Chapter 10

Their hot breaths mingled. When Damon pulled out, white s*men leaked out a bit. After a quick cleanup, it seemed they needed to return to the mansion right away. Lilia exhaled and smiled languidly.

“Damon.”

“…?”

“Were you jealous? How cute…”

“…I’m not cute.”

At his sulky remark, she giggled softly. After the intense lovemaking, her whole body felt weak, unable to move. She used her fingers to wipe away the s*men inside her with a handkerchief and straightened her dress. As Damon expected, the kiss marks he left all over her body couldn’t be hidden even with the dress on.

Her hair was also a mess, so she just let it down completely. Her appearance had changed a bit from earlier, so people might notice, but there was nothing she could do.

“Damon, what are you going to do about all this?”

“Hmm…”

“You made these, so you have to take responsibility.”

Of all things, she was wearing an off-shoulder dress, so the top of her chest was exposed. Even covering it with her hair had its limits.

“Or… should we just go out like this? Let everyone know we had s*x here? Yes?”

“I’m sorry. So, please don’t say things like that.”

He picked up the coat he’d left on the railing and wrapped it around her body. The coat was so big it covered all of Lilia. For some reason, she felt a bit embarrassed. The moment he saw Eiran kiss her foot earlier, he almost punched him.

His bitter feelings melted away like snow when Lilia said he was the only one for her. In any case, the person by her side now was Damon. Since Eiran said he would contact Lilia, Damon thought he should intercept and destroy any letters before she could see them. With that in mind, Damon left the terrace with Lilia. Some people glanced their way, but the stares quickly scattered.

Luckily, it seemed no one noticed anything. But Eiran was different. He watched the Fortein Duke and Duchess intently from afar while drinking wine. Her hair was completely let down, and her dress was slightly disheveled. The large coat covering Lilia’s shoulders was suspicious. If he lifted the coat, he would surely see the kiss marks all over her white skin.

‘Why did she say she wanted to break up with me?’

Eiran couldn’t understand. Just a few days ago, Lilia had treated him kindly. She didn’t always smile, but sometimes she did, and he felt a sense of superiority knowing her beautiful smile was only for him. Damon even seemed a bit pitiful. But now, the situation had changed.

Lilia never looked back at Eiran as she left. She clung to Damon, smiling only at him. Eiran didn’t love her, but he couldn’t help feeling twisted inside.

‘Is this a new rebellion? Wanting me to only look at her?’

It seemed possible. If Lilia was as perceptive as he thought, she might have realized Eiran didn’t love her. He decided to give in just this once. He still didn’t dislike Lilia enough to let her go.

She was a bit difficult, but that was her charm. Her rare smiles were beautiful and lingered in his mind all day. He wanted to see her smile, so he treated her better and bought her gifts. Perhaps half the jewelry she owned had been gifts from Eiran. Eiran didn’t realize it, but he was already in love with Lilia.

* * *

“Ha, I’m so tired…”

Fortunately, it seemed no one had found out about their s*x on the terrace. After returning to the mansion and taking a clean bath, while drying her hair, Jane asked,

“Madam, your birthday is in a month. What would you like to do?”

“My birthday?”

“Yes.”

“What did I do last time?”

“Of course, you held a party. Shall we do the same this year?”

Lilia hesitated for a moment before answering.

“No, let’s skip it this time. I still haven’t regained my memory, so it feels uncomfortable.”

“Oh, yes. Understood.”

She grumbled inwardly, wishing she’d been given all of Lilia’s memories along with the possession. She wasn’t some borderland noble, but the Duchess of the Empire. She couldn’t keep living like this. She’d have to participate in social activities, so she would need to study the noble family tree and memorize names soon. She hated studying, but there was no choice.

It was a relief that things like dancing and etiquette came automatically. If she’d had to learn those from scratch too, Lilia might never have left the mansion.

“Madam, your hair is all dry.”

“Thank you.”

After Jane left the room, Lilia went to the couple’s bedroom and sprawled out on the bed. Damon said he’d come after finishing some overdue work. She wondered if he knew her birthday. Since they’d held a party, he must know the date.

Lilia grinned. She’d just thought of a brilliant idea. If he asked what she wanted for her birthday, she’d tell him what she’d just thought of. She waited for Damon with a mischievous smile.

