CH 1.07

I looked up timidly.

In front of me, for the first time in a month, the head of the Lindbeld family, the husband I married, was cornering me against the wall as if to say that he would not let me go.

How did I get exposed? I thought.

Just that.

If I might say so, my appearance has changed in the past month.

Even if someone who knew me saw me, they wouldn’t recognize me right away.

I’ve changed so much that even I couldn’t believe it.

I thought that since it was the first time we got to speak since a month ago, there was no way he would recognize me.

“There’s a saying that if you don’t see a man for three days, he’ll grow to the point of being mistaken. It works the same way with women. I’ve been away for a while, and your hair has gotten a lot neater.”

My husband picked up a strand of hair that was playfully sticking out on the side of my face and fiddled with it.

My hair, which was tied up for the servant’s work, was Lila’s styling today. I heard that it was the current fashion to have loose sidelocks. 

But of course, there were only a few strands sticking out, so my husband’s hand naturally touched my cheek.

I meant close. My husband was too close.

“Your hair is so nicely coiffed for your outfit.”

There was nothing that suited or didn’t suit a servant’s uniform.

“Erm, I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t stare too much…”

My husband is staring at me too closely.

It was a bit rude toward women.

I pushed his chest with both hands to open up a little distance between me and him, who was looming over me commandingly.

“By the way, what are you doing here in such a fashion? Did you come up with some kind of fun game?”

“Uh, something like that! Oh, I have some business to attend to ――”

“What kind of errand?”

“T-That…”

While I was cooking up some excuse, a hand reached out and grabbed my chin, making me look up.

A wall was behind me.

And he slowly pushed me against it.

“Huh? Is this a dangerous game you can’t tell me about?”

His red eyes shone like a predator’s, and sweat ran down my spine.

“N-No, it’s nothing like that…”

“Then tell me. I’ve been told by many people that it’s a bad thing for a husband and wife to keep secrets from each other.”

Let go, please.

For some reason, I had an ominous premonition about this.

With one hand on the wall and the other grasping my chin and not letting go, my husband brought his face close to mine and whispered in my ear.

“How interesting. I haven’t heard anything from you in the past month, so I was wondering what you’ve been up to…Looks like you had lots of fun!”

“Hyah!”

That tickles, Husband.

My voice came out weirdly, but please pretend you didn’t hear it.

“What lovely voice you have ―― For some reason, it makes me want to tease you more.”

The atmosphere abruptly took on an ambiguous turn.

Just a moment, Husband!

Don’t you have anything more to say to me on our reunion after a month?

Let’s have a calm talk!

Rather, you’ve come to see Elise, the viscountess’s daughter who lives here, haven’t you?

You can’t be bothered with me, right?

With my body pinned down, if I managed to scrape my way out, my husband had quite an overwhelming advantage.

Why was I so miserable, to be harassed by my husband here?

“Just-just a minute! Hold on!”

“For what?”

“L-Let’s at least discuss this in the room! I’d love that very much! Before that, you’ve come to see the Viscountess’s daughter, haven’t you? Please, deal with me later, okay?”

Please don’t do this in a busy hallway.

If anyone sees us, the word will spread throughout the mansion in a blink.

Please stop.

I’m living a very peaceful life right now.

“I just had a few things to say to Elise, not to the point where I have to put off your affairs. But yeah, room ――…Got it. Proactive, aren’t you, Wife?”

The way the corners of his mouth lifted up instantly made me realize that I had failed!

“But I’m sorry, I’m in the mood for a little fun here. It’s been a month, after all. Why don’t we enjoy our conjugal reunion? Of course, you’ll keep me company, won’t you? And afterwards, I’ll give you plenty of room for lovemaking.”

He removed his hand from my chin and stroked it with his palm, trailing down my neck.

My shoulders shuddered at the tickle. When I turned my free face away, my nape was exposed unprotected, and I clearly felt something wet.

“Eek! Kyaah!” 

I had never experienced anything like it before.

What was I supposed to do when I was subjected to such in the hallway of a mansion in broad daylight?

The man had every legitimate right to mess with me.

I felt myself going rigid.

As if to relax me, he l*cked me with his tongue and stroked my contours with his hands.

Before I knew it, a few buttons were undone and my bosom was left open.

That was quick.

His lips were drawn to my chest, and he s*cked hard.

“Ouch!”

I clawed at his arm that was around my body in protest against the stinging pain.

“You’re resisting like a kitten.”

My husband gave me a disagreeable wry smile and looked up, staring out the window with a somewhat satisfied look on his face.

I followed his gaze and looked out the window, finding a young woman in a luxurious dress, glaring at me like an ogre.

Although she was essentially a beautiful woman with light brown hair and eyes, her face was so distorted that there was no shadow of it to see. She looked downright scary.

There was only one person who would have worn such a dress at this hour.

――This man!

“Now, as promised, let’s go back to our room, and I’ll give you some more loving care. I have some time on my hands, which is rare. Of course you’ll keep me company, won’t you?”

“…What if I say no?”

I had only one choice, but I answered cheekily in a pained tone. My husband gently brushed my cheek with a hand, and with his other hand around my waist, drew me closer to him.

Realizing what it meant, I struggled to resist.

However, I was at his mercy.

His undisputed masculine beauty that everyone admired filled my eyes.

My eyes were wide open, and my face was so close to his that I could feel his breath on my lips.

His slightly opened red eyes were very beautiful red balls with a trace of shadow in them.

The brilliance of those eyes sent a chill down my spine.

“Are you still going to refuse?”

My husband, who looked smirking right in front of me, gathered me in his arms.

I didn’t even want to think about what others would think of our posture, because from any angle, it looked like we were kissing.

As I was scowling at my unperturbed husband from below, I heard a rustling behind me and of hurried footsteps.

My husband exhaled noiselessly and gently picked me up.

“You’d better keep your face hidden.”

I realized that his muttered advice defeated me, and all I could do was silently bury my face in my husband’s chest and hide.