Just yesterday, Edmond confessed to me—and since then, he’s shown sides I never imagined.
Did I make a mistake? Or is all this just an act?
Even if it is just acting, the way he looks at me… it’s obsessive and frightening.
“Is something bothering you? If there is, tell me—I’ll fix it immediately.”
“Edmond, it’s not that.”
I forced myself to stay calm. Any sign of doubt would only make him more suspicious.
“I pulled out those letters to throw them away. I was too tired yesterday to do it.”
At that, Edmond’s gaze softened a little.
“Really?”
“Yes. I just covered them with parchment so you wouldn’t worry.”
“I see.”
He relaxed, but his eyes—once cold—now glimmered with obsession and excitement. It felt… dangerous.
“I’m sorry for making you doubt, Irene.”
He bit my bonded shoulder gently in apology.
“Wait—”
I’d heard wolves show affection like that to their bonded mate. But experiencing it firsthand… felt dangerously real. I pulled away again.
“Wait… if you keep moving in, I won’t be able to sign.”
He blinked slowly, then smiled and willingly moved back.
“You’re smart, Irene. You really are.”
A soft crescent smile as he handed me the pen again.
“Let’s finish signing first. We can deal with the rest later.”
“Later” and “rest” both set alarms in my heart, but I took the pen and signed.
With that, I became officially fiancée of Edmond Wolfgang.
Morning
“Oh! Sister!”
Reina spotted us immediately and bounded over, face glowing like sunshine. She clasped my hand and chattered.
“Did you sleep well? Was your bed comfortable?”
“Hi, Reina. Yes, I slept very well.”
“That’s good!”
She glanced between us.
“You two are together this morning? Did brother come looking for you first?”
“Reina, don’t be like that.”
Edmond pouted.
Reina laughed:
“Sister, don’t open the door so easily. What if brother…?”
Suddenly, her laughter died and her eyes widened.
“Oh my…!”
She stared at me, stunned.
“Reina? What’s wrong?”
She didn’t answer—murmuring,
“I never expected… so soon…”
“What? What do you mean?”
She turned and began hitting Edmond, yelling:
“You jerk! You pervert! I told you to treat her with care—but just one night and you pounced?”
“W-Reina, stop—”
“Brother, are you a beast? You know she just arrived and is tired?”
Edmond looked genuinely confused. Reina’s scolding was fierce. She was as tough as he’d been called at the academy.
“Re-Reina! Wait—calm down!”
I pulled her back, trying to stop her angery fists.
“Reina, please listen. It’s true—he didn’t force anything.”
“Why are you stuttering? W-What if…?”
“No! I promise, nothing happened.”
Technically true—he had bonded, but nothing beyond that.
Reina hesitated, then pointed.
“That… mark on your neck…”
“Yes. He bit me gently yesterday. But nothing more.”
Edmond looked indignant:
“That’s what I’m saying! It’s bonding—he can’t force it.”
I slowly lifted my shoulder—green runes glowing where he’d bitten.
Reina stared in awe, stopping her hits.
“…Sorry, brother.”
“Your allowance’s gonna be cut this month.”
“Wait—I’m sorry. I just…”
She looked flustered, but still proud.
“We’re both Wolfgang blood. And brother… you were obsessed with sister.”
Obsessed?
Was that… accurate? Reina then added,
“Remember how you cried in your room when you heard sister was engaged?”
Edmond froze, then hurriedly covered her mouth.
But she’d spoken the truth.
“You cried when I got engaged?”
He gave me a helpless, guilty look and shrugged.
“Yeah.”
Gradually, it all made sense.
The teasing at the ball, the arguments, even the rare greetings—they were his own awkward way of showing care.
Maybe I’d misread his dislike as hatred all this time.
“Why did it happen like that?”
Edmond sighed:
“It seems ridiculous, but it’s true. I was desperate.”
“…”
“You didn’t notice? I really tried to show you.”
Hearing that made me feel both sorry—and uneasy.
I knew the pain of longing for someone who never saw me.
But now… I had doubts on more than one level.
If Edmond does love me, is marrying him purely for revenge right?
I felt torn—yet he reached and held my hand.
“So… I want to show you even more today.”
He looked at me, that same warm confidence in his blue eyes.
“Will you go on a date with me today?”
