I'm A Sucker For Extras - Chapter 67

Chapter 67

“…….”

Brody had to fight to keep from groaning.

The sharp pain from the bruises felt piercing, but the gentle touch running over her back made her feel dizzy.

Whether Aidan was aware or not, to Brody, the act felt too intimate, especially when she was the one receiving it.

Brody bit her lip tightly and clutched the sheets.

“Does it hurt? Endure a little longer.”

Aidan rubbed her shoulder soothingly.

“Hmph…….”

At this point, even Brody couldn’t tell if she was in pain, embarrassed, or tickled.

She just wanted the heat in her head and body to subside.

Aidan moved his lips thoughtfully.

‘Is it right to put her in danger like this? ‘

In truth, he had known that before he offered her the contract.

Rather than making her his wife and his duchess, he could have made another nominal husband for her.

He simply pushed those thoughts out of his mind before proposing the contract.

Then, at least, she wouldn’t be in danger because of her position.

No, from the beginning… if he hadn’t pursued her.

So, if he hadn’t gone south with Jax to find her.

She would have been living freely without getting involved with anyone.

He wasn’t sure where to start regretting it.

Brody’s back, which was warm with energy a while ago, gradually became cold. At the same time, the pain in her back was definitely receding.

The bruises had faded enough for Aidan to see.

“Your Grace, is it… over now?”

Brody squirmed as Aidan held her in his hands.

“It doesn’t hurt anymore…….”

“…….”

Aidan pressed his lips together and slowly pulled away from her back.

Carefully, trying desperately to hide his regret from her.

When a small friction sound was heard, Brody let out a deep sigh.

She pulled her chemise up with a huff.

To her surprise, the pain was completely gone. It was a little chilly, though.

Aidan looked at Brody’s back and gave him a sullen glare.

However, he helped her put on the chemise, blouse, and cloak again.

During this time, Aidan remained silent. Even after helping Brody get dressed, he kept staring at her intently without saying a word.

‘Why aren’t you going out? No, now that I think about it, how did he find out? River spoke as if he knew Aidan would come. Is this also a spirit’s ability? ‘

Brody stood awkwardly facing Aidan, then turned away.

“There’s a mess outside…… that needs to be cleaned up.”

She meant that the mess in the kitchen needed to be cleaned up. In a way, she was relieved to have a reason to get out of this stifling atmosphere.

But Aidan stopped Brody as she approached the door.

“Brody.”

“…….”

There was anger in his voice.

Brody turned around slowly and asked calmly, preparing herself for the question about the woman who tried to attack River.

“Why?”

“Can you explain what this is? ”

This? Surprised by the question, Brody shifted her gaze to see what he was referring to.

In his hand was a vial of red beads.

“That’s…… Your Grace’s headache medicine.”

“…….”

Aidan arched an eyebrow at the answer.

Brody was puzzled. Why? Why is he asking? What was she going to say about working when she’d been told to rest for a hangover?

‘Is he going to continue treating me like a glass in his arm? I’m not a child; why are you being so sensitive? ’

Brody returned his frown with a slightly defiant glare.

Aidan’s wrinkles deepened at Brody’s gaze, and he asked sternly,

“What are the ingredients?.”

Hmmph. At his question, Brody dropped her provocative gaze for a moment.

‘Why… are you asking? Why… … ?’

Brody tried to answer calmly, feigning composure.

“I didn’t know if you’d understand if I told you. I made the herbal medicine…”

“Why did you keep it a secret?”

But Aidan immediately blocked her excuses.

“Yeah, well, come to think of it, if it was an herb, you would have left a recipe when you left, but you only said you’d send it back when I ran out. …… I should have realized that then.”

At Brody’s nervous biting of his lip, Aidan continued.

“I just saw it below. The marks that haven’t been wiped away yet. There were a lot of blood stains, but the blood that fell on the counter had a different texture. And the wound on your arm. It wasn’t from a woman who wanted to harm you. Because she was already taken care of. So who made those cuts? Why? “

Brody’s expression darkened.

He didn’t care about her reaction and hit the last question like a wedge.

“Tell me. Was this made with your blood?”

“…….”

For a moment, Brody couldn’t answer. What was she going to say, yes or no? Should he know this? Is there any reason he shouldn’t?

In response to Aidan’s insistent gaze, Brody finally spat out a cold reply.

“Does it matter what it’s made of……?”

She didn’t intend to say it so harshly, but trying to hide her embarrassment made it sound that way.

Aidan raised one eyebrow at her reaction. It didn’t make much of a difference to his expression, but it was definitely a sign of amusement.

“Yeah. It matters a lot, so tell me what it’s made of.”

Brody sighed, dropping her gaze to the floor to her right.

“If that’s the case…”

Her voice grew quieter.

“I can’t tell you. It’s a trade secret.”

“…….”
“Ha.”

Aidan let out a short, amused sigh, as if he’d gotten his answer.

“Okay, Brody. I’m not taking any more of these medicines.”

Brody looked at him in surprise.

“What? Why, Your Grace, your headache is…….”

Brody looked at him again and was even more stunned. He was walking toward the window, pulling back the arm that held the vial, as if to throw it. Brody ran to him without realizing it.

Brody lunged for him, shouting.

“You’re not going to throw that away, are you?”

