A Summer With Bitter Rivals - Chapter 76

Chapter 76: Countless Contradictions

“…What?”

The only response that came out was a pathetic, trembling question at his words.

Zenon’s gaze meticulously swept over her face again. It felt as if he were tracing her features with his hands, making Emeline shudder.

Especially because his eyes lingered intently on her lips before slowly moving upward.

When she belatedly tried to push him away, Zenon wrapped his arms around her instead.

With the sudden decrease in distance, Emeline momentarily felt dizzy.

“Suddenly meddling in my business. I find you more suspicious than my fiancée.”

“What are you talking about? Why would I…?”

The moment Emeline began to speak, Zenon’s expression darkened further. He let out a dry chuckle before twisting his lips into a crooked smirk.

“You deliberately asked me to take out that book… Wasn’t that your intention? Showing interest in me all of a sudden. Did you start missing me?”

His low voice carried an air of mockery. The humiliation in his words made Emeline’s face burn with anger.

Seeing the way her trembling eyes twisted in fury, Zenon’s smirk deepened, becoming even more distorted.

But the more his expression turned sharp and bitter, the more Emeline felt as if she were peering into his wrecked inner self. Strangely enough.

Forcing herself to suppress her trembling, she finally spoke.

“Don’t say such things so carelessly.”

“Oh? And what about you?”

“…What?”

“Aren’t you the one carelessly misunderstanding things between me and my fiancée?”

Despite the pointed remark, his expression didn’t show anger, disbelief, or even indignation.

“Emeline Delzeier, whatever it is you think you saw…”

Zenon suddenly faltered, as if his throat had tightened.

He briefly furrowed his brows before quickly smoothing his expression. Then, lowering his voice even further, he continued, looking as though this situation was unbearable for him.

“…I don’t know what you think you saw, but don’t jump to conclusions. I get along just fine with my fiancée, just as you are living your life so well.”

He spoke each word deliberately, as if he were forcing them out.

Then, with a grimace, he added, “If you really wanted to meddle, you should’ve at least taken care of your own fiancé first. Or… could it be you only came to me because you wanted my body?”

“…Zenon Trancium.”

At that moment, he let out a twisted, almost mirthless chuckle. Given the context, it was clearly meant as mockery, but strangely, it felt like he was mocking himself rather than her.

“If that’s the case, you should’ve just said so from the start. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”

His furrowed eyebrows trembled slightly. He looked as though he were suppressing something—something so wretched it couldn’t be put into words.

Why are you making that face?

Emeline watched him, her lips slightly parted in hesitation.

Then, Zenon took a step closer and tilted his head.

A distance close enough that a kiss wouldn’t have been out of place.

“Tell me what you want me to do. A kiss? Something more? Then you choose the place. Should we do it right here?”

Understanding the full meaning of his words, Emeline stiffened. Her eyes filled with shock.

In the meantime, Zenon’s hand reached up and gently caressed the scar on her cheek.

Her heart pounded wildly. She had sought him out to uncover the truth, but the deeper she delved, the more lost she became.

His degrading words did nothing to dispel her suspicions; instead, they only made everything seem more contradictory.

The more they spoke, the more everything did.

If he could say such humiliating things so easily, then why did his gaze—so unsteady and dark—keep searching her face with such unease?

If he truly got along so well with his fiancée, then why did he seem anything but fine? Why did his expression twist with frustration instead?

And in this moment—why was he touching her wounded cheek with such an unbearably gentle hand?

The question Zenon had thrown at her was not one he should have asked.

It was one she should have asked him instead.

Do you still like me?

…Do you love me?

Emeline swallowed the words she couldn’t bring herself to voice. Even though she had noticed all the contradictions, she was too afraid to ask.

Afraid she would only be met with the truth that she was still the foolish one.

Afraid that she would learn she had never truly escaped from him—that she had been trapped in his grasp all along.

Finally, gritting her teeth, Emeline shoved Zenon away. Unlike the way he had spoken so crudely and provocatively, he let her go without resistance.

But his eyes remained dark and ominous.

Emeline hesitated for a moment before forcing herself to speak.

“I’m leaving. As for everything you said today… I’ll pretend I didn’t hear it.”

She considered thanking him for retrieving the book for her, but in the end, she simply turned away.

No matter what suspicions she held about him, it didn’t change the fact that he had humiliated her. Ignoring his words was already a generous gesture—thanking him on top of that would make her a fool.

