Chapter 10 – I’ll Make You Blush

Raven rubbed the back of his neck.

He had succeeded in removing one of the main causes that made Liliana want a divorce. If Rachel was the minor culprit, the Grand Madam was the major one. But he had no intention of letting her go easily.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

Rachel, raised gently, would soon confess everything they had done, just as Raven wanted. Kreuten was like Raven’s own small kingdom. The King wouldn’t care what happened to those who belonged here.

According to military law, anyone who disobeyed a superior could not avoid a bloody purge. And Raven was a soldier, determined to give back as much as Liliana had suffered. Raven smiled coldly.

“Raven!”

Liliana, dressed up, came out of the dressing room. The money he’d spent was worth it; she shone from head to toe. With flushed cheeks, she walked out shyly, and Raven held out his hand. People walking by stared at Liliana, who radiated like the afternoon sun.

In contrast to Raven, whose name meant ‘crow’, Liliana had radiant platinum hair and pale blue eyes. Her voluptuous figure, which couldn’t be hidden by any dress, was one of the reasons Raven was always drawn to her. Raven held Liliana’s waist tightly and pulled her close.

“Lily.”

“Do… do I look alright? I’ve never worn a dress like this before…”

“It’s the latest fashion, I hear.”

Raven narrowed his eyes and smiled. All the clothes Liliana wore in the mansion were ones she’d brought before marriage.

‘I should have all her clothes newly tailored.’

Rachel and the Grand Madam had said Liliana was too frugal to buy new dresses, but their words were all lies. It was highly likely they’d embezzled the budget allocated for the Duchess. Raven kissed Liliana’s forehead.

He intended to give Liliana everything she’d been denied, everything she deserved. Liliana was different from the thieves coveting his position. She was the one who would become Raven’s true family.

Silvia had said it would take some time to detoxify Liliana from the bad medicines she’d been forced to take, but that pregnancy wasn’t impossible and her health would soon improve. Raven hid his complicated feelings and let his black eyes shine.

‘Mother, Damon has to inherit that position.’

How shamelessly they spoke, without knowing their place. The Grand Madam seemed to have completely forgotten her own status. Raven’s father had taken the Grand Madam, the daughter of a poor tenant farmer, as Raven’s stepmother for a reason. He thought a poor farmer’s daughter would never dare dream big.

They were commoners, so how could they covet a Duchy? His father had often told Raven,

‘You are the master of this house, Raven. Your stepmother is just a commoner. She can’t even dream of anything outrageous. So show her mercy.’

To Raven, the Grand Madam and her children were objects of pity, guilt, and debt, rather than true family. But that was shattered when they harmed Liliana, who was to become Raven’s real family. Raven caressed Liliana’s bare shoulder.

The feel of her skin in his palm excited him. Raven whispered softly to Liliana.

“It suits you well, Liliana.”

Liliana blushed, fiddling with her dress hem. It was completely different from what the Grand Madam and Rachel had said to her.

‘I’ve never seen such a country bumpkin. No dress suits you. Spending money on you is a waste! Don’t even think about leaving this mansion, it’s embarrassing!’

‘With your pig-like flabby flesh, what dress would ever suit you?’

However, Liliana decided to trust Raven’s words more than those who had treated her badly, and gathered her courage. Pushing aside the embarrassment that made her want to take off the dress immediately, Liliana nodded. Being in Raven’s arms made her feel as if everything would be alright.

Raven, who had saved her from the maids, now seemed almost like a savior. Liliana even felt sorry for ever thinking Raven was just like the others. Despite being a soldier, he wasn’t frightening; he may have been angry at first, but he was kind. Now, he rarely even got angry. Liliana glanced at Raven’s profile.

Of course, Raven’s true feelings were very different from Liliana’s. He didn’t want Liliana trembling in fear. Raven was learning to suppress his anger. Liliana, innocent as she was, didn’t realize that anger held inside was much more dangerous and deep than anger shown on the surface.

