My Beloved, Whom I Desire to Kill - 256

—You must never tell Edwin Eccleston that I know how to fly a plane or that we’re learning to tango.

She didn’t have to ask why Lorenz was making such a request; she already knew. If even the few things he could truly call his own were taken from him by the man who had everything, he would lose all will to live.

She could play with his love, but she didn’t want to completely destroy his personality. However, when she thought about the long-standing pain that Edwin and she had endured, it would only be right for Giselle to want the source of that pain, Lorenz, to be destroyed.

But why did she want to protect that man’s will to live?

If Lorenz’s purpose for learning the tango had been to get his hands on Giselle’s body, she would have crushed him with her own hands instead of protecting him. But when he talked about the corrupt dance, his eyes were more pure and innocent than ever before.

—How about we leave this as something that belongs only to Lorenz?

There was a rational reason why she was siding with the man who had betrayed her instead of the man she had once been so blindly loyal to.

—Lorenz will listen to me to protect what’s his, and if you tame him, it will be easier for you, too.

—Since when did you change your profession to a dog trainer?

—I think I have a talent for training. He’s been keeping his turn, and he doesn’t even interrupt our dates anymore. It’s already working well.

Edwin didn’t seem convinced; in fact, his anxiety only grew.

—Giselle, I don’t want you to sacrifice yourself for us. You don’t have to force yourself to tame that guy.

—What do you mean, «force myself»? I’m enjoying it.

When else will I get to see the magnificent sight of that face dancing a sensual dance? The man’s face, who misunderstood the meaning of her «enjoying it,» darkened for a moment.

—Whatever you’re misunderstanding, it’s wrong. I mean it when I say you don’t have to worry about me or our relationship at all.

Giselle firmly intertwined her fingers with his and met his eyes.

—Edwin, believe in me.

—…I’m the one who’s being completely tamed.

Because whenever Giselle called his name, Edwin had no choice but to obey.

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After stopping by her house to drop off their things, their next destination was a street in Richmond known as a hub for the upper class. They stopped in front of a classical-looking store whose entrance exuded an unusual sense of intimidation, as if it were a place where not just anyone could enter.

A doorman, who stood guard even though it wasn’t a hotel, bowed respectfully and opened the door for them. As they stepped into the dazzling interior, which was already hurting her eyes, a middle-aged man who had been giving instructions to an employee behind the counter walked briskly toward them, his face beaming, to greet them.

—Welcome, Your Grace.

This was the jewelry store the Eccleston family had frequented for generations. It was Giselle’s first time here, but she had received something from this place before.

—Did you bring the watch?

The manager opened the box Giselle had taken out of her handbag and handed him. The black watch face and gold chain glittered like new. It was the watch she had received as a gift to commemorate becoming an adult.

—It’s a pleasure to see it again after so long. The exterior is in excellent condition. It seems you’ve cherished our watch.

Giselle felt awkward, just like when he had asked her, «Why don’t you wear the watch I gave you?» because she hadn’t cherished it; she had just buried it deep in her safe and tried to forget about it. She had even completely forgotten about it until the man next to her asked about it.

The watch, which had seen the light of day for the first time in years, had stopped. She had brought it to get it checked before wearing it again.

—It depends on the condition of the watch’s interior, but it usually takes about 30 minutes. I will try to rush it as much as I can. Should I guide you to the lounge?

—No, thank you. This place looks more interesting.

At the tycoon’s response that he wanted to look at jewelry, the manager’s already bright face became as radiant as a gold nugget. A desperate hope was also visible in his eyes.

Jewelry was an extravagance that couldn’t be compared to tulip bulbs, wasn’t it? A jewelry store was also a workplace for someone’s survival, but they couldn’t survive by selling vegetable seeds instead of flowers, like a horticulturalist.

With the outbreak of the war, the rich had either fled overseas or moved their assets, and the royal family, who had started the war, was reducing its spending to be mindful of the public. So, despite its flashy exterior, the business might have been crumbling on the inside.

—I’ll be back shortly. Before that, if there’s any piece you’d like to try on, please let Mrs. Osmond here know.

