“Tell me your preference, and I’ll send someone to match.”

“Really? Well then, platinum blonde with brown eyes. And the bigger the br*asts, the better.”

“Understood, this way please.”

On stage, a daring fire show was already in full swing. Noah frowned in disgust as n*ked men and women put flaming metal rods in and out of their mouths. 

For a VIP seat, wasn’t this too close to the stage? Highly sensitive to the possibility of sparks flying onto his shirt, Noah glared at the performance.

“I’m Sasha. May I sit beside you, my lord?”

Turning his head at the woman’s voice behind his shoulder, he saw she indeed had the platinum blonde hair and deep brown eyes he had ordered. Her beauty far exceeded the average. 

Satisfied, Noah grabbed her wrist and pulled her to sit beside him on the sofa. The strong cheap perfume that momentarily wrapped around his nose was irritating, but not nearly as bothersome as the flaming objects flashing before his eyes.

“So, Sasha. When does this f*cking show end?”

“This is the finale now. The band will play next.”

“Phew. That’s welcome news.”

He slowly poured the rum from the table down his throat. As the warmth filled his previously dry mouth, Noah’s expression finally relaxed.

By now, Harvey the butler who had come to fetch Noah would be pale with worry, and Harry, having been stood up by his only savior, would be seething inside despite not showing it after a lonely, bitter dinner.

Noah chuckled, pleased at having gotten one over on his friend again. Just then, the fire show that had made him so uncomfortable ended, and the stage filled with sticky, unidentifiable music played by the musicians.

“Hey. Come closer.”

Though he had called for her to gauge whether he could go through with Lily, this woman called Sasha or whatever was quite to Noah’s taste. 

Her sleeves that openly displayed her shoulders and chest, along with the thin tulle skirt that would reveal everything underneath with just one lift, stirred his loins.

Noah lifted the woman’s chin. He was thoroughly pleased with those dark eyes looking up at him, full of desire. The moment Noah pressed his lips against hers, she immediately opened her mouth.

‘Well, look at that?’

Noah’s lips curled up at her honest and immediate response. In high spirits, he thrust his hand behind her head and pulled her waist tightly against him.

Her tongue, with the heavy texture of yesterday’s meat pudding, began licking his dry mouth. Huh, Noah panted, breathing heavily.

“Mmm… feels good.”

Noah was the first to moan. He showed no intention of hiding his aroused body. Sasha, who had been gripping his shoulder, lowered her hand and stroked Noah’s thigh. Noah shamelessly lifted his hips.

“My, my lord’s thing is pressing against my thigh…”

“Haa, shut up.”

After their lips overlapped again and they remained entangled for a while, they finally separated when they were completely out of breath.

Noah, with relaxed eyes, pulled the woman close, pressing right against her, grabbing her long braided hair and burying his nose to smell it.

“Odorless. Is this hair color natural?”

“Well, um, that…”

“It’s a wig.”

“Natural platinum blonde is hard to find, my lord. More importantly, there’s a room upstairs. You can do anything you want there.”

“Really? I had no idea a place to f*ck was so close by.”

The woman, now gasping for breath as Noah began licking her earlobe, brought up the same topic again.

“Haah… th-these feathers stuck in each table aren’t just decorations. If you place one in my hair, someone from management will come and guide us to a room upstairs.”

Noah pulled away from the woman. After downing the remaining rum in his glass, he called for John, who had been waiting against the far wall.

“John. Have the carriage ready. We’re leaving now.”

“Yes, young master.”

“And go ahead and tell Harry that I’m ready.”

“Yes, young master.”

After sending John away, Noah rose from his seat without delay.

“My lord! Wait! You’re leaving just like this?”

While putting his arms through his jacket, Noah merely smiled faintly without answering her question and promptly left. The woman left behind could only stare in disbelief, unable to say a word.

“You’re probably the first man to leave this place so early.”

When the coachman, whom Noah had boarded without looking back, struck up a conversation with a chuckle, Noah responded indifferently, “Well, syphilis is scary, you know.”

He decided to end his deliberation now. Even with the hostess he had just met today, his body had responded quite well. Perhaps tonight’s bedding with Lily might be simpler than he thought.

“Where shall I take you?”

“The Townsend residence.”

The carriage soon stopped in front of the Duke of Townsend’s gate, and Noah, remembering the note Harry had given him, took the oil lamp handed to him by John, who had been waiting in advance.

‘This is nothing.’

Then he quietly headed toward Lily’s private bedroom on the third floor of the mansion, glad he had drunk the rum earlier.

* * *

“Noah Hamilton. Please don’t leave. I promised my husband I would mix bodies with you tonight.”

Noah’s mouth fell open at the explicit statement that was hard to believe came from Lily’s lips. Simultaneously, the jacket he had picked up to leave dropped to the floor with a thud.

“I only have four months left now. There’s no other way. So please, I’m begging you. I don’t want to return to my family home.”

The desperate voice heard once more finally made Noah turn back. She was still clutching the blanket tightly with one hand, pressing her body against the headboard, but the tears on her cheeks had already dried. 

Her eyes, meeting his without avoidance, were quite impressive. With a deep sigh, Noah eventually turned back and sat down heavily beside Lily.

“Lily. This isn’t something to take lightly. No matter how much Harry and I look alike…”

“I know, but I’ll receive you thinking you’re my husband.”

Of course she would. In the dictionary of Lily, raised with the education of a prestigious family, there would be no entry for intimacy with a man other than her husband.

“Let’s start before it gets any later. I’m ready.”

Noah also became calm in response to Lily’s composure. She was right that time was running out. To get his hands on the West End shop district, he absolutely had to do this tonight.

Noah silently nodded, and Lily, still clutching the blanket, slowly lay down. After exhaling a long sigh, Noah removed only his shoes and pants before climbing onto the bed and immediately mounting Lily’s body.

Their eyes met across the distance of just a few inches.

What could this woman be thinking now, with such deeply colored eyes? He felt he might fall into their endless depths.

‘This is maddening. Why is she so beautiful?’

Snow-white skin with a red flush like poppies. The shadow of her long eyelashes, cast under her slightly drooping eyes, wavered in the yellow lamplight.

Looking down at Lily made Noah’s breath stop and sent all the blood in his body rushing downward in an instant.

As Noah gradually approached that dreamlike face and their breaths met near her lips, Lily urgently cried out:

“N-no other acts are necessary. Just do what needs to be done.”