17

“I thought you already knew. My real name isn’t Marie. It’s an alias. I met you out of a moment’s curiosity. I intended to meet you just once and end it, but as you can see… since our bodies were so compatible, things dragged on. Actually, I’m already engaged… and…”

Elsia still had much to say, but her throat tightened and the next words wouldn’t come.

If she said any more, she felt tears would pour out. She pressed her lips together and clenched her fists to hold back the tears.

She couldn’t bring herself to say the most important final words, ‘Let’s end things now.’ She could only repeat them silently in her heart.

“….”

Adrian gave no reply to her words.

Was he so dumbfounded that it wasn’t worth answering? Did he think the woman, already engaged, was toying with him?

Elsia wondered that for a moment, but she knew it wasn’t true. He was probably just as casual about all this.

In that brief moment, a thousand thoughts raced through Elsia’s mind.

She was only hurting herself with her own thoughts.

Then, Adrian uttered something unbelievable.

“…I adore you.”

Elsia, startled by the sweet words she heard, lifted her head.

It was the words she longed to hear, but she thought she must have misheard.

‘No, I must have heard wrong.’

She tried to deny it.

“I love you.”

But again, she heard the words of love in her ear.

At the same time, a firm chest pressed against her back, his arms wrapped around her neck, and his chin gently rested atop her head.

When she sensed his scent, she could no longer hold back.

A single tear rolled down Elsia’s cheek and dripped to her chin.

Adrian cupped her face and gently licked her tears. Then the tears she’d held back suddenly burst forth like a waterfall.

Adrian, who was hugging her from behind, hurried to face her and handed her a handkerchief.

Elsia took his handkerchief and wiped her flowing tears, and Adrian embraced her warmly.

It was only after she resolved never to see him again that she realized she loved him, and on the day she said goodbye, he told her he loved her….

Such sweet and intense words. That one sentence shook her heart violently.

Tears flowed uncontrollably in his warm embrace.

For a moment, her mind blanked out like a white canvas.

With unexpected events unfolding, her head couldn’t keep up with the situation.

After crying in Adrian’s arms for a long while, Elsia came to her senses. She realized she hadn’t answered Adrian yet.

‘Should I tell him how I feel?’

Elsia hesitated. With trembling eyes, she glanced at Adrian. Sensing her feelings, he spoke first.

“You don’t have to answer me right away. But…”

He paused, and Elsia looked up at him directly.

His blue eyes trembled slightly.

“There’s something I want to tell you. Please answer me after you’ve heard everything I have to say.”

Adrian spoke with meaning. If he had something to say, why not say it now? What story could require such hesitation?

“Is it something you can’t tell me now?”

“…Yes. I’m not ready yet.”

‘He confessed his love right away, so what kind of words require preparation?’

Elsia was puzzled but decided to trust him and wait.

Anyway, she didn’t have to answer immediately, so Elsia felt relieved.

She couldn’t answer right away either. She needed to sort out her situation.

Once she felt at ease, Elsia asked him something she’d been curious about.

“What’s your real name?”

“I never lied about my name.”

“What?”

She’d met him at a secret club, so she assumed his name was an alias, but it was real.

She’d used an alias, so she thought he had too, but it was genuine….

Elsia unfolded the damp handkerchief she held. It had a snake emblem engraved on it. This emblem…?

“Adrian Brightwell.”

Adrian pronounced his name clearly.

Elsia was surprised. She’d vaguely thought he was a knight. She never imagined he was from the Brightwell Earldom.

Her father and Earl Brightwell had a bad relationship and never visited each other, so she had never seen Adrian’s face.

But Elsia had heard Adrian’s name before. She just hadn’t known his face because she hadn’t cared.

“My real name is Elsia. Elsia Portman.”

Whenever Adrian called her Marie, it had always hurt somewhere in her heart.

Now that she revealed her real name, she felt lighter inside and could let go of her guilt about Marie.

Adrian, upon hearing Elsia’s name, just smiled faintly. He didn’t seem surprised, as if he’d always thought she was a noble.

Once everything was cleared up, Elsia’s face flushed. The fact that Adrian had confessed to her suddenly struck her.

Feeling shy, she couldn’t look him in the eye.

Everywhere she touched Adrian, she could feel her heart beating loudly. His warmth made her body shout that her heart was racing madly.

Afraid Adrian might hear her heartbeat, Elsia hurriedly tried to escape his embrace, but his hand caught her.

“Where are you going?”

Then, led by his hand, she returned to his arms.

His lips gently pressed her forehead, eyebrows, and nose. Elsia shivered slightly from the ticklish sensation, and he gazed at her like she was a cute little creature.

“Why? Why are you looking at me like that?”

Elsia asked on purpose, secretly hoping for his answer, her heart pounding even harder.

“You’re so lovely and adorable, it’s hard to bear.”

“Ahaha.”

When she heard the answer she wanted, she couldn’t help but laugh.

The gloomy feelings from yesterday were gone, and she enjoyed this time with him.

As Elsia laughed, Adrian’s lips gently nibbled her earlobe.

“Ouch.”

It stung a bit, so Elsia glared at Adrian for a moment, but he just laughed cheerfully, as if even that was adorable.

And their bright mood soon ended. As they gazed at each other and laughed, their eyes became entangled, and their bodies slowly began to overlap.

“Haa. Haa.”

The eyes that had been laughing moments ago now turned seductive, and the laughter that filled the room was replaced by the sounds of their m*ans.

Elsia pulled Adrian’s neck closer so she wouldn’t fall from his arms, wrapped her legs around his waist, and pressed their bodies together.

They followed their instincts, exploring each other’s bodies. Their movements were fierce, as if trying to devour each other.

The more Adrian lost control, the more Elsia was overwhelmed by thrilling sensations.

Even after one round, they changed positions and started again.

Each time felt like the first, as they intertwined their body heat and writhed together. Adrian released his desires onto Elsia several times, and she continued to reach her cl*max.

After several storms, Elsia lay in bed with Adrian.

‘I didn’t plan to do this with him today.’

Only after everything was over did Elsia realize her plans had gone awry.

But she was glad. If her plan had succeeded, she would have spent the night alone, sobbing in her room.

Not wanting to wake the deeply sleeping Adrian, she tried to sneak out of the villa.

“I’ll send a letter soon.”

She heard Adrian’s voice following her, already awake.

Hearing Adrian’s voice behind her, Elsia couldn’t help but smile, but she hurried onto the carriage without looking back.

As soon as she arrived at the mansion, Elsia went straight to her bed and buried her face in her pillow.

The cool fabric against her skin finally calmed her flushed face a little.

She had gone to break up with him, but ended up only hearing his confession. She thought it was the end, but it wasn’t. Adrian held on to the heart she tried to let go of.

―I love you.

Elsia felt as if she kept hearing Adrian’s voice. She never imagined that the answer she longed for would make all her torments vanish in an instant.

In the end, the answer she wanted was Adrian’s declaration of love. Since she hadn’t gotten it before, Elsia had kept agonizing.

Now that she heard what she wanted, uncontrollable joy kept overflowing, and she wanted to share it with someone.

She didn’t want to keep it to herself. Unable to calm her excitement, Elsia paced around her room until her feelings settled.

But the joy was short-lived. Thinking about her reality, her elation faded instantly.

She still had a problem left. She was still engaged to Mars.