Chapter 89

✧Weird✧

*.·:·.✧.·:·.*

When Matthias opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Leyla. Immediately, his mind flashed back to when she first witnessed the snow. But this vision here, there was also something ethereal in this moment between them.

That strange feeling in Leyla was back, causing her to squirm away from him in an effort to look away when his hand went up to cup her cheek, refusing to let her go and look away from him.

Fear flashed in her eyes, thinking they were about to resume last night’s activities, but nothing like that came.

He just kept her in place, staring at her, and making her feel unfamiliar things. His fingers began to caress her cheeks soothingly, pressing lightly on her skin. Leyla stilled under his touch, letting him feel her face as they locked eyes with each other, their breath intermingling in the air…

‘Why does he do this to me?’ she asked herself.

Her head tilted in wonderment, as Matthias just kept staring at her without an outward response. Instead, he seemed to be looking for something. He kept searching her eyes for an answer to a question she didn’t know was being asked.

She likened this feeling between them to witnessing the first morning after winter came. Like a sudden clarity had washed over her as she looked at the snowy white plains, just as vast and beautiful as the sky…

The sun peeked through the gaps of the curtains, lightly hitting their skin, basking them in a warm glow as Matthias kept caressing her face. The sun beams moved, perfectly framing Leyla’s emerald orbs, redefining Matthias’ definition of a crowning jewel.

Because that’s what her eyes were to him, despite the lingering fear they held, a persistent curiosity shone through them too.

But there was no answer provided to him, and it made Matthias feel dejected, chuckling mirthlessly to himself, before he moved his hands to tangle them through her golden locks instead. They looked like golden threads, gifted by the heavens.

Yet Leyla’s eyes narrowed with his movement, reminding him that she would always doubt his intentions. But the way she squirmed in his arms was also maddening. He couldn’t bear it any longer-

“I’m hungry!” Leyla immediately exclaimed, having enough of this moment between them as his hands shifted to touch her bare back. He blinked at her.

“What?” he frowned, displeased at her interruption.

“I said I’m hungry.” she repeated, before firmly pushing away his hand from her.

She wasn’t hungry. But it was the only excuse she could think of at the moment. Though demanding something that ridiculous was a little embarrassing, she would rather face that kind of embarrassment than have intercourse with him at such an early morning.

“I-I want to eat some breakfast.” Leyla haughtily added, giving Matthias a firm glare as he stared at her in a dumbfounded manner.

Leyla’s stomach churned in terror. Had she provoked him after all? The longer the silence persisted from him, the more she feared she did provoke him.

But alas, laughter like music echoed against the walls, making Leyla look at him in bewilderment. She’s heard him laugh so many times now, yet every time she hears it, it never ceases to amaze her how warm his laugh would make her feel.

She could almost believe this was a different person, but she knows this was still Matthias.

Matthias laughed on his back, hands clutched on his stomach as he threw his head back onto the pillows as he chuckled to his heart’s content. His eyes squeezed shut as laugh lines creased the skin of his eyes.

An insecurity assaulted Leyla’s thoughts.

Was he laughing at her ridiculousness? Did she make herself look stupid in front of him?!

She quickly pulled up the blankets, wrapping them around her naked frame, pulling it up to her nose securely. Matthias’ laughter died down as he finally sat up on the bed, before he turned to her with a soft smile.

At this angle, Leyla could witness the way the sunlight rolled off his frame beautifully, hitting his sharp features as they casted dark shadows on his other side, making his blue pools shine. His overall image was softer like this, much like those marble sculptures she used to see in art books and museums…

It made her heart skip a beat.

“Okay, let’s do that.” Matthias hummed with that soft smile on his lips. His eyes held hers hypnotically, making blood rise in her chest, “Let’s have breakfast together.”

As he left, still chuckling to himself for unknown reasons, Leyla couldn’t help but wonder how such a cruel man possessed such beautiful laughter? It didn’t make sense. But at the crucial moment, he looked like any other man Leyla saw.

He wasn’t a duke, he wasn’t powerful, he wasn’t cruel. Just a normal man she would have met randomly at the street, and that image sent shivers inside her.

He was an uncanny man. He was acting so strange lately, it confused her greatly. So Leyla grabbed on tightly on the blanket, and brought it up over her head, refusing to look at him any longer, but it didn’t block out the sounds of his laughter still ringing in her head.

She was beginning to feel weird as well.

*.·:·.✧.·:·.*

Kyle stood outside of the most expensive cafe in Carlsbar with clammy palms.

He took a deep breath, before he thanked the doorman for opening the door and searched the tables. The cafe was crowded with many noblemen and ladies, given its prestigious reputation, it came as no surprise to him. It was also located in the center of the city, so naturally, it attracted a lot of customers.

Finally, his eyes landed on the reason he was here in the first place.

