The red evening glow rippled across the sky. Luden’s red eyes were fixed on me. They were more beautiful than the sunset, so I stared at him blankly for a moment.

“Why are you staring like that?”

He asked in a deep voice.

His voice is insanely attractive too. That ticklish, beautiful voice makes my heart flutter!

No, no, what am I thinking!

I quickly shook my head and smiled. Since I was smiling to hide my feelings, it came out awkward and artificial.

Luden frowned when he saw my smile.

“What are you hiding?”

Luden set down his teacup and stared intently at me. I turned my head slightly and spoke in the driest voice I could manage, suppressing my emotions as much as possible.

“Even if I tried to hide something, you’d notice anyway, Luden. I’m not hiding anything.”

I glanced back at Luden sitting across from me. He was staring straight at me. His gaze was persistent, seemingly trying to determine whether my words were true or false.

Even that looks picturesque.

The moment I had that thought, I quickly shook my head.

That man is going to fall in love with another woman. All that remains in the future is divorce. If I give him my heart, I’ll only end up hurt.

I steadied my resolve and pressed down on my chest.

I pulled myself together and turned to face him properly. Then Luden stood up from his seat and approached me.

Wait, why is he suddenly coming to sit next to me?

I was flustered, but he sat down beside me, crossed his legs, and raised his hand to touch my cheek.

My makeup must be getting on his hand, but his touch was unhesitant.

“It feels like you’re avoiding me.”

Well, my heart races when I see you, Luden, so I have no choice but to avoid you.

My cheek grew hot under his touch. I could tell my face was heating up. Very vividly.

“Thinking about other things while you’re with me is a bad thing to do.”

He gazed at me deeply. I knew what he wanted with that look in his eyes.

“Your lipstick is so red.”

His voice sounded seductive. He looked at my blouse and undid a few buttons. I tried to stop his hands, but I was swept up in the strange atmosphere and couldn’t.

After undoing a few buttons, he pressed his hot lips inside.

Since Sorean appeared, he’s been exploring the upper areas like this. It seemed like he wanted to leave his marks on me.

Something soft yet firm touched below my neck. After kissing that spot, he quickly moved up and pressed his lips to my chin.

I wanted to escape, but he was holding my body tight.

“Don’t run away.”

He said that and pushed his way between my lips. Hot breath spread inside my mouth.

He traced along my teeth as he entered, thrusting inside my mouth to assert his presence. When I blankly accepted him, he pulled his lips away and commanded.

“I can feel you getting intoxicated by me.”

He said that and slipped his hand through the loosened blouse, pressing down on the marks where his lips had been.

“I’ll make new ones before the bite marks fade.”

He entered my mouth again. His presence inside was too hot. The heat Luden gave off created another sensation. I exhaled, grabbed his arms, and fell into it mindlessly.

It felt different from the kisses we’d shared before. Sweeter and deeper.

He and I meet every week. And every time we meet, Luden kisses me like he’s parched for me.

At first, we only kissed, but as the engagement ceremony approached, he explored beyond that.

A while ago, he loosened my blouse quite a bit and left marks on my chest too.

“Annelia, you’re weak here.”

Desire lingered in his eyes. I noticed the hot emotion dwelling in his crescent-moon-shaped eyes, but I forgot that I should stop him.

He slipped his hand inside my blouse.

His hand is as hot as his lips.

This time his hand moved busily.

“I left marks, so I should touch them.”

“Stop it, Luden!”

But my cry was soon buried by the sound of sighs.

Heat enveloped us.

* * *

“Haah.”

I let out a sigh.

“My lady, is something wrong?”

At Lella’s words, I nodded and rolled around on the bed. The soft blanket felt nice. It was a new blanket I’d recently bought with the money Luden gave me.

“I keep getting butterflies.”

“Oh my.”

Lella looked at me and smiled brightly.

“That’s a good thing. You’re both getting married.”

“The problem is I’m the only one getting butterflies.”

He’s going to fall in love with another woman! I screamed internally and hugged my pillow tightly. The large pillow flattened slightly in my embrace.

I kept remembering the kiss with Luden. The problem wasn’t just that I kept thinking about it—the problem was that I really enjoyed kissing him.

The more we meet, the more provocative Luden becomes. What bothered me was that I didn’t dislike this side of him.

What is he thinking when he kisses me? What is he thinking when he explores me?

S*xual curiosity?

‘With that face, it can’t be his first time.’

The novel didn’t describe the male lead’s past. And since I wasn’t interested, I never asked him about it.

If it’s just curiosity, then him doing this with other women…

When I thought that, I felt rather unpleasant. But I also hate the idea of him doing this to me out of mere curiosity. Yet if he didn’t do it, I’d feel disappointed.

‘Ugh, this is complicated!’

I couldn’t sort out my raging emotions. I flailed about, then suddenly sat up and gulped down cold water. The cold water that made me forget summer’s heat flowed down my throat.

Now I’m coming to my senses.

Come to think of it, I’ve been thinking about Luden all day lately!

“My lady, if you drink cold water suddenly, you’ll get indigestion.”

“I know.”

I said that and quickly sat down.

Finally, the engagement ceremony is in one week.

It’ll be incredibly hot since it’s at the height of summer. That’s why I deliberately chose a dress with exposed arms, anticipating this.

