I couldn’t lift the corners of my mouth at all. Cedric must have known that I hated pink roses. When I looked like I was about to cry, Cedric kissed me. It was a light kiss, but his breath was quite warm. He parted his lips slightly and smiled.
Applause spread around us, but I didn’t feel happy at all. I relaxed my face a little because of the people watching, but the corners of my mouth stayed stiff and didn’t rise. I heard words of congratulations nearby. I couldn’t even believe how I had come down the stairs.
I couldn’t understand why he was celebrating in front of a cake decorated with pink roses, which I hated. I was upset about Selena’s actions, but Cedric was acting the same way.
“Duke, will you summon the nobility council to form the parliament this time?”
“Don’t we all know how incompetent it is for the emperor to rule alone?”
People around nodded at Cedric’s words.
“That’s right. The emperor even sold his business rights to the duke before because he was useless and only cared about luxury.”
At that moment, Countess Montain smiled brightly at me.
“Revril, you looked very beautiful earlier. You even looked happy.”
I couldn’t say anything more. They looked very happy, unlike how I felt. And they said I looked happy? I couldn’t believe it. When I looked at Countess Montain in disbelief, she looked at me with embarrassment.
Then Cedric gently wrapped his arm around my waist and said to the nobles around us,
“We will officially form the parliament soon, so I will take my leave now.”
Everyone bowed as if they had been waiting for this. Cedric naturally led me out of the banquet hall. His aide hurried behind us. As soon as we left the hall, Cedric spoke.
“What’s wrong with you?”
His cold voice was low, as if he was holding back his feelings. I thought about the pink roses I saw earlier and said,
“I didn’t expect you to show me pink roses like that.”
Cedric snorted.
“To me, those are endlessly happy memories. But to you, they were disgusting memories you wanted to erase?”
“More than that…”
“Try to change your bad memories. You will see them often from now on.”
I looked at Cedric in surprise, but he didn’t say anything more and closed his mouth. Soon after, a carriage stopped in front of us. A nearby servant opened the carriage door. Cedric took my hand and gently said,
“Get in.”
I stopped and looked at the carriage. I didn’t want to ride the same carriage as him, but feeling awkward, I got in.
When I got in, Cedric entered right after. He crossed his legs and stared at me.
“You will become the happiest person in this empire.”
“…”
“Because I will make it so.”
I had nothing to say. I felt angry inside and thought I might only say hurtful things to Cedric, so I stayed silent. Holding it in, I felt even more empty.
‘Can I really get out of here?’
That thought made me sigh. I couldn’t see any way out. With Vincent involved, it was even harder. More than anything, Vincent looked very happy even though he was young, because he enjoyed learning from his tutor.
Feeling tired, I looked out the carriage window and saw a procession carrying a coffin far away. Seeing the coffin made me think of death.
I couldn’t think of any way to leave Cedric’s mansion alive. But when I thought of Vincent, I couldn’t think about death anymore. I felt choked with sadness, thinking I might never escape Cedric. I lowered my head and wiped my tears, then a soft voice echoed.
“Are you crying in front of me?”
I felt Cedric’s deep gaze. Wiping my tears, I said,
“I didn’t know you were this kind of person.”
“…”
“I thought you were the only one who cared about me.”
Cedric’s eyebrows twisted slightly. I didn’t care and said,
“You’re similar to Selena. You’re the same kind of person.”
I thought and judged selfishly. Only for his own benefit. Cedric ran his hand through his hair and looked at me. His gaze was endlessly sharp.
“Revril.”
Even when I tried to stop crying, tears kept coming. It seemed he had caused me a lot of pain. I kept wiping my tears endlessly.
“Just cry only in front of me.”
“…”
“Otherwise, I’ll kill everyone who sees you cry.”
I couldn’t believe it and looked at Cedric.
“Is that something to say?”
“When I see you, that’s the only thought I have.”
Cedric’s eyes were so dark it looked like he was ready to do anything. Before, I thought his emotions were many, but now all I saw was blind desire. When I looked at him like I couldn’t believe it, he quietly murmured,
“This is how I really am.”
When I showed a firm face, Cedric snorted.
“I just hid it because you seem very scared.”
At that moment, I remembered what Cedric’s mother said about a monster. Cruelly endless.
I avoided his gaze and looked out the carriage window. The person I thought Cedric was felt like a foolish man.
As soon as we returned to the mansion, Cedric led me straight to my room. As soon as we entered, he laid me down on the bed. I didn’t want to be with him today. My heart felt empty like a hollow space.
I wanted to see Vincent, but since Cedric was here, even that was impossible. Before his lips touched mine, I turned my head away. He didn’t care and fixed my chin again, but I resisted with strength.
“You are strongly rejecting me today?”
I didn’t want to meet Cedric’s eyes. Nervous, I just breathed out, and he leaned down to kiss me. Since he was holding my chin, I felt his breath. When I didn’t open my lips, he looked down with a low gaze.
“Open them.”
I tried to avoid looking at Cedric, but his intense gaze was impossible to escape. I almost cried as I said,
“I just want to sleep today.”
Cedric frowned and sighed softly.
“You hate me so much you can’t even kiss me?”
“…”
“You used to kiss me well before. You liked it too.”
“I never liked it.”
My voice trembled. I tried not to look at him, but his piercing eyes were provoking.
“You never liked it?”
“I pretended to like it for you. I wanted you to get tired of my body.”
He laughed as if it was ridiculous.
“You think I would get tired of your body?”
As he said that, Cedric pressed his thigh against mine. His firm thigh touched mine, and my legs flinched on their own.
He lowered his head to tease me. His breath was so close I turned my head, but Cedric forced my chin toward him and met my gaze. His bright blue eyes looked wild, like he was ready to devour me. His gaze was like shining steel with madness in it. I was scared like I was seeing a monster.
Tears filled my eyes and were about to fall. Cedric snorted and said calmly,
“Don’t cry. I want to make you cry more.”
When I heard that, my lips trembled. This was not the Cedric I used to see. No, he was not the person I once knew. I thought about what he said before and barely said,
“You said you hate women who cry on the bed.”
“Now that I see it, I said something useless.”
“…”
“Actually, it’s new to see you looking at me completely.”
I bit my lips and looked at him. Cedric laughed and kissed my cheek. He stepped back calmly. Surprised, I looked at him, and he said quietly,
“Just stay by my side like that from now on.”
His tone was kind. Neither harsh nor sharp. I looked at him with a tense face, but Cedric didn’t say anything else and left the room.
I wondered what was going on. Usually, he wouldn’t leave and would lie down beside me. But now, even though it was late, he left. I thought it was a small relief and quickly wiped my tears and got up from the bed. I wanted to see Vincent. I hadn’t seen him properly all day.
When I tried to open the door, I only heard the lock click and it didn’t open. I thought maybe it was broken and turned the handle again. But it was the same.
My hand trembled slightly. Now I couldn’t even leave the room properly.
I stared at the closed door for a long time. No servant would come now. Cedric must have locked it. I had no choice but to return to bed.
The bed felt especially big when I was alone. I sighed and closed my eyes. I hoped to see Vincent tomorrow.