As the manager handed them over to another employee and disappeared into the back with the watch, Edwin led Giselle to a nearby display case and asked.

—Do you see anything you like?

Giselle’s expression was bored as she looked at the jewelry under the glass while keeping her arm linked with his.

—Is this a bribe? My love isn’t that cheap.

—Then I guess you won’t refuse this cheap thing.

—I knew it. I like a man who is quick-witted.

Her confident attitude, as if she were a depositor demanding a gift, was so lovely that Edwin’s heart was about to burst.

Wasn’t she the girl who never begged for anything from a young age and felt burdened by Edwin’s gifts like a debt, thinking they were beyond her means? Just recently, on her birthday, she had even warned him that she would refuse anything too expensive.

But that Giselle had changed. The woman who had drawn a line and kept her distance, believing that her relationship with him would one day end or fade, had finally broken the boundary between his things and hers. Edwin was so happy that he felt he could give her the Templeton mansion right away, let alone a piece of jewelry.

—Then how about this? I think a choker would look good on you.

—I’m not so sure…

Giselle’s bored expression was because the items in front of her were all excessively large and flashy. They looked like they were destined for the safe again.

She saw some more wearable pieces in the display case on the other side and was about to head there when Edwin grabbed her. She thought he had found a piece of jewelry he liked.

But oddly, he picked up something strange from a desk that seemed to be a workbench for employees. It was a metal loop the size of a bracelet, with a bunch of much smaller loops of various sizes hanging from it. What in the world was that for?

The moment Edwin brought his left hand over and was about to put one of the rings on her ring finger, Giselle realized what it was for. She flinched in disgust and quickly pulled her hand away. The employee, who had been following them three steps behind, pretended not to see what had just happened.

A man measuring a ring size and a woman refusing him. What must we look like?

Embarrassed, Giselle quickly stood close to him and whispered.

—What if this gets out?

—If the employees here had loose lips, would the Eccleston family have been a regular customer for generations? This is the place that still hasn’t shown me the ledger of the jewelry my father bought for a platoon-sized number of mistresses. You can rest assured.

The basis of his trust was truly bizarre.

—Giselle, I don’t want you to be mistaken for a mistress.

And yet, he wasn’t just pretending to measure her engagement ring size. In any case, he was excellent at making excuses. Giselle continued to hide her hands behind her back and wouldn’t give them to him.

—Who gave you permission to measure my ring size already? Do you think my words that we’re not even dating are funny?

It was true that she had been caught off guard by the man’s relentless attacks and had fallen for him in an instant, but his attitude of treating Giselle as if she were already a conquered fortress was completely unpleasant.

—I know. You can leave anytime you want. That’s why I’m working hard to prove how sincere and desperate I am.

Edwin also thought that talk of marriage was premature. It was understandable that Giselle would be uncomfortable. But he at least hoped she wouldn’t feel as anxious as she used to.

—Don’t feel pressured. If it’s my duty to beg you to marry me, then you have the right to torment me and enjoy it as much as you want until you accept me.

The key to his words seemed to be in the phrase «until you accept me.» Giselle glared at the man who wasn’t even her boyfriend with narrowed eyes, then arrogantly tilted her chin and graciously held out her left hand.

—You’re going to regret telling me to torment you and enjoy it.

She would burn him until only his bones were left. But the man measuring her ring size looked so happy that Giselle was already starting to regret it. With his mouth curved into a smile as if he could already see the moment he would place the engagement ring on her finger, she drove a final nail into the coffin.

—I can’t guarantee that I’ll accept your proposal.

—That depends on what I do.

—You know that, don’t you?

Edwin smiled, turned around, and called out Giselle’s ring size. As if they had planned it in advance, an employee immediately took out a ledger with the name Eccleston on it from under the display case and recorded it. Even though Giselle was holding the leash, she couldn’t shake the feeling of being pulled along.

How annoying.

Giselle scoffed at the man who was pretending to lose while winning and was now browsing the jewelry with a smile on his face.

—So, Duke Eccleston, you know that a proposal requires not only love but also a ring. I was under the false impression that you didn’t.