As I exhaled, it felt as if my breath could be touched.
He was that close.
“Being the Duchess of Philemon, you’re used to those words…?”
“Uh… No, that’s not it…”.
Unknowingly, I remembered what had happened with him in the garden.
His behavior was too seductive.
“No shame, no insult… anything.”
“….”
“No one is qualified to do that to you.”
He slowly reached out to me with his hand that was on the table.
Then he touched the corsage that had neatly fixed on my head.
His fingers curled up and lifted.
I felt like I was going to get drunk by the familiar scent that was approaching me.
Why is this person approaching me in such a way when I’m not even mentally prepared?
He only touched the corsage, and I felt like my whole body was being touched.
I felt like I was stripped naked by those gazes looking down at me languidly.
Even if I didn’t look, it was obvious that my whole body was dyed red. Edlade was overly sexy, dressed up for the ball. He was so seductive that my lips went dry.
I wanted to close my eyes.
I wanted to hold my breath.
However, I couldn’t avoid the eyes I met.
His hand, which had barely touched the corsage, fell off. He slowly approached my face and stayed near my ear for a very short time.
“Keep in mind that there is no one but me.”
I got goosebumps till my toes.
My heart was beating wildly, and My lower abdomen heated up, giving strength to my fists, which were placed finely on my lap.
Seeing me like that, Edlade smirked leisurely.
Does he know?
The laughter like that was a tease to me.
He slowly moved away from me. I couldn’t breathe properly until Edlade picked up the glass of wine he had put down and drank it all.
I couldn’t calm down, so I had to moisten my lips several times.
Edlade slowly drank wine until he emptied the glass as if he was waiting for me. After taking a deep breath, I was able to speak properly.
‘Act so that no one can be rude to the Philemon family hostess.’
That’s what Edlade was trying to say.
“I know. I will act confidently in the future so as not to damage the name of the family.”
I was satisfied with accepting it lightly because I was too used to it.
It was a sign of abuse embedded in the body like brainwashing.
But I guess my answer wasn’t enough for him.
“Is that why Halbert said that?”
“What?”
“Looks like an idiot… but is rational in a strange way.”
“Is it a compliment?”
“Look where you are.”
Edlade set the empty wine glass again and turned his head.
The ball was already running towards the end.
I didn’t notice the passing of time because I was chatting so well with Leto.
I looked around and glanced at Edlade, and gave strength to the corner of my lips that was about to rise.
‘I didn’t know we’d be together this long.’
What he said ‘stupid’ was not wrong.
Like a fool, I frankly liked being with him like this for a little while.
Edlade, nicely dressed, is by my side. Even if I reach out my hand, he is within reach.
I wanted to do the last dance with him.
I am sure it’s greediness.
Perhaps he felt my glance, Edlade got up from leaning against the table in annoyance.
‘Oh, no. don’t go.’
Contrary to the cry in my heart, I watched him get up with a detached attitude.
Edlade swept his hair a few times.
A tulip that had been neatly placed on the table was suddenly in his hand.
“I’ll have to make sure the cheeky ones don’t say that again. Don’t you think so?”
He put one hand behind his back, holds out a tulip, and bends his knee slightly.
He was annoyed at the words, but he said to me as if he would kill me if I sat idly without answering.
“I want to share the spring flowers with my wife.”
That’s how a miracle happened to me.
***
Halbert looked at the pile of papers with wide eyes.
The heavy eye bags under his eyes, which seemed impossible to come down, had recently descended to the tip of his chin.
“Can’t Your Excellency be a little sweet to his wife?”
“Why are you looking for Your Excellency’s kindness?”
Halbert questioned, peering through the white paper.
The Duchess attended the prom, and her assistant, Noi, was relaxed.
The two of them went to the prom together, hence Noi was free but Halbert was busy.
There was only one answer.
Knowing both the secrets of the family and the secrets of the duke, the amount of work they could handle was different.
“It hasn’t been long since I’ve served my wife, but she’s so nice. It’s too much to treat someone so rudely.”
“…They went to the prom together today.”
“I saw you begging him to go with My Lady.”
Halbert vowed to lock the office door in the future.