Chapter 51
* * *
A little earlier—when Yvonne had run toward the alley to scold Pepe.
Yvonne had gone off to clean up her drink as well, but Dante never managed to go pick up their cups. Instead, he slumped down right where he stood.
After scratching the back of his head with an awkward expression, Dante finally buried his face in his palms.
“…Ah, seriously.”
His ears, the only part visible beyond his hands, were burning bright red. He stayed like that for quite a while before letting out a long sigh and lifting his head. Then he muttered under his breath,
“It feels like I’m using up all the patience I’ll ever have in my entire life.”
Yvonne had no idea—no idea how desperately he struggled just to appear calm in front of her. If he ever relaxed even a little, he would’ve already pulled her into his arms without hesitation.
She even turned bright red when the topic of lovers came up.
The way she had blinked in confusion made her look like a startled baby rabbit. Just remembering that moment made his face heat up again. Dante sighed deeply.
“Why are you so damn cute…”
She was so cute, he simply couldn’t allow her to leave the ducal estate alone. If she looked this lovely to his eyes, surely she would look lovely to others as well.
Why do you blush whenever our eyes meet? It makes my heart flutter too.
And when he tried to step away, she would sneakily grab his hand—
Why does she…
Could it be that she felt the same butterflies he did? Dante allowed himself that pleasant fantasy—only for his expression to collapse into resignation a moment later. He’d imagined and been disappointed far too many times for it to hurt anymore.
“…Well, she probably just sees me as an older brother. Or a sponsor.”
If that was the case, it wasn’t so bad. It might simply be the innocent attachment of a chick following a mother hen.
Let’s not expect too much.
If he foolishly deluded himself into thinking Yvonne liked him, he would only end up hurting her—especially when she was still carrying wounds from her ex-fiancé. So Dante forcefully suppressed his ever-pounding heart.
But after he had sat with his chin propped on his hand for who knows how long, Yvonne inevitably slipped back into his thoughts. The memory of her grabbing his hand and shyly asking what she would do if she got lost.
He’d needed every shred of willpower then too—just to stop himself from hugging her right on the spot.
“This can’t be good for my heart.”
Living under the same roof, so close to such a lovable Yvonne, yet constantly having to hold himself back—no heart could withstand that. Dante raked his hand through his hair with a conflicted expression.
But there’s still so much I haven’t told her.
Yvonne believed that he had brought her to the capital purely out of coincidence and goodwill. It was only right to confess everything before trying to court her. After she regained everything that was rightfully hers.
She might not like me anymore when that time comes…
Dante exhaled a gloomy sigh. That was when Pepe flew toward him with a loud flapping of wings and screeched,
“What are you doing, you idiot!?”
“You came all the way here just to pick a fight?”
Dante shot Pepe a withering glare. The feeling was mutual—Pepe disliked Dante, and Dante found Pepe just as obnoxious.
He starts interfering the moment things get even slightly nice.
I KNOW! I already KNOW there’s no way Yvonne likes me!
But couldn’t he at least let Dante enjoy a few seconds of happiness!?
Dante glared at Pepe with that exact sentiment. Pepe flailed his tiny limbs and shouted,
“No! Go to Yvonne, quickly!”
“To the restroom?”
“You brainless fool! Yvonne is in danger!”
“What?”
At those words, Dante shot to his feet. He bolted in the direction Pepe indicated—the way Yvonne had gone.
And then he saw him. The man who had cheated on Yvonne with another woman.
Even if the man groveled at his feet begging for forgiveness, Dante wasn’t sure he’d let him go. But the bastard hadn’t reflected at all—he actually had the gall to raise his voice.
“Even if I was with Logian, I only ever loved you from beginning to end. So it wasn’t a lie.”
Logian?
The name struck Dante like a hammer. So that was the woman—the friend’s fiancée he’d cheated with, betraying Yvonne. Dante committed the name to memory.
Emil continued shamelessly,
“My Yvonne was never this sensitive. You’ve clearly been tainted. I’ll have to teach you proper manners again.”
“You’re insane.”
Something snapped inside Dante’s head. He lunged forward immediately. He’d already planned to grab Emil by the collar and throw him to the ground, but Emil raised his hand first.
Pathetic. Always trying to use force on a woman weaker than himself.
Dante’s fingers twitched with the urge to crush Emil’s arm right then and there. Eyes blazing, he towered over him.
“And who are you supposed to be?”
It was natural that Emil—who had been quietly studying to succeed as the next Earl of Clyne—couldn’t compare in strength to Dante, who had been leading the knights on the frontier just days ago. But apparently blinded by jealousy, Emil stood his ground.
“And who are you?”
“I asked first.”
Dante curled his lips in mockery.
“Then again, hearing the name of a brute who manhandles women would only dirty my ears.”
“What? A brute?”
It was the first time Emil had ever been called something so harsh, and his expression turned vicious. His eyes darted past Dante to where Yvonne stood behind him, then came back to Dante.
“I am her fiancé. So stop meddling and move aside.”
He assumed Dante was a stranger unconnected to Yvonne. But the next response shattered that assumption, making Emil’s face twist with rage.
“Oh, the human trash who cheated on her with his friend’s fiancée?”
He had assumed Dante was just some muscle-headed meddler—
“…So you’re the one who lured Yvonne away.”
So it was this man who had taken her from the Clyne estate.
Even under Emil’s murderous glare, Dante chuckled lightly and replied,
“She isn’t someone who can be ‘lured.’ She’s very smart. Smart enough to recognize trash like you and leave.”
Then he delivered a final warning,
“Get lost—unless you want to be slammed into the ground in front of everyone.”
Dante’s arm muscles bulged as if to show he wasn’t joking. Realizing he couldn’t win by strength, Emil jerked away and retreated with a glare.
“I’ll kill you, bastard.”
Next time, he would bring soldiers, kill Dante, and take Yvonne back.
That was his parting threat—but to Dante, it was no more troubling than a warm spring breeze.
Good.
If the bastard attacked first, all the better.
I’ll kill him in self-defense.
As Dante watched Emil’s retreating back, his red eyes glinted with a cold, murderous chill.
* * *
Ever since I saw Emil, my head had been in utter chaos. My hands wouldn’t stop trembling, and my heart pounded wildly.
Did he really come looking for me? To take me back?
I had always thought he might not give up so easily. The Countess of Clyne’s obsession with marriage was intense. But I had never imagined a scene where Emil grabbed my arm and tried to drag me away.
He didn’t feel like the Emil I knew. Aggressive… domineering.
Marriage was supposed to be a bond of mutual fidelity. Yet he had deceived me with Logian, and now he had the nerve to call me sensitive?
And when I confronted him about it, he said I had been tainted and needed to be corrected.
Was I deceived from start to finish?
Maybe he was always violent and selfish—and he had simply worn a mask in front of me all this time. Pretending to be gentle, kind, a perfect gentleman.
Then how much of what I believed was a lie?
My head spun. My stomach churned. I hugged my shoulders and clenched my fists tightly.
Once Emil was completely gone, Dante slowly turned toward me. He felt like an immovable wall—but looking into his face, I finally realized he was just a living, breathing person.
If His Grace hadn’t helped me, something terrible might have happened.
Even Emil had backed off when Dante blocked his way. But even if I felt grateful, this must have been a nuisance to Dante.
I’ve only caused trouble…
I had no idea how to apologize.
