Episode 22. Will you accept my proposal?
Gulp...
Mark filled the wine glass that Adele had emptied with red wine.
“Thanks to you, it was a really enjoyable and delicious dinner.”
“I enjoyed it too.”
Was it because his heart had relaxed a little after a glass of wine? Mark carefully brought up the story that had been on his mind.
“Actually... I felt like my wife had come back to life for a moment. I thought that if she were here, it would always be such a warm evening.”
“I heard that your wife passed away giving birth to Jade.”
“Yes, Jade only saw her mother in a portrait. In the portrait, my wife was wearing the same clothes that you wore. That’s probably why he brought those clothes.”
“He must have missed his mother a lot.”
Jade continued to smile brightly next to Adele. However, when she found out why a six or seven-year-old child had brought those clothes, she felt sorry for him.
“You were the first person he gave those clothes to. He doesn’t let anyone else touch them. Not even me.”
Mark shook his head and laughed. Then, when his eyes met Adele’s, he scratched the bridge of his nose in embarrassment.
“This, I keep getting lost in sentimentality because it’s raining.”
Mark made an excuse, and Adele nodded.
“That’s right. Rain makes people feel sentimental. Especially winter rain.”
Adele emptied her glass in one gulp.
Rain continued to drip down outside the window.
She should have gone back, but she didn’t want to. She didn’t know what kind of face she would make when she went there. She didn’t have the confidence to pretend that nothing happened. She wished it had rained harder so she couldn’t go.
No, if she had gotten so drunk that she couldn’t think of anything...
“Actually, when I kissed you on the cheek back then, I risked my life.”
Mark blushed when Adele looked at him.
“I guess I wanted to strike first at the Count. That day, I first realized that I have such a dangerous temperament.”
“Don’t misunderstand. The Count is my brother.”
“Do you really think so?”
“Yes?”
Adele’s heart sank as she asked back. She knew better than anyone what he thought of her.
Mark, who had been staring deeply at Adele, carefully spoke.
“Then, if I proposed to you, would you accept?”
“Propose...?”
This was too sudden.
“After my wife died, I thought it would be impossible to be attracted to someone else. But when I saw you, I thought that we could make each other happy.”
Mark’s kind blue eyes and sincere voice tormented Adele. She felt like he was exploiting her sincerity.
“But you know what kind of person I am.”
“Are you asking me to believe the rumor that you poisoned the Marquis?”
He shook his head as if it were nonsense.
“Why don’t you believe it?”
“Do you know how many people Madam has brought to the point of death? And what was your restless expression every time? Did someone like that kill someone?”
“Maybe I'm repenting.”
Adele, who had emptied her glass again in one gulp, filled her own wine glass this time.
Gulp...
In the end, Mark stopped her.
“Drink slowly. Are you planning to drink all this expensive wine by yourself?”
“Ah... It’s expensive, but somehow it tastes good.”
Adele smiled softly and drank again as if she were trying to show off.
“Oh, now that I think about it, you were a drunkard.”
When Mark playfully stuck out his tongue, Adele playfully glared at him.
“So are you going to withdraw your proposal?”
At that moment, Mark was a little taken aback by Adele’s seductive expression. Her cheeks turned rosy, and her smiling eyes were strangely sexy. That alone completely changed the atmosphere, making her seem like a different person.
“That’s why you need me more, Madam. A husband who will take care of a drunkard.”
Mark quickly drank his wine glass because his throat felt strangely burning.
He felt a little precarious.
“Husband... Husband...”
Adele muttered bitterly.
To her, the meaning of husband was a terrible chain. Another name for the master she had to serve for her entire life. A deep swamp that she thought she would never be able to escape from...
“And even if Madam had killed someone, I think there would have been a good reason for it.”
For a moment, Adele’s eyes wavered, but soon she emptied her glass again with a blank expression.
“Don’t trust people too much. Baron Castler...”
“Mark. Please call me Mark.”
He smiled kindly, revealing his white teeth. He was a man who really enjoyed seeing her smile.
“Even if you don’t accept the proposal, can you accept this much?”
Adele nodded, unable to refuse any longer.
“Yes, Mark.”
Mark said this time, slyly.
“Then I should call Madam by your name, so that it’s fair for both of us. Isn’t that right, Adele?”
