Chapter 141

 

Leroy fell silent after speaking those words. He then locked eyes with Iona for a long time.

 

As if the new reason he found was her, and her alone.

 

His hand, which had been cupping her face, slowly slid down to the back of her neck.

 

The sensation of his skin brushing against hers sent shivers down her spine.

 

He leaned towards Iona, placing his other arm on the backrest.

 

Iona, anticipating a kiss, closed her eyes.

 

Soon, his breath hovered over her lips.

 

A moist tongue slipped through the gap between her slightly parted lips without hesitation.

 

It was as if he was going to devour her.

 

Because of that, even though his hand was firmly supporting the back of her neck, Iona couldn’t help but gradually lean back.

 

Soon, her back touched the sofa’s backrest.

 

Iona tilted her chin down to break the kiss and gasped for breath.

 

In the meantime, the corners of her eyes had already turned red.

 

It wasn’t because of Yvonne’s earlier revelation or the past she wanted to hide.

 

As Iona tried to steady her breathing, Leroy rested his nose against hers, quietly lingering over her lips.

 

She could feel his warmth just beyond the short distance between them.

 

Before she could fully catch her breath, Iona wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again.

 

Leroy, as if he had been waiting, continued the kiss, wrapping his arms around her waist.

 

Then, Iona’s body was lifted.

 

Startled, Iona instinctively placed her hands on his shoulders.

 

Suppressing the gasp that threatened to escape, he devoured her lips.

 

His steps headed towards the bed.

 

Leroy laid Iona down on it and naturally climbed on top of her. Then, he slipped his hand under her shoulder garment and asked,

 

“May I take this off?”

 

His breath was rough.

 

When Iona gave a small nod, Leroy removed the shoulder adornment down her arm. Then he pressed his lips to the exposed skin.

 

As he gently soothed her tense body, taking advantage of her moment of relief, he sank his teeth into her flesh.

 

What he tasted was not just that.

 

It was as if he wanted to devour her whole.

 

A strangely ticklish feeling arose.

 

The dizzying sensation that started from her toes paralyzed her rational mind.

 

From their touching hands, their intermingling breaths, the scorching heat rising between them...

 

Iona instinctively knew.

 

He too knew that they had reached their limit. That they could no longer resist the desire to have each other.

 

Iona looked up at him with tearful eyes.

 

Seizing the moment of excitement, she spoke from her heart.

 

“Kiss me.”

 

His arm, which had been supporting himself beside her head, tensed.

 

Leroy, clenching his veined hand, leaned towards her.

 

When the last shred of reason was cast aside, nothing could stand between them.

 

He parted her lips and entered.

 

Iona clung to him as if she would die if he let go.

 

Feeling his warmth filling her, Iona thought about the real reason why she repeated her life.

 

Maybe she wasn’t returning for some futile revenge, but for moments like this. To realize that she, too, was someone who could be happy, perhaps she was reflecting on the past years...

 

A tear hung from the corner of Iona’s eye.

 

She had a premonition that she would never forget this moment.

 

It had been a truly long day.

 

***

 

By the time she regained her senses, it was already night.

 

Iona blinked her dry eyes and instinctively pulled out her left arm. It was because of an unfamiliar touch stroking her fingers.

 

As Iona tried to escape, a low chuckle resonated from above her.

 

It was a familiar voice.

 

Finally, her reason returned, and Iona quickly sat up.

 

As expected, Leroy was beside her.

 

Looking into her still sleepy eyes, he said,

 

“You were sleeping so deeply.”

 

Iona stared at him blankly, her mind still dazed.

 

Leroy was sitting with his back against the headboard, wearing just a thin shirt.

 

Maybe it was because of his disheveled appearance, or perhaps it was because of the darkness of the night.

 

The man facing her at night exuded an unfamiliar impression.

 

Noticing his damp hair, Iona unconsciously reached out to him.

 

As she brushed his wet hair, she suddenly stopped.

 

There was an unfamiliar ring on her finger.

