Chapter 4 – Prejudice (Part 6)

Angry at his lie, Sophia pounded on Killian’s chest to push him away, but as his tongue slipped into her mouth and swirled around, her strength faded.

The soft sensation slid in, exploring every corner and brushing against the roof of her mouth. When it touched a sensitive spot, her body involuntarily flinched.

Feeling awkward with the still unfamiliar sensation, she tried to dodge, but his movements were relentless. He wrapped his tongue around hers, sending strange and thrilling sensations through her.

Their saliva mixed messily, and lewd, wet sounds echoed. Even though she was aware of the embarrassing act, she couldn’t stop.

“Ah, mmph.”

With every break and reconnection of their lips, Sophia’s soft moans escaped. As the kiss, which stole all her breath, deepened, it felt as if her body was melting away.

When her breath grew ragged, their lips parted, but Sophia remained in a daze, unable to snap out of the dreamlike sensation.

“I’m sorry. The moment your lips touched mine, I lost my reason and couldn’t control myself.”

Hearing Killian’s voice snapped her back to reality. Overwhelmed by shame, Sophia’s face turned crimson.

“Liar!”

She pushed Killian away and walked to the center of the room.

“Don’t come near me again. I’ll draw a line, and if you cross it, I won’t let it slide.”

Feigning composure, she lay in bed and pulled the covers over her head, but her heart continued to race, leaving her wide-eyed under the blanket.

It was the first time he showed desire for me!

The fact was so surprising that Sophia didn’t know how to accept that Killian was attracted to her for the first time.

What is this!

Can men feel s*xual attraction even towards women they dislike, or had his feelings towards me softened a bit?

No matter how much she thought about it, Sophia couldn’t just let it slide. Feeling that something was lacking if she just let it go, Sophia threw off the blanket and stood up abruptly.

She pulled on the rope hanging by the bed to call Emily.

“What did you call me for?”

Out of breath, Emily burst through the door. Since she hadn’t been called at this hour before, she seemed worried about what might be happening.

“Do you have a long, thin piece of cloth? If you do, bring it to me.”

“Yes, understood.”

At the mention of cloth, Emily looked puzzled for a moment, then nodded and left the bedroom. Shortly after, she returned with a bundle of plain pink cloth.

“Is this enough?”

“It’s enough.”

As soon as she received the cloth from Emily, Sophia used it to create a boundary line in the room. Instantly, the bedroom was divided in half.

Naturally, the boundary line stopped just before the door. It wasn’t possible to divide the door in half.

There was no guarantee he wouldn’t cross the line she set, knowing he was a man who lied. Even so, she made the boundary to convey how much she disliked the kiss from earlier.

“Do not cross this line!”

“Understood.”

Killian, who had been silently watching Sophia’s actions, chuckled and complied without any argument.

Seeing his relaxed demeanor, Sophia realized she might have overreacted. However, since the deed was done, Sophia tried her best not to cross the line she had set from that day on.

But her will and reality were different. Sophia, who had a habit of moving around in her sleep, often crossed the boundary she had created. As she tossed and turned in her sleep, she found herself nestled in Killian’s arms.

I was the one who drew the line, yet here I am!

She tried to move away quickly, but at that moment, Killian wrapped his arm around her waist, trapping her in his large embrace.

Every slight movement made his warm breath tickle the nape of her neck. The refreshing scent that accompanied it kept unsettling Sophia’s heart.

As a result, while Killian’s heartbeat remained calm, her own heart was pounding wildly. She hoped he wouldn’t hear it, as it was loud enough that he might have if he were awake.

Fortunately, before Killian woke up, his grip loosened, allowing Sophia to escape from his arms.

Glad he hasn’t woken up yet.

As her breathing gradually calmed, her racing heart also steadied. Letting out a sigh of relief, Sophia slowly drifted back to sleep.

* * *

When Killian woke up in the morning, he smiled faintly at the sight of Sophia clinging to him in her sleep. The strip of cloth that had been between them was now a tangled mess, the boundary long gone.

He carefully got up, making sure not to wake the peacefully sleeping Sophia, and headed to the bathroom. After washing up, he made his way to the study. He usually received reports from Victor before morning training.

“Report the situation.”

“The Madame is pleased.”