“You’re being too hard. Yes, I’ll accept that too. Then I should go now.”
Adele put down her glass and got up.
She didn’t want to go back, but she felt like she had to get up now. If she stayed here any longer, she might get involved with this man.
Mark Castler.
He was a good man, but he wasn’t an easy man.
Stagger!
Adele, who was about to take a step, stumbled without realizing it because she felt dizzy. Her face was flushed, and her head was a little dizzy, perhaps because she had drunk too much wine.
“Are you okay?”
Mark, who had come over to her, wrapped his arm around Adele’s shoulder and held her.
“Yes, I was just a little dizzy, but I wasn’t drunk. Absolutely not.”
“No, you weren’t drunk. But I think it would be better to go back when you’ve sobered up a little.”
That was the moment.
“No, I should take you now.”
The soft voice chilled the air.
Mark, who turned his head, widened his eyes as if he had seen a ghost.
“Count Weiss?”
Christine was standing at the entrance of the restaurant, arms folded, not knowing when he had come in. The floor was soaked with water dripping from his wet clothes, as if he had been hit by the rain.
Step by step.
Christine approached the two without saying a word. With every step he took, water droplets dripped from his long cape.
“Let’s go, Adele.”
Christine approached and held out his hand to Adele. Tied in his hand was the handkerchief she had used to bandage his wounds earlier in the day.
It was fine back then...
Adele turned her hand away coldly.
“Go back first.”
The blue-gray eyes that were looking at her sank quietly. But his voice was incredibly sweet. Like a beautiful and cunning viper.
“You’re drunk, you. If you don’t go back now, you’ll regret it.”
“I already regret it.”
Why did I foolishly think that we could go back to the past?
Was it because I had been lonely for so long? Why was I so helpless to your lies?
“Adele...”
Meanwhile, Christine urged her again with a look that seemed to be running out of patience.
But Adele was stubborn.
“I told you to go back, Chris. I’ll go back on my own.”
Christine glared at Mark, who was awkwardly caught between the two. He was still holding Adele’s shoulders as if supporting her. It was so jarring to the eye.
I wanted to cut off that wrist!
On top of that, Adele had thrown away the dress she had worn during the day and was dressed comfortably as if she were at home.
She had even changed her clothes and was drinking alone at this hour!
Christine’s superhuman patience was what made him not pull out his knife.
“How much alcohol did you give this woman?”
Adele got angry and blocked Mark’s way.
“He didn’t make me drink; I drank because I wanted to. And I’m not acting like this because I’m drunk.”
Christine laughed mockingly.
“Ha, you’re not drunk? You can’t even stand properly right now, so you’re being supported by that man. Aren’t you going to start rumors and get misunderstood because you keep doing this?”
“Stop pretending to care about me!”
“This is advice for you.”
Adele’s lips lifted up sarcastically.
“You mind your own business. I’ll take care of mine. That’s how it’s always been. Who are you to pretend to care about me now...”
Her green eyes were red from holding back tears.
Christine’s eyes, looking at her, were like blue flames.
Mark stepped in to mediate, feeling that something might happen if this continued.
“It’s best for you to go back now, Count. Don’t worry, I’ll bring Adele back soon.”
But Christine couldn’t hear a word he said.
“Henry!”
His booming voice echoed outside the mansion.
“Yes, master!”
Just then, Henry and the servants, who had just gotten off the carriage, came rushing in. Henry, always neat and tidy, was in such a hurry that even the buttons on his coat were out of place.
“Take Madam home.”
“Yes, master!”
As Henry and the servants approached,
“No problem. I’ll go back myself.”
Adele refused them.
“If you don’t bring Madam, you’re all fired.”
“Chris!”
Ignoring Adele’s cries, Christine left the mansion. And just like when he came, he rode his horse again and galloped through the rain.
“Then we will take care of you, Madam.”
“You were the first person he gave those clothes to. He doesn’t let anyone else touch them. Not even me.”
Mark shook his head and laughed. Then, when his eyes met Adele’s, he scratched the bridge of his nose in embarrassment.
“This, I keep getting lost in sentimentality because it’s raining.”
Mark made an excuse, and Adele nodded.
“That’s right. Rain makes people feel sentimental. Especially winter rain.”
Adele emptied her glass in one gulp.
