Chapter 2 – Reunion
“Can’t you get up?”
Olivia woke up at the maid’s sharp words.
“The Duke is coming, and you’re sleeping like that. Are you out of your mind?”
Her eyes suddenly widened at the maid’s words.
‘Leon. Today is Leon’s day!’
At that, she hurriedly woke up from her sleep. While the maid stared at her as if pathetic.
“I can’t believe you… The Master should have seen you like that.”
Saying that, the maid retorted at her and ran out of the room.
Olivia got her body up and glanced out the window. The sun had already risen. As she walked through the curtains, grimacing in the sunlight, she realized she was naked. She peered at herself and smiled bitterly, before getting up from the bed and went towards the closet.
She needs to dress up, though what should she wear?
All Olivia had was her old dresses, though she nevertheless chose carefully. What she chose was a creamy, modest dress. The dress left by her mother was her favorite.
She grabbed the clothes and walked to the mirror.
But, looking in the mirror, she saw traces of the love affair that Kevin left behind—Red marks showing his tenacity. There were even teeth marks on her shoulders and thighs. Even her nipples were bloodstained, bitten over and over again. It was truly the appearance of a lustful prostitute.
When she found the traces he left behind, she could only smile sadly. What is she doing, being so excited like this…?
Olivia was a nuisance in the Duchy, people looked down on her, and she didn’t know what would happen if Leon came.
She became aware of her own plight. Did Kevin say he will marry her? Absolutely not. He always told her that he loved her and held her. However, after hearing the maids call her a whore, she realizes that she is just Kevin’s private courtesan who resides in the house.
She sighed. As her excited heart fell asleep in the cold reality, the cool air seemed to surround her. Eventually, Olivia walked to her bed and put on her casual clothes instead of the dress.
Perhaps when they met, he would tell her to go out. She didn’t know, maybe he didn’t remember her and was puzzled by her presence… To be honest, she anticipated his reaction, though she didn’t want to be hurt.
As Olivia lay on the bed and closed her eyes, she thought she wouldn’t be able to sleep, but she shut her eyes because she was tired.
When she opened her eyes again, there was sunset in the sky. Since she hadn’t eaten anything since the morning, she was rather hungry. And so, Olivia got up and trimmed her frizzy hair.
Seeing that the maids didn’t even bring bread, she felt like she had to get something to eat in the kitchen.
When she opened the room and left, the mansion was still in a messy state. Perhaps it was because of Leon, who returned in the morning. Is he returning to this Duke’s house? She was curious about it, although she struggled to suppress it.
Suppressing her hunger and going to the kitchen, the kitchen was busy preparing dinner for the new Master. If she had asked for something to eat here, she would not have heard anything good from them.
Thinking so, Olivia sighed and stepped out of the mansion.
She was planning to ask Kevin for something to eat when he’s about to come back from the palace. As she quietly walked towards the gate, she could hear the sound of the horseshoes hitting her ear.
Suddenly, something appeared.
“Kyaak!”
Startled, she covered her ears and bowed her body. The sharp cry of the horse was heard, and the voice of a man calming her was heard.
Not having the expected shock, Olivia opened her eyes. She could see the legs of a black horse. She straightened her crouched body and lifted her head to see a man on the horse looking down at her.
It’s Leon.
It’s only been five years since she met him…
His appearance was not so different from what she had imagined—It’s just that his jaw has become slimmer, and his eyes have become sharper.
Leon was wearing a military uniform, apparently on his way out.
Olivia was so startled that she kept staring at him with her eyes wide open, because of that, he jumped off the horse and came right in front of her.
Then, he quietly held out his hand. For a moment she gazed at him, not knowing why he held out his hand. Leon furrowed his eyebrows again.
“Hold it.”
“What…? Yes.”
A smooth voice came out, and she carefully placed her hand on it. At that, she felt the power holding her hand.
“Are you hurt?”
She nodded her head. Leon’s purple eyes glanced at her and Olivia lowered it as if avoiding his gaze as her face turned red. Now that she looks at it, he seems taller as well. Also, he got even cooler.
Then, she heard Leon’s voice.
“In the morning…”
Growl—
At that moment, there was a rumble from her stomach. It was louder than expected so Olivia clasped her stomach tightly. She bowed her head again as her face turned red.
‘Crazy, how could I make that sound?’
“Oh, I… Uh…”
When she raised her head, his expression did not change. That was even more disappointing.
“I think we should have dinner.”
As she nodded her head, Leon grabbed her hand and led her. She flinched at the touch and he gazed back as if asking why, though Olivia just shook her head flutteringly.
