Chapter 8 (Part 6)

After leaving Duke Lennox’s study, Reina invited Patrick to her room. The joy of being able to openly bring him in was immense.

Her raised lips showed no sign of coming down.

“This is the first time entering during the day.”

“Does it feel awkward?”

“Somewhat.”

Patrick had an awkward expression. His gaze, which had been scanning the room, stopped at the safe. He seemed to recall that the necklace was inside.

After staring at it for a while, he cautiously spoke.

“Can I see the necklace?”

“Seeing it won’t make you feel any better.”

“It’s okay. I just want to see the necklace that has caused so much confusion between us with my own eyes. I didn’t get a good look at it last time.”

Patrick knew that the color wouldn’t change, so seeing it would likely leave him feeling empty, just as Reina had said. But he still wanted to see it.

He felt pathetic for being swayed by something he had only glimpsed once. He wanted to closely examine the necklace that kept weakening his resolve.

“Alright.”

Reina stood up and walked toward the direction of the safe. Though she didn’t show it, the mere thought of taking out the necklace herself made her feel stifled.

The moment she confirmed that the color hadn’t changed, her heart would sink, and she felt like she would collapse. But since Patrick wanted to see it, she couldn’t refuse.

Her hands trembled slightly as she opened the safe and took out the necklace. Her heart pounded as she approached Patrick with the necklace.

“Here you go.”

Reina deliberately held the necklace with the gem facing down to avoid seeing the color change. She planned to put it back in the safe as soon as Patrick confirmed the color.

“Is this the necklace you mentioned?”

“Yes.”

As he received the necklace from Reina, Patrick asked with a puzzled look.

“Is this really the magic-infused necklace?”

“Yes, it is. But why….”

Because his expression was unusual, Reina wondered if the necklace had cracked, so she raised her hand and looked at the side with the gem.

The necklace was glowing red.

“What?”

Reina’s eyes widened like a rabbit’s, as she hadn’t expected the color to change at all.

Why is it glowing red? What on earth…

“Hold on a moment.”

Wondering if the necklace was broken, Reina took a candlestick and stepped outside the room for a moment. After standing in the dimly lit hallway for a few minutes, the necklace turned transparent.

Taking a deep breath, Reina carefully opened the door and walked back inside. As she walked slowly towards Patrick, she focused on the necklace with a trembling heart.

The necklace, which had been transparent, had once again turned red.

“Didn’t you say the color doesn’t change?”

“Yes, I did. But…”

At that moment, countless indescribable emotions surged. Her mind was in turmoil.

Could it be that when Lilith opened the study door, the necklace changed color not because of Earl Selkirk, but because of Commander Patrick?

At that moment, Reina and Patrick’s eyes met, and they both laughed simultaneously. It was too absurd.

The most significant reason was the bewilderment at the nonsensical situation.

“Does this make sense?”

“I think your body has adjusted to me.”

For the first time, Patrick lied. Except for situations where a white lie was necessary, he never lied.

He hated deceiving others. But now, he had to lie.

Though he had no way of knowing the reason, Patrick wanted to speak as his feelings dictated. Even if it was the desire of a man consumed by jealousy.

“Is that possible?”

“If the color, which didn’t change for me, suddenly did, what other reason could there be?”

“Oh, that makes sense.”

The naive Reina believed his far-fetched words. She had no idea how adorable she looked in that moment.

A woman he never wanted to lose. A woman who was now his.

She hadn’t appeared as a woman to him before, but now the days when he thought of her only as a sister felt distant.

“If the color doesn’t change when you’re with Earl Selkirk, then my words are true.”

“We can check and see.”

“Do as you wish.”

If the color changed with Earl Selkirk, it couldn’t be helped, but Patrick wanted to reassure Reina for now.

“You lied to me, didn’t you?”

As if reading his thoughts, Reina’s eyes narrowed.

“You caught me.”

Patrick chuckled.

“You said you don’t joke around!”

“Let’s just say it was my wish.”

Reina tapped Patrick’s chest twice, and he lowered his face to scatter small kisses on her cheeks and neck. Reina’s body trembled.

As she turned her head to avoid his lips, Patrick whispered in her ear.

“Do you feel at ease now?”

“What?”

“You’ve been worried all this time.”

“I think you were more worried than I was, Commander.”

Reina looked at Patrick with mischievous eyes, and when their eyes met, they laughed again.

“To be honest, I was going crazy. I didn’t expect so many things to happen suddenly before the engagement with Lady Berkshire was broken off. Especially when I heard Duke Lennox was pushing for your engagement with Earl Selkirk.”

“Did you think I would actually get engaged?”

“I trusted you because you usually don’t listen to the Duke. But Duke Lennox is also someone who pushes through once he makes up his mind, so I couldn’t help but be anxious.”

When it came to a battle of wills between Reina and Duke Lennox, it was hard to predict who would win.

If the situation was reasonable, one side might yield, but when opinions were sharply divided like now, it was clear both would stubbornly refuse to back down.

That’s why Patrick had stepped forward before them, even at the risk of being rude.

It would be hard for Reina to persuade the Duke alone, especially since he blindly believed in the magic of the necklace. To be honest, it was more accurate to say that Patrick’s patience had run out.

What man could stand by and watch his woman be taken away right before his eyes? It was only natural to take his woman immediately.

“Was I really your destined match?”

“Even after all the times we’ve been together, you still say that? I’ve always thought there was no woman better suited for me.”

“I feel the same way.”

“That’s a relief.”

Physical compatibility. The color of the necklace.

She had agonized and suffered without checking again. Without properly investigating. If she had checked earlier, she wouldn’t have had these worries.

Her body was not lying. The problem was Reina’s thoughts. Her family’s words couldn’t always be correct, but she had been swayed by them.

Though she felt a sense of futility, she was also relieved. The lingering doubts in her mind had now completely disappeared.

“But it’s not just my fault.”

Reina glared at Patrick.

“You know you’re also at fault, right? The engagement should have been broken off sooner. That’s why things got more complicated.”

“I’m sorry. But aside from apologizing, there’s one thing I’d like to ask of you.”

“What is it?”

“Could you call me by my name now? The necklace is also telling us we’re destined for each other, so why do you keep calling me Commander?”

“Ah, it’s still awkward?”

“I’ve called your name many times, haven’t I?”

Only in bed, which made Reina’s face instantly turn red.

Patrick chuckled and placed the necklace around Reina’s neck. He smiled contentedly at its brilliant glow.

“I won’t force you. I’ll wait until you want to call my name. Instead, may I ask another favor?”

“What is it this time?”

“I want to see you wearing only the necklace.”

“What?”

Reina’s eyes widened in surprise at Patrick’s unexpected request.

Her heart pounded, and she couldn’t tell if she was breathing properly.

Then, as her mind calmed, she remembered that Patrick was completely different during intimate moments.

“Oh, um…”

“Are you going to refuse?”

Patrick came up behind her, fastening the necklace around her neck and loosening the ties of her dress.

“Why are you trying to take off my dress when I haven’t even answered yet?”

“Because my patience has run out?”