HPBUY Chapter 50

It was obvious who had sold off the businesses that were crucial in accumulating the Grand Duke’s family fortune.

At the time, the Duke interfered in many affairs of the Grand Duke’s household under the pretext of being Declan’s guardian, and the Emperor turned a blind eye to this behavior.

During this process, several of the Grand Duke family’s businesses disappeared, and around the same time, several more guest houses were built in Duke Lowell’s southern estate.

As this hushed-up past became a topic of discussion, the Duke’s face lost its composure. Perhaps it was a critical blow to his rigid pride, as his face began to turn red and blue.

Declan, who had been quietly facing the Duke, let out a faint sneer.

“Stop wasting your effort and return to your estate as soon as possible.”

He was getting tired of trading barbs with his opponent. It was a futile fight that would lead nowhere. After all, these were past events that couldn’t be undone.

The Duke was the type of person who wouldn’t bat an eye even if his crimes were listed one by one.

Besides, there were other pressing matters at hand.

“People below you feel uncomfortable when someone of your age struts around like this.”

“Declan!”

At the sharp shout that sounded like scratching metal, Sienna, who was under the table, flinched. Her eyes widened as she had never heard the Duke’s voice like this before.

The Duke couldn’t hide his anger, his facial muscles trembling. In contrast, the one who received the shout to his face showed little impact.

“Now that you’ve taken control of the military, it seems nothing else matters to you, but I hope you don’t forget the past. If you continue to be so arrogant, you’ll meet the same miserable end as your parents.”

“It seems that my family’s accident is still your go-to threat, now as it was then.”

At this sarcastic comment, the Duke’s face, which had been flushed red, froze subtly. Before he could retort, Declan ended the conversation as if there was nothing more to hear.

“It seems we’ve both said what we needed to say, so please leave now.”

After glaring at Declan with bloodshot eyes for a moment, the Duke stormed out of his seat irritably. Soon after, the door closed with a loud bang.

After a brief silence, he stood up and moved the chair away.

“You can come out now.”

Having been crouched down for quite a long time, her legs were tingling and her back ached. However, upon meeting his cold gaze, Sienna blurted out excuses before she could even stand up properly.

“This is a misunderstanding. This… it’s absolutely not what you think.”

Although he was no longer someone she should feel guilty towards, her mouth moved before she could think. After all, hiding under someone else’s table wasn’t exactly a normal sight by anyone’s standards.

“Please pretend you didn’t see what happened today.”

“And yet you knew that full well.”

Declan let out a bitter laugh.

“Why did you come here at this late hour?”

“I just came to find something I left behind.”

Though she answered as if innocent, it was a response made without thinking ahead. One layer of pretense peeled away from his gaze, which had been maintaining composure all along.

“I wonder what item you could have left in the prince’s bedroom.”

“That’s none of your business.”

Sienna snapped back, unable to properly meet his eyes.

As she took steps toward the door, Declan blocked her path. When she looked up at him with a dumbfounded expression, his lips curved up coldly.

“You rejected me so fiercely before…”

“…”

“Is this also part of your answer?”

At these words that recalled their previous conversation, Sienna’s face subtly contorted.

“And what about you? You didn’t have such deep feelings when you said those things to me either, did you?”

She had no right to question him. In the end, it was just shallow pity. He had only held her hand out of his great sense of duty.

Glaring at him fiercely, she murmured lowly,

“…You never truly loved me anyway.”

At these unexpected words, Declan unconsciously let out a bitter laugh. If her former self had seen how she was acting now, she probably would have bitten her tongue. He never dreamed he’d hear the word ‘love’ from those lips.

Unaware of his inner thoughts, Sienna bristled.

“Wouldn’t anyone be the same? Of course I’d lean towards someone who truly cherishes me rather than a man who’s indifferent and acts like he doesn’t care what happens to me.”

Though she knew from the start that they were different from normal couples, there had certainly been times when they were no different from any other lovers.

