Mermaid Trap

As Vivianne kept whining, Kian’s brows furrowed irritably. At the same time, perhaps it was her imagination, but the grip on her hand loosened slightly.

“……”

She felt wronged. If she had understood, she would have stayed quiet. She asked because she didn’t understand the situation.

If she didn’t know, he could just tell her. But Kian responded sharply again.

His somewhat scolding tone made her shoulders shrink.

“Do you realize how dirty people’s thoughts will be if you stay there with your chest exposed after that blatant kissing? Just like that woman said, you’ll look like my toy.”

Even as he spoke, he seemed to feel self-loathing, repeatedly taking deep breaths.

“Stay still if you want to be seen as my real woman, not a toy.”

Maybe because of the showy kiss, the surrounding gazes were piercing.

Everyone was watching them, and it seemed Kian was aware of that too.

…She hadn’t noticed.

Standing in front of so many people like this was almost the first time since the maid’s roll call.

Feeling a bit downcast, Vivianne stayed quiet as he had said.

“If you just quietly watch the performance, I’ll let go of your hand.”

“…Okay.”

She had no choice but to pretend to watch the performance. Though the actors sang and acted, it was hard to focus, perhaps because she felt stifled.

She turned to look at Kian.

No matter how she thought about it, it was strange.

His eyelashes trembled occasionally. He kept licking his lower lip as if his mouth was dry.

This was definitely not the usual Kian.

“You’re not focusing.”

“…I will. I’ll focus.”

Despite her words, his dark eyes, which met hers, seemed languid.

It seemed Kian was the one who couldn’t focus.

Her lower lip pouted unconsciously, but she didn’t say anything, fearing his reaction wouldn’t be pleasant.

Even though her palms were burning. For some reason, Kian didn’t let go of her hand throughout the performance.

She wished he would look at her.

But Kian didn’t look at her again after that.

Had comforting her crying and openly showing their relationship in front of everyone been enough?

She wasn’t sure. Somehow, she didn’t feel entirely satisfied. Once again, she hadn’t decided anything herself. There were only choices given by Kian.

Even though he offered choices, he didn’t seek her consent; he just pushed his suggestions onto her. As if he knew she couldn’t refuse.

So she had no choice but to take it, whether swayed by his sweetness or driven by anxiety. Her mind was complicated, but there wasn’t a clear solution.

Vivianne was living in Kian’s house, eating the food he provided, wearing the clothes he gave her, and living among his people. Like a fish swallowed by a giant wave, all she could do was go with the flow.

What’s wrong with that?

It’s what I wanted.

It was her who had asked to stay here and kissed him, saying she would embrace him.

Without bearing his child, she couldn’t survive. Could she escape just because it was slightly different from what she thought?

…No, she couldn’t.

So she wanted to stop thinking about it.

Vivianne decided to focus on the performance.

* * *

When she received Kian’s reply that he would come to the Opera House, Penelope finally felt that things were falling into place.

Though having a mistress before marriage wasn’t ideal, it wasn’t entirely uncommon. Penelope hoped, like her card suggested, that each of them would do their best in their roles.

At the previous royal ball, he had made a somewhat blunt threat. She had tried to find out what leverage he had over her but found nothing. Usually, some clue could be found with some investigation, but this was strange. It seemed a waste to give in to such an empty threat after all these years of enduring.

Even if she sought another option now, it would be hard to find a better match than Larsson.

No matter how beautiful, a girl of unknown origin was still just a foolish girl.

Even if she insisted on marriage, it would be enough to marry her into a low-ranking noble family, but it was rare for someone to be so obsessed with a woman of low status. Even if they disguised her status, she couldn’t fulfill the role of Lady Larsson. Someone from the noble families would have to become the Duchess of Larsson and acknowledge his mistress.

Sending the dress was a signal that she would play that role herself.

Kian von Larsson had responded favorably, appreciating the gift.

“Best wishes. See you at the Opera House. -Kian von Larsson”

Naturally, she hoped he would do his best as her fiancé.

When Kian von Larsson arrived at the Opera booth, he maintained basic courtesy as usual.

The indifferent look she had seen from the first time they met was still the same, but that didn’t matter.

She had become immune to his indifference by now.

Attending the Opera together, following the article about them dancing the waltz, would strengthen their engagement publicly. That was enough.

