Chapter 59
Vanessa raised her eyes, her gaze wavering with suspicion. Beneath the low-brimmed naval cap, the face looking down at her was achingly familiar. Those piercing blue eyes that seemed to hold the light, the deep set of his features, and even those teasing lips curved into a wry smile.
“It appears the lady is in some distress.”
Vanessa exhaled the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. A wave of relief washed over her. Could there be anything more joyful than encountering a familiar face when stranded in a confusing situation in an unfamiliar place?
“River Ross.”
She reached out to him, her expression bordering on tears. Her mind was half-numb, and she clung to him like a shipwreck survivor grasping at a vessel encountered in the eye of a storm.
River Ross gracefully accepted her desperate plea for rescue. The only thing that differed from the usual courtesy a gentleman showed a lady was the impudent way he stripped the lace glove from her small hand.
Holding her bared hand, he slowly pressed his lips to the back of it. Even as he bowed, his gaze remained fixed steadily on her eyes.
“…”
The warmth of the man’s skin against hers felt hotter than usual. Vanessa suppressed her shallow, trembling breaths. Dressed in his naval uniform, River Ross looked even more dashing than usual. Her pulse was racing far too fast, and it grated on her nerves. She feared that if anyone were listening, it would sound like a thunderous din.
Perhaps it wasn’t that he was hot, but that her own body was cold. She felt a chill after being exposed to the river breeze for so long. Even in the height of summer, the wind blowing over the water was as cool as early autumn.
“How… did you get here?”
Vanessa finally regained her composure and managed to speak in a calm voice. She was incredibly relieved and happy to see River Ross here, but now was not the time to be honest about such feelings.
People’s gazes were still drifting toward them, pretending not to notice. Vanessa glanced at the crowd with uneasy eyes. A young naval officer and a young lady—it was exactly the kind of topic idle gossips would love.
“I was invited. Just like the other officers.”
Fortunately, River Ross stood with his back to the crowd to look at her, and the light only faintly reached the edge of the upper deck. It would be difficult to discern his features clearly thanks to the shadow of his cap, but the fact that a passenger list existed meant that drawing attention was a disadvantage.
They had to move before someone recognized one of them. Vanessa gripped his sleeve tightly.
“First… let’s go somewhere without people.”
“Right now? I like that you’re being so proactive for once, but…”
“This is no time for jokes, River. People are constantly… looking this way.”
“I know. Does it matter?”
“It matters to me.”
A large hand cupped Vanessa’s face as she answered firmly, tilting her head up. His thumb slowly brushed over her lips, which were neatly done with makeup. It was as if he found the color of her lipstick more bothersome than the murmurs of the crowd.
Her darkly shadowed eyes met his innocent, upward gaze in the air. The pressure of his fingertips, which she thought would let go, grew slightly firmer. It was the moment her parted lips were rubbed, becoming damp with saliva. Through the taut tension, he pulled one corner of his mouth into a crooked smile.
“That’s why I’m doing exactly as you wish. I’m not doing anything.”
The smile hanging on his lips like a crescent moon was mischievous. Well, to say he was doing nothing—his very gaze was insolent. At her silent reproach, he obediently pulled his hand away from her lips. Vanessa stared at him with sharp, narrowed eyes.
“You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”
“Did what?”
“People… everyone is looking now.”
“Good. Isn’t that exactly what you wanted?”
“…”
“Take my arm.”
His manner as he offered his arm was perfectly gentlemanly, as if he had never been so impudent. Vanessa straightened her posture and lightly placed her hand on River Ross’s forearm.
Perhaps it was because her nerves were so frayed, but she could almost feel the weight of the gazes gathering behind her back.
They were gazes that judged, measured, and tore her apart piece by piece. She smiled nonchalantly as if she felt nothing, but her mind was a terrifying mess.
