Cry, Even Better if you Beg - Chapter 19

On the terrace leading to the rose garden, Kyle and Leyla enjoyed the nightly spring air together.

The vibrant party noise slowly quieted down. After putting up with a less-than-pleasant festive environment, Leyla could finally breathe a sigh of relief. She thanked him while leaning against the marble balustrade.

“Thanks, Kyle. Thank you so much.”

Leyla thought Kyle would make a wisecrack, but his face looked pissed off instead.

“Kyle?”

“Why are you holding it in?”

“Huh?”

“You’re like a kitten on a string, they treated you like a circus animal. Why did you say nothing? You’re not like the prideful and smart Leyla Lewellin that I know.”

“Ah, who cares.”

Unlike Kyle, who was overtly annoyed, Leyla just giggled. “Anything about what they said, there’s nothing wrong. I’m an orphan, I’m indebted to Uncle Bill, and I plan to become a teacher.”

“I can’t understand your logic.”

“Duplicity is human nature Mr. Etman.”

Kyle laughed at her sarcastic reply, “You’re only good at saying useless things.”

“You can go now Kyle. I’m really fine.”

“Go where?”

“There are still many people you have to meet there. Some of your friends have also been waiting for you.”

“No need.” Kyle waved his hand with a peeved look and rested his back against the fence alongside Leyla.

“Kyle, don’t be like that…..”

Kyle turned to her,

” I’m here as your partner today.”

As he said, his pair of brownish hue eyes gleamed warmly in the ashen night.

“So I’ll stay with you.”

A smile gradually crept over his lips like a butterfly blooming its wings.

“Because I want to.”

A gentle wind blew through the rose garden, carrying the sweet scent with it. Leyla tried to answer him back, yet, her lips were sealed tight. So all she could do was grasp the handrail on the terrace in both of her hands.

“Why aren’t you answering?” Kyle asked her.

Leyla dropped her head and gazed at the tip of her shoes awkwardly. Her face blushed with shyness,

“…I don’t know what to say.”

“Are you being shy in front of me?”

“Geez…No way.”

“But your face is blushing.”

“I’m not!”

Leyla touched her rosy cheeks.

“Just kidding.”

Leyla laughed after seeing Kyle’s playful giggling. It was then when Mrs. Etman, who had been searching the party hall for her son, showed up on the terrace and found both of them.

“Kyle. What the hell are you doing here?” She sighed deeply and walked up to them.

Leyla hurriedly straightened her stance and bent her head. Mrs. Etman accepted her greeting in passing and turned back to her son.

“There’s a lot of people waiting to see you.”

“It’s my father, not me.”

Seeing her son’s response, Mrs. Etman’s eyes glowered more sternly, “Kyle Etman. Do my words sound like a joke to you?”

“Mom, you know that’s not what I meant.”

“Let’s go. Madam Norma’s waiting for you. You’re not thinking of making her wait, are you?”

Mrs. Etman showed her obstinate demeanor as if she didn’t want to give an opening for Kyle to come up with any further counter-arguments.

“See you later, Kyle.”

Leyla cautiously spoke after watching the tension between the mother and son.

The duke’s grandmother, Duchess Norma, adored the only son of their family doctor. And Leyla knew very well how proud Mrs. Etman was about it.

“I’ll wait here.”

Leyla smiled to reassure Kyle.

“Thank you, Leyla.”

Only then, was Mrs. Etman able to smile at Leyla. That woman’s brown-hued eyes, which were a replica of Kyle’s, always looked bitterly towards her. Leyla knew that as well.

Kyle reluctantly dragged his heavy steps as Leyla bid a goodbye, waving a little to him, who kept looking back.

“Wait for me!” Kyle cried as he grimaced.  “You have to wait for me, Leyla!”

‘I will.’

Leyla wished to reply to his outcry, but she dunno why her lips remain sealed till the end. So, all she could do was laugh and vigorously wave her hand towards Kyle even more.

The terrace was back to its peacefulness after their departure.

The beautiful luminescence of the chandeliers mingled in harmony with the music and sound of laughter from the hall, creating an oasis of calm beneath night’s moon.

Leyla had left her glasses at home, so the flickering lights in the distance were nebulous. But, the dim night world became more dreamy and romantic within her blurry vision.

Now, Leyla Lewellin’s time in the spotlight was over.

Leyla was able to wind down. She chuckled in awe in a happy mood as she looked closely at her unusual appearance tonight.

Whenever she moved her legs a bit, the decorated ribbon on her waist and the skirt rattled slightly. Leyla became so jolly as she tiptoed up and down while her eyes fell on the swirling hem of her lavish dress.

The white dress embroidered with the gold lace she wore was as enchanting as the dreamy night. The silky fabric of her dress fiddled across her skin and tickled her entire body softly.

And the necklace.

Leyla gently fondled her necklace and her sheepish smile perished like a fume.

‘Why did Lady Brandt say that?’

She guessed that probably it was Claudine’s avant-garde way of expressing her disdain and sympathy towards her.

Yet, Leyla didn’t mind it. The gift from Uncle Bill was breathtakingly lovely. Regardless of what some said the dress was meant for her and she was thrilled with it.

Leyla smiled again but once she lifted her head she saw a fine figure of a tall man stepping out onto the terrace.

Her face, which had blossomed with delight when she thought it was Kyle, turned frozen in a split second.

Leyla’s feet were glued to the ground after she realized who the guy was.

It was Duke Herhardt.

Along with Lady Brandt.

*.·:·.✧.·:·.*

“The weather tonight is so clear, isn’t it?” Asked Claudine as she took a few deep breaths.

