Rose, who clung to me and revealed her vicious possessiveness without reservation, was so lovable.
“…This is driving me crazy.”
There were so many things I wanted to say, and the emotions filling my chest were too overwhelming.
I didn't know how to contain them.
Chup.
I merely swallowed Rose's lips. Thinking that I wanted to become one with her forever like this.
Seuk.
I slowly pulled my body away from Rose.
“Eung…”
Watching my body pull away, Rose let out a sigh that made it hard to tell if she felt disappointed or dizzy.
Sabak.
As I smoothed down her disheveled dress and straightened it, the traces of ecstasy were hidden.
Duduk.
I also tightened her loosely untied corset back to its original state.
“…Dane.”
With that done, Rose was simply sitting on the desk with the corners of her eyes reddened.
She looked like a pitiful, abandoned wife shedding tears, exhausted by her husband's shouts and violence.
“Even if it's just acting… this seems too cruel for you.”
I let out a sigh and stroked Rose's flushed cheek with my thumb.
“It's alright, Dane.”
Rose smiled brightly as if she hadn't just been panting in my embrace.
“I just need to endure it for a little while. You'll come back to me anyway.”
“Because you made it that way.”
I chuckled softly and buried my face in the nape of Rose's neck. I deeply inhaled her sweet scent into my lungs.
“Dane….”
Rose closed her eyes and hugged me tightly.
Rose's mana slowly flowed into my body.
“To think I have to make contact with you like this every day.”
I also closed my eyes, putting strength into the arms holding Rose.
The poison Rose had fed me had the effect of coagulating the flow of mana within the body. As the mana flow gradually slowed down, it would eventually harden completely.
To undo this, Rose's mana was needed. That was why I had to maintain physical contact with her for a certain amount of time every day.
“Is there a leash worse than this?”
At my murmur, Rose gently rubbed her head against me as if acting cute.
“But when I administer the antidote, you feel more energized, don't you?”
“That's the problem.”
I lightly bit Rose's earlobe.
“It makes me not want to stop here.”
Instantly, the hands Rose had wrapped around my neck tightened.
“You don't have to stop…”
A voice dripping with an emotion that made me wonder if shame and obsession could ever coexist spilled out.
“No.”
I chuckled softly and suppressed Rose's innocent temptation.
“Bill will be here soon.”
Rose let out a disappointed sigh but soon accepted it.
Seuk.
Slightly pulling her body away from me, Rose met my eyes and spoke.
“Dane, but it seems impossible to hide this from all of your confidants.”
It was a valid point.
Until now, we had been acting as a contractual couple to everyone, including Joel. Although there was a minor flaw in that, at some point, it stopped being an act and became real.
Anyway, the key figures we needed to trick into believing our relationship had fallen apart were Joel and Sonya.
If they were convinced that Rose had been abandoned by me, they would approach her to use her.
“We should probably have at least one helper. Who do you think would be good?”
“I think Bill would be fine. He manages your schedule all day, Your Excellency.”
Rose answered faithfully while still sending mana into me. Her appearance, trying her utmost to help me, was very commendable.
“Right. If he helps, we can secretly meet at night.”
“Yes, you must come.”
Rose whined, her eyes growing teary.
“Don't leave me alone.”
Chop.
Rose's soft lips captured mine and then parted.
“Hold me more, as much as you pushed me away outside.”
“Of course. However….”
I wiped the saliva remaining on Rose's lips with the back of my hand.
“You'll have to eat alone for a while, is that alright?”
“I'm used to eating alone.”
Rose answered spiritedly.
“I'm an expert at eating alone, Dane. Ever since I was at home— Mmph.”
I immediately sealed Rose's mouth, which was uttering such saddening words so casually, with my lips.
“Uht… Eung.”
As I drove into her without letting her breathe, Rose let out a delicate moan.
This soft, squishy sensation and moist dampness. It was just tongues tangling with each other, yet I didn't know why I couldn't get tired of it.
After fully exploring Rose's lips and the inside of her mouth, I pulled my lips away.
“Don't say things like that in front of me.”
“…Yes.”
Seeing Rose's hazy gaze, a deep urge surged up in me again. Suppressing it forced a sigh out of me.
I thought I could hold Rose anywhere, at any time now.
‘…As soon as possible.’
I had to get rid of Joel and Henrik as quickly as possible and savor Rose all day.
Thinking that, motivation welled up inside me.
“Tell me immediately if Sonya or Joel approaches you.”
“Yes. Since I'm a miserable woman clinging to you… I can visit you anytime, right?”
“Even if I get angry and kick you out, you'll come back.”
“That's right.”
There was no misery whatsoever at the corners of Rose's mouth as she said that; only a sense of conquest stirred there.
“Before I died in my past life, Joel framed me as a poisoner. He probably plans to do the same this time.”
“Probably.”
“I'll throw a delicious bait to Joel. Dane, you should throw him one too.”
“Understood.”
