Fast forward to that night, a grand feast was held to celebrate the auspicious occasion… After three rounds of wine, Lea eventually flopped on the couch and stared at both Neal and Luna who were standing on the balcony with their baby… It took her a while, but she eventually looked at Elliot and said, “See? Luna isn’t a jerk at all.” Rolling his eyes, Elliot replied, “Same goes for my brother. Sure, he didn’t do much during that year, but his heart was there this entire time.” “…True enough, your brother is pretty pitiful, huh? He seemed to be pretty serious about Fabiola too back then. Alas, that bitch ruined it all… Oh well, at least that allowed Luna to have her shot. I can only hope that things go well for them from here on out…” “Ditto,” replied Elliot as he drank another glass of wine, prompting Lea to chuckle. It took her a while, but she couldn’t help but ask, “…Say, have you truly never been with anyone before? You seem like the kind of playboy to flirt around…”
Pursing her lips, Rea was just about to follow him when all of a sudden, Chace and Bianca stepped in. “Ah, there you two are… Good. So… Basically, Bianca and I are planning on going on a honeymoon soon. With that said, we’d appreciate it if you looked after our daughter during our absence, Frank.” …What? They wanted him to care for this idiot? “…Sorry, I’m busy-” “Your father said otherwise, plus he’s already agreed with our idea, so…” Looking at how unwilling Frank was, Elliot cleared his throat before saying, “…I mean, if you really need help then I can-” Before he could complete his sentence, Bianca and Chace quickly pulled him to the side and whispered, “I know you’re just trying to be kind, but please shush for now…” …Huh? But… Oh. Oh… Seriously? Another budding relationship? That was what this was about?! Feeling helpless, all he could do was sigh with a nod before heading toward the balcony… There, he realized that Yulia was sitting at the gazebo in the front yar
Meanwhile, a car could be seen driving through the late-night downpour… and inside, were both Lea and Maison. Since she had drunk a bit too much earlier, the tipsy woman was eager to just head to bed already. With that in mind, the second the car stopped, she was about to leave when she heard Maison say, “Hold on.” Glancing at him, she watched as he handed her a bottle and some pills before adding, “Here, some hangover meds… Don’t want you feeling uncomfortable throughout the night.” Pleasantly surprised, Lea replied, “…I… Thank you… You know, you’re more considerate than you look…” After drinking down the medicine, she was about to leave again when Maison handed her an umbrella and said, “Hey, at least try to stay dry…” “…Maison, I’m literally just a few steps away from my front door… Jeez, your future girlfriend is one lucky woman…” Following a subtle sigh, Lea decided to lean against her seat for a bit longer before adding, “Makes me slightly envious of people like my pa
Blushing slightly from how intently the two were staring at her, Lea quickly shook her head before winking at Elliot as she added, “…Well? Aren’t you going to say anything in response?” …Just how was he supposed to respond in this situation?! Not only was her declaration outrageous, but Maison was now glaring daggers at him too! In the end, he wriggled free from Lea’s grasp before smiling awkwardly… “…Um… I… I’m sorry, but I don’t like you that way… I-I’ll be heading off first!” Though Lea was curious as to what Elliot meant by, ‘that way,’ the man was already out of sight before she could ask for clarification… Hell, she hadn’t even been given enough time to reveal the heart-shaped cake that she had baked for him! How annoying! It was then that she realized that Maison was smiling to himself… and after raising a slight brow, Lea walked up to him and scowled, “…Did you play a trick on me? You must have! God, I’m so embarrassed right now!” “Hey, I never said that the person
...Huh? But the only possible people left were Elliot and Frank… Weren’t the others already married? What gave? Sensing her confusion, Maison couldn’t help but clench his fists. Could it be that she didn’t view him as a man at all?! It took him a while, but he eventually took the cake out of her hands and cut a tiny slice before giving it a taste… “…Tastes good. I like it,” said Maison who was sure that this would get his message across. Alas, Lea simply beamed as she replied, “…You’re just trying to be supportive, aren’t you? Thanks for always being there for me, but… I think I should handle this from here. I’ll be off to meet Frank so… Enjoy the rest of the cake!” Watching as she began leaving, the speechless Maison couldn’t help but sigh. Oh well, at least Frank wouldn’t be an issue… Once he declined her, she’d surely learn that he was the ‘secret admirer,’ right…? Fast forward to that evening, Maison was greeted by the sight of Lea circling his younger brother while sayin
It took her a while, but Lea eventually replied, “…I admit all that happened, but… Didn’t you do all that out of brotherly love…?” “Have you seen me treating Rea and Luna like that before?” …No… No she hadn’t. Now that she thought about it, he had only ever gone the extra mile for her sake… To think that she had crossed him off her list after everything that he had done for her…! Following a long pause, she gulped before asking, “…Um… Can I… Have some time to process all this…?” Raising a slight brow, Maison replied, “…May I know why? Weren’t you straightforward when it came to Elliot and Frank? Why the hesitation around me…? Then again, I don’t want to pressure you, so… Yeah, you can take your time-” “No, no, it’s just… You’re far better than Elliot and Frank are… Quite honestly, you’re too good even for me, so… I… I just need to process my thoughts so that I don’t end up leaping with joy!” interrupted Lea who had always wanted to replicate scenes in romantic movies… Takin