Maybe that’s why. She couldn’t let go of their relationship that had begun to stumble at some point.

She had always wondered if he liked her or not. Sometimes when he showed kindness, she thought perhaps he didn’t completely dislike her, but as the times he didn’t seek her out grew longer, Sienna reached a conclusion she didn’t want to believe.

That his taking her hand was ultimately just pity. That there was no love in it.

“You’re an excellent gentleman.”

“…”

“That’s why I hate it.”

At those words, Declan’s jaw tensed.

‘How grand is your position, sneaking into a man’s bedroom?’

The words welled up inside him, but he knew well enough. That her words were just made-up excuses. Just as there needn’t be a grand reason for liking someone, he knew that hating someone didn’t require a reason either.

That made him even angrier.

“…I’ve said what I needed to say, so I’ll go now.”

She muttered without properly meeting his gaze. As Sienna tried to turn away, he grabbed her wrist.

Sienna looked up at him with a surprised face. Seeing his reflection in her blue eyes, Declan soon smiled coldly.

He couldn’t stand himself for still being unable to win even a corner of her heart, even if time were to turn back.

He tilted his head slightly. Their gazes locked at an angle.

“Didn’t I tell you?”

“…”

“To reject me fiercely if you dislike it.”

The hand that had been holding her wrist moved down to grasp her waist. The hand freed from his grip froze in mid-air.

As the distance between them suddenly closed, Sienna’s eyes trembled helplessly.

The hand resting lightly on her waist could have been easily pushed away.

Even knowing this.

Sienna only glared at him while trembling slightly, showing no movement. Though her mind knew she should leave this place immediately, her unresolved feelings wouldn’t let go of her ankle.

In the suffocating silence, their gazes became deeply entangled in the air.

Declan tilted his head while keeping his gaze fixed on her. As her image became increasingly clear in his purple eyes, she couldn’t bear it anymore and squeezed her eyes shut.

Then, a soft sensation touched her lips. It was an achingly familiar and longed-for feeling.

Her hands, which had been frozen in the air, grabbed his arms.

When he firmly entwined his tongue with hers, she unconsciously let out a muffled moan. His hand, which had been lightly holding her waist, suddenly pulled her close.

Only when their bodies pressed together without any gap did Sienna open her eyes. When she pushed against his chest with hands that barely had any strength, he obediently pulled away.

His heated gaze fixed on Sienna’s lips as she breathed roughly. Her face with smeared red lipstick served as another source of stimulation for him.

The flush gradually faded from Sienna’s face as she looked at him. In its place, deep contempt settled.

Whether that contempt was directed at him or herself remained unclear.

Stumbling backward, she turned and rushed out of the room.

Declan belatedly turned toward the glass window. In the dark window, he saw his reflection with red lipstick messily smeared around his mouth.

He looked equally disheveled.

****

After she left, Declan remained standing alone in someone else’s bedroom for a while before finally wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and leaving. Despite his face having cooled completely, his steps down the corridor were somewhat agitated.

Just then, Jeremiah, who was returning to his bedroom, spotted him and approached with a welcoming expression. Declan stopped walking in response.

“Ah, fortunately you haven’t left yet. Worth sneaking out in the middle.”

Jeremiah glanced briefly in the direction Declan had come from as he spoke. Even that silent glance was irritating.

“…Left?”

To this question that omitted quite a lot, Declan responded emotionlessly.

“Yes.”

“Ah, I see. I’m glad she returned safely.”

Jeremiah exhaled deeply with a relieved expression. Then he gave Declan an awkward smile.

“If anything, it’s fortunate that the Grand Duke caught her rather than someone else… I really don’t want to think about what would have happened if someone else had seen.”

He shuddered to himself. As Declan tried to continue on his way, Jeremiah suddenly blocked his path. Then, with a cautious expression, he asked.

“Um… Did Her Highness the Princess not say anything else?”

Declan couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.