I Became the Villain’s Wife - Chapter 52

~ 52.1 ~

I will erase it a bit more, and it will be over.”

“It’s okay! I said I will do it!”

He was more persistent than what she expected. He also seemed not willing to let go of her face.

Eun-woo intently stared at the face in front of her, who remained still, thus she had no choice but to let him wipe the sauce off her lips.

Then, his hand rested on her lips and stopped.

He was right in front of her. And it was also the first time his hand touched her this much. They were so near to each other that they could hear each other’s breathing.

She suddenly pondered why she allowed this man to get so close to her. There was even an illusion that his face was inching forward even more.

The strange thing was that nonetheless, she didn’t feel any desire to avoid it.

She could see his neck was moving in front of her. It felt like he wanted to do something, but he was hesitant. On the other hand, she wanted to know what he was so hesitant about. Somehow, she could feel that heat was being transported to her head, to the point that her eyes were wide open in daze. To be specific, it was as if the heat on her face was longing for something.

She closed her eyes, as if reciting a pledge. The next moment, what she could hear were their heartbeats intertwining together, lingering in her ears. Suddenly, the curtains were pulled up in a haste. That moment, Eun-woo jumped out from her seat, as if she was a billiard ball, bouncing. The spirit that seemed to disappear from her body came back and her heart started to beat steadily afterwards.

Eun-woo hurriedly trimmed her hair that had been disfigured to the sides, and pretended to be calm, using all her might.

As soon as her curtains were pulled back, Tashian, who quickly pulled back his hand back, had returned to his usual expressionlessness.

Selena quietly returned to her seat and sat down as if she hadn’t noticed anything strange about the two of them.

However, when the curtains were all pulled back and the stage started again, the minute tremors left on Eun-woo’s body did not go away.

The performance started again, and soon everyone in the box seats fell in love with Prima Donna’s song.

It was the climax of the second act. People couldn’t breathe and concentrated on the explosive high notes of the soprano and the tenor’s voice that wrapped around it and produced a smooth and perfect harmony.

It was the same with Eun-woo. She forgot to shut her mouth and only watched the beautiful stage. She didn’t care no matter what noise she heard next to her. She seemed to be left with only the show and herself. It was such an intense performance.

But when everyone in the theater was focused on the stage, there was one person who was alone looking elsewhere.

Tashian’s deep, dark eyes did not turn toward the stage, but toward the enchanted profile of the woman sitting next to him. Everyone was paying attention to the singers’ enthusiasm, and no one noticed the subtle and most personal emotions in his expression.

However, as Eun-woo was focused on the performance, he, too, was completely overwhelmed by her.

He seemed to have come to see her, not Calista’s performance. Tashian’s eyes looking at the woman seemed to be gazing at something not in this world.

It contained ecstasy and awe. The emotion of the man who faced a sight that could not even dare to capture his dreams melted. He was like a wandering sage who finally accepted the god. In those eyes, there was dedication even if a stranger came to notice him. He was close to blindly falling in love.

The woman (Eun-woo), who was obsessed with the performance, and her man (Tashian), who was obsessed with her. One man’s gaze continued unnoticed until the end of one song, until his gaze became gloomy to others if they did see it.

***

At the end of late summer, the Duke’s Castle was preparing for the coming autumn.

All the servants in the house were busy working to please a guest with power comparable to that of a hostess today. Of course, the guest was sipping tea with another guest she had invited, unaware of the servants’ busy footsteps.

“Miss Selena, would you like some more tea?”

Lady Miller’s maid, Hannah, kindly suggested to Selena. She smiled as Selena nodded her head.

After Selena became her companion, Selena didn’t bring any maid, therefore Eun-woo gave one of her maids.

With her tender care, Selena was perfectly accustomed to being Eun-woo’s companion in studying. No matter how much Selena came to be her companion, servants from different families, starting with low status, showed respect for her as a noblewoman.

“How do you like this patterned fabric, lady?”

While they were drinking Dorandoran tea, Anit, Eleanor’s nanny, picked up a couple of clothes and showed them to her. Eun-woo opened her mouth from the teacup as if thinking about it and asked her nanny.

(TN:  I searched for Dorandoran and found out that it’s milk tea nowadays. I don’t know if such tea exists though.)

“Ah, did I mention that this is a curtain to be replaced this time?”

“Yeah. We’ve taken quite a few samples, so please choose between them.”

A few days ago, she received an unexpected offer from Johannes.

〈“I am planning to change the interior decoration of the castle when fall comes. Is Miss willing to take over the task?” 〉

Eun-woo blinked in surprise at the suggestion.

While the season changed after living in the Duke’s Castle, the décor inside the mansion has also changed several times. But of course, there were all minor changes, such as the location and color of tablecloths, curtains, and flowerpots.

Even with such small changes, her mood would change 180 degrees, so it was pleasant and fun for her to see such a thing.

But now Johannes even wants to leave those things to her.

When Eun-woo hesitated a bit, Johannes said with a broad smile.

〈 “This is also one of the qualities that Miss will take over in the future. Think about the things you will do here as practices and give it a try.” 〉

Eun-woo was swept away by Johannes’s persuasion.

So now, along with Selena, picking out the color of her curtains, holding a swatch of her multicolored splendor in her hand.

“The harvest season is coming soon… How about this kind of chestnut or rat color?”

“Then wouldn’t it look too simple?”

“The hem is embroidered in bright colors. Then I think it will look a lot cozier with a hint of autumn.”

Her words were the cause why Anit was passionate and overly activated to work. It was because Eun-woo decided to learn how to embroider.

Anit came right away with a basket full of her threads and needles and pushed them to her right away.

〈 Goodness…..! You did well, Lady! Embroidery is a basic skill of a lady! After you came to the mansion, you gave up on sewing practice altogether. How much worthwhile would it be to practice unfinished business on this opportunity and decorate the interior of the mansion by yourself? 〉

Anit’s eyes flashed with desire as she spoke those words.

With the gaze of such a maid, the nanny, along with other maids, gathered around her, jokingly chimed in one word at a time, sympathizing with her.

Eun-woo laughed awkwardly at the obvious behavior of Anit, the maid and nanny.

These days, Anit had abandoned her dream of making her lady into a princess, but she was nurtured by another dream behind the scenes. And it was none other than the master of the mansion, the Duke of Verk, who fanned her newly ignited dream.

〈 “Miss, I guarantee you that His Grace will be impressed if you embroider him something yourself!” 〉