A Summer With Bitter Rivals - Chapter 35

Chapter 35: Get Married

Emeline, pale and barely able to breathe, trembled with shock, her shoulders shaking. Her hands, trembling with spasms, covered her mouth as she desperately fought the urge to retch.

‘What is happening? What on earth is going on here?’

Her vision blurred, then refocused again and again. Every time an unwanted sound forced its way into her ears, nausea rose, and she felt as if she might throw up.

Emeline’s panicked breathing was drowned out by the noise from outside.

“You have no idea how much I’ve wanted you, even from before!”

“Me too, I’ve always wanted you… Oh, how I’ve longed for you to notice me, even from afar… Ah! You can’t imagine how happy I am.”

Hearing the exchange, Emeline instinctively shifted back.

Zenon was there like a wall behind her, but she moved backward, seeking warmth as if she were fleeing. Her dim vision flickered with flashes of white.

No matter how naive Emeline was regarding relationships between men and women, even she could tell what was happening outside.

Unable to believe it, she shut her eyes tightly.

‘He just visited Mother not long ago… How could he…!’

Her teeth clenched so tightly that her jaw trembled.

Was the man indulging with a strange woman really her father?

The father who had always maintained dignity and strict propriety, who had been her standard for everything?

Unable to accept this awful and surreal situation, Emeline whimpered softly.

As her mind spiraled into chaos, the rattling sounds and gasps grew even more obscene.

Her lips turned pale from being pressed together so hard, her head bowed as if in prayer, her hands clasped.

‘Please, please let it end…’

Her entire body trembled uncontrollably. If this grotesque scene was real, it meant the core of the world Emeline had followed since she was a child had shattered.

Please, let all of this be a dream.

Let all of this be a nightmare…

It was then that the sounds tormenting Emeline faded away.

Gentle warmth surrounded her ear as if shielding it. As Emeline, who had been praying desperately, slowly opened her eyes, the coldness in her ear seemed to melt under the warmth that touched it.

Lost in a daze, Emeline reached up to touch the large hand covering her ear.

“Don’t listen.”

A low, deep voice came next, and hot breath brushed her neck. Emeline’s fingers paused over Zenon’s hand.

With those quiet words, the noise of the world seemed to disappear. Except for one thing—the sound of their hearts pounding felt even louder.

She felt weight on her bowed head.

Zenon rested his head against her black hair, rubbing his cheek against her as if to console her, his hands occupied with covering her ears.

The damp warmth of his breath made Emeline shiver.

As Emeline felt Zenon’s movement and the heat of his touch, her heart’s rhythm began to change.

“Ahh…!”

Just as her mind was beginning to settle, a scream pierced through the warmth.

Emeline gasped and swallowed hard, her blue eyes wide with fear.

At that moment, a gentle voice whisper again.

“Breathe, slowly.”

“……”

“It’s okay.”

Zenon pressed himself closer against Emeline. They could feel each other’s warmth through the thin fabric of their clothes.

Zenon continued to whisper, as if he wanted to shield her completely from the horrible sounds.

“Don’t worry about it. You don’t need to hear it.”

Soon it’ll be over. Everything will be fine.

He murmured those words as he rubbed his cheek against Emeline’s hair, then traced her skin with his nose, slowly moving downward.

His breath traveled down from her hair, past her ear, and settled at her nape, causing Emeline to flinch.

All her senses converged on that spot. The heat left her dazed, making it impossible to focus on the noises outside.

As if taking advantage of her vulnerability, Zenon pressed his lips to the space between her neck and shoulder.

“Huh, wait…”

Her instinctive response slipped out, and she quickly covered her mouth.

Luckily, her voice seemed to have been drowned out by the sounds from outside.

In the meantime, Zenon’s lips continued down her neck, leaving frequent kisses along the way. When she occasionally felt his teeth graze her, Emeline gripped his hand tightly, horrified.

In response, Zenon would apologize by gently kissing her flushed skin, then licking it, making her shoulder involuntarily hunch up.

