Deceived 30

Chapter 30

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A faint moan escaped from the woman pressed tightly against him. Edmund held her slender body firmly within his embrace, pressing his lips to hers with almost desperate urgency. 

Blair, who had been struggling to endure the fierce contact, suddenly seized his wrist. A lightning-like realization struck Edmund, who had been swept away by desire.

He knew that crossing this line now would shatter the boundaries written into the contract itself. The pretext of the agreement, the justification of testing her resolve—all would be blurred.

What could be more foolish than ruining the plan for a moment's thirst? Initiative could only be held by maintaining distance.

Having reached that conclusion, Edmund slowly pulled his lips away. He breathed down her neck for a moment, forehead pressed against hers, then lightly kissed her plump, swollen lips before pulling his upper body back. 

The woman, flushed bright red, looked up at him with moist eyes. Unbeknownst to her, his base intentions were apparently only this much trouble for her.

"This is enough."

Blair blinked, shoulders hunched. Wet breath escaped continuously from lips glistening with each other’s saliva.

"I think I've confirmed your resolve sufficiently."

Now that he looked, she was a mess. His hands had torn through her hair, leaving it sticking out in all directions. The once neat, deep green dress was crumpled from being clutched tightly, and buttons near her chest had come undone. 

Edmund, watching the disheveled woman, let out a faint laugh. Then he gestured toward the undone buttons.

"Fix your dress properly. We have more to discuss."

Blair flinched, lowering her head. Flushed, she fastened her collar. Edmund pretended not to notice her tense complexion or trembling fingertips. He turned away and emptied the glass resting on the sideboard. Unlike her, his black hair was only slightly disheveled.

"...What is it you wish to say?"

"Though we have signed the contract, it seems there remains one obstacle to overcome."

Edmund set the glass down with a thud and continued.

"Your father, young lady."

Blair, who had been fastening the buttons on her dress, froze with her hand mid-motion. The heat that had bound her moments ago hadn't even cooled yet, but her expression froze as if cold water had been poured over her head.

"How do you think he'll take it if you break off your engagement to Isaac Doman and marry me immediately?"

"Father would..."

"Do you think you could persuade him?"

Blair trailed off, unable to answer immediately. She had always believed he prioritized family honor above all else, given how he had condemned her mother for eloping. But what mattered most to the Count of Twyford was money.

Therefore, even if the engagement to the Domans were broken, as long as the financial issues arising from it were resolved, he couldn't stop Blair from switching gears and marrying another man. The suitor might be illegitimate, but he was the heir to the Liberte family.

And persuasion? Their relationship had never been particularly affectionate to begin with, but the Count of Twyford had betrayed Blair. He had tried to sell his only daughter to a man like Isaac Doman, knowing full well Isaac's vile flaws. She should have informed her father about the marriage to Edmund, not tried to persuade him.

'But...'

Blair, who had lived her entire life in his shadow, was overcome by an instinctive fear. How would her father truly accept a daughter who had slipped beyond his control? Would he condemn her to ensure she never defied him again? She bit her lip, feeling foolish for worrying now, after having already set everything in motion.

"You're not certain, are you?"

Edmund nodded lightly, as if he'd expected it.

"It's fine. I never intended to rely on Miss Twyford's influence to secure the contract."

"Did you think I couldn't persuade my father?"

"It would be more accurate to say I didn't want to waste time on unnecessary skirmishes. I want the agreement we made to proceed without question."

Edmund, who had been standing a few paces away, walked over with deliberate steps. He raised his hand and slowly brushed back Blair's hair, which hadn't been properly combed. Simultaneously, he continued his explanation in a dry voice.

"What moves the Count of Twyford isn't a few words, but calculation. Even if you were to persuade him, the probability he'd contact the Domans to weigh his options against me is not negligible. I want the Count to have only one remaining choice: me."

"......"

"Do you know what moves faster than calculation?"

Her skin prickled with goosebumps each time his cool fingers brushed her flesh. His face was indifferent and emotionless, unlike someone who had just kissed her with abandon. What could have made this man so restrained, capable of flipping his expression like turning a palm? Or had he never wavered from the start?

"Rumors."

"Rumors..."

"Once word spreads that we're dirtily entangled, no amount of denial can undo it. If we meet in public and hint there's something between us, the rest will take care of itself. The Domans will withdraw before their reputation crumbles, and the Count of Twyford will weigh his gains and losses before siding with me."

Blair let out a cold laugh that bordered on a sigh.

"So that's why you wanted to see my resolve."

His mention of a showdown at the auction house might have been in a similar vein. It was a warning of what Blair would face. She had only vaguely anticipated rumors that she had committed adultery with Edmund while engaged, but this man had planned to set the fire himself.

"Yes. Your Ladyship has met my expectations admirably."

Edmund, faced Blair who once again neatly in her original attire, flashed a smile across his composed face.

"We must now pretend to be husband and wife. As soon as Miss Twyford breaks off her engagement to Doman, she will marry me. You'll have to bear the brunt of unpleasant misunderstandings. I wondered if you could act affectionate and embrace me in front of those who seek to tear you apart."

Blair lowered her eyes at his matter-of-fact tone, as if reading from a script. This man wasn't asking about her resolve; he was confirming whether she would fit neatly into the script he'd already written.

Until now, she had thought him a warm person beneath his seemingly cold exterior. He was someone who occasionally showed a playful side. Now, she was confused, unable to be certain about anything regarding Edmund.

She couldn't be sure if the expressions and tone she had seen from him until now were genuine, or just one of the masks he pulled out when needed, or if he was deliberately showing only his cold, ruthless side because it was a contract.

Despite that, Blair had no choice but to follow Edmund. There was no other path she wished to take. It was as he desired.

"So... when do you plan to start spreading the rumor?"

"A suitable stage is prepared for this coming weekend evening. We plan to hold a party at the gallery to celebrate the successful opening of the Ogwiere’s exhibition. With Isaac and the social elite all gathered in one place, the rumor will spread overnight."

"So all I need to do is plant a lingering kiss on Lord Liberte's lips there, just like today."

"It's better to leave room for imagination. That way, those watching will dwell on it longer and flesh out the rumors."

Edmund paid no heed to Blair's tone, which had sharpened involuntarily.

"Miss Twyford need only follow my lead."

He wasn't wrong. Rumors gained momentum like a snowball rolling downhill. Yet, despite her will, her response sharpened involuntarily.

"That shouldn't be difficult. I'll simply mimic how my fiancé and Nicoletta Underhill were flirting secretly at the ball."

Blair picked up the silk gloves and hat she had placed on the table.

"I also heard well how to persuade my father."

"Miss Twyford."

He grabbed Blair as she was about to leave the drawing room.

"This is also how you show society that you chose me."

"......"

"And please don't forget the final clause in our signed contract."

All clauses were predicated on not betraying each other. 

The warning cut like a shard of glass, embedding itself deep within Blair's chest.