Deceived 4

Chapter 4

***

"Oh..."

Blair looked up at the man's sharply defined face against the backlight, moved her eyes silently.

She found it hard to speak up. And why wouldn't she? She couldn't exactly announce that some disgusting couple was busy doing private business right behind this door, could she? So naturally, she couldn't offer the advice that it would be better to wait here until they were done.

Especially to a man she'd just met!

Yet silently stepping aside wasn't the best option either.

If the balcony door opened like this, that wailing sound would only grow louder, engulfing Blair and the man. Overwhelmed by embarrassment, she would freeze solid like ice, and worst case, she might end up face-to-face with that half-naked couple.

‘I absolutely refuse to let that happen.’

Having finished that dreadful imagination in an instant, Blair met the man's gaze once more.

Standing tall and straight, the man remained utterly motionless. His shadowed face bore a blank, expressionless look, as if he felt not the slightest stir of emotion.

Right. The man definitely hadn't heard the moans. That wasn't the expression someone who'd heard such a grotesque sound could make. At least, that was Blair's judgment.

"So..."

She, who had placed her hand on her chest, unsure what to do, took a deep breath. She had to say something. The smell of tobacco, clearly from a cigarette the man had lit, tickled her nose again.

The conclusion Blair reached in that instant was almost an impulse.

"Um, actually, I was going out to smoke too..."

"Ah!"

Hearing the distant groan behind her, she squeezed her eyes shut and raised her voice slightly.

"I came out to smoke."

The man looked down at Blair, his expression still unchanging. Only a subtle flicker appeared in his ash-gray eyes, as if trying to probe her true intentions.

He probably didn't understand how that related to his request to move aside, but his gaze was somewhat suspicious, as Blair didn't look like a smoker at all.

Without voicing his thoughts aloud, the man moved his lips.

"Feel free to smoke. I'd just appreciate it if you'd step aside first."

"...Could I borrow one cigarette?"

"......"

"That is, if it's not too much trouble, of course."

Blair was even turning to ask the man, who had finished smoking and was leaving, if he could be her conversation partner for a moment. She knew gentlemen often borrowed cigarettes in smoking rooms to deepen their bonds.

Thinking it a bold request, he let out a hollow laugh that scattered the air. The man, who had seemed indifferent, now had his eyes completely fixed on Blair. After a moment of silence, he slipped his hand into his jacket pocket and gestured toward the balcony railing.

"There's no trouble.”

"Thank you."

Blair followed him as he turned away without fuss, walking toward that spot. As they moved away from the door, the other man's unmanly groan faded like smoke. It was a relief.

Blair stood shoulder to shoulder with the man at the railing, bathed in moonlight. The city lights flickered far below, but the midnight balcony was silent. Feeling an inexplicable tension, Blair exhaled a quiet sigh. The man's firm body pressed against her bare shoulder felt unfamiliar.

What on earth was going on?

Judging the distance between them a bit too close, Blair quietly pulled away from the contact and gripped the railing. She didn't have the nerve to change her mind at the last minute and go back inside with him to the room where the naked man and woman were passionately entangled.

"There's one left, as it happens."

The man pulled the last cigarette from his pack and offered it to her. Taking it, Blair glanced up at him. In the brighter light, his face was undeniably beautiful. His features were sharp and well-defined, a face difficult to look away from.

"Do you enjoy smoking?"

"I'm not a heavy smoker, but I find myself reaching for one whenever I need it, so the pack empties quickly."

What did he mean by reaching for cigarettes whenever he needed them? Blair didn't press the question, awkwardly placing the tip of the cigarette between her lips. The man's hand, holding a lighter he'd taken from his pocket, drew near.

Click. A thin flame flared as the lighter clicked to life.

Blair awkwardly held the cigarette to the flame the man offered, bowing her head. As she remained still, his low voice fell over her. A soft, gentle tone, as if teaching a child.

"You have to suck it in, not just hold it in your mouth, to get it lit."

"How...?"

"You asked a stranger for a cigarette, but it seems you don't know how to smoke at all."

Well, she’s never smoked before. Blair, who had been staring at the flame, flashed wide eyes at the man.

If the man's expression looking at her could be turned into a sound, it would probably be the click of a tongue. Of course, as dignified as his appearance, he knew better than to commit the rudeness of clicking his tongue in her face.