Rain continued to drip down outside the window.
She should have gone back, but she didn’t want to. She didn’t know what kind of face she would make when she went there. She didn’t have the confidence to pretend that nothing happened. She wished it had rained harder so she couldn’t go.
No, if she had gotten so drunk that she couldn’t think of anything...
“Actually, when I kissed you on the cheek back then, I risked my life.”
Mark blushed when Adele looked at him.
“I guess I wanted to strike first at the Count. That day, I first realized that I have such a dangerous temperament.”
“Don’t misunderstand. The Count is my brother.”
“Do you really think so?”
“Yes?”
Adele’s heart sank as she asked back. She knew better than anyone what he thought of her.
Mark, who had been staring deeply at Adele, carefully spoke.
“Then, if I proposed to you, would you accept?”
“Propose...?”
This was too sudden.
“After my wife died, I thought it would be impossible to be attracted to someone else. But when I saw you, I thought that we could make each other happy.”
Mark’s kind blue eyes and sincere voice tormented Adele. She felt like he was exploiting her sincerity.
“But you know what kind of person I am.”
“Are you asking me to believe the rumor that you poisoned the Marquis?”
He shook his head as if it were nonsense.
“Why don’t you believe it?”
“Do you know how many people Madam has brought to the point of death? And what was your restless expression every time? Did someone like that kill someone?”
“Maybe I'm repenting.”
Adele, who had emptied her glass again in one gulp, filled her own wine glass this time.
Gulp...
In the end, Mark stopped her.
“Drink slowly. Are you planning to drink all this expensive wine by yourself?”
“Ah... It’s expensive, but somehow it tastes good.”
Adele smiled softly and drank again as if she were trying to show off.
“Oh, now that I think about it, you were a drunkard.”
When Mark playfully stuck out his tongue, Adele playfully glared at him.
“So are you going to withdraw your proposal?”
At that moment, Mark was a little taken aback by Adele’s seductive expression. Her cheeks turned rosy, and her smiling eyes were strangely sexy. That alone completely changed the atmosphere, making her seem like a different person.
“That’s why you need me more, Madam. A husband who will take care of a drunkard.”
Mark quickly drank his wine glass because his throat felt strangely burning.
He felt a little precarious.
“Husband... Husband...”
Adele muttered bitterly.
To her, the meaning of husband was a terrible chain. Another name for the master she had to serve for her entire life. A deep swamp that she thought she would never be able to escape from...
“And even if Madam had killed someone, I think there would have been a good reason for it.”
For a moment, Adele’s eyes wavered, but soon she emptied her glass again with a blank expression.
“Don’t trust people too much. Baron Castler...”
“Mark. Please call me Mark.”
He smiled kindly, revealing his white teeth. He was a man who really enjoyed seeing her smile.
“Even if you don’t accept the proposal, can you accept this much?”
Adele nodded, unable to refuse any longer.
“Yes, Mark.”
Mark said this time, slyly.
“Then I should call Madam by your name, so that it’s fair for both of us. Isn’t that right, Adele?”
“You’re being too hard. Yes, I’ll accept that too. Then I should go now.”
Adele put down her glass and got up.
She didn’t want to go back, but she felt like she had to get up now. If she stayed here any longer, she might get involved with this man.
Mark Castler.
He was a good man, but he wasn’t an easy man.
Stagger!
Adele, who was about to take a step, stumbled without realizing it because she felt dizzy. Her face was flushed, and her head was a little dizzy, perhaps because she had drunk too much wine.
“Are you okay?”
Mark, who had come over to her, wrapped his arm around Adele’s shoulder and held her.
“Yes, I was just a little dizzy, but I wasn’t drunk. Absolutely not.”
“No, you weren’t drunk. But I think it would be better to go back when you’ve sobered up a little.”
That was the moment.
“No, I should take you now.”
The soft voice chilled the air.
Mark, who turned his head, widened his eyes as if he had seen a ghost.
“Count Weiss?”
Christine was standing at the entrance of the restaurant, arms folded, not knowing when he had come in. The floor was soaked with water dripping from his wet clothes, as if he had been hit by the rain.
***
Step by step.
Christine approached the two without saying a word. With every step he took, water droplets dripped from his long cape.
“Let’s go, Adele.”
