Chapter 26

Bad Temptation (5)

Lily, sitting helplessly on the swing, was covered in a dark green robe from head to toe.

Tristan stepped in and approached her. “A swing hanging from a tree. It’s what you’ve been dreaming about since you were little.”

Vlad’s castle had a large area, so there were quite a few secret places.

Lily found the swing at the backyard not far from the mountain.

“Did your husband make it for you? As soon as you got married, Dandelion was worried about you two because you were left alone for a week. I guess he’s more romantic than I thought.” Tristan sat quietly on a rock a little further away from Lily. “Put your hood down. Show me your pretty face.”

“…I want to be alone. Tristan.”

“Tristan paused for a moment.

Lily noticed that he didn’t move from his seat. She had known for years and knows that Tristan had a habit of procrastinating when he refused.

A stray thought popped in her head.

Was I delirious, or was Tristan next to me when I had a fever a few days ago…?

Lily frowned, trying to recall the memory, but she couldn’t remember anything at all.

Tristan’s reproachful voice cut off her thoughts. “Dandelion is reflecting on himself, but you were still mean. You should have understood his good intentions as an older sister, knowing his personality. You’ve been doing great at that all your life.”

Lily bowed her head sullenly. “Yeah. I don’t know why I did that either. Like you said, I’m sensitive these days.”

“It’s normal. I’ve heard it all over the place. For women, marriage is everything. You must’ve cared about it.” Lily paused. Her voice softened considerably. “…Did the ladies you manage tell you? What’s everything to a woman?”

Tristan’s expression hardened for a moment. He ruffled his hair with a deep sigh. “I know you don’t like my job. But I didn’t have a choice either, like your marriage.”

“You directly volunteered to your father. I… I never said I wanted to get married.”

His voice trembled. “Lily. I know you actually despise me. I know what you think of my job. I have nothing to say if you think of me that way…”

Lily looked at him, sighing and grudgingly letting her hood fall. Her clear skin shone in the sun, long eyelashes shadowed green eyes. “That’s not what I meant. I just… want you to refuse when my father pays you to look over me. I don’t want to be treated like that.”

She didn’t want to be observed like a courtesan by someone whom her father had paid to do so.

A pained smile crossed his face. “I don’t think of you that way no matter how dirty you think I am. Lily, I’m… your only friend.”

Lily’s green eyes flashed with clear regret. She hurried up from the swing and sat next to Tristan. “I absolutely don’t think you’re dirty. As you said, you’re my only friend, practically family. I’m sorry.”

Tristan managed to keep his mouth shut.

Restless like a trapped animal, the lovely Lily’s weakness was too obvious. Since she herself was always insulted by others, she was quick to sympathize.

His gaze skated from her trembling lips to her neck. The red marks left by her husband were everywhere.

Discomfort slithered through Tristan’s stomach. He turned his head to look at the swing. “Is your husband nice to you?”

“Yeah. First of all… it’s good that he doesn’t hate me. There are more unfamiliar things but…” Lily pondered over Vlad and the past few days here.

She was worried about her husband’s work, but the servants of De Winter Castle were kinder than any aristocratic family she had ever encountered.

Lily blushed lightly, licking her lips and smiling slightly. “That’s a relief, isn’t it….?”

Although Lily had not seen it, Tristan’s expression was one of someone who had heard bad news—furrowed brows and clenched jaw.

Dark blue eyes locked onto Lillie. “Yes. So what if your husband is a cruel tyrant or  has an ugly face? It’s fine if he’s nice to you.”

Lily flinched. The topic she wanted to avoid the most eventually surfaced.

“I’m just worried about what will happen if you have a child who looks like your husband. Of course, there’s a possibility that they will take after you.”

Lily frowned. Her voice sank further. “Why… would you say that? You don’t have to worry about my child’s appearance. Even if my husband is bald or whatsoever, he’s much better off since he’s a duke. It doesn’t matter if he’s ugly.”

Tristan shut up for a moment at Lily’s slightly sharp voice. He thought this was a line that should not be crossed. “Yeah. I don’t think it’s something to worry about. In fact, contrary to the rumors, he’s pretty handsome, right? Is he more handsome than me?”

Rather than laugh at his jokes, Lily only wrung her gloved hands anxiously.

A strange light flashed in Tristan’s eyes. He realized that there was something strange in Lily’s words. “Even if…” He looked at her with a smile.

“…Lily. I’m just asking, have you not seen your husband’s face yet?”

Tristan didn’t miss Lily’s surprise. His eyes narrowed.

She hasn’t seen it. His face.

“Have you consummated your marriage yet?”

Instead of answering, Lily sprang up from her seat. She looked down at him with a rather stern and slightly reddened face. “I’m going to go. You’re a precious friend… but I don’t want to talk about it.”