Chapter 27

Bad Temptation (6)

Tristan grabbed Lily’s wrist as she turned around.

Lily was taken aback by the sudden action and twisted her arm. “It hurts!”

“I have to tell your father how you’re doing, anyway. So be honest with me. Did you do it with the duke or not?”

Lily, who was about to pull out her arm, stopped. She looked up at Tristan, eyes wide in disbelief. “You said you came… as a friend. You said you didn’t think of me that way.”

Tristan’s eyebrows twitched slightly. Still holding Lily’s wrist, he gently rolled his eyes and gave a friendly smile. “I’m doing this because we’re friends. It’s better than talking to your brother.”

“I’ll send a letter directly to my father saying I’m doing well. Please let go of me.”

“You’ve failed twice already, so your father can’t believe you. I’ll help you, so be honest.”

“I-I don’t want to. I don’t want to talk about it. Let me go. Please…”

“Lily, you… you haven’t, have you? Right?” His tone and expression were indifferent, but his eyes were veiled with a strange desire.

“Not showing his face… means that he doesn’t trust you yet. He’s just touching you little by little, right?”

“Why are you doing this all of a sudden? I don’t think you are Tristan…”

“Don’t be afraid. Lily. I’m doing this all for you. I’ll keep it a secret from your father and report that you’re doing very well.

Lily nodded helplessly. Then she pulled her arm in vain, trying to get her wrist out of his grasp again. ” T-thank you. So now let go of my hand.”

“Instead, look at his face as soon as he gets back. Make sure you do, no matter what.”

Lily’s heart froze and hardened.

“Otherwise, I’d be lying to your father. You know what’s going to happen, right?” he mumbled and withdrew.

Lily quickly wrapped her arms around herself and took a few steps back. “But he really hates it if someone disobeys him. I’m sure it’ll be bad if I try, and this marriage will be ruined again.

A light flashed in Tristan’s eyes.

Lily being hated by her husband. That was exactly what he wanted.

“Disobey him. Prove that you don’t care what his face looks like with your actions. If you’re his wife, you have to show that you have that much courage for him. Don’t you? Your past marriages went wrong because you just listened to your husbands, didn’t they?” Tristan smiled gently as if he had returned to his usual self.

The sound of a trumpet punctuated the soft sounds of falling snow.

It meant that her husband, Vlad, had returned.

***

The sun set on the winter mountains. The galloping horses stopped in front of the castle. Like proper knights, they maintained their position without any disturbance, but there was a very tired look in their eyes.

There was only one person who looked the same as if nothing had happened. It was their lord, Vladislav de Winter.

He glowed in the sunset, black hair giving off a dark red sheen. The fading light cast a clear shadow over his throat.

Seeing the lord after a week, the chief of staff was amazed again.

Sharp eyes and firmly-pressed lips graced the face of a truly enchanting monarch. He had spent his whole life in this castle, but every time he saw him, he was amazed.

The lord was a man with a venom-like appearance.

The chief came to his senses a beat late and greeted him politely, “You’re back, my lord.”

Vlad glanced at the white mask worn by the chief of staff. “Looks like my brothers-in-law have arrived.”

“Yes. It’s been well-adjusted so that her family doesn’t see anything unsightly.”

Ivan, who had been sitting behind Vlad as if he was about to faint, stuck out his head. “Are Madam’s younger brothers panicking? It’s a pretty bizarre sight for others to see the workers wearing white masks as a group.”

When outside guests came, servants had to wear masks without exception. It was Vlad’s order.

Vlad came down lightly. Although he rode his horse non-stop, his uniform was not wrinkled.

He was the only one who managed to do that.

Vlad walked ahead..”Let all the knights be treated with the divine power of Priest Ivan today. We will resume training from dawn tomorrow without a break.”

The eyes of the knights stared at Ivan.

As Vlad entered the castle, he silently listened to the chief’s report on what had happened. He crossed the hallway with a slightly bored look, then finally stopped the talking chief. “What about my wife?”

The chief paused for a moment, and soon calmly continued, “It wasn’t a big deal, but… after a small dispute with her family, she seemed a bit heartbroken.

Vlad stopped his tracks. He frowned and looked back at the chief. “I never thought you would be ignorant of the gravity of the matter you are reporting.”

The chief shuddered and bowed again.

His lord was a man who would yawn, uninterested, even if he conquered an entire city. It was really unfamiliar to him that he called the quarrel between siblings a serious matter.

“I apologize.”

Vlad’s long legs continued walking. Arriving at the bedroom, he slowly opened the door.

He saw her sitting on the bed with her knees drawn up.