Chapter 3

“Yes.”

My father breathed a heavy sigh.

“What the hell happened with you and Grand Duke Rochester? You’re not the type of person who just arbitrarily avoid someone… Did that guy do something to you?”

“T-That… that’s not it.”

My words faltered. What do you mean ‘did HE do something’? WE did do something! And we both acquiesced to it! It was a very mature and consensual night. But by all means. I’ll make sure it’ll be a lifetime secret to my father. Damn it.

Feeling embarrassed, I raised my cup again and drank tea. My father looked at me in a scrutinizing way, as if he knows I was hiding something.

“By any chance, did that guy failed to hold himself back and get it on with you?”

“Father!”

I jumped out of my seat with a start. F-Father! What are you talking about in the presence of the servants?!

Moreover, ‘get it on’, that’s a very vulgar expression. Calix politely asked me for my permission. We’re both consenting adults!

Even at that night, that crucial moment, in a very affectionate voice he asked, ‘Are you going to be okay, Laure?’

When I heard that, I thought. Oh, my God, what kind of man is this guy? He’s a completely unique ‘Benz-guy’. The problem is, he’s not mine.**

“Laure.”

My father wakened me in a grave voice. I got out of my own thoughts, sighed deeply, and retort.

“It’s not like that, Father. Nothing happened like that with Calix. It’s just…”

“Just what?”

“…..”

I bit my lips. What should I answer to make him understand?

My father in this life, Marquis Ecree, is a gentle and easygoing person, but he was never a pushover. He was the type that is soft on the outside but hard on the inside.

What excuse would such a father accept? I was thinking about what to answer when I heard a knocking sound from outside the living room.

“What’s going on?”

“Well… T-That…”

At my father’s question, the butler couldn’t answer immediately and hesitated.

What’s wrong with him? I leaned up and looked at the door. Soon, the butler’s tense voice rang out outside the door.

“The, the Grand Duke Rochester is here! His Grace, Duke Rochester is asking for an audience with Miss Laure! He mentioned that if the lady doesn’t meet him, he’ll keep standing outside…!”

…What the?

I turned my head around and looked out of the window. Outside, torrents of rain was pouring down and it seems that in a blink of an eye, it will deviate into rainstorm.

“No!”

I bolted to the door with a scream and ran out. There was no time to think back and forth.

It’s currently late autumn. It was a perfect season to catch the flu or pneumonia. If he stay in the rain for too long, he’ll get sick and his health will definitely suffer! What the hell is Calix thinking, getting rained on in this weather!

As soon as I reached the front door, I pulled the doorknob without hesitation.

A blister of rain and wind squeezed in through the gap. And there he was, standing in front of the door, Calix.

“Laure.”

Recognizing me, he smiled bitterly and hesitated to approach. He stretches out his arm as if he wants to hug me, then lowers it. Perhaps he realize that I might get wet because he was already drenched with rain.

He was not even wearing his coat. Oh, my God, he must be crazy.

“Calix! Are you crazy? What the hell do you think you’re doing?!”

I cried out, grabbed Calix’s sleeve and pulled him inside.

He was effortlessly dragged inside like a paper doll wet with water.

I had the maid bring me dry towels, blankets and warm tea, and then I led Calix to the drawing room.

My father, without any intention of interfering, was just observing the two of us from a distance.

I nodded toward my father with an apologetic look, then proceeded to the drawing room.

After depositing Calix in an armchair near the warm fireplace, I gently wiped his hair and body with a towel.

Oh, my. What the hell is this? He looks like a person who fell in the lake.

Drops of water dripped from his golden hair. Enchanting blue eyes under moist long lashes, straight nose and captivating lips… Aack! So, so handsome!

No, you can’t be tricked by his beauty. Let’s stay calm, Laure Ecree. What are you imagining in this situation?!

I was playing a star-studded play alone in my head when Calix suddenly grabbed me by the wrist.

“C-Calix?”

I blinked, looking up at him in embarrassment. Calix’s blue eyes, staring down at me, were somehow strange.

Up until now, he looked like a puppy in the rain, but now he looks completely different.

The expression ‘I picked up a puppy on the road, but it turned out to be a wolf!’ came to mind. The Calix in front of me right now definitely wasn’t like a puppy, but like a scary beast.

“Laure.”

Calix called to me in a low voice. Why, why are you suddenly changing the mood? You’re being scary! I swallowed my saliva with nervousness. Then questions burst one after another.

“Laure, do you hate me? Don’t you like me anymore?”

[Calix threw a fastball! Laure suffered 99+ damage!]

A game system-like message seemed to have suddenly popped into my head and disappeared. A fast ball all of a sudden, Milord Calix! Please stop! Laure’s HP is already at zero!

“Laure.”

“It, It’s not…”

As I try to respond, ‘It’s not like that,’ I’ve decided to just shut my mouth. To completely get rid of Calix, wouldn’t it be the best to say, ‘Yeah. I hate you.’

