Chapter 7 (Part 12)

Outside the window, the sound of rain echoed. She remembered lying beside him, listening to the rain. Those moments had been suffocatingly warm, yet she had cherished being with him.  

If it were just the two of them, she might have accepted everything. But the reality they faced was too daunting.  

“Cardin, I….”  

“If you don’t come with me, I won’t leave either.”  

She was too shocked to respond.  

Cardin wrapped his firm leg around hers, pulling her closer. His body pressed against hers, and she felt a strange sensation.  

He leaned in and whispered softly in her ear,  

“I came here with a plan.”  

His warm breath lingered near her ear, sending shivers down her spine. Her entire body tensed.  

“I can’t do this without you.”  

His low voice, like a sigh, hovered near her ear. His breath fell evenly across her skin.  

Her mind raced as tension filled her body. If she didn’t go with Cardin now, he might stay here indefinitely.  

It seemed he had made up his mind to stay. He had even said as much.  

If Cardin was this determined, he wouldn’t leave unless she went with him. That was another problem.  

‘What should I do?’  

But if she went with him, her future would be uncertain. Even if Cardin claimed things would be different, she doubted society’s perception or his mother’s attitude would change overnight.  

And then, there was still Foyne.  

“Cardin.”

He responded not with words but by pressing his lips to her ear. His warm breath spread into her ear, and the strange sensation made her shoulders flinch. Cardin chuckled softly and nibbled lightly on her earlobe.  

Finally, she turned around. Her eyes immediately met Cardin’s. As if waiting for this moment, he bit his lower lip. Outside, the sound of rain against the window grew heavier.  

His tongue moved gently, and his body leaned closer to hers. Their bodies, already pressed tightly together, conveyed his firmness.  

With one hand, Cardin cupped the back of her head, pulling her closer as he deepened the kiss. Their shared breaths grew more ragged. The longing she had vowed to forget shattered in an instant.  

It was as if all her efforts had been futile, as if everything she had done was meaningless.  

In that moment, she grabbed Cardin’s shoulder. He slowly pulled back, gazing at her. His eyes, still clouded with passion, held a trace of desire. She barely managed to speak.  

“What about Foyne?”  

Cardin’s brow furrowed slightly.  

“What about her?”  

“Wasn’t she the one you were supposed to marry?”  

He smirked as if it were absurd.  

“Why would I marry her?”  

“I saw you meet her at the hotel before, and your mother….”  

Before she could finish, Cardin’s lips brushed against hers, silencing her. She paused, startled, as he said,  

“There’s no connection between us anymore. I’ll make sure of it.”  

“Are you serious? What about your mother?”  

Cardin smiled and cupped her cheek.  

“Brienne, did you forget? My mother is just like your father.”  

“……”  

“To me, my mother is no different from your father. It’d be better if she didn’t exist.”  

She couldn’t say anything more. Cardin smiled, kissed her lips briefly, and then deepened the kiss again, his tongue intertwining with hers.  

When she let out a small gasp, he slowly pulled back.  

“In the past, I didn’t pay enough attention to you. Back then, I only thought about myself. I thought working hard would mean more time with you.”  

His low words carried a hint of bitterness. Cardin gently stroked her hair as he continued,  

“You said you were unhappy.”  

“……”  

“Being with me.”  

Cardin’s eyes dimmed with sorrow. The words themselves seemed to sadden him, his expression hardening.  

“I guess I wasn’t much different from when I wandered through the forest looking for you. I only ever thought about myself.”  

His expression darkened as if he were reflecting on his regrets. He absentmindedly played with her hair and then asked,  

“My mother made you drink something strange, didn’t she?”  

The casual tone of his question made her eyes widen in surprise.  

“How did you know?”  

“Do you think there’s anything I can’t find out if I set my mind to it?”  

Of course, if he wanted to, he could probably learn anything from the household staff.  

“I told them to throw it all away, but they said you drank it anyway.”  

“That’s….”  

“For the record, that tea wasn’t good for you.”  

“I know.”  

Cardin’s brows furrowed.  

“You knew?”  

“Yes.”  

“Foyne told you, didn’t she?”  

Cardin’s gaze turned sharp, cold as a blade. The atmosphere around him chilled, and the mood shifted instantly.  

“When you were in the bathroom, did Foyne come by?”  

“How did you know?”  

Cardin let out a bitter laugh.  

“I thought you looked exhausted.”  

He pulled her into a tight embrace.  

“I’m sorry. That kind of thing won’t happen again.”  

It had been a long time since she’d heard an apology from him, but for some reason, it didn’t lift her spirits. In the past, his apologies had always bothered her.  

He held her for a long time. His breath brushed softly against her shoulder, and the rhythm of his chest rising and falling against hers brought an indescribable feeling.  

Especially the weight of his firm lower body pressing against her—it made her feel even more aware of him.  

Then, Cardin let out a low sigh.  

“I can’t leave you here anymore. I shouldn’t have sent you here in the first place.”  

His tone was filled with regret, and she felt compelled to say something.  

“I liked it here. It was only a week, but being here felt more comfortable than any other time.”  

“I want to understand you, but I can’t leave you here because of that guy. And you even took off your wedding ring.”  

“That’s….”  

Cardin wrapped his long leg around her thigh. Startled, she froze and looked up at him, meeting his dark, glinting eyes.  

“You smiled so brightly at that guy earlier.”  

“Cardin.”  

He smirked.  

“I don’t think you’ve ever smiled at me like that.”  

“……”  

“I miss your smile.”  

Even hearing those words, she couldn’t bring herself to smile. Cardin stared at her for a long time before asking,  

“Am I difficult for you?”  

Her mind raced, unsure of what to say. Yes, he was difficult. She could’ve just said that one word, but for some reason, she didn’t want to. Saying it felt like it would hurt him.  

Cardin’s expression was already dark, as if he had been wounded. Then, thunder rumbled, and lightning struck. Startled, she flinched, and Cardin chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her.  

“You’re still scared of thunder.”  

Her heart felt like it was floating. The way he spoke so tenderly, the warmth of his arms enveloping her, the steady rhythm of his breath, and the solid body pressed against hers—all of it was overwhelming.  

How could she ever forget this? She couldn’t. It was too intense.  

Even so, she tried to pull away. She didn’t want to be bound by reality any longer.  

“I’ll sleep outside.”  

Cardin wrapped his arms around her waist. His voice resonated in her ear.  

“Kelle will be surprised.”  

“……”  

“We’re a married couple, aren’t we?”  

She realized he was right. If she slept outside, Kelle might worry unnecessarily. Reluctantly, she spoke without looking at him.  

“Then I’ll sleep downstairs….”  

Before she could finish, Cardin lifted her and laid her on the bed. He stood by the bed, looking at her.  

“Of course, you should sleep in the bed.”  

She looked at him, flustered. He grabbed an old blanket, spread it on the floor, and lay down.  

“Are you okay?”  

The words slipped out before she could stop herself. She immediately regretted it, but Cardin smiled and met her gaze.  

“No, I’ve never slept in a place like this before, so it’s really uncomfortable. Can I sleep in the bed with you?”  

She didn’t answer and lay back down. The rain continued to fall, and sleep wouldn’t come.  

Even though they weren’t sharing the bed, his presence felt so close, as if he were right beside her.