She couldn’t believe he was doing this in such a situation. Emeline wanted to tell him to stop his strange actions, but the words wouldn’t come out.

The moist heat lingered behind her neck, her heart pounding as if it might drop.

It was only after an indeterminate amount of time that Zenon left a final, short kiss and pulled away.

Emeline, dizzy from the heat, came to her senses when she felt his hand pull away from her ear.

Blushing from her neck to the tips of her ears, Emeline turned sharply to glare at him.

In the darkness, Emeline’s fierce eyes met Zenon’s green gaze.

Unperturbed by her glare, Zenon gave a calm smile and reached out. His warm hand encircled Emeline’s shoulder, pulling her close.

Drained from the tension, she allowed herself to be pulled without resistance. Zenon embraced Emeline tightly as she entered his arms.

“It’s over now. It’s okay.”

“……”

It was only after hearing his soft words that Emeline realized the outside had gone quiet.

For a while, she had been too distracted to notice anything, and now the reality of what she had witnessed struck her like a bolt of lightning.

Emeline, looking at Zenon with despair in her eyes, bit her lip and bowed her head.

The shock of discovering her father’s affair.

The horror of having witnessed it firsthand.

The shame of Zenon realizing this terrible family scandal.

As the reality she had tried to forget came crashing down on her, Emeline’s vision seemed to darken.

‘I hate this…’

Tears welled up. Zenon, feeling her frail body trembling, hugged her even more tightly.

Emeline, her forehead resting against his shoulder, squeezed her eyes shut. She could hear the steady thumping of his heart through his comforting warmth.

As if it were a lifeline, Emeline leaned further into Zenon.

Even knowing that her father and his mistress had left, she couldn’t bring herself to move. Emeline clung to Zenon in silence for a long time.

The shock that had pierced her whole body was so vivid that she clung to the cozy moment, trying to convince herself that it was nothing more than a dream.

***

The evening breeze blew softly through the open window. The gentle scent of roses that covered Elvarto wafted into her room along with the wind.

Emeline stared at the twilight outside the window where Zenon had disappeared a while ago, until a knock broke her reverie.

“Miss, the master has requested you join him for dinner.”

“…Alright.”

Emeline, seated in a chair by the window, stood up. She had expected that she would be dining with her father, who had returned after a long absence.

Her steps were heavy as she followed the servant, but Emeline did her best to appear composed when she arrived at the dining room.

“You’re here, Emeline.”

“…Yes, Father. Have you been well?”

Emeline forced herself to smile, her lips stiff. Rage was boiling inside her, but she couldn’t bring herself to bring up what she had witnessed earlier. Her heavy heart made it hard to speak.

The meal proceeded in silence. Emeline barely picked at her food.

With the man who had shocked her sitting in front of her, the lewd sounds she had heard earlier seemed to play in her mind on repeat.

Who had the woman been?

How could he do such a thing while her mother was bedridden?

Emeline clenched her eyes shut as she placed a small piece of steak into her mouth.

“Emeline.”

“…Yes?”

Emeline’s heart sank at her father’s call. She feared he might have sensed the scenes playing out in her head. Even though she was not the one at fault, she felt guilty.

“Antony will be coming home soon for his break.”

“Oh, Brother is coming… That’s good news.”

Since it wasn’t anything more serious, Emeline felt a wave of relief.

Antony was her father’s proud son, studying at the very university Emeline so longed to attend.

She wasn’t particularly interested in hearing news about her oh-so-great brother. She sighed inwardly and resumed eating when her father’s next words made her freeze.

“By the way, I think it’s time for you to marry.”

Emeline’s hand, which had been about to move her fork, stiffened.

Realizing her reaction must have seemed unnatural, she forced a smile.

“Yes, I suppose so.”

“I’ve already found a suitable match for you.”

Bernard set his wine glass down after taking a sip. The heavy thud seemed to press down on Emeline.

“You will marry the eldest son of the Marquis of Hanover.”