 

“This is...”

 

Iona murmured, bringing her left hand closer to her face.

 

A gold ring, which she had never seen before, was naturally placed on her ring finger as if it had always belonged there.

 

What on earth is this?

 

Feeling puzzled, Iona examined her hand from various angles.

 

The position of the ring on her finger, its shape, and everything about it resembled a wedding ring.

 

Iona looked at Leroy with a face that suddenly seemed to realize something.

 

He spoke as if to clarify the situation.

 

“The order is a bit off, but...”

 

He paused for a moment and then reached out his left hand to take Iona’s.

 

He was wearing the same ring as her.

 

Leroy gazed down at Iona’s ring finger and gently caressed it.

 

It was the same sensation Iona had felt in her sleep.

 

“We’ve spent the night together, and exchanged wedding rings.”

 

“......”

 

“All that’s left is to sign the marriage vow, and we’ll be officially married.”

 

With that, Leroy picked up a document from the bedside table and placed it in front of Iona.

 

She recognized the document easily, as they had filled it out once before.

 

It was a real marriage vow.

 

He had already signed it, and the only blank space left was for Iona’s signature.

 

“It would have been better to sign it during the wedding ceremony,” Leroy added, crossing his arms nonchalantly.

 

He seemed to be reprimanding her for skipping the wedding ceremony.

 

Iona could have given numerous valid reasons for her decision, but at this moment, her mind wasn’t working as quickly as it usually did.

 

She stood there, frozen in place, with a bewildered look on her face.

 

Though they had discussed completing the paperwork soon, she hadn’t expected it to happen right now.

 

Once she signed her name, they would be officially married.

 

Despite knowing this was a planned step, Iona couldn’t help but feel deeply unsettled.

 

She managed to voice one of the many questions swirling in her mind.

 

“When did you prepare all this?”

 

“The rings were made along with the proposal ring, intended to be exchanged during the wedding.”

 

Seeing Iona’s lack of response, Leroy glanced at the marriage vow and added,

 

“The document was prepared by the servants while you were asleep.”

 

“......”

 

“Are you stalling because you don’t want to sign it? That makes me a bit anxious.”

 

He added this as a joke.

 

Seeing Iona staring at the vow for so long, he must have thought she was reluctant to sign it.

 

It was a completely unfounded misunderstanding.

 

Iona shook her head, feeling her heart flutter.

 

As she brought the marriage vow to the headboard, Leroy, as if expecting it, dipped the pen in ink and handed it to her.

 

Iona took a small, deep breath and signed the vow.

 

He watched intently as Iona pressed her name firmly onto the paper.

 

After ensuring the ink had dried, Iona lightly brushed her thumb over the name “Modrov.”

 

She felt a strange mix of emotions at the thought of finally parting with this accursed surname.

 

Looking back at Leroy with a face that didn’t quite believe it, she asked,

 

“So... does this mean we’re really married now?”

 

Leroy took the vow and pen from her hand, replying,

 

“Just one vow kiss left.”

 

Before she could nod, he leaned in and lightly tasted her lips with his tongue.

 

He held his lips against hers for a moment, then pulled away with a simple, unembellished demeanor.

 

Their wet lips parted with a soft sound.

 

As she wrapped her arms around his neck, Iona suddenly realized she liked kissing him.

 

It was something she hadn’t known before.

 

She liked his large hands, his warmth, and his soft black hair.

 

But most of all, she liked his gray eyes that looked at her so tenderly.

 

No, she thought, perhaps she liked not just these parts of him but...

 

“I think I like it,” she blurted out.

 

Startled by her own confession, Iona swallowed hard.

 

She felt him tense up at her sudden admission.

 

Without waiting to see his reaction, she leaned in closer to hide her flustered face and added,

 

“...the kisses.”

 

Then she kissed him again.

 

As Iona pressed and rubbed her lower lip against his, he finally parted his stiff lips. A warm sigh escaped into her mouth.

--- End Of The Chapter ----

 

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