Gently awakened by a faint, savory scent, I opened my eyes. Taking a deep breath, I stretched.
Hmm… This smells like mushroom soup. I’ve had Theo’s soup many times, but somehow it smells special today. I wonder if he developed a special recipe.
“Woof, woof!”
Bibi barked by the side of the bed, urging me to get up. I reluctantly rose from the bed, gently petting the fluffy white fur of the cloud-like puppy.
Then, I slowly got out of bed and changed my clothes. Unlike me, who was still groggy from sleep, Bibi blinked its bright eyes and wagged its tail energetically.
Yawning, I walked to the kitchen, where Theo, wearing a neatly tied apron, was stirring the soup with a ladle.
“You’re up early today.”
He greeted me with a smile as warm as the morning sun.
“The aroma is so good. I have a really good feeling about this one; it’s going to be really good.”
He approached me and cupped my face in both of his hands. His lips touched my forehead, cheeks, and lips in succession. Then his lips moved to my ear, then my jaw, then my neck. I laughed softly at the tickling sensation.
Our eyes met at a close but uncertain distance. Perhaps due to my positive reaction, his green eyes sparkled with an unusually clear light.
“Really?”
Looking at Theo’s face, filled with anticipation, I nodded.
Lately, Theo has been putting a lot of effort into recipe development. It was for the soon-to-be-opened restaurant not far from our home.
Opening a small restaurant had been one of Theo’s dreams for a long time. To showcase meticulously crafted dishes that only he could create.
I, too, was enthusiastically supportive when the story first came up because I didn’t want his excellent cooking skills to be buried in obscurity.
I was confident that no matter which restaurant we went to, they wouldn’t receive as much praise as Theo’s dishes.
The moment I tasted Theo’s macarons for the first time, I thought it would be great to open a dessert shop.
While I believe everything he makes is delicious, he insisted that if he’s selling food for money, it has to be even more perfect. So, he devoted himself to cooking research every day, even losing sleep over it.
“Just give me a minute; I’ll have it ready for you.”
Seated at the dining table, I rested my chin on my hand, watching Theo with a fond gaze as he bustled around the kitchen, humming a tune. His lively movements in the kitchen felt a bit cute compared to his past as a formidable black mage.
Since coming to Ios, Theo has seemed as happy as someone without a care in the world.
While Theo prepared breakfast, I took a moment to admire the refreshing sea outside the window.
The sound of crashing waves made my mind clear. As the petals of the Bonneflowers outside the window fluttered in the air, it looked mysteriously like purple snow falling over the sea.
The saplings we’d brought with us from other countries had taken root and thrived in the unfamiliar soil. Just like us now.
It had been over a year since Theo and I arrived in Ios. Ios was indeed a fantastic place, fittingly described as a terrestrial paradise.
We were living in a modestly sized house with a great view of the ocean.
When we built the house, we made the windows extra large so that we could look out at this spectacular view every day.
“I’m thinking of inviting neighbors for a tasting event before the official opening day.”
Theo spoke up as if an idea had just occurred to him.
“That’s a great idea, don’t you think?”
Here, no one knew that I was once an empress or that Theo was a high-ranking noble. People thought of us as just a couple who came from a distant land.
On the secluded island of Ios, there were no uncomfortable pretenses or rigid social barriers. Thanks to that, we could live an ordinary life, leaving the past behind and forgetting it completely.
Maintaining a small garden every day, occasionally sharing delicious food with neighbors, and enjoying the refreshing sea breeze while walking barefoot on the sand became our peaceful routine.
Around the time Theo had almost finished preparing the meal, Bibi suddenly barked lightly, looking at the door.
Sure enough, there was a knock, and when I opened the door, a familiar face greeted me.
“Raon, good morning.”
“Good morning, Jin.”
Jin is the alias I use here. It’s a name similar to my real name in my previous life, but it doesn’t feel out of place here.
Bibi slipped out through the open door, happily frolicking in the garden.
Seeing the lively little dog, Raon smiled brightly.
“It looks like Bibi’s in a good mood today.”
Raon, a young man helping his father run a small ranch nearby, was quite well-known on the small island of Ios, especially among the unmarried young ladies.
With a sturdy build, well-defined muscles, and sun-kissed skin, he gave off a subtly charming impression.
