Chapter 102. Mother’s Necklace
They say the weather around a large lake is fickle, and that saying was indeed true.
Just moments ago the sky had been clear, yet suddenly it turned gloomy and a shower poured down.
The two of them spread a cloth taken from the picnic basket on the grass and shared food there, enjoying a pleasant time.
She placed a grape in the mouth of the man lying with his head on her lap, and then that same grape came back into her mouth.
They even did secret things they could never do in front of others, spending time that belonged only to the two of them.
Then, out of nowhere, a sudden downpour ended that happy moment.
Waiting for the two who ran back into the mansion was the butler standing with a large towel.
Since it had started raining so abruptly, he had probably been waiting alone, waiting for them because of the order not to let anyone in until they were called.
“Prepare the bathtub.”
Raymond wiped the water off Deborah’s body with the towel he received from the butler.
“Yes, I will prepare it in the annex right away.”
As soon as the butler left, Deborah opened her mouth.
“Your Grace should also—”
When she said that to the man wiping the water from his own body, he simply wrapped the towel completely around Deborah.
“Stay still, you’ll catch a cold.”
At the stern voice that sounded like scolding, Deborah made an incredulous expression.
“What if Your Grace catches a—”
“I won’t.”
His confident words made her even more speechless, and without realizing it she frowned.
The man lightly pinched and shook the tip of her wrinkled nose with his fingers.
“Ah—” she let out, and suddenly her vision shook.
At the same time, her body floated upward.
Only after a moment did Deborah realize she was being carried in the man’s arms and began to struggle.
It was already embarrassing, but if someone saw her being held like this…
“Please put me down.”
She spoke quite firmly, yet as expected, the man casually ignored her words and started walking with long strides.
“I can walk myself—what if someone sees?”
“What if they do?”
“……”
“Aren’t you embarrassed?”
“You seem to be the embarrassed one.”
“……”
She really could never win against him with words.
Giving up, Deborah buried her face deeper into the towel wrapped around her.
At that moment, the man’s loud laughter rang out above her head.
After being carried to the place he took her, they waited a short while before people carrying a large bathtub entered.
Hot steam rose as water quickly filled the tub.
Once everyone left at his order to get out, he stripped away the wet clothes clinging to Deborah’s body.
Her protest that she would do it herself ended before it even began.
Anyway, after removing all of Deborah’s clothes, he swiftly threw off his own and stepped straight into the bathtub.
Of course, while holding Deborah in his arms.
Perhaps realizing it was hard to break the man’s stubbornness, Deborah simply gave up and let him do as he wished.
Completely enveloped from behind by the large man, soaking in the warm water, the chill that had gripped her body gradually turned into a pleasant languor.
Somehow it felt drowsy and comfortable, as though sleep might come at any moment.
She could feel the knotted muscles melting away under the man’s hands kneading various parts of her body.
For a fleeting moment she wondered if it was really okay to be like this, but the pleasant sensation soon swallowed even that thought.
“By the way, that necklace.”
Her eyes, which had been gently closed, opened again at the voice beside her ear.
“The necklace?”
“Yes, you always wearing it.”
Even in her drowsy state, Deborah listened carefully to what he said.
“Ah, this… it’s my mother’s necklace.”
Deborah’s gaze briefly dropped below her neck.
He must have been curious since she always wore it.
Raising her hand, Deborah lightly touched the necklace hanging around her neck.
“My mother always wore it… nothing else of hers remains, only this one thing…”
Normally she wouldn’t have said such things, but perhaps because sleepiness had overtaken her, the words flowed out naturally.
“Can I take a quick look?”
She thought he was just asking casually, but the unexpected question made her turn around in surprise.
“I’m curious.”
“……”
Well, it’s just an old necklace, nothing special—after rolling her eyes for a moment as if thinking, Deborah turned the chain and held the pendant out toward him.
The man took the pendant in his hand and stared at it intently for a long while.
What on earth was he looking at so closely?
It felt strangely curious.
Then he turned the chain again and placed the pendant back in its original place.
