The rest couldn’t be said even by Nora. Yvonne could immediately guess what Nora left unsaid. The Rose House was a high-class bar. It was where wealthy nobles secretly frequented, incomparable to the Purple House. He must have gone to satisfy a man’s urges. She already knew he had been doing this before. She had been severely punished for mentioning it. Indeed, such things don’t change.
So his words about husbandly duties that day meant he would keep them after marriage. No, that’s not it. There was no guarantee he would keep those words even after marriage. Now that she had dealt with her uncle, she needed to deal with Leon.
“I felt I had to tell you this time, Miss. This won’t happen again.”
“Thank you.”
Jack and Nora were people who prioritized looking after her. So they must have judged that they should report it once so she would know. They made the right judgment. Leon was the one who did wrong, not them.
Old habits die hard.
She remembered Leon returning late that day. His body had healed, so he must have wanted to go. But why did he knock on her door after that? Did he have something to say rather than any lecherous thoughts? But he hadn’t said anything when they met in the morning. Then… it must not have been anything important.
She had already expected him to frequent such places. Perhaps now he wouldn’t approach her anymore. That kiss really…
He shouldn’t have said anything about husbandly duties if he couldn’t keep them. Why did he bother saying something he couldn’t keep? Even though she had known, she couldn’t help feeling disappointed by Leon whose words and actions differed so much.
Strangely, as time passed, her body felt heavier as if fatigue was piling up. She sank deep into the chair she was sitting in and closed her eyes.
I need to rest a little.
Well, too many things had happened in succession. So it was time for her energy to hit bottom. It’s remarkable she had held up this well until now.
Think of other good thoughts. Like Emil said. Warm, good thoughts…… When thoughts of contact with Leon started to surface, she quickly shook her head to reject them. She had every right to reject them.
Though her eyes were closed, her mind wasn’t at peace. It must be because she was on edge about her uncle’s affairs.
She took a deep breath to regain her composure again.
＊＊＊
“Did something happen?”
After several days, the three of them could gather for a meal time. Of course, it was because Leon kept returning late. Or thanks to that? Thanks to that, she could eat comfortably with Emil. There was no discomfort at all.
“Why?”
Leon observed her expression throughout the meal.
Yvonne had been smiling with a relaxed expression these past few days, but something seemed off today. Leon’s forehead slightly furrowed.
“Tell me. What happened?”
It was a question he asked with certainty that something was wrong.
Since he pressed like this, she had to say something.
“I heard Uncle is staying at the Purple House.”
“Is that what’s bothering you?”
Leon’s expression showed he wasn’t particularly concerned. He seemed uninterested in where her uncle was as long as he was out of this mansion. Right. That’s correct. Let’s not worry about that matter.
“No. Not anymore.”
Leon started eating again, seemingly thinking the problem was resolved. But Yvonne still had no appetite and couldn’t eat much.
“Come to my quarters briefly after the meal.”
Leon’s sudden statement snapped her to attention. She absolutely did not want to be alone with him. He had already agreed to postpone everything until marriage, so why?
“I’m tired…… Can’t I just rest?”
She showed her intention to refuse, thinking only of avoiding him. You started frequenting that place, didn’t you? So why are you calling me? Surely not…
Would he act like this even after marriage? Playing outside and embracing her inside? Just thinking about it made her shudder.
“At this rate, we’ll only see each other’s faces on the wedding day.”
She deliberately ignored his complaint that didn’t sound like a complaint. Leon’s lips pressed into a line, showing his displeasure. But she had no intention of giving in on this matter. Avoiding was the best strategy right now.
When the meal ended, Leon approached again. Had he not given up?
“Let’s at least take a walk.”
“My body… feels heavy.”
With the whole place under construction, what mood was there for a walk? She felt strangely tired today and her emotions were sensitive.
“We’re walking?”
After blurting that out, he turned first and left the temporary dining room.
Sigh…
Even walks are forced. Who takes walks like this? One should stroll leisurely to aid digestion. Nothing is working out.
