🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 68
“Gasp.”
Etisha opened her eyes.
She had a remarkable dream last night. A dream where Cayenne held her in his arms and they fell asleep together. A dream where their lips brushed against each other.
‘It was such a wonderful dream…’
Etisha shifted in bed. She tried to push the blanket away and sit up, but it felt like someone was holding her waist, keeping her from moving.
‘…?’
Something felt warm and firm.
Slowly, Etisha turned her head to the side. There, along with torn pieces of the veil, was Cayenne’s sleeping face.
‘D-duke?’
Etisha was so shocked she nearly fainted.
‘It really is the Duke.’
No matter how many times she checked, it wasn’t a dream—it was the living, breathing Cayenne.
She glanced down at his arm, which was wrapped around her waist, then back at his sleeping face.
Cayenne was still fast asleep, as though he was making up for all the sleepless nights he had endured.
His face looked at ease, his expression relaxed—like a child sleeping soundly.
Etisha stared at Cayenne’s face, and once again, she realized what she had come to understand yesterday.
‘I like this man.’
Cayenne Wintel. She liked him.
The thought that had been stuck in her mind for so long burst out as if it had finally found a path.
‘I like him.’
And now, nothing could stop it.
‘I like him so much!’
Her innocent feelings spread everywhere like rain after a long drought. Her heart pounded, her mind filled with happiness, leaving no room for other thoughts.
This is what it meant to like someone.
Especially for Etisha—someone who had never had anyone she could say she “liked.” Not even a close friend.
To realize her first love now—one could easily imagine how overwhelming her heart must feel.
Inside her chest, it was like a grand festival.
Flower petals flying, fireworks exploding, bells ringing…
Just admitting that she liked Cayenne was enough to leave her completely exhausted. But strangely, it wasn’t unpleasant at all.
‘What do I do now… Should I get up?’
But her body was still firmly trapped in Cayenne’s embrace. She didn’t dare push his arm away.
‘Should I wake him?’
No, she hated that idea. Waking Cayenne when he was finally resting peacefully—that was unthinkable.
‘Hmm… What time is it? Is it morning?’
Usually in the morning, Marin would bring water and wake Etisha. Judging by the sunlight streaming through the torn veil, the sun had risen quite a while ago. But strangely, there were no sounds outside.
No Marin, no maids passing by.
‘Why is no one coming…’
After a moment of thought, Etisha realized the reason.
Today was the morning after her wedding.
In other words, last night was her wedding night.
No maid would dare disturb the newlywed Duke and his bride in the morning.
‘Ah…’
Etisha blushed bright red, squirming slightly.
She liked Cayenne. She liked being with him. But being held in his arms in bed like this was embarrassingly intimate.
And as newlyweds, this scene could easily be misunderstood.
‘Everyone will think…’
That they had such a passionate first night that they slept in late.
‘And on top of that, with the rumors about the dress being torn…’
Her face turned even redder—now even her ears were burning.
Just then, she felt movement beside her. Cayenne was about to wake up.
‘!’
Etisha quickly shut her eyes.
She didn’t know why, but she pretended to be asleep with desperate determination. Probably because she couldn’t face Cayenne with a clear head just yet.
“…Lady Etisha?”
Cayenne’s voice reached her ears.
He loosened the arm wrapped around her waist, as if he too needed a moment to grasp reality.
“…”
He stared at her silently. Maybe her clumsy act of sleeping had worked?
Cayenne called her again.
“Wife.”
Etisha didn’t answer.
“Etisha.”
This time it was dangerous.
She still didn’t answer.
“…Etisha.”
He reached out his hand toward her. She felt his presence hovering near, as though his hand was casting a shadow over her.
But he didn’t touch her. He seemed to hesitate for a long while before pulling his hand back.
‘Phew… Thank goodness.’
Etisha breathed a sigh of relief inside.
If he had touched her now, she would have flinched for sure—and her act would have been exposed.
She hoped Cayenne would just get up and leave the bed. Normally, he always rose before her to tend to official duties. Surely he would today as well.
But oddly, he lingered.
He didn’t move for a long while, still sitting on the bed.
It felt like he was looking at her.
“…”
His gaze trailed over her disheveled hair, her round forehead, her closed eyelids, her soft lashes, her nose, and her quietly breathing lips.
