The Boundaries of Possession - Chapter 36
Elysia, who was usually unfazed by most things, always showed a distinctly different reaction when it came to Andreas. And this time, it wasn’t a bad reaction—it was a good one.
She looked like a girl who had fallen in love, utterly at a loss.
Sei carefully ran the shadow brush along the slight curve of Elysia’s upturned eyes.
“Why are you putting so much effort into dressing up today?”
“Well, obviously! It’s a date!”
A date. A date with Andreas.
Elysia’s mouth remained open as if she were about to faint.
She could bury her face in a bowl of soup and wake up a thousand times over, and still, she wouldn’t have imagined such a thing happening.
She didn’t even have to think about how she felt—she was naturally elated.
Ever since that night in the garden a few days ago, she had been experiencing this strange, unfamiliar feeling.
These emotions, ones she hadn’t even realized were there, were entirely different from what she had felt in her childhood.
Back then, when she had gazed at Andreas with something close to admiration, he had only just been growing into adulthood.
The girl who had once clung to him, begging him to marry her, was someone he no longer even remembered.
“Milady, the carriage is ready.”
Elysia gave a small nod before descending the stairs.
As the front doors opened, she saw Andreas standing there.
His crisp attire only emphasized his cold, striking features.
Andreas gave her a small nod.
“Did I keep you waiting?”
At his awkward question, he curled one side of his lips into a faint smirk.
“If not, then that’s all that matters.”
Elysia gripped the hem of her skirt tightly, her voice slightly stiff.
Meeting Andreas was different from meeting any other noble.
Conversations with him never followed predictable, conventional patterns—they always took unexpected turns.
She had to stay on guard.
Elysia let out a bitter chuckle.
Even though he probably didn’t remember, then and now, he was still Andreas—unbothered by such trivial things.
“What’s so amusing this time?”
She had barely let out a laugh before hastily smoothing her expression.
Andreas watched her with interest, smiling as if he found her reaction amusing.
Had she let her guard down just because they had met a few times?
Elysia bit down on her lower lip and averted her gaze.
His hand moved naturally, tilting her chin back toward him so she was forced to meet his eyes.
“Shall I make sure you can’t think of anything else?”
He intended to use whatever he had at his disposal.
Before Elysia could fully register what was happening, his lips had already drawn close to her neck—just as they had the night before.
“Right here, for example.”
If she let him, he would keep taking advantage of the situation.
Suppressing the wild beating of her heart, Elysia forced her anger into her voice.
“Get away from me. Now.”
Ignoring her words, he merely lifted his gaze.
“Why? You’re enjoying this just as much.”
“Aren’t you the one who is?”
Elysia didn’t wait for his response and briskly walked ahead.
At some point, they had reached the park.
The sweet scent of flowers was thick in the air, filling the space around them with an intoxicating atmosphere.
Elysia deliberately moved toward where people were gathered, ensuring Andreas wouldn’t dare say anything inappropriate.
“Whatever you do, make sure you can stand by it in front of others.”
“Whatever I do, huh?”
He sighed, exhaling as if she were being troublesome.
His expression alone made his thoughts clear.
‘How could I ever trust someone when his intentions are this obvious?’
The confidence in his smile, as if everything was going exactly as planned, irritated her. The thrill she had felt earlier faded, like paint diluted with too much water.
Pushing her emotions aside, Elysia walked beside him, exchanging greetings with the nobles they passed.
“Do this many people normally greet you?”
“Quite a few, yes. But… far fewer greet you.”
Andreas raised a brow in genuine surprise.
Whenever Elysia returned greetings with a poised nod, he observed her with the eyes of a child discovering a new toy.
Meanwhile, Elysia tensed under his gaze—it felt as though she were being evaluated.
Andreas watched those who greeted Elysia closely before clicking his tongue. Many of them wore pleasant smiles, but he knew the kind of men who treated omegas poorly behind closed doors.
The fact that they approached Elysia now was likely just an attempt to appear sympathetic toward omegas.
To someone like him, who trusted no one, it was an obvious game.
“You should be more wary of the people around you.”
At his cryptic warning, Elysia raised an eyebrow.
Just then—
“I never expected to see you in a place like this, Duke Eperthier, Lady Brillen.”
The voice was not unfamiliar.
It belonged to Gréa Celliez—the same woman who had offered her the drugged drink at the previous ball.
Elysia’s expression barely flickered as she responded.
“Lady Celliez. What brings you here?”
