Chapter 186

 

‘What on earth is this?’

 

Leroy froze for a moment, bewildered by the strange situation.

 

He glanced around, searching for someone to explain what was happening, but there was no sign of anyone else nearby.

 

With a sense of unease, Leroy slowly walked into the room, following the path in front of him.

 

The warm, flickering yellow light inside was oddly comforting, despite how suspicious the situation seemed at first.

 

Yet that only added to Leroy’s confusion.

 

‘The servants wouldn’t dare mess up the room without my permission… which leaves only one possible person.’

 

This bedroom was a shared space between Leroy and Iona.

 

The only two people who could have done something like this were him or her, but he had no idea why she would arrange so many candles around the room.

 

Leroy thought of various possibilities, but quickly shook his head, realizing how absurd his suspicions were.

 

Believing his spouse to be involved in something like voodoo rituals was certainly not a respectful thought.

 

Despite the chaos in his mind, Leroy continued walking, and soon reached the wall by the window.

 

The candle-lit path extended all the way to the terrace.

 

After a brief hesitation, Leroy reached out and pulled back the curtain.

 

What he saw next was something beyond anything he had ever imagined.

 

“Io…”

 

Leroy barely got out half of her name before closing his mouth.

 

At the exact moment he stepped onto the terrace, a soft melody began to fill the air from all directions.

 

He had no idea where the music was coming from, but that wasn’t what truly captured his attention.

 

At the end of the candle-lit path, standing inside a large heart-shaped arrangement of candles, was Iona, looking at him with a serious expression.

 

Leroy froze in place, completely taken aback.

 

In the silence, Iona spoke first.

 

“Your Grace, there is something I wish to tell you.”

 

“……”

 

“We’ve gone through so much to get here, haven’t we? Since our marriage and our arrival at this place, countless challenges have crossed our path.”

 

Leroy, rather than asking her what was going on, remained quiet and focused on what she was saying.

 

Even though the situation was unexpected, it wasn’t hard for him to understand what this meant.

 

Just by looking down at the floor beneath them, it was clear why Iona had prepared this moment.

 

Though it was still hard for him to believe.

 

“First, I want to thank you for always trusting me and standing by my side. It’s that unwavering trust that has allowed us to overcome difficult and challenging times, and reach where we are now.”

 

…While her words of gratitude were starting to sound a bit formal, Leroy’s assumption wasn’t wrong. Probably.

 

“Maintaining a relationship of mutual cooperation is never easy, especially without conflicts. But because you always put my thoughts and feelings first, I’ve been able to feel at ease as well…”

 

“Wait a moment.”

 

Leroy gently interrupted Iona’s words.

 

She had been delivering a long, formal speech in a somewhat stiff voice, but now she paused, her lips closing. Her delicate brows furrowed slightly as if she were internally reviewing her speech, wondering if she had said something wrong.

 

Leroy let out a soft sigh and spoke.

 

“There’s no need for thanks. Between us, I don’t see the point in exchanging formal gratitude like that.”

 

“But it’s true that thanks to you, I’ve been able to move more comfortably.”

 

“I’ve never thought I was the one always accommodating you. If you felt that way, it’s probably because we actually get along well.”

 

“……”

 

“So, what is it you wanted to say next?”

 

With that, Leroy seamlessly guided Iona to the next point, skipping the needless introduction.

 

Iona hesitated for a moment, unsure if it was because of the unexpected shift in the conversation or because she had a script prepared. Either way, she didn’t continue right away.

 

Watching her falter, Leroy took a step forward, crossing the boundary of candlelight and stepping into the same space as her.

 

Suppressing the sudden urge to pull her into his arms, Leroy extended his hand toward Iona.

 

When he took her hands, which she had clasped tightly together, and lifted them, a small box hidden in her grasp was revealed.

 

“This… seems like it’s for me.”

 

“No, it’s not,” Iona quickly denied, her expression showing a rare hint of embarrassment.

 

A smile tugged at the corner of Leroy’s lips.

 

“Really?” he asked with a teasing tone.

 

“……”

 

“Are you sure?”