While not as stunning as Ian or Theo, he possessed a charisma that could make any woman blush.
His sun-like golden eyes could leave even me speechless and mesmerized.
In a world where the only handsome men in the world were Ian and Theo, he was a rare breed.
Raon greeted me warmly, handing over a box filled with fresh milk and cheese.
He turned to Theo, who was already close behind, and waved.
“The weather is really nice today, Alexis.”
Theo, with a slightly awkward smile, scanned Raon’s appearance. His gaze stopped on Raon’s chest, which was slightly damp with sweat.
“It’s good to see you, Raon. But today, you seem a bit…”
“Yes?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
I pinched Theo’s arm to stop him from continuing. Raon asked Theo,
“How are things coming along for the restaurant opening?”
“Well, it’s going okay.”
Although Theo’s tone felt a bit evasive, Raon didn’t seem to notice. Then I remembered the tasting event Theo mentioned. I kindly invited Raon, saying,
“Before the opening, we plan to invite neighbors for a tasting event. Please come, Raon.”
“It would be my honor. I’ve heard rumors that Alexis is exceptionally skilled in cooking. I’m already looking forward to it.”
After a few exchanges of words, Raon bid farewell and left. As soon as he left, Theo squinted his eyes and expressed his disappointment.
“I was considering having a tasting event, but I haven’t decided yet.”
“Then let’s decide to do it now.”
As I responded in a nonchalant manner, his eyebrows twitched.
“Really, isn’t this too obvious?”
“What are you talking about?”
“The way you look at Raon is a bit different from usual. It’s like…”
“Like what?”
“Like the way you looked at me when we first met.”
I tilted my head and chuckled.
“That’s nonsense.”
“Is it really nonsense?”
Seeing the look of displeasure in his face, I felt an urge to tease him more.
“Well, Raon is quite different from you. Maybe that’s why my gaze involuntarily goes to him.”
Theo glanced at me with a momentarily betrayed expression before turning away to the kitchen as if sulking.
I followed him swiftly, teasing him as he transferred the soup bowl to the table.
“How does he look to you? Honestly, even from a man’s perspective, he’s not too bad, right?”
“…….”
“If I possessed a person in Ios, I might have fallen head over heels at first sight and shamelessly chased after him, surrendering my pride.”
“…….”
“I didn’t know before, but now I think I understand why women are willing to go crazy for a man who exudes dangerous charm like a wild beast.”
Theo’s hand, placing a spoon on the table, paused for a moment. Then, glancing at me, he stepped forward towards me.
His hands embraced my slender waist, lifting me up and placing me on the table. I leaned back a little as he pressed his body even closer.
“Are you serious?”
He slowly closed his eyes and gazed at my lips intently.
Before I could ask why he was acting like this, his fingers slipped under my dress, moving from my ankle to my calf and then up to my thigh.
His emerald eyes shone with an unearthly lust. His lips boldly explored my neck.
His unfamiliar actions left me momentarily bewildered.
“Oh, no, wait…”
As his hand roughly pulled down my sleeve, my dress tore, revealing my white shoulder and chest. My breathing stopped for a moment at the unexpectedness.
A light shiver ran down my spine as the cold air touched my bare skin. As his warm breath moved downward, my face flushed instantly.
Soon, my whole body heated up like it was engulfed in flames. Then he whispered softly in my ear.
“Is this what you mean by a dangerous beast?”
His velvety voice carried a sensual undertone. Before I could respond, his hand stealthily moved to a more intimate place.
“You should have told me; I’ve been holding out for nothing.”
“What, what?”
His lips surged towards mine like angry waves, a savage kiss filled with craving, as if wanting something desperately.
In the presence of the fierce lion, my mind went blank like a helpless rabbit, unable to do anything.
Caught off guard by his forceful demeanor, I involuntarily closed my eyes. After a while, an awkward silence settled in.
When I cautiously opened my eyes, he was silently gazing down at me.
Feeling uneasy, I averted my eyes. Then he lightly tapped the tip of my nose with his index finger and grinned.
“Don’t casually say such naughty words.”
Eventually, he returned to his usual self and gently kissed my forehead with movements as soft as fluttering feathers.
ohhhhh <3 <3 …