39.

Chapter 39

***

Tap.

With a firm push, his playful gesture nudged her body backward.

Thus, Lisbell understood his hidden intention a beat too late. But even

understanding didn’t mean she could act immediately. In reality, she was

frozen with another meaning, unable to blink an eyelid.

“I could do it right now.”

The corners of the man’s eyes folded like a hawk’s wings. Smiling leisurely

and beautifully, he slowly lowered his fingers.

From her chest to her solar plexus.

“I want to go in here.”

Past her navel, sinking in a little lower…

“…Ah…!”

The movement was sudden. It might even be called a desperate struggle.

The moment Lisbell realized where Ulrich’s hand was headed, she twisted

her body. However, Ulrich, who had anticipated her move, pushed her down

forcefully.

Her ash-gray hair spread across the cold hospital floor. Lisbell stared

dazedly at the sinister figure looming over her.

“…I’ll pay it back somehow.”

“How?”

“By any means necessary…”

“By any means?”

“So please… don’t do this.”

“What have I done?”

“……”

“Naive and yet so scared…”

“……”

“See, I told you you’re just like a cat.”

Ah, his playful attitude only made her feel more ridiculous.
It wasn’t as if he was recklessly charging at her like last time, but she felt

no relief. His eyes, looking down at her so detachedly, only reflected the

primal joy of a beast cornering its prey for sport.

“My wedding is not far off.”

“I know, it’s late summer now.”

“I’m getting married…”

“Do you want me to congratulate you again?”

It felt like talking to a wall. Whether he felt the same way or not, Ulrich

squinted as if he couldn’t understand, then let out a soft “Ah” and smirked.

He lifted his damp fingers to her cheek.

“Do you think I’m asking you to give up on your wedding?”

“……”

“I’m not. If you want to be the bride in late summer, then go ahead.”

“……”

“But can you really do that?”

Though his tone was gentle, his words pierced her heart savagely.

“You plan to offer your body to another man and then still go through with

your engagement? Do you think you can handle that with your weak

nature?”

His sneer was biting.

He always ridiculed her.

Only now was she vaguely realizing that this was how he always saw her.

Ulrich might have always been mocking her. She had thought he might be

good at acting, but that didn’t mean she was exempt from being his target.

Ulrich’s flawless social skills might have extended even to her.

“You…”

As soon as she uttered a word, she realized her mistake. Her pale face and

trembling lips revealed her fear.

“Have I made a mistake towards you?”

“Mistake?”

“If not, then why…”

“Why do you keep doing this to me…?”

It was no coincidence. Amidst the continuous incidents, Ulrich’s malice was

vividly alive. Even if it was an elaborate plot to bring her down, it was no

exaggeration.

The theft incident that never happened didn’t need to be mentioned, and this

time was no different. While her mother’s condition might have been a

coincidence, the fact that he covered the surgery costs to use it against her

was entirely his intention and choice.

At this point, it was clear to her.

Ulrich continuously put her in difficult situations.

So, it was all intentional.

He had a natural talent for creating situations. With his background and

money, there was nothing he couldn’t do, instilling both reverence and fear

in her. No matter how much she struggled, she realized it was futile against

him…

She couldn’t understand why, so she finally voiced it.

Mocking me, tormenting me, constantly pushing me like this. What is the

underlying reason? Lisbell had no choice but to become genuinely curious.

“Why are you doing this?”

He looked as if he had been asked an obvious question.

“It’s simple.”

“……”

“I can do this.”

His eyes, now fully revealing their depths, were chillingly clear. They

showed the truth, ideals, and reality. Ulrich truly, without a shadow of a

doubt, believed it.

“Lisbell, you want to marry Mr. Motier.”

“……”

“I’m doing this because I want to.”

“……”
“Does desire need any more reason?”

He whispered, simply saying he wanted to, as if his words were an

inexplicable noise in the distance.

Lisbell’s eyes fluttered. Tears that hadn’t yet dried flowed down her cheeks.

Ulrich eventually wiped them away with his fingers and brought them to his

lips. Although it was just a drop of tears, it felt as if her soul had been

sucked out… Was this feeling connected to the despair slowly consuming

her whole body?

Cicadas chirping.

The sound of cicadas, a symbol of summer, disrupted the morning hospital

atmosphere.

The intense sound would fade with time, as was the nature of the returning

seasons.

But Lisbell couldn’t imagine the end of summer as clearly as before. No

matter how hard she tried, it remained blurry as if smudged by her hands.

She was certain of one thing.

If she hadn’t set foot in Marnia, his paradise, she wouldn’t have ended up at

this foolish crossroads.

“……”

Her pupils, widened in shock, gradually calmed.

People often make foolish choices even when they know they’re wrong.

That’s how Lisbell was now.

Her mother lying unconscious in a hospital bed, the secret she hid from

Theodore, the insurmountable financial problems, and the precious future

she still wanted to protect…

Cicadas chirping.

The sound of cicadas was still intense.

Summer, the season of breeding.

Lisbell couldn’t shake off the thought that her misfortune, which fell upon

her suddenly, was also breeding like that.

***
“…Ugh.”

Her curled-up body shrank even more inward. Like a small pill bug rolling

away after being tapped by someone’s foot, Lisbell only showed

movements of wanting to hide somewhere. Each time the man’s persistent

breath fell on her back, it was the same.

“Hah…”

His breath was as hot and heavy as if he had swallowed the scorching

summer sun.

Each drop felt like a heavy rock, difficult to bear. It didn’t just settle; it

poured down. The unusual temperature and rhythm made it clear what he

was doing now.

“Ugh, ah…!”

Lisbell, who was rubbing her forehead against the sheet, wanted to bury her

face entirely to muffle the inevitable moans.

But just the other day, she had been severely scolded for trying to stifle her

moans. The man had developed a new hobby of listening to her moans. Any

attempt to disrupt his newfound pastime was met with harsh retribution.

Ulrich, exhaling warm breath, pushed aside the slip covering her back.

The rough feel of the lace trim on the slip was strange. Lisbell normally

didn’t wear such lacy slips. The fact that she was wearing this and on this

bed was entirely his doing.

Under the ‘repayment contract’, a few bedroom rules had been established.

First, when called, Lisbell must stop whatever she was doing and come to

Ulrich’s bedroom. Second, she must wear a slip that was easy to remove.

Because of this, with just one movement of his hand, Lisbell had to expose

her clean, dry back.

***

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