Don’t Trample on Innocent Love

Right after Ophelia had fled, he had seen someone following her, but he tried to ignore it. However, the more he got entangled with the other women around, the more his nerves were on edge. Robern eventually headed toward where Ophelia had vanished.

And then he saw her wrist caught by a man. As he moved closer, Ophelia had kicked the man in the center, making him fell to his knees, breaking free and dropping the bracelet in the process.

At that moment, Robern had the man beaten into a mush of blood and flesh after Ophelia left, but he pretended not to know and inquired on what had happened.

“It was nothing serious.”

She should have felt resentment toward him, but she showed no anger.

As if drawing a line, indicating she had no feelings left for him…

‘This feels horrible. Really.’

Robern unconsciously released the hand he had been fiddling with and stepped back. No matter how he felt, there was one thing he had to do.

He had to seduce Ophelia and get her to bed with him, no matter what. After that, he wouldn’t care. Once he tasted her, discarding her later would be easy.

He sounded like a jealous man, his voice filled with frustration.

“Do you think your daily life with a man who neglects wedding preparations will be smooth?”

“…You’re being quite harsh.”

“Then think it over again. I can’t bless this marriage.”

Ophelia wanted to ask the heavens why she was being tested like this. When she had wished for something so fervently she couldn’t get. Why did it seem to drew closer just when she was ready to give up?

The hand around her shoulder gently turned her. Ophelia, dressed in a white gown like snow, felt her cheeks heat up. Robern’s gaze swept over her entirely. Unable to withstand the intensity of his stare, Ophelia’s lashes fluttered as she lowered her eyes.

“You’re beautiful. Beautiful enough that I want to take you away.”

With an unnameable longing, Robern brushed his lower lip with his tongue and leaned closer. As their eyes met, Ophelia inhaled sharply, holding her breath as his warmth settled over her lips. She felt an overwhelming sensation and turned her face away. But Robern was relentless, pursuing her again. No matter how many times she turned, the result was the same.

“Why won’t you look at me?”

“……”

“Can’t you bear to look?”

Robern persisted, trying to meet her gaze. He lifted her chin, gazing at her lowered eyelids with a quirked brow. Should he just kiss those eyelids instead? As he leaned closer, his intent clear, Ophelia firmly grasped his arm.

“Are you there?”

Just then, voices drifted in from outside the curtain.

Ophelia’s eyelids fluttered open, and her gaze met his, filled with confusion. When her eyes widened slightly, darting past Robern toward the door, he felt an unexpected urge. He wanted to hold on to her. The impulse to capture her gaze and draw it back to him had probably been there since the moment she turned her glance to another man.

Realizing she had been holding onto Robern just moments ago, Ophelia relaxed her grip. It didn’t matter who was calling from outside. As he pulled her withdrawing hand closer, Ophelia’s eyes snapped back to him. He slid his fingers between hers, their palms fitting together snugly, causing her body to freeze. With his other arm, he wrapped around her waist, trapping her within his arms.

Ophelia realized she had been caught off guard.

“What will you do?”

As his lips brushed against her ear, every word he spoke sent shivers through her. Seeing her tense up, he chuckled softly, leaving the choice to her.

“Shall we go out now?”

“…First, let go of my hand.”

She felt as if she were bound by a tight rope, unable to move. Though their hands weren’t gripped tightly, an invisible pressure weighed down on her.

“You need to answer me first.”

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