Chapter 58. Don’t Ever Let Her In Front of Me Again
“…”
Belladonna wanted to say, I’m sorry for coming in without permission, but her voice still wouldn’t come out.
She opened and closed her mouth helplessly, then gave up and lowered her head.
Escallion raised one eyebrow as he watched her.
“If you have something to say, just say it.”
“…”
I do… but I can’t.
Belladonna squeezed her fists in frustration.
If I had known, I would have brought a notebook and pen…
Escallion kept watching her, then sat up in bed.
When he did, the blanket covering his lower half slid off, showing his muscular body.
Belladonna looked away quickly, feeling awkward.
Escallion stretched his thick arms and cracked his neck, then walked over to the wardrobe and started putting on some clothes.
“Are you just going to keep staring? Why did you come here?”
He put on a dark blue tunic and turned to face her.
Belladonna shook her head and came closer, planning to write letters in his palm like before.
“What are you doing?”
But before her fingers could touch his palm, Escallion pulled his hand away, frowning.
Belladonna looked up at him in surprise.
Escallion himself was confused.
Belladonna had barged into his room while he was sleeping, and now she kept coming closer without saying anything.
He was still groggy from sleep, so her actions felt risky.
“…”
He avoided me…
Belladonna lowered her head, hurt.
Escallion frowned and brushed his hair back from his forehead.
“If you want to say something, say it from there.”
But I can’t talk…
Belladonna, feeling wronged, put her hand on her throat.
“Is your throat sore?”
She shook her head.
“Then what is it?”
Escallion started to sound irritated.
He couldn’t understand what this little, mysterious woman was trying to do now.
Belladonna tried her best to show with her hands that she couldn’t speak.
She made a talking motion with her fingers in front of her mouth, then crossed her fingers in an X several times.
Escallion, watching her, frowned.
“You can’t talk? But it’s just you and me in this room. If you’re worried someone will hear, you can just whisper.”
No, that’s not it!
Belladonna repeated her actions.
Escallion tilted his head, still frowning.
“You really can’t make a sound?”
Belladonna nodded hard. Yes, that’s it!
Watching her nod, Escallion sighed and rubbed his neck.
“Right, my wife can’t talk. I don’t know why you’re sticking with that story now.”
“…”
“At least I get that you have nothing to say to me.”
With that, Escallion started to walk past her.
Just like the last time in his office, Belladonna felt the wind as he moved by and quickly reached out to grab his wrist.
Escallion stopped.
Belladonna quickly took his hand, opened it, and traced letters with her finger.
‘S-u-d-d-e-n-l-y c-a-n-’t t-a-l-k’
“Yeah, you can’t talk.”
Escallion cut her off halfway. Belladonna looked up at him, then started again.
‘D-o-n-’t k-n-o-w w-h-y’
“You don’t know why you can’t talk. Fine, I get it.”
He answered coldly, not believing her at all.
Belladonna felt hurt, but maybe it was understandable.
They used to talk fine alone, and now suddenly she claimed she couldn’t speak—it sounded like a lie.
Belladonna sniffled, then started again.
‘I w-a-n-t t-o a-p-o-l-o-g-i-z-e’
Escallion looked at her with just his eyes.
“For what? What do you want to apologize for?”
Belladonna had so much to say.
She hesitated, not sure where to start.
While she hesitated, Escallion stepped closer.
“Belladonna.”
“…”
“Do you know what I’m thinking right now?”
Escallion asked in a cold, low voice, almost threatening.
Belladonna shrank back in fear.
“I have no idea what goes on in that little head of yours.”
He grabbed her chin and made her look up at him.
Belladonna trembled as she met his blue eyes.
He pressed even closer, so Belladonna kept backing up.
“You did something to be sorry for, huh? You sure did. I never imagined you were thinking like that—so for two months, I was totally fooled.”
“…”
“My head is still spinning from being betrayed, but I decided to give you what you want anyway. I didn’t marry you with pure intentions, either.”
Slowly, her back hit the wall.
Belladonna found herself trapped between the hard wall and his huge body, helplessly looking up at him.
“The Pope was clever. I knew he was greedy, but I didn’t think he’d use his own daughter.”
“…”
“I’ll go to my office and write the divorce papers right now. If you want, I’ll donate money to the church, too. Is that what you want? If it’s money, you should’ve just asked. There were so many chances.”
Escallion’s cold words made Belladonna shake her head desperately.
That wasn’t what she wanted at all.
Escallion let out a small laugh.
“But isn’t this kind of funny?”
He turned her face from side to side, like he was examining her.
Her cheeks were white as snow, with small wounds that hadn’t fully healed.
Seeing those scars made him feel sick inside.
Escallion took a breath, forcing himself to speak.
“When you’re cornered, you hide behind your ‘can’t talk’ Saint act. I know your voice so well. I even know how to make you talk when I want to.”
“…”
Belladonna tried not to cry.
She’d never seen Escallion act so cold and distant before.
He raised his eyebrows and spoke again.
“Oh, you said you wanted to apologize?”
He bent his head and pressed his lips roughly to hers.
Belladonna gasped and grabbed his arm, her head hitting the wall behind her.
“……!!”
Escallion raised his hand and protected the back of her head.
Belladonna squeezed her eyes shut as his tongue forced its way into her mouth.
The quiet room quickly filled with wet, sticky sounds.
The kiss was so rough she felt her legs give out, but Escallion was holding her tightly so she couldn’t move.
Smooch.
After a long time, Escallion finally pulled away with a loud sound.
Belladonna looked up at him, her eyes dazed.
Both of them were breathing hard.
Escallion lifted his thumb and slowly rubbed her lips.
Her soft lips squished under his hot fingers.
He looked at her for a moment, then wiped his own lips with his hand.
“I kissed you hard. It might be the last time.”
With those words, Escallion turned and walked away.
Belladonna, trapped between him and the wall, slid down and sat on the floor.
She watched, stunned, as Escallion left the room.
“My lord…”
Wolf looked nervously at Escallion, who sat in his office with his chin in his hand, eyes sharp.
“I told you not to let anyone in.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t think the madam would go into your room while you were sleeping…”
“Check if she went back to her room.”
Wolf quickly replied,
“I just checked. I saw her finish dinner and lie down in bed.”
Escallion’s hard face softened a little.
Maybe it was because he’d seen her pale face again after so many days, but he couldn’t help but mess with her.
He was angry that she could calmly say she couldn’t talk, not knowing how much pain he’d been in.
He ran his hand through his hair and sighed.
“Don’t ever let her in front of me again.”
If he saw her, his heart would shake no matter how hard he tried to hold back.
He kept telling himself to send her back to the Astanya church, but when he saw her, all he could feel was desire.
Even a moment ago, just looking at her lips made his whole body freeze.
‘Just one more month…’
Their contract was for three months anyway.
He thought he could let her go right after coming back to the castle, but it seemed he needed more time to settle his feelings.
So for now, he couldn’t send her away.
“Damn…”
A curse slipped out of his mouth at his own foolishness.
