Portrait of An Arrogant Master - Chapter 105
The feelings she had been experiencing since meeting Eren were undeniable proof; it wasn’t just a fleeting emotion.
Eren gazed at her with an unreadable expression. His calm and serene demeanor held a subtle burning that was hard to ignore. Was this longing simply a desire directed at her? Macy found herself in a whirlwind of confusion.
For a moment, their intense gaze was abruptly cloaked in darkness when Eren placed his palm over her eyes.
“Now, sleep.”
In the shadows, his deep blue eyes lingered like a fading reflection. A yearning to remove his hand and gaze into those eyes again surged within her, but she suppressed it.
In a world where his name wasn’t written on her heart and hers wasn’t on his back, would they ever have gotten together? Would Macy have loved him? Would he have felt possessive over her? If they lived their lives unaware of each other’s existence…
It was a lonely thought. No matter how bleak the current situation felt, she didn’t want such a world. Even if it was mere possession, Macy wished to be seen as special to him.
She wanted him to love and cherish her. She wished for him to gaze only at her and to tenderly kiss her. The multitude of reasons for her pain in this situation were overwhelming, but what hurt the most was the realization that this could never be.
“Don’t make me wait too long.”
Here he was, asking her to be his mistress while preparing for an engagement with another woman. To anyone listening, his voice would sound like that of someone anxiously waiting for a heartfelt confession in return.
‘This is why I keep getting the wrong idea.’
Perhaps Eren did have feelings for Macy. It wasn’t merely a desire to possess her; he might genuinely care.
Without saying a word, she curled up in his arms. His hand, gently stroking her head, brought her a mix of comfort and sadness. It was a night filled with both sorrow and melancholy.
* * *
“Are you really going?”
“Yes.”
Eren was getting ready to leave. He had decided to participate again in the portrait session at the Count’s townhouse today. His fingers were neat as he buttoned up his shirt. Macy sat on the bed, with a worried look.
“Weren’t we supposed to model together during the finishing touches?”
“That’s true… but if I do well enough separately, it won’t matter…”
While it was better to see the overall picture during the final checks, Macy wasn’t comfortable with the idea. She felt anxious that he might do something unexpected again, and even aside from that, just being in a space with the three of them was mentally exhausting.
Would she be able to concentrate on her work properly? What if her hands trembled like last time? Her heart raced with anxiety already.
“This will be an important painting for you as well. If it gets attention, commissions will keep coming in. So focus on your work.”
“Even so, once our relationship is revealed, I’ll be buried by the nobles. Plus, you told me this would be the last commission…”
Of course, Macy wanted to succeed. This was a tremendous opportunity to make a name for herself. Yet now, her future as an artist felt bleak. She felt as if she might as well not exist at all.
Just thinking about being stuck in her corner, trapped in her own world while painting, made her feel suffocated.
“You could always choose to be Eren’s lover.”
He casually replied while throwing on a cloak that covered him down to his eyes. Even during the brief walk to the carriage, he seemed to be thoroughly concealing his appearance.
“Then you won’t reveal that I’m your mistress?”
“If that’s what you want.”
He gently held Macy’s cheek and placed a light kiss on her lips. The sensation of his lips made her cheeks heat up involuntarily.
“If you promise to act modestly outside, I won’t stop you from going out.”
“Really? But I thought you said I shouldn’t become famous…”
“I’ll hide it better. I’ve managed to do so my whole life, so it won’t be difficult now.”
Though he said it casually, Macy felt somehow concerned for Eren. He had a reason for hiding his name all this time. Seeing him act as if this situation was normal felt somewhat pitiable.
“But how did you end up being the heir of the Krygen family?”
“Are you curious now?”
Eren playfully bit Macy’s nose as if teasing her. Macy rubbed her nose, trying to hide the sound of her racing heart.
“Later. I’ll tell you when we have more time.”
Though she was curious about his circumstances, she sensed it wasn’t a light topic and refrained from pressing him for answers right away.
“And don’t worry. When we go to the Count’s townhouse, I won’t lay a finger on you. I won’t create a situation that would make you uncomfortable.”
Eren seemed to know about Macy’s concerns. What was this change of heart? Initially, he had wanted to openly meet her as his mistress. Now, he isolated her in the cabin and prioritized keeping his identity hidden, which felt off to her.