A little later, the door burst open, and Lilia, who had been lying face-down, jumped up and ran out. She threw herself into his arms as he entered the room.

“Damon!”

“Why aren’t you sleeping…”

“I want to sleep with you. I can’t sleep alone.”

Lilia smiled sweetly and rubbed her cheek against his broad chest. If she had a tail, it would be wagging nonstop. His hair was still damp, as if he hadn’t dried it fully. After clinging to him for a while, Lilia pulled away with a satisfied look. When Damon lay down next to her, she snuggled up and asked,

“Damon, do you know what day it is in a month?”

“…Your birthday.”

“You knew?”

Lilia beamed. Damon coughed awkwardly and glanced away.

“If there’s something you want, tell me. I’ll buy you anything.”

“This isn’t something you can buy… But will you still do it?”

“Sure.”

He nodded as if it was nothing. Lilia didn’t hide her sly smile, and Damon belatedly flinched.

She leaned in and whispered softly in his ear. Hearing what Lilia wanted for her birthday, Damon’s ears turned bright red.

“Lilia, that’s… too…!”

“It only comes once a year… Won’t you do it for me?”

Lilia pinched her thigh secretly, making her eyes glisten as if she might cry. Looking at her with eyes that seemed ready to burst into tears, he finally squeezed his eyes shut and nodded.

“Fine. I get it, so don’t cry.”

“Oh, really? You promised me.”

Lilia instantly erased her tears and smiled brightly. Damon realized too late that he’d been tricked, but since he’d promised, he couldn’t break it.

“Don’t you want anything else?”

“That’s enough for me.”

Lilia wished the month would pass quickly. She thought that day would be the best day in the world. By now, Eiran, whom she’d met at the party, had long vanished from her thoughts.

* * *

The next morning, Damon woke up before Lilia and carefully got out of bed. The party they’d attended yesterday must have been exhausting, because she was sound asleep, not even noticing if someone carried her away.

“Mm…”

As she turned over, her negligée slipped down a bit. Damon, looking embarrassed, gently covered her with the blanket, careful not to wake her. He considered waking her, but she’d looked especially tired yesterday, so he decided against it.

Damon softly kissed Lilia’s sleeping lips, then left the bedroom and headed to his study. Noah, who had been waiting, approached. Damon glanced at him and spoke.

“Are there any letters for Lilia?”

“Yes, Master.”

Noah took out several envelopes from his pocket. Damon took them, sorted through them, and removed the one stamped with the Marquis Levelox’s seal before handing the rest back.

“From now on, if any letters arrive for Lilia from the Marquis Levelox, show them to me first. The rest don’t matter.”

“Yes, Master.”

He wasn’t curious about the contents, but decided to read it anyway. He wondered what nonsense it contained. Tearing it open, he began to read. The first sentence made him grip the paper tightly.

‘My love Lilia? What utter nonsense.’

Damon’s expression hardened as he read the letter. It said not to worry about what was said yesterday, and suggested they go on a trip to the outskirts soon. As soon as he finished reading the last sentence, Damon tore the letter to shreds and threw it in the trash.

Now, Eiran and Lilia were complete strangers. She was Damon’s wife, and Eiran was just an unwanted guest. He’d tolerate it once, but not twice. With that thought, Damon went to the bathroom.

Meanwhile, Lilia woke up late, yawning and stretching. Her body felt sore after having s*x in an uncomfortable place yesterday. Damon was already gone, leaving the spot next to her empty. Feeling a bit disappointed, she pouted.

“He could’ve woken me up for a morning kiss.”

She quickly tidied her messy hair and went to wash up, finding Jane already waiting in the room.

“Good morning, Madam.”

“Mm. Did you sleep well, Jane?”

“Yes. I’ve drawn your bath, so you can go right in.”

The best thing about being here was that someone always helped her bathe. In Korea, she’d found bathing a hassle, but here, it was so convenient. Of course, it was embarrassing to have someone see her body, but she managed. After finishing her bath, Lilia said to Jane,

“Jane, could you bring me the noble family tree?”

“The family tree?”

“Yeah. Since my memory isn’t coming back, I think I’ll have to study it again. I can’t just stay in the mansion forever.”

“Yes, understood.”