Wicked Husband-Chapter 31 - 30

As thoughts of Cesare’s voice flooded her mind, a surge of heat rose to her throat.

Why on earth did he do that? Was it amusing for him to see her flustered and embarrassed? Lost in her own contemplation, Eileen tore at the sofa cushions. Yet, the more she pondered the incident, the less significant it seemed.

After all, Cesare was also a healthy young man with sexual desires. It wouldn’t have been strange for him to seek release with his future wife.

However, despite stirring such strange emotions within her, Cesare hadn’t taken any direct action. Eileen diligently pondered the reasons but couldn’t find an answer. Nonetheless, one thing remained clear.

’I’m embarrassed...’

It seemed she wouldn’t be able to look Cesare in the face for a while. Even without seeing his face, she continued to think about Cesare. The hot breath, the moans, the feverish heat, the overwhelming pleasure.

As she recalled the memories, she felt a sensation akin to butterflies in her stomach. She even felt an itching sensation on the n!pples that Cesare had tormented for a while. She wanted to scratch, but it was too embarrassing a place to touch.

Eileen pressed her fingernails firmly into the palm of her hand to suppress the rising arousal. Only after making several moon-shaped marks on her palm could she finally catch her breath.

"..."

She had decided to invite the Grand Duke’s knights for a modest dinner, feeling fortunate that Cesare wasn’t among the guests.

Initially, she had debated whether to extend an invitation to him. Eventually, she decided against it, fearing she might burden him with her busy schedule. In hindsight, it seemed like the best decision.

’I’ll have to avoid the Grand Duke for the time being.’ Eileen resolved firmly to herself. Thanks to the shocking memories of that night, she couldn’t recall any unpleasant memories.

A few days later, on the evening of the gathering, Eileen woke up early to thoroughly clean the house and went to the market to gather supplies. Since she wasn’t skilled in cooking, she planned to serve reheated food ordered from various restaurants in advance.

After purchasing fruits at the market and visiting restaurants, it was already afternoon. While busy preparing everything alone, her father returned home, his breath reeking of alcohol and cigarettes, indicating he might have spent the night out.

"Welcome back?" Eileen greeted him but halted her approach at the strong scent emanating from him. Her father glanced at her and chuckled.

"My beloved daughter!"

"...Did you know that we have guests coming for dinner tonight?"

"Oh, guests. Yes, I know. I’ll be out before they arrive."

With that, he retreated into his room, seemingly heading straight for bed without bothering to freshen up. Despite having a bathroom attached to his room, he always behaved untidily when intoxicated, a habit that Eileen found most displeasing.

Eileen sighed deeply and refocused on preparing to greet the guests as she laid out a new tablecloth and retrieved the best dishes and utensils.

Outside, she could hear boisterous voices. Peering out the window, she spotted four men and women strolling toward the garden, accompanied by a black military vehicle parked in front of the house. Each of them carried something in their hands.

Eileen smiled and opened the front door. Even before knocking, the Grand Duke’s knights burst in with hearty laughter.

"We’re here!"

Lotan, Diego, and Michele entered first, followed by Senon. Senon gazed at Eileen with a deeply moved expression.

"Miss Eileen..."

"Sir Senon, it’s been a while."

"You’ve matured even more since then."

Just as Senon was about to reminisce, Michele nudged him with her elbow.

"I’m hungry."

Swaying from the force of Michele’s push, Senon regained his balance and shot her a glare. Michele chuckled and lightly bumped their foreheads together.

"Come on, brother, don’t be upset. They say a well-fed soldier has good skin."

With that, she headed straight to the dining table. Senon clicked his tongue and suppressed his irritation while rubbing his forehead. It was best to keep his temper in check in front of Eileen.

Senon wasn’t short by any means, but compared to the other knights, including Cesare, he seemed relatively small. Especially next to Michele, a tall and robust woman, the difference was noticeable.

Given his somewhat neutral appearance, Senon often felt out of place among his larger colleagues, particularly now. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"You saw it, didn’t you? They treated me like I was nothing just because they’re a bit taller.

As Senon grumbled to Eileen about his colleagues’ antics, the other knights busied themselves bringing food to the table from the kitchen.