"Never mind. Give it to me."

Instead, he took the cigarette from Blair's hand and placed it between his own lips. With practiced ease, he lit it and drew a deep drag. His cheeks dimpled as the tip glowed red. Blair found himself watching, strangely mesmerized, as the pale smoke drifted from between his lips.

Blair inhaled the smoke billowing out right in front of her and coughed violently. The dry coughs came one after another, bringing tears to her eyes. He glanced down at her, who had raised a hand to cover her mouth.

"Even though the smoke alone is overwhelming, you still thought to light up."

"...I don't understand why anyone would enjoy smoking something this harsh."

"Everyone feels that way at first. Once you start getting used to it, addiction is just a matter of time."

"How did you know it was my first time?"

"Wouldn't it be strange if someone didn't notice?"

"So that's why you stopped me from smoking?"

The man laughed as if he’d heard a joke. Blair watched his large hand move toward his mouth. Somehow, she found herself holding her breath as she looked at the thick veins on the back of his hand and the sturdy wrist exposed beneath his suit sleeve.

"Well, if you want to rebel, isn't there a better way than this?"

Cigarette smoke dispersed into the air again. Watching the fading vapor, Blair quietly stroked her knuckles. Her chest felt heavy and uncomfortable. The man’s warmth, which had barely brushed her fingertips, couldn’t possibly have reached that far.

‘…How did I end up having this conversation with a stranger?’

An unexpected laugh escaped her. If her father found out, this wasn't the kind of indiscretion that would end with a few strokes of the cane.

She belatedly worried about her own breath, but having mingled with several gentlemen at the banquet hall, Blair already reeked heavily of alcohol and cigarettes.

The thought that no one would know eased her mind considerably. Above all, leaning arm in arm with this unfamiliar man while watching the cityscape fade into dusk wasn't so bad. It felt as liberating as shedding a dress that had been clinging tightly to her body.

Blair rubbed her eyelids, then stared blankly at the man beside her. His impeccably tailored suit came back into view.

"It seems you and I attended the same gala."

"I suppose so."

"I heard it was a meaningful occasion arranged by the Duke of Liberte. I hope I'm not taking up too much of your time."

The charity event Blair attended today was hosted by the renowned Duke of Liberte. Though past fifty and afflicted with an incurable illness, earning him the nickname "the toothless tiger," he remained the head of the most prestigious family in the Kingdom of Borsa. Numerous political figures, members of the upper class, and the majority of nobles from venerable families were undoubtedly in attendance. The man was certainly among them.

"To be precise, I heard it was an event hosted by the Duke's son. His condition worsened, so the troublesome matters fell to his son to handle instead."

The man continued with a strangely self-deprecating smile.

"Don't worry. If it had been an inconvenience, I would have declined the young lady's request long ago."

"Ah."

"I also needed an excuse to stay somewhere quiet."

The man, who had responded plainly, exhaled smoke and looked down at Blair.

"Are you sure it's alright for you to be away for so long, Young Lady? You know this gathering is meant for attendees to build camaraderie."

The concert she had to attend before the banquet sold tickets at an exorbitant price. While it was ostensibly for a charitable fund, in reality, it was little different from an attendance fee paid by those seeking to build connections with key figures at the subsequent party.

The man, who couldn't possibly be unaware of this fact, assumed Blair had also attended the banquet for the sake of socializing.

‘But for me, it’s less about socializing…’

Her father, who was starting to feel the effects of the alcohol at the event, grumbled that this occasion was a "damn troublesome investment." Listening in on the conversations, the man realized this banquet was meant to find a solid partner for his business—in other words, Blair's fiancé.

Recalling the unpleasant men, their eyes scanning her as if appraising a commodity, made her chest tighten involuntarily.

"A little while should be fine. I just needed time to catch my breath."

"Is that so?"

"Honestly, I don't feel like going back to the banquet hall either."

Besides, now she had to wait for the lunatics in the reception room to finish their business. Blair swallowed her words and gave a hollow smile. The man brought a cigarette to his lips and let out a scattered chuckle.

"I can't disagree. The banquet is just a fancy name for what's essentially a negotiation table."

"Or a sales counter, for that matter."