Chapter 60
“I already told you this is a misunderstanding. It’s up to you whether you believe it or not, you’re not even listening to my words.” Adele turned her head, avoiding Noah’s gaze. “I won’t answer again if you ask the same question.”
Noah looked at her for a while, then grabbed her face with both hands and made her look at him.
“How funny.”
“…”
“Seeing you being so easy to other men and so hard on me.”
Isn’t that the truth?
At Noah’s disparaging laugh, Adele opened her mouth and then shut it again. When he didn’t get an answer, he pulled her closer and crashed his lips against hers. She shook her head, but his tongue had already entered her mouth and took control of her.
A rough kiss ensued. Noah’s thick arms wrapped around Adele’s waist, preventing her from escaping. She hit his broad shoulder with her fist, but Noah didn’t budge. When she finally ran out of breath, he separated their lips and a string of saliva could be seen from the tips of their tongues.
“What are you doing!” They were outside! This is so shameful!
“Will you answer now?”
“…”
“Let’s return to the castle.”
She shook her head, “You may go first. I… still have some matters to attend to.”
“The emperor had returned to his castle.” came his displeased reply.
Adele pursed her lips and rubbed her temples, fed up with his attitude. Noah whispered on her ears.
“And I have no thoughts of letting you go.” He tightened his grip on her waist.
“Unhand me! I told you, I have some matters to attend to.”
“Don’t make me go crazy, Adellia.”
Neigh!
She turned her head at the sudden cry of a horse, a carriage with the duke’s emblem was situated on the other side of the road, right next to the field. Adele let out an exasperated breath.
It appears that the thought she had earlier was simply her wild imagination.
If he really liked me, or at least had an interest in me, he wouldn’t have acted so disrespectfully! He’s being grumpy because of his pride that wouldn’t accept other men showing interest in his wife, his possession. Not because he’s jealous.
He’s disgruntled with me because I’m showing respect to the emperor whom he has a bad relationship with. I simply cannot stand it!
She showed a dissatisfied expression, “Don’t treat me like your toy.”
“Toy?” he chuckled, “That’s what I wanted to say.”
Adele stared at him without answering.
What does he mean by that? Two years ago, he was so indifferent to me. Now that we’re married, in and out of bed, he keeps treating me like his plaything.
Noah received her cold gaze and walked first, opening the carriage door.
“Lady Maktus, please get inside.”
Adele, who wanted to run away right now, could neither enter the carriage nor go anywhere else. After standing for a while, Noah let out a sigh before coming to her and carried her.
Adele tried to rebel by stomping her feet, but he didn’t hesitate and directly stuffed her into the carriage. So, whether she wanted it or not, they headed back to their castle.
***
‘Pfft, look at Miss Adellia’s dress. What is that? So tacky.’
‘There’s nothing she can do about her household being low-ranked. How pitiful!’
‘Shh. She might hear us!’
At her seventeenth birthday, those were the first words she heard during her debut. Hearing the other girls whispering about her, Adele glanced at the dress of other ladies and compared it with her own.
The difference was obvious, and she was painfully aware of it.
The girls living in the capital were donned in the latest, dazzling, designer dresses. On the other hand, her dress wasn’t so glamorous. It had a simple design and the colors were almost faded. She thought this dress was already pretty before, but standing next to them, it was awfully ugly.
She bit her lip and walked pass them. Soon, she arrived in the banquet hall and people were dancing waltz to the music. She thought dancing with the opposite sex had nothing to do with her, and as she headed towards her corner, a familiar face appeared.
‘Sir Daniel, aren’t you hugging me too tightly?’
‘How can I suppress my love for you, Bella?’
The orange-haired man, Daniel, was on the steps holding Bella’s waist who currently wore a gorgeous dress. She had wavy black hair, cat-like eyes and slender features.
She licked her rosy lips. ‘But I heard you got engaged to Adellia of the Liliand family?’
Daniel’s eyebrows creased.
‘So, you did not wish for it to happen?’ Bella asked him.
He let out a sigh. ‘My grandfather is very old-fashioned. But what era is it already? We’re now in a world where people are free to love!’
Bella blinked her eyes and let out an astonished gasp, ‘Oh my! So, you were forced into this engagement?’
He nodded.
‘To make matters worse, I don’t want a dull and boring woman like her.’
‘Your words are too harsh. What if anyone hears us?’ Bella saw Adele looking at her over Daniel’s shoulder. She smirked and gave a haughty expression, to show that she had won over this pathetic little miss.
Her gaze made Adele feel like she was someone insignificant and unrelated. She turned away and comforted herself as she hastened her footsteps.
‘It’s alright.’