Chapter 9

Why!

Why! 

Won’t you open the door for me!

Once again, Albrecht was turned away at the front gate. It was due to Viola’s strict orders not to let any outsiders in. Even if the visitor was the in-law of Escael and the Earl Odillia, no exceptions were made.

Marie watched her father huff and turn away, but she kept her mouth shut, not acknowledging him. Consulting her father was something to do as a last resort. What she needed immediately was a cold, rational mind and opportunity. The cooperation she needed was inside, not outside.

So, the next person she sought after Natalie was none other than the doctor who had treated Kalik.

The doctor suggested that continuous stimulation might bring back his memory. Of course, it was just a suggestion, and he couldn’t be sure if it was the right method.

He merely repeated that maybe, someday, the memories would return. Or perhaps they would never return. He cautiously asked if things weren’t fine as they were. It was true that now was the most peaceful time in three years of marriage.

For the servants, weary of the sharp confrontations and vague patience, getting along well at this point didn’t seem like a bad idea. They couldn’t understand why Marie was trying to restore the memories.

Isn’t it good if he’s treating you well?

He’s looking at you with honeyed eyes instead of the way he used to care for you, so what’s there to complain about?

To be clear, Kalik loved Marie. Whether emotions could create something from nothing as easily as flipping a hand, who knows, but his actions toward Marie could only be explained by love.

The first time he hugged her, she was so shocked. Marie screamed, forgetting that there were many people around. Of course, she made a clumsy excuse to Kalik, saying it was because her back hurt from sleeping in a bad position the night before.

Whether he believed this absurd excuse or not, he sincerely felt sorry and picked her up in his arms. Then, naturally, he headed to Marie’s bedroom.

Up to this point, she thought it was a gesture of kindness, and anyone would have seen it that way.

From that day on, they started sharing one room, one bed. It was because Kalik insisted so. Because they were a couple. Because they were a couple. A couple. Of course, for any other couple, it would have been natural.

Kalik seemed to have decided to go straight ahead. He seemed to have given up thinking about why a couple should be separated into the main house and the annex. So, there was no need to explain how bad the relationship between Odillia and Escael was or how they had lived as a couple since marriage. Because he had no intention of understanding.

“I couldn’t concentrate on work because I missed you.”

When she asked why he came home early, this was his answer.

He said he had withdrawal symptoms.

It was a kind of deficiency that occurred from being away from Marie. The only way to fill it was to see her face, smell her scent, and touch her skin.

Marie awkwardly smiled, clutching her chest. It ached as if she had been punched there. She couldn’t take it anymore.

The man saying those words wasn’t in his right mind, and neither was she for listening. She thought she was quite prepared for amnesia, but reality was different. It seemed the problem was not the method but the direction.

“Thank you.”

Ending it with an inappropriate response, she excused herself, saying she would rest until dinner, and fled to her room without listening to the rest. A strategy meeting was needed. If necessary, she planned to skip dinner, using a fake illness as an excuse. Afterward, Natalie followed her with light steps.

Lying on the bed, holding her throbbing head, Marie turned without thinking and was startled to see yellow eyes.

“Why are you beside me…?”

“Because I need to fill my deficiency with you.”

Kalik was lying next to her, smiling at her. Only then did Natalie enter the room.

“What do you mean?”

Marie turned her head to hide her face full of disbelief. She couldn’t show such an expression that revealed her thoughts.

Then Kalik sat up and climbed on top of her. Marie, who had closed her eyes in prayer, opened them wide at the warm weight pressing on her chest.

Kalik’s face was right in front of her.

He moved his straight lips and called her name.

“Marie.”

Marie was so surprised that she stopped breathing. The name she thought she would never hear again came out in a languid low tone.

The one who called her that was smiling brightly. His attitude was so natural that she almost thought she was the abnormal one for feeling repulsed.

Marie barely pulled herself together. Even if his personality had changed and he couldn’t be the same as before, that didn’t mean she allowed everything. He seemed to want a completely different relationship, but Marie hadn’t given her permission or consent.

She tried to quietly escape for now. More than anything, she wanted to have a conversation with him.

The unfortunate thing was that his hands were faster than words.

A cool touch met Marie’s closed lips.

“I’ll do well.”

Kalik rubbed his tongue against her lower lip. In this sudden situation, all Marie could do was blink her eyes in surprise.

In that silent consent-like silence, Kalik’s actions became more daring.

“So let’s go back to how we were.”