I told Luden I hoped the engagement venue would be cool.

The engagement ceremony will be held at the Charlot family estate. Since Anan can’t travel far, we specially decided to hold it at his house.

Of course, I was the one who suggested this first. Luden was very surprised and grateful.

“Let’s just eat lunch.”

I need to eat something to stop thinking about Luden. I need to distract myself, even if it means eating grass.

But contrary to my expectations, I couldn’t stop thinking about Luden even while eating lunch.

* * *

“Finally holding an engagement ceremony.”

Andre puffed out smoke from his lips. He looked up at the sky while smoking an expensive cigar and muttered to himself.

Luden’s engagement ceremony.

He knew it would happen someday, but no one would have thought it would be this sudden.

He chuckled and dropped the finished cigar on the ground. Since Luden hates the smell of cigars, he slathered perfume all over the back of his hand and went downstairs.

It was time for Luden to return from handling business outside.

When he went down to the basement, Luden was sitting there as expected. His black hair neatly tied back, his red eyes sparkling, he turned his chair when he saw Andre.

“You were here.”

Andre said, looking at him. Then Luden exhaled and spoke.

“How are their movements?”

“They’re preparing to attend the engagement ceremony.”

Luden frowned at that.

“With what right?”

“They just plan to come even if the Duke tells them not to.”

Andre shrugged his shoulders. Then he sat down and showed Luden what he’d investigated.

The relatives who had disrespected Annelia weren’t invited to the engagement ceremony. But they were preparing to attend anyway. They were ignoring the Duke even when he took a hard line. This was the same as disrespecting Annelia.

Luden’s expression hardened slightly, but it didn’t show. Hiding emotions was something he did very well. But Andre instinctively knew Luden was angry.

“This could become troublesome if it continues?”

“Indeed.”

Luden nodded and moved to the next document. He laughed in disbelief at the news that every single relative was ignoring the Duke’s words and preparing to attend the engagement ceremony.

How do they view the Charlot family to act like this?

They probably weren’t disrespecting him but looking down on Annelia.

She’s not someone who deserves this treatment. She’s someone precious who should be cherished.

“We need to prepare countermeasures.”

Luden said that and placed the documents on the desk.

“You’re not going to tell Lady Annelia?”

“I will tell her.”

He thought Luden would do it secretly, but surprisingly he was being straightforward.

“She needs to know what I’ve done. It’ll be more troublesome if she finds out later.”

Luden was right. Andre nodded and looked at Luden.

“How’s the diamond mine development going?”

It’s something Annelia sacrificed to create an opportunity for. He didn’t want to mess it up. At Luden’s words, Andre grinned.

“It’s proceeding perfectly. We’ve finished investigating all the workers’ backgrounds. We filtered out all the spies the relatives sent.”

The relatives hoped this wouldn’t succeed. They seemed anxious now that Luden had even acquired the diamond mine development rights.

“Good work.”

“Give me a bonus.”

Andre said brazenly. Luden has money rotting away, doesn’t he? So he could demand it confidently.

“I already instructed them to raise your salary in advance.”

Andre’s mouth fell open at Luden’s words.

“The Marquis is the best!”

He praised Luden and gave him a thumbs up. Luden looked at him and chuckled.

‘Annelia.’

He doesn’t know who she really is, but for now she’s called Annelia. She’s not the previous Annelia, but that wasn’t a problem.

The current Annelia was a very precious existence. He didn’t want to just leave alone those who looked down on such an existence.

Luden’s eyes turned cold.

He stared at the list written on the documents for a long time.

* * *

The engagement ceremony was one day away. I boarded the carriage sent by the Charlot family.

The blue sky shone brightly.

I’m really getting engaged to Luden. This day has come.

Luden wanted me to come to the estate a day early. We’d be busy getting dressed and made up for the engagement ceremony from dawn. It’s better to stay overnight at the estate and prepare there than to be at the ducal house. I agreed with Luden’s thinking.

“I can’t believe the day has come to see the Charlot Marquis family estate in person. My heart is fluttering.”

Lella clasped both hands together and spoke in an excited voice. I pressed her hands down with force.

“It’s just fancy.”

“Just fancy! Won’t it be incredibly fancy?”

Lella has never been to the Charlot estate. I toured the estate when I came to meet Anan too, but I didn’t see every nook and cranny.

Of course, I did see the bedroom I’ll be using from now on. It’s a secret that I really liked it.

“My lady, you said it was fancy and seemed satisfied that day. I’ve been curious what kind of room it was.”

Ah, she’s already caught on to my feelings.

I swept back my hair and sat in the chair. I raised one corner of my mouth and shook my head.

“It is satisfying, but I don’t know if it’s a room I should be using.”

That room will be used by the female lead in the future, so I felt guilty about claiming it first.

You shouldn’t even look at another woman’s man.

No, he’s my man now, but he’ll become another woman’s man in the future, won’t he?

Because of that, I wasn’t very excited about living in Luden’s estate.

Lella shook her head at my words.

“If not you, my lady, who would use that room?”

Lella said that, clenched both fists, and spoke to me.

“Live as the Marchioness of Charlot and enjoy wealth and glory! And you must keep me as your maid.”

At Lella’s words, I looked at her drowsily.

“Your ambition is big.”

“You have too little, my lady.”

I chuckled at Lella’s words.