Silent Vows

"Taking some tea will help you relax your nerves and calm you down after such an exciting ride," Leonard said with a faint smile as he lifted his cup, his fingers curling around the delicate porcelain. His deep black eyes that seemed to charm the soul, calm yet unreadable, rested on the woman seated across from him.

Vivian, still basking in the afterglow of the exhilarating flight, seeming to have forgotten her early shock, let out a small chuckle as she reached for her own cup.

Her fingers trembled slightly, not from fear but from lingering excitement. The wind rushing against her skin, the breathtaking view of the world below, the sheer freedom, it had been unlike anything she had ever experienced before.

She had always longed for adventure, but until now, it had remained an unattainable dream.

"I can see that my lady truly enjoyed the ride," Leonard continued, his tone laced with amusement. "The wide smile on your face says it all. Despite this being your first time, you showed no fear of heights or flying. You are truly remarkable, my lady." He studied her, his eyes holding a flicker of admiration. "I never imagined you to be so fearless."

Vivian set down her cup, tilting her head slightly as she regarded him. "It is only natural for my lord to not know the kind of person I truly am," she replied, her voice composed. "After all, my lord has never shown much interest in me or my affairs."

For a brief moment, silence settled between them, broken only by the distant hum of the fairies and animals in the garden bustling outside the pavilion.

Leonard's smile did not fade, but there was something unreadable in his gaze as he leaned back in his chair, watching her with the patience of a man accustomed to keeping his true thoughts hidden.

"And what exactly makes my lady think that I do not pay attention to her or her affairs?" he asked, the amusement in his voice laced with something deeper. "If I truly did not, tonight would not have happened."

Vivian blinked, momentarily caught off guard by his words. Did he mean to imply that he had been paying attention to her desires all along? That was why he had arranged tonight's surprise for her sake? She had always believed that her husband, the male lead regarded the original host with nothing more than polite indifference, yet now… was there more to his actions than she had assumed?

She lowered her gaze, contemplating his words before conceding softly, "Then I suppose my lord is right."

Leonard observed her in silence, his expression unreadable. After a moment, he set his cup down with a soft clink and leaned forward slightly, his piercing gaze locking onto hers.

"My lady," he said, "I have a question. Even though your family prevented you from doing many things when you were under their care, why did you never seek out your heart's desires after our marriage?"

Vivian remained quiet for a moment, her fingers idly tracing the rim of her cup. Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, she answered, "Because I was afraid."

Leonard's brows furrowed slightly, his expression shifting from curiosity to something more serious. "Afraid?"

She met his gaze then, her eyes unwavering. "Afraid that you would hate me for it. That you would think me improper, unlady-like for seeking adventure."

For the first time that evening, Leonard was rendered speechless. He had never once considered himself the type of man who would stifle a woman's dreams simply because she was his wife. The idea that she had feared his judgment, that she had restrained herself because of him, unsettled him in a way he did not expect.

"What made you think that?" he asked after a pause, his voice quieter now.

Vivian inhaled deeply before responding, her voice laced with a sadness that did not belong solely to her but to the original host of this body as well. "Do you remember a month after our marriage, when I invited you to watch the magical beast battles at Marquis Cloward's establishment?"

Leonard stiffened slightly, the memory surfacing almost instantly.

"You told me not to bother you," she continued, her voice steady despite the raw emotion behind it. