“Aaron.”
“I heard you called.”
Aaron entered the palace the next day. He knew that Amelia was looking for him urgently, but he insisted on staying another day before entering the palace.
“Ian almost died.”
Amelia didn't beat around the bush. And she knew Aaron wouldn't find it suspicious. Amelia was someone who couldn't stand being in the same room as Aaron in the first place. Trying to shorten that time as much as possible wouldn't have been new to him either.
“I heard.”
Aaron's response was light. It's hard to detect any remorse in his words, even though the kid almost died. It's an unfair assessment, but Aaron is an asshole.
“It’s the Emperor’s doing.”
Amelia spoke again. Aaron didn't even say a word in response, but walked over to the table where Amelia was, pulled out a chair, and sat down.
“Why do you think so?”
“Ian will be recognized as the Crown Prince when he turns two. He will be of use to you and the Duke, so there is no reason to harm him.”
“...”
“On the other hand, the Emperor would find Ian a thorn in his side. He knows that even if Ian dies according to the oath, I will not be able to take any revenge.”
Amelia's words flowed like a stream of water. It was a plausible guess. From Aaron's perspective, he would have guessed that Amelia could only think that much.
"Yes."
Aaron smiled sweetly. Amelia flinched for a moment. There was always a reason for his beautiful smile. It was usually when he was laughing or mocking. In front of Amelia, who had no need to hide his true feelings, he did so without exception.
“It all sounds plausible, but I don’t know why I feel so uneasy.”
Amelia felt a subtle tension floating in the air. At that moment, Aaron's soft voice penetrated her ear.
“It’s too plausible, so it’s suspicious.”
The time spent with Aaron left a clear mark. It was a separate issue from whether it was good or bad. Just as Amelia could predict Aaron to some extent, Aaron could also read Amelia's mind to some extent. She had always rolled it over in the palm of his hand.
“There’s no way your thoughts and positions are the same as mine. There’s no way the Emperor would move the way we want.”
Aaron was honest about his doubts, giving him a chance to come clean.
“It was not the Emperor who harmed the child. Even the child recovered quickly, so it did not seem to be a serious threat.”
“...”
“Am I right?”
Aaron asked. Amelia looked at him with a hard face. Her last conversation with Ivan was playing in her head.
"Wait a minute."
As Amelia laid Ian down on the bed, who was still sleeping, breathing heavily, Ivan turned away from them as he always did. Amelia, who remembered a story she had forgotten, quickly grabbed Ivan.
"Say it."
Ivan continued speaking with an indifferent expression. His face was somewhat arrogant and cocky, as if he was finally going to get to the point.
“Please create an incident where Ian’s life is threatened.”
“What does that mean?”
“We need a trigger to make Aaron move.”
First of all, Aaron had to come to the palace to provoke him. Even though he knew that Ivan had already sent a proposal to Count Clark, he had not moved. It seemed like he was just observing the situation.
“Because you must think that I am truly blinded by my anger towards you.”
“I thought you wouldn’t bring up the subject of a child’s life, even as a joke.”
Ivan opened his mouth late. His response was delayed because he didn't think Amelia would put Ian's life on the line.
“I’m not really trying to put the child’s life at risk. I’m just trying to make enough noise to keep outsiders from approaching...”
"Yes."
Ivan's permission was also granted.
So Amelia thought this method was not wrong. She was trying to build a relationship where she attacked Ivan out of personal revenge, and Ivan would retaliate. To jump into a completely twisted, obviously muddy fight.
But Aaron already knew that it wasn't Ivan's doing. He guessed that it was Amelia's doing. When she reached the dead end, her head started spinning.
“...”
If they had waited just a little longer, they might have figured out that Ivan and Amelia were making some kind of deal.
Amelia quietly clasped her hands together on her thighs, lifting her chin slightly, hoping her hands wouldn't shake.
There should be no suspicion now. If so.
"That's right."
