Chapter 64. Through Those Lips

Enoch gently cupped Ellen’s left cheek with his right hand, the one not stroking her hair.

She flinched momentarily at his touch, but his hand moved smoothly, caressing her skin.

Feeling the warm temperature and soft texture of her skin under his palm, he let out another inexplicable sigh.

“Your face is red.”

“……!”

She pursed her lips and quickly looked away. Once he mentioned her face was red, it turned even redder, almost like an autumn apple.

“It’s because it’s hot….”

“What’s hot? It’s not even that hot yet.”

Freuden’s real summer starts at the end of June. It could be considered hot from July to August, and before that, the weather was just moderately warm.

“I actually get hot easily.”

“Liar.”

Lucy, who had quietly stepped down from the bed, softly padded across the carpet to her own cushion. Enoch easily drew Ellen’s gaze back to him by lightly tapping her cheek.

Her clear, watery eyes looked up at him again. A satisfied smile lingered on Enoch’s lips.

“How is it?”

“Pardon?”

“Having your head stroked.”

Ellen hesitated, seemingly unsure of how to respond, and Enoch waited quietly, watching her.

Waiting in silence until someone spoke wasn’t in his nature, but he could be patient when it came to Ellen.

“…I think it’s nice.”

“Really? Then how about this?”

He gently stroked her cheek with one finger, and Ellen blinked rapidly in confusion, her lips parting slightly.

“Why are you asking….”

“…Or, how about this?”

This time, his thumb touched her lower lip. Ellen flinched noticeably. Was she startled just from a little touch on her lips? Enoch smirked briefly. He felt a strong urge to slip between her lips and touch the inside of her mouth.

But before he could act on it, a firm knock sounded from outside the door.

Knock, knock—

The calm, low noise abruptly broke whatever tension had been building between them.

Ellen quickly pushed his hand away and stood up, and Enoch let out a shallow laugh as he watched her retreating figure. He felt like he had just lost prey that had been within his grasp.

“What is it?”

“I’ve brought your meal, Miss.”

His prey hurried to the vanity, picked up a brush, and quickly tidied her hair. Without sparing him a glance, she then sat primly on the sofa.

“Come in.”

The door opened, and maids entered, pushing a cart. Enoch got up from the bed, deliberately tousling his hair even more to look like he had just rolled around.

Sure enough, one of the maids flinched slightly upon seeing his disheveled appearance, then quickly lowered her gaze.

Enoch grinned and plopped down next to Ellen, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and planting a light kiss on her cheek.

“……!”

Ellen flinched violently, and the sound of the maid placing the dishes on the table seemed unusually loud.

Enoch looked at Ellen, who was trembling in his arms, with great satisfaction. She always trembled like this when he teased her, as if she couldn’t bear the anger and shame.

Laughing cheerfully, Enoch unbuttoned a few more buttons on his shirt. He wanted to take it off entirely and be free of this suffocating feeling, but he decided against it, thinking the lady in his arms might faint.

The maids finished setting the table and stepped back, standing against the wall. Enoch grabbed Ellen with both hands and pulled her up.

She glared at him as if he were her mortal enemy, then predictably pushed his hands away.

Heh, really. Enoch chuckled softly and muttered as he followed her. Soon, they were seated across from each other at the table.

Enoch asked Ellen, who picked up her utensils with a sullen face.

“You’re hungry, aren’t you?”

“…Yes.”

Her short reply was as cold as ice. Ellen, looking as if she wanted nothing to do with him, stuffed food into her mouth with a face that seemed to scream ‘refusal to communicate.’

Watching her cheeks puff up, Enoch chuckled and said,

“You look like a squirrel storing food, Ellen.”

“……”

Seeing that she might throw her knife at him if he teased her any further, Enoch decided to stop and signaled to a maid. He had no appetite and just wanted to drink.

Soon, a maid brought a bottle of wine and some fruit. Ellen, noticing the wine, swallowed her food and asked quietly,

“…Wine again?”

“Yes. Why?”

As the maid expertly poured the wine, filling the glass with the deep red liquid, Ellen said,

“…No reason.”

