2.1

Why did I do that? Seriously, why?  

Half out of her mind, Iliana slapped her own lips. The sound of the weak, deflated blows reached her ears, and frustration welled up from the depths of her heart. Her hand instinctively moved toward the drawer.  

“Ahhhhhhh…!”  

“Can you let me sleep?!”  

Anas, who was genuinely furious and ready to pound on the wall to turn it into one single room if she banged again, startled Iliana into slowly nodding and unclenching her fists.  

Her hands were red from how much she had hit herself. When she clenched and opened them, a stinging sensation spread through her palms. 

Were they already swollen? 

As she kept flexing her hands to confirm the pain, her lost rationality finally returned.  

Right, I should sleep. It’s late. I need to sleep…  

Muttering to herself, Iliana crawled back under the blanket. She wriggled into the covers and closed her eyes, her mind calming down. But her thoughts refused to settle.  

That night was burned into her memory, vivid as if it had just happened.  

– Lana.  

The voice calling her name was sweet. The silence as she pulled back the balcony curtain and approached Lucian. His languid voice calling her name again.  

The scent of wine that greeted her as she got closer. His parted lips. And… ah, the way his tongue invaded between her lips, turning her cheeks red. He didn’t seem to notice. His touch grew bolder after that kiss.  

She remembered how his hands, which had been removing his unusually loose jacket, began to explore the hem of her dress. 

As she recalled that moment, a damp sensation spread below her.  

“…”  

The hesitation lasted only a moment. Ignoring the heat rising to her cheeks, Iliana pulled the blanket over her head. Her thin negligee rolled up as she did so.  

When she closed her eyes, she could feel Lucian’s hands from the previous night caressing her chest. As her mind retraced his touch, her hand moved lower, toward the curves of her body.  

– Lana. Relax.  

His breath tickled her shoulder as his middle finger slid along her l*bia.  

“Mm… mmm.”  

Chasing the memory of that night, Iliana held her breath. As her middle and ring fingers massaged the protruding nub below, heat surged through her body.  

Though it wasn’t as sensitive as when Lucian had touched her, the memory of his cold hands slowly exploring her ignited a familiar w*tness. It had been the same yesterday.  

– You’re wet.  

His small, teasing laugh as he played with her cl*toris had been so mischievous. No matter how much she tried to suppress her moans, sounds escaped her lips.  

“Ahh, mm… mmm.”  

The sensation of his thumb rubbing her cl*toris while his index finger traced her l*bia was vivid. As she imagined his emerald-green eyes, which had delighted in smearing her fluids around, her fingers moved faster. The itch inside grew unbearable. Too embarrassed to insert her fingers, she moved her hand up to fondle her chest instead.  

Her breathing quickened as she mirrored Lucian’s touch on her br*asts, flicking her n*pples and imagining his hands from the previous night.  

– Lana.  

Despite asking if it hurt, Lucian had inserted another finger, exploring her insides.  

– If it hurts, push me away, Lana.  

He had licked away her tears and kissed her briefly.  

– You swallowed it all so cleanly. Good girl, Lana. So proud of you.  

Lucian had filled her with his heat, his slightly curved length reaching deep inside.  

– Haa, Iliana…  

Lucian’s gentle voice as he looked at her echoed in her mind.  

“Ah… ahh, mm!”  

Heat pooled below as a wave surged and then subsided. Iliana bit her lip. Her legs trembled, and she hastily pulled the blanket over herself.  

She felt the dampness below. Her hips twitched slightly, lingering from the faint afterglow. Finally, her foggy mind began to clear.  

You’re insane, Iliana Raylin.  

Though she had occasionally relieved her urges with fantasies of Lucian, this was different. The vividness of her memories, now firmly rooted in reality, was overwhelming. Enough to make her ache below.  

“To think I’d harbor such filthy desires…”  

And I was supposed to help Lucian fix his drinking habit?  

A hollow laugh escaped her lips. Who could possibly define this as “childhood friendship”? No one, except perhaps the oblivious Lucian.  

No matter how skilled she was at pretending, it was impossible to hide the longing in her eyes. No matter how long her one-sided love had lasted, concealing her feelings was beyond her.  