Wouldn't it be right to act like a woman who has gone completely crazy? To the point of risking the life of her child, whom she holds most dear in the world?
“I did.”
“You yourself?”
"Yes."
When Amelia admitted it meekly, Aaron remained silent for a moment. He tilted his head slightly to the side and stared intently, as if he was trying to read what Amelia was thinking.
“Even if I wanted to kill him right now, you had to agree and help me.”
Amelia opened her mouth first and told the truth. Perhaps because it wasn't a lie, she didn't feel uncomfortable looking Aaron in the eye and talking.
“Didn’t you hear from Louis?”
“...”
“That I liked him.”
Even as he looked closely at Amelia's face, Aaron's face, which had been smiling out of habit, became completely expressionless.
“...”
Amelia watched the scene and raised the corners of her mouth.
"He told me he was going to marry another woman.”
She wanted to look monstrous, with a longing for what she couldn't have.
“He wants to make my child his successor and live happily with another woman as his wife. How can I not be offended?”
“...”
“If that place can’t be mine, then it’s only right that no one else can have it.”
Amelia spoke at a rapid pace, as if she was so caught up in the torrent of intense emotion that she didn't even know what she was saying.
“If I can’t have a man, then no one else can. Forever.”
Amelia stopped talking after saying that. Aaron's eyes, looking straight at her, were sparkling with a cold spark. At that moment, Amelia noticed something that he had been cleverly hiding deep in his heart.
“...”
It was truly a moment of enlightenment. It was a truth that came to her in a flash, like a sudden blow to the head.
You think the same as me.
“You know better than anyone else.”
You like me.
Aaron Skipper's dirty feelings for Amelia Escliffe. A shadow of his dirty feelings that she had never noticed because he had never loved anyone.
“Isn’t that so?”
How dare you touch me?
Amelia asked mockingly. A crack appeared on Aaron's mask with a crack.
“You hurt my body to ruin me, and you dragged me down to despair to make me submit to you.”
As I watched that, I couldn't help but laugh. It was disgusting to think that he had dared to hold that thing in his heart and call it affection.
“Why? Does everything I say sound like a lie?”
Amelia asked. Aaron didn't answer. Maybe it was because he couldn't gauge Amelia's feelings, but it also seemed like he didn't want to know.
“Shall I tell you how sincere I am?”
Amelia stood up from her seat. Meanwhile, Aaron's eyes followed her out of habit.
“...”
Amelia quickly approached Aaron's seat and straddled his thigh. A look of embarrassment crossed Aaron's face, which rarely showed emotional agitation.
“I don’t need to explain how much I hate and despise you.”
“...”
“I am sincere enough to endure it even if you hold me like this.”
Amelia grabbed Aaron's hand and placed it on her ample chest. Aaron squeezed his hand like a child holding a toy. Under his large palm, the flesh in the large curves squished like clay.
Her heart was pounding like crazy. But Amelia didn’t stop there. She grabbed Aaron’s other hand and held it behind her back. Unlike the dresses she often wore in the temple, the dresses worn by noble ladies had buttons at the back so that they could only be worn by someone who served them.
“...”
Then Aaron's hand, which had been resting on her chest, grabbed her slender waist. His other hand touched the top button on the back of Amelia's dress. Amelia sat silently and accepted the touch. Then, without hesitation, his hand began to unbutton Amelia's dress one by one.
The loose clothes naturally began to open and slowly fall down her shoulders. Amelia tried to keep her body strong so that she wouldn’t scream or run away from Aaron. Aaron’s eyes were fixed on Amelia, who was trembling with her back straight.
Finally, just as the fabric on her chest was about to fall down, Aaron stopped moving.
“If you thought I was going to turn down the luck that came to me in one piece, I’d be pathetic.”
Aaron got up from his seat, holding Amelia in his arms, and strode out of the living room. His steps were heading towards Amelia's bed.
“...!”
The moment she realized that, two bodies fell onto the bed.
