A Snake Entwining Flowers

Chapter warning: this chapter contains scenes of sexual content. Please be warned before proceeding.

Charlotte stared at him blankly. The world had never been kind to the poor girl. While there were individual differences, girls from working-class families generally came to realize the harsh realities of life quickly. That there were no absolute allies in this world.

Charlotte was no exception.

“Can you believe a lowly girl like her is hiding such a large sum of money?” Even when her cousin, who had come to visit, stole the savings she had carefully hidden.

“Do you have any idea how much this is?” When her hand slipped while doing the dishes at another master’s house, breaking a plate and cutting her hand on the shards.

“You must have flirted first. Such an ignorant girl.” Even when betrayed by the man she thought was her first love.

“So you were the one to blame.”

“How incredibly stupid.”

Whether she was at fault or not, the arrows of blame always seemed to be aimed at the weakest. Shaking her head in denial, making excuses, or bursting into tears—none of it made a difference.

Somewhere along the line, Charlotte realized. The world wasn’t unusually harsh to her: that was her fate from the moment she was born. Her fate was sealed in the wrong place.

That’s why the voice cutting through the silence was like a lightning bolt striking her heart.

A person who approached without hesitation and offered their hand.

Confusion, surprise, fear, joy, sorrow, doubt. All those emotions tangled and seized control of her mind.

It was only after the gentle voice called her name once more that Charlotte became aware of the many pairs of eyes fixed on her.

“Ah… Well…”

Quietly taking a deep breath, she slowly lifted her head. The upright forehead, the finely angled brows, the amethyst-like violet eyes. After his long absence, he was still slender and haughty.

And beautiful.

She had always thought so. If civilization and savagery were to coexist, this would be the embodiment.

Swallowing to moisten her dry mouth, the words finally escaped her.

“Yes, I…returned.”

Her breathing was ragged. Gazing into her reddened eyes, the man smiled.

***

Even leaving that frozen scene required his help.

As if reading her mind, he immediately instructed her to fetch what he had requested. Thereafter, Richard promptly exited the room, and Charlotte, after a hasty farewell to Janice, hurried to follow him out.

“Phew…”

It was only after composing herself that she ascended to his study. She hesitated to knock, as the door was slightly ajar. Belatedly recalling the night of the ball, she paused, but having come this far, there was no turning back. Mustering her courage, Charlotte gently pulled the doorknob.

“Excuse me…”

The room was still spacious and tidy. The camel-hair rug, the olive-green curtains subtly embroidered with iris patterns, the rosewood fireplace.

He was seated in the chair facing the door, writing something. But as she tentatively entered, he momentarily paused his movements. The moment the scratching of the pen ceased, his gaze, as indifferent as before, met Charlotte’s.

“Sir Richard…”

It was but a fleeting moment. Lowering his head again and resuming his writing, Richard spoke in an offhand manner.

“So you came. I thought you were a coward.”

“I…wanted to express my gratitude.”

“For what?”

“For what happened earlier.”

He asked with an indifferent tone, as if not even remembering the earlier incident.

“So is that all?”

“Huh?”

Before she could find the words to say, Richard bluntly cut in.

“It seems your tongue has grown stiff, so let me speak in your place.”

“…”

“You must have wanted to know the truth. That man is not the kind of person to do such a thing, so you must have thought there was some hidden background.”

“No, Mr. Linton…”

The desperate rebuttal was cut off by his cold interjection.

“I’d advise you not to utter that name in my presence.”

The pen Richard had been holding broke with a snap. He lifted his head to face her again. She felt her nerves standing on edge. Unlike the icy warning, his voice was slow and monotonous, as if a venomous snake was flicking its tongue, waiting for the chance to swallow its prey.

Richard, who seemed ready to swallow her whole at any moment, suddenly tilted his head, as if realizing something. Before she could ask worriedly, his muttered words reached her.

“Ah, I see.”

“…”

“Am I also one of them? Another despicable wretch who treats you as a ‘plaything’ to toy with?”

“No, it’s not like that!”

“Leave.”

Despite her frantic denials, not even a derisive snort came in response. Giving her one last glance, Richard commanded.

“Leave.”

“No, it’s true!”

Her voice rose. Shaking her head unconsciously, Charlotte approached him of her own volition. It couldn’t be. Jamie Linton and Richard Kensington were different. Various memories flashed through her mind.

When they first met, he had saved her from the wolf of the wilderness.

When she fell into a pit on a rainy day, he had unhesitatingly pulled her into his embrace and rolled them out.

In the manor, he had given her work and silently covered the cost of her mother’s medicine.

He had listened tirelessly to her hometown stories that no one else cared about, and had even… treated her injured foot himself.

The touch of skin, the damp air, the rapidly beating heart.

At first, she had thought the feelings towards him were fear. But in every moment, she trembled and was captivated by him. A pull she couldn’t resist or refuse.

Her heart had already acknowledged this as love. But she was afraid.

“That day…I was just startled and scared.”

“…”

“Truly, it wasn’t because I disliked you.”

After pushing him away, she was frightened that he would turn his back completely. That he would never look at her again.

So she desperately revealed her feelings.

