Chapter 10

As Estelle’s stay at the western villa lengthened, so did her time with Raphael.

Since Estelle had been caught after trying to abandon him and escape, Raphael did not punish her, but sometimes acted mischievously. For example, he brought servants to attend to them at the villa, but did not hide his relationship with Estelle in front of them.

He embraced her and even kissed her lightly anywhere, as if she were a lover rather than a sister.

Naturally, Estelle refused to accept his displays of affection in front of the servants, but each time, she was met with gentle threats.

― If you don’t accept me, shall I show you what happens to the servants here? That wouldn’t be so bad. I’d probably find you adorable, even if you screamed out of fear.

Estelle, overwhelmed by the honest whisper, gave up resisting out of fear.

As Estelle’s complexion gradually recovered, Raphael began to call her to the bedroom.

Estelle could no longer stop him, who seemed to be walking the path of ruin. Even when he persistently sought her out at the main residence of the Dukedom, if Estelle wanted, he would at least avoid the servants’ eyes during their intimacy.

But at the western villa, though the bedroom itself was not displayed openly, his summons became frequent—calls that practically announced that they were mixing their bodies together. Raphael’s indifference to the spreading rumors about their forbidden relationship within noble society was striking.

She herself could not refuse such calls…. Once again, she had to endure beneath him.

At dawn, faint light shone through the window, but Estelle, who had been overwhelmed by him, could barely hold onto her consciousness.

Her limbs were limp, and the skin between her thighs was numb. Yet Raphael, still not finished, held her tightly and moved his hips.

His hardness repeatedly pressed against her womb, and his release showed no hesitation, as if he meant to accept everything even if she became pregnant.

After their intimacy at the western villa, Estelle realized the servants no longer gave her contraceptive tea. It was a unilateral order from Raphael, regardless of her wishes.

But Raphael simply smiled, acting as if it was nothing.

Estelle wondered if, after failing to escape and being caught by him, she would face severe punishment. Many thoughts tangled in her mind, but in the end, she was subjected to a different kind of punishment.

Raphael wanted to have a child.

She never expected this.

Right now the servants could not leave the western villa, so no rumors leaked out. But the moment they left this place, Raphael’s honor as the Young Duke would surely be finished. And yet he intended to plant the seed of a child in the womb of the woman who was supposed to be his sister….

She had tried desperately to escape to avoid such an ending. When that fear became reality, Estelle felt dizzy rather than tearful.

“Uhh….”

Unable to endure the headache, she let out a small moan, but Raphael’s movements continued. His blue eyes burned intensely as he neared his climax, his gestures desperate as if he wanted to consume every part of her.

Soon,

“Hh, ahh, ugh!”

His hips pressed deeply, reaching the very entrance of her womb, and thrust firmly. Estelle, already exhausted from the overwhelming sensation, arched her back.

“Please, please….”

She begged with a pleading tone, but Raphael greedily released himself inside her. Only after twisting his hips to squeeze out the last drop did Raphael wear the satisfied expression of a full predator.

Her moans quieted.

“Kh…”

Estelle coughed, her throat sore from all the crying. She wanted water. Raphael, who was enjoying the afterglow with her, quickly sensed her need. Her contracted entrance still clung to him, their bodies still joined.

Raphael pulled the blanket lying at his feet up to his waist and called the servant waiting outside the door. Upon his order for water, the servant soon brought a tray and quietly left the bedroom after placing it by the bedside.

He reached for the glass of water, but did not withdraw himself from her. Instead, wanting to personally give water to Estelle, he brought the glass to his lips.

He held the water in his mouth and leaned down to press his lips to Estelle’s, but she turned her face away slightly—a sign of refusal.

Raphael’s eyebrow twitched as he tried to kiss her again. Estelle, exhausted, asked,

“Is this fun for you?”

Her question was far from pleasant. Still, he smiled deliberately and grabbed Estelle’s chin. Their lips met.

He pushed the water he had held in his mouth down Estelle’s throat, then gently licked her gums with his blunt tongue. With a soft sound, their lips parted, wet with moisture.

His answer came a moment later.

“Yes, it’s fun. It’s thrilling, Estelle.”

Did he find pleasure in such destructive acts that ruined himself?

Estelle blinked slowly and thought for a moment. It was frustrating that everything was unfolding as she had predicted. She wondered if there was nothing she could do to stop the pleasure he poured onto her, but Estelle still couldn’t give up. She clung to one hope.

Perhaps, to break off her relationship with Raphael, she would have to choose a method more drastic than simply running away.

Was it fortunate that she had exchanged a few words with Emily just before arriving at the western villa?

She couldn’t hide her complicated emotions.

With unfocused eyes, she barely looked up at Raphael’s face and spoke.

“You know that the more you do this, the deeper you fall into the pit yourself.”

“Are you going to say something so cliché again, Estelle? All the servants already know about us.”

“If you stop now, you can still turn things back.”

Her cracked voice was barely audible, squeezed out with effort.

At her final words, Raphael frowned. He placed the glass of water on the side table, his displeasure evident but expertly concealed.

“If you’re going to talk about something trivial, why not move on to another topic? For example, the fact that Father is still looking for another marriage proposal to replace Duke Blythe. If you leave the western villa, you’ll have to meet other men for another marriage, most of them candidates Father has chosen.”

His smile appeared cheerful, but inside, he wanted to destroy every candidate chosen for her.

Estelle could sense his true feelings in his cold blue eyes. She was breathless. Biting her trembling lower lip, she barely responded.

“But continuing this relationship won’t solve anything.”

“That’s right. So shouldn’t we finish it?”

As he finished speaking, he gently moved his hips again, kissing Estelle’s forehead. Then he kissed her cheek and muttered his next words.

“I don’t care about reputation. That so-called sense of privilege comes from the rights and wealth granted by the family. I was born an illegitimate child, so how could I fully understand the noble ecosystem? That’s why, if I have to choose, I want what I desperately desire.”

Estelle couldn’t even ask what that desperate desire was. Raphael was about to inherit the family soon…. He harbored dangerous thoughts. For Raphael, who would become a grand noble, to deny noble privilege was itself a rebellion.

Estelle was shocked by the increasing movement of his hips, but she couldn’t continue her thoughts. She willingly accepted him again, his flesh moving up and down within her.

She had no strength left to reciprocate…. Yet, instinctively, she accepted him. Even when Estelle pretended to push him away in disgust, Raphael never believed it. The body doesn’t lie.

With lewd sounds filling the air, Estelle’s breaths grew thin, as if they might break.

“Hng….”

A nasal sound slipped out. Her vision was so blurred that it wouldn’t have been strange to lose consciousness right then. Even so, the heavy scent of Raphael lingered at the tip of her nose.

She had to admit it. No matter how many times she denied it, whenever overwhelming sensations filled her in Raphael’s arms, she could forget the harsh reality. Sometimes, in his gestures that only craved her, Estelle felt an inexplicable sense of elevation.

He truly loves me. He really desires me.

That was why she couldn’t speak her true feelings. It was Estelle’s way of protecting the one she loved. If they both knew each other’s hearts, Raphael would reveal even more destructive sides.

Whether their love was fulfilled or not, the result would never be good. It was a relationship that could never be blessed….

So Estelle couldn’t stop her falling tears and burst into sobs again. Raphael wiped her tears with his tongue, and only at lunchtime did he finally leave the bedroom.