Portrait of An Arrogant Master - Chapter 104
Even if a man is presented with even the most fragrant flowers, he is likely to be drawn to a new woman instead.
Should he really just sit around here and then go seek out the Duke? It felt like he had miscalculated who to threaten.
But to threaten the Duke? Even thinking about it seemed absurd. If he awkwardly approached and brought up Macy, he wouldn’t stand a chance.
Moreover, there was no solid evidence that the Duke truly had feelings for Macy. Even if he did, those feelings likely weren’t very deep; it was probably just a fleeting desire.
Yes, it might be better to wait until their relationship progressed before threatening Macy. That would be a much smarter choice. If rumors started about them, Macy would likely have to heed his words, knowing it could jeopardize her livelihood.
After all, she was making a living painting portraits of nobles. If the Duke were embroiled in a scandal, the nobles would certainly be too afraid of Lady Werfel to commission portraits from Macy.
‘Why am I so smart?’
Yannick thought about how he had done poorly in school due to not studying at the academy; if he had, he would surely have been at the top of his class.
He stood up, shaking off his tingling feet. The plan he had devised was so perfect that he could hardly believe it.
From now on, he would keep an eye on Macy to see if she was ever alone with the Duke.
* * *
Macy would eventually have to face Eren, even if she didn’t go looking for him. They needed to undergo name treatments regularly. After the door opened, the sound of neat footsteps could be heard.
Macy no longer covered her eyes with a cloth, but pretended to sleep without looking at him.
“You’re putting in the effort. It seems acting isn’t really your strong suit.”
“…….”
Eren spoke in a monotone voice as he observed Macy.
“I’m not planning to touch you, anyway.”
“……Why not?”
Macy slowly opened her eyes at his words about not touching her. Perhaps feeling a bit hurt by his words, a faint smile lingered at the corner of his mouth.
“Didn’t I give you a choice? I’m not one to force myself on someone who doesn’t want to.”
Was that really a choice? He had created a situation where she couldn’t refuse. The longer he delayed the decision, the tighter he would gradually constrict Macy’s options.
Then, if she reluctantly accepted it, he would consider it her choice. Macy turned her gaze away and lay down with her back to him.
“Then why do you have to tempt me? I’ve been trying so hard to turn away from this.”
He had already taken off his shirt and lay on the bed, his broad chest and sharply defined abs making her feel dizzy. Eren naturally slipped his arm under Macy’s head, pulling her into a hug.
The rich, cool scent of cigars filled the air. He gently brushed her hair away from her forehead and tucked it behind her ear.
“I wanted to dismiss you as no one special.”
“……But you’re treating me that way, aren’t you?”
“It seems you have a very negative view of being a mistress. Do you really think anyone can just become my mistress?”
“Are you expecting some sort of thank you for that?”
Despite her outburst, Macy felt increasingly anxious inside. Eren, who had momentarily paused, burst into laughter.
“I didn’t want to believe in fate either, but when I look at you, I get a strange feeling. Even when you act recklessly or frustratingly, I don’t really hate it.”
Fate. For some, it was romantic; for others, it was merely a nuisance.
What had Macy thought of her name master before meeting Eren? He was supposed to be the one to rescue her from the brink of death, and she had been desperate for that. She must have had certain expectations.
But the Eren she actually met was so different from what she had anticipated. To be honest, her first impression wasn’t very positive. So there were moments when Macy thought fate was not that significant after all.
Yet, seeing how she had fallen for Eren, it was impossible to deny the existence of fate.
“I didn’t fall for you because of fate.”
Macy, who was nestled in his arms, spoke with unexpected strength. It was the first time she realized she had confessed her feelings to Eren.
‘Why in this situation…?’
Eren, who probably already knew, didn’t seem to care much. He simply brushed his fingertips along her cheek as if to soothe her.
“How do you know that?”
“Why wouldn’t I know?”
