‘I really wish Aaron wouldn’t come……’

Though discharged from the hospital, Eileen still couldn’t move freely. She sighed quietly while waiting for the guests in the reception room.

“Lady Eileen!”

“Lady Eileen.”

After a few minutes, clear voices accompanied by the clicking of shoes grew louder. The sounds drew closer to the reception room, reaching Eileen who waited for them.

“Lady Cordelia, Count Luke!”

Eileen raised her head at the voices calling her and welcomed the two.

“Oh?”

As if by prior arrangement, the two were wearing similarly designed clothes.

Cordelia wore an ivory dress with light yellow ribbons wrapped around as accents.

Luke wore an ivory coat with dark yellow accents, and the two matched so well that it was admirable.

Luke gave a slight bow to the admiring Eileen and immediately handed her a prepared bouquet.

“I heard you like flowers, so I prepared this gift. I hope you like it, Lady Eileen.”

Light purple lilacs served as the focal point, accompanied by white tulips, carnations, and baby’s breath with numerous small buds. Just looking at it seemed to sweeten her mood.

“Thank you so much, Count Luke. Mary, would you put these flowers in a vase?”

“Yes, Miss.”

Mary, who received the bouquet from Eileen, hummed a tune as she left the reception room, leaving the three alone.

“Lady Eileen, here’s my gift!”

Cordelia slightly raised one corner of her mouth and handed over an elaborately wrapped box.

“May I open it?”

Seeing that confident smile, an inexplicable uneasiness washed over her. Cordelia tended to have quite an eccentric personality, so Eileen couldn’t even guess what the gift might be.

Unaware of Eileen’s thoughts, Cordelia nodded brightly.

What could it possibly be?

Eileen carefully unwrapped the package.

“……What’s this?”

A fluffy brown bundle resembling animal ears, unidentifiable round black dots that looked like eyes, and lastly, a small necklace attached as if trying to represent a neck.

Unable to figure out what it was, Eileen just blinked her eyes, prompting Cordelia to explain in a cheerful voice.

“It’s a puppy doll I made myself!”

“……What?”

“This doll will protect you, Lady Eileen!”

Her playful, beaming smile somehow instilled the belief that it would definitely happen.

Thinking about how Cordelia must have made it stitch by stitch with her in mind, Eileen felt a lump in her throat.

“I’ll treasure it forever!”

Their relationship, which had started as a means for revenge against Aaron, had gradually transformed into genuine affection. Eileen didn’t bother hiding her joy and broke into a radiant smile.

“But Lady Cordelia. Are your hands alright?”

Eileen’s gaze shifted from the clumsily made doll to the bandages wrapped around Cordelia’s fingers. Pricked dozens, perhaps hundreds of times, Cordelia’s hands were completely covered in bandages.

“Ah, I’m fine! It was harder than I expected……”

Cordelia let out an embarrassed laugh while rubbing her bandages. She lowered her head deeply, feeling caught doing something she hadn’t wanted to reveal.

“Still, aren’t these bandages medals showing how precious you are to Lady Cordelia, Lady Eileen?”

Luke bent his knees to lower his height and looked at Cordelia, who had her head bowed deeply.

“I think it’s truly beautiful and admirable.”

When Luke’s gentle voice resonated in her ears, Cordelia slowly raised her head and met his gaze. Her face had turned redder than before, but Cordelia didn’t realize it.

‘……Wow, being the male protagonist is really not for just anyone.’

She needed popcorn. Eileen covered her mouth in admiration as she watched the two.

“Come to think of it, D-Duke Aaron seems to be late……!”

However, the pleasant moment was brief. Seemingly embarrassed by the continuing tenderness, Cordelia asked in a somewhat awkward voice.

“Ah, I’m worried whether Duke Aaron will be able to come today.”

Cordelia’s question brought an unexpected gift to Eileen. She opened her eyes wide, waiting for Luke’s response.

“Duke Aaron has been so busy lately that he said he couldn’t even find time to check the tableware for Patisserie de Monston.”

“Then Duke Aaron won’t be able to come. What a shame!”

Oh, thank God!

The corners of Eileen’s eyes, which were brightly creased, looked even happier.

But at that moment, the voice she least wanted to hear came from the reception room doorway.

“It seems Lady Eileen hoped I wouldn’t come?”

‘No way……!’

Unlike usual, that voice was full of playfulness, but it was all too familiar.

Eileen swallowed hard and turned her head toward the doorway.

“It’s been a while, Lady Eileen.”

Sure enough, Aaron stood there with a mischievous smile.

“A-Aaron……”

When Aaron, who had been tormenting her endlessly in her imagination, appeared in reality, Eileen couldn’t easily continue speaking.

The moment she saw him, her mind went completely blank.

“What’s wrong, did you see a ghost?”

Aaron approached until they were close enough to feel each other’s breath and whispered slyly in her ear.

