âWhy is that important? The question should be: would they be helpful for Carlisle as an emperor?â
His eyes darkened to a stormy blue.
âI will be emperor regardless. So donât worry about anything else, and just look at me.â
ââŚ?â
âIf I take any other noblewoman, you can drug me without my knowledge, or you can torture me and make me a cripple.â
ââŚWhat?â
Elena widened her eyes, completely dumbstruck. Carlisle took in her startled look and gave a bitter smile.
âYou can be cruel to me if you wish.â
Elena was confused by his unexpected words. She didnât want to be the evil, jealous wife of the emperor.
ââŚI donât know what you mean.â
Carlisle faced the bewildered Elena and spoke with a softened expression.
âIâve told you once before, but Iâm so greedy that even if you refuse me, I wonât back down.â
She suddenly recalled the words he had spoken to her on the boat.
â If I said those words, it might reject me. But as you know, I am a greedy manâŚand I canât handle rejection.
At that time, Carlisle asked her to guess what he desired, and she replied that it was fish. But what was it truly? As she filed through her thoughts, Carlisle cupped her face with both hands and drew her closer. The distance between the two was now almost nonexistent. Elena had the illusion that she was being sucked into his shining blue eyes right in front of her.
âI clearly warned you. But it was you who came to me without fear.â
Another memory came to Elenaâs mind, this time of when she first saved him.
â Donât forget this. It was you who came to me.
She forgot nothing. All the conversations she had with him came to her one by one, until it was like a tidal wave, and gave her the answer.
In the end, she couldnât believe it.
ââŚNo way.â
Carlisle couldnât be in love with her. They met each other when they were young, but it didnât make sense that an encounter so brief could leave an impression so deep.
What did she have that she could give to Carlisle? He was a man of wealth, good upbringing, and what was more, he was the crown prince. He had a face that made many women prisoners of love. Surely such a fatally attractive man wouldnât turn his head for her.
Elenaâs eyes widened.
âCaril, do you love me?â
ââŚâ
Carlisleâs expression hardened briefly. His lips opened, but there was no sound, and she quickly moved on with an embarrassed look.
âAh, no, thatâs ridiculousâŚâ
She tried to turn her eyes away whenâ
Hwiig!
Carlisleâs broad hand captured Elena by the chin and moved her gaze back at him, and she saw that his expression more serious than she expected. The blue of his eyes were unfathomably deep, deep enough to drown in them.
âWhat man would be generous to a woman he doesnât even like? You only realize that now?â
ââŚAh.â
Elenaâs jaw dropped open. Did he really act that way because he liked her? She stood stock still, unable to believe the words that came from his mouth.
âSince when did you start liking me? It doesnât make sense. We were so young when we first metâŚâ
It was only natural that she didnât realize that Carlisle liked her. From her point of view, she thought his niceness was part of his personality. She thought him a playboy who knew womenâs minds, and was justified in thinking that he had no special feelings for her.
âWhy does that not make sense? I liked you from the first time I met you.â
âBut we met a long time ago and hadnât seen each other in years. AndâŚand I was a countâs daughter. I could have already gotten married before I met you again.â
She couldnât believe he held on to those feelings for years without ever seeing her. Elena gave him a doubtful stare, but Carlisle smiled faintly.
âIt didnât matter to me. Even if you became the wife of another man, I would have found you somehow and made you mine.â
ââŚâ
âI would have come to you earlier, but at that time my life was in danger.â
Carlisleâs long fingers slowly traced Elenaâs eyes, then drifted down to her nose and then her lips.
âBut no matter how we met againâŚI would still be in love with you. Though it was quite a surprise when you appeared to me in armor.â
ââŚHow can you be so sure?â
âEverything about you is incredible. Your eyes, nose, lips are all so beautiful that I canât take my eyes off them.â
She blushed furiously. Soon Carlisleâs lips fell on Elenaâs forehead. The kiss was as light as a feather, but the touch seemed to burn her skin.
âNow that you know the feelings of my heart, will you run away?â
Although Carlisleâs mouth moved as he spoke, his eyes were resolutely fixed on hers without so much as a tremor.
âI have no intention of breaking my contract with you, but I donât intend to resent the day you and I got married because of a contract.â
And smile spread on Carlisleâs lips.
âEven if you run all the way to the end of the world, somehow I will keep you by my side.â
It was almost a threat. But ridiculously, to Elenaâs ears, it sounded as if his possessiveness was whispering of destiny, of fate. No matter what she looked like or where she was, Carlisle would go to her. If she had heard this in the beginning when she didnât know him, she might have tried to run away. Now, however, it was as if her entire numb body was beginning to melt.
âMy wife is mine.â
He spoke in a husky growl, and Elena couldnât hold back any longer. She quickly grabbed Carlisleâs back and pulled him to her. As his eyes widened at her sudden action, she crushed her lips against his without hesitation. His body froze in surprise, but Elena pressed more insistently. A moment, and then Carlisle hungrily responded back. They kissed and grabbed at each other, the heat rising between them.
After a few long, desperate minutes, it was the demand for air that made them finally pull away from each other to catch their breath. Elena looked up at Carlisle and spoke in a hoarse voice.
âI must be crazy.â
âWhat?â
âYou are absolutely cute.â
Carlisleâs eyes popped open in surprise. At that moment, Elena threaded her fingers between Carlisle.
âIâll never run away from you.â
Carlisle replied in an uncharacteristically tremorous voice.
ââŚSay it again.â
âI wonât run away.â
âAgain.â
âThatâs getting strange, isnât it?â
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âWe can be a little strange.â
âCarâheub!â
Carlisle swooped down and captured her lips again, as if he could no longer hold himself back anymore. They indulged in each other for a long time in that room. Elena felt as if she owned the whole world at this moment.