The atmosphere in the study was tense, as if Victor had done something wrong, but that wasn’t the case. Victor was merely reporting to Killian about Sophia.

“She said she liked it?”

Killian’s eyes flashed with a coldness that could be mistaken for his gaze turning even icier.

“Yes.”

“That’s a relief.”

His words were unpredictable just by looking at his eyes. Seemingly unfazed by Killian’s demeanor, Victor continued his report with restrained actions.

“She is getting along well with the new maids. Her expression has improved, brightening the atmosphere of the estate.”

“Alright, you may leave.”

“Understood.”

Having completed his report, Victor bowed and left the study immediately.

Killian shifted his gaze from Victor to his desk. Planning to visit the royal palace after finishing the backlog of work, he meticulously examined the documents piled on his desk.

Picking up the topmost document, he carefully reviewed each one. There was so much to see that as he focused on his work, time flew by, and it was nearly lunchtime.

Killian’s gaze drifted to the window. Outside, he saw Sophia having tea with a maid.

As she walked, her loose blonde hair fluttered in the wind, creating the illusion that the garden was bathed in gold.

Her gentle smile seemed to warm and soften the surrounding atmosphere. It was a feeling one could never experience in the cold air of the Loden household.

In a quiet voice, Killian murmured to her.

“Is my choice the right one?”

Even now, he couldn’t be sure if his choice was right or wrong. He felt sorry for Sophia, and thinking of her weighed heavily on his heart.

“Clive, brother….”

In a small voice, Killian muttered Clive’s name. If he hadn’t done such a thing, the current situation wouldn’t have arisen.

Therefore, it was necessary to build a peaceful home in his stead. For the future of him and Sophia.

* * *

“Huh? What kind of flowers are these?”

That afternoon, Sophia looked puzzled as she received a basket of pink roses from Emily.

“A gift delivery has arrived. The butler asked me to bring it to you, Lady Sophia!”

“Didn’t they say who sent it?”

“They said you’d know when you saw it?”

Since there was no one she expected to send her flowers, Sophia received them in confusion and immediately opened the letter tucked inside.

[I heard you like pink roses. I hope this is a good gift. – Killian Loden.]

“Sir Killian?”

She checked the name at the end of the letter several times, but it remained unchanged.

“Oh my, Sir Killian sent this gift?”

Emily seemed surprised, as she hadn’t expected it to be from him either.

“Uh, yes.”

Why did he send this?

Even as she received the gift, Sophia felt a bit uneasy.

“What else could it be? It seems like he wants to get closer to you.”

“No way.”

She kept tilting her head in confusion while smelling the flowers. The fragrant scent was soothing, and soon the room was filled with the floral aroma, bringing a contented smile to Sophia’s lips.

Even though things had been awkward with Killian lately, she thought she should thank him and waited for him to enter the bedroom at night.

Late at night, when she heard Killian’s footsteps approaching the bedroom, Sophia closed the book she was reading and got up from the bed. As the door opened, she immediately approached Killian with a bright smile.

“Thank you for the flowers.”

“I’m glad you liked them. I sent them hoping you would let go of your anger towards me.”

Ah, he sent them to appease my anger. Does he want to get along with me?

Sophia thought Killian was trying to fulfill his marital duties and take responsibility. It would be better to maintain a proper relationship than to be at odds.

As Sophia continued to smile, Killian asked.

“Is there no way of thanks?”

“A way of thanks?”

When she looked puzzled, Killian lightly tapped his cheek.

Does he want a kiss of gratitude?

If she wasn’t careful, her thanks might not end with just words. He had broken his word once before, and there was no guarantee he wouldn’t do it again this time.

“Didn’t you know why I was angry?”

“This time, I promise I won’t do anything foolish.”

“Really? If you don’t do anything strange, I’ll thank you.”

“I absolutely won’t. I swear on the honor of the Loden family.”

When Sophia looked at Killian with narrowed eyes, he replied with a confident gaze.

Hesitating for a moment at his words about the family’s honor, Sophia cautiously touched her lips to Killian’s cheek and pulled away. Suddenly, Killian’s hand wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer in an instant.

“Eek!”

Startled, Sophia shouted and glared at him.

“You said you wouldn’t do anything strange!”