Chapter 7
“Why did you forget it again!”
Daisy spoke loudly so Luciana could hear it this time.
At Daisy’s unknown behavior, Carlyx gnashed his teeth and let out a grim sound.
“Didn’t I tell you to get your hands off me?”
His tone was so menacing that it seemed to swallow her whole.
“Don’t you see I’m acting like a wife right now?”
Pretending to be calm, Daisy put her other hand on his chest.
That made Carlyx’s eyes, which flickered wildly like a fiery storm, calm down.
She wanted to retreat if she could, but she must go all out this time since it related to the children’s well-being. Otherwise, she would be detached from the children for a long time.
“If you don’t stop, I’ll have to remove your hand by force.”
Then his thick, white fingers gripped her wrist.
His figure was much more intimidating than what she saw in the bedroom.
Daisy subdued her fear and spoke confidently to hide that fear.
“We just happened to meet before you can introduce us.”
“For all I know, I never said I will introduce you.”
Carlyx twisted his lips and glared at Daisy. The threat he spat out was fierce.
Daisy.
He hated people like Daisy, who only behaved at her own pleasure.
Fated love? Doing her duty as the Marquis’ wife?
He understood all of that, but if she had a conscience, she should’ve thought about the children first.
“I think I’m already doing a good job acting as your husband.”
“I never say otherwise.”
“We are going to divorce in two years, aren’t we?”
Carlyx brought himself closer, which made the distance between them only one palm apart.
“So don’t get along with the children.”
A voice that could only be heard by her spread out violently. The subtle breath that stroked her skin gave her goosebumps.
‘Don’t back down.’
Daisy shuddered, but she didn’t back down. Instead, she smiled relaxedly.
“Just like you, I’m also good at acting like a good wife.”
Her words prompted Carlyx to add strength to his grip.
Ugh-! Under his strong force, Daisy bit her lower lip and swallowed her groan.
“Dai-!”
Daisy tried to bring him back to his senses by putting all her strength into the hand that was pressing his shoulder.
It was a weak pressure for Carlyx, but her desperation brought him back to focus.
“Please compliment her for doing a good job.”
Compliment? At that word, his fierce gaze subsided a little.
Carlyx lightly glanced at her face, trying to figure out her intentions.
“Listen to what I’m about to say.”
At that moment, Daisy raised her head as if she was going to kiss him.
When their distance was close enough, a maid came in, knocking on the door.
Then the maid holding a tray of teacups said,
“Madam, I have brought you the herbal tea that you requested.”
Now, he wouldn’t be able to go wild. He would come to his senses if there was a third party.
At last, the relieved Daisy whispered softly.
“I never said I won’t act as a mother.”
The smile that she wore was dangerously seductive.
“I’ve been waiting.”
Daisy gently swept down Carlyx’s left shoulder when Luciana wasn’t watching. It was a bold yet subtle act.
The thought of what might happen if he didn’t listen to her didn’t seem to concern her anymore.
“Luciana said she came to see me for her brother. When I found the child in the garden, she was nervous, and she thought it was her fault.”
Carlyx wouldn’t push her away since a maid already came in.
But Luciana would hate to see their fake affection.
Especially now.
Even more so if Luciana was aware that he only regarded Daisy as a contractor.
“…Luciana.”
So Carlyx turned his body and released Daisy’s hand. His fierce expression returned back to his usual expressionless face.
“I was going to introduce you to your stepmother tomorrow, but it seems you met her already.”
He still had no expression, but he raised his mouth a little higher.
It seemed like it’s his way of making an effort. It was a slight change that was only noticed by observant people.
Carlyx, who knelt down on one knee, said calmly.
“To think you purposely went out for your brother…”
Carlyx held Luciana’s hand straight away.
Meanwhile, Luciana glanced around as if she tried to sort out the situation.
When Carlyx lowered the tip of his mouth, Luciana quickly nodded her head as if she wanted to say that she was alright.
“Yes! Ah, no, it’s not only because m-my brother did expert that, but…”
Luciana kept prattling away so her brother wouldn’t be blamed. She even made a mistake by saying ‘expert’ instead of ‘express’.
Daisy, who was listening closely, barely stopped herself from laughing out loud.
The tension vanished thanks to this adorable child.
“….Alright, I get it. It’s okay. You’re doing a good job.”
Luciana’s grim face gradually brightened like a ray of warm sunshine.
A moment later, Luciana slowly bit her lips and suppressed her joy.
It must be her first time getting complimented by her daddy.
‘I’m so angry that I failed to judge the situation.’
Carlyx relented as he felt Daisy’s gaze from behind.
He was certainly indebted to her this time.
‘When Daisy and Luciana came in together, I thought Daisy purposely went to look for Luciana.’
But he was greatly mistaken.
