Chapter 4
“You’re good with children.”
Is that a compliment? I was taken aback for a moment by the cold voice. But no matter how many times I heard it, the words sounded like a compliment.
Just when the corners of my lips were about to rise, my eyes met with Raynan.
It’s not a compliment, is it that you don’t like it?
This was much more plausible. The sharp eyes that were so cold that it was so chilling made it impossible to accept those words as they were.
With panic evident in my eyes, I quickly glanced back at Catherine, I’m sure that she knew what Raynan meant. But she wasn’t looking at me at all. She was just looking at Raynan and smiling as if I had received a compliment.
It must be a compliment. Finding the answer in Catherine’s face, I turned my head forward again with a bewildered look.
Why does he have to be so harsh with the compliments, and what’s with the cold tone in his voice?
“She’s sincere, and she’s a good worker, so I don’t think she’ll fall far short of serving young master Edwin.”
Raynan’s piercing gaze continued throughout Catherine’s words. When I thought that I was going to turn into a hedgehog because of the tingling all over my body, he withdrew his gaze for a moment.
“It would be enough if Catherine praised her.”
Raynan spoke in a hoarse voice and concentrated on the paperwork again. Before I could figure out what was going on, his firm voice could be heard.
“As you know, I don’t want you bothering me about Edwin.”
The words he uttered without looking at me seemed to be directed at someone else.
I was frozen and only blinked.
It was because I doubted that I had heard it right. Just like he did all the way into the office.
In this case too…
I rolled my eyes and looked over at Catherine, and our eyes met.
Catherine nodded very little, as if she knew why I was looking for her.
Are you saying I heard him right?
Don’t let anything bother him. This is about your son, after all.
That was then. Catherine glanced to one side. As if she wanted to quickly look over there.
There seemed to be some kind of cool air rushing in. As I slowly turned my creaky head in the direction she spoke, I stood still.
I heard a tap on the desk. Our eyes met and he snapped his fingers once more.
Leaning his face on one hand, he moved his fingers involuntarily, and every time I heard the small noises of the desk and his fingers, I twitched involuntarily.
As the number of times grew, a smile appeared on Raynan’s face and interest in his eyes.
“Is there any problem?”
I shook my head vigorously at his question. I felt like if I had a problem, I’d be in trouble. It was time to say no.
“No. He’s so lovable and so intelligent that there’s nothing wrong with that.”
He burst into laughter at my words, which sounded somewhat tragic.
“lovely? Intelligent?”
I could feel the ice water pouring down all over my body at the sound of his voice muttering over my words.
What is this creepy feeling? Did I say something wrong?
I wanted to look back, but there was nothing to do. Because what I said was very short.
Above all, there were no lies or exaggerations at all. Edwin was so sweet and intelligent.
“It’s nice to hear that.”
A soft voice echoed through the air. As his wet lips moved slowly, I looked at him in awe.
But why are you smiling like that?
Now I really want to get out of here, I’d give anything to be out of his sight.
He was bad for my heart in so many ways. If I stayed here much longer, I felt like I was going to break down and cry. I don’t if I’ve done something wrong.
“Then you know that. Get out..”
My body had already been bent at 90 degrees before he could finish his words as if he had read my earnest heart.
“I will go out.”
I hid my inner thoughts, ‘I don’t want to see you anymore,’ and moved quickly.
My right hand and my right foot moved together as when I came in, but it was good. I was finally able to get out of his sight.
As soon as I left Raynan’s office, I took a deep breath. It was then that I realized that I couldn’t even breathe properly inside. It felt like air was barely getting into my body.
“Renee?”
As I put my hands on my chest and catch my breath, I heard a familiar voice. The owner of the voice was Edwin with an anxious face.
“Young master Edwin?”
Hearing my call, he jumped up with a look of tears on his face. He rushed forward as if he was going to run straight into my arms, but instead, he came to an abrupt halt right in front of me.
Even though I couldn’t hide my worries, it was heartbreaking to see him looking into my eyes.
“Why are you still here?”
“Are you okay?”
“Yes?”
“No…”
Not knowing what to ask, Edwin hesitated as he wiggled his fingers.
I watched in amusement as his short, chubby fingers intertwined with each other, so he asked cautiously.
“Did… you get in trouble?”
Did Edwin always feel like I was being scolded by Raynan?
I remembered Raynan’s desk, which had been seen through the cracks in the door of the office that had been slowly closing. To be precise, Edwin’s rose was placed in the corner of the spacious and bleak desk.
The small hand that hesitantly held out saying it was a gift he made himself, and the face that stared at me.
The warmth of his hand, which I had been holding on to with all my might, was also revived.
He was a pitiful, yet precious child. Like me, he was worried that I would get in trouble.
