Chapter 17

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Vivian went out to look for her. Cordelia was nowhere to be found in the garden. Even when she asked Shelia, she only received a reply that she didn’t know, so Vivian bit her lip hard.

She circled the garden, and just in case, headed to the back of the annex, where she spotted Adrian’s back and approached him.

“Lord, what I mean is….”

At that moment, Vivian saw Cordelia, who had been hidden behind Adrian’s body, and realized Adrian was with her eldest sister. Vivian felt puzzled. 

‘Why was Cordelia with Adrian…?’

Vivian remembered that Cordelia had tried to talk to Adrian before and clenched her fists. Then, a fact she had tried to forget came to mind.

Cordelia had originally been Adrian’s fiancée. Well, to be precise, she had almost become his fiancée.

It was only because Adrian chose Vivian that she became his fiancée; otherwise, Cordelia would have been Adrian’s fiancée now.

No, perhaps not just his fiancée—she might already have been his wife.

Cordelia standing next to Adrian.

Adrian smiling at Cordelia, not at her.

It was a scene Vivian had never imagined, but seeing the two of them together like that right in front of her, she was shocked, and her eyes flared up.

Shelia had once told her that Cordelia’s husband loved her dearly, but right now, Vivian didn’t have time to think about that. Whether he loved Cordelia or not, whether Cordelia’s heart was with her husband or not, was impossible to know!

Without thinking, Vivian rushed over and hugged Adrian’s waist tightly.

“Vivi?”

A puzzled voice called out.

Vivian, eyes squeezed shut, clung to Adrian’s waist. Her trembling hands were pitiful.

“Let’s talk again later, Lord.”

Even though Cordelia stepped aside, Vivian still clung to Adrian.

“Vivi?”

“…….”

Even when Adrian called her, Vivian said nothing and only hugged his waist tighter. Adrian tried to turn Vivian around by holding her arms, but she pressed her face to his back and refused to let go.

“Vivi, are you okay? Let me see your face.”

“…No.”

“Vivian.”

“…What did you talk about with my eldest sister?”

“With Madame Cordelia?”

When Adrian spoke Cordelia’s name, Vivian suddenly felt overwhelmed. Why was Adrian saying another woman’s name so gently?

Annoyance surged up, and Vivian’s arms around Adrian’s waist tightened even more.

“Vivi. Vivian?”

Despite Adrian’s repeated calls, Vivian remained silent. Adrian waited patiently for her to calm down.

“…What did you talk about?”

After Vivian asked again, Adrian was silent for a moment. That silence made Vivian even more anxious, and her heart pounded.

“It was nothing special. Just about this marriage….”

“What about the marriage?!”

Did Cordelia tell Adrian not to get married? Even though Cordelia was already married, did she still have lingering feelings for Adrian?

“Vivian, that’s not it.”

“I don’t want you talking to Cordelia, don’t be with her….”

Vivian hated that Adrian met with Cordelia. She hated that he looked at Cordelia, hated that he spoke Cordelia’s name. Forgetting that Cordelia was her sister, Vivian could only think about Adrian.

“Vivi, won’t you show me your face?”

Vivian pressed her face against Adrian’s back and shook her head. After realizing her jealousy, an emotion she found shameful, she couldn’t bring herself to lift her head.  

She tried to hide her face behind him, but eventually, Adrian’s strength made her release her hands. Adrian cupped Vivian’s face in both hands.

“Are you upset that I was with her? Vivi, she’s your sister.”

“…I don’t care!”

Vivian, her face flushed from holding back tears, shouted sharply. Startled by her own voice, her eyes widened even more.  

Adrian’s green eyes softened as he looked down at Vivian.

“Vivi, my Vivian. If you want, I won’t meet anyone else but you. If you become mine, I’ll also belong only to you.”

‘Vivi, will you give yourself to me?’

His gaze, filled with persistent desire, fell slowly—first to her eyes, then her nose, then her lips. Vivian shivered at the intensity in his eyes.

“I’m already yours, Eddie.”

‘So, Eddie, you have to be mine too.’

Adrian was overjoyed at her shy confession.  

At last!  

Adrian kissed Vivian lightly. It was the first time their lips had touched, and Vivian was startled. Her wide eyes met Adrian’s, whose gaze curved gently. His affectionate smile quickly turned into that of a predator.  

After the light kiss, their lips met again and again. Soon, their mouths were deeply entwined. When Adrian’s hot tongue slipped between her lips, Vivian flinched. She had never experienced a man’s tongue before and didn’t know what to do.  

A shiver ran up her spine, and unconsciously, she twisted her waist. Adrian, sensing her instinct to pull away, wrapped his arms around her back so she couldn’t escape.

“Vivi, no. You said you’d be mine. Finally.”

His breath was hot against her lips, almost burning her skin.

“E-Eddie.”

Adrian’s eyes, licking her trembling lips with his tongue, were darkened with desire. He wrapped his arms around Vivian’s waist and lifted her, quickly carrying her into the annex.

Part 4

“…I could have waited a little longer.”

Adrian nibbled at Vivian’s neck, leaving marks with his lips.

“I wanted our first time to be after our wedding, officially.”

Despite his words, Adrian’s hands were bold as he undressed Vivian.  

After their deep kiss in the garden, Vivian’s legs had gone weak, and Adrian carried her straight to the bed.  

The annex was already prepared as their newlywed home for after the wedding. He laid Vivi on the snowy white bedding and untied the ribbon above her chest. Though embarrassed, Vivian did not resist.

Adrian gently bit Vivian’s earlobe as he spoke.

“Vivi, I’m going to embrace you. I’ll enter you and fill you completely.”

Vivian’s face burned bright red.

“My Vivian. You don’t know how long I’ve waited for this day. So…”

Adrian spread open her loosened bodice. He gripped her full br*asts, hidden under lace underwear.

“Mm!”

“Even if you cry, I won’t let go, Vivi.”

Adrian kissed down Vivian’s neck, past her collarbone, and onto the soft mound of her chest. His fingers revealed bare skin as he slipped off her underwear. Red marks from Adrian’s hands appeared on her pale skin.

“From the top of your head to the tips of your toes, I’ll kiss every inch.”

Adrian gazed at her, mesmerized by the hardened tips of her n*pples responding to the unfamiliar stimulation. On her white skin, the slightly darker *reola stood out, and in the center, the little bud, as if announcing its presence, looked adorable.