Chapter 17

“……”  

“How did you escape this time? I clearly ordered them to guard the door. I even made sure to block the windows with iron bars.”  

Yulia shifted her eyes.  

“You were planning to propose to me?”  

She asked again, unable to believe it.  

“Why did you prepare for a wedding without even proposing?”  

“Because I believed you wouldn’t refuse.”  

His bright blue eyes looked at her steadily. His touch on her swelling ankle became gentle again.  

“And both families want Grace and me to marry quickly. We’re reaching the limit of delaying the wedding. So, I started the preparations to put the elders at ease.”  

“What about Grace……”  

“She can handle herself. You’ll be the bride that day.”  

She was at a loss for words.  

“If I show up with you, they won’t have any choice. Of course, they’ll be angry. But I can handle that. I don’t want to make you suffer. If necessary, I’ve even planned to give up my title as the heir. Anyway, I have a sibling.”  

Her head throbbed painfully.  

“Wait…… wait a minute.”  

She was confused. Blocking his words, Yulia slowly organized her thoughts.  

“I’m not a mistress?”  

“What? What are you talking about? A mistress?”  

Resti made a displeased face.  

“Weren’t you planning to take me in as a mistress?”  

“That’s not possible.”  

At his simple words, the tension suddenly released, and a hollow laugh escaped her. What had all the heartache been for? Everything seemed pointless. Running away desperately, crying from sorrow, even injuring her ankle.  

“What about Grace……”  

“Why are you concerned about her?”  

Resti asked, slightly annoyed. His reaction showed he disliked even mentioning Grace’s name.  

“She’s your fiancée.”  

“Grace knows my plan.”  

“But.”  

What if Grace truly liked you? What if she appeared on the wedding day? 

As Yulia whispered anxiously, he sighed and added.  

“She also has someone she likes.”  

“……”  

“If you’re curious, I can tell you who it is.”  

“Who is it……”  

“Sir Adrian Kalua. Grace’s escort knight.”  

Could I really trust this? 

Yulia stared at the man’s face, which showed no trace of deception.  

“Everything’s a mess.”  

Resti murmured with a devastated expression.  

“I wanted to propose in style.”  

Yulia blinked. He took out a small box from his coat and revealed a ring with a large gemstone inside. Her heart pounded.  

Would I really be marrying him? 

Her face flushed. She didn’t know where things had gone wrong, but she was relieved to know everything now. However, her mind was still a jumble from the sudden change in circumstances, causing a headache.  

Yulia pressed her forehead lightly, trying to organize her thoughts.  

‘Should I just say yes? Should I answer that I want to marry him?’  

Her mind was flooded with thoughts, and she lightly licked her dry lips. Her heart raced as if it would burst.  

Resti extended his hand, and she placed hers over it, waiting for him to speak. But without saying anything, he slid the ring onto her finger. It fit snugly, almost tightly.  

“You must marry me.”  

“Huh?”  

Isn’t a proposal usually phrased as ‘Will you marry me?’ 

Yulia tilted her head in confusion.  

“Even if you don’t want to, you must.”  

“What……”  

“I won’t accept any refusal.”  

The moment she opened her mouth to speak, Resti kissed her lips.  

“Mm, hmm……”  

Their tongues tangled with a moist sound. She was breathless. The more she struggled, the tighter he held her. He kissed her until her mind went hazy, then finally pulled away.  

“Say you like it, Yulia.”  

“Haah, ha……”  

“Answer me.”  

He urged her for a reply. Yulia forced the affirmative answer that was on the tip of her tongue back down.  

“Resti.”  

Before marrying him, there was something she wanted to hear.  

“Do you love me?”  

At her question, Resti blinked slowly.  

“I love you.”  

For a moment, she forgot to breathe. The words she had longed for and wished to hear finally came from his lips.  

“I wanted to say ‘I love you’ for the first time when proposing.”  

He whispered as if making an excuse.  

“I don’t know where things went wrong.”  

His lips pressed firmly against the tip of her nose. They hovered close to hers, almost touching. Their breaths mingled, tickling her lips.  

“So, answer me, Yulia.”  

“I love you.”  

Yulia hugged Resti’s neck tightly. While she was away from him, she had wanted to say she loved him countless times. The moment she expressed that thought aloud, she felt as if she might rush back to him, unable to resist her overwhelming feelings.  

“I love you, Resti. I really love you.”  

“……”  

“I love you.”  

At those words, his body stiffened momentarily.  

“Say it again.”  

His urgent voice reached her ears. He whispered as he rubbed his lips gently against hers.  

“Say it again.”  

“I love you.”  

“Ah.”  

Resti let out a short sigh and buried his head against her chest. She felt his hot breath. She could hear his heart beating loudly. She worried it might burst.  

“Resti.”  

“I’m glad. I don’t have to hurt you.”  

“……What do you mean?”  

“Nothing. Just that I’m happy you’re whole.”  

A shiver ran down her spine. Yulia didn’t press further about the meaning of his words.  

“I’ll cherish you, Yulia.”  

His whisper overflowed with sincerity. Yulia ignored the man slipping between her thighs and hugged him. The room quickly filled with heated moans.

***

After a long and deep conversation of bodies, Yulia lay limp on the bed.  

Resti, who was stroking her back as she lay hugging a pillow, kissed the nape of her neck.  

“Stop it. You pervert.”  

“Is it too much?”  

“It’s exhausting.”  

She mumbled, burying her face in the pillowcase. The sensation of his tongue slowly moving down her spine made her body shiver.  

“Mm……”  

He licked along her spine, reaching her bottom, and pressed his lips firmly against it. Resti squeezed and kneaded her plump bottom, biting into the flesh.  

“Don’t.”  

Yulia tried to suppress her laughter as she kicked her legs.  

“You were wiggling as if asking to be bitten.”  

“When did I wiggle?”  

“You were shaking.”  

“I didn’t do that.”  

“That’s how it looked to me.”  

As he insisted, he bit her bottom again.  

“Don’t bite.”  

She finally burst into laughter and rolled around on the bed. As soon as she lay down properly, he climbed on top of her as if he had been waiting. Their lips met lightly.  

“Mm…… it tickles.”  

Resti showered her with kisses, making smacking sounds, and caressed her cheek.  

“So how did you get out?”  

“Huh?”  

“Just curious about how you got out.”  

“I just…… went out.”  

She tilted her head.  

“Like that? No one helped you?”  

At his words, she blinked. Instinctively, she realized that mentioning the maid would lead to trouble. She opened her lips to speak but then clamped them shut, and he chuckled.  

“Don’t make that face. I’m not going to get angry.”  

“Then?”  

“I won’t harm her either.”  

“Really?”  

“Yeah. I promise.”  

Instead of hooking pinkies, he bit her br*ast.  

“Ow!”  

“I won’t lie to your body.”  

Yulia stared at his serious blue eyes.  

“Really?”  

“Have I ever lied to you?”  

“No, but.”  

She hesitated and carefully mentioned the maid’s help. She had left during the fitting, taking advantage of the timing, through a small side door leading to the back of the mansion.  

“Oh. That person.”  

Resti frowned slightly and ran his hand through his hair.  

“Do you know her?”  

“Well. She’s worked for the Jestione family her whole life.”