Epilogue.2

Now, the two of them lay together, feeling each other’s warmth in the lingering afterglow. Ian gazed down at Lorraine with gentle eyes.  

“…I never thought you’d become this precious to me.”  

It was an honest, if shy, confession. When Lorraine looked up at Ian and carefully shared her feelings, Ian softly brushed back her damp hair and smiled.  

“I’m just grateful you think of me that way.”  

Ian lifted her hand and gently kissed it. The heat between them had subsided, but the warmth blossoming between them grew deeper.  

“Aren’t you tired?”  

“A little. But tonight, I don’t want to fall asleep early.”  

Lorraine looked at him with a languid smile, lightly stroking his arm with her fingertips. She felt they were finally sharing honest emotions.  

“Lady Lorraine. If you’re comfortable, I’d like to tell you about the rumors about me in the capital.”  

Ian spoke in a low, gentle voice, a hint of resolve in his tone, as if he were finally revealing something long buried in his heart.  

Lorraine quietly nodded. They had already cleared up so many misunderstandings; this time, she truly wanted to hear his story in full.  

“I have older sisters, and since I was young, I was always surrounded by women. I was taught that treating women kindly was proper etiquette, so it became second nature to me. But when I entered society, some people took that the wrong way.”  

Ian’s voice was calm.  

“Kindness meant nothing to me, but people sometimes saw it differently. And as more women began to like me, people started to misunderstand, calling me ‘a man who handles women well.”  

Ian slowly unraveled the tangled story behind the rumors. Lorraine listened quietly, saying nothing. Ian gave a faint, bitter smile and continued.  

“Then, when I broke up with a girl I’d dated briefly as a child, for some reason she spread rumors. ‘Ian Lindsay plays with women and discards them easily.’ As that story spread, people believed I was that kind of man. In the end, in society, I became known as a reckless man who seduces and discards women easily. The rumors piled up, and that’s how my reputation was made in the capital.”  

He spoke as if he were used to it, but his sad face revealed how deeply it had hurt him. His voice grew quieter.  

“I never made any statement. I knew the rumors weren’t true, but I thought no one would believe me if I denied them, and at the time, explaining seemed pointless. I figured it would die down with time. But my silence only caused more misunderstanding. In the end, my reputation is partly my fault.”  

Ian trailed off and bowed his head slightly, self-mockery in his voice. Lorraine, without hesitation, wrapped her hand around his. Seeing Ian blame himself for something so painful hurt her deeply.  

“You did nothing wrong, Viscount.”  

“But my indifference did let the rumors grow.”  

Ian smiled gently and looked at her.  

“I’ll have to be more careful from now on.”  

He had lived under that prejudice for so long. Ian had never been a reckless man. He was simply kind and polite, but that very nature had led to misunderstanding.  

Listening to Ian’s story, Lorraine reflected on herself once again. How easily she had accepted the prejudice against him, how long it had taken her to accept his sincerity after judging him by the image in the rumors.  

“Really… I’m sorry.”  

Lorraine apologized again. But this time, it wasn’t just regret—she wanted to share his pain.  

“From now on, I’ll look at you and trust you properly.”  

Lorraine quietly bowed her head. She, too, had been part of the unfair gaze he suffered. That fact still weighed on her heart. Ian smiled softly and ran his fingers through Lorraine’s hair.  

“Can I trust you?”  

Without hesitation, Lorraine nodded.  

“Yes. From now on, I’ll never doubt you.”  

Ian’s eyes softened.  

“I’ll be clear in my actions from now on. I won’t avoid things anymore. I’ve already caused you pain; I can’t let more rumors start.”  

Ian slowly leaned in and cupped her face.  

“Then, from now on…”  

His warm breath drew closer. As Ian lowered his head, Lorraine naturally closed her eyes. His warm lips gently covered hers. Lorraine closed her eyes, accepting his kiss. It felt as if all the emotions they hadn’t been able to express were finally being conveyed.  

* * *

In the garden of the Lindsay mansion, the morning sunlight gently streamed down as Eleanor waved a handkerchief, seeing the two off. Smiling brightly and waving, Eleanor Lindsay was as warm as ever.  

“You must come again, Lady Lorraine! And only bring Ian out sometimes!”  cristal 

Her eyes were full of laughter. Lorraine smiled softly at her. The awkwardness and unfamiliarity from their first meeting were gone. During the few days Lorraine spent with Eleanor in the capital, she experienced a warmth she’d never felt before—a heartfelt welcome from someone who was neither family nor lover.  

Though their time together was short, Lorraine felt she would remember it for a long time. She reached out and grasped Eleanor’s hand firmly, feeling her warmth.  

“Yes, I’ll definitely come again. Next time, I’ll invite you.”  

“I’ll remember that. If you forget, I’ll be really disappointed.”  

Ian, watching quietly from the side, smiled gently. Seeing Lorraine say goodbye so warmly made his heart swell. Ian quietly covered Lorraine’s hand with his own and whispered,  

“Ready?”  

“Yes, let’s go.”  

The carriage began to move smoothly. Lorraine leaned against the window, slowly taking in the streets of the capital. She wondered if this place, where she’d just said goodbye with a smile, might become somewhere she’d visit often.  

Ian looked at Lorraine sitting across from him and quietly asked,  

“Eleanor is so lively… didn’t she tire you out?”  

At his question, Lorraine thought of Eleanor fading into the distance beyond the window and smiled softly. Memories of the past few days flashed through her mind. She brushed back her hair and spoke slowly.  

“No. I really enjoyed it.”  

As she finished, Lorraine realized she had spoken her true feelings without thinking. She felt she had changed. The time she’d spent working to protect her relationship with Ian—she would never have tried to express such feelings before.  

Would the old Lorraine have been able to feel and accept someone so warmly? She hadn’t been used to opening her heart, but now she could laugh at Eleanor’s jokes and hold her hand without hesitation.  

“And besides, she’s your sister.”  

Warm feelings spread in her heart. Ian smiled quietly as he watched Lorraine’s profile.  

“Lady Lorraine…”  

He tilted his head slightly and spoke in a playful voice.  

“But if you pay too much attention to others, I’ll get jealous.”  

Lorraine laughed out loud at that. Out the softly shaking carriage window, sunlight streamed down the mountain slopes, a slow river flowed, and pale green hills spread out. As they drew closer to Mostar, the scenery outside turned familiar.  

* * *

The air in Mostar was gentle and fresh.  

Ian and Lorraine spent quiet days after returning to Mostar.  

The Lindsay Viscount’s villa, which they visited again, was still tidy, but somehow the atmosphere felt different. To Lorraine, it was now a place to fill with shared memories. The distance she’d felt when she first came here was gone, replaced by warm anticipation.  

Their daily life continued naturally. Nothing had really changed. They were officially lovers, but Ian and Lorraine still ate meals together, took walks, read books, and talked as usual.  

But the texture of their days was clearly different. They walked together in the morning sunlight, sat by the window with books to escape the cold wind, and ended each day with quiet conversation.  

In every small moment, they learned more about each other, and above all, being together felt perfectly comfortable. They didn’t talk much, but a deeper understanding flowed between them. They no longer felt self-conscious, instead accepting each other’s presence naturally.  

One day, Lorraine left a small note on Ian’s desk in his study. It was a single line.  

[Because of you, the season inside me has changed.]  

When Ian found that sentence, he quietly smiled.  

Lorraine and Ian no longer remained in anxious guessing and misunderstanding. Their relationship was now firmly rooted in trust and affection. And that foundation blossomed into a season of their own.  

Free Love is Trending in the Capital 完