“Or did you really hope I wouldn’t come?”

“……!”

When his scent from that day mixed into her breath, Eileen once again recalled their kiss.

The sensation of their lips touching in that moment, the conversations they had while she was on his back……

The warmth he shared and even the ticklish feelings in her heart.

“Wh-why would I ever think that?”

Eileen spoke in a seemingly calm voice, trying not to reveal her rapidly beating heart.

But her exaggerated gestures and voice were awkward beyond measure.

“Is that so? Then I’m relieved.”

Aaron tried hard to suppress the laughter that threatened to burst out.

“B-but Count Luke said you were very busy……”

“Ah, that’s true, but I really wanted to attend this dinner.”

Aaron spoke with a more relaxed smile.

He had accepted the Ceres family’s invitation because he wanted to confirm something.

He wondered if Eileen was also concerned about what happened that day, and if so, what expression she would show when they met again.

If she treated him normally, he might have felt a bit wronged.

I must be crazy.

Aaron let out a wry laugh, finding himself ridiculous no matter how many times he thought about it.

“By the way, how are you feeling?”

“F-fine, of course.”

Eileen reached for the wheels of her wheelchair, trying to escape.

She felt her heart might burst if she stayed any longer.

“Are you trying to run away again?”

Unaware of her feelings, Aaron reached out and gently pulled her hand away.

‘Aaaah!’

When Aaron’s slightly cold hand rested on hers, Eileen let out a silent scream.

She really felt she might faint now.

* * *

“Excuse me.”

Knock, knock. After a brief knock, Dwayne, the chef of the Ceres family, entered the dining hall with the next course.

“Here is today’s main dish, turkey steak. I’ve also prepared wine that pairs well with it, please enjoy.”

The steak, exuding a rich buttery aroma and cooked to an appetizing brown color, delighted both the eyes and palate.

All the dishes were Eileen’s favorites.

But Eileen couldn’t focus on the food at all.

‘Damn you, Aaron de Monston. No matter how I think about it, you seem to be doing this on purpose.’

Eileen glanced at Aaron, who sat across from her with curved eyes and a smile. No matter how she looked at it, that smile was directed at her, not Cordelia.

‘He’s annoyingly handsome.’

Sunlight streaming through the window gap settled on Aaron’s eyes. His amethyst-like purple eyes sparkled brilliantly.

With a subtle smile at the corners of his lips, he looked like a painting. She tried to calm her foolishly racing heart.

For some reason, Aaron insisted on sitting across from her, though she had thought he would try to sit across from Cordelia.

Initially, she thought this was better. She wouldn’t have to exert herself.

However, as the meal continued, Eileen regretted her choice.

First, he made strange comments about how the tomato caprese resembled her.

Then, somehow knowing her favorite foods, he pushed his portion of salmon salad toward her.

Instead of eating, he just smiled brightly while looking at her.

He even ordered juice, saying patients shouldn’t drink alcohol.

This was definitely not the Aaron de Monston she knew.

He used to be a shameless person who took away her theater just because she had taken his business!

‘He should just say irritating things like he always does……!’

Then this crazy heartbeat would know its place and return to normal.

Eileen silently screamed and poked at her innocent turkey steak.

“Lady Eileen! Just as you said, Mr. Dwayne’s cooking is truly excellent!”

Cordelia addressed Eileen with a bright smile, but Eileen, lost in her own thoughts, couldn’t respond.

“Lady Eileen, are you feeling unwell?”

“Eek, what?!”

Eileen finally snapped back to reality when Cordelia’s slightly hot hand touched her forehead. Looking around quickly, she realized everyone at the table was staring at her.

“I’m sorry. Lady Cordelia, what did you say?”

Eileen asked with an awkward smile.

“I said Mr. Dwayne’s cooking is really delicious……”

“Isn’t it? I’m so glad you like it, Lady Cordelia.”

Cordelia finally shed the worry that had filled her eyes and smiled at Eileen’s casual response.

“Phew……”

Aaron, who had been watching the two, wiped the sweat from his forehead while exhaling somewhat heavily. Despite the weather not being hot, he continued to sweat.

“Duke Aaron, are you alright? You look very tired.”

Luke, who sat beside him, gave him a concerned look. The weather wasn’t cold enough to cause cold sweats, which made him more worried.

“I’m fine, Count Luke.”

He tried to smile, twisting his lips to reassure him.

Since the dinner began, his head had started throbbing. He could barely see the plate in front of him or even Count Luke’s face as he spoke to him.

Perhaps I pushed myself too hard.

To attend the Ceres family’s invitation, he had crammed all his recent work…

He recalled Liam’s nagging voice, warning that he might collapse.

He knew well that he should return home and rest right now.

“Ah, Lady Cordelia…… Patisserie de Monston has…… new menu items. Would you like to visit with Lady Eileen?”

But he didn’t want to leave this place. He wanted to continue being in the same space as Eileen.