Odalisque - Chapter 54

I thought he’d want me.

Liv wasn’t sure if what he wanted was this, but she had at least believed he wouldn’t turn her down disgracefully. It was a strange, baseless certainty.

That confidence fueled Liv’s normally hidden sexual interest in him. A raw desire to try it just once. And as she had anticipated, he took her.

It was a much more intense experience than she had expected.

Standing under the steady flow of water in the bathroom, Liv looked down at her body for a moment. Her once pale and clean skin was now covered with reddish marks. The large handprints left by the man’s grasp, the bruises from his biting, and the light scratches from her clothes scraping against her skin.

And that wasn’t all—her lower back felt sore, to the point where it was a wonder she could even stand.

The slightest brush of her fingertips across her skin sent a sharp pain coursing through her. The sensation vividly brought back what had just happened.

It had been a provocative, ecstatic moment—something she had never experienced before in her life. She was undoubtedly… sexually aroused.

What she hadn’t expected, however, was how empty and hollow she would feel afterward.

Unlike herself, who had nearly lost consciousness several times, the Marquis had remained composed up to the moment he climaxed. Even though he had become soiled with bodily fluids, he never shed his clothing, which only served to demonstrate his composure. Of course, he clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction, as though displeased with his crumpled and stained clothes.

After confirming his disheveled appearance, he had gotten up from the bed, looking ready to leave the room immediately. But, for whatever reason, he didn’t leave right away and instead lit a cigar.

Until then, Liv had remained lying on the bed, panting heavily.

“I’ve instructed that the nude painting work be halted for now.”

The Marquis, who was sitting at the table blowing out a plume of smoke, was the first to speak. Liv, too exhausted to move, forced herself to sit up since she couldn’t lie down while having a conversation.

“I heard about it.”

“That painter has been pestering me to sponsor him, claiming he’s developed some novel art technique. When I refused, he said he fell ill.”

As expected, the Marquis didn’t believe Brad’s excuse about being ill at all. His indifferent tone carried a hint of ridicule as proof.

Liv’s face flushed with embarrassment, and she quietly lowered her gaze.

“Brad… can be a bit impulsive, but I’m sure he didn’t mean any harm. He’s not an evil person who deceives others or commits wicked deeds; he’s just a bit thoughtless. I think he’s desperate lately and has been asking for too much.”

He’s just a little naive and impulsive, not a bad person. Liv thought of Brad’s wife, who had turned away, sniffling not long ago, and her expression turned somber.

It was unsettling that he’d gone all the way to the capital, but if he pulled himself together even now, he could avoid a major catastrophe. Most importantly, the painting wasn’t finished yet, so it was probably best to defend Brad a little in front of the Marquis.

“What’s your relationship with him?”

Liv, who had tried to speak up for Brad, looked up in surprise. The Marquis, standing crookedly, was staring at her intently.

“Of course, he’s just a painter, and I’m his model.”

“You seem quite eager to defend him for someone who’s merely a model. Is there something more between you two?”

The ambiguous question had a clear implication. Anger rose, and Liv’s cheeks turned red.

Did he think her current disheveled appearance proved she was promiscuous in her daily life?

Besides, Brad was married! Even if he were single, she would never have engaged in such conduct, but Liv wasn’t so immoral as to fool around with a married man. The Marquis’s casual and disrespectful question felt outright insulting.

“When I settled in Buerno, Brad saved me from being scammed. He also readily offered me a side job when I was struggling.”

It might not have seemed like much to the Marquis, but for Liv, it had been an incident that made her heart race.

“Is that all?”

“I am simply grateful for his help. You may think I’m frivolous, but I’ve never experienced anything like today before.”

At Liv’s firm statement, the Marquis fell silent for a moment. Just as Liv felt the smoke from his cigar thickening around him, he muttered with a faint smile.

“That’s good to hear.”

Liv’s eyes wavered. Whether he noticed her unease or not, Dimus spoke as if it were of no great consequence, brushing the ash from his cigar into the ashtray.

“The painter’s behavior seems dubious; it would be wise to keep your distance for your own safety.”

It seemed the Marquis was aware that Brad had been mingling with some suspicious people lately. Liv’s expression darkened slightly at his rather kind warning.

“As I mentioned, he—”

“If you end up in trouble while trying to help someone like that, what would happen to your poor sister?”

At that moment, Liv forgot she was speaking with the Marquis and immediately shot back coldly.

“What does Corida have to do with this?”

“Oh, it seems you don’t know who that painter has gotten involved with.”

The Marquis’s gaze, feigning pity, made Liv’s heart sink.

She had thought it was a bit suspicious, but that was all. She had neither the means nor the intention to look into it. But if the Marquis spoke of it so definitively, it meant Brad was undoubtedly involved with some shady characters.

If that were the case, then she couldn’t just stand by as she had been doing—she had to warn him immediately.

…But what if she ended up in danger as a result?

“If something were to happen to you, is there any other place you could leave your sister?”

“…No, there isn’t.”

When the Marquis mentioned Corida once more, the resolve to warn Brad disappeared completely.

The Marquis was right. What if she meddled unnecessarily and ended up entangled in the situation? She had no idea who Brad was involved with or how, but debts usually led to messy affairs.

Besides, even though she had already warned him, Brad hadn’t heeded her words. Saying something now wasn’t likely to make him change his mind.

She couldn’t risk herself for a mere acquaintance. If anything were to happen to Liv, there would be no way for the unhealthy Corida to survive. She had only just regained hope of recovering her health…

“You should think carefully about your choices from now on. Being the painter’s model might put you in unnecessary danger.”

The Marquis spoke indifferently as he placed his cigar in the ashtray. This time, it seemed he really intended to leave the room.

Perhaps, if Liv hadn’t asked her question, he would have.

“Would you just stand by if I were in danger?”

The Marquis, who had paused at the door, turned to look at Liv slowly. His eyes held a hint of surprise.

Liv spoke again, addressing the Marquis, who remained silent, “You wouldn’t, would you?”

“Are you sure?”

“You haven’t before.”

Instead of replying, the Marquis turned fully towards her. Rather than leaving the room, he approached Liv. He then gave her a deep, gentle kiss, almost as if offering praise.

Their breathing grew heavy, and Liv found herself pushed back, the strength she had managed to gather vanishing without a trace. Because the Marquis once again…

Knock, knock.

A faint knock at the door brought her back to reality. Liv quickly turned off the water pouring over her head and grabbed the towel that had been prepared for her.

This was the Marquis’s mansion; she couldn’t afford to waste any more time. Standing in the luxurious bathroom she had never used before, she quickly regained her composure.

She dried herself and dressed, though her hair was still wet. With no time to dry it, Liv returned to the room.

The Marquis had already left some time ago. While she was washing up, the maids had come and gone, leaving no trace on the bed. The window had also been opened slightly for ventilation. If not for her reddened body and the pain she still felt in places, it would have all seemed like a dream.

Knock, knock.

The knocking came again. Taking a deep breath of the cool air in the room, Liv approached the door.

Click.

Liv carefully opened the door, her eyes widening.

“Mr. Adolf?”

“Ah, Miss Rodaise. I apologize for the intrusion, but I have something urgent to deliver.”

Seeing Liv’s wet hair, Adolf apologized with a regretful expression.

Liv quickly shook her head. “No, it’s alright. What did you need to give me?”

“Here, take this.”

After checking the empty hallway, Adolf pulled something from his pocket and handed it to Liv.

“There should be water prepared in your room. If you take this now, it will be effective.”

“What is this?”

“It’s a contraceptive pill.”