My Sister’s Man - Chapter 40

Leandro’s words that the work had already started were not lies.

After the luncheon, as soon as Larne left the dining room, she headed to her room. Although, when she arrived, she realized it could hardly be called her room anymore. All her things had been removed to prepare for the work, with workers already beginning the necessary measurements. As Leandro stood in the door with his arms crossed, Larne regarded him with what she hoped was a blank expression.

If he noticed the resentment in Larne’s eyes Leandro did not say choosing instead to avoid her gaze completely.

“If you’re going to proceed without listening to my opinion, why did you ask?” A furrow appeared on Larne’s forehead.

“Of course because I knew you wouldn’t like it. And the construction isn’t that complicated, it’s simpler than you think.” Leandro’s words were somewhat short-tempered.

As Larne watched the workers she realized Leandro intended to make a passageway between her room and the empty room next door. The empty room was originally for the purpose of creating a bedroom for a couple but had remained empty and unused during the course of their marriage so far.

“You’ll move your bedroom to the first floor starting from today.” Leandro’s words interrupted her thoughts..

As she stood in the empty room, Larne realized something about her childhood.

Even when I lived with my family, I never stayed on the first floor. 

Usually, the first floor of a mansion was an important space. Like the office, the drawing room, or the master’s bedroom. The rooms of immediate family members were also usually located on the first floor which was where Leandro slept. Larne had never been allowed to occupy the first floor in her life. Her room at the duke’s residence was on the 4th floor.

Recalling her room on the 4th floor, Larne smiled bitterly. She didn’t just sleep there; she often ate meals there too—in a small dining room down the hall from her room. Even when her family was in the house Larne often ate alone.

At that time, I thought that making a room on the 4th floor was a special treatment. 

She never thought it was to hide the daughter who might die at any moment.

“Where will I sleep?” She waited to hear where Leandro would put her. Would he hide her as her family had?

“As I said, you’ll use my bedroom.”

“How can I comfortably take your bed when there is nowhere for you to sleep?” Larne was shocked.

“It won’t take too long to complete the work. Two days at most.” Leandro was calm.

Larne still couldn’t understand his actions. Honestly, she didn’t hate it when he cared about what she said and acted kindly.

Because they were about to break up. Larne didn’t want to rely on Leandro’s thin favor. She’d been through this before with her own family. Larne knew she’d be the one who would have a hard time with vain expectations.

“For now, go in and rest.” Leandro called Calvary and instructed him to escort Larne to the bedroom. Calvary, who had already heard the circumstances, took Larne to Leandro’s bedroom.

Looking back from a brighter place, Larne could see Leandro’s space too desolate to be considered anything but a place to sleep. The number of lanterns was too few to illuminate the empty space, there were no warm rugs, no chair by the fireplace, or books or tables. The only furniture was the narrow bed too small for such a large and empty room.

“It may be sudden, but for the time being, you will be staying here.” Calvary, surprised by Leandro’s momentum, was almost speechless.

Larne had a hard time accepting the situation. It was burdensome to accept large-scale construction to support a marriage which would only last two more months.

The only reason she couldn’t bring herself to resist was because of her small greed. Larne wanted Leandro to live in the room she decorated—even if she was no longer there to see him happy in it. A cozy rug, a chair by the fire, perhaps a place where he could read a book. It was such a small gift but if it was in her power to give, Larne wanted to be the one to give it.

I didn’t know it would lead to this result. But sleeping in his office! 

Larne caught Calvary as he left. “Will you call the merchant to the mansion tomorrow? And, His Excellency—tell him to come here tonight instead of sleeping in his office.”

“All right.” Calvary bowed his head and left the room.

Larne sat uncomfortably on the bed. Leandro’s scent, which was not felt yesterday because of the tension, was everywhere.

As she sank into the narrow bed a distant recollection of being embraced rose up around her.

Surprised by her impure thoughts, Larne’s cheeks turned red. She was sure it was because she hadn’t slept properly. Larne lay down on the bed and fell asleep before her head touched the pillow.

*

Leandro sighed after hearing Larne’s words from Calvary.  “My wife told me not to sleep in the office?”

There was an expression of incomprehension on Calvary’s face as he replied, “Actually, I don’t know why you moved so quickly. If you had built the central room first, then the doorway—”

Leandro didn’t want to hear the nagging, so he gestured at Calvary to stop.

Even I think I’m crazy. 

It was the result of acting impulsively, Leandro’s inability to overcome the displeasure of the moment and throwing away reason. Even Larne had looked at him with an expression of incomprehension.

To be honest, there was nothing Leandro needed from his bedroom.

After all, I only have to sleep three days a week. 

It was something to think about doing in advance.

But why am I so worried? 

With the sky already dark, Leandro moved towards his bedroom without thinking.

Should I knock on the door? Or just go in? 

Concerned, Leandro opened the door.

There was even breathing in the dark room with not a single light on. He saw Larne, who was asleep without even covering herself with a blanket. Fortunately, she was still wearing my indoor clothes as if she had fallen asleep without realizing.

The bright pastel-toned dress suitable for spring matched Larne very well. Just as Leandro was about to cover him with the blanket, Larne opened his eyes.

Gray eyes similar to the moonlight. Those eyes shook slightly as they faced Leandro. He wondered if she was surprised to see him just after waking up. Was it correct to knock and come in?

Leandro thought it would not be unusual for Larne to scream from surprise. However, Larne stared at him and reached out her hand. It was a slow movement, so if Leandro wanted to avoid it, he could have, but he stayed still. A subtle feeling of displeasure that Larne might have mistaken him for someone else irked him, but even that was quickly dissipated by the words that followed.

“Welcome, Leandro. Come sleep.”

He seemed to recognize him even in the dark. Leandro was helplessly laid down by the hand that pulled him.

“The office is not a place to sleep.”

It was a murmur similar to sleep talking.

Forced to lie down, Leandro couldn’t even take off his shirt. Nor could he lay down entirely on the bed, which was narrower than he thought. Shifting her to a position beside him, Leandro discovered he didn’t feel uncomfortable seeing Larne lying in his arms.

Leandro stroked Larne’s long, disheveled white hair and closed his eyes.

When Larne woke up in the morning, she was shocked. To be precise, she was astonished to discover her head cushioned on Leandro’s shoulder. The bed was so small, so she couldn’t even get half of his body up without pushing against him.

Seeing Leandro had fallen asleep without taking off his shirt, Larne cautiously swung her legs over the side of the bed and tried to stand.

A hand tugged on her arm and pulled her back. Larne, who had become trapped in his arms, tried to move around in an attempt to escape, but could not get out of his arms.

Is he awake? Did I wake him up?

Goosebumps rose at the hot breath on the back of Larne’s neck. Her heart beat wildly. At the same time, the arms that had been holding her loosened, and she carefully stood up.

Larne was at a loss. In fact, there was nothing she could do after getting out. She had fallen asleep so quickly the day before that she hadn’t even changed out of her dress. There was no place to wash in Leandro’s bedroom, no clothes to change into. Not only were her things gone but Leandro was sleeping so it was ambiguous if she should call the lady-in-waiting and ask for help.

As Larne worried how long he might sleep, Leandro got up.

Were you uncomfortable while sleeping? Larne opened her mouth to ask and—

“I’ll call the lady-in-waiting. I’ll wash up in the office.” Leandro left the bedroom as if he were running away, leaving only those curt words behind.