CH 12

“It’s okay. It’s not too far from here. It’s also a familiar path.”

“Alright. If that’s what you want.”

Brandon didn’t stop her again. She thought he’d insist, but fortunately, he didn’t.

Brandon ordered the driver to stop and got out of the back seat first.

She thought he would drop her off and leave, but he didn’t. Instead, he took the lead and walked as if Callie had given him directions.

Why did you get off?

Callie stood and watched as Brandon walked, but he looked back at her and asked, “Why aren’t you coming? What are you doing there?”

“If you got off the car to take me home, you don’t have to. It’s just here, and it’s enough that you gave me a ride.”

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“You say it’s right here, so let’s walk together. Apparently, there are a lot of thieves these days who target noble houses.”

“A thief will only target those that have something to rob. Everyone in Irze knows that the only thing left of the Loris family is their title.”

Callie’s rebuttal made Brandon stop in his steps. Then, he stared at her with a piercing gaze.

There was only silence between the pair, who stopped walking to stare at each other. 

In the meantime, the sun had set entirely, and the darkness deepened.

Brandon, whose smile failed to hide the coldness in his eyes, broke the silence and said, “Young lady, do I make you uncomfortable? Or is it because you hate me so much that you don’t even want to walk a short distance together.”

Callie was about to say something when an elk popped out of nowhere.

Ack, what is that!

Startled by the beast that suddenly appeared, Callie unconsciously grabbed the person next to her and held onto his arm.

Kkwee kkwee–

Callie was surprised to hear the distinctive cry of an elk, so she did it without realizing it. 

Brandon wrapped his arms around Callie’s shoulder, who reflexively clung to him.

Now that she knew it was an elk that had suddenly emerged, Callie, embarrassed, loosened her tight grip on his arm and stopped hiding behind him.

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But as she was about to distance herself from him, she felt the strength of his arms around her.

Soon, a deep voice fell from above. “Are you trying to seduce me right now, young lady?”

“I’m not. I was just surprised when Sir Brandon said something about a thief.”

She tried to push him off as she shrugged off his accusation, but he didn’t let go of her shoulder. 

“The women who tried to seduce me dug into my arms like this.”

Are you comparing me to those girls right now?

“I can’t believe you’d fall for that. Sir Brandon, you’re an easy man.”

“I’m rich, handsome, and even easy-going, so why won’t you seduce me? You have nothing to lose.”

Brandon looked down at Callie in his arms.

“Please let go now. The elk has already run away.”

“Well, I don’t mind being like this.”

Callie should be angry, but she wasn’t. Instead, her heart was just beating fast.

A broad, firm chest, arms holding her tightly, a gaze looking down at her, a pleasant voice… All of that combined made her heart race.

Did her face turn red?

She thought he would laugh at her since her words and actions differed. 

“Stop playing around, Sir Brandon.”

“It’s sad that you’re dismissing it as a joke. I’ll prove it isn’t, so marry me.”

I can’t get involved with you. You might be the man who killed me in my previous life.

“You still haven’t told me why you want to marry me. Why do you want to?”

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Callie looked straight up at Brandon, this time with a face that said she would hear a definite reason.

Looking at the firm determination on her face, Brandon replied with a crude joke, “I’ve been imagining it since the day I met you.”

“Imagine what?”

“You might get angry after hearing it.”

“I won’t.”

They exchanged gazes as Callie waited for his explanation. 

Is it an illusion that I can feel the heat in his gaze as he’s staring at me? Or is it because he is a well-known flirt and looks at all women this way?

Her body temperature rose more and more as his gaze stayed on her.

He remained silent for a moment, then lazily raised one corner of his mouth and replied, “Holding you.”

“…!”

“Shall I be more honest? I want to kiss you, put you on the bed…”

I can’t listen anymore!

It was the first time I had ever heard a man joke like that.

No matter how well-known an *sshole you are, you can’t joke like this in front of a lady.

