It was her way of showing generosity.

Edric put down his teacup and said calmly.

“That won’t be necessary, Mother.”

“…”

“Melly will be able to come and go there freely without an access pass. Because it will soon become Melly’s property.”

“…”

A confused silence swept through the living room of the main house. After a moment, Eida asked Edric, as if confirming what she had heard:

“Become Melly’s property? What do you mean?”

“I was planning to tell you properly after going through the procedures.”

He said, as if regretting having to speak without preparation.

“I intend to give it as an anniversary gift soon.”

“…”

“That Renisis villa you just visited, Mother.”