Chapter 54
Diana found herself more excited by the ticklish sensation of his kisses peppered all over her body than by the intense physical pleasure she was experiencing for the first time.
‘This… it’s just like lovers.’
Even though she knew it wasn’t love, after they finished, when they gazed at each other in silence and then, without anyone starting it, kissed once more, it felt so good she nearly cried.
“Was it that good? Good enough to bring tears?”
Yes, it was that good. She almost gave herself away, but clever Diana smartly hid her true feelings and used her tears as an excuse.
“Things like this… are supposed to be done with someone you love. But doing something like this with you, while Aisen is out there… makes me feel a little… guilty…”
But the expression she saw on Viern’s face in that moment was a bit strange. His eyes held an unfamiliar, murky emotion. At first, she couldn’t clearly define what it was. But as time passed and his feelings seemed to intensify, Diana gradually understood. Agony. Viern Erkman was in agony.
‘Viern is in agony…?’
Seeing his torment made Diana’s heart pound violently. The anguish in his eyes had a similar hue to what she had felt upon seeing the Lady Marquis in his arms.
She had wondered, what if. What if he liked her a little too? Sometimes, he was excessively kind only to her. But then, seeing his attitude of clearly drawing a line with her, she thought it might just be a delusion born from her own overly fond heart. Thinking that way would quickly dampen her spirits.
But perhaps it wasn’t a delusion. Perhaps. Just perhaps, Viern also…
‘Viern… Viern might like me too!’
It’s a sorry thing to say about Viern, but her hope swelled in proportion to the size of his agony. Diana grew bolder in approaching him, and Viern, responding to her excuse of ‘gaining experience,’ led to their secret meetings becoming more frequent. Watching Viern, who seemed to suffer more the deeper their relationship grew, Diana gradually became certain he liked her.
Contrary to his words about just keeping her close as a useful chess piece with occasional carrots, he was seeing her as more than that. It was clear. That was unmistakably love.
Having discovered the love inherent in his torment, Diana pondered how to reveal the truth to him. At some point, they were kissing and doing that just from making eye contact. Seeing his already intimidatingly prominent shaft before they even began made her think calling it ‘education’ was a bit of a stretch.
His attitude, like a man completely obsessed, clinging to her chest and eagerly exploring her skin at every opportunity, sometimes confused her. Even though she was 90% certain he liked her, there were moments of confusion because Viern’s desire for Diana’s body was always, undeniably genuine.
But soon, Diana brushed aside her pointless doubts. Even if his feelings originated from physical attraction, it didn’t matter. What was important was that Viern Erkman wanted Diana, and Diana Rosenheir wanted Viern.
Just as things seemed to be going so well…
It was after a particularly wonderful time on his desk, disguised as ‘experience-gaining study’ as usual, that he said it.
“I believe we shouldn’t continue this any longer.”
For a moment, Diana couldn’t comprehend his words.
“I think I’d feel guilty too. Towards the Lady Marquis.”
Staring at him blankly, Diana slowly grasped the meaning of his words. Her mind went white, as if doused with ice water. Forcing a smile as if she didn’t care, she bid him farewell and turned away. She had no memory of walking from his study back to her own room. The moment she closed the door and was alone, her face stiffened completely.
Engaged again to Sophia Silberk?
So suddenly?
Weren’t we… getting closer? Didn’t you like me?
Recalling the way his body had craved hers, Diana bit her lower lip until it hurt. Her original temperament screamed at her to cause a scene right then, demand he call off the engagement, and turn the palace upside down. But she couldn’t let all her efforts go to waste so pointlessly, so she had to endure with all her might.
After that day, Viern stopped seeking her out. He even stopped receiving reports on her daily activities. Diana, who had known for over three years that he had people planted by her side and had acted accordingly for his benefit, grew anxious seeing those same people now no longer observing her.
“What will you do, Your Highness? The rumor is all over the palace that the Duke of Erkman is engaged to the Lady Silberk,” the red-haired man with the tattoo on his forearm sneered, sitting on the windowsill.
“Seems like the Duke has lost interest in you. Isn’t this a disaster? Want to run away from the palace now? Just say the word, and I’ll escort you to the lands of old Ersha.”
“Shut up. Why are you here? Just to mock me?”
At Diana’s irritable retort, the man laughed.
“Haha, what kind of fool, unable to tell heaven from earth, would risk their life infiltrating the palace just to mock Your Highness? If Erkman caught them, there’d be nothing left of their bones.”
Contrary to his words waving it off as nonsense, his eyes, curved like crescent moons, looked exceedingly pleased. As Diana shot him a sharp glare, the man waved his hands as if telling her to calm down.
“Truly, Your Highness. I really came with a purpose. I need your cooperation.”
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