I Abandoned the Male Lead Who Cheated with the Villainess - Chapter 236

Ivonne had no knowledge of Clive’s childhood, so imagining his motivations was impossible.

“I’ll ask later.”

Ivonne made a vow to herself that she wouldn’t interfere with things she didn’t understand. She had come to realize that, while she was now a human, the complex and tangled nature of human affairs was something she had no interest in diving into any deeper.

It wasn’t by choice, but Ivonne had been caught up in human affairs before and had suffered significant consequences. Now, she knew exactly how to deal with people wisely.

“Umm…”

Ivonne had just finished reading a book and closed it when the door opened.

“Still awake?”

It was Herix, his face slightly red. It seemed that the banquet had just ended.

Ivonne, who had been draped in a shawl due to the slight chill as the sun set, stood up. Perhaps she had been clinging to Herix’s body when she was bare, but felt the cold now that she had momentarily separated from him.

“Did you drink a lot?”

“Not too much.”

“Then why is your face so red?”

Herix was known for his strong tolerance to alcohol, as he had an immunity to most poisons. In fact, he had once consumed all of Ivonne’s drinks at a banquet and remained perfectly fine.

But seeing his face now…

“It looks like you mixed in some of the Republic’s liquor. It’s quite strong.”

“The atmosphere was heated.”

Herix admitted it with ease. A very mild poison was sometimes used to enhance the sharpness of a drink, particularly in Ortensia, where a popular type of ‘bomb drink’ mixed fermented alcohols with a small amount of poison to intensify its bite.

It seemed the heavily intoxicated delegation had insisted that Herix try it.

“Even if it wears off quickly, it’s still poison. You should’ve refused. What if something happened to your body?”

“It’s a taste I’m familiar with. And, honestly, I couldn’t refuse when everyone was so eager. Besides, it was without you there, and I didn’t want to make anyone uncomfortable.”

Herix laughed with a red face giving the impression of a child being playful. His breath, a little heavy and smelling of alcohol, seemed not as strong as it should have been—perhaps he had chewed some mint before coming in.

Herix, looking as though he could hardly stand on his own two feet, stumbled toward Ivonne and collapsed toward her.

“Ack, Herix!”

Startled, Ivonne rushed to catch him, but it was too much for her to support a drunken man. She ended up falling onto the plush carpet with him. However, as Herix twisted his body to shield her, his back hitting the floor first, she was safe.

His movements were too swift for someone who appeared so intoxicated, but his skin against hers was so warm, and Ivonne didn’t question him.

Ivonne, still on top of Herix, pushed herself up.

“Are you okay?”

The shawl slipped off, and the soft, loosely tied gown hung precariously over her shoulders. The relaxed waist tie left plenty of room, making it naturally loose.

Through the hazy, drunken gaze, Herix looked up at Ivonne’s surprised face, her pink hair spilling over her, before his eyes traveled down. The pale skin, perfectly matching her pink locks, was stained with the marks left by Herix, looking as if it had been touched by flower petals. The faint light flickered, yet the marks stood out clearly.

“Yeah. I’m fine. I think… I might have had a little too much to drink.”

His hoarse voice confirmed it. It was strange. From last night through to today, why did the actions they had done repeatedly feel so new all of a sudden?

‘Could it really be the poison mixed with the alcohol?’

‘Is that what’s affecting me? Or is it something else? Why is it that I don’t want to use contraception now?’

Ivonne had secretly wanted a child for a long time, but Herix wasn’t yet sure about that. The idea of having a child with Ivonne seemed unreal, and if a child were to be conceived, who knew what would happen, especially with a being like Ivonne.

According to the lessons he had received, childbirth wasn’t just about the baby being born; it could be dangerous enough to cost a life. So, he wanted to be cautious, to be extremely careful. That was why he had been secretly using contraception, without Ivonne knowing.

“Herix? You really must be drunk. Do you think you can make it to bed?”

It would be nice to get to bed.

Herix felt the heat rise in his body as Ivonne gently brushed his dark hair back. The touch set off a spark inside him.

The next actions were completely impulsive. He wrapped his arms around Ivonne’s waist, lifted his torso, and kissed her lips, pulling off the gown that had fallen off her body…

They spent the night lost in each other, oblivious to everything else, exploring each other until morning.