# 61
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Now, Ariana knew what it felt like to have strawberries cooked in sugar syrup and then mashed.
As she stared at the curtains slowly swaying in the breeze, she foolishly thought about this.
Her body and senses were melting, but she could not escape this sweet state.
She didn't know how long she had been in this state. She did not even remember how Lady Greta and those with her had been sent out of the room.
She didn't have time to realize that she had entered his bedroom for the first time.
From the moment she was held in his arms, all her memories had been shattered into chaos.
“Ah...”
Her shoulders trembled as she imprinted darker marks on the places his lips had already made.
'How long will this last...?'
Something was wrong with this man.
Unlike the past, there was no trace of calm in his unfamiliar intensity. Ever since his embrace held her like a prison, even her voice had become different.
His strong fingers were stubbornly touching her ear. His touch on the soft skin was full of intent, making her moan automatically hit the roof of her throat.
Unable to bear the sensation of the fingers, Ariana opened her mouth.
“Kenneth, it's tickling, please stop-”
But her words to stop him stopped when he bit her lower lip.
She felt dizzy in her mind.
'However, I must make an honest effort.'
Because she does not know what will happen during his absence.
Ariana wrapped her arms around his neck.
After a few stumbles of trying to kiss him, she felt embarrassed and teary-eyed. It was clear that he would make fun of this clumsy kiss.
“Ha.”
But Kenneth, placing her left hand on his cheek, laughed softly.
Compared to the previous many deep kisses, this was nothing, but he felt like every nerve and blood ves from his head to his toes was soaked.
“Haha…”
He leaned half his face into her neck, laughing softly.
Ariana stared at the ceiling in amazement. His expression when he placed her hand on his cheek and laughed reminded her for a moment of their past.
[I need someone to review the sheet music, so come with me]
[Shouldn't you make such an offer when there's no driver?]
They were memories of innocent days, ridiculously longed for and forever irretrievable.
'It's impossible...'
Ariana bit her lip to keep herf from crying.
“He married a new woman, had children, and lived a good life until he died.”
Remembering these words made her unable to forgive.
In the corner of the garden of the Ducal Palace, there was the grave of our child.
How could he have children with someone else and live quietly?
How could he live so carelessly?
'Even now, that's still the case.'
No matter how modestly Ariana crawled, he inexplicably bothered her.
Every time, he knew how to hurt her in the cruelest way.
Even now, when his mood improved, did he apologize to her first?
'no. He's just happy that I'm being humble again.'
So, if she hasn't woken up yet, she's stupid.
But Ariana raised the hand he didn't hold.
She felt Kenneth's chest carefully with her fingertips.
He was full of scars from the opera house incident.
At first, I traced a slick scar like a dagger.
Then, more carefully, she touched the gunshot scar on his side. The marks were like whiskers connected to a circular scar the size of a coin.
'He didn't get angry...?'
Kenneth usually showed discomfort if she saw his scars or accidentally touched them.
But when she wrapped her palm around this area, the man who was laughing let out a stifled moan.
“Haa…”
Kenneth swallowed hot breaths several times from the warmth of her small hand.
Even though he had done more things with her than this, he now felt as if half of his mind was being shattered in this childish moment.
A feeling of defeat, but how can this feeling be fun?
Ariana looked at the ceiling with dreamy eyes.
In the corner of her vision, the white curtains were slowly swaying in the sea breeze.
* * *
For the remaining few days, they did not exchange particularly affectionate words.
They sometimes held hands, and were almost always together from meals to sleep.
Ariana didn't feel like he was digging into the painful memories of her past life.
And kissing wasn't such a bad thing.
His muffled voice was sexy when she gently touched his scars.
…But she was sincerely pleading with her daughter in those moments.
‘Baby… your mother is doing all this to meet you… I don’t have any personal desires, really.’
So, her words while cuddled in his arms were just for the sake of having a child.
“…Can’t I go with you?”
"they?"
“If you have to stay in the capital longer than you expected...”
Kenneth wiped his mouth with his hand at those words.
Ariana's offer to follow him was very tempting.
Unlike last time, she could be in his arms all day long on the train this time.
‘But taking her to the capital now might be dangerous.’
He was going to be away for a long time due to Parliament affairs, and he couldn't let something unexpected happen.
He also recalled the incident of the Empress who sent a child's dress as a gift to Ariana during his absence.
No matter how much political pressure Kenneth exerted, Ariana's position in high society made her vulnerable to the Empress.
'At least here, nothing like this will happen.'
Kenneth ruffled Ariana's hair behind her ear and laughed.
“Have I not filled your loneliness enough?”
Ariana bit her lip hard and turned her head.
But from her side she heard a voice as he half rose and took something from the side table.
Ariana looked alternately at Kenneth and his hand, which was back at her side.
"What is this?"
“Something you'll need at the party.”
Ariana tilted her head.
Didn't you end up with the party dress?
‘I have other jewels that I brought from the Duke’s Palace.’
When she opened a palm-sized blue velvet box, inside were earrings studded with pink jewels.
The pink diamond sparkled transparently under the bright sunlight.
“This is a bonus for last time.”
"Bonus? Ah."
Ariana had completely forgotten about that.
Was he talking about proposing to use the ballroom as a wedding venue when it's empty?
'Does that still apply?'
But when he took a thin needle out of the drawer, her body froze.
"What is this...? Wait, what are you going to do?"
“Stay still.”
Kenneth easily subdued Arianna, who was squirming, with a light hug.
The end of the needle was sharp, glowing slightly after being heated by fire.
“You should wear the earrings correctly for your next schedule.”
“I'll tell Emily this-”
“Is there a reason?”
He laughed as he nudged her ear.
Ariana felt the tickling and didn't know what to do, but when the needle touched the tip of her ear, her body stiffened with tension.
"brother."
Since the hole was there before, there was no pain when getting it re-pierced.
She heard a faint sound, and felt her ear drop slightly with a slight weight.
Kenneth ran his fingers over the tip of the earring dangling under her earlobe.
“Seems appropriate.”
Ariana looked at Kenneth with increasing confusion.
“Why are you really giving me this?”
"…Good."
Kenneth looked at her puzzled face silently.
When the pink earrings sparkle the same color as her cheeks, she mentions a crown locked in the palace vault.
It was something he had wanted to give her once, but he thought he would never get it out.
Although this earring was completely different from that crown, he remembered it. Maybe because his feelings when buying it are similar to that time.
Can he bring it this time?
He muttered indifferently to the puzzled woman.
“My heart’s desire”