Hmm, Enoch hummed softly as he lifted the glass. The subtle aroma of the wine was quite pleasant.

“Do you think I’m living recklessly too?”

It was a question he asked half in jest. Ellen hesitated for a moment, then, looking at him cautiously, answered quietly, “Yes.” Enoch swallowed the wine he had in his mouth and chuckled. One of the things he valued about her was that she didn’t try to flatter him clumsily.

“I don’t plan to live long. When it’s time to go, I’ll go.”

That was his philosophy in life. He wouldn’t neglect his duties, but he had no great attachment to life. Nor did he intend to be swayed by others.

“…Me too….”

Ellen hesitated, then continued,

“…I don’t plan to live long either.”

“You?”

“…Yes, really.”

Her voice sounded oddly peculiar, but just then, the cat jumped onto the table, meowing for food, and Enoch’s attention was diverted.

The maids quickly picked up the cat, soothing it and filling its bowl. Ellen, seemingly forgetting her earlier anger, smiled and continued eating, while Enoch watched her with a relaxed gaze.

The reddish sunset painted the western sky, marking a peaceful evening.

* * *

It felt like she had been crying mindlessly for three hours.

However, as she slowly became aware of the musty smell of the cramped room, Margot stopped crying and pulled herself together.

She stood up from the creaky wooden chair and looked around.

The window was cloudy with grime, dust covered the windowsill, the wooden walls and floor showed signs of patchwork repairs, and cobwebs hung from the corners of the ceiling…

This old, dirty, and cramped room was where she and the Lopez family would have to live from now on.

But Helene and Melissa were exceptions.

Beatrice, upon hearing the news of the Lopez family’s bankruptcy, unexpectedly offered to take in her nieces.

‘I can’t take care of the boy. I’ll only take Helene and Melissa. I’m helping because I feel sorry for my sister-in-law, but it’s difficult to marry both Helene and Melissa into noble families. It’s even harder with the current situation. It would be fortunate if they could marry well before their prime years pass.’

In other words, she would help Helene and Melissa get married, but they shouldn’t expect much.

A faint laugh escaped Margot’s lips.

The reason Beatrice was ignoring Anthony was… not because she couldn’t take care of a boy, but because Anthony wasn’t Beatrice’s biological nephew.

After all, Beatrice was a connection from her late ex-husband. It was inevitable.

Margot, staring blankly into space, naturally recalled the past. The time when she was the wife of the old, ugly transporter…

After that Walter Dussolier died absurdly… Having to beg Beatrice for help felt like the same humiliation all over again.

She never thought such a thing would happen twice in her life.

Margot laughed nervously, her shoulders trembling. The only consolation was that Victor still worked at the court’s foreign ministry. Although he had lost his title.

The Lopez family was no longer a ‘barony.’

That meant Margot was no longer a ‘baroness.’

The sharp laughter that escaped her lips soon turned into sobs. Suddenly, everything felt pointless. All her efforts to live as a noble were in vain… If only it weren’t for Anthony’s debt…

‘No, no. My son did nothing wrong.’

It was the poverty of the Lopez family, unable to repay that trivial debt, and Victor’s incompetence. And the Grand Duke of Bayern. The man who bought the bonds…

‘Ellen seduced that man. To get revenge on me… to ruin my life!’

Her deep, vast despair quickly transformed into a fierce, blazing rage. Margot’s once empty eyes ignited with fire. It was all because of that girl. She should have gotten rid of her sooner. Just like that foreign woman, her real mother…

Margot’s action of biting her lip came to an abrupt halt.

As if realizing something astonishing, her eyes widened, and she suddenly burst into laughter.

“Ah… Now that I think about it, that’s right. You will never know, Ellen.”

What killed your mother.

Who made that mad woman die, and who stood by and watched.

Margot’s laughter grew louder. It was so delightful she could hardly stand it.

Yes, live your whole life not knowing. No one will ever tell you. No one…

Margot laughed until she was out of breath, relishing the privilege of mocking poor Ellen, joyfully and for a long time.