Chapter 2. A Failed Midnight Getaway

There had been a case where a fallen noble lady who was about to be sold off to an old nobleman ran away with her lover. When they were found, they had already completed their marriage vows, rendering her marriage to the old man useless.

“Are you serious?”

Serri jumped in disbelief. Of course, I wasn’t serious.

That would only be possible if I had a lover in the first place. Unless my ideal type suddenly fell from the sky, it was useless.

“You’re always making a fuss. If you hated it so much, you should have found a lover long ago. You’re always work, work, work.”

“Is it wrong to live diligently?”

“It’s not wrong, but since you’ve ended up marrying into Blanche because of it, I’m just saying.”

“Serri, should I find one now?”

“If lovers were that easy to find, Miss wouldn’t have been single until now.”

“Not a single word of support.”

As I glared at her, Serri smiled mischievously and stood up with a basket full of folded towels. She had been a close companion since childhood; she could be comfortable at times but very annoying at others.

“Go to sleep.”

“Just go away.”

I waved my hand dismissively and flopped down on the bed. Naturally, my thoughts deepened.

‘Eloping alone? As if there’s a man willing to do that.’

Still, I didn’t want to enter the den of Blanche’s snakes.

“Ah, so frustrating. Maybe I should have a drink.”

I gave up on trying to sleep and got up from bed. At this time, I craved the special cocktail from my regular bar that would be open by now.

I casually retrieved the escape rope from the drawer. It was the rope I used to escape from the window without my parents knowing. I securely tied it to the pillar and threw it down below the window. Then, wearing my hood, I grabbed the rope and smoothly slipped out of the room.

I left the Francis castle, mounted my horse, and went to my regular tavern.

“One bottle of Psyche’s Sleep, please.”

I ordered my usual cocktail and drank it all. The alcohol went down smoothly as my stomach churned.

‘Why is the alcohol going down so easily today? Is it because I’m feeling crappy?’

I was about to order more when the bell tinkled.

Ting-a-ling―.

I turned my head out of habit at the sound of the chime and was startled. Standing by the door was my perfect ideal type.

‘What is this? I thought it was a statue.’

My heart pounded, probably from the shock.

I didn’t like that the man’s hair was silver, a characteristic of the Blanche family, but he was handsome enough that it didn’t matter.

His silver hair fluttered in the breeze coming through the closing door. His red eyes scanned the surroundings indifferently and met mine. At that moment, his eyes seemed to waver, and he approached and sat right next to me.

When I stared at him intently, he noticed my gaze and asked.

“Why do you keep staring at me? Is there something on my face?”

“Yes. There is.”

Your handsomeness.

I swallowed hard. It seemed I had found the man to elope with.

* * *

I don’t remember exactly what conversation followed.

I just remember making silly jokes to talk to him more.

Each time, he smiled slightly without showing any displeasure. His slightly raised lips were incredibly attractive. The mole under his right eye seemed familiar and drew my gaze. I pressed his tear mole with my finger and murmured.

“This mole, it looks familiar.”

“You would think so.”

“It’s pretty. Very.”

“I’ve never heard that before.”

The man chuckled and took my hand down, saying.

“You seem quite drunk. Let me escort you home.”

It seems too dangerous otherwise.

I couldn’t hear his muttering clearly. What stuck in my mind was his offer to see me home.

I quickly entwined my fingers with his and asked.

“You’re leaving just like that?”

No way. You have to elope with me.

Was it because of the jokes I made with Serri? My head was full of plans to elope.

I must have lost my rationality due to the alcohol. Tomorrow morning, when my senses return, I’ll probably pull my hair out for being crazy, but for now, my plan seemed perfect.

I didn’t want to marry into the Blanche family at all.

I clung to him and looked up at him slyly.

“I don’t want to let you go.”

“That’s unexpected. I thought you’d dislike me.”

“How could I dislike a face like yours? I’m not that uptight.”

“…….”

“I like you. Really.”

When I smiled bashfully and made eye contact, his red pupils trembled slightly. He bit his lower lip and muttered.

“If you’re saying this under the influence of alcohol…….”

“So what if it’s under the influence? I like you.”

“Do you start seducing someone if you like them? That’s a bit problematic.”