“I heard you called.”
Aaron entered the palace the next day. He knew that Amelia was looking for him urgently, but he insisted on staying another day before entering the palace.
“Ian almost died.”
Amelia didn't beat around the bush. And she knew Aaron wouldn't find it suspicious. Amelia was someone who couldn't stand being in the same room as Aaron in the first place. Trying to shorten that time as much as possible wouldn't have been new to him either.
“I heard.”
Aaron's response was light. It's hard to detect any remorse in his words, even though the kid almost died. It's an unfair assessment, but Aaron is an asshole.
“It’s the Emperor’s doing.”
Amelia spoke again. Aaron didn't even say a word in response, but walked over to the table where Amelia was, pulled out a chair, and sat down.
“Why do you think so?”
“Ian will be recognized as the Crown Prince when he turns two. He will be of use to you and the Duke, so there is no reason to harm him.”
“...”
“On the other hand, the Emperor would find Ian a thorn in his side. He knows that even if Ian dies according to the oath, I will not be able to take any revenge.”
Amelia's words flowed like a stream of water. It was a plausible guess. From Aaron's perspective, he would have guessed that Amelia could only think that much.
"Yes."
Aaron smiled sweetly. Amelia flinched for a moment. There was always a reason for his beautiful smile. It was usually when he was laughing or mocking. In front of Amelia, who had no need to hide his true feelings, he did so without exception.
“It all sounds plausible, but I don’t know why I feel so uneasy.”
Amelia felt a subtle tension floating in the air. At that moment, Aaron's soft voice penetrated her ear.
“It’s too plausible, so it’s suspicious.”
The time spent with Aaron left a clear mark. It was a separate issue from whether it was good or bad. Just as Amelia could predict Aaron to some extent, Aaron could also read Amelia's mind to some extent. She had always rolled it over in the palm of his hand.
“There’s no way your thoughts and positions are the same as mine. There’s no way the Emperor would move the way we want.”
Aaron was honest about his doubts, giving him a chance to come clean.
“It was not the Emperor who harmed the child. Even the child recovered quickly, so it did not seem to be a serious threat.”
“...”
“Am I right?”
Aaron asked. Amelia looked at him with a hard face. Her last conversation with Ivan was playing in her head.
"Wait a minute."
As Amelia laid Ian down on the bed, who was still sleeping, breathing heavily, Ivan turned away from them as he always did. Amelia, who remembered a story she had forgotten, quickly grabbed Ivan.
"Say it."
Ivan continued speaking with an indifferent expression. His face was somewhat arrogant and cocky, as if he was finally going to get to the point.
“Please create an incident where Ian’s life is threatened.”
“What does that mean?”
“We need a trigger to make Aaron move.”
First of all, Aaron had to come to the palace to provoke him. Even though he knew that Ivan had already sent a proposal to Count Clark, he had not moved. It seemed like he was just observing the situation.
“Because you must think that I am truly blinded by my anger towards you.”
“I thought you wouldn’t bring up the subject of a child’s life, even as a joke.”
Ivan opened his mouth late. His response was delayed because he didn't think Amelia would put Ian's life on the line.
“I’m not really trying to put the child’s life at risk. I’m just trying to make enough noise to keep outsiders from approaching...”
"Yes."
Ivan's permission was also granted.
So Amelia thought this method was not wrong. She was trying to build a relationship where she attacked Ivan out of personal revenge, and Ivan would retaliate. To jump into a completely twisted, obviously muddy fight.
But Aaron already knew that it wasn't Ivan's doing. He guessed that it was Amelia's doing. When she reached the dead end, her head started spinning.
“...”
If they had waited just a little longer, they might have figured out that Ivan and Amelia were making some kind of deal.
Amelia quietly clasped her hands together on her thighs, lifting her chin slightly, hoping her hands wouldn't shake.
There should be no suspicion now. If so.
"That's right."