Again, there was nothing that could be considered a mistake in what I said to Raynan earlier. He’s such a cute kid
“You haven’t folded the present for Catherine yet, have you? Shall we go and fold it together?”
A smile appeared on Edwin’s face as I spoke with a broad smile. Edwin smiled brightly and nodded his head.
It was funny, but soon Edwin walked with his shoulders drooping. All the way back to his bedroom, I thought about how to appease Edwin.
I couldn’t find a special way until I got to the bedroom, but unexpectedly, the problem was solved easily.
The child was a child. Seeing Edwin engrossed in origami as he had always been, I felt the tension melt away and my heart relax.
Even though there doesn’t seem to be any similarities at all, it’s oddly similar.
Is it the virtue of a calm heart? Raynan’s face came to mind even more clearly than at the time I had it in front of me.
At first glance, Raynan, a handsome man who seemed to have been painstakingly cut, and Edwin, who was cute and lovely, didn’t look alike at all.
But if you take them apart, they look alike. If so, it may be the atmosphere that sets the two apart the most.
It was because Raynan, who was like the cold winter wind, and Edwin, who was like the spring sunlight bouncing in the air, had a very different feeling.
If Edwin had grown up as described in the novel, would he have a similar vibe to Raynan?
Everyone knew that Edwin was Raynan’s son, but precisely they were an uncle and a nephew.
Edwin was the son of his deceased brother.
“Huh? Is it weird? Why did you raise him as Raynan’s son in the first place?”
While looking for their similarities, I suddenly remembered a passage from the novel.
Edwin was known from birth as Raynan’s son. At that time, his older brother was firmly holding the position of the next Duke.
It was said that the sudden appearance of Raynan’s son, who was not even engaged, let alone married, caused quite a stir.
It’s been quite a while, but many speculations about Edwin still haunted Raynan.
Was there any special reason for doing so despite the scandal?
“Yes. There must be a reason….”
Why?
I started recalling the vague memories.
Obviously, the reason was briefly mentioned in the novel. A big thing happened later because of the reason that it passed so quickly, what was it?
“Wow! Renee, you are doing a great job!”
My mind was scattered in the air in an instant, because of Edwin’s excited voice.
“What bird is this?”
As I stood next to Edwin, my hands moved without realizing it.
It was one of two easy origami that I could do. But how to explain a crane? Scratching my head with a puzzled face, I gave up on the explanation and asked Edwin instead.
“Would you like to fold it together?”
“Yes. I want to do it too!”
Thanks to Edwin, who was excited and sat down next to me, I had time to think about what to say. I decided to say swan.
Soon enough, Edwin’s excitement turned to tears.
This… is hard for a six-year-old to fold. I’m sorry.
“I want to do well too…”
Even with a face that looked like he was about to cry, Edwin didn’t give up in the end. I couldn’t tell him that it’s difficult for you to fold, so I found another way instead.
“Ah! There is a better bird than this. We can blow it up, shall we fold it?”
It folds quickly with just a few folds. It was the other one of the two that I could fold.
“Yes! Let’s fold it!”
Looking at Edwin’s enthusiasm, I smiled and picked up a new piece of paper. Edwin looked at my hand without blinking an eye.
“First, align the corners here and fold it like this.”
“Hm, like this?”
“Yes. And then…”
Again, Edwin could easily follow along. Each time he folded the paper, his face was in full bloom.
“It’s an eagle.”
With a proud face, I said to Edwin, who had an airplane or, no, an eagle in his hand.
“You folded it so much better than me, wow! Your airplane, or eagle, will fly much farther!”
I said excitedly, and Edwin puffed out his chest. Edwin’s face lit up with excitement as the paper eagle flew away just as I said it would.
After sitting there for a while, folding and flying the eagle, Edwin’s excitement was still evident in his face.
“Do you think my father would like this one?”
Edwin’s voice was trembling softly as the slight tremor at the end of his voice was trembling. I lowered myself to meet Edwin’s eyes.
“Sure. I’m sure he’d love it. What if we practiced the other one a little more and gave it to him together?”
“Do you think that would be good?”
“He’d be surprised!”
Seeing Edwin clenching his fists and folding the paper more carefully than before, the compassion he had buried deep in his heart began to raise his head.
If we keep coming closer, maybe we can get a little closer than we are now. Even if Edwin didn’t notice it like this.
First of all, I don’t think she hates Edwin. After all, he laughs at my stories, and he dared interview me to take care of Edwin?
Come to think of it, I didn’t even properly say thank you for Edwin’s gift.
It may have been that I was deceived by what I saw. She didn’t even need to conclude that their relationship was unlikely to improve.
No, it was a pretty good idea, wasn’t it?
And so, forgetting how I had trembled in his presence, I embraced my reckless determination.