His face cracked. His furrowed brows deepened, indicating he didn’t like my answer. It felt strangely chilly, like witnessing a lover’s affair. But it wasn’t a chill that a drunk me could feel.

‘How could even his anger be my type?’

I smiled bashfully and said.

“There’s no way. It means I like you that much. I don’t do this with just anyone.”

“…….”

“Do you not like me?”

“I’m not a man who talks lightly with any woman.”

That means you like me too.

I smiled contentedly and rested my chin on my hand.

“Then that’s settled. I’m not a woman who talks lightly with any man either. I really like you.”

“You’re really impossible.”

The man chuckled in disbelief. It didn’t seem unpleasant, which made the atmosphere softer.

In the heat of the moment, I led him somewhere. When I came to my senses, we were in a hotel room. When I held him back as he tried to leave, he looked at me deeply and said.

“It’s not too late now. If you insist this was a one-night mistake tomorrow, I won’t let you go.”

“That sounds great.”

Please do that in front of Aster Blanche too! I support you!

I led him to the bed, my eyes shining. As my pink hair spread over the bed, his eyes deepened even more.

When his Adam’s apple bobbed and he bit his lower lip as if holding something back, I reached out my hand.

“What are you doing? Come here.”

That was the signal for him to pounce on me. He growled as he swallowed my lips.

“I was planning to.”

I didn’t know then. That I had thrown away a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to annul my engagement.

And that I had walked into a trap myself.

Of all people, my ideal type turned out to be Aster Blanche.

* * *

Back in the present, I was sitting next to Aster.

The man who had been so lovely last night had turned into my enemy today.

‘I must be crazy! Why did I drink!’

The fact that Aster Blanche fit my ideal type was the problem.

No, it might have been a mistake to sneak out and drink in the first place. The alcohol went down smoothly, and now it seemed to ruin my life smoothly too.

‘Who would have thought the Blanche family’s young master would come to such a shabby place?’

I was pulling my hair out inwardly over the situation that had already unfolded.

I had spent a night with my enemy. If it had been with a complete stranger, I wouldn’t feel this terrible.

‘Of all people. But it was so good.’

Thinking of last night made the places Aster had touched heat up. Contrary to his cold appearance, his touch was quite delicate. Remembering the heavy thing that moved in and out of me made my lower body tingle.

At that moment, he crossed his legs and smiled leisurely, then spoke.

“You were so hot last night, but this morning the spot next to me was cold.”

“That, that’s because…….”

Realizing the situation late, I fled before he woke up. I thought he wouldn’t be able to find me since we hadn’t even exchanged names.

But it turned out he was Aster Blanche! What kind of fate was this!

“I clearly told you last night. Once this night is over, there’s no turning back.”

“If I had known you were Aster Blanche, I would have stopped right away!”

“I thought you said you liked my face.”

Aster lowered his gaze with a sorrowful expression. His gently lowered silver eyelashes trembled slightly.

I felt as if I had become a scoundrel. As expected of someone from the Blanche family, he had a white exterior like a fox but a pitch-black inside.

“I certainly tried to stop. But it was you who wouldn’t let go.”

At that moment, my misdeeds from last night came to mind.

‘Don’t stop. Keep going, keep doing it.’

‘Does this feel good?’

‘Yes. Right there. It feels so good.’

Ugh! You’re crazy, Camilla Francis!

It wasn’t him who wouldn’t let go, it was me. And I clung to him very eagerly.

‘Disappear! I want to disappear!’

My face heated up as I recalled the events of last night. I tried to shake off the memory, but he spoke again.

“I think I satisfied you quite well.”

Satisfied? I was so ecstatic that I ended up begging him. But that was when I didn’t know this man was Aster Blanche.

“I’m sorry. I drank too much last night…….”

“Are you planning to talk about breaking off the engagement after taking your fiancé’s purity?”

“…….”

“That would be difficult.”

Aster Blanche was more resolute than I had expected. I stammered like a cornered mouse.

“You didn’t want the engagement either. Besides, our families are very, very bad…….”

“Who said that? That it was an unwanted engagement?”

Aster Blanche tilted his head as if he had heard something absurd.