Now blurry but distinctly red marks, like spots, remained, which had definitely not been there before.
Her lips felt dry. Tension made her spine stiff. Only the clock on the edge of the study made a ticking sound. The unexpected retort cut through the long silence.
“So?”
“So, what?”
Richard looked at her with a puzzled expression. No, he smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. The imbalance sent shivers down her spine.
“So, you’re saying that I’ve been taking advantage of you and pretending not to know.”
“W-what…?”
Kiara was dumbfounded by such brazen words, fit for alleyway ruffians. The person who spoke so coarsely just now smoothly probed again, “You heard me, Miss Spencer.”
“I… I don’t understand how you could say such a thing…”
“I have my own preferences, unfortunately.”
In one smooth movement, Richard approached from behind Kiara and grasped her shoulders. His long and slender fingers trailed discreetly over the scars on her neck before descending to her shoulders.
“…!”
From muscle to skin, to nerves and tendons, the stimulation tingled. As she struggled, her pale complexion turned crimson. Just as she was about to protest, a tender voice whispered in her ear.
“After all, because of your damn thirst, it seemed like my head was going to explode. So I thought, let’s have a taste of that blatant arrogance, but unfortunately, I couldn’t get into it because of the stench of that vile perfume. I took a bite and spat it out.”
As Kiara recoiled in humiliation, a card from the theater fell onto her head.
“If you understood, then leave, Miss Spencer, before my cowardly rabbit sees you.”
Rabbit? What was that supposed to mean? She didn’t even have a chance to ask. That was truly the end. Even though she followed the rumor that he had gone to the city, she was rejected even at his townhouse door. Though she tried to keep it under wraps, if it had continued a little longer, the rumor would have spread like wildfire.
“…So there’s no other choice.”
Even after receiving such cruel treatment, she couldn’t give up. If that was the case, she could only possess him. Being the son of a deceased viscount meant nothing. Despite his lack of title, he was still an attractive man.
Wealth derived from the vast and fertile land inherited from the deceased Viscount Kensington long ago. The wide and deep connections he had and the reputation as a lawyer made him famous for being undefeated.
“On top of that, if you marry me, you can become the next viscountess.”
It was a well-known fact that was almost public knowledge. The Duke of Spencer had declared that he would pass it on to his son-in-law, who had only one title. That was also another purpose of the suitors who followed Kiara. Men who whispered love with eyes full of greed. She scoffed at their hypocrisy.
Leaving the powder room with resolve, Felix was leaning against the door, waiting.
“Well, well, well. Look who decided to grace us with her presence, Princess. Do you have any idea how much trouble I went through to bring Richard here?”
“Sulking again, I see. I already thanked you enough for that, Felix.”
“That nickname sounds too girly, I told you I didn’t like it.”
“Oh, are you throwing a tantrum now?”
Kiara lightly kissed her cousin’s cheek, which was wrinkled in annoyance, and scratched his chin like petting a satisfied cat. Felix, satisfied like a well-fed pet, was about to say something when a maid carrying two glasses of wine approached.
“Miss, here are the items you requested.”
“Thank you. Felix, come with me.”
“I’ll gladly accompany you, Your Highness.”
Kiara was satisfied, and placed her hand on Felix’s arm. As they arrived at the banquet hall side by side, several pairs of eyes were immediately drawn to the picturesque pair. Followers flocked to them regardless of gender.
“Miss Kiara, are you feeling alright? We were worried you might have fainted.”
“Thank you, Russell. It was just a moment of dizziness.”
“If you’re feeling well, perhaps tomorrow at my sister’s dinner party…”
“As I mentioned before, we’ve hired a new maid from a famous salon. She has such excellent taste that I wanted to introduce her to Miss Kiara. Perhaps…”
Felix interrupted the flow of the conversation around them. Upon recognizing a familiar profile, he waved.
“Oh, there you are, Richard. Found you.”