She tugged desperately at his cloak, but Aidan was helpless, and soon his left hand was on the window latch.

“Give it to me.”

Brody croaked, clinging to his arm and tugging at it. But instead of letting go, Brody’s arm dangled.

Brody was so upset that she gritted her teeth and shouted.

“Are you going to throw my blood anywhere?”

A moment of pause. He stopped moving. Beyond his shoulder, Brody caught a glimpse of his intense gaze, tangled with anger, gloom, and a touch of sorrow.

He spat out the words in a gulp.

“Blood…… right.”

When he stopped, Brody seized the opportunity and snatched the vial from him. He let go of it weakly.

“You’re not going to believe me no matter what I say anyway.”

Brody said, clutching the vial preciously.

“…….”

Aidan leaned against the unopened window and ran a hand through his hair. The dull backlight from the window cast shadows of light over his ears and cheeks, making his anguish seem even deeper.

Brody swallowed hard, dryly.

“Did you think you would like it if I made you bleed and I got better? ”

“I’m fine.”

Brody replied, not backing away.

Then Aidan glanced at her through his hands.

This time, his eyes looked pitiful, like those of a wounded animal.

Brody felt a twinge of resentment.

‘What’s with the blood?’

‘I bleed more than this when I get my period once a month.’

Brody was about to shout that, but swallowed his words. Even if it had been in the previous world, if you said something like that here, Aidan would be so shocked that he would faint.

But it’s not like it’s a big deal; it’s just a little bit of blood that’s drawn for a checkup, and the medicine only needs to be made once every three months or so.

Sure, it hurts a little when you cut it, but there’s nothing…… She can’t do it for him.

‘Still, I don’t think that’s going to convince him.’

With that thought in mind, Brody decided to speak up, backpedaling hard.

“Well, yeah, I wouldn’t feel too good about it if it were the other way around, but…”

She said this, looking up into his eyes with trepidation.

“But if it were the other way around, you would have done the same thing.”

If Brody had to suffer through a daily headache, Aidan would have given a drop of blood for it, and that would have been enough.

He ruffled his hair and sighed.

“That’s it, I’m…….”

Brody interrupted him, fuming.

“What’s the difference between you and me? You think you can take a headache, and I can’t take a cut like this?”

He shook his head, and in a melancholic voice, he said, “I like you, but I thought you didn’t like me.”

“…….”

Whatever he said next, Brody prepared herself to counter it, but her words got stuck as soon as she heard that.

‘He likes me? Me? But, but, but. You pushed me away.’

Brody remembered the first night of their wedding. He tempted her and ultimately rejected her. The memory of that empty yet shameful moment rushed back.

‘You said we had a contract. You wanted to think about it for three years…! And now you say you like me? Nice words.’

‘No, wait. And not you? ’

‘So you feel like I’m just using you because I don’t have a heart? Because you’re happily being used, should I just do nothing? Are you an adult or what? ‘

Brody, feeling unjustly treated, mumbled a few words of complaint.

“It’s not that I don’t like you, Your Grace.”

Damn it. She was just complaining about feeling unjust, but why did it come out like such an embarrassing confession?

Brody lowered her head, surprised at her own trembling voice.

Her face was flushed with embarrassment.

‘I’m just angry, not excited! ’

As she was making this internal defense, she felt him lift his gaze and look at her.
“But you…….”

He glanced at Brody, then looked away again.

“Oh, I see. You said you liked my face and body.”

Indeed, he hadn’t explicitly demanded it, but when the atmosphere allowed for it, Brody hadn’t refused. Even yesterday….

“After…….”

Aidan shook his head and sighed.

It didn’t make sense to him, but he liked that Brody accepted him, for whatever reason, so there was nothing to say.

“……!!”

Brody’s face flared up another notch at his words.

Yes, she had said those words before, but she had said them in order to be rejected.

And yes, she liked his face and body. But…….

“That’s…… Yeah, that’s true, but…….”

Her heart began to thump loudly in her chest. If her heart was blushing, it would be redder than a ripe tomato.

“Well, that’s not everything.”

Was it because she felt sad that he was acting so faceless? Brody pulled at her heart without even realizing it..

Aidan’s eyes wavered.

His heart pounded low and loud.

He wanted to respond to Brody’s kindness right away, to pull her into his arms and hold her close.

But then his knuckles turned white as he gripped the window frame.

He sighed.

“Don’t say that. You’re leaving in three years anyway.”

‘Don’t get me excited.’

‘No, you shouldn’t expect it.’

‘I must let you go.’

‘Otherwise, you’ll be…….’

She took a step toward him, and he stepped back. Brody felt her veins throb and unravel.

‘Yeah, in three years. Isn’t…….’

Maybe she was making him suffer more by approaching him.

But, yeah.

Does that mean she should let him suffer?

‘Whether you like it or not, whether you care or not, I won’t change my mind about making him a medicine.’

It was the least she could do for him, even if she wasn’t his lover.

Brody tightened her grip on the vial, forcing each syllable into her words.

“In any case, I’m going to give it to you.”

Aidan, fed up with the sudden return to the subject of pills, replied emphatically.

“I’m not taking it, not even if I have to die of a headache.”

Brody chewed on her lip and threw him a determined glare.

“Just wait and see.”

With that, she turned on her heel and stalked out of the room.