“What should I do? Really…”  

No amount of opening and closing her eyes could resolve her chaotic emotions.  

Should I just refuse after all?  

But if I refused now, would he be disappointed?  

If I refuse, would he ask someone else to help him with this?  

…Someone else?  

Lost in an endless spiral of thoughts, Iliana finally fell asleep. She woke up the next day to find a letter from Lucian, delivered by the butler.  

Should I resent Lucian for his quick actions, or should I be glad for his trust?  

With a sigh, Iliana couldn’t help but send a positive reply. She had no reason to refuse. After all, she had been the one to bring it up, and it was a request from the Young Master of the Earl’s family.  

Justifying herself, Iliana ignored the selfish desires buried deep within her heart.  

* * *  

In the end, she came.  

As she hesitated, stepping down from the carriage, Lucian extended his hand to her. His gentlemanly escort made her heart flutter.  

She thought she should be used to this by now, but every time she saw him, it felt new.  

Hiding her familiar excitement, Iliana followed him with a composed expression.  

“Come in, Lana.”  

“Alright.”  

Lucian led her to the annex of the Earl’s estate.  

So that’s why the carriage went deeper than usual.  

The word “annex” carried a special weight, making Iliana’s shoulders tense with nerves. Watching Lucian’s broad back, her mouth felt dry.  

“This way.”  

Lucian guided her straight to a room. Pretending to be calm, Iliana licked her lips and asked, 

“Shouldn’t I greet the Earl…?”  

“Oh, Father and Mother are in the capital right now. Something came up that they needed to handle.”  

Lucian, shaking his head, admitted he didn’t know the details. 

If both the Earl and Countess had gone to the capital, could it have been a summons from the Royal Family?  

What could it be?  

Her innocent curiosity faded as the door closed. What mattered now wasn’t idle speculation but the fact that she and Lucian were alone in the annex.  

“Have a seat wherever you’re comfortable.”  

“…Alright.”  

Blinking, she sat down. “Excuse me,” she said, watching as Lucian picked up the teapot from the tray beside the table and smiled.  

“Why are you so nervous, Lana?”  

“Well… it’s just been so long since I’ve been in the annex. I guess I’m not used to it.”  

“What’s that supposed to mean? It’s not like I’m a stranger or anything.”  

Not a stranger! But after that night, you’ve completely topped my list of most awkward men!  

Iliana, unable to express her true feelings, awkwardly smiled as she arranged the teacups on the table. For some reason, Lucian’s face, filled with laughter as he poured the tea, tickled her insides.  

“My father made a large purchase overseas, so we ended up with this grapefruit tea. I hope it suits your taste.”  

It was odd that he hadn’t asked if there was a specific tea she wanted. His tone, almost joking, prompted Iliana to lift her teacup and respond.  

“…As long as it’s not something rare like banana tea, it should be fine, so don’t worry, Lucian.”  

“That’s such an old story. Ah, how’s Anas doing? Wasn’t it your younger sibling who came up with banana tea?”  

“Well, she’s… still the best, as always. She nagged me again yesterday. At this rate, I might have to swap sisters.”

The tartness of the grapefruit tea filled her mouth. As the peculiar taste made her frown slightly, Lucian handed her a cookie from the table.  

“…?”  

Why was Lucian doing this?  

It wasn’t that it didn’t suit him, but he was the Young Master of the Earl’s family. The heir to a family with considerable authority, history, and wealth. 

Why was someone like him personally pouring tea for me?

As her gaze wandered and her thoughts raced through various theories, she found herself coming up with positive answers that made her heart flutter.  

Could it be that, perhaps… unconsciously, he’s being considerate of me… or something?  

When she glanced up at him with a hint of doubt, Lucian let out a deflated laugh and set down the teacup.  

“How long has it been since the banquet ended? If I call for someone now, it’d be overtime for them.”  

“…Ah.”  

A short sigh escaped her lips. Right, this time of year always saw an increase in marriage rates, partly due to vacations. It was practically a tradition in the Declan Earl’s family, so why had she forgotten?  

With the Earl and Countess gone to the townhouse, most of the staff were likely unavailable, leaving the annex empty.