At the sound of a familiar voice, Richard turned his head. The crowd that surrounded Richard made way. Kiara, with a strange smile, played coyly with her lips.
“It’s been a while, Mr. Richard.”
“It has indeed.”
“You’re a bit late. It’s disappointing.”
“I had a lot of work. I hope you understand.”
His face, seemingly indifferent as if asking when the meeting had taken place, was incredibly unaffected. It made one wonder if he was really the man who poured out such unbearable insults. Despite feeling choked up, Kiara couldn’t show any sign of distress with all the eyes on them.
Those in the know were already aware of the situation. The Duchess of Spencer was holding onto the younger brother of the Earl of Kensington. But the only person conscious of the rumor was her. As if to prove his point, Richard’s dry voice continued.
“I made a brief appearance, but I should leave soon. Although I’m a little late, happy birthday.”
Trying to escape like this? No way. Frustration and anxiety made Kiara’s perfect smile slightly tense. Felix, who seemed ignorant of the situation, interjected, “After winning the recent case, quite a few clients have been coming in. You understand, right?”
“I know that much, Felix. Are you trying to make me into a narrow-minded woman?”
Kiara playfully scolded Felix while glaring at the maid standing behind him.
“Since you’re busy, I won’t keep you any longer. Instead…”
At the agreed signal, a maid approached. Kiara handed a wine glass from the silver tray to Richard and added, “You should have a congratulatory drink before you leave. Of course, you wouldn’t mind.”
It was coercion without coercion. At least, a gentleman couldn’t behave aggressively towards a woman who was the center of attention and deserved respect in such a public setting.
A trap cleverly woven like a spider’s web. She smiled confidently. After a brief silence in front of her, Richard scoffed and reached out his hand sarcastically.
“Gladly.”
As he took the glass, he was about to drink the wine without hesitation.
“Mr. Richard.”
“…!”
Just as success was within reach, an unwelcome guest appeared. All eyes in the room turned to her.
A tempting blonde with blue eyes. She was a beauty, but at least she shouldn’t have been here. After a shocked silence, murmurs spread quickly.
“Oh my, it was worth trying to get an invitation. The situation has become quite interesting.”
“So, she’s the current mistress and the former fiancée. Are the three of them in a love triangle?”
“How did the powerless Miss Denoir even get invited? Lady Barker isn’t one to make such mistakes…”
An unexpected unwanted guest. Kiara, who couldn’t hide her intense resentment, took a deep breath for a moment. Then she struggled to control her facial expression and forced a smile.
“…Miss Denoir. What brings you here?”
“If I’ve interrupted, I apologize, Your Grace.”
Polite as ever, Denoir extended something to Richard, who was looking at her.
“I found this necktie pin on the balcony, and it seemed to belong to Mr. Richard.”
She tried to remain composed, but her voice was subtly trembling at the end. Sensing the lie, Kiara was about to speak sharply when Richard calmly cut her off.
“That’s right.”
With a casual smile, Richard interrupted Kiara, who was about to retort. His dry demeanor instantly transformed.
“…!”
“It’s something I treasure. Thank you.”
“I see… I’m relieved. I was worried that I’d made a mistake.”
Denoir’s face brightened instantly. Along with her smile, her cheeks flushed red. As the tension eased, her legs, which had been tense, began to relax. In the midst of sighs of envy and longing from the women around her, Denoir lowered her gaze. Just that alone was enough to make her feel ecstatic, but when she heard Richard’s words, her mind went blank.
“If you’re feeling unwell, may I escort you?”
“Uh… yes. Thank you, if you insist.”
“Mr. Richard!”
“Your Grace.”
Ignoring Kiara’s forced interruption, Richard informed her mercilessly, “I’m afraid I’ll have to escort this young lady, and won’t be able to join the toast.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, the two of them quickly left the mansion, leaving behind the birthday celebrant in front of the multitude of people.
🍉🍉🍉
T/N: Damn, Richard is so cold. brrrr. XD