"Miss Eileen, where should I put this?"

"Wow, it smells amazing. Where did you get this? I need to get some for myself."

"Miss, I brought a bottle of wine. Let’s enjoy it with the meal."

While the three of them chatted and bustled around, Diego suddenly approached Eileen once more.

"A gift! Here’s a gift for you."

He presented a paper bag he had placed on one side of the table, grinning mischievously as he pulled out a large rabbit doll.

"Ta-da!"

Eileen burst into laughter at his antics, hugging the doll and expressing her gratitude.

Eileen was genuinely fond of the rabbit doll Diego had brought as a gift. Its soft texture seemed to soothe her.

Unwittingly, she found herself fiddling with the rabbit doll, much to Diego’s delight. He proudly displayed it to the other three knights.

"Look at that!"

Diego boasted that the alcohol he had brought along with the doll was of high quality, flaunting it before Eileen. As Eileen thanked him once again, Diego beamed as if he had everything he desired.

The other three knights exchanged annoyed glances before each presenting their own gifts. Lotan offered a rare foreign botanical book, Senon presented a set of fountain pens, and Michele handed over foreign candies and chocolates in a large glass bottle.

After graciously accepting each gift, Eileen promptly expressed her gratitude and offered her own gift.

"This is my gift."

The gift, wrapped in a small box, was a wound healing ointment.

Though it felt somewhat modest compared to the platinum pocket watch she had gifted Cesare, the knights were delighted as if they had received precious jewels.

"Wow! This ointment will come in handy!"

Following Diego’s flattery, claiming that the ointment made by Eileen was the most effective, the others eagerly brought out their ointments as well. Lotan even applied a small amount to his hand, smiling appreciatively.

"I’ll have to boast about this at work tomorrow."

After finishing the gift exchange, they all gathered around the table. Just as they were about to begin indulging in the abundant feast, Eileen suddenly recalled someone she had overlooked amidst the preparations.

Her father was still in his bedroom on the first floor. Despite informing him a few days ago about the impending guests and offering him money to go out, he seemed to have overslept and missed the opportunity to leave.

Eileen briefly glanced toward her father’s bedroom, hearing a thud as if something had fallen inside the room, perfectly timed with their attention. The knights all turned their gaze toward the bedroom.

"Oh, Father... He’s still inside."

Eileen muttered awkwardly, her gaze fixed on the bedroom door.

"But he should still join us for the meal."

As Eileen glanced at the bedroom door with a somber expression, the knights exchanged glances with each other. Senon signaled to Diego, who furrowed his brow and swiftly rose from his seat.

"Baron."

Approaching the bedroom with confidence, Diego grasped the doorknob and shook it with determination, as if it might yield under his force.

"Come out and dine with us."

After a moment of silence, a feeble voice emanated from behind the door.

"I’m fine..."

The voice sounded more diminutive than the faintest whisper of ants passing by. Eileen presumed her father must be declining the invitation to eat, but Diego remained undeterred. Leaning against the door with one arm, he persisted.

"Why? People need to eat to live. Let’s eat together."

Although his words were an invitation to dinner, his tone and actions resembled more of a demand. With a thud, Diego slammed the door and grumbled.

"Come out, Baron Elrod."

The creaking of the old door accompanied its hesitant opening. As her father emerged, his gaze lowered to the ground upon seeing Diego, who stood almost as tall as the door, grinning broadly.

With an impassive expression, Lotan, who had been observing the scene, nodded and gestured toward a seat.

"Please, sit here."

It was positioned between Lotan and Diego, with Lotan having shifted one seat over to accommodate. Of course, this adjustment wasn’t made out of consideration.

Across from them, Michele leaned her chin on her hand, casting a sharp glance. Senon, seated next to Michele, remained silent, but his subtle contempt and discomfort were evident in his expression.

’They weren’t like this before.’

The knights had always harbored disdain toward Eileen’s father. Even Eileen’s mother hadn’t been particularly well-liked, but as the prince’s nanny, she had always been treated with respect.

However, since her mother’s passing, their animosity toward her father had gradually surfaced, reaching its peak recently. As former servants of the Crown Prince, they were all too familiar with the past events.