Chapter 2

If not for Father’s pressure, I would have slapped her across the face without hesitation. Still, in a strange way, she did help me a little. Due to what happened, Father finally agreed to meet Seville.

When he returned, he approved of my choice. To Sarah, however, that only gave her another reason to mock me.

“Choosing a poor nobody? Lily, has your brain gone to mush?”

Sarah proudly showed off the marks Blake had left on her body.

“Blake is incredibly strong,” she bragged. “He says he can’t stay away from me. He needs me every single day. I can barely sleep through the night.”

She pretended to yawn and covered her mouth before suddenly apologizing. “Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot that you haven’t even met your fiancé yet. That Seville guy hasn’t shown up once. What if he’s actually too ugly to face anyone?”

Sarah smirked smugly. “Honestly, if you beg me, you can have Blake for one night each month.”

At that moment, a handsome young man walked toward us. His well-tailored coat emphasized his broad shoulders and narrow waist. His nose was sharp and straight, his features deep and striking. Most captivating of all was the mysterious scent that clung to him.

Sarah’s eyes lit up. She brushed her hair back and threw him a flirtatious look.

“Oh my God, he’s gorgeous,” she whispered. “With a nose like that, I can’t even imagine how big he must be.”

Then, she turned back to me, sympathy in her eyes. “If your Seville were even half as handsome as him, you wouldn’t be so pitiful.”

Just as she finished speaking, the handsome man stopped beside me and extended his hand.

“Hello. I’m Seville.” He took my hand gently and pressed a light kiss to the back of it before adding, “Your fiancé.”

Why hadn’t I noticed in my previous life… that he was so charming?

The look on Sarah’s face was priceless. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the time to enjoy it, as Blake had arrived as well. With one arm around Sarah’s waist, he led her toward the bedroom.

Before the door opened, Blake had slipped his hand inside Sarah’s clothes. Seemingly enjoying it, Sarah giggled and leaned up to kiss him. When the door shut behind them, I could hear Blake slapping her.

The noise pulled me back to memories from my previous life and Blake’s twisted need for control. Every day, he decided what I wore, from how long my skirts were to how high my heels could be. Even what I ate, what I drank, who I met, or what I said had to follow his rules. If I disobeyed him, Blake would tie my wrists and hang me up. Then, he would punish me with the little “games” he enjoyed.

Even in bed, everything had to follow his commands. From the position to the rhythm, and even when I was allowed to climax, depended entirely on him. If I failed to do it as I was told, there would be punishment.

Just thinking about his favorite tools—the cold wax candles and the short whip—made me shiver instinctively. No one knew how relieved I had been when I discovered I was pregnant in my previous life because I finally had an excuse to avoid sleeping with Blake.

“Are you cold?”

A coat, warm with body heat and carrying a cool, crisp scent, settled over my shoulders. Seville’s amber eyes were filled with concern. I thanked him, and he gestured for me to take his arm, leading me outside.

I hadn’t expected him to take me somewhere humans considered a classic date spot.

“I’m sorry,” Seville said. “I did a little research on my own. It seems you’re quite interested in human culture.”

We sat side by side on a park bench, awkward and stiff, like two strangers who had been forced together. The thought made me laugh quietly. Wasn’t that exactly what we were?

Seville spoke first. “Miss Lily, have you thought about your wedding?”

“This political marriage is unavoidable. Being forced to marry me is something you cannot refuse,” he said calmly. “But in other matters, I hope you can choose what you truly like. For example, the wedding itself.”

Curious, I asked, “What if I want Cinderella’s crystal carriage?”

“That can be arranged.”

“What if I want the wedding to be held in the Milky Way?”

“That might be difficult, but we could recreate a galaxy-themed setting.”

I stared at him in shock, asking, “What if I want a wedding dress woven entirely from pearls?”

Seville smiled, his gaze toward me gentle. “You can have anything you want.”

I didn’t quite believe him, but he was handsome enough that I was willing to forgive the exaggeration.

The date ended pleasantly. It was only upon returning home and being reminded by a servant that I realized I had been smiling the entire time.

A few days later, Seville sent someone to deliver a large box. Inside was a pearl wedding dress. He had really done it. Even though it wasn’t made entirely of pearls, a delicate outer layer of pearls was woven over white silk.

A small note accompanied it, written in elegant handwriting.

[I tried making it entirely from pearls, but it turned out far too heavy. So I only used one layer. I wouldn’t want you to lose all your strength on your wedding day. That is something meant for our wedding night.]

Sudden footsteps ran past my door. I heard Sarah crying and arguing with Blake, demanding a grand wedding. Blake responded impatiently that since they had slept together, a simple mating ceremony would be enough.

Naturally, Sarah refused. However, after two loud slaps, her protests turned into soft, breathy sounds. The dull rhythm of bodies colliding echoed from outside my room.

I sighed and decided not to leave my room for the moment. In some ways, Blake and Sarah really were quite well matched.