So many people had seen her disappear toward the cabins with a naval officer. A naval officer. By tomorrow morning, it was a word that would follow her name like some bizarre medal. Perhaps Logan Dawson would be recorded before it as the first victim and another trophy.
If there was no turning back anyway, it was better to be brazen. At least she could achieve her initial goal of becoming entangled in scandals with numerous men. Vanessa kept her back and waist straight, walking with as much grace and dignity as possible. She didn’t even realize the man beside her was looking at her with surprise.
“Thank you for coming out with me.”
As soon as they entered a deserted hallway, Vanessa let out a sigh of relief and offered her thanks. River Ross let out a chuckle.
“Were you that desperate?”
“I was so flustered for a moment because everyone was staring…. Anyway, it’s good to see you here.”
“For someone who’s glad to see me, you still look like you’re in a foul mood.”
“What?”
“You look a bit different than usual, too.”
“If I do, it’s probably because of a personal matter. Something a bit troublesome has come up.”
River Ross was leading her in the opposite direction of the hallway lined with suites. Aside from the very occasional sailor, there wasn’t even a shadow of a person in the corridor. It seemed everyone had emptied their cabins to watch the fireworks and the ball.
“A troublesome matter?”
Vanessa bit her lip, agonizing over it. Should she be honest with River Ross about what she had discovered? Or should she hide it as long as she could?
‘I don’t know.’
Sometimes, all of this just felt overwhelming. Vanessa decided to be true to the emotion of the moment.
“It seems my uncle has been deceiving me for a long time.”
“That’s a rather interesting secret.”
Despite the fact that she had barely managed to speak after serious deliberation, River Ross remained calm. In fact, that arrogant look in his eyes, as if asking if she had only just realized it… Even though she knew he had done nothing wrong, it was irritating. And the problem was that she liked him as much as he irritated her.
“Is that why you called me out? To tell me that?”
“…If we’re being technical, I called you to tell you that, too. But I have another reason.”
“Let’s hear it.”
“In the future, let’s not act like we know each other in front of others. At least until we get off this ship.”
“Ah, because you plan to spread rumors with other men?”
“Of course…. That was our contract from the start. I told you I would make sure River Ross’s name was never mentioned.”
“Until this summer is over?”
“Of course, I have to keep it after that, too. It was a bit dangerous earlier, but since almost no one saw your face, it should be fine.”
Vanessa murmured without conviction. Suddenly stopping in his tracks, River Ross took a step toward her with a quite serious expression. As she backed away in surprise, her back immediately hit the solid wall.
Though foot traffic was sparse, this was still a hallway where people passed by. Just as she looked up at him imploringly, begging him to go somewhere out of sight, the door she was leaning against swung inward. And in the next moment, they were inside a dark room.
“You asked me to treat you like a lover.”
While she was momentarily dazed, the door closed behind her. River Ross reached out and braced his hand beside her face. He trapped her completely between the wall and his sturdy frame. Tilting his head, he brought his lips close to her ear.
“And yet you’re going to meet other men while you have a lover?”
“…When you put it like that, I… feel like trash.”
“Are you not?”
“It’s all to keep the contract I made with you.”
“I didn’t know you valued contracts so much.”
“I’ve always been faithful to the terms of our agreement.”
“Then take it off, Vanessa.”
“Take what…?”
“What else would faithful lovers do in a dark room?”
The ribbon of her hat, which had been barely clinging to her chin, came undone and fell to the floor. Along with it, the will that had been tucked inside. River Ross stepped on the papers scattered on the floor, as if he weren’t even curious about what they were.
Vanessa, who had briefly looked down at them, raised her head and stared straight at River Ross.
“Are you… suspecting me of disappearing with Logan Dawson just now?”
“Of course not.”
“Then what?”
“This is just a minor excuse. If not, should I take mine off?”
“…”
“You like it, don’t you? My naked body.”
His voice was teasing. It was a temptation made with the full knowledge that she wouldn’t be able to refuse him.