What should I do? Should I just nod my head? As I was struggling, Calix suddenly rose from his seat and drew near me.

“C-Calix?”

I took a step back and looked up at him. Calix was about one head taller than me.

I was on the small side for a well-fed noble lady, and Calix had a very good physique, quite the opposite of me. By comparison, a tiger and a rabbit?

Normally, Calix had a soft atmosphere when he was dealing with me.

So despite the difference in physique, he didn’t look scary… but, what is this? He’s a little bit scary right now.

Calix, you… Your aura today was colder than the usual. Are you really the Calix I know? Or are you in fact a devil pretending to be him?

As I nervously glance at Calix, he stretched out his arm towards me, then changed his mind and draw it back. Eventually, he began to take off his clothes.

“C-Calix?! What the hell are you doing?!”

Aaahh! I covered my cheeks with my hands, screaming inwardly. My face and neck were burning to the point of madness.

Calix, who threw off his top, stretched out his arms to me again, and embraced me. I stiffened momentarily.

“It’s the clothes. They’re wet so I took them off.”

Calix whispered with his lips glued next to my ear. His hot breath trailed my earlobe then fell through my nape into the clavicle.

Thump thump. My heart started making an uproar. Ugh… Oh, my God, I’m going crazy.

I can feel Calix’s hard chest, abs and forearms vividly, I couldn’t get myself together. You’re actually a pervert, aren’t you? This shameless Laure Ecree!

“Laure. Your heart’s beating fast.”

“Agh…”

I, I got caught.

“And yet, you’re trying to say you hate me?”

“…..”

I quietly lifted my head and looked at Calix. As soon as our two eyes met, his earnest gaze mesmerized me.

I gulped. What, what should I answer? I mean, I don’t hate you, but I want us to stop seeing each other? It doesn’t make sense, does it?!

“If it’s not the person that you don’t like then…”

“…..”

Calix’s eyes suddenly became cold.

“Perhaps, Laure you… you didn’t enjoy that night? Was it bad?”

“…W-What?!”

I was so perplexed I made a loud noise that I’m sure could be heard outside the drawing room.

Agh! What if my father comes running after hearing my scream… I can’t be embarrassingly seen like this. I closed my mouth automatically.

No, more than that, Calix! What the heck are you talking about? In, in broad daylight at that!

Red-faced, I answered Calix’s question,

“T-That was a night spent with you! How can it be bad?!”

I replied.

‘Uack, I made a mistake. I should’ve just said it wasn’t good. Damn.’

Huhu, stupid Laure Ecree!

Hearing my answer, Calix gave me a smile that reached his expressive blue eyes.

Ugh, what sort of man has this kind of mesmerizing smile…?! I tried my best not to clutch my chest. Calix, you devilish man. This is foul!

“That was a very wonderful night for me.”

“Ah, me, me too…”

Once more, I answered on impulse.

I’m screwed. I bawled inside my heart. I was completely swept away by Calix’s pace.

I can’t just drift along like a leaf floating in a river like this… what should I do? What am I supposed to do?

“I like you so much Laure.”

“…..”

Calix confessed without a warning. I have this impetuous urge to cover my ears. I, I don’t want to listen. If I hear more, I will feel guilty and I will not be able to part with him.

“All of you. Everything about you. I like all of them.”

“…..”

“So please don’t push me away. Laure.”

Calix hugged me fiercely. My chest tightened and I felt a little suffocated. I took a deep breath, I was at my wit’s end and had just let my hands drop at the side.

I never imagined this would happen… I didn’t expect Calix to pitch a flying fastball like this.

Ah, what to do? What should I do? I glanced up and saw that the corner of Calix’s mouth had been pulled up in a long smile.

Uahh… He must’ve heard my irregular heartbeat. Heeuuuk. I’m screwed. How can I say ‘Calix, I don’t like you anymore. Let’s break up.’ Now?

Calix released his arms that were holding me tight, then lowered his head. Afterwards, he rubbed his cheeks against my shoulder.

The appearance of a man much larger than me hanging like this was like as if I had tamed a ferocious beast.

I let out a deep sigh and stroked his head. Then Calix murmured a pleased sound.

“Laure.”

“Yes…”

I felt so complicated in a loss of how to tell him about the things that should be spoken, but surely will hurt him nonetheless.

“Our wedding is finally approaching.”

“Yes… Y-Yes?!”

I stared down at Calix with a question mark on my face.

He lifted his head and looked up at me then smiled mysteriously.

What, what is it? What is with this wicked smile? The Calix I know is not like this.

No, what do you mean we will have our wedding soon? Our wedding is in two months.

“Our wedding is in two months, right?”

“It was. Until yesterday.”

“…..?”

W-What does that mean…?

Anxiety suddenly struck me. C-Calix, you bastard. Did you do something without letting me know?