At first, Penelope had admired Kian von Larsson and even suffered because of him.

But she wasn’t so devoted that her feelings remained unchanged in the face of a tedious engagement. What was left were pride and self-respect, far more important than petty love games. That was all.

When she saw the woman in the adjacent booth, Penelope doubted her eyes.

It was the same dress. She hadn’t expected him to bring her out, especially in that dress, given that the Opera tickets were sold out.

She had sent the most expensive dress out of pride. It was a way of acknowledging her as a mistress while keeping her under control.

She hoped she would understand by seeing her wearing the same dress outside.

She couldn’t say there wasn’t any petty satisfaction, but she believed it was acceptable.

But then.

The woman looked over at her, holding an expensive Opera glass.

At that moment, Duke Larsson, who had been sitting with his legs crossed and only looking ahead, turned his gaze.

It was the first time she saw Kian von Larsson look at something so intently.

Incredibly, the woman seemed startled and hid behind her escort.

Then she hurriedly left the booth.

So, he had hidden her even from her.

Kian von Larsson was insidiously cunning.

Apparently, the presence of his fiancée was a threat to the woman too.

So she had no choice but to crush her personally.

She wanted to expose Kian von Larsson’s shameless and eerie nature.

The destination was obvious. Following her out, Penelope found the woman in the lounge and momentarily lost her composure.

When she returned, the performance had started, and Kian was not in his seat. She glanced to the side and saw him sitting next to his mistress.

Kian wiped away the woman’s tears while continuously kissing her.

He even openly showed it to this side. The more she watched, the more shocking it became.

The kiss, which started as if comforting a child, gradually turned explicit.

They weren’t hugging or pressing their bodies together. It was just their lips touching, yet it felt as intimate as merging flesh, bringing a wave of discomfort. The most unsettling thing was the gaze of people focused on them.

Such vulgar acts in Opera booths were not unheard of.

Usually, in a fit of passion, people would draw the curtains and consummate right there. Penelope had braced herself for the humiliation of witnessing her fiancé in a passionate kiss.

But Kian von Larsson pulled away.

Noticing the attention, he took off his jacket and put it on the woman. Like covering up a hickey, he seemed keen on hiding her, wrapping her tightly in his clothes.

It would have been less shocking if he had drawn the curtains and indulged in the act.

Bringing the doll he played with and doing his thing—no one could stop him.

But they continued watching the performance till the end, holding hands.

Even after such a passionate kiss, as if the kiss was not the true purpose of their relationship.

The sight of him genuinely cherishing her shattered and crushed Penelope Stewart further.

Kian von Larsson is a devil.

She always knew he was a hopeless scoundrel, but she had underestimated him. He was more cunning and far more despicable than she thought.

Even without giving her a glance, he knew exactly what her weaknesses were.

* * *

They abruptly left the Opera booth.

Vivianne, not knowing what was happening, was being dragged by Kian, who had grabbed her wrist.

“Kian. Why did we leave?”

At first, it was hard to focus because of Kian, but as she watched the performance quietly, she found it enjoyable.

The actors, with their elaborate makeup, singing and acting, were beautiful. She understood why people watched closely with Opera glasses.

“I’m curious about the rest of the story.”

She hadn’t seen the beginning, so she didn’t understand everything perfectly, but the Opera was a love story. The moment when the two protagonists would overcome all hardships and be united was left.

As with fairy tales, that was Vivianne’s favorite part.

“Kian. Hey? You can just tell me.”

She kept asking, but he only looked ahead, not answering.

“The performance is almost over. You said you were hot. That’s why we left.”

“I was fine staying still. I wanted to see the end. We can go back and catch the final part…”

“Damn it.”

Kian, who was walking ahead, stopped and looked at her with a face trying to suppress something.

“Is that kind of thing fun?”

“…What?”

“Someone’s going crazy holding back. Is it fun?”

Was Kian hot too? His face was flushed. His heavy breathing seemed abnormal.

The two of them walked quickly again in silence until they finally reached the carriage.

“Are you in pain? Will you be okay until we get home? Theo said there’s a doctor’s office here. Let’s stop by.”

“Theo.”

Ignoring Vivianne, Kian called Theodore. Theodore, who had been waiting with the carriage, bowed shortly.

“Yes, Master.”

“We have an urgent matter. Take a hired carriage and follow us.”