Eventually, his eyes reached her white neck and shoulders. Unfortunately, her dress strap had slipped down.
“Ha…”
Cayenne let out a short sigh.
His eyes were fixed on the fallen strap.
He seemed torn over whether to fix it or not. Then he muttered under his breath.
“This is insane. Why does it always slip down?”
Huh?
Had someone’s strap slipped down before?
Cayenne reached toward her shoulder, stopping just shy of touching. Then, his fingertips gently brushed her skin as he slid the strap back into place.
That brief moment felt unbearably long—as if two days had passed.
But even after fixing it, his hand didn’t move away.
His fingers traced up her shoulder line to her nape and chin.
For a moment, it felt like he caressed her cheek. Then suddenly—he brushed her eyelashes.
“…!”
Her eyelids twitched faintly.
Cayenne immediately pulled his hand back.
“What the… Am I crazy?”
He muttered to himself again, raking his black hair with rough fingers.
If anyone had entered and seen his expression at that moment, they would have been shocked.
His cheeks were red.
“I’ve lost it.”
He abruptly pulled the blanket up, covering Etisha nearly to her chin.
Despite his gruff muttering, his touch was delicate, as if handling fragile porcelain.
After wrapping her up neatly like a precious object, he finally left the room.
She heard his footsteps retreat beyond the veil. The door opened and closed. Silence.
And still, Etisha kept her eyes closed for a long time.
She couldn’t move a finger.
Later, when she came back to her senses, she immediately called for Marin.
When she pulled on the pearl-beaded cord in the bedroom, Marin soon arrived.
“Marin, I’m going to the Snow Castle. Help me get ready.”
Marin said nothing about her late rising and simply obeyed.
“Yes, milady.”
The new form of address seemed to have settled in completely.
With Marin’s help, Etisha quickly fixed her hair and changed clothes. She was eager to leave for the Snow Castle.
‘I wonder if Mother is all right.’
Etisha wanted to see and talk with Lady Cyrilleze as soon as possible. Truthfully, she was worried.
After all, the commotion caused by Dite had only happened yesterday. And Cyrilleze had been so shaken that she even cut her own hair.
So soon after Dite’s wedding dress–slashing incident, another scandal had occurred.
It was no wonder Etisha was deeply concerned.
When she arrived at the Snow Castle, she went straight to the drawing room and summoned a maid.
“Go tell Mother that I’ve come to visit.”
“Yes, I’ll inform the madam right away. Would you like some tea while you wait?”
“Yes, that would be nice. Please bring it.”
Soon, tea and refreshments were set before her. Etisha sipped her tea slowly as she waited for Cyrilleze.
‘…?’
Something felt different about the teacup.
It wasn’t the one she usually used. Normally, tea was served in a red cup with gold trim. Today, the cup was white with gold trim.
As Etisha studied the cup, the maid whispered quietly.
“It is the cup reserved for the lady of the house, madam.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Would you like me to replace it if it displeases you?”
“No, I like it.”
From the way they addressed her as “madam,” to the teacup she was given—
All these little details had changed, just from a single wedding ceremony.
The maid bowed respectfully and stepped back. Etisha found the treatment a little overwhelming, but she didn’t show it.
Click.
The door to the drawing room opened softly.
Thinking it was Cyrilleze, Etisha turned with a hopeful smile.
But instead of the strong, dark-haired lady, it was the glamorous, red-haired Larienne who stood there.
“Tesha!”
Etisha had forgotten that Larienne was staying at the Snow Castle.
Suppressing a sigh, she turned away.
“Leave, sister. I came here to see Mother.”
“Lady Cyrilleze? She hasn’t come yet.”
“She’ll be here soon.”
“Fine, I’ll leave. But let’s talk for just a moment first.”
Larienne strode up to the tea table and sat down next to Etisha without asking.
It was terribly rude, yet somehow natural when it came to Larienne.
“Sister. I told you to leave.”
“Not me—the maid should leave. This is important.”
“What, are you going to threaten me again?”
“No! I mean it—it’s really important!”
Larienne slammed her palm on the tea table. The tea nearly spilled.
Ignoring it, she stared straight into Etisha’s eyes.
In her blue eyes was a strange desperation.