Luciana was the one who looked for her, and Daisy just stepped up to appease the anxious child.
He disliked how this situation played out, but he must admit what he had to admit.
So Carlyx stretched out his arms and hugged Luciana calmly.
“You don’t have to do that next time.”
It was said in a blunt way, but it was obvious how much he cared about the child.
“Yes, daddy!”
Carlyx turned his head as he embraced Luciana in his arms. He watched Daisy, who took a sip of tea after dismissing the maid.
‘All I can think of is that she’s such an unpredictable person. It’s not a good sign.’
It was his first time dealing with someone like her.
He felt a subtle displeasure. His curiosity, which he didn’t notice or stubbornly denied before, surged.
‘Daisy…..Colin.’
It was a name that he couldn’t forget even if he was about to die on the battlefield.
***
That day, Carlyx took the exhausted Luciana to her room.
He asked for a conversation before going to bed, but Daisy shook her head.
‘My pride is hurt, but I don’t have the strength to talk to him.’
Each time Carlyx became fierce, she was all burnt out.
Whenever she tried to build a friendly relationship with him or feign her calmness so she wouldn’t lose her ground against him, her energy was sucked dry.
How could she not be tired when he always gritted his teeth and scowled at her?
‘If he can break someone’s spirit like that, how scary could he be on the battlefield?’
No matter how angry Carlyx was, he wouldn’t treat her like the enemies he met on the battlefield.
He was cold, but he didn’t lose his manner.
Daisy came into the room and changed into a pajama with the help of May.
She made a firm commitment.
‘He’s coming in the bedroom at 11 o’clock, so let’s sleep before then.’
But to her surprise, she couldn’t sleep at all.
Now, the clock was pointing at 10:50.
‘I’m sure he’ll be here at 11 o’clock because he’s a punctual man, should I just give up on avoiding having a conversation with him?’
The anxious Daisy, who lied down with her back facing the door, kept trying to sleep.
Creak-!
She heard the sound of the door opening, and then, Carlyx slipped into the darkness.
“…You’re sleeping.”
Carlyx muttered as soon as he saw Daisy. His spot was right in front of him, but he didn’t lie down on the bed right away.
Then Daisy belatedly realized that he was coming towards her. Mainly because he walked soundlessly.
‘What the hell?’
Carlyx was getting closer and closer.
Daisy slightly opened her eyes using the darkness as a shield and quickly closed them after.
‘Why are you coming here?’
Carlyx silently fell on one knee and held up Daisy’s left wrist.
Unlike before, the hand that touched her was very gentle.
“Is it this one?”
Carlyx brought the candle near Daisy’s wrist.
As expected, there was a bruise from the force he couldn’t control earlier.
“You didn’t even apply any medicine to it.”
Carlyx, who looked at Daisy’s wrist with meticulous eyes, took out the medicine he brought. He spread the medicine carefully on her wrist.
A calm voice was flowing through the quiet room.
“Even if I’m being meticulous, it’s still sloppy.”
“….”
“It doesn’t suit you. Please just do one thing at a time.”
Carlyx wrapped the bandage around her wrist.
It was a skill he developed after healing wounds hundreds and thousands of times. It was fast and neat.
Carlyx, who tied the bandage, calmly tightened it.
“I know you’re not sleeping.”
“…I’m sleeping.”
Come to think of it, the man who was described as the devil of the battlefield would be instantly aware that she wasn’t sleeping.
He could tell from the irregular breathing and endless shaking of the eyelids.
Albeit Daisy realized it belatedly, she didn’t open her eyes. Rather, she blamed Carlyx for being tactless.
“Is it so hard for you to pretend not to know?”
“It’s hard for me to do so since I’m very honest. By the way, does your wrist hurt a lot?”
“No, not really. I’m fine. If it hurt so much, I would’ve called a doctor.”
It was a lie. A slight tug on the blanket was already painful, but she couldn’t call the doctor. Carlyx didn’t get up even though the treatment was over. Instead, he wrapped his hand around her wrist and pressed it gently.
“Stop lying.”
Ugh-! Daisy gritted her teeth to endure the pain.
“You didn’t call the doctor because of the rumor, right?”
Carlyx was the only one who could hurt Daisy in the first place. Even if she said she hurt herself, it would only produce bad rumors.
Though the subtle tension hung in the air, luckily, there was no excruciating atmosphere.
So Daisy pushed up her eyelids. He was looking straight at her.
Did he just play around with a sick person?
Daisy asked because she was dumbfounded.
“If you know that, why are you asking?”
“…You can call the doctor next time. I’ll do anything to prevent such rumors from circulating.”
His words were so businesslike, yet it was surprisingly trustworthy. Carlyx loosened his grip and apologized sincerely.
“I’m sorry. For I can’t control my own strength.”