I pulled Rose into a tight embrace one last time, then slowly pushed her body away.
“What will you do about the marks left on your body?”
As my eyes swept over the nape of Rose's neck and down her dress, Rose bit her lip tightly.
“I'll… wash myself. I should kick the maids out and scream. As if I'm terribly upset about being thrown away by you.”
“…How clever.”
Rose slowly backed away from me.
“Dane, hurry.”
Exuding an appearance completely like a cornered mouse, Rose nodded.
The moment Rose's back reached the door.
“That lowly Vikander blood never changes!”
I shouted loud enough to be heard outside the room. Rose, like a faithful actress, contorted her face.
“Your Excellency! How could—”
“Get out right now! I don't even want to see your face!”
Clatter!
Rose flung the door open and ran out into the hallway.
“Ugh….”
It was the exact figure of someone fleeing, unable to withstand my anger.
“……”
I could see the servants outside hovering, unsure whether they should close the door or leave it as it was.
“No one is to come in!”
As I snapped in anger,
Thump!
The door slammed shut hurriedly.
It wouldn't be long before the rumor spread throughout the castle. That the once-so-passionate master and his wife had finally reached a breakdown in their marriage.
‘Hurry up and make your move, Joel.’
My eyes narrowed as I looked at the messed-up office.
“…Haha.”
Then, I eventually ended up laughing softly.
‘Hold me more, as much as you pushed me away outside.’
It was because I remembered Rose whispering those words.
The traces Rose had left behind, and the heat still remaining in my body, burned fiercely.
‘I'm looking forward to it.’
The new contract Rose proposed was more interesting than any proposal I had ever heard.
**
“Heok, heok….”
Rose intentionally sobbed out loud. So that Sonya and Helena, who were waiting outside the bathroom, could hear her.
‘This should be enough.’
After thoroughly washing away the traces on her body, she put on a robe by herself and stepped outside.
“Madam.”
Helena and Sonya, who had been waiting, quickly approached.
Rose stared at the two with eyes as red as a rabbit's, and then,
“Lune, go inside and clean up.”
She intentionally pointed out the two individuals separately and gave them different tasks.
“Sonya, you dry my hair.”
“……!”
Sonya's face noticeably brightened.
Until now, Rose had given Sonya the chores and kept Helena by her side.
Therefore, the order just now was tantamount to saying she would keep Sonya close instead of Helena from now on.
“Yes, Madam!”
Sonya quickly grabbed a towel and approached Rose, looking thrilled.
“…Yes, Madam.”
In contrast, Helena headed to the bathroom with a gloomy face.
However, right before entering the bathroom.
Pishik.
A playful smile crossed Helena's lips.
‘Madam, you're quite the actress.’
She had already coordinated with Helena beforehand.
“Madam, I will give you a scalp massage.”
Sonya dried Rose's hair with very devoted hands. As if she didn't want to lose the favor of her master, which she had barely regained.
“How is it? Is it alright?”
“…It's nice.”
Rose accepted Sonya's touch and showed a weak smile. To anyone, it was a smile full of worry.
“Hoo….”
Rose let out a sad sigh with her eyes downcast. Seeing that, Sonya observed her for a moment, and then,
“…Are you alright, Madam?”
She spoke, pretending to be worried about Rose.
“Sure, I'm perfectly fine.”
Rose replied with an expression that looked like she wasn't fine at all.
Instantly, Sonya's face contorted with twisted superiority. As if she enjoyed seeing Rose, who had monopolized Dane's love all this time, falling endlessly.
Coming here, she had been driven to her limit, enduring the contempt of the other maids and Rose's cold treatment.
“……”
Rose had to suppress the urge to snort at that sight.
‘What a transparent little thing.’
Anyway, it was clear that she was easy to use.
“What would Father say… if he saw me like this…….”
Rose muttered to herself intentionally loud enough for Sonya to hear.
“What do I do… Will I be able to return to Vikander….”
With the same intimidated and timid appearance as her first day at Schmaichel. She stayed true to her act, making Sonya mistakenly believe she could freely manipulate her.
“Madam….”
A vile ecstasy filled Sonya's eyes as she looked at Rose like that.
“Sonya, by any chance… No, never mind. It's nothing.”
Rose intentionally spoke to Sonya, then hurriedly turned her head.
So that Sonya would become even more eager and approach her on her own. So she could freely reveal her sinister intentions.
The flower named Rose began to bloom in full, exuding a dangerous scent.
**
Click.
Butler Bill closed the door, entered, and surveyed the atmosphere inside the office.
“……”
Rose was sitting on the sofa with her arms crossed, her face slightly flushed.
“…Hoo.”
Dane, the master Bill had served his entire life, was standing by the window. With his back turned to the Madam.
‘…This is bad.’
Bill swallowed a sigh as he looked at the two.
It was clear that the two had been in a fierce argument even before he entered. Hence, the Madam's shoulders were heaving roughly.