Deceived 76

Chapter 76

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"Understood."

The driver immediately turned the steering wheel to change course. Blair turned her gaze back to the window, watching the downpour that made visibility poor.

Staying overnight at Chiles' townhouse was unexpected. But with the car struggling through the heavy rain, staying in Borsa made more sense than pushing on to Eldenvale.

Her heart raced for no apparent reason. What kind of place was Chiles? It was a place she had liked, eerily quiet, as if Edmund's shadow had been transplanted there. To have to maintain this tension in a place where masks weren't needed, unlike the tavern. And to be alone with him again tonight.

"Blair, you're alright, right?"

Just then, Edmund asked, as if reading her mind. It wasn't a question seeking agreement. It sounded considerate, but it was merely a formal inquiry.

"...Yes."

Blair offered a meaningless reply and lowered her eyes. Fortunately, the rain fell harder, pelting down in sheets. It masked the sound of her pounding heart.

As the car slid to a slow stop, the imposing multi-story buildings of Chiles came into view outside the window. The stone facades, washed by the downpour, revealed unusually heavy contours.

Swoosh. As the car door opened, the deafening roar of the rain flooded in. Edmund, who stepped out first, held out an open umbrella and extended his hand toward her. Blair took his hand and glanced up at his face. Unlike her, still awkward from the dinner party incident, Edmund wore a neutral expression.

With only one umbrella, Blair had to lean into him closely as they walked. Beneath the sound of falling rain, the man's embrace felt large and solid in the narrow space. The familiar scent mingled with the smell of rainwater, and his body felt slightly warmer than usual. Blair's heart pounded as if it might burst. The distance to the entrance, not particularly long, felt strangely long because of that.

"Come in."

Edmund folded his umbrella and gestured toward the open door. Stepping inside, Blair noticed one of his shoulders was soaked through. He had tilted the umbrella to shield her from the rain during their walk.

Thud. The moment the door closed behind them, silence descended instantly. The pouring rain was blocked as if by magic, leaving only silence.

Unlike the grand mansion in Eldenvale, this place had no ornate interior decorations or the bustling sounds of servants. A cold air settled over it, as if it had been empty for a long time.

"Um..."

Blair, looking around, cautiously opened her mouth.

"Do I have to use the same bedroom here too?"

Edmund shot her a sidelong glance. Turning back, he hung his wet coat on a hook. In the dim light, a faint smile played on the side of his face.

"No, Blair. Those working at Chiles are my contracted attendants. There's no need for you to play the role of my wife here."

“…I see.”

“I’ll show you to the second-floor bedroom you stayed in last time.”

With that, he began climbing the stairs first. Blair silently followed Edmund upstairs. The faint light from the wall lamps stretched their shadows long behind them.

His stride ahead was steady and unwavering. In contrast, Blair's footsteps sounded uneasy and cautious. The man within arm's reach felt so distant, probably because he and she were worlds apart.

Standing before the bedroom door, Edmund grasped the handle, turned it, and entered first. He switched on the soft lighting to illuminate the room, then turned to look at her. His attitude toward her remained unchanged, then as now. Like a host receiving an overnight guest, a businessman dealing with a contractual partner.

Like treating a complete stranger, a stranger with whom he shared nothing.

Did that mean his feelings were the same too?

"As you may recall, the bathroom is this way. Ring the bell if you need anything."

Not a single flicker of warmth mingled in his gray eyes now. The heat that had once filled and rippled within them seemed like an illusion.

"Blair?"

"...Ah. I will."

Edmund approached her. His steps showed no hesitation, yet he moved slowly, coming to stand before her.

"Rest now."

"You too."

Then he brushed past her shoulder. The scent of his body mingled with rainwater washed over her, and only after the sound of the door closing behind her did Blair finally exhale the breath caught in her throat.

"Haa..."

She stood frozen in place for a long moment, staring down at the large bed. It seemed she wouldn't fall asleep for a long time tonight either.

It had been a couple of hours since she lay down.

As expected, unable to close her eyes easily and tossing and turning, Blair pushed aside the covers and got up. She clearly remembered Edmund's words to ring the bell if she needed anything, but what she wanted now was air to relieve this suffocating feeling.

Opening the window, cool night air seeped into the room. Outside, thick raindrops still fell, and the leaves of the  trees, reaching up to the second floor, swayed, thoroughly drenched. Breathing in the city's damp scent, Blair glanced back at the tightly closed bedroom door. After a moment's hesitation, she turned and pushed it open.

The dimly lit hallway was empty. She scanned her surroundings before heading down the stairs toward the first floor. As she passed the bedroom door where Edmund should be, she had to tread even more softly.

Blair realized why she had been unable to sleep.

This silent place felt like a world Edmund had created. It was a space where order and discipline reigned supreme, leaving no room for personal feelings to intrude. Within it, she was a solitary, unstable presence. She could only wander like a stranger.

Finally, Blair's footsteps led her to the independent conservatory situated in the center of the house. This beautiful sanctuary, which she called a glass greenhouse, had a roof made entirely of transparent glass, allowing her to gaze directly up at the shattering raindrops.

Before even opening the glass door, Blair hesitated. Someone was already occupying a spot in the dim conservatory bathed in moonlight. She knew exactly who it was.

She had no intention of turning back, so she quietly opened the door and stepped inside. She approached him, her bare feet touching the stone floor. Edmund, sitting on the sofa smoking a cigarette, looked up at her.

"What is it?"

"...I couldn't sleep."

Blair hesitated before asking.

"May I sit?"

"Of course."

He shifted over on the sofa, making room for her. Sitting there, Blair remained silent for a moment. The ember at the end of Edmund's cigarette glowed red in the darkness.

"About what happened tonight... I wanted to apologize."

It was Edmund who broke the silence first. Blair, who had been fidgeting with her fingers, lifted her head. Her eyes, wide and round, turned toward him.

"I reacted rather harshly at the Count’s dinner party."

"No. You were justified. It was a situation ripe for misunderstanding..."

She hesitated before adding.

"I was the one acting defensively for no reason."

"I was the one who wasn't magnanimous. I'm sorry."

His honest confession made her chest tighten. She told herself again that he and her were different people, that she mustn't mistake him for someone else, yet her heart wouldn't obey her will.

"Truthfully, it's been on my mind. I wondered if you were jealous."

"......"

"...Was I mistaken?"

Instead of answering immediately, Edmund brought the cigarette to his lips and drew it in deeply. He took a long drag, exhaled the smoke, and simply stared at Blair.

Meeting his gaze in the silence felt suffocating. Dry saliva slid down her throat involuntarily. Seeing her flustered expression, Edmund continued in his characteristically low, firm voice, devoid of emotion.

"I hated seeing you smile at that man.”

"……."

"So you weren't mistaken. You got it exactly right."