Moving back to the past, Rea could be seen sitting meekly on the couch as she watched Frank get home from work… As promised, he had allowed her to stay at the Frankston Villa, but boy was it clear that he didn’t like her presence. In fact, before she could even think of anything to say to lighten the mood, she heard him growl, “Stay quietly in your room if you want to stay. I won’t repeat myself.” Before Rea could reply, his secretary quickly ran up to Rea and said, “Here, some snacks and essentials… If you ever need anything else, don’t hesitate to ask.” It was evident that Frank and his secretary wanted to deal with her as little as possible, and that made Rea squint. It took her a while, but she eventually replied, “…I’m good for now. As for what else I need… Nothing for now.” “…Then… Shall I lead you to your room-” “I prefer being around those I know, thank you very much. Could you lead me there instead, Frank?” interrupted Rea as she walked up to Frank, instantly causing
He sounded even more annoyed than before, and after freezing for a moment, she hesitantly muttered, “…I… I just wanted to pass your phone over…” …Yeah, he had forgotten to bring his phone along, huh? It took him a while, but he eventually took a deep breath before taking his phone and saying, “…Go get some rest.” “Y-you too…” replied Rea with a smile before running off… and once she was gone, Frank sighed and rubbed his temples. Come to think of it, why was it that he was so mad at her…? It didn’t make sense… Feeling frustrated, he then lay in bed… but as usual, sleep didn’t come easy. The truth was, he had always had trouble sleeping, but nobody knew since he never brought it up. Naturally, he had attempted to get it cured, to the point where he had recently contacted an anonymous hypnotist online to help with his condition. To his surprise, however, the hypnotist didn’t seem interested in his money at all. It almost seemed like she genuinely just wanted to help… But why? As
Staring in shock at the kneeling man, Yulia mustered her remaining sanity as she replied, “B-but you’re younger-” “Even if that’s the case, doesn’t that mean that I’m much more ‘capable’ than your older pursuers…?” …Why were his words so suggestive all of a sudden?! Forcing herself to calm down, she took a deep breath before saying, “…Elliot, I’m not sure what spurred this decision, but… I’m not the one for you. Please find someone your age. I’m sorry.” After saying that, she strode straight for the car… but before she could start the engine, she couldn’t help but notice how desolate he looked standing under the pouring rain… Clenching her fists, it took her a while to finally sigh and walk back to him… “…Are you really sure about this?” asked Yulia, much to Elliot’s delight. “I am! Please! Give me a chance! You won’t regret it!” …When he put it that way, all Yulia could do was help him up before finally deciding to return his kiss… Sure, things had taken a sudden, unex
She stared in horror as he removed his shirt right there and then! “W-what are you doing?!” yelped the startled woman as she quickly looked the other way. “…Huh? I mean, I’m drenched, so…” “E-even so, you shouldn’t change right in front of me!” “…Yulia, we bathed together as children… It’s not like you haven’t seen everything already…” “Y-you can’t compare that to this situation…!” “Fine, fine, I… Um… Go cook, I guess… I’ll go get a change upstairs first…” muttered Elliot as he headed upstairs. Yulia herself had to try her best to calm down! After all, Elliot had been plaguing her mind in the past few days, and… she even had dreams where he had… …No! She couldn’t be thinking about such things! She needed to cook! Maybe that would help get her mind out of the gutter! Once that was done, she’d leave and finally start devising a plan to get rid of him…! As Yulia scurried off, Elliot himself was currently staring at an old photo that showed him eating some candy in Yulia’
Just as she had arrived at her car, the president of the Halls Group suddenly walked up to her, a bouquet in hand! The Halls Group had collaborated several times with the Burtons before, and because of that, she was well acquainted with the man. Sadly, he had also proposed to her on multiple occasions… and though she kept rejecting him, he never seemed to get the hint! “There you are, Miss Burton… Since you’re off work, I was wondering if you’d join me for dinner tonight…” asked the charming man. Feeling awkward, she was just about to come up with an excuse when Elliot suddenly grabbed her by the waist and said, “Oh? Another one of your admirers, Yulia…? Sorry, but she already has a boyfriend, my man. If that doesn’t deter you enough, then you should know that she prefers her partners younger. Now please leave.” Startled to hear that, the man glanced at Yulia, his eyes begging for an explanation… Yulia herself was eager to just escape this embarrassing situation, but before s
