Chapter 7
Elizabeth kept her eyes tightly shut and accepted him. She was trembling so much she felt like she might die. She had never once imagined she would be kissing Kierne.
There had always been an unspoken hierarchy between them. No matter how close they were as friends, there were boundaries that should never be crossed.
Because of that, she had never allowed herself to want him. She had always believed they didn’t belong together.
But seeing news of his engagement had made her restless—so perhaps she had already been wanting him without realizing it.
Elizabeth thought she had done the right thing by gathering her courage. Thanks to that, she had learned Kierne’s feelings—something she might have never understood otherwise.
He must like her too. That’s why he was kissing her.
Her heart pounded wildly at the thought that their feelings were mutual.
She had confessed, and instead of answering, he had kissed her.
The suffocating anxiety she had felt about his engagement melted away like snow. The world seemed to sparkle.
Her body kept trembling—not from fear, but from excitement that he felt the same way she did.
Their first kiss was sweet beyond belief, like biting into a ripe peach with juice dripping down. Soft, warm, melting sensations filled her mouth.
The kiss was a little rough, but even that felt good. The sensation of teeth brushing lightly against each other and the tender flesh inside her mouth being nipped left her dizzy.
He held her cheeks as he repeatedly kissed and drew from her lips.
His tongue slipped past her tightly closed lips, and when she parted them slightly, his breath rushed in harshly.
It was scorching, like a brand being pressed into her. Her breath grew ragged, but even that felt wonderful.
People said mutual love was a miracle—and in that moment, she believed she was experiencing one.
She thought she must be incredibly lucky.
Just the fact that a man like Kierne loved her made her feel as if she had the entire world.
The relief that she no longer had to worry about him standing beside another woman made her heart tremble.
Does he feel as excited as I do?
Suddenly curious about his expression, Elizabeth slightly opened her eyes.
And froze.
It wasn’t that he had his eyes open that shocked her.
It was the coldness in them.
Unlike her trembling, overwhelmed state, his gaze was dry and distant—icy.
Something felt wrong.
Before she could process it, he released her.
Elizabeth stared at him in confusion.
His expression was completely different from what she had imagined. Cold. Almost disgusted.
He wiped his lips casually with the back of his hand, as though removing something unpleasant. The warmth that had lingered between them vanished instantly.
“…So you’re the same after all.”
His voice was colder than she had ever heard before. It felt like a blade of frost slicing through her.
Elizabeth looked at him blankly, not understanding what he meant.
The way he looked at her—filled with disgust—was unbelievable.
Before she could react, he turned away to leave the terrace. Alarmed, she grabbed his hand.
“Kierne, wait—!”
“Let go.”
He pulled his hand away sharply, his voice commanding.
“And stop calling my name.”
With that, Kierne left the terrace.
The sweet kiss had been followed by unbearable coldness. It shattered Elizabeth completely.
Not only had she been rejected—she felt as if her confession had been torn apart and trampled.
She had thought Kierne was different from others. He had seemed different when she first met him.
But now she wasn’t so sure. It felt like she had been played with—just like any other man at the banquet.
He had been the one to make her reveal her hidden feelings. And when she finally did, he left her with nothing but a cruel kiss.
Elizabeth stood there in shock, staring at the space where he had disappeared.
Then tears began to fall down her cheeks.
She didn’t even realize she was crying.
She stood there until the banquet ended, unable to move.
Her chest ached so badly she could barely breathe.
Earlier that night
Before heading to the banquet, Kierne encountered Stella leaving the Duke’s room. Stella calmly adjusted her slightly disheveled clothes and greeted him.
“Are you here to see the Duke?”
Kierne didn’t even want to speak to her.
Just looking at her—so calm after doing something filthy—made him feel nauseated.
Or perhaps she was deliberately putting on a show. After all, the Duke hadn’t given her the position she wanted.
He tried to walk past her, but she spoke again.
“Oh right, aren’t you going to the banquet? Elizabeth already left earlier.”
At the mention of the banquet, Kierne stopped.
Seeing his reaction, Stella smiled meaningfully.
“Maybe she won’t be returning to the castle tonight.”
“What do you mean, she won’t return?”
“Well, night banquets are usually like that, aren’t they? Surely you know that, young master.”
Kierne’s face darkened.
The way she assumed the world worked according to her twisted logic disgusted him.
Elizabeth was Stella’s daughter, but she was different. At least, he wanted to believe she was.
“What are you talking about?”
“Perhaps you simply dislike that kind of culture. But do you think other men will treat Elizabeth so properly?”
“What are you implying?”
“Ellie should learn to use her beauty better.”
Stella sighed as if disappointed, then continued.
“I suppose I’ll have to help her.”
“Help her?”
“What exactly?”
Kierne stared at her coldly.
“There are quite a few men interested in Elizabeth. She really is beautiful—takes after me, of course.”
“……”
“She might have already met someone by now. You know how innocent she is. A little kindness and she could fall easily. The one who invited her today seemed particularly interested.”
Stella smiled faintly, glancing at Kierne.
“Of course, I don’t know if she’ll like him. She can be innocent—but also bold. She knows how to make men restless… I wonder if you know that side of her.”
With a light laugh, she lost interest and left.
Kierne stood still, replaying her words.
Banquet. Night.
A shameless man. An innocent Elizabeth.
And Stella’s “help.”
“Damn it.”
He headed toward the banquet without even realizing it—forgetting his original purpose of seeing the Duke.
Even he didn’t understand why he was going.
He knew Stella was provoking him, yet he still moved.
By the time he reached the banquet hall, the atmosphere was already unsettling—hands wandering, laughter too close, too many hidden corners.
And then he saw her.
Elizabeth, in a crimson dress, stood out like a blooming rose. Her red hair drew every eye.
For a moment, he felt relieved—she was alone.
Then he saw James Parker approaching her.
Something in Kierne’s expression cracked ever so slightly.