Wouldn't it be right to act like a woman who has gone completely crazy? To the point of risking the life of her child, whom she holds most dear in the world?
“I did.”
“You yourself?”
"Yes."
When Amelia admitted it meekly, Aaron remained silent for a moment. He tilted his head slightly to the side and stared intently, as if he was trying to read what Amelia was thinking.
“Even if I wanted to kill him right now, you had to agree and help me.”
Amelia opened her mouth first and told the truth. Perhaps because it wasn't a lie, she didn't feel uncomfortable looking Aaron in the eye and talking.
“Didn’t you hear from Louis?”
“...”
“That I liked him.”
Even as he looked closely at Amelia's face, Aaron's face, which had been smiling out of habit, became completely expressionless.
“...”
Amelia watched the scene and raised the corners of her mouth.
"He told me he was going to marry another woman.”
She wanted to look monstrous, with a longing for what she couldn't have.
“He wants to make my child his successor and live happily with another woman as his wife. How can I not be offended?”
“...”
“If that place can’t be mine, then it’s only right that no one else can have it.”
Amelia spoke at a rapid pace, as if she was so caught up in the torrent of intense emotion that she didn't even know what she was saying.
“If I can’t have a man, then no one else can. Forever.”
Amelia stopped talking after saying that. Aaron's eyes, looking straight at her, were sparkling with a cold spark. At that moment, Amelia noticed something that he had been cleverly hiding deep in his heart.
“...”
It was truly a moment of enlightenment. It was a truth that came to her in a flash, like a sudden blow to the head.
You think the same as me.
“You know better than anyone else.”
You like me.
Aaron Skipper's dirty feelings for Amelia Escliffe. A shadow of his dirty feelings that she had never noticed because he had never loved anyone.
“Isn’t that so?”
How dare you touch me?
Amelia asked mockingly. A crack appeared on Aaron's mask with a crack.
“You hurt my body to ruin me, and you dragged me down to despair to make me submit to you.”
As I watched that, I couldn't help but laugh. It was disgusting to think that he had dared to hold that thing in his heart and call it affection.
“Why? Does everything I say sound like a lie?”
Amelia asked. Aaron didn't answer. Maybe it was because he couldn't gauge Amelia's feelings, but it also seemed like he didn't want to know.
“Shall I tell you how sincere I am?”
Amelia stood up from her seat. Meanwhile, Aaron's eyes followed her out of habit.
“...”
Amelia quickly approached Aaron's seat and straddled his thigh. A look of embarrassment crossed Aaron's face, which rarely showed emotional agitation.
“I don’t need to explain how much I hate and despise you.”
“...”
“I am sincere enough to endure it even if you hold me like this.”
Amelia grabbed Aaron's hand and placed it on her ample chest. Aaron squeezed his hand like a child holding a toy. Under his large palm, the flesh in the large curves squished like clay.
Her heart was pounding like crazy. But Amelia didn’t stop there. She grabbed Aaron’s other hand and held it behind her back. Unlike the dresses she often wore in the temple, the dresses worn by noble ladies had buttons at the back so that they could only be worn by someone who served them.
“...”
Then Aaron's hand, which had been resting on her chest, grabbed her slender waist. His other hand touched the top button on the back of Amelia's dress. Amelia sat silently and accepted the touch. Then, without hesitation, his hand began to unbutton Amelia's dress one by one.
The loose clothes naturally began to open and slowly fall down her shoulders. Amelia tried to keep her body strong so that she wouldn’t scream or run away from Aaron. Aaron’s eyes were fixed on Amelia, who was trembling with her back straight.
Finally, just as the fabric on her chest was about to fall down, Aaron stopped moving.
“If you thought I was going to turn down the luck that came to me in one piece, I’d be pathetic.”
Aaron got up from his seat, holding Amelia in his arms, and strode out of the living room. His steps were heading towards Amelia's bed.
“...!”
The moment she realized that, two bodies fell onto the bed.
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