Chapter 38

***

***

Although he didn’t want to deny that the first thing that fascinated Enoch was Ines’s brilliant genius. But now it was different.

‘I.’

As if the entire lake shook violently with a single stone thrown involuntarily. His mind wandered wildly.

Enoch was now interested in a woman named Ines. Even if the interest was just a simple curiosity about a completely different kind of person.

…..Or whether it has a different meaning. It was still difficult to figure it out on his own.

Creak.

Just then, there was the sound of something heavy scratching the floor.

Enoch suddenly regained consciousness and raised his head. Ines, who had roughly arranged her portrait background props, pulled out an armchair lying in a corner.

Perhaps the weight of the armchair was considerable, and it looked like she was struggling.

“Countess of Brierton.”

Enoch reflexively strode towards Ines.

“Leave it, I’ll move it.” 

Enoch reached out his hands.

At that moment, Enoch’s fingers ran across the back of Ines’s hand. For a moment, Ines’ breathing was disturbed.

***

Earlier.

Ines, who arranged all the props for the portrait, had a satisfied expression.

“Okay, that’s enough, the last thing I need is a chair for you to sit on…”

Ines looked around.

There was a large armchair in the corner.

It was a chair that she had put there for Ryan, fearing that he might get tired while working.

It had a cushion and was comfortable.

All items were carefully selected by Ines, but…

‘Well, it looks like Ryan’s hardly even sat in that chair, does he?’

Ines sarcastically approached the armchair.

She reached out and tried to pull the chair.

“Ugh.”

The chair was heavier than she thought.

Ines narrowed her brow and strengthened her arms.

Then. 

“Countess of Brierton.”

Enoch was approaching this way.

“Leave it, I’ll move it.”

Long, graceful fingers brushed the back of her hand while he was moving.

Ines sighed involuntarily.

It was only his hand rubbing against hers, so why was she getting so nervous?

She wanted to pretend to be calm somehow, but her whole body just stiffened up.

At the same time, Enoch put his hand away rather hurriedly.

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

Ines glanced sideways at Enoch.

For some reason, it seemed that Enoch was also a little perplexed. 

‘Am I too self-conscious?’

Ines pondered for a moment, then narrowed her brow. 

‘More than that, my heart is somewhat strange…’

It was only a light touch, why did she feel so strange. She wouldn’t die just by touching it. Ines, who had been clenching and opening her palm for no reason, quickly grabbed her hands. 

She was well aware that Enoch was a polite gentleman, and that he was not the type of person who would make physical contact with the Lady recklessly.

Even though she knew that Enoch was helping because he was being considerate. Why did she feel uncomfortable…?

Hiding her twisted heart, Ines smiled as if nothing happened.

“Excuse me, I’m grateful for your help.” 

She could have just said that.

Ines added without much thought about her ex-husband.

“If it were Ryan in the first place, he wouldn’t care if I moved the armchair alone, let alone help me. So….”

At the same time, Ines stiffened her shoulders.

It was because as soon as Ryan’s name came out, Enoch’s eyes went cold.

‘Why did the Duke suddenly feel so cold?’

She couldn’t understand it. Ines broke a cold sweat and hurriedly changed the topic.

“Ha, please sit over here.”

“Yes.”

Enoch sat quietly.

Ines took a couple of steps back and looked at Enoch.

The bewildered look was gone, and Ines suddenly had a very serious expression.

“Would you mind tilting your head a little? Yes. And raise your chin a little…”

Reflexively, Enoch also became a little nervous.

After she corrected Enoch’s posture to such satisfaction.

Ines sat down in front of the easel.

Her dark green eyes were paying close attention to Enoch, and then the pencil ran on the drawing paper without hesitation.

Ines at this moment seemed to be separated from this world.

She turned all her attention to the painting, and to Enoch, the object of the painting. 

And Enoch.

He was doing his best to keep his face expressionless.

Maybe he was slightly emotional.

In front of a genius who might leave a great mark in art history, it was natural to feel this secret joy. Even so, this situation where Ines only focused on him…. Enoch was simply ecstatically satisfied.

***

After a long time has passed.

“Ha…”

Ines let out a long sigh and put her pencil down.

“The sketch is finished for now.”

“Is that so?”

As she poked her head over the easel, she saw Enoch rubbing his stiff shoulders. Ines smiled involuntarily.

“You’ve worked really hard, sir.”

“The Countess worked even harder.”

“No, how difficult it is to maintain the same posture for a long time.”

Ines shook her head and got up.

At the same time, Enoch also got up from his seat and came to Ines.

“How about the sketch?”

Ines asked Enoch with a nervous expression on her face. For her, the sketch seemed to have been drawn quite satisfactorily, but for the party, Enoch, it may be different.

Fortunately, Enoch nodded his head contentedly.

“It’s great. I like it.”

“That’s fortunate.”

So while she was sweeping her chest.

Ines suddenly narrowed her brow.

‘I, somehow, seems to be paying more attention to painting than usual.’

She glanced at Enoch with a squint.

Enoch was carefully examining the sketch with a satisfied expression on his face.

‘Is this because the owner of this painting is the Duke of Sussex?’

In an instant, Ines bit her molars.

‘No, let’s not think in vain.’

They were just joining hands to achieve their respective goals.

So there was no need to be conscious of Enoch.

… That’s the way it should be. 

“However, I think it will take some time to finish the coloring process.”

Ines, who tried hard to hold herself together, spoke in a calm voice. 

“So I think I’ll have to see you a few more times, is that okay?” 

“I got this wonderful portrait, and of course it should be okay.”

Unable to take his eyes off the sketch, Enoch answered playfully.

‘I think it’s true that the Duke likes the picture.’

Relieving inside her, Ines added her words as if nothing had happened.

“Then I will continue to use this atelier until the painting is complete.”

For a moment, Enoch stopped.

Ines said that this studio had been used by Ryan in the past. If so, then Ines must have a lot of feelings for this place.

And earlier.

“I want to get rid of it.” 

Didn’t Ines say that with her own mouth?

For a moment, Enoch felt an intense displeasure.

From this place where Ryan once stayed, he wanted to get Ines out of it immediately.

But then.

“I’m happy though.”

Unexpectedly, Ines opened her mouth.

Enoch, who had regained his sanity, asked. 

“…… You’re happy?”

“Actually, this studio was very precious to me.”

Ines looked around with a calm gaze.

“This is a place that I personally designed for Ryan. I also sold the building and rented it, and brought all the tools.”

“Countess.”

“Furniture in the room, chairs and tables…… There is nothing that I did not choose.”

Ines’s smile grew a little darker.

The pain, the feeling of betrayal, and even the pathetic feeling of being in love with Ryan.

It was a smile mixed with many emotions.

“… Every time I paint here, I want Ryan to think of me a little bit.”

Her fingertips gently stroked the easel.

“So every time I see this place, it hurts. It keeps reminding me of Charlotte and Ryan whispering love.”

Enoch looked at Ines with a complicated gaze, but he did not say anything or stop her.

He just quietly listened to her.

And Ines was pleased with that silence.

‘By the way, the Duke has always been like that.’

Whatever she said, Enoch had never refuted or taught her.

If it was Ryan, he would have condemned her, saying, ‘You’re narrow-minded because you’re a woman’. 

“But now I am here to paint the portrait of the Duke.”

Perhaps that was why the time she spent with Enoch was very comfortable.

So Ines was able to speak in a light mood.

“Somehow, it’s like a feeling of erasing bad memories by overcoating them with good ones.”

“Oh, then.” 

For a moment, Enoch opened his eyes wide, then they bent slightly.