The Abandoned and Terminally Ill Lady Married a Monster - Chapter 58

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Chapter 58

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Night fell without me noticing. I couldn’t even remember eating dinner. Kin seemed much the same as usual—though “usual” only encompassed yesterday and today.

Now, I stood before him in my nightgown. Just like last night, he was already in the bedroom, relaxed and waiting. Flickering candlelight cast a mystical glow on his features.

Last night, at least, I’d had the veil. Facing him now, barefaced in my nightclothes, brought a flush to my cheeks, making it difficult to approach.

“Have you no shame? Blushing now, of all times?” I scolded myself, but my body betrayed me.

I hovered awkwardly, unable to advance or retreat. Kin spoke.

“What are you doing? Not coming to bed?”

He smiled, a teasing glint in his eyes.

“Ah, perhaps you wish to play hide-and-seek in the dark. Whatever my wife desires, I am happy to oblige. I even took leave from work specifically for…”

He started to rise, and I let out a silent shriek, rushing to his side. To stop his nonsense, I pressed my pillow against his face.

I’m dying inside, and you’re acting like this? Seriously? I’m trying so hard not to burden you!

And…

From a distance, obscured by the blankets and the angle, I hadn’t noticed. But up close… why were so many of his buttons undone?

Even in the dim candlelight, it was impossible to miss. His lean, muscular physique, his broad shoulders and chest, the smooth, taut skin. It was all on display.

“Who told you to seduce me for a month?”

Mortified, my grip on the pillow loosened. It slipped, landing with a soft thud against his firm abdomen.

Kin followed my gaze and grinned. I tried to compose myself, but it was too late. He’d already leaned in, his face inches from mine.

“These are yours. Want to touch?”

“Are you crazy?”

He’d just bathed, and the clean, fresh scent filled my senses. My horrified reaction made him click his tongue, feigning disappointment.

“Such a shame. I worked hard on this physique for you, and you won’t even touch it. I might get sick.”

Sick? Kin must be suffering from a chronic case of nonsense. There was no other explanation for his constant stream of ridiculous comments.

“It’s upsetting. How can I become a husband worthy of my wife’s affections?”

“…Just button your shirt.”

“It’s constricting. Can’t you make an exception?”

Constricting? If it were truly uncomfortable, he wouldn’t have dressed the same way last night. The fabric was clearly loose.

“Do you sleep like this alone? No, you don’t. It’s just an excuse.”

“Well, I don’t usually button up at all. I sleep naked. Shall I undress completely?”

He made a move to open his shirt further, and I panicked, slapping his hand with the pillow again. Touching him directly felt too dangerous, too close to those sculpted pectorals and abs.

“You spent years in the military! How can sleeping naked be a habit?”

“I decided to make it one, starting today. You’ll get used to this body soon enough, anyway, oof.”

I slammed the pillow against his face again, silencing him. I gasped for breath, trying to regain my composure. I hadn’t expected this blatant attempt at seduction, and it was surprisingly effective.

Muffled by the pillow, Kin asked calmly, “So, no undressing?”

“No undressing.”

“Fine, I suppose I’ll just stay like this then.” He hummed cheerfully beneath the pillow. I sighed inwardly, tossing the pillow aside and turning my back to him. Any further interaction would surely give me a headache.

“Do whatever you want. I’m not looking.”

Kin chuckled behind me, a teasing sound. Then, the candle was extinguished with a soft whoosh. A sweet fragrance filled the air. I tried to will away the blush in my cheeks, but it was no use. Suddenly, I was pulled back against him, my head bumping against what I assumed was his chest.

“Ailee.”

He murmured my name, his voice a caress, and kissed the back of my neck. I shivered, squeezing my eyes shut.

His arms tightened around me. I tried to wriggle free, even attempting to bite his thick forearm, but his low voice stopped me.

“You said you wanted to go to a party. There’s a masquerade ball coming up. Shall we go?”

He kissed my temple. “Hmm?”

“A party…”

“With a mask, no one will know who you are. We can just have fun, together.” He whispered in my ear, his voice conspiratorial. “Some people even wear full masks that cover their entire faces. If we both wore those, no one would recognize us. We could just enjoy ourselves, without anyone staring. It would be our little secret.”

His breath tickled my ear, and I shrugged. He chuckled.

“If you don’t want to go, we can stay here.”

He was truly trying to fulfill every promise he’d made. A strange fluttering sensation started in my fingers, spreading to my stomach, then throughout my entire body. I knew exactly what it was.

This is what it feels like to be loved.

It was a bittersweet feeling, a mixture of joy and sorrow.

“Should we not go?” he asked again, when I didn’t answer. I pictured the ball, the grand hall, the glittering lights, the crowd of people, and the two of us, hidden amongst them. It would be fun, thrillingly so.

I’d intended to refuse.

I could introduce Kin to someone else at the ball, I thought. Someone healthy, someone sophisticated, someone… better. Maybe seeing other people, normal people, would bring him to his senses. A masquerade ball was a place for encounters, for clandestine meetings.

“No,” I said. “Let’s go.”