Looking for a Husband to Confine Me - Chapter 57.1

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Chapter 57.1

Damian, sitting with his legs crossed, appeared utterly composed. His smile only deepened when our eyes met. Before I left with Bashar, Damian had said, “Go ahead.”

At the time, I’d thought it another one of his oddly phrased remarks. Now I understood. He’d intended to meet me again all along. Why me? Damian Ditronil had struck me as unusual from the start. Not only was he overly familiar, but he also dropped formalities and started calling me by my name as if we were close friends, or something more.

He’d even made comments that could be misconstrued as romantic interest. He has shown interest from the beginning… It was clear he held positive feelings, not negative ones. Initially, I suspected he wanted something from me, but after several encounters, I’d started to accept it: Damian Ditronil was simply an enigmatic man whose motives were difficult to discern.

But if he keeps this up, I might start getting the wrong idea. He went out of his way to be around me, even taking on unnecessary tasks, and he seemed to overlook my suspicious behavior. More than that, his attitude towards me was distinctly different from how he treated others.

It was puzzling, considering our acquaintance was relatively recent. Why this marked difference? I turned slightly towards Damian, crossing my arms and studying him intently.

“Why are you looking at me like that, Amelia?”

He mirrored my movement, resting his chin on his hand, his elbow propped on his crossed leg. He tilted his head, his gaze lingering on me. The confines of the carriage brought us closer, the space between us shrinking. As I opened my mouth to speak, his eyes flickered down to my lips.

“Damian.”

Just his name, spoken casually, and his smile widened. A look of satisfaction flickered in his dark eyes.

“…You said you wanted me to call you that.”

“Yes.”

“Do you want me to be comfortable around you?”

“Yes.”

My answers came without hesitation. His favor wasn’t a bad thing. In fact, it was quite advantageous, considering my contract. But unearned favor was always suspicious. I couldn’t understand why he treated me so differently.

“Why?”

I had been wondering this all along. Why was he being so friendly with someone he barely knew, even overlooking my questionable actions? I suspected he wouldn’t give me a straight answer, but I had to ask.

“Because I want to get closer to you?”

I hadn’t expected such a straightforward, almost casual response. Normally, he would have stopped there, a bored expression on his face, but not today.

“Why do you want to get closer to me?”

I feigned innocence, widening my eyes as I questioned him. Damian’s emotions were particularly difficult to read, so I had to be direct. I like that Damian favors me… It was far better than suspicion or hostility. But that favor couldn’t cross certain lines. Romantic lines.

“That’s…”

Damian began slowly, deliberately drawing out the anticipation.

“Do you want to know?”

“I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t.”

My immediate reply seemed to please him. I knew stalling wouldn’t get me anywhere with Damian, so I chose to be compliant. But his answer was…

“I’d like to tell you, but it’s difficult.”

Not what I’d been hoping for.

“It really is difficult, Amelia.”

He repeated himself, emphasizing the point. Difficult? What’s difficult? Who was the one in a difficult position here? I’d waited patiently, only to be met with more cryptic pronouncements. I stared at him, my frustration evident. Damian slowly extended his free hand towards me. I watched it approach, but I didn’t recoil or swat it away. His fingertips gently tapped my crossed arms.

“I want to tell you everything you want to know, but…”

The light touch broke my defensive posture, and I unclasped my arms. Damian seized the opportunity, taking my hand. His grip was firm, but gentle enough that I could easily pull away.

“Amelia, you…”

“…Me?”