Chapter 32

“I should wash now.”

She opened the bathroom door, shedding her evening dress and slip layer by layer. The steaming bathtub awaited her. Completely n*ked, Harriet slowly immersed herself in the tub, feeling her tense muscles relax as a satisfied sigh escaped her lips.

“Ah…”

Harriet leaned back, enjoying the soothing bath. Her eyes, which were about to close, snapped open at the sound of footsteps. Someone had entered, likely noticing the broken vanity, and was approaching the bathroom quickly.

Did I lock the door properly? 

Just as she thought this, Lennox burst into the steam-filled room.

“There you are.”

“What are you doing? Get out immediately.”

Startled, Harriet clumsily covered herself with her hands. Ignoring her, Lennox sat down on a stool beside the tub. Harriet gritted her teeth and warned him menacingly.

“If you don’t want to end up like a drowned rat, get out now.”

“Your hand.”

Lennox extended his palm, his face devoid of humor. Harriet blinked and asked seriously.

“Are you really crazy?”

“Your hand.”

His insistent gaze was as unyielding as steel. Sighing, Harriet extended her left hand.

“If you’ve seen it, leave.”

“The other hand.”

“Do you want a smack?”

“If you hit me, will you show it to me?”

There was no lecherous intent in his eyes. Sometimes, the best way to deal with a mad dog is to give it what it wants. Rolling her eyes, Harriet extended her other hand. Lennox examined her hand thoroughly, gently brushing the wound on her hand.

“Ouch!”

“Why did you break the mirror for no reason? You didn’t smash it with your bare hands, did you?”

Since he had already seen the scene, she couldn’t deny it. Harriet averted her gaze and replied evasively.

“I broke it by accident. I didn’t use my bare hands.”

“If you had, it would have been a big deal.”

“What big deal? I would have just injured my hand more.”

Scoffing, Harriet pulled her hand away. At that moment, a cold voice pierced her ears.

“Self-harm is not allowed, Harriet Coco Diorne.”

Lennox, having discarded any pretense of gentleness, stared at her with intense gray eyes as if he would devour her. At the same time, Harriet instinctively looked around, searching for an escape. Her back stiffened, and her mouth went dry.

Lennox rose and loomed over her. He placed his hands on either side of the tub, trapping her.

“Anything else is fine, but no self-harm. No matter what.”

Though his gaze was fixed solely on her face, it was clear he could explore further if necessary. Harriet frowned as she tried to gather the bubbles around her to cover herself.

“Are you trying to act like my master now that we’re married?”

Lennox sighed softly, as if he had expected her words, and corrected her.

“I’m not your master; I’m your family, so I’m concerned.”

His calm response to her sarcasm made it difficult for her to lash out. Harriet eventually conceded.

“I didn’t self-harm. Really.”

“Harriet.”

“I won’t do it in the future, either.”

Finally, a smile slowly spread across his previously expressionless face. Harriet, with bubbles in her hand, playfully smeared them on his face.

“If you understand, get out, you pervert.”

At her gentle chiding, Lennox stood up. Just as she thought he was leaving, he dragged the stool to her head and sat down.

“Not yet. I haven’t heard what I really want to know.”

“You!”

He had been pushing boundaries, pretending not to, ever since she had started letting things slide. Just as Harriet was about to genuinely get angry, she was stopped by his hands tilting her head back.

“What are you doing?”

“Stay still. I’ll show you heaven.”

“You’re talking like some shameless middle-aged man… Ah!”

Supporting her head with both hands as if cradling a baby, Lennox began to gently massage her scalp.

Harriet, who was about to push his hands away, succumbed to the refreshing sensation, much like when her feet were massaged.

“Feels good, right?”

Lennox chuckled, as if he had expected her reaction, and continued to massage her scalp diligently.

“Did you learn this somewhere?”

“I thought you’d like it, so I picked it up.”

“…I do like it.”

Harriet admitted, groaning softly at his touch. Everywhere his large hands touched, she felt a refreshing flow of blood. Enjoying the massage in silence, she was suddenly hit with a bombshell question.

“Why did you break the mirror earlier?”

“……”

“Were you jealous?”

His calm words struck her left chest like an unexpected blow. Harriet removed his hands and replied coldly.

“Don’t flatter yourself. It wasn’t that.”

“Then.”

“Even though you’re just a marriage of convenience partner and someone I’ll divorce in six months, I was just dumbfounded and angry that you had your ex-lover on the same cruise.”

