Villain, Let Me Touch You! - Chapter 34
“Rienna, if you refuse to marry me, it will be difficult for me to protect you.”
“I understand. So, not marriage.”
All eyes were on me. It occurred to me that these people weren’t even surprised at the prospect of my marriage to Helios.
They must have hearts of steel.
“Not marriage, then what?” Helios pressed for an answer.
“Let’s call it an engagement!” I demanded, quite brazenly. “Being the Crown Prince’s betrothed, I would be treated like a Crown Princess, and it wouldn’t be unusual to be with His Highness, which would also benefit my healing. But it’s not marriage, so there’s no pressure.”
It was also a way to persuade Demyr. Helios was unaware, but Demyr had already set her sights on securing a distant relative as the Crown Princess. While she disliked Helios, she had made many preparations, all to preserve her own power.
I’m sure she’ll object to an engagement, but it’s better than marriage.
And later, when Helios imprints on Chloe, we can annul the engagement or something. The good thing about an imprint—whether I can call it ‘good’ or not—is that using it as an excuse for annulment or divorce wouldn’t blemish his reputation.
It’s the best for both of us.
“Engagement? So you’re a big believer in…formalities.”
Not quite, but it was close enough.
“It’s so important. Traditionally, marriages are about representing each other’s families and making formal visits.”
Helios looked puzzled.
“I have a headache…” I said, embarrassed. “I was talking nonsense.”
At the mention of pain, Helios patted my back. It was a lie about the pain, but his touch was so gentle and affectionate that I couldn’t tell him to stop.
“If formalities are important, then we should adhere to them.”
“Yes, the en—”
“Today marks our Day 1.”
“What?”
Jamie tilted her head, Vincenzo squirmed with an odd expression, Ebony covered her eyes with her hand, and only Emma remained nonchalant.
“Remember this is our Day 1.”
Am I the only one who doesn’t understand? Have I become so clueless?
“Your Highness, Day 1?”
“Yes, we’re lovers starting from today. Let’s start dating and get engaged”
The flow of this conversation was odd.
“Your Highness, please make sure to include ‘for treatment.’ Dating and engagement for treatment. You understand, right?”
With the purpose attached, the meaning completely shifted. I scratched my cheeks, feeling them heating up unnecessarily.
Helios nodded, but the reactions from the others were far from enthusiastic.
“It’s for therapy!” I emphasized, almost pleading.
Vincenzo and Jamie reluctantly nodded.
They’re dismissing me as a patient? That’s upsetting.
“Okay, okay, for therapy. Let’s stop here. We can talk about the rest later.”
Only Helios believed me, and when he declared the meeting dismissed, Ebony and others scurried out of the room.
The first meeting concluded, leaving behind the tasks of experimentation, dating, and engagement.
***
In the afternoon, the experiment started straight away.
Helios positioned himself on my bed. I leaned against the headboard, clutching the cushion tightly to my chest.
“Can’t we just hold hands while sitting somewhere else?” I asked, uncomfortable sitting next to him on the bed.
“You want to go out and hold hands in front of other people? Oh, so you like doing public displays of affection.”
Absolutely not.
I declared my intent to engage in a relationship and betrothal with Helios, but I preferred to keep it a secret. And it wasn’t even a relationship—it was an experiment, medical therapy!
“It doesn’t matter if rumors spread about me. Just tell me if you want to leave and go someplace else.”
Helios seemed poised to pull me into an immediate hug.
“No, just take my hand.”
I held out my hand, and Helios sat down next to me. The bed tilted, and he caught my falling body to steady me.
“Let’s just hold hands for an accurate experiment,” he said.
It sounded a lot like, “Let’s just hold hands,” a phrase I heard him use before. Judging by how much he used it, Helios seemed like a traditionalist.
I’ll have to give him some advice when he’s in a real relationship. Apparently, modified versions of classic phrases were in vogue nowadays.
I continued weaving pointless thoughts in this awkward situation.
“Great idea, Your Highness.”
I slipped a cushion between Helios and me. Helios paused, as if surprised by the gesture, but soon burst into laughter. I turned my head to avoid looking at his face and offered my hand.
Without a word, Helios took it, his hand large and full of warmth.
