Chapter 29

Crossing his long legs, Lennox savored the feel of the soft black hair in his hand. His bride, sleeping peacefully like a child, looked pure and beautiful.

“Coco.”

“….”

Even in her dreams, Harriet frowned at the sound of her name. Despite knowing she disliked being called that, he couldn’t help but use the same nickname. Her lively reactions amused him, and seeing her get excited and angry was undeniably attractive.

“I finally have you. Not completely, but still.”

She was his long-awaited crush and his only first love. Looking down at his woman with fervent eyes, Lennox leaned forward and whispered in her ear.

“You know, Harriet? Your husband is more possessive and covetous than you think.”

When he watched Harriet enter the hall holding Earl Vanetti’s arm, he wanted to gouge out the eyes of the guests admiring her beauty. He didn’t like barbaric methods, so he considered slipping a few drops of poison into their drinks. What held him back was the cold rationality that had kept him in check for so long.

“A divorce in half a year? What a cute idea.”

Fingers that had been stroking her hair gradually moved down to caress her nape. He could feel the steady pulse beneath her jaw.

If he could, he wanted to control every vein and breath of hers, to have her entirely in his grasp. He wanted to dominate and manipulate her without her knowing. From what she ate and wore to how she slept, even her breathing, he wanted everything to go according to his will.

“Do you know what happened to my biological mother when she tried to escape?”

It was a topic everyone knew but no one spoke of. The Duchess had a lover before her marriage, but she was forcibly engaged due to the Duke’s infatuation with her at first sight. She even attempted to elope with her lover but was eventually caught. After witnessing her lover get shot before her eyes, she ended up marrying the Duke, living under constant surveillance and obsession. Dying from postpartum fever shortly after giving birth to a son was perhaps a stroke of luck for her. Whether in love or not, trusting was a foolish act. To handle any potential threats and the pests swarming around her, he couldn’t afford to let his guard down.

“The madness runs in my blood too, Harriet. So stop trying to escape.”

The hand around her neck made her shift uncomfortably. Lennox, withdrawing his hand as if he had never exuded such intensity, whispered repeatedly into his sleeping wife’s ear, as if brainwashing her.

“Don’t provoke me, Harriet. Just let yourself be swept up by me, and love me. If you do, I will also respect and love you for a long time. As the mother of my children, as my beautiful wife.”

Harriet, who would surely become the mother of his children, would be more beautiful and radiant than anyone. Just imagining her with a full belly filled him with a warmth and happiness that felt like flying.

“Don’t try to escape. Don’t try to run away, and don’t try to turn away.”

The love he had built over time had unknowingly become a deep, consuming swamp that devoured even him. He was easily excited and his blood heated at her slightest glance or touch. This fervor would not cool until it consumed both him and his woman entirely.

“If you continue to reject me, I won’t know what I’ll do next.”

In a tone as gentle as could be, Lennox coldly warned her, then removed his jacket and draped it over Harriet like a blanket.

* * *

Hoooonk.

With a majestic roar, the massive cruise ship docked at the harbor. Just waking up, Harriet rubbed her sleepy eyes and looked up at the grand ship. The vessel they would take for their honeymoon was a colossal passenger ship, weighing 40,000 tons, and it was said that such a luxurious ship of this scale was unprecedented.

“How many days do we have to travel on this?”

“Three days. We’ll reach the island in three days.”

In her half-asleep state, Harriet appeared a bit dazed, unlike her usual somewhat stiff demeanor, which Lennox found endearing. Smiling, he tucked her disheveled hair behind her ear. Normally, she would have recoiled in alarm and swatted his hand away, but having just awakened, she was more groggy than usual, allowing his touch.

When Lennox, who had alighted from the carriage first, extended his hand to her, she surprisingly accepted it and let him help her down. With his arm around her waist, Lennox whispered in her ear.

“Our cabin is on the 4th floor, first class, my dear.”

“I told you not to call me ‘dear’…”

Now fully awake, Harriet tried to push away the arm wrapped around her waist when someone approached them and spoke.

“Welcome aboard, Young Master, and Madame.”

“And you are?”

“I’m John, the first mate.”

The man in sailor’s attire was a middle-aged man with a genial expression.

“The captain sends his regards and will meet you during dinner. He’s currently busy inspecting the ship and asks for your understanding.”

“I understand.”