His neat teeth touched the tongue that had stopped speaking through her surprised lips. He didn’t bite immediately because he wanted her to come a little closer.

The soft flesh hesitated and slowly moved up and down. The languid movement couldn’t be read as either permission or refusal, which was frustrating. Meanwhile, the breath she exhaled was hot but impatient.

Just by looking at Marie’s expression, it was hard to tell what she was thinking, but at least not avoiding it seemed quite hopeful.

Kalik closed his eyes and pushed a little harder. He could feel Marie’s hand trembling on his shoulder. He was wrapped in a strange tension, getting anxious. Who knew being a couple could be so grateful and heartbreaking?

Marie struggled to keep her reason from being crushed under the gentle pressure. His body was firm and heavy, making her feel like she might just give up and let go. If he had anticipated this, he was indeed a formidable person… but the frustrating thing was that Kalik was sincere.

She understood the situation itself but not the words that created this situation. He said to go back to how they were… but was there a past to return to? The ‘past’ everyone remembers wasn’t worth returning to. They were just barely able to breathe as adversaries.

“Kal….”

The inside, where they overlapped, was filled with saliva. The breath had a strange and ticklish scent that she couldn’t help but inhale, even if she didn’t want to. Marie felt her nose tingle.

This man was not the man she knew. He was proving that not only his way of speaking but also his actions were completely different. He was just temporarily indulging in something, not in his right mind. She had to think about what would happen after he woke up.

This sweetness was just a momentary mistake. Or a momentary illusion.

Marie, indulging in her own boundless generosity, held Kalik’s cheek. Her chest felt tight, as if she might cry. The surge of emotion was either guilt overwhelmed by the atmosphere or something else….

She decided to consider this absurd stimulation as the discomfort felt by an accomplice.

Kalik’s hand slowly traced Marie’s neck. It slid down to her collarbone, drew a semicircle like a painting, and moved to her chest. Then, it lifted the slightly crooked collar and slipped inside.

“No…ah….”

The sound of “no” lingered inside her mouth. Whether it was intoxication or sincerity, the warning that no more was allowed rang out.

At least not here, not now. Regardless of the truth, it was still broad daylight, and more importantly, someone was watching.

“Natal….”

“Why Natalie?”

But Kalik blocked her view as soon as Marie turned her gaze. He seemed displeased that she couldn’t focus.

In any case, Natalie had left the room as soon as she saw Kalik sitting on the bed. So, currently, there were only the two of them in the room.

In the end, Marie decided to let Kalik do as he pleased until he was satisfied. The truth was that she had missed the timing to refuse at the beginning.

He was engrossed in indulging between her skin, whether Marie tried to escape or not. Because of the sweat she had shed from tension, it must have smelled a bit sweet and hot… yet he was licking her glossy skin like candy, as if he were enchanted.

“Why there…?”

“Don’t you like it?”

“Not really….”

In retrospect, she should have answered that she disliked it. The opportunity Marie missed went back to him.

She grunted and pushed Kalik. Yes, originally, the two were supposed to have a meal. This wasn’t a meal. Even if the act of eating might be the same.

“Dinner is ready.”

And as if to aid this desperate attempt, Dawson knocked on the door. Kalik’s overly proactive hand flinched, and Marie, who had been watching for an opportunity, jumped up and shouted for Dawson, whom she had never called before.

“Mr. Dawson!”

“Did you call for me?”

But as soon as the doorknob turned, Kalik didn’t stay still either.

“Wait.”

“Yes.”

The door became quiet again.

In her urgency, Marie grabbed Kalik’s hand and blurted out whatever came to mind.

“Let’s eat first, then do it!”

The neatly undone blouse was just at the tip of her chest. His hand was about to take it off. Marie felt like she was going to lose her mind, but she desperately clung to him because she wanted to avoid being considered mentally weak and put under care.

“Are you hungry?”

“Yes!”

“I’ll bring it here.”

“No, no! I want to go out and eat!”

“But it’s chilly outside. You might catch a cold.”

“It’s okay! I like it because it’s cool.”

It was clearly summer, and officially summer too, but she avoided that point to please him as much as possible.

In the end, Kalik seemed to think for a moment, then smiled and nodded.

At the same time, the door opened, and Natalie and Dawson entered. Marie, with superhuman speed, adjusted her clothes and put on a dignified expression as if nothing had happened.

However, on the way to the garden, she unconsciously gathered her collar, hearing Kalik’s murmur.

After dinner.