Chapter 86
Formally or otherwise, whether they liked it or not, they would have to continue fulfilling their duties as husband and wife.
Things like sleeping together.
But if things continued as they were now…
Suddenly, he remembered her lying face down with her chemise pulled up, tears running down her face.
At the time, he hadn’t doubted her claim that she was crying because she liked it.
But thinking about it now, there was no way she could have enjoyed that forceful atmosphere and his complete lack of consideration.
At the very least, he himself felt disgusted by it now.
There were already less than two weeks until their next designated night together.
And damn it, he was still dreaming about her every single night.
Unlike the Juliana from the night he had tried to take her by force, the Juliana in his dreams was incredibly sweet and affectionate.
That blindly devoted gaze fixed only on him and the sweet voice whispering endlessly remained painfully vivid.
It was a version of her that could never exist in reality.
If their relationship improved even slightly, could he perhaps see an expression like the one she wore in his dreams?
Kallion dragged a large hand down his face, trying to push the Juliana from his dreams out of his head.
‘Haah… What the hell am I even thinking?’
Feeling strangely hot, Kallion rose and walked toward the window.
He opened it to get some air, and his gaze happened to fall on Juliana reading a book in the garden.
She had been reading with a relaxed expression, but at something Kate said as she approached, Juliana smiled brightly.
Then she slowly turned another page with her slender, elegant fingers.
Kallion stared at her in a daze as though entranced.
He admitted it.
He had behaved incredibly unreasonably toward her until now.
On the night they had almost consummated their marriage.
And on the day Lloyd visited.
He shouldn’t have driven her into a corner like that.
At the very least, he should have properly apologized for suspecting her of leaking Baldomer’s confidential information.
But for some reason, whenever he stood in front of her, his emotions ran wild, and thoughtless words left his mouth before he could stop them.
Even he found it frustrating.
After watching Juliana for a long while, Kallion murmured without realizing it.
“What kind of gifts do women like?”
Layla, who had been quietly working at her desk in the office, looked at him curiously.
“Pardon?”
Kallion remained silent for a while even after her question.
Then he glanced at Layla and asked.
“I mean gifts that would make a woman happy to receive.”
Layla’s eyes widened.
Then she remembered that her birthday was approaching.
Kallion had been rather cold toward her lately, but apparently he hadn’t forgotten her birthday after all.
At the thought, Layla’s face slowly reddened.
Thinking he must be planning to prepare a birthday present for her, Layla pretended not to realize.
“How about the winter flowers that bloom at the Baldomer estate? There isn’t a woman who dislikes flowers.”
“Flowers?”
At Layla’s words, Kallion rested his chin on his hand and thought with surprising seriousness.
Then he looked out the window.
“Flowers…”
As Layla stared at him, her expression gradually stiffened.
Because at the end of his gaze was Juliana…
* * *
Layla anxiously clasped her hands together and bit her lip.
Kallion’s gaze as he had asked what kind of gifts women liked while looking at Juliana.
She couldn’t forget it.
An anxious feeling surged through her that the person he intended to give flowers to wasn’t her, but Juliana.
Why was he taking care of that woman when their marriage was nothing more than a transaction between their houses?
Until now, Layla had been able to remain completely at ease because Juliana’s existence hadn’t felt particularly significant.
But recently.
Yes.
Ever since Kallion and Juliana’s second designated night together, Kallion had begun changing little by little.
Layla didn’t think they had actually slept together.
Kallion had returned to his office not long after entering the bedroom.
Truthfully, even if he had slept with Juliana, Layla hadn’t cared much.
Kallion’s heart would never turn toward Juliana.
But…
Lately.
Lately, she had been strangely anxious.
Layla nervously fidgeted with her fingertips as though Kallion were her own husband.
That was when it happened.
Someone was approaching the coffee shop table where Layla sat with an anxious expression.
The moment she recognized the approaching man’s face, Layla’s expression stiffened.
“This is the first time we’ve met privately outside like this, isn’t it?”
The man sat leisurely across from Layla with an amiable smile.
Perhaps because the sunlight was so bright that day, his silver hair and vivid blue eyes seemed to shine brilliantly.
Layla stared steadily at him and spoke.
“Why did you ask to meet me? Lloyd de Silverstel.”
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