Even if she felt contradictions in his actions, if it all turned out to be her misunderstanding, then she would have been nothing more than an amusing spectacle for Zenon.

She had no intention of making herself look like a fool in front of him.

She refused to be weak in front of him ever again.

Zenon Trancium did not stop her this time either.

Feeling a cold emptiness settle in her chest, Emeline left the bookstore.

***

Emeline flipped through the book Zenon had taken down for her and placed on a high shelf, but in the end, she shoved it back into the bookcase.

Just as Zenon had said, the content was excessively explicit.

Though the title didn’t suggest it, the book was a novel exploring erotic love, written based on the author’s own experiences, making it far too graphic for Emeline’s taste.

She had tried again today to read it, but the result was the same.

Her face flushed red as she snapped the book shut.

‘…Did he really read all of this? He seemed to know what it was about.’

As Emeline hesitated before pushing the book back onto the shelf, her hand suddenly stopped.

“Could it be you only came to me because you wanted my body? You should’ve just said so from the start. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”

“Tell me what you want me to do. A kiss? Something more?”

…There was no other way to put it—he was completely insane.

Remembering his words, especially after reading the book just now, made her feel deeply unsettled.

Her anger flared as she recalled his ridiculous remarks. She glared at the neatly arranged books before storming back to the sofa.

To calm herself, she played with the cat that had come seeking her attention.

Just then, a maid entered her room.

“Miss, the master has returned.”

“…Oh, really? Alright, I’ll come down now.”

Hearing that her father had come home, Emeline reluctantly rose from her seat.

Lately, Duke Delzeier had been incredibly busy preparing for an exhibition in the newly constructed building.

That was only natural. Gathering and transporting all the artworks scattered across their numerous estates was no simple task. The number and variety of pieces were immense.

Moreover, wanting to create a space distinct from other exhibition halls, he had gone to great lengths to suspend massive angel statues from the ceiling.

Hurrying down to the first floor to greet him, she soon saw him stepping into the foyer.

“Father, you’re back.”

“Oh, Emeline. It’s been a while. Have you been getting along well with Antony?”

“Of course. I missed you, Father.”

Emeline stepped forward and embraced her father.

There was no room for hesitation. A perfect bride-to-be was expected to warmly welcome her returning family members or husband. No matter how repulsive it was, she had to endure it.

Bernard Delzeier smiled, seemingly pleased by her greeting.

Judging by his expression, things must have gone well.

Though she had already guessed as much, Emeline asked anyway.

“Is the exhibition preparation going smoothly? I’ve been looking forward to seeing it.”

“Of course, everything is going perfectly. You’ll be amazed when you see it. Thanks to the designer’s meticulous attention to detail, the exhibit’s layout is extraordinary.”

“Ah, you mean Kuhn Beller? His reputation as a world-class designer must be well-earned. You must be proud, Father. To think that the grandest and most magnificent building in the capital belongs to the Delzeier family… it’s truly remarkable.”

As Emeline continued to shower him with praise, Bernard burst into hearty laughter.

Had his plans not gone well, this kind of conversation would have only irritated him. But since things had turned out successfully, her words served as pleasant flattery.

Who wouldn’t enjoy a conversation filled with admiration, congratulations, and commendation after a major accomplishment?

“So when do you plan to hold the exhibition? I should start preparing the invitations.”

“You can start sending them out today. The building will open in four days.”

“Oh my, that’s quite soon. I’ll be attending with Mathis.”

“Good. Make sure the important guests come on the first day. After that, I won’t have time to oversee things myself.”

Emeline nodded with a polite smile.

At that moment, an excellent idea struck her.

Bernard Delzeier was a man constantly occupied with his affairs. He would focus all his attention on the exhibition during its opening phase.

In reality, the place was practically a museum. Each piece was labeled with its date of acquisition and description, and the building was equipped with various facilities for visitors.

A museum showcasing the proud collection of artworks Bernard Delzeier had amassed over his lifetime.

After finishing her duty of welcoming her father, Emeline returned to her room and immediately began preparing invitations.

There was a list of priority guests to whom invitations had to be sent, but she set that aside for now.

Instead, she carefully wrote down the names of the ones she was most eager to invite first.

[Lady Labore Fendine and Lord Zenon Trancium,

…Please attend our exhibition together.]