Chapter 12

Celia quickly moved her hand and hid the key deep inside her sleeve.

Did he see it?

Lucius’s unreadable gaze slid briefly toward the hem of her dress before slowly returning to her face.

She wanted to bite her tongue for making such a ridiculous excuse, but he simply smiled as if nothing was wrong.

“You came to see me?”

Lucius smiled shamelessly.

The tension left his brows, and a clear curve formed at the corner of his lips.

“I’m happy.”

His voice was sweet and thick, like melted honey.

Celia ended up biting her tongue anyway. The metallic taste of blood spread through her mouth.

…

It seemed he hadn’t noticed the key, but she couldn’t decide whether to feel relieved or annoyed.

At this point, it might have been better to be caught as a suspicious intruder than to claim she had come looking for him.

Regret washed over her like a wave, draining away her motivation.

I want to go back.

But before she could turn around, Lucius walked past her with his usual relaxed and graceful stride and stopped in front of the office door.

His long, elegant fingers wrapped around the handle she had been struggling with moments ago.

“I happened to wander here. I couldn’t sleep, so I just followed wherever my feet took me. This was where I ended up.”

He glanced at her.

“And then I found you.”

The heavy door opened silently.

A rich scent drifted out, mixed with moonlight and the breath of the night.

The smell of leather, dried herbs, and faint wine filled the air.

“Did we meet here often?”

Lucius stepped inside and looked back at her.

His calm gaze and that absurd question made Celia answer immediately.

“Of course not! You were a workaholic. Your body probably just remembered coming here.”

The words burst out before she could stop them.

She quickly turned her head away.

“……”

Lucius, who had paused by the doorway, turned toward her.

Moonlight spilled from the office and stretched across the floor.

His shadow slowly reached her feet and climbed up her body.

“I worked that much?”

His low voice made her fingertips twitch.

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

How should I know?

“Yes.”

“How much?”

I said I don’t know.

“All day.”

The answer came out almost automatically.

For a moment she wondered if she should have said that, but then reassured herself.

It’s not entirely wrong.

A shadow briefly crossed beneath Lucius’s thick lashes, but Celia didn’t notice.

“…If I worked that much, it sounds like I wouldn’t have had much time to spend with you.”

Why was he curious about that?

“That’s not important.”

“……”

His fingers slowly brushed the back of his neck.

After a moment of silence, he changed the subject.

“It’s cold tonight. Why don’t we go inside first and continue talking there?”

Celia frowned.

Her feet pressed harder against the floor.

She glared at the back of Lucius’s head.

“You look cold. I’ll make you some tea before you go back.”

The word no rose to her lips but never came out.

A quiet voice in her head reminded her that she might never get another chance to enter his office.

If it weren’t for Father’s order, I’d ignore him and leave.

Something hot and cold twisted together inside her.

It wasn’t a pleasant feeling.

Come to think of it, why am I the one worrying about him?

He was opening the office door himself.

All she had to do was take advantage of the opportunity.

With renewed determination, Celia walked past him and entered the office.

Moonlight flowed over her silver hair.

The pale strands shimmered softly before blending into his shadow.

Without meaning to, she looked at him.

Their eyes met.

He smiled.

A completely useless fact came back to her.

Lucius smiled more with his eyes than his lips.

For some reason, that thought made warmth rise inside her.

It felt as though time had stretched into a glass wall, trapping only the two of them inside.

…How annoying.

After stepping inside, Celia discreetly examined the room.

The office reflected Lucius’s personality perfectly.

Function over display.

Order over decoration.

Heavy bookshelves lined the walls.

The books were arranged neatly by size.

A sturdy desk stood by the wide window.

Stacks of papers and open books rested on top.

Everything was clean, organized, and exactly where it belonged.

There was no warmth in the room.

Celia hated interiors like this.

“Don’t stand there. Come over here.”

Lucius guided her toward a dark-blue sofa facing a heavy table in the center of the office.

His hand lightly supported her arm.

The movement was so smooth and natural that it almost felt rude.

Before she realized it, Celia followed him.

“Would you like some warm tea?”

“…No, thank you.”

As she sat down, the shawl draped over her shoulders slipped down her left side.

“For someone who’s fine, your nose is pretty red.”

Lucius chuckled as he looked at the tip of her nose.

Then his gaze moved to the fallen shawl.

His hand naturally reached for it.

Before she even noticed her shoulder had been exposed, he carefully lifted the shawl back into place.

His warm fingers brushed her shoulder.

The sensation spread slowly across her skin.

“May I ask why you’re wandering around this late at night dressed so lightly?”

Suddenly, the wound she’d made from biting her tongue started to sting again.

“Celia?”

She flinched slightly.

His hand was still resting on her shoulder.

Tension ran through her body, but she straightened her back even more stubbornly.

“I was just taking a walk.”

Lucius quietly watched her profile.

His gaze stayed fixed on her.

Unable to bear it, Celia looked down at the floor.

Irritation rose to the tip of her tongue, yet her breathing grew warmer and her feet unconsciously crossed.

“The same goes for me. I was lucky. The place my feet brought me happened to have you waiting there.”

He spoke a moment later.

At the same time, his fingers slowly slid along the edge of her shawl.

When he slipped a finger beneath the fabric, Celia’s eyes widened.

His movements were slow, almost as if he were tracing her warmth.

The sensation traveled down her arm.

Past her upper arm.

Across her elbow.

Over her wrist.

Finally reaching the back of her hand.

His touch remained light.

“Y-You…!”

“Celia.”

Her protest was swallowed up immediately.

“I want to kiss you right now.”

His low, slow voice brushed against her ear.

“I want to go further than this. Will you allow it?”

His large hand cupped her cheek.

His thumb brushed lightly against her lips.

That was the end of Celia’s patience.

“Stop saying such strange things!”

She jerked her head up.

Her heart pounded wildly.

The words burst out before she could stop them.

“Is that strange?”

“Yes…!”

But her strong voice quickly weakened.

When she lifted her head, the distance between them became so small that only a breath separated them.

His jaw brushed her hair.

His annoyingly high nose was almost touching her cheek.

“We’re husband and wife. What’s strange about it?”

“Not every married couple acts like this…!”

“Then were we friends before we became husband and wife? Is that why this feels awkward?”

“Ah…”

His voice tickled the side of her neck.

“Then let’s get used to it slowly. You can teach me.”

He lowered his head slightly.

His shadow fell over her hair.

His breath brushed quietly against her ear.

The way he lifted her hand from her side was effortless.

Bringing her hand to his lips, he held her firmly in place.

“Tell me what you don’t want me to do.”

His voice was gentle.

“And tell me what you want me to do for you.”

“…And what will you do if I tell you?”

His gaze lifted from her fingertips to her face.

“If you allow it, I’ll make you happy.”

Lucius rested his face lightly against her palm.

“And…”

His sharp features felt startlingly close.

His eyes resembled a forest covered in morning dew.

“If there’s something you don’t allow…”

His voice dropped lower.

“…then I’ll make you cry instead.”

The green eyes she hated most closed in around her.