 

Leroy gently brushed his fingers over hers, still holding onto the box, as if to confirm.

 

Though Iona maintained her usual stoic expression, her eyes betrayed her unease, something she couldn’t fully hide.

 

After hesitating for a moment, she finally answered in a quiet voice, “…Actually, it is.”

 

Without a second thought, Leroy opened the box he had taken from her.

 

Although he was more curious about the words Iona hadn’t yet spoken than the contents of the box, he didn’t want to disrupt the plan she had carefully laid out for him.

 

If there was an order she wanted to follow, he figured it wouldn’t hurt to play along.

 

“I thought it would suit you,” Iona said, watching his reaction closely, trying to take the initiative again.

 

Inside the box was a pair of cufflinks, each adorned with a diamond about the size of a thumbnail.

 

Leroy was a little taken aback by the thoughtfulness of the gift.

 

He knew his wife had inherited a vast fortune, but he hadn’t expected her to give him such an expensive item on a day that wasn’t even a special occasion.

 

‘Or, perhaps it isn’t just any ordinary day when considering the meaning behind this gift.’

 

The silence stretched on, and Iona, possibly misinterpreting his quiet reaction, quickly added her next words.

 

“There are more gifts prepared. If you follow me this way…”

 

With a reassuring smile, Iona gently tugged his arm, urging him to come along.

 

Leroy resisted, planting his feet firmly instead of following Iona into the room.

 

He had a feeling that if he went along to see the other gifts, it would lead to a situation similar to the day when he had visited the count’s estate at her invitation.

 

Back then, instead of the cozy home date Leroy had anticipated, Iona had passionately presented a detailed report on the art collection owned by the Modrov family.

 

Iona turned to him with a puzzled look, noticing that he had stopped in his tracks.

 

Leroy gently took her hand, pulling her slightly toward him, and spoke in a low voice.

 

“Thank you, I really love the gift.”

 

“There are plenty more. I didn’t want to bring them all out at once—it would’ve been too much to carry, so I left the rest inside.”

 

“I look forward to seeing them too. But… did you prepare all of this—romantic music, candlelight, and gifts—just to say thank you?”

 

At Leroy’s question, Iona fell silent.

 

It was clear that she hadn’t been dragging out the evening because she genuinely thought the thank-you or gift-giving ceremony was of paramount importance.

 

A hint of embarrassment crossed Iona’s face.

 

Leroy leaned in, his voice soft as he encouraged her.

 

“It’s alright, go ahead and say it.”

 

“…Do you really know what I’m going to say?”

 

“You’ll say the words I’ve been eagerly waiting for.”

 

Iona, who had been avoiding Leroy’s gaze all this time, suddenly snapped her head up, her eyes flickering with uncertainty.

 

She struggled to organize her thoughts, her face showing a mix of confusion.

 

“So… you already know what I’m about to say, Your Grace?”

 

“I think I do. Though you might not realize it, my eyesight isn’t that bad,” Leroy said with a smirk, tilting his head to gesture at the floor.

 

By now, the wind, which usually blew fiercely at this hour, was unusually calm, allowing the candles to continue burning undisturbed.

 

It wasn’t until this moment that Iona seemed to fully realize they were standing in the middle of a heart-shaped formation of candlelight. Her face flushed bright red in an instant.

 

Turning his head as if to tease her, Leroy remarked, “Hmm, or maybe I’m mistaken? You do have a habit of defying my expectations at moments like these.”

 

“……”

 

“So, why don’t you tell me yourself—so I know I’m not imagining things.”

 

With those words, Leroy gripped her hand tighter.

 

He interlaced his fingers with hers, their palms pressed together with no space between. It wasn’t just an act of urging; it was a gesture of reassurance, letting her know that he felt the same, that they were on the same page.

 

Iona, who had been staring at Leroy as if spellbound, finally spoke impulsively.

 

“I think… I like you, Your Grace.”

 

“……”

 

“No, I do like you.”

 

After taking a short breath, Iona’s voice became firmer, more certain.

 

Though Leroy had anticipated this confession, the reality was vastly different from his imagination. A radiant smile spread across his face.

--- End Of The Chapter ----

 

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