Living as the Villain’s Stepmother - Chapter 188 – Greedy (1)

“I don’t even feel like I’m getting a massage. All you’re doing is just touching me. Why do I feel like you have an ulterior motive for doing this?”

“Well, that’s part of it, but…” Lacias smiled with his eyes. “Yes, you’re right…” He muttered and laughed like a mischievous child.

“I said it as a joke, but I guess I got you.”

“I just want you to know how I’m always eager to hold you,” Lacias said as he continued massaging her wrist.

Lila’s wrists were slightly strained because of the huge amount of paperwork she had to do in her wedding preparations. Lacias, who noticed that at once, began to relax her tense wrist muscle.

It’s the same for me, too. It was a natural feeling to want to stay close and touch someone you love.

Although she felt no different from Lacias, she was too embarrassed to speak out about her feelings. She just hoped her cheeks weren’t burning like a tomato.

“What are you doing?”

His fingers flicked along the blue veins on her pale arm, they were no longer on her forearm. “I don’t know.”

Tick, tock.

“W-why are you looking at me with those eyes?” Lila had noticed that the chamber had gotten a little warmer. Or was it her?

“I’m not sure.” He wasn’t willing to give her an accurate answer to what she asked. Rather than by words, Lacias chose to answer her differently. He rose from the chair and closed the space between them.

Lila, who was lying still on the bed, couldn’t tilt her head back to avoid the incoming onslaught. However, she deemed it as not a problem this time as she had not the slightest inclination to refuse Lacias in the first place.

Their faces were so close that she could feel his breath on her cheek. His unique, cool scent tickled her nose. “Lila.”

She answered with her lips slightly parted, “Yes?” She felt that if otherwise, their lips would be touching.

Her heart was pounding with excitement. She seemed to be anticipating something. Lacias drew his face even closer with his head slightly tilted. “Can I kiss you?”

No answer was needed.

***

As a person who always suffered from chronic fatigue, Lila was not used to waking up feeling fresh in the morning.

“Um….”

How long did I sleep? And why am I feeling so light?

She blinked her eyes slowly before allowing the dazzling sunlight to slip through her lids. It didn’t seem like it was past lunch. As her head cleared, she gradually remembered one by one the things that happened the night before.

I officially became Lacias wife. I suffered from headaches after learning that my father also came to this world, and I spent the night with Lacias…

“Oh my god.” As soon as the thought flashed across her mind, the memories of last night coming back to her in succession, she instantly turned to the side of the bed. Her eyes didn’t seem to know where to look, if someone else were to see her now she would look insane.

Lying beside her was Lacias, he was already awake and quietly watching her reaction. He must have woken up earlier than her.

“Why are you looking at me like that? You could’ve just called me if you were awake.”

“You looked so lovely while sleeping so I didn’t want to disturb you. This is your fault. Who told you to be this cute even in the morning?”

“Ugh!” She didn’t want to admit that his flattering was getting to her.

“Please be less pretty in the morning.”

“S- stop.” Lila curled up her body in embarrassment. She felt like she wouldn’t be able to handle his overly romantic words without reacting awkwardly.

He’s like a fox.

“Did you sleep well?” Asked Lacias. “You seemed very tired yesterday.”

Lila touched her head lightly. “Yes, I did. I can’t remember how I fell asleep. I think I was very exhausted.”

“It’s because you’ve been overworking. Don’t worry about anything today, and get some rest.”

“But there are plenty of papers piled up in my office. I have to get up and start the day.”

Lacias sighed deeply as if his point wasn’t getting across. “Lila. We are newlyweds. Do you know what newlyweds means? Do you want me to teach you?”

“I know, but if I take a break today, my desk will collapse from the mountainous amount of papers.”

“Then I should make you a new desk out of jewels. Minerals are much harder than wood, so no matter how much paper you put on them, they won’t break. I’ll even let you choose the color.” He added at the end.

“Lacias. You know that’s not what I’m talking about right now.”

He pouted his lips like a duck. He seemed upset at Lila’s firmness. “Make someone else do it for you today and play with me.”

Lila burst into laughter. But aren’t you busier than me?

If Lila were to take the day off, she could somehow possibly catch up with all her work the next day. However, only if she worked hard. But that wasn’t the case for Lacias. The amount of work he had was incomparable to that of Lila.

“And don’t worry about me.” He reassured, keeping up with her thoughts. “I can leave it to the captain.”

“But Roxana must be very busy as well.”

Roxana already took over the work that needed to be handled to put Doug Blake to trial. Fortunately, Doug Blake was to be held accountable for threatening the Duchess, as he threatened Lila after she exchanged marriage vows with Lacias.

That reminded Lila of a question she meant to ask Lacias. “What will happen to Baron Blake?”

“I’m not sure. I’ll have to ask our captain first.”

“But there must be a punishment you already have in mind.”

There was no way he didn’t think about it. He was the Duke of Wipere, and there was almost nothing you could do without his authority, even if it was convicting someone for something they didn’t do.