As shown by her behavior, it seemed like she had taken the liberty of leading Matthias to the terrace to get some fresh air and enjoy the night breeze.

“Summer is my favourite season because its nights are so beautiful. What about you, Duke Herhardt?”

Claudine flashed her dazzling smile as she stood in front of the marble railing. She then tilted her head and eyed someone in the distance who was the reason they had come here in the first place.

Leyla Lewellin, who was standing on the far side of the terrace. She was the key reason why Claudine brought Matthias here.

“I don’t really like summer, my lady.”

Matthias cast his glance around the garden, beautifully framed by the sea of roses. Then his eyes momentarily passed over Leyla’s face, which was flushed with embarrassment and nervousness at the unexpected guests’ appearance.

“Is that so? I thought you liked summer.”

Claudine looked back to Matthias with her back against Leyla.

“Now that I think about it, Duke Herhardt seems to be a callous man. Of course, you know it’s not a reproach, right?”

Claudine, with her hands held together behind her back, drew a step closer. The gulf between them now had narrowed to the point where they could taste the warmth of each other’s breath.

“But actually, I like that insensitivity of yours. I think it’s very aristocratic, emphasizing your nobility and elegant manner, which no one else will match.”

“I’m glad to hear you like it.”

Matthias didn’t back down and faced her calmly with a smirk adorning his lips.

“Then, kiss me, please.”

Claudine demanded boldly with her eyes fixed on him.  Matthias just stared at her quietly for a fleeting moment before falling into a solemn silence.

“I like the heartless Duke Herhardt, but don’t we still need to season our relationship with some passion or enthusiasm?” said Claudine.

As she tilted her head, her thickly wavy brown hair fluttered elastically.

“I mean, we will get engaged, get married, and will live together for the rest of our lives. So …. a little passion …”

Matthias narrowed his eyes for a moment before nodding as he agreed.

“You’re right.”

Without a grain of hesitation, Matthias reached out and embraced her cheek with both of his hands. Claudine jolted a little at his sudden move, but she soon closed her eyes naturally.

Staring at the shadows cast by Claudine’s eyelashes, Matthias’ eyes unintentionally wandered to the other end of the terrace.

He glanced at Leyla-who had been hovering around agitatedly-just in time.

While constantly keeping his eyes on her, Matthias slowly lowered his face and bussed Claudine’s lips.

Leyla Lewellin stayed true to her role as Claudine’s sole onlooker. With her body frozen like a doll, she watched the two with a blank expression. The darkness and great distance wasn’t able to conceal the rosy-tint on her two cheeks.

Throughout their very restrained kiss, Matthias’s eyes had continued to be on her. Her emerald eyes helplessly looked at him in a paralyzed state. The luminous moon  couldn’t enliven her eyes, which were dull like the night sky.

The moment Leyla avoided his eyes, the canoodle between the two was over as well. She hurriedly raced down the stairwell leading to the garden before Claudine slowly opened her eyes.

“Let’s go.”

Matthias politely reached out his hand, and Claudine held it as if nothing had happened.

“I’m sure, Duke Herhardt…”

Claudine grinned as they entered the party hall.

“I’m sure that we’ll become a pretty good couple.”

*.·:·.✧.·:·.*

Leyla dashed down the stairwell at a frenzied pace. She wasn’t being chased, but she couldn’t stop her feet from running harder and faster.

The sound of her heels slamming against the gravel on the promenade shattered the serenity of the night garden. Leyla only came to a halt after she arrived at the huge fountain in the middle of the garden.

As she calmed her panting breath, her leg’s long-forgotten pain reappeared. She was just noticing that her feet were hurting because all she had in mind before was simply escaping from the terrace.

“Ah…….”

Leyla loosened the lace of her shoes a little and winced in pain. There were raw scratches all over her feet. Her heel’s skin had been peeled off and was bleeding, due to her new stiletto heels.

What she wanted to do now was to go back to her cottage but Leyla changed her mind and chose to stay in the garden instead.

She had promised Kyle that she’ll be waiting for him. At least, she had to let him know if she was going to take her leave first.

Even so, she feared returning to that frenzied mansion, to that strange and unsettling world.

Lumbered, Leyla walked in a grimace along the right side of the promenade and sheltered under the pergola in which rose vines were trained.

She planned to wait in the garden first, then headed to the mansion to wait for Kyle’s return.

But, can I sit down here?

Leyla was perplexed as she looked at the bench. The exquisite pergola was created out of the rose foliage cultivated and pruned by Uncle Bill’s green hand. Yet, she had never sat underneath it because it was a seat that no other workers or servants were allowed to use.

‘But tonight, I’m here as the Arvis’s guest, so wouldn’t it be okay?’

After having more of such thoughts, Leyla decided to sit comfortably at the bench. She needed a little more time and courage before she could take off her shoes.

She relaxed her exhausted body against the bench’s armrests and wrapped her arms around her knees. Once her throbbing feet collided with the cold marble, the pain started to subside a little.

Her beautiful shoes damaged her feet, to the point that she couldn’t put them on again.

‘My feet would not be hurting like this if I didn’t run.’

She gently grazed the inflamed wound with her fingertips, before shaking her head when a sudden memory flashed in her mind.

Leyla wrinkled her brow as she recalled Duke Herhardt’s face glaring at her while he was kissing his fiancé.

She just couldn’t help wondering why Claudine took his kiss for granted even though she knew someone else was there.

“Why did they do that?”

Mumbling to herself, Leyla unwittingly rubbed her lips.

“….. So shameless.”

This time, she caressed it hard with the back of her hand till the inside of her lips.

She wished to forget about tonight’s memories and the strange feeling she had when looking at his figure under the dim luminance of the moon.