He’d received an invitation from Lady Brandt, which he interpreted as a demand for him to meet up in the city. And just as she said, Claudine was seated by the window seat, overlooking the occupants by the second floor of the cafe.

It was quieter up there after all, plus, she had the bonus view of the city’s shopping district and its beautiful park.

Kyle wasted no time to approach her, wishing for their meeting to be over as soon as possible. He had more important things to do than waste it with her.

Claudine beamed at the sight of him, flashing him that sweet smile she used on everyone.

“Ah, Kyle! I’m so happy you accepted my invitation.” She greeted him. Kyle bowed his head at her, before taking the seat across her. “For a moment I thought you wouldn’t come.” she lightly remarked, eyeing him in scrutiny.

“Yes, I apologize for the delay,” Kyle said with a stiff smile, “But you weren’t very specific on the time of our meeting, I’d been afraid I have missed you.”

His words were pleasant at best, but Claudine could tell there was a hint of dismay in his tone at their meet-up.

“So, why have you invited me out today, Lady Brandt?” Kyle immediately asked, quick to the point, his posture going taut. Claudine could only lightly tut at him in his brazen manner.

“Watch that tone Kyle,” she softly warned, “There are many eyes around us, who knows what rumors would surface at them spotting us together.”

“If you were so worried about so much attention on us, then why did you arrange for us to meet here?” Kyle asked her in confusion, and Claudine only smiled at him, before taking a dainty sip out of her cup.

“Because I have the perfect vantage point in this spot.” she answered plainly. “Also, meeting up here is more wise if we are to remain inconspicuous instead of a shady place that hardly anyone knows.” She explained to him with a pointed stare, “Just think of the scandal.” she sighed.

Kyle could only shoot her back with a wry smile.

He wanted to be anywhere but here with her. However, he also knew she had the answers to several of his questions. He knew because she had her aide personally deliver him her letter of invitation.

[I need to discuss something with you.]

[Don’t you wonder why Leyla’s changed so much after you’ve gone?]

[I’ll see you in the cafe, in front of the central station in Carlsbar city. I’ll be eagerly waiting for your arrival tomorrow.]

Those were some lines directly found in her letter, and it did make Kyle curious. And he couldn’t believe that Lady Brandt, who had always despised Leyla since they were children for unknown reasons, had a better understanding of her than him.

Something in him unsettled with that piece of information.

He could have just ignored her. He had no reason to attach himself with Leyla anymore, but he wanted to help her. Even if it meant subjecting himself to feeling pathetic as he faced the soon to be Duchess of Arvis.

It was as though she saw something in him give in, making her grin toothily at his resignation.

“I knew you would come,” Claudine hummed, “After all, you love her too much just to ignore something this important.”

“Please tell me what I need to know quickly, Lady Brandt.” Kyle prompted, feeling his patience running thin by the second. “I’d like for this to be over soon.”

“Oh?” Claudine smirked, raising a brow in a challenge, “Why, that would be so improper of me to not even bother asking you about your day!” she gasped softly. Kyle could feel his jaw stiffen, stopping himself from snapping at her.

Claudine seemed unbothered by his discomfort, and proceeded to flag a nearby waiter. They nodded at her immediately, before rushing down. Kyle saw no words exchanged between them. Claudine only shot him an innocent smile, before the waiter came back with a handful of coffee, balanced precariously on a silver tray.

He set their cups down in front of them, taking Claudine’s cold cup of tea with him before leaving them back to their privacy.

“Trust me, Lady Brandt,” Kyle spoke dryly to her as the waiter disappeared, “I won’t talk of your improperness if you just say it now.”

“Well, alright then.” Claudine smiled victoriously at Kyle.

She had thought about this carefully after all. She needed to reveal her fiance’s affair with Leyla, but to someone who cared greatly about Leyla, and had some power over her too.

Kyle was the perfect candidate. She could have gone with the gardener, after all, he was the most important person in Leyla’s life, but she found that scenario too pitiful.

“First, let me clarify a few of my suspicions.” Claudine declared, making Kyle frown at her.

“Lady Brandt, I insist-”

“Did you or did you not return to Arvis in hopes of rekindling your love with Leyla?” Claudine interrupted, making Kyle snap his mouth shut at the unexpectedness.

When Kyle resolutely remained silent, she could only smile at him in pity.

“Oh, poor you. I assume by your reaction Leyla rejected you, no?”

Kyle still kept silent as he glared at Claudine, who was unbothered by him.

“Yes, she did, didn’t she?” she hummed, tutting at him in pity, “Well, I can’t blame her for doing that. After all, how could she juggle two men vying for her attention at the same time?” she said plainly as she stared at her nails.

It was like a bucket-full of ice had been poured down on Kyle upon her words. He refused to believe this was true, but the grin on Claudine’s face as she stared at his frozen form made him feel otherwise.