Her mind isn’t at peace, and it would be fortunate if what little she ate didn’t sit heavily. Why did he come back so early today to do this?
Reluctantly, Yvonne went outside and approached him. She had no choice but to walk through the garden, torn up and messy, with only the moonlight settling quietly upon it. Keeping far away from him.
The night air that should have been pleasant felt stuffy and stale because of him. Leon made her especially uncomfortable today. Though she was grateful for his help, she couldn’t help feeling uncomfortable with him as a person. Especially a man who frequents such places.
“Are you sick somewhere?”
“I think I’ll be fine if I rest a bit. So I’d like to end this walk shortly.”
Her tone clearly revealed she was taking this walk forcefully. Leon subtly moved closer.
Yvonne hurriedly moved further away from him. She distanced herself as much as he approached. This time, Leon’s eyebrows raised up in displeasure.
“This is too much. I want to go back.”
Yvonne thought she had walked enough. But when she tried to turn around quickly, Leon reached out and firmly grabbed her arm.
She felt it binding her like shackles.
“You should get used to goodnight kisses now.”
She pressed her lips tightly shut.
That was the purpose. Not the walk.
She couldn’t understand why he was so hung up on such trivial things when he went around so freely. If he wasn’t trying to torment her because she disliked it, his behavior was difficult to understand.
“You have…… enough.”
She absolutely couldn’t handle a kiss like last time.
“What’s enough? Didn’t you want to do it every day?”
That’s you. With other women. Ah. Seeing you came back early today, I guess you didn’t go to the Rose House? But grabbing me like this is shameless.
“I don’t.”
Yvonne stated firmly. Then she shook off his arm and quickly turned away, walking faster. She moved her feet rapidly to return to her quarters before he could chase and catch her. Though nothing was hurting, strangely her body really felt heavy.
Sigh… She didn’t know where she got the nerve to act like that toward him. Had her fear disappeared because he said he wouldn’t hit her? Did the words just come out because he said he would listen to what she wanted? Even so, acting so willfully toward him who was like a lion… But he didn’t chase after her or get angry. He could have done so if he wanted.
Her head started throbbing too. She needed to rest.
But it seemed like she had said this several times today and rested often.
So what? She could rest again. Who would say anything about it?
Only when Yvonne entered her quarters could she finally breathe comfortably. Just when things seemed to be getting better for a few days, Leon started making her uncomfortable again. She would have to live like this for the rest of her life. Hadn’t she prepared herself for this?
Right. Let’s endure well. I can do it.
Yvonne felt really tired and prepared for bed early.
Left alone, Leon tasted complicated feelings as he wandered here and there by himself. He could have grabbed her. He could have led her to a dark place where moonlight didn’t reach. But he didn’t do that. She really looked exhausted. That’s probably why her words were sharper too. Right. She has reason to be tired. He decided to let it slide generously this time.
Left alone, fatigue washed over him too. Though he had been busy meeting merchants and making contracts to open new business relationships for several days, he wasn’t physically tired. The mental fatigue was greater. Because of just one person.
There were many times when he didn’t know how to treat Yvonne.
After quietly sighing, he beckoned with his hand to two newly hired subordinates quietly standing in a dark place far from the moonlight.
After ordering their tasks for tomorrow, he parted from them.
Now he had subordinates who would report necessary information. Though he needed more, those two were quite trustworthy. He needed more subordinates to assign people to watch Yvonne and Emil too. Hoping more useful people would come tomorrow, he also headed toward his quarters.
For a moment. Just a very brief moment…
He stopped in front of the quarters where Yvonne and Emil were staying. After standing heavily there for a moment, he painfully turned away again.
* * *
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Aelthia
‘Leon’ doesn’t appear to have considered the effect his ‘Leon’s behavior in the past has had on Yevonne. He seems to believe he can put minimal effort into the relationship & get physical affection from her when he wants it. Not giving any thought to her fear or the broken trust (that ‘Leon’ caused).