Raven had lived as a soldier for a long time. He knew dozens of ways to handle things secretly without Liliana knowing. And although Liliana wore a transparent face that knew nothing of passion…

In Raven’s mind, Liliana had been ruined countless times. He imagined lifting her pure dress hem and leaving marks all over her body. Her pale skin always showed marks easily. He thought that maybe if he kissed and touched every inch of her skin, his desire might subside a little. Or perhaps, if he entered her hundreds of times, he might regain some self-control.

Raven brushed Liliana’s forehead. Seeing her smile so brightly, unaware of his thoughts, made him feel wicked. Raven held Liliana’s wrist, lingering over her skin. He wished Liliana could recognize these signals, but she only smiled innocently.

Just seeing her exposed chest made Raven ache below. He felt like today’s patrol around the territory, and the entire day, would be very long.

***

After spending the day pressed close to Raven, unintentionally torturing him, Liliana returned after her bath. Her flushed cheeks and the thick scent she carried from the bathroom immediately stirred Raven.

The maids who had assisted Liliana in the bath bowed and left the bedroom. Liliana fiddled with her sleeve and glanced at Raven. Sitting like a statue on the sofa and watching her, Raven looked truly handsome. He seemed like a bronze statue crafted with care by the gods, almost sacred, as if he shouldn’t be touched.

Whenever she stood before Raven, whose military discipline and restraint seemed to seep from him, Liliana found herself curling her toes for no reason. She crawled awkwardly and sat on the bed.

“Why are you looking at me like that? It’s time to sleep now… Raven, aren’t you going to sleep?”

Raven, his gaze soaked in darkness, stared at Liliana in silence for a long time. With Raven saying nothing, Liliana gave a small, awkward cough.

“Aren’t you sleeping, Raven?”

“Ah.”

Raven replied, almost as if sighing. In fact, Raven was imagining scenes Liliana couldn’t even fathom. He pictured undressing Liliana’s robe, lifting her nightgown… in short, making her a mess.

He imagined Liliana writhing, soaked in white fluid.

He imagined Liliana losing herself in pleasure.

He imagined rubbing himself against the mound of her chest, reaching the peak of pleasure.

He imagined greedily entering between her thighs as she moved her hips.

Those were the kinds of things he was thinking. Raven, eyes red beneath, spoke.

“We should sleep.”

At last, Liliana patted the spot beside her. It had only been a few weeks, but she’d already grown used to sleeping at Raven’s side, drawn to the sweet sleep she found there.

“Come here, Raven.”

Liliana said shyly. Raven, like an obedient dog, sat beside her. The scent of Liliana, fresh from her bath, wafted over him. The reason he’d managed to keep his composure until now was thanks to his tremendous effort.

But—

Raven couldn’t hold back and spoke through clenched teeth.

“…May I?”

“Pardon?”

Raven, revealing his raw feelings, blinked as he spoke.

“May I suck your chest?”

At first, Liliana thought she’d misheard him. But seeing Raven’s utterly serious expression, she realized he was speaking sincerely. He truly wanted to do it. Liliana opened her mouth slightly, then closed it again.

Should she refuse?

But why?

Even if they were in the midst of divorce mediation, Liliana and Raven were married. And married couples could ask for comfort from each other if they wished. Besides, he wasn’t asking to go all the way… After hesitating, Liliana nodded slightly.

“Just sucking, right?”

Raven nodded and pulled Liliana closer. Now that he had permission, there was no need to hesitate. He pushed aside Liliana’s robe and pulled down her nightgown. He pressed his lips to her pale chest mound, then took her flushed n*pple into his mouth.

He sucked hard.

“Ha!”

Liliana’s body trembled instantly. Raven sucked her n*pple, making wet sounds, then gently nibbled it. The sight, as if red juice might burst forth, was so lovely that Raven held Liliana’s waist tightly as she tried to pull away.

“R-Raven…!”

Liliana’s face quickly turned red at his persistent attention to her chest. Not knowing what to do, her small hand rested on his shoulder. Before long, her unstable position shifted and Liliana lay back on the bed. Raven, paying no attention to anything else, focused entirely on sucking her chest like a child.