Chapter 59 - Friendly Date

"… strict traditions." 

Devon pursed her lips. What did he mean by that? For her, it sounded more like how members of the royal family followed strict traditions that were not required from the noble family. 

"Like?" she asked, couldn't contain herself from prying. 

Lewis blew a faint air. "Like they can't marry unless the first son marries?" he could have said something more important, but his words just slipped past his mouth before he could think of something else.

"They can't marry…" Devon trailed off, a bit confused. "What so wrong with that?" she asked and cocked her head, blinking. In her previous life, that was normal. The eldest son should marry first.

"My dear," Lewis crooned with a sigh, "and if I didn't marry anyone? My niece and nephews will all be bastards."

"I know, that's why I am baffled." Devon knitted her brows, gazing at him with genuine wonder. "Why haven't you married one? No, how can you neglect your duties as the first son of your family?"

"Neglect?" Lewis quirked a brow. When did he ever neglect his duties as the heir? He couldn't remember, as he had been working tirelessly all his life. 

Devon scrutinized his displeased expression until she realized she must have overstepped. 'That's right, this world is different,' she thought internally, clearing her throat before she uttered,

"I misspoke, my apologies. What I am trying to say is, there must be a reason why you haven't married yet." 

"Because… I'm a hopeless romantic?" 

His answer made her frown. "There's no need for you to lie if you're reluctant to speak the truth." 

"I wish I am, but that's the truth." Lewis chuckled, staring at his reflection on the wine. 

When he raised his gaze and met hers, he added with a smile, "Don't you think it's only reasonable for me to seek that my lifetime companion is someone I can make good memories with? I had accumulated a fair amount of tragedies, after all."

Devon nodded in understanding. "That sounds fair enough," she said as she sipped the wine. 

Her demeanor slightly made his brow raised as Devon held the stemmed glass elegantly and sipped in proper decorum. Still, he didn't point it out. He could just say it was a habit, but that didn't necessarily mean he would forget about it.

Also, it was not important as they were in the middle of a 'friendly date'.

"My turn." Lewis snapped his fingers. "Why did you want to visit your family despite knowing your condition? I need an honest answer." 

"Oh." She cleared her throat, rocking her head slightly. "I just thought it'll be better to confirm if they were truly terrible people just like how Ghost… I sounded in my notes." 

"Then, why don't you want me to come with you?"

"I don't think they will show their real colors if there is an outsider present," Devon answered almost immediately, and even before she could think. A pro in lying, concealing her agenda, a craft she had mastered in her previous life. 

She didn't mean to lie to him with a straight face. However, it just came out naturally, as she didn't want him to think she had lost her mind if she told him the truth. Who would believe in Ghost Lin's existence?

"I wouldn't worry if you didn't lose your memory," he mumbled, already worried just thinking about it. Lewis snapped back when Devon exclaimed, "my turn!"

"How did we end up with this contract and why me?" 

Lewis arched his brow when he heard her question. "Why you?" he asked. "I should be the one asking that since it is you who proposed this cuddling service."

"Me?"

"Yes, you." He nodded, taking another sip before he let out a deep exhale. "We met that night in the bar, we talked, drink like this, and I fell asleep. Somehow, when I woke up, you suddenly started rambling about sleeping with me. I rejected you at first but after a week, I contacted you, just like how you calculated it, and here we are."

Lewis summarized their meeting, as there wasn't anything memorable to recall. He always wanted to ask her about this, 'how did she know?', 'what does she know?', and so on, but always ended up not asking her.

He glanced up at her, seeing her purse her lips and just nodding, as if not surprised about it, unlike her every reaction before. 

"My turn," he said, clearing his throat. "What will you feel if I started liking you?" Devon perked up, so he added, "like you as in romantically."

"Do you bear romantic feelings for me?" Devon blurted out before she covered her lips in shock. 

Lewis remained silent as her reply was tricky. So instead of answering, he deflected it. 

"It's my turn to ask, is it not? I will answer your question after you answer mine." 

Nice save, his mind cheered. His answer would depend on her, obviously. He could be as obvious as he'd like, but he had to set a certain limit so she wouldn't feel burdened by his growing feelings that continued to bloom.

Devon hummed as she pondered for a moment. "Well, I supposed we should talk about it since we're both adults." She nodded before raising her gaze and locked eyes with him.

"To be frank, I don't know, since everything feels new and I'm still adjusting. I'd like to keep things as they are for now since I don't think I have the heart to shoulder such a…" 

"Burden?" Lewis uttered, ending the sentence she couldn't.

Devon smiled subtly and corrected. "Sincerity. I don't think you're the type of person who will take your heart's desire lightly, but so am I. I don't like to take that sincerity lightly, and break the trust we have built."

"I see." Lewis let out a low chuckle, pleased at her response. She's right. He shouldn't rush her, especially when everything confused her. Why was he so in the rush, anyway?

"I'm content as what we are now and would like to continue this relationship." Devon smiled as she gazed down at the wine.. "And if love comes naturally, that's a bonus we shouldn't take for granted."