“Damie.”
He rubbed his cheek against Damie’s small palm and looked up at her from beneath his white eyelashes. Then he smiled very sweetly, like a hunter driving a small fox into a trap.
“We had a good time, didn’t we? You might deny it, but I don’t want to. The nights I spent with you were very special and enjoyable.”
Damie lowered her eyes silently. Despite her heart pounding, her mind remained rational. His words, at first glance, seemed to suggest that he thought of Damie as someone special. But in reality, it meant that the ‘nights’ he spent with her were special, not necessarily ‘her.’
A man who desired pleasure instead of love kissed her palm. Then, tilting his head, he asked cruelly.
“Why should we end something this good after just one time? I don’t understand.”
His attitude in seducing Damie revealed an unmistakable confidence. There was no hint of anxiety about being rejected in his unwavering, intense gaze and smile.
Damie looked up at his handsome face silently. His sweet, dark skin, sharp features, violet eyes, and sensual lips were shockingly beautiful. It would be hard to find a more splendid man in the entire kingdom.
Thus, Damie understood. The moment she gave her heart to him, that beauty would turn into a deadly blade and pierce her heart.
“Because I… don’t want you.”
Damie answered with a sorrowful smile. The unexpected answer wiped the smile off Acard’s face. Seeing this, Damie shook her head slightly and continued.
“Lord Acard, you are like fire. You are a good partner to burn hot for one night. But for longer, closer relationships, you are too dangerous. You will surely leave an irreversible burn.”
Her voice was as gentle as a spring breeze. But the meaning within was clear. Acard stared at the face of the woman rejecting him and let out a small laugh.
“Ha.”
Acard realized that she was not a woman pretending to dislike him or playing hard to get to attract a man’s heart. Such things are usually revealed in one’s tone and actions.
So Damie’s rejection was probably sincere. But her flushed cheeks and shining eyes, as if she found him attractive, were equally genuine.
Acard gritted his teeth and managed to smile. It was just a casual remark he had thrown out. He could speak more persuasively because it was a line he had used before.
So he thought even if Damie rejected him, it wouldn’t be a big blow. But he was wrong. He couldn’t comprehend how she could verbally reject him while her eyes were so full of heat.
‘Why is she pushing me away? When she’s clearly attracted to me!’
He felt an overwhelming urge to grab her shoulders and shake her, demanding to know why. His hand trembled, veins popping as he suppressed a strong violent impulse. Taking advantage of his shaking grip, Damie pulled her hand away and escaped.
Taking advantage of his shaking grip, Damie pulled her hand away and escaped.
“Thank you for visiting, Lord Acard. Please have a safe trip home.”
Acard watched Damie’s back as she turned away from him. He couldn’t believe what was happening.
Gritting his teeth, Acard followed her with his eyes until she completely disappeared from view. But Damie never looked back.
“What? Louise Perilla came to your house? Is she out of her mind?”
Cecil, putting down her fork with a clatter, was startled. Unlike Damie, she originally had no ill feelings towards Louise. That was until Louise began stalking her obsessively, trying to steal Damie’s best friend, Cecile.
Unfortunately, Louise was the type who didn’t know moderation. As a result, Cecile had to endure very! extremely! intense harassment until Louise gave up. Recalling the trauma of that time, Cecile’s voice rose sharply.
“I really can’t understand what’s going on in her head!!”
“Who could understand Louise Ferrera? Not even her family can.”
Damie, having resigned herself to everything, replied matter-of-factly. But Cecile, already triggered by past stress disorder, showed no signs of calming down easily.
“Damie, remember I told you about the Ferrera family’s butler before? The one who looks exactly like your stepbrother!”
“Yes, I remember. His name was Lars… right?”
Damie nodded. Thanks to that information, she was fortunate to have been able to give Louise a taste of her own medicine. However, Cecile’s thoughts seemed to be different.
“I actually got goosebumps when I saw that butler. Think about Louise’s usual behavior! She acted like she couldn’t live without Cesare, but secretly kept a butler at home who looked just like him. Are people some kind of substitutes? It’s creepy!!”
Recalling the shock and horror of that time, Cecile got worked up. As her voice kept rising, she could feel the surrounding gazes turning towards them.
“Cecile.”
Damie quietly hinted for her to be more cautious.
They were currently at an outdoor tea party hosted by Cecile’s mother. Therefore, besides their table, many guests were strolling through the afternoon garden.
If they were caught badmouthing Louise in such a place, the aftermath would be quite troublesome. Realizing this, Cecile closed her mouth without further complaint. However, her silence did not last long. There was still more to be surprised about.
“…What, what did you say?”
Cecile made a choking sound at the news that came out of Damie’s mouth next. She could barely continue, her mouth opening and closing in shock.
“Acard Valerian came to your house…?”
“Yes.”
“Why? I thought it was all over!!”
“Well, he doesn’t seem to think so.”
Damie replied gloomily. Her side profile, immersed in worry, looked as delicate as a daffodil. Seeing this, Cecile clicked her tongue inwardly.
‘Well, I guess. Such beauty is rare even in the capital.’
No matter how small the North was, Damie was undoubtedly one of the top beauties. So, no matter how much Acard Valerian tried, he couldn’t easily let go.
Cecile frowned at the situation unfolding as she had feared. She had repeatedly warned Damie not to get involved with Acard! But she didn’t listen to a word and now!!
“But it’s really over now! I made it clear when he came.”
Seeing Cecile’s face, which clearly showed her displeasure, Damie hurriedly explained.
“…Really?”
Damie laughed softly at Cecile’s skeptical attitude. She didn’t consider the possibility that Acard might be sincere towards her. Lowering her eyelashes, Damie gently persuaded her friend.
“Lord Acard has a strong sense of pride, Cecile. Since he’s been rejected once, he won’t approach me again.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Think about it. Lord Acard is a man who lacks nothing. Why would he obsess over a country bumpkin like me from the North? Don’t you think?”
“I’m not so sure about that.”
Cecil replied, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.
At this point, Damie also felt a bit frustrated. She was about to ask why Cecile was acting this way when Cecile pointed somewhere and spoke first.
“Because he’s right there. Do you see? Your fling.”
“You’re joking, right?”
“Does it look like I’m joking?”
Feeling incredulous, Damie stiffly turned around like a wind-up toy. And there he was, Acard Valerian.
Having just arrived, he was looking around the garden with a bored expression. His blue-gray formal attire, which matched his silver hair, made his large and imposing figure stand out even more.
The moment his gaze swept towards them, Damie flinched. It was a brief but intense look. It felt as if she had been stabbed with a sharp object, though that couldn’t be the case.
Damie instinctively shrank her neck. However, her tension was in vain as Acard soon looked away. His sculpted profile showed no lingering feelings or emotions.
“Hmm.”
Cecile made a very ambiguous sound. She seemed to be contemplating whether to believe that it was really over. Seizing the moment, Damie quickly drove the point home.
“See, I told you. It’s over.”
…Is it really? Cecile stared at Acard. No matter how many times she saw him, his appearance was strikingly sensual. And knowing how well he was aware of his own attractiveness made him even more annoying and, at the same time, more charming.
Well, a man like that wouldn’t need to cling to just one woman. Nodding her head, Cecile observed Acard and then suddenly shifted her gaze to the person next to him.
“Huh?”
“Hmm? What’s wrong, Cecile?”
“Look over there, Damie. It’s Reshid Ferrera.”
Hearing the familiar name, Damie turned her head. There stood a man with long blonde hair, elegant like an elf. He seemed to be saying something quietly to Acard, aware of the surrounding gazes.
“It looks like they came together.”
“Are they close?”
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