Callie, flushed in irritation by the raunchy joke that came out without hesitation, slapped him on the cheek.

Slap–.

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She hadn’t even realized she had done it because she was too embarrassed and couldn’t listen anymore.

After hitting him, Callie looked at him in regret, but Brandon smiled as if he wasn’t offended.

Then he said comfortingly, “Your hands are too weak, young lady. Next time you slap this manipulative guy on the cheek, try hitting it with more force in your grip.”

Callie slapped him on the cheek without even realizing it, but the truth was, she didn’t hit him because she was offended.

As she listened to him, she hated to admit it, but she was aroused as she fantasized herself having sex with him.

The moment she recognized it, her face lit up. Her heart thumped and beat wildly.

“You really are someone I can’t deal with.”

Callie turned around quickly. She felt he would completely sway her if she dealt with him any longer.

She tried to escape Brandon, so she left him and walked quickly towards the house.

Fortunately, he didn’t follow this time.

Callie couldn’t stop the wedding after all. Her refusal was of no avail.

Finally, it was the wedding day.

In her previous life, she died tonight.

I couldn’t stop getting married, but as long as I knew someone was trying to kill me, it wouldn’t come to that.

Wearing the same wedding dress she wore in her previous life, Callie looked like the most beautiful bride in the world. But a dark cloud filled her face, knowing what would happen tonight.

Before stepping out in front of the guests, Brandon extended one arm to Callie, tilted his head slightly toward the bride, and whispered softly, “Finally, we’re getting married. I’m really looking forward to the first night. Aren’t you, too?”

The embarrassing question was also the same as in the previous life.

What did she answer then?

“No, not at all.”

Tonight, I won’t die.

Callie gave a different answer than she had in her previous life.

But Brandon’s answer was the same as before.

“What sad words. You can look forward to it, young lady. No matter how much you can imagine, it will be more than that.” 

When she heard Brandon’s answer, Callie suppressed her uneasiness and bit her lip.

Now, is it Romi’s turn to come out and be humiliated?

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In this life, as expected, someone approached the couple as they exchanged jokes and waged a war of nerves.

“Hello, Lady Callie.”

The voice that came and asked to say hello wasn’t Romi’s.

Who is this man?

“Congratulations on your marriage. Oh, I’m Leslie Cleart, Brandon’s younger brother.”

“Ah, yes. Hello there.”

If this was Sir Brandon’s brother, then he’s Baron Cleart’s real son.

The two men, who did not share a drop of blood, were completely opposite in atmosphere and appearance. Both were handsome, but if Brandon had a strong and thick look, Leslie had a thin, slender body and a look that would be appropriate to be called beautiful even though he was a man.

“We’ll see each other often in the future, so I hope we’ll get along.”

“Yes, I hope so, too.”

In response to Leslie’s words, which gave off the impression of a young boy who grew up in a good family, Callie greeted him appropriately and thought.

In my previous life, Romi came to greet me, but in this life, Leslie came. It’s different from before.

That means I can change my life.

A glimmer of hope sparked in Callie’s dark heart.

Still… It didn’t end with just saying hello to Leslie.

After Leslie, Romy came as she did before.

She went to Brandon and shyly said, “Hello, Sir Brandon Cleart.”

“May I know who you are? I always remember a beautiful woman once I see them, but I don’t think I’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing you.”

“Sir Brandon. I’m Callie’s sister, Romi Loris.”

“Ah, you’re milady’s younger sister. It’s nice to meet you. Romi.”

Unlike her previous life, Romi didn’t say things like ‘take care of my sister’ out of courtesy.

Instead, she shyly twisted her body around with a flushed face before Brandon, who smiled softly.

It was ridiculous to hear her tell Brandon to take care of Callie in the previous life, but Callie didn’t want to see this bashful act either.

Eventually, the wedding party ended, and the couple entered the bedroom for their first night together.

Now I need to stay alert. Or else…