With that tale done, it was now time to return to Yulia’s story… Ever since she was a child, she had undergone countless hardships with her mother… and even after she was able to reunite with her father, things didn’t go much easier from there. To make matters worse, Fabiola ended up getting kidnapped for the longest time, resulting in Frank ending up the way he was today… Because of all that, it only made sense that she’d mature much sooner than others her age, and unlike the naïve girl she used to be, she was an extremely competent woman today. Alas, because of how used she became with working, she soon lost the urge to find herself a romantic interest… Things continued that way until… Well, that time that Elliot… …Wait, what was she thinking?! He was younger than her, for heaven’s sake! Quickly shaking her head, she attempted to force herself to concentrate on work again… But before long, a knock was heard on the door. After being allowed in, the department manager entered t
Knowing that there was no point in keeping things a secret anymore, Rea took a deep breath before saying, “…Alright, so… The truth is, I’ve always been highly competent, but… I’ve been pretending to be useless just so that you’d eventually marry me… The trip my parents are taking… That was my suggestion too…” Feeling speechless, it took Frank a long while to reply, “…So you weren’t really drunk when you did all that last night?” Pursing her lips, Rea awkwardly muttered, “…I wasn’t… Luna suggested it, and since it sounded like a good idea to accelerate things…” …Fucking hell, to think that he had fallen straight into her trap without even putting up a fight! Watching as he glowered at her, Rea gulped before adding, “A-anyway, now that we’re married and there’s potentially a baby in my belly, you won’t divorce me, right…?” “…Oh, believe me when I say that divorce is the easy way out! From today onward, I’m making you pay for your actions for the rest of your life!” Fast forwa
Fast forward to the next morning, Rea awoke with a yawn… What a nice sleep… Wait. Why was she naked? And why was Frank…?! Her following scream immediately woke the icy man up… and upon looking at her, he was immediately reminded of what had transpired last night! Essentially, Rea ended up clinging to him, and though he initially wanted to just carry her to bed to let her rest… Damn it! Had she really been that sensual?! How had he lost control so easily?! His train of thought was cut short when he realized that Rea was bawling her eyes out… and after rubbing his temples, he was prompted to say, “…Why are you crying when you’re the one who initiated this? I’ll have you know that I never forced you-” “I-I know, but…! I’ve just…! This is my first time…!” whimpered the quivering woman, prompting Frank to purse his lips. As if he wasn’t in the same situation… “…You’re not alone there.” “It’s not the same! Men are free to sleep with whoever they want but when it comes to women, I’l
“Say, wouldn’t you agree that the food smells delicious…? Why don’t I teach you how to grill, Rea…? Oh, but make sure to take your clothes off first before we start! Wouldn’t want them to get dirty…” With how drunk Rea was, she wasn’t able to fully register his words… and just as he was about to touch her clothes, an icy voice roared, “Stop right there…!” Instantly feeling a shiver run down his spine, the man turned around… and to his horror, it was Frank! Young Master Burton’s perpetually icy son…! Why the hell was he here?! Before the frightened intern could think of how to even react, Frank walked up to him and growled, “Leave now before I chop your hands off…! Don’t make me repeat myself!” Nodding in terror, the man frantically bolted off… and once he was out of sight, Frank glared at the tipsy Rea before adding, “This is what you meant by learning how to be more responsible…?!” “Huh…? But the food really did smell super good… I want to learn…” mumbled the drunk woman.
After leaving his office, he headed off to look for Rea. She had said that she wanted to use the bathroom, but… It had already been half an hour since she disappeared. What trouble had that idiot gotten herself into this time? Thankfully, it wasn’t long before he found her laughing along with some of his interns… When the interns saw him, they were quick to bow and say, “Good morning, Mr. Burton.” Barely even glancing at them, Frank looked at Rea and said, “It’s time to head home.” “I… Won’t be following you back…” “…And why is that? Are your parents back?” “No, it’s just… These are my good friends back from school, and they’ve been staying together to learn to be more independent… With that said… I think that staying with them will be a good start for me to learn more about how the world works. Thank you for taking care of me up till this point, Frank… I won’t bother you anymore.” Raising a slight brow, Frank then looked at the interns for a while before saying, “…Are you
Regardless, after leaving her in the room, Frank returned to the shower to cool himself off… but no matter what he did, he simply remained irked. It got to the point where he couldn’t relax at all, and after wrapping a towel around his waist, he grabbed his phone to send his father a text. ‘Was there really nobody else who could’ve taken care of Rea?’ ‘What? Can’t even care for a woman properly.’ ‘I’m a busy man.’ ‘I trust in your time management skills.’ …Though he really wanted to tell Zivon that he had misplaced his trust in him, he didn’t want to disappoint his father either. With that, all he could do was clench his fists before giving Rea’s parents a call… “Hello? Frank? Why are you calling at this time of night?” “…When are you and Uncle Saltman returning, Aunt?” asked Frank who wanted them to take back their idiot already! “…Huh? What was that? Sorry, the line isn’t very good… I hope Rea isn’t giving you too hard a time! Don’t worry, we’ll be back after about a