16
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However, this was the first time Aileen had given him a watch as a gift.
'Could he have received something similar from someone else?'
That didn't make sense either.
It was bought from a watch shop on Venue Street, where only luxury stores were located, and even though Luca, the owner, had taken special care to find it, it was still a watch that was far too inadequate for Cesare.
Cesare was born a prince, and now as a Grand Duke, he was one of the most noble beings in the empire. He only used items made exclusively for him. Clothes, shoes, furniture, even a pen. All of them were precious items that couldn't be bought with money.
The same went for the pocket watches Cesare owned. Aileen had seen his watches a few times. Each one was inlaid with expensive jewels and delicately displayed the Erzeht Grand Duke's ownership along with the Imperial family crest.
The plain, patternless platinum pocket watch that Aileen had bought was practically something Cesare would never even look at. Except for Aileen, there would be no one who would gift him such a humble watch.
While Aileen was lost in complicated thoughts, Cesare took the pocket watch out of the box. The white pocket watch formed a stark contrast against the black leather gloves.
The watch chain, slipping down beneath the gloves, made a small noise. He looked at the watch on his palm. For a fleeting moment, a precarious light flashed across his eyes.
But the brief flicker disappeared quickly before Aileen could even notice it. Cesare slowly clenched his fist, gripping the watch. He held it tightly as if he would never let go, and then he smiled.
"I like it."
The moment Aileen saw his pleasantly smiling face, her strength completely drained away. As the tension in her heart eased, tears finally burst forth.
"Hic..."
Tears flowed like a faucet had been turned on. She quickly took off her glasses and wiped them with the back of her hand, but it wasn't enough. Aileen sobbed and apologized to Cesare.
"Hic, I'm sorry, Your Grace, I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"Uh, hic, crying."
"Only for that?"
"No, I'm sorry for everything."
Cesare let out a low breath. He took off one of his gloves and put it in his pocket along with the pocket watch. Then, he cupped Aileen's face, brushed her bangs back, and wiped the corners of her eyes with his thumb.
"I can't even get angry when I see you crying."
As he wiped away her tears, he furrowed his brow slightly. Narrowing his eyes, he murmured quietly.
"I was originally going to be even meaner."
Her heart sank. He was indeed angry. And he was even going to be meaner than this. It was such a shocking statement.
Just the fact that he had said he wouldn't see her had made her world crumble... Aileen looked up at Cesare earnestly and asked.
"Why, are you angry, hic, may I ask?"
Cesare didn't answer immediately. He only spoke after Aileen had shed a bucketful of tears.
"They said they would sell you."
Aileen's eyes widened at the sudden statement.
"To sell a child who hasn't even made her social debut yet. To some old foreign pig. They threatened me like that and asked me for money..."
He narrowed his eyes and asked.
"Wasn't it enough to make me angry?"
She was so surprised that she even forgot to cry. She could roughly guess what her father was thinking when he did this.
Her father intended to threaten Cesare with the marriage to extort money, and then give some of that money to the foreign nobleman to call off the marriage.
Her father had always been resentful that despite the Grand Duke cherishing his daughter so much, he received no wealth. After her mother passed away, he openly complained.
His complaints only stopped after Cesare had left for the Kalpen conquest. He occasionally cursed him for going to his death, but as soon as the news of victory arrived, he plotted this.
Looking at Aileen's darkening eyes, he asked.
"Are you going to marry the old pig?"
Aileen shook her head frantically. Cesare wiped her tear-soaked eyelashes and asked again.
"Then what should we do, huh?"
"I don't know..."
How wonderful would it be if she didn't have to do something just because she didn't want to. There weren't many moments in Aileen's life when she had the freedom to choose for herself. This time too, Aileen was in a position to be dragged along by others.
Seeing her unable to answer easily and drooping her eyes downwards, a sweet voice gently shook Aileen.
"Why don't you know, Aileen."
It was the only ray of light in the dark abyss. Cesare's face came closer, and their noses brushed slightly.
"You should marry me."
Aileen's breathing quickened, and her chest rose and fell rapidly. He captured Aileen, who was fluttering like a small bird, in his eyes and asked.
"Do you still hate it?"
She couldn't answer immediately, but Cesare didn't urge her. He already knew the answer.
Aileen parted her lips slightly. She couldn't say she hated it anymore. If she refused here, she would only be sold off miserably.
Feeling as if her whole body was bound by invisible strings, she announced her surrender to him.
"I'll marry you..."
Cesare's long eyes curved into a smile. He smiled faintly and lowered his head. Lips met lips. Aileen gasped and trembled, and a large hand immediately grasped her waist.
He held her tightly at the narrowest part, preventing her from moving, and began a slow kiss. He gently bit her lip and entered through the slightly parted space.
He softly intertwined with her tongue, which only wriggled, unsure of what to do. When he gently rubbed the roof of her mouth, she felt a chilling sensation.
"Uh, unh..."
A small sound leaked from her throat. Then, the grip of the hand holding her waist tightened. Soon, the hand naturally moved towards Aileen's back. The large hand slowly stroked down her spine.
A strange sensation, for an unknown reason, kept pricking at her lower abdomen. It felt painful, yet different from pain. It had been like this when she had kissed him before.
Feeling a strange sensation in the sensitive area between her legs, she tightened her thighs. She raised her awkwardly dangling hand and carefully placed it on Cesare's chest.
It wasn't meant to push him away, but he stopped the kiss. He slowly parted his lips and quietly gazed at Aileen.
Meeting his red eyes, Aileen suddenly thought of poppies. Unlike their glamorous appearance, they were dangerous flowers. However, just as people became addicted to opium despite knowing its harm, those who stayed by Cesare's side also couldn't leave despite knowing his true nature.
Aileen was no different. At the age of eleven, she had first recognized his danger in the Imperial Palace garden. Since then, she had faced fearful moments several times, yet she had pretended not to notice.
As she looked at his eyes, which were like bright red petals, she suddenly realized that he and she were pressed closely against each other with the window frame between them. She belatedly realized that her thighs were hurting from being pressed against the window frame.
Perhaps Cesare also knew that, as he released his grip and let go of Aileen.
"Aileen."
"Yes..."
"Why didn't you eat the cake?"
"I didn't have an appetite."
She wouldn't be able to taste anything even if she ate something now. Aileen dropped her head downwards. She grabbed the hem of his clothes and barely squeezed out a voice.
"I want to see my father."
"It would be better not to meet him."
It was a statement conveying the truth. Since Cesare said that, something bad would surely happen if she found her father. The fact that he knew where her father was but hadn't told her until now showed that.
But she couldn't avoid it forever. She had already fallen deeper than the bottom anyway. Showing an ugly side in front of the person she liked, and even owing him a lot of money.
'How much worse could it be than this?'
Aileen carefully asked Cesare.
"It's okay. Please let me meet him."
Hesitating, she added one more word to persuade him.
"I have to tell him about the marriage too."
Then, Cesare, still looking displeased, granted her permission.
"Then I shall go with you."
"You must be busy, if you just tell me where he is, I can go alone..."
As she was saying that she would go alone so as not to trouble him, Cesare jumped over the window frame. He looked down at Aileen, who had stopped speaking in surprise, and whispered soothingly.
"From now on, you have to go around with your husband, Aileen."