“What do you say Kyle?” Claudine leaned forward, resting her chin on her clasped hands, “Are you still in such a hurry for our conversation to be over?”

“Who?” Kyle couldn’t help but ask after freeing himself from his frozen shock, before Claudine’s eyes turned ice cold, but her smile remained.

“Why, it’s no one else but my fiance,” Claudine practically hissed, “Matthias von Herhardt, Duke of Arvis.”

*.·:·.✧.·:·.*

The rest of their day together had gone smoothly, just as Matthias hoped.

Their breakfast together was splendid, and went beyond his expectations. It was every bit enjoyable as he’d imagined and more!

The only downside so far was that Leyla refused to even look up at him. All day long she kept avoiding seeing him, so instead he watched her. He drank in the sight of her rosy cheeks, the sunlight haloing around her crown as she took small bites.

He watched her plump lips moisten up with the food and their drinks. It made him want to devour her all the more. Especially when she’d bite down on her lips in that nervous manner.

But that was just typical Leyla to him.

It made him feel like bursting out into another fit of laughter with how high he was currently feeling, and he didn’t care how it made him look.

She’d glance back at him every now and then, but when she’d catch him looking at her, she’d get frazzled and immediately avert her eyes. He especially enjoyed seeing her face grow red, and because of him!

But, he was done just watching her, instead, he lightly gestured to the corner of his lip, finally catching her attention. Leyla paused, as she frowned at him.

The crumbs on her face looked more appealing than the ones on his plate.

Eventually it dawned upon her what he meant, and fumbled around to wipe the crumbs off her face with a napkin. Her flush grew deeper, the red running down to her neck.

Once she was done, she proceeded to continue with their meat, albeit with a slower pace this time, still blushing beautifully for him.

Every move she made was so delicate for him, even as she tapped on the egg to crack its shell. Matthias couldn’t help but let out a chuckle, making her look up at him in even more confusion.

Leyla gingerly scooped out some of the egg, before it disappeared into her mouth with a frown and a pout as soon as he chuckled at her once more.

When breakfast was over, they both took their sweet time in doing nothing but just being around each other.

Of course, while Matthias reclined himself leisurely on the bed, Leyla refused to sit still and kept pacing and mumbling nothings to herself around the room.

She was arguing with herself to keep it together quietly, afraid that the duke would hear. She didn’t know why she felt so jittery around him lately, was it because she was afraid and uncomfortable with him? Or was it something else!?

The next time Leyla looked at the Duke, his hair was damp just as he was finished dressing up. Fit to go out.

Was he going out and leaving her?

‘Good!’ Leyla thought to herself, before she picked up the morning paper on the table and sat herself firmly by the windowsill. She was intent on reading while he’d gone away, unaware he’d approached her.

Matthias stared over her shoulder, quietly standing behind her as he read with her. He blinked back as soon as he realized what it was she was reading on the paper. It was one of those serialized novels the papers published, something he never really bothered to pay attention to whenever he’d read the news.

Leyla gasped, immediately flushing red in embarrassment once she realized he’d been standing behind her reading all this time! In her rush to get away, she dropped the newspaper between them, looking like a child who was caught with their hand in a cookie jar.

Matthias laughed in amusement once more! Who would’ve thought that Miss Prim-and-proper, Leyla Lewellin, was the type who could read such riveting novels with a straight face?

She was looking at him as though he was crazy, but Matthias can’t seem to think it’s such a terrible picture. He was having fun right now, and what’s a little fun without being crazy?

They left the hotel room as soon as noon struck.

Leyla had been against the idea at first, but Matthias was insistent, making her accompany him reluctantly. He had his attendant bring them another one of his coats, before firmly wrapping his own coat around Leyla as he eyed his attendant.

Mark Evers never rushed out of sight as fast as he did after that moment.

The tailcoat ended up being bigger than expected at Leyla. The ends of the coat were almost touching the floor, but Matthias loved seeing her in something of his.

“Where are we headed?” Leyla asked him in a meek voice, just as they passed the hotel’s main entrance. Matthias gave no answer. Instead, he just kept walking, making Leyla run after him.

Matthias slowed down from time to time, careful not to lose sight of her as he led them towards one of the city’s most prominent boutiques. Leyla’s eyes narrowed at the sight of it in front of them.

“No.” she said, glaring at Matthias, “I don’t want it.”

But Matthias held her gaze steadfast in a wordless demand. Leyla shook her head adamantly, but Matthias wasn’t budging.

It was inevitable of her to give in to him.

So with great reluctance, Leyla followed him into the boutique. The entrance clanged with a soft chime, indicating new customers had arrived. Once they entered, almost every pair of eyes in the store turned on the new arrivals.

*.·:·.✧.·:·.*