Chapter 29 – He Knows and She Doesn’t
Mellie came to the hospital, just as Edric had expected.
Through his half-closed eyelids, Edric could see her expressions, where her gaze lingered, and how intently she was watching him. Even with his eyes shut, he felt a clarity he hadn’t experienced before.
“Good night. And…”
Mellie hesitated, as if searching for the right words.
Edric barely held back a laugh.
How timid. How could she not even say, ‘I love you,’ after coming all this way?
‘Tsk. I guess I’ll have to help her,’ he thought.
Edric reached out, grabbed her arm as she turned to leave, and pulled her towards him. Mellie stumbled, landing on top of him, her eyes wide with surprise.
Her transparent brown eyes, illuminated by the lamplight, carried a secret allure.
Edric found himself wondering how he could have ever thought that this woman was ordinary.
She’s so pretty, so lovely, so utterly captivating.
“Mellie,” Edric murmured, staring at her with a resigned expression.
“I was really shameless to think that someone as selfish as me could deserve a woman as good as you. I don’t deserve you.”
“… …”
Tears welled up in Mellie’s eyes. Her gaze, shimmering with unshed tears, reminded him of rare brown crystals.
When he was younger, he had thought boys his age who made girls cry were pathetic. But now he understood why. They’re beautiful when they cry. Too beautiful.
Mellie spoke desperately, her voice trembling.
“I… I want you, Edric Felton!”
Yes. That’s how it should be.
“I love you,” she confessed.
I love you too, Mellie, Edric thought. But he didn’t say it.
Because Mellie Enwood didn’t know yet: in this game, the one who showed their emotions first were the weaker ones.
“I just want to ask you one thing,” Edric said, carefully masking his feelings.
“Will you be a great duchess?”
“… …”
“As you know, the role of a duchess isn’t an easy one. You’ll need to learn proper etiquette and actively engage with high society to expand your network. Can you do that?”
Mellie didn’t hesitate.
“I can. I will.”
Edric suppressed a triumphant smile. His wounds throbbed as he held it in.
“Give me a chance. I’ll do my best,” she added earnestly.
Satisfied that Mellie now belonged to him— her mind, body, and soul—Edric felt a newfound calmness wash over him.
“Then let’s get married,” he said plainly.
“… …”
“Marry me, Mellie Enwood.”
It wasn’t an impassioned proposal, like the one he had planned on the terrace the night before. Instead, it was casual, almost like an afterthought.
Yet Mellie’s reaction was nothing short of overwhelming. Tears of joy spilled down her face, unchecked.
Edric held her close, gently patting her back.
“Stop crying,” he said softly. “No one’s dead here.”
But Mellie only cried harder.
Good, Edric thought. Cry as much as you want—but only in my arms.
However, there came a moment when he wished she would stop.
Her trembling, tear-streaked body reminded him of that night. He wanted to turn her tears into something else entirely.
“Mellie,” he called her softly.
Mellie’s sobbing slowed at his gentle tone.
The slight crack in his voice was enough to make her heart flutter, and it reminded him of the passion they had shared.
She leaned back, gazing at him with a puzzled expression. Her innocent confusion only fueled his desire.
“… …!”
Edric’s hand, resting at her waist, slowly slid up her back. With one deft motion, he loosened the back of her dress.
Mellie’s breath hitched, and for a moment, it felt as though the world had stopped.
—
Later That Night…
Mellie’s brown hair spread across the white sheets, rippling like waves. Her shoulders, pale and delicate, shook slightly with every breath she took.
Edric reached out, draping a blanket over her bare shoulders.
She flinched at his touch, her mind likely replaying the memories of the night.
“Don’t be scared,” he murmured, his voice soothing.
He stroked her hair gently, his fingertips tangling in the strands. Her hair wasn’t naturally silky, but to him, it was more precious than any velvet or satin.
Edric wished he could freeze this moment forever. It wasn’t the passion from earlier—it was this quiet, tender intimacy that he wanted to hold on to.
—
A New Beginning..
News of their engagement spread quickly throughout the mansion when Edric was discharged from the hospital.
The servants were in shock.
“Somehow,” said Bella, a young maid, clapping her hands, “it makes sense now.”
“What makes sense?” Lena, her senior, asked.
“I’ve seen His Majesty coming out of Miss Mellie’s quarters several times. Isn’t that unusual?”
“That’s not proof of anything,” Lena argued. “They’ve always been close.”
“Yes, but not like this,” Bella insisted.
The servants murmured in agreement.
“I also noticed that Miss Mellie has been glowing lately. Her complexion is rosy, her eyes are clearer, and her smile is brighter,” Sarah observed.
The chatter continued, with everyone debating who had fallen in love first. No one could agree. Mellie had hidden her feelings too well, and Edric had always been selective.
—
Trouble Returns..
The idyllic days of their engagement were short-lived.
The former Duchess, Ada, returned to the mansion.
There was no trace of the defeated woman who had left quietly before. Ada was now radiant, her eyes were sharp and filled with purpose.
She summoned Mellie and Edric to the drawing room.
“I have decided to accept you, Mellie, as my daughter-in-law,” Ada announced.
Mellie’s tense expression softened, and she smiled gratefully. “Thank you…”
But Ada interrupted her before she could finish.
“And,” Ada continued, her tone icy, “I will not be returning to the southern estate.”
“… …”
“I believe there’s much work to be done here,” she declared, her words heavy with unspoken intentions.
—