Taking his hand, for some reason, her heart trembled.
Does it mean he remembers her since he behaves so naturally like this?
What will he do to her? Wouldn’t he chase her out right away?
There were many things she wanted to ask, but she didn’t have the courage—To hear him say that he doesn’t remember her here now, or that he was going to kick herself out, this happy reunion seemed to end in ghastly tears.
The front door opened and the employees, who had been waiting, greeted him before they saw her coming after him.
At that glance, she was a little intimidated.
“Where is brother?”
“He is in the room.”
“Tell him to come down. Let’s have dinner now.”
“Yes.”
The butler bowed his back. Since it was about time she, too, was about to step into her own room and eat her dinner as well.
“Where are you going?”
“…Yes?”
Leon asked when Olivia turned her head.
“Are you not going to have dinner?”
“Uh, no…”
She was ashamed that she could only say, ‘uh,’ like a less distant person. Although her mind did not understand.
‘He was going to have dinner, so why was he asking that?’ Are they going to have dinner together in the dining room now?
When the former Duke was alive, she always ate in the dining room. However, that was only then. Now, no one served a grand meal for her in the dining room so Olivia just had a light meal at the tea table.
She took it for granted as the treatment changed as naturally as flowing water. So, that’s why.
“Let’s go.”
At Leon’s words, she nodded her head. The quick-witted butler blinked at the servants, and they swiftly ran to the kitchen.
The dining room she hasn’t seen in a long time hasn’t changed. Olivia was bewildered to see her place reserved near Leon’s, though she struggled she pretended to put on a brave face.
As the appetizing soup came out, she picked up her spoon and began to eat it before her stomach growled further.
All of a sudden, she felt his gaze and glanced up to see Leon looking at her.
“In the morning, you were nowhere to be seen.”
‘What do you mean?’
When she opened her eyes wide, he asked again. “Are you feeling unwell?”
She realized that he had asked her why she didn’t come out when he returned in the morning. It meant that he was aware that she wasn’t there…
“You remember me?”
At those words, his hard expression was slightly distorted, but it was subtle. She could only describe it with those words.
Leon seemed surprised, perplexed, as though what she said was absurd, and he seemed dumbfounded.
“You…”
“Leon!”
When he was about to speak, Kevin’s voice was heard. He smiled and looked at Olivia and Leon before sitting right next to her.
“You made a quick exit.”
“You, too, Leon, you’re late.”
“Me?”
“Rumors are spreading that His Majesty held onto you and wouldn’t let you go. I think His Majesty already likes you.”
“It’s not like that. He held onto me because he knew me on the battlefield.”
Then, she felt a hand caressing her own thigh. She peered at Kevin with a puzzled look, who was still looking at Leon with a smirk. His rough palms ran down the skirt. Olivia raised her hand and tried to hit him, but he was immovable.
Still, she knew that Leon would find it strange if she gave it more power.
“So, have you been having dinner with Olivia for a long time without me?”
When Kevin asked cheerfully, Leon replied.
“I sent a servant to call you, but…”
As he said that, he looked at Olivia. Leon then raised an eyebrow at her uncomfortable look. “Miss Claudel. Are you not feeling well?”
Kevin smiled as she was stunned and couldn’t answer.
“You didn’t know, Leon? Olivia and I…”
She almost jumped. His hand lifted the hem of her skirt and touched her bare skin. Because of that, she stared at Kevin, but he only smiled. His long middle finger stroked her hip.
The cl*toris, which was veiled by a thin cloth, began to be stimulated.
‘Please, stop…’
Not knowing her feelings, Leon was looking at Kevin.
“What about Miss Claudel and brother?”
His fingers knew too well how to pleasure her. She endured the tickling feeling that didn’t fit the situation. At the familiar stimulation, Olivia swallowed a breath that might have come out and tried to remove Kevin’s hand.
“We’re pretty close.”
“Brother!” Yelled Olivia.
As his hands reached under her underwear and tried to untie the laces of her underwear, which were already starting to get wet, she called to him like a scream. Only then did his hand parted away.
Olivia gasped and swallowed her breath.
“Why are you so shy?”
Kevin gazed at her with a mischievous smile on his face. He had such a soft and well-groomed expression that she could not even imagine what he had just done.
“I know you are very close.”
Perhaps because she was caught off guard by what happened earlier, Leon’s voice sounded too cold. Olivia flinched and turned to him, yet he didn’t change his expression.
Fortunately, the meal continued to come out.
Nervous that Kevin would do it again, even though she felt sick to her stomach at the quiet meal, Olivia forced herself to keep eating.