Christine approached and held out his hand to Adele. Tied in his hand was the handkerchief she had used to bandage his wounds earlier in the day.
It was fine back then...
Adele turned her hand away coldly.
“Go back first.”
The blue-gray eyes that were looking at her sank quietly. But his voice was incredibly sweet. Like a beautiful and cunning viper.
“You’re drunk, you. If you don’t go back now, you’ll regret it.”
“I already regret it.”
Why did I foolishly think that we could go back to the past?
Was it because I had been lonely for so long? Why was I so helpless to your lies?
“Adele...”
Meanwhile, Christine urged her again with a look that seemed to be running out of patience.
But Adele was stubborn.
“I told you to go back, Chris. I’ll go back on my own.”
Christine glared at Mark, who was awkwardly caught between the two. He was still holding Adele’s shoulders as if supporting her. It was so jarring to the eye.
I wanted to cut off that wrist!
On top of that, Adele had thrown away the dress she had worn during the day and was dressed comfortably as if she were at home.
She had even changed her clothes and was drinking alone at this hour!
Christine’s superhuman patience was what made him not pull out his knife.
“How much alcohol did you give this woman?”
Adele got angry and blocked Mark’s way.
“He didn’t make me drink; I drank because I wanted to. And I’m not acting like this because I’m drunk.”
Christine laughed mockingly.
“Ha, you’re not drunk? You can’t even stand properly right now, so you’re being supported by that man. Aren’t you going to start rumors and get misunderstood because you keep doing this?”
“Stop pretending to care about me!”
“This is advice for you.”
Adele’s lips lifted up sarcastically.
“You mind your own business. I’ll take care of mine. That’s how it’s always been. Who are you to pretend to care about me now...”
Her green eyes were red from holding back tears.
Christine’s eyes, looking at her, were like blue flames.
Mark stepped in to mediate, feeling that something might happen if this continued.
“It’s best for you to go back now, Count. Don’t worry, I’ll bring Adele back soon.”
But Christine couldn’t hear a word he said.
“Henry!”
His booming voice echoed outside the mansion.
“Yes, master!”
Just then, Henry and the servants, who had just gotten off the carriage, came rushing in. Henry, always neat and tidy, was in such a hurry that even the buttons on his coat were out of place.
“Take Madam home.”
“Yes, master!”
As Henry and the servants approached,
“No problem. I’ll go back myself.”
Adele refused them.
“If you don’t bring Madam, you’re all fired.”
“Chris!”
Ignoring Adele’s cries, Christine left the mansion. And just like when he came, he rode his horse again and galloped through the rain.
“Then we will take care of you, Madam.”
Henry, who had finally let go of his worries, politely asked Mark. Then he extended his hand to Adele with a face that was begging earnestly.
“Let’s go, Madam.”
It was late at night, but Adele’s mansion was brightly lit like daytime. The servants were still restless and moving around.
This was because Christine had been standing like a statue at the entrance. There was no expression on his statuesque face, but an inexplicable murderous aura flowed from his body. It was scary to even approach him.
His aide, Zimmer, was also tense, so it was clear that the situation was not normal.
Everyone was holding their breath for fear of offending Christine.
Just then, a carriage came into the garden through the rain.
‘Miss...’
Tanya felt relieved, but also scared for some reason.
It was clear that the reason Christine was so depressed was because of Adele. Seeing that he came back alone with that face after picking her up, it seemed like the two of them had had an argument.
Nothing bad would happen tonight, right?
“Whoa! Whoa!”
As soon as the coachman stopped talking, Christine approached the carriage.
Then the door opened carefully, and Henry came out.
“The lady is asleep. Shall I wake her?”
Adele was asleep with her head leaning against the window. Her face, flushed with alcohol and sleeping soundly, was as lovely as a girl’s. She had been stubborn and upset him a moment ago, but it was as if nothing had happened.
He felt a little embarrassed at himself for feeling relieved when he saw Adele like that.
“I’ll take her.”
He carefully carried Adele out after entering the carriage.
Henry quickly put an umbrella over the two of them to keep them from getting wet, and the servants, with their lanterns on, opened the front door of the mansion wide.
They were all relieved to see Christine coming in carrying Adele. His expression had softened a bit more than before.
“It’s late, so everyone should go back and rest.”