“When you were shot…”

Slowly, she stopped in front of his desk. Extending her arm, her trembling hand touched the back of his. Fortunately, Richard did not reject her.

“I thought your heart would stop.”

“Charlotte.”

“I was afraid you’d never open your eyes again…”

The terrible, heart-wrenching pain repeated itself. The blood-stained shirt, the unconscious, pallid face…

“It’s all yours.”

“…”

“Helplessly…my body, my soul, everything.”

Panting like a newborn seeking its mother’s milk, Charlotte desperately pulled his large, veined hand to her cheek. The cold temperature soothed the warmth rising in her flushed face.

“So please…”

Not fully understanding what she was saying, she whispered as if pleading with a fickle lover.

“Don’t tell me to leave.”

His arm reached out from the darkness and swiftly pulled her in, his lips crushing hers.

“Mmph!”

Like a starving beast, he attacked. Backpedaling was futile. Their tongues intertwined. The hands embracing her waist were large and firm.

He was like a muzzled ferocious hound that had been let loose. The ruthless greed that plundered to the root of her tongue left her breathless.

“Can’t breathe, I can’t…”

At her plea, his lips relented. The moment the long kiss was broken, a fit of coughs erupted from her throat. But it was only a brief respite.

“Ah…!”

Just as it seemed he would grant her some mercy, Richard laid her down on the table. The various items atop it tumbled to the floor with a clatter.

“Sir Richard!”

“Shh.”

Startled like prey with its neck in the jaws of a predator, Charlotte trembled.

“I said I’d give you everything.”

His head bowed, Richard caressed her pale cheek. He maintained the thin veneer of a gentleman, his eyes like those of a male.

“Be good, Charlotte.”

Then he ruthlessly reclaimed her lips.

“Mmph… Ah!”

It was a savage, bestial kiss, like mating in a dark cave. The invading tongue entwined and pulled at hers, as if trying to swallow it. Before she could regain her senses, the buttons at her collar were torn open.

Richard, who had slipped his hands behind her delicate back, skillfully snipped her corset strings one by one with a paper knife he had found. Momentarily dazed as her teeth, palate, and every corner of her mouth were conquered, Charlotte belatedly recoiled from the cold air, but it was too late.

When she failed to focus on the kiss, Richard withdrew his lips. He mercilessly grasped her budding white breasts.

“Aah!”

“You cry so adorably.”

Kneading the soft mounds with both hands, he firmly pinched the left nipple. The strange sensation that rushed in with the pain seized control of all of Charlotte’s senses.

“Nngh…!”

“They look delicious. May I have a taste?”

It was a question that didn’t require an answer. Charlotte instinctively squirmed. Chuckling briefly, he took the other breast into his mouth. Rolling and languidly licking the nipple, he persisted like a child nursing from its mother’s milk, while his other hand continued to torment the left breast.

“Aah…!”

The searing pain made Charlotte twist her body even more. In the throes of shame and pleasure, Richard suddenly bit down at the peak. As she finally broke into sobs, he soothed her with gentle licks on her earlobe and neck.

“Hnng… Ah…”

As her whimpers subsided, he slowly trailed his face downward. Leaving a trail of his crimson tongue, blooming marks appeared across her pale skin—her earlobe, behind her ear, her neck and collarbone, and her breasts.

The feeble attempts to push him away grew weaker under his persistent caresses. Seizing the opportunity, he pulled down her undergarments. And before she could resist, he slid his long fingers inside her.

“Ow…!”

Thrashing like a fish impaled on a spear, Charlotte experienced a sensation she had never felt before. Stroking her disheveled hair, Richard busily worked his hand while gently caressing her cheek with the other.

“I won’t go all the way today.”

“Ah, ah… Nngh…”

Though he spoke softly, she was already beyond rational conversation. Smiling fondly, he placed a brief kiss on her small forehead.

“It’s just part of the preparation.”

He desperately wanted to burrow into her right away, but she was a rabbit he had only just caught. She was too delicate and frail to be devoured in one bite. In the end, he could afford to delay the feeding a little. Of course, on the condition that she continued to obediently submit.

Greedily licking the tears trailing from the corners of her eyes, Richard slowly inserted his index and middle fingers into her. His blatant, slow movements soon scratched her moist walls.

“Can you feel it?”

“Nnnh…!”

Charlotte had already lost all reason and shame. Wherever he touched, the current of pleasure flowed, involuntarily curling her toes. Panting heavily, she writhed under his touch.

“Aah…!”

Smiling contentedly, he buried his face back in her breasts, sucking on them like a thirsty man. The gentle in-and-out of his fingers gradually quickened. Every time he withdrew, her clitoris swelled, pushing her closer to the edge.

“Ah, mmh…!”

Exhaling short breaths and moans, at some point Charlotte stiffened. Her eyelids trembled, and her entire body convulsed, freezing for a moment. Something was coming.

“Nngh…!”

The next moment, everything went white before her eyes. The crashing wave of her climax swept over her body.

“Haa, ha…”

Charlotte closed her eyes, feeling weak. She felt the chill of his lips on her forehead. Her limp body was enveloped in his embrace.

 

 

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T/N: my face after reading the last scenes of this chapter (✦ ‿ ✦)