“……”

“If you understand, please leave. I’ll bathe alone.”

She waved her hand dismissively, and surprisingly, he stood up.

“Indeed, we did date briefly, but nothing happened.”

How could she believe that? He was a man who acted quickly while pretending not to. Harriet chose to ignore him instead of responding. However, she couldn’t help but listen.

“I didn’t know she would be on board. I don’t memorize the hundreds of passengers on a cruise. If it upset you, I’m sorry, Coco.”

“……Just leave.”

In short, he was saying he had nothing to do with this situation. Her anger and annoyance had been misplaced.

Feeling awkward, Harriet averted her gaze and waved her hand again. Soon, she heard him leaving.

* * *

The first night of their marriage, which had been momentarily peaceful, passed uneventfully. What Harriet remembered was the sensation of the mattress tilting as he lay down beside her.

She could have been angry and asked where he dared to try to sleep, but he didn’t lift a finger, merely lying next to her.

It was awkward to kick out someone who hadn’t done anything, and it seemed mean to make her newlywed husband sleep on the couch, so Harriet simply closed her eyes.

When she opened them again, the sun was already high in the sky. Wearing a robe over her slip, she stepped out to find a perfect breakfast laid out in the living room, which doubled as a sitting room.

“You woke up just in time.”

Lennox, who was setting her place at the table, spoke as if the previous night’s events were forgotten.

Harriet, too, sat down on the couch as if nothing had happened, following his lead.

“What’s all this?”

“I ordered it, thinking you might be hungry.”

The breakfast consisted of fresh eggs cooked sunny-side-up, perfectly toasted bread, seasonal fruits, orange juice, and milk.

Picking up a fork and knife, Harriet put an egg on her toast and took a bite, commenting with satisfaction.

“It’s good. I didn’t expect much from a meal on a ship.”

“For someone who didn’t expect much, you seemed to enjoy last night’s banquet.”

“The banquet was just okay.”

“You have crumbs on your mouth.”

“Where?”

Reaching over, Lennox wiped the crumbs from her lips with his hand and ate them. Startled, Harriet slapped his hand.

“That’s disgusting!”

“It’s not disgusting at all, Coco. It’s something my wife ate.”

“……Are you sure there was only one?”

“Sorry?”

“Lover, I mean. I feel like there must have been plenty.”

With that face and honeyed charm, no woman could resist him. Except for her, who had known him since childhood.

“Do you wish there were more or fewer?”

“I don’t care either way. That’s why I’m asking.”

“I don’t lie. There really was only one. And we parted without anything significant happening.”

“……Hmm.”

Harriet shrugged and busied herself with her meal. Somehow, her appetite grew, and her mouth watered.

Only after finishing everything did she feel satisfied. Wiping her mouth with a napkin, Harriet yawned contentedly like a cat that had eaten cream.

“It was a satisfying breakfast.”

“Because you slept in and had a delicious meal?”

“I won’t deny it.”

In just a few days, she felt closer to him, enough to have comfortable conversations. Inevitably, she had to gradually allow him into her space, bit by bit. 

However, Harriet wasn’t giving in to him completely. She allowed it because she had drawn a line. Even if he was a husband she would only be with for half a year, it was advantageous for them to get along.

“What do you want to do today? You can lounge in bed all day if you want. But the maids will come to clean and change the sheets.”

“I have to work.”

“Work?”

“I brought something just in case.”

Lennox’s expression changed subtly.

“Are you hinting that I work too much, even on my honeymoon?”

“Of course not. It’s just.”

“Just?”

Harriet, eyeing him suspiciously, pressed for an answer.

“The luggage might have gotten mixed up with mine in the storage compartment.”

“What?”

Harriet, who had jumped up, went to the bedroom to find something to wear. Lennox followed her, hovering as she rummaged through the wardrobe. Half-annoyed, Harriet glared at him.

“Why would you put it in storage?”

“There are several documents to submit when boarding and disembarking, so I stored them in one place. I didn’t want to lose them, so I kept them with the larger, less-moved luggage.”

“Where is it?”

“It would be easier to have someone fetch it.”

“I don’t want to entrust it to someone else for security reasons.”

“Then I’ll get it.”

“Thanks, I’d appreciate that.”

Unexpectedly, Harriet thanked him easily, and she swallowed her breath without realizing it. Lennox smiled and left the room.