Upon hearing that, everyone quickly realized Xavia’s absence and began saying things like, “I don’t think I’ve seen her since noon…” “Shouldn’t she be with you? Weren’t you paying attention to her?” “Oh god, the mountains here are huge! She couldn’t have gotten lost in them, right…?!” exclaimed Winnie, instantly prompting everyone to have a grave look on their faces. After all, the last time Winnie had wished for Xavia’s pregnancy, that girl had instantly vomited… Was Winnie a living bad luck charm for Xavia…? Whatever the case was, Keith then got up before saying, “All of you go ahead and eat first. I’ll be looking for her right away.” Watching as Keith then hurriedly strode off, Zivon was about to get up and follow when Jenna tugged his arm while asking, “You’re going too, Zivon…?” “It’ll be dark soon, so the sooner we find her, the better,” replied Zivon. “…I see… I’ll go with you then,” replied Jenna as she got up as well… Before long, they were on the mountains aga
Like some divine angel, the campfire’s light revealed just how perfectly the dashing man had landed a sharp and precise kick on the animal’s side, sending the beast flying! With the beast now lying on the ground, the calm and domineering man then walked toward Xavia, looking like the king of the world… Xavia herself felt extremely reassured as the man squatted before her and began checking on her injuries while asking, “How’s your condition?” Before Xavia could reply, Zivon had already noticed her terribly bruised leg. This prompted him to frown as he added, “…Though there aren’t any broken bones, it’s not exactly a light injury either. Stay still for the time being. I’ll go find something to deal with the injury.” Following that, Zivon began looking around for usable objects… Staring at the charming man, Xavia now realized that not only was he king in the business world, but he had excellent survival skills as well… Regardless, she was just about to thank him when the beast
“Even so, there was blood on his body…! Also, it tried to attack me even when I was simply lying on my stomach, so it’ll definitely go after Keith as well! With that in mind, just stay here for now and don’t move. I’ll just go over and have a look! If the beast isn’t around Keith, I’ll just silently retreat…!” “And what if it is?” replied Zivon. Momentarily stunned by Zivon’s question, she eventually muttered, “…I… I’ll fight it.” Snorting loudly, Zivon then sat up before asking, “Hah. With that shrimpy body of yours? Are you really that worried about him?” Though the darkness made it difficult for them to see each other, it heightened their other senses to the point where Xavia could feel the warmth of Zivon’s hand penetrate her skin… Now breathing slightly heavily, the flustered girl replied, “I-It’s only normal for me to be worried about him… After all, he’s injured because of me…!” It was more or less the same answer she had given him earlier. This made Zivon say, “…So
Xavia’s heart was currently brimming with heartache and regret. She… She shouldn’t have placed Zivon in danger just because she was worried about Keith… Barely even able to speak without choking up, Xavia simply replied, “Why are you still talking about such things at a time like this…? What would happen if you ended up becoming disfigured? If your wound got infected and you ultimately died up here?” “Look, if your wounds could be healed from my worrying, then I’d be willing to worry endlessly…! Either way, it’s all my fault…! Had I paid more attention to where I was wandering, all this wouldn’t have happened…! I shouldn’t have allowed you to check on Keith alone either…!” whimpered Xavia in between sobs. Xavia seemed to be having a complete emotional breakdown, and Zivon’s heart couldn’t help but soften as he looked at the crying girl. Still, if this usually tough woman was now sobbing like a child for him, Zivon believed that her feelings for him weren’t that easily tossed arou
Suppressing her emotions, she walked up to Zivon. “Zivon, are you okay?”Lady Burton almost fainted out of anger when she saw how badly everyone was injured. “Xavia Lockhart! You’re an adult but you still managed to get lost? I think that prophecy must be right—you’re really an unlucky woman born at an inauspicious time! Why does Keith have to date a person like you?!”Helen was even more furious when she learnt that her son was in a coma and had been sent to the hospital. “Xavia Lockhart, I will not let you off if anything happens to my son! Why are you still standing around? Hasn’t Keith been sent to the hospital? Come with me now! You should be taking care of Keith to atone for your sins!”Everyone was filled with disgust and loathing for Xavia.Xavia knew it was her fault, so she did not argue with them. She turned around and prepared to walk out.“I need to go to the hospital for a checkup. We can go together.” A man’s clear voice rang out suddenly.Everyone looked over and
Keith was lying on the hospital bed, his face pale and his lips dry. His leg was in a plaster cast and he had medical equipment Xavia did not recognize stuck on his chest. His eyes softened when he saw her. “I’m glad you’re okay.”Xavia’s heart clenched. Although he wasn’t the one who had saved her, he had only gotten this injured because he went to look for her. Despite that, he was still worried about her.Feeling grateful and moved, Xavia walked over to him shyly. “It seems like I owe you another favor.”Keith raised his hand and rubbed her head affectionately. “Why are you being so formal with me? This is just a small injury and I will be fine after about two days of rest. If you really want to thank me, you can stay here and take care of me.”Of course Xavia would do that!Xavia nodded earnestly. “Don’t worry, I’m here to take care of you and keep you company. Are you hungry? Do you feel like eating anything? Do you want me to go and buy something?”“I’m not hungry, but…
Keith looked away, feeling angry and humiliated.Outside.Zivon casually walked into the doctor’s office and saw Xavia sitting inside. He stared at her and asked indifferently, “Were you planning to wait here until the doctor came?” When Xavia heard Zivon’s voice, she jumped to her feet. Looking guilty, she protested, “No… I was just thinking I could sit here and wait since I’ve got nothing to do anyway. The doctor should have gone on his rounds or perhaps he went out for supper, so he should be back soon. Are you done with your checkup already?”Zivon raised his brows and scoffed, “Do you even care about me getting a checkup?” She had started flirting with Keith as soon as she got to the ward, so how could she possibly remember his existence?Xavia pursed her lips. “Who said that I do not care? It’s just that… Jenna is accompanying you so there is no need for so many people to be there.”Zivon stared at her blankly. “Is that why you went to hold the portable urinal for Keith
Xavia suddenly realized that Zivon had a nice voice.Dismissing the thought, she took a deep breath and said, “Stop being so nice to me.”She was no longer stubborn. After all, her heart was not made of stone. She was afraid of what might happen if he kept doing this.She was afraid she would be tempted, and might develop feelings for him. Unfortunately, he was not someone she could have feelings for.“I’m not from the same world as you. No matter how good you are, I could never afford it.”Zivon’s tender gaze darkened abruptly. He took a step forward and placed his hand by her side, confining her to that small space. “Isn’t Darlsbury on Earth? How can we not be from the same world? Don’t tell me you’re from outer space.”Xavia did not expect him to come so close to her, and his proximity and injuries distressed her. His dominant aura was unsettling and intimidating, and she blurted out, “You know what I mean.”Zivon leaned forward and raised Xavia’s chin with his other hand
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