“Yes, master.”
The servants who had been fidgeting for hours quickly cleaned up and prepared to return to their quarters. That way, they could catch their breath and rest.
However, Zimmer and Tanya couldn’t do that.
The atmosphere between the two was definitely not normal.
They followed Christine, who was carrying Adele into her bedroom.
Tanya said quickly as she made Adele’s bed.
“Thank you, Count. Now, I will take off her shoes and change her clothes.”
“Yes, then go.”
“Yes? But I will take care of the young lady...”
Christine furrowed her brows. It was a warning not to make him speak twice.
Zimmer then gave Tanya a look as if telling her to listen to the Count. She could have ended up in danger if she had not been careful.
“Yes, Count.”
Tanya had no choice but to retreat with a sad face.
“You too, Zimmer.”
Christine gave orders to Zimmer, who was standing next to her.
But he shook his head with a worried face.
“Today is a dangerous day, Captain.”
It was winter. And the weather was bad.
And he was so excited that he was out of breath.
“I’ll take care of it.”
As his voice rose slightly, Zimmer sighed softly. He knew that no one could stop him now.
“I trust that you won’t do anything you’ll regret for the rest of your life, then.”
Zimmer bowed his head politely and left Adele’s bedroom, leaving the two of them alone.
Bam!
Now it was just Christine and her.
It was a night with a fierce winter rain.
“Let’s go, Madam.”
***
It was late at night, but Adele’s mansion was brightly lit like daytime. The servants were still restless and moving around.
This was because Christine had been standing like a statue at the entrance. There was no expression on his statuesque face, but an inexplicable murderous aura flowed from his body. It was scary to even approach him.
His aide, Zimmer, was also tense, so it was clear that the situation was not normal.
Everyone was holding their breath for fear of offending Christine.
Just then, a carriage came into the garden through the rain.
‘Miss...’
Tanya felt relieved, but also scared for some reason.
It was clear that the reason Christine was so depressed was because of Adele. Seeing that he came back alone with that face after picking her up, it seemed like the two of them had had an argument.
Nothing bad would happen tonight, right?
“Whoa! Whoa!”
As soon as the coachman stopped talking, Christine approached the carriage.
Then the door opened carefully, and Henry came out.
“The lady is asleep. Shall I wake her?”
Adele was asleep with her head leaning against the window. Her face, flushed with alcohol and sleeping soundly, was as lovely as a girl’s. She had been stubborn and upset him a moment ago, but it was as if nothing had happened.
He felt a little embarrassed at himself for feeling relieved when he saw Adele like that.
“I’ll take her.”
He carefully carried Adele out after entering the carriage.
Henry quickly put an umbrella over the two of them to keep them from getting wet, and the servants, with their lanterns on, opened the front door of the mansion wide.
They were all relieved to see Christine coming in carrying Adele. His expression had softened a bit more than before.
“It’s late, so everyone should go back and rest.”
“Yes, master.”
The servants who had been fidgeting for hours quickly cleaned up and prepared to return to their quarters. That way, they could catch their breath and rest.
However, Zimmer and Tanya couldn’t do that.
The atmosphere between the two was definitely not normal.
They followed Christine, who was carrying Adele into her bedroom.
Tanya said quickly as she made Adele’s bed.
“Thank you, Count. Now, I will take off her shoes and change her clothes.”
“Yes, then go.”
“Yes? But I will take care of the young lady...”
Christine furrowed her brows. It was a warning not to make him speak twice.
Zimmer then gave Tanya a look as if telling her to listen to the Count. She could have ended up in danger if she had not been careful.
“Yes, Count.”
Tanya had no choice but to retreat with a sad face.
“You too, Zimmer.”
Christine gave orders to Zimmer, who was standing next to her.
But he shook his head with a worried face.
“Today is a dangerous day, Captain.”
It was winter. And the weather was bad.
And he was so excited that he was out of breath.
“I’ll take care of it.”
As his voice rose slightly, Zimmer sighed softly. He knew that no one could stop him now.
“I trust that you won’t do anything you’ll regret for the rest of your life, then.”
Zimmer bowed his head politely and left Adele’s bedroom, leaving the two of them alone.
Bam!
Now it was just Christine and her.
It was a night with a fierce winter rain.
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