Chapter 30

As the door slowly opened, a familiar silhouette appeared.

It was Ian.

Ian, as he appeared, was still beautiful. When he found Lorraine sitting on the sofa, his face showed a slightly surprised expression. He truly had not expected Lorraine to come looking for him.

“Lady Lorraine! How on earth…?”

It was a familiar voice that made her heart flutter just by hearing it. Contrary to her resolve to apologize as soon as she saw him, Lorraine found it difficult to open her lips when she actually faced Ian. He smiled, looking somewhat flustered. That smile made Lorraine’s chest tighten.

‘…Is he really smiling now?’

Lorraine thought he was forcing himself to smile. Perhaps he did not want to see her, but was smiling out of courtesy. Maybe he still held onto the words that had hurt him, forcing a smile so as not to show it. Thoughts like these crashed over her like waves.

More than a greeting, Lorraine wanted to apologize first. Whatever his feelings, the first thing she had to say to the man standing here, smiling, was just one thing.

After a moment’s hesitation, Lorraine spoke.

“I’m sorry for coming suddenly. There’s something I must say to you in person, Viscount.”

Ian looked at Lorraine as if he still could not believe she was standing before him.

“No, I never imagined you would come all the way here, Lady Lorraine. Thank you for coming.”

At Ian’s gentle tone, Lorraine felt her nervous heart calm a little. Why had she misunderstood such a kind person for so long?

“Ian, I came to apologize to you.”

Lorraine’s lips trembled slightly, but her voice was clear. At Lorraine’s words, Ian’s eyes widened as he looked at her.

“Apologize? What do you mean…”

Looking straight at Ian, Lorraine stepped closer to him and continued with heartfelt words.

“Actually… When you said you would take responsibility for me, when you said you loved me…, I thought you couldn’t possibly mean it. I believed you only said those things out of a sense of duty, because of our first night together.”

Lorraine confessed honestly. Even the brief moment she paused for breath was painfully hard.

“I… misjudged you. I judged you based on my own prejudices and only listened to what others said. Even then, I never tried to see your true feelings…. It wasn’t you who made me believe those rumors, it was me. I was deceiving myself.”

Lorraine tightly clasped her hands, thinking of the wounds she might have left him. She felt her face grow hot, unable to look at Ian. Her voice trembled so much it was hard to get the words out.

“But looking back, the one who treated me most sincerely was you, Ian. You were honest from the start, but I doubted and turned away from you. I’m sorry, Ian. Truly, I’m sorry.”

Thinking of how much she had lived trapped in prejudice, and how much pain she had caused Ian, Lorraine felt even her apology was not enough.

Lorraine quietly closed her eyes. This time, she hoped her true feelings would be conveyed. A moment of silence passed, and Ian quietly watched her. He seemed unable to decide what to say, or perhaps frustrated.

Then, Ian hesitated and stepped closer to Lorraine, gently taking her wrist. When Ian’s hand touched hers after so long, Lorraine’s heart pounded. His touch was still warm and soft.

“Just the fact that you came all the way here yourself is enough to make me happy.”

Ian’s low voice was as warm as his touch. Lorraine carefully raised her head. When their eyes met, Ian’s face was tinged with a faint blush and a deep emotion.

“Lady Lorraine. Thank you for speaking honestly.”

Ian brought his slightly trembling hand to Lorraine’s cheek. His face was mixed with longing and affection. He had always shown only a relaxed, perfect appearance, but now he seemed much more at ease.

Only then did Lorraine feel a bit relieved. She felt a belated sense of comfort that Ian had accepted her apology.

“The reason I suddenly left Mostar was because of a personal matter. I was planning to return soon…. I never left because I disliked you or was hurt by your words. I just had something personal to attend to and had to come to the capital.”

Ian spoke urgently, afraid Lorraine might misunderstand. Then, awkwardly, he met her gaze with a shy smile.

Seeing Ian’s smiling face, Lorraine’s heart ached. Even in this situation, Ian’s thoughtfulness in assuring her that he did not leave Mostar because of her was both comforting and made her feel guilty.

Ian hesitated for a moment, then spoke carefully.

“And when I returned to Mostar…, I wanted to explain properly about all the rumors that had been floating around about me. I thought I had a responsibility to clarify everything.”

Ian’s voice was firm, his eyes full of deep resolve. Lorraine’s breath caught at his words. Each of his words sent ripples through her heart. To have misunderstood such a man—her regret welled up again, but now warmer, more thrilling emotions took precedence.

“You don’t need to explain yourself. I was the one who judged you carelessly. Viscount, you… did nothing wrong. If someone else started those rumors, why should you have to explain? If they were started by others, then they should explain themselves.”

At Lorraine’s words, Ian blinked for a while, unable to answer. Then, after briefly touching his lips, he smiled softly.

“Lady Lorraine, are you worried about me, thinking I might be struggling?”

She could not delay any longer. Lorraine took a deep breath, steeling herself, and spoke.

“There’s something I truly want to say to you.”

Lorraine looked straight into Ian’s eyes and spoke with determined resolve.

“This time… I want to formally propose a relationship to you, Viscount.”

Lorraine’s confession was calm and resolute. Hearing her words, Ian froze in place. He parted his lips in surprise, unable to speak easily. Even as Ian reacted, Lorraine did not avoid his gaze.

“…What did you just say?”

Ian’s expression wavered, visibly struggling to contain his emotions. Lorraine stepped closer to him.

“You are far more wonderful than any man I ever imagined. Viscount, I want to be your lover.”

Ian stared at her in a daze, as if savoring her words, then looked away and cleared his throat. The tips of his ears turned red. When he looked back, his eyes were full of warmth.

After a long silence, Ian finally spoke.

“To hear those words directly from you… I am truly, truly happy, Lady Lorraine.”

Ian spoke in a low, deep voice. As he firmly held both of Lorraine’s hands, she could feel his trembling heart.

“Then, are we lovers now, Lady Lorraine?”

Even without words, the atmosphere between them was clear. Lorraine felt a surge of emotion welling up from deep within her chest at Ian’s words. The feelings she had been unable to express for so long finally felt whole.

Lorraine held Ian’s hand tightly and smiled.

“Yes. From now on… we can be lovers who trust each other.”

Lorraine smiled softly as she spoke. When Ian returned her bright smile, Lorraine realized that he had truly opened his heart. Thus, the two of them stood facing each other for a long time. They smiled at one another, no longer guarded.

As misunderstandings were resolved and pent-up emotions began to melt away, something warm and intense remained between them. Lorraine felt as if she was finally beginning a conversation she hadn’t been able to share with anyone for a very long time.

“By the way, Lady Lorraine, have you had dinner?”

“No, not yet. In fact, I came here as soon as I arrived in the capital….”

Ian smiled at her reply.

“In that case, let’s have a meal right away.”

The two of them slowly stood up together. As they walked side by side down the corridor, a comfortable silence settled between them, as natural and easy as the days they had spent together in Mostar.