The Boundaries of Possession - Chapter 31
“Your goal must be me, as I would soon be emperor.”
At his single remark, Elysia’s deep blue eyes, which had darkened like the depths of the sea, slowly brightened. Andreas watched as her gaze turned toward him. He didn’t entirely dislike the proud, sharp look in her eyes.
Unlike other nobles, whose eyes wandered restlessly, hers were fixed solely on him. Elysia seemed to have no greed for anything else. It was as if she desired nothing beyond him. At times, he found himself recalling those persistently intense blue eyes.
“After all, I will soon ascend to the throne.”
“How can you be so sure? Another heir could emerge, couldn’t they?”
“Well, considering that there is no other heir but me, if they were looking for a successor among the direct line or the concubines, they would have done so already.”
That’s why you came to me as well. Andreas added.
Elysia acted as though she had never wished for him to become emperor. Seeing her bite down on her lip, he deliberately spoke further.
“It’s simply the benefit of having an imperial lineage. Well, whether I become emperor or not would have nothing to do with you.”
Elysia’s eyes narrowed slightly. Whenever she was deep in thought, she would frown ever so slightly. Her eyelashes trembled faintly over her pale eyes. Was this an attempt at seduction? He still couldn’t read her. Every time her gaze touched him, his nerves tensed.
It was not a pleasant feeling. An inexplicable sense of urgency rippled down his spine. Unlike the patience he had exercised before, a different impulse overtook him—a desire to break down her unyielding composure at once.
He found himself both disgusted by his own instinct to assert dominance and, at the same time, plagued by the conflicting belief that he could not afford to appear weak, not even to a mere omega.
“I’d like to discuss our marriage again.”
Elysia slowly lowered the delicate fingers that had been resting near her lips. When no response came, he spoke first.
“If you and I marry soon, House Brillen’s standing will solidify. And of course, so will yours.”
Elysia held her tongue. Her lips parted slightly before pressing together again, and she sent him a skeptical look. Look at that.
With others, it would take them half a day just to understand his words. But she was already staring him down.
“So?”
“If you’re as intelligent as I think, you already understand.”
Andreas looked down at her, his gaze filled with hostility.
“Unlike you, I gain merely one thing from this. In fact, finalizing this marriage would be nothing but a loss to me.”
That was the truth. Before ascending to the throne, securing broad support was crucial for Andreas, and keeping his marriage prospects open was the wisest choice.
“So, you intend to use me as a tool? You’re even using my family. You have no respect for me at all.”
Despite her sharp rebuke, Andreas only let out a short, dry laugh.
No matter how sharp-witted Elysia was, in the end, there was nothing she could do. He recalled her weak and powerless figure at the last ball and answered,
“Use? That’s unfair. I simply assumed your family would support the imperial house. I’ve never once forced you to do anything, Elysia.”
Elysia’s small shoulders trembled as she clenched her teeth. It was quite a sight to see.
Was she overlapping him with someone else? Or was there an ideal she had hoped for in her fiancé? He had no way of knowing.
“You should already know why I’m preparing the engagement party, Andreas.”
The smile vanished from his lips.
Elysia seemed to have detected the hostility in his gaze, yet she did not back down. Their piercing stares locked onto each other, neither willing to yield.
She did not avert her eyes from the barely restrained anger flickering in his.
“An engagement alone is not enough. Once you become emperor, how can I trust that your heart will not change?”
So, she finally shows her true colors.
His cold gaze fell upon her resolute expression. Andreas had no intention of conceding to her demands.
“What exactly do you want?”
“A contract—”
“No, there will be no contract.”
He cut her off before she could finish.
