🌻 🌻 🌻
“LUCAS,” Iris said sometime later, her slender shoulders drawn back angrily. She looked like a governess ready to scold a naughty child and glared at Lucas. “Why did you do that?”
“Now I know how you look when you’re angry,” he replied.
“Lucas.”
“Come here.”
He outstretched his arms. She pursed her small lips and stood in place. She usually posed like that to imply his sweet words wouldn’t fool her. Lucas gently smiled and repeated his request.
“Would you please come here? I want you in my arms and to calmly talk things over with you.”
“Um… All right,” Iris relented. She seemed like she wanted to say a few more words, but she approached her beloved. A faint, sweet scent wafted in the air as she entered his embrace.
“As usual, you smell nice.”
He kissed her slender neck, and possibly remembering the kiss from earlier, she jolted in shock.
“I’m angry, I’ll have you know,” she said.
“I’m sorry,” Lucas replied. “Really, I am. I shouldn’t have kissed you so suddenly like that.”
As he whispered into her soft earlobe, Iris’s ears started to turn red. Was she remembering the kiss? Lucas drew her closer still and petted her dainty head.
“I showed it off on purpose,” he said. “I wanted to use those ladies to relay a clear and firm message to the third prince. I’ve only got eyes for you.”
Iris looked up at him, her bright, dark eyes showing her intelligence.
“You’ve noticed it already, haven’t you?” Lucas asked. “He assumes the type I like and has been sending ladies with the same dark hair as yours into your salon.”
“I have…” Iris confessed, averting her gaze while sounding a touch hesitant. “But Lucas, if you becoming friendly with these ladies will benefit your work, then I—”
A passionate kiss cut her off. When he released Iris from his grasp, she turned bright red.
“See? I have to be close to you, or I can’t silence you,” he said.
“L-Lucas…”
“If I have to choose a lady other than you for my company, then I’d rather sell everything off and start from nothing again.”
“D-Don’t say that.”
She turned pale as Lucas gently knocked his forehead against hers.
“That’s my line,” he said. “You’re so smart, and yet you’re so dense when it comes to understanding how much I love you. It’s almost frustrating.”
“U-Um, well, I…”
“If you’re gonna apologize, I’ll kiss you again.”
Iris had tried to instinctively apologize and pressed a hand against her mouth as her back went ramrod straight.
“I understand,” she said. “I won’t deny you, nor will I apologize. So, will you continue?”
“The kiss?” he asked.
“No, our discussion.”
“Heh.” Lucas chuckled at Iris’s firm words as he hugged her tightly. “In any case, I only need you,” he asserted. “I kissed you to convey that message to Duke Monzlaus, even pretending like we’d gone further than that. Do you understand my intentions so far?”
“I do.”
“Yet, you still seem like you’ve got some questions.”
“Erm…”
It clearly looked like she still had something to say. As she fidgeted, her usual mature demeanor vanished, replaced by the innocence of a lady who wasn’t twenty yet. Iris had been raised to be constantly vigilant and more mature than her age; Lucas was truly glad that there were now times when she’d slip up and look defenseless before him.
“Iris,” Lucas whispered. “If you’ve got something to say, tell me. If it’s anything but divorce, I’ll gladly hear you out. I don’t know if I can be of much help, though.”
His wife’s cheeks turned pink. She pointed her gaze at the ground as she carefully selected her words. After some time, she organized her thoughts and opened her pretty lips to speak.
“I-I understand that you have no plans to be intimate with another lady. But…we’ll be continuing this mariage blanc, won’t we?” she inquired feebly.
“Were you bothered by that?” he asked.
As the words left his lips, he realized his mistake. He reflexively put his hand over his mouth as his dear wife looked to be a little depressed. He’d begged her to stay by his side, yet their wedding had been delayed. Their mariage blanc was still continuing. I can’t blame her for being anxious, Lucas thought. He’d been so preoccupied with his own needs.
“You’re right,” he said. “I have no excuses. From your point of view, no matter what I say, I’m just a crafty lord who continues this mariage blanc without hosting an actual ceremony. I’m sorry.”
“Um, I don’t think of you that negatively,” Iris insisted.
He shook his head. “No, I know it’s too late, but it’s only natural for you to feel that way about me. I’m really stupid. Please forgive me.” He mussed his canary-yellow hair, firmly clasped Iris’s shoulders, and gazed straight into her eyes. “Listen. I have no plans on ending our relationship as a mariage blanc,” he said. “I can’t think of any other woman than you. It’s not your fault that the official wedding’s been delayed. It’s a problem on my end.”
“Lucas?”
“Don’t worry. To spill the beans, I’ve already prepared a wedding ring for you. It’s made of platinum and perfect for your slender fingers.” He kissed her forehead, then the ring finger of her left hand. As Iris remained silent, he knew he kissed her finger many times before and firmly made his vow. “I’ve decided to hasten our ceremony,” he said. “I’ll publicly announce that we’ll end our mariage blanc.”
Iris raised her head. “But I thought you wanted to delay it a touch longer.”
Indeed, timing was important. A wedding was the perfect venue to sell his name and advertise his company. But Lucas knew very well that there was no meaning in prioritizing his work if it meant making his beloved wife anxious. He’d built his company to protect others, after all—what use was there if he couldn’t even protect his dearest?
“And that time is now, Iris,” Lucas said. “I want to see you in a wedding dress, and there can’t be a more perfect time. What do you think?”
Those simple words were all Iris needed as her eyes grew damp. The corners of her eyes turned red as she gazed down and gave a small nod.
“I’m sorry, Iris,” Lucas apologized. “I’m sorry to make you so anxious for so long.”
“Don’t be…” Iris said.
“When the wedding is over, I’ll tell you everything. I’ll tell you why I was prolonging our mariage blanc, and I’ll tell you about myself.”
Lucas hugged her tightly and closed his eyes. Finally, the time to face his past had come. There was no way around it.
And so their wedding would be hosted in the spring.