“Why?”
“…No, I thought I’d seen it somewhere before.”
“My necklace?”
At her slightly surprised question, the man fell silent for a moment.
Yeah, where did I see that… she seemed to hear those words faintly in her ear, but soon all thoughts vanished like smoke under the touch of his hands caressing her body again.
* * *
When Deborah woke again, it was already deep night with the sun long set.
Crackle, crackle—the pleasant sound reached her ears as her slowly opening eyes caught the beautiful sight of red flames burning.
“……”
Her golden eyes blinked repeatedly until the sleepiness faded, then began looking around.
She didn’t know exactly where this dim room was, but she must have fallen asleep in front of the fireplace.
No, she thought she had fallen asleep in the bathtub…
As she tried to sit up, recalling the hazy memory, something slid off with a soft thud.
Deborah stared for a long time at what had slipped from her body, then lowered her gaze further.
Oh heavens…
Realizing she had fallen asleep completely naked, heat rushed to her face without warning.
And knowing that the man sleeping behind her, holding her, was in the same state made her face burn even redder.
What if someone had seen them like this?
She glared fiercely at the man’s peacefully sleeping face, but that expression soon changed to something entirely different.
“……”
She stared at that face without blinking for a long while, then unconsciously raised her hand and began tracing the air just above his features.
Of course, keeping her hand slightly raised in the air.
The straight, thick eyebrows.
The long eyes and high nose bridge.
And the attractively full red lips.
A beauty so striking that it had stolen her gaze at first sight when they were young.
The fact that such a man was sleeping so comfortably right in front of her—
The fact that she was seeing him like this felt momentarily unreal, like a lie.
When he first brought her here, her greatest feeling had been fear that unnecessary trouble might arise.
But now it was different.
Even if only for a single day, she felt genuine gratitude toward the man who had given her moments like these.
She wondered if there had ever been a day in her entire life as happy and peaceful as today—every single instant was an unforgettable, brilliant time.
That was why she was happy, yet also afraid.
Afraid of being hurt by the man who would one day let go of this relationship—so she thought she had built wall after wall in her heart…
Yet she was terrified of this man who could tear down all those carefully built walls in a single moment.
Would she really be able to remain unaffected?
When the day came that he let go of her hand and turned away—would she really be able to calmly return to daily life…?
Just imagining that moment made her heart feel like it was being torn apart, so how could she…
At that instant, her trembling fingertip accidentally brushed his eyelashes.
At that tiny contact, the golden eyelashes slowly lifted.
“……”
Between the slow blinks appeared eyes the color of deep blue water.
Seeing her own face reflected clearly in his sharpening gaze, Deborah watched spellbound as the corners of the man’s mouth curved softly.
His long arm immediately wrapped around her waist and pulled her into his chest.
“When did you wake up? You were sleeping so soundly.”
“…Just now.”
His sleepy voice tickled her ear.
For some reason she felt like tears might suddenly pour out.
Completely unaware of her feelings, the man began gently kissing her shoulder.
“Are you hungry?”
Smack, smack. The kisses falling densely grew gradually deeper and more persistent.
“Mm… haa…”
The vivid sensation pouring over her bare skin set her whole body ablaze with heat.
By the time she felt the soft texture against her back, she was already lying on the floor.
The man’s low, husky voice rang quietly in Deborah’s ear as he climbed over her.
“Can you hold out a little?”
“……”
She had eaten nothing since the light meal during the day, so of course she was hungry.
That was why he asked again.
Because once it started, it wouldn’t end easily—asking if she was okay, if she could endure until then.
But it wasn’t only about that.
Though she never showed it outwardly, Deborah had always desired and wanted the man in front of her just as much.
Therefore, in this moment, there was only one answer that could leave her lips.
Deborah reached out and wrapped her arms around the man’s neck.
“…I can hold out.”
At those words of permission, the man’s eyes rippled like black waves.
Crackle, crackle—amidst the sound of burning wood, the moans of the two began to blend softly.
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