“Congratulations on your marriage. We’ll do our best to ensure you have a wonderful honeymoon.”

John also offered a gentle greeting to Harriet, who was awkwardly smiling. Just as Harriet nodded and was about to reply, a strong hand pulled her closer to Lennox.

“My wife seems a bit tired, so we should head to our cabin right away.”

“Ah, I understand. Since you just had your wedding today, let me guide you immediately.”

Calling for porters to load the luggage from the carriage, John summoned a subordinate with a wave of his hand.

“I’m Nick, the steward assigned to your cabin.”

“It’s an honor to serve you. Please feel free to let us know if you need anything.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s my pleasure.”

Nick, who greeted them politely, proceeded to guide the couple.

* * *

The cabin was so spacious and comfortable that it felt like a part of a mansion had been moved onto the ship. The large bed draped with curtains between four posts, the nightstand, and the vanity were all made of the finest rosewood furniture. The living room, connected to the bedroom by a single door, was furnished with a buffalo leather couch, a marble table, and a decorative display filled with ivory ornaments.

For most newlyweds, entering such a first-class cabin would involve a passionate embrace, but the newly married Diorne couple did the exact opposite.

As soon as the steward who had courteously shown them the cabin left, Harriet flopped onto the couch.

“This buffalo leather couch isn’t from our department store.”

“You can tell just by lying on it?”

“Of course. Furniture was the item I pushed most this year. Where are you going?”

“I’m going to ask if they can change the furniture.”

“No. Just stay still. It’s fine.”

At her firm refusal, Lennox shrugged and knelt before the couch. Harriet, who had been lying with a cushion under her head, widened her eyes.

“W-what are you doing now?”

“Stay still.”

As if attending to a queen, Lennox gently removed her shoes and placed them neatly on the carpet. Then, he took her left foot in both hands and began pressing the sole.

Harriet, who had been about to pull her foot away, surrendered to the soothing pressure.

Lennox Diorne, the only son of the country’s most famous shipping magnate and a husband desired by countless women. The boy who had been just twelve years old was now her husband. And now, he was massaging her feet. The fact felt both fascinating and unfamiliar.

A fluttery feeling tickled one corner of her chest. As the comforting sensation spread from the arches of her feet to her toes, Harriet let out a low sigh.

Her gaze traveled from the large hands kneading her feet up to his face.

The first thing that caught her eye was his long, thick eyelashes. They were the same golden color as his hair. His eyelashes, longer than hers, fanned out like a neat array. His nose was long and straight, and his lips were redder than those of most women.

“Your face is really… Ah!”

Reaching out, Harriet grabbed a handful of his blonde hair.

“Ouch!”

“Sorry. You were staring so intently.”

“I wasn’t staring…”

“It excites me.”

Lennox inserted his fingers between her toes and gently bent and straightened them. It was just a massage, yet her other foot curled involuntarily. His hands were long and beautiful, almost too precious to be used just for touching feet.

“Do you remember, Coco? You said you liked men who played the piano well.”

“Did I?”

“That’s why I learned to play the piano for over a year, even though I wasn’t good at it. But then you said you liked men who were good at shooting.”

Though it was a simple massage, a strange sensation arose from the contact with her skin. Trying not to show it, Harriet cleared her throat deliberately.

“And so?”

“I’m pretty good at shooting now.”

Lennox placed her foot on his shoulder and began massaging the back of her calf with his thumbs.

“Then I went abroad to study. Do you like men who are good at massages?”

Though he asked indirectly, he was essentially asking if she liked him. Harriet averted her gaze.

She was unsure how to handle Lennox, who had stopped being sarcastic and was now confronting her directly with his feelings. Moreover, he was positioned between her legs. It all felt peculiarly uncomfortable.

“Is that important?”

Trying to shake the mood, Harriet deliberately changed the subject.

“By the way, who taught you this?”

“Why are you curious?”

Lennox looked up at her before lowering her leg and reaching for her other foot.

“I wondered if the women you’ve dated liked this sort of thing.”

“Hmm.”

Smiling slyly, Lennox raised the corners of his lips.

“Judging by the way you say ‘women,’ it seems you like it too. That’s a relief.”

It was hard to deny, as the fatigue seemed to melt away. Embarrassed, Harriet subtly diverted her gaze.

“Be honest. How many women have there been?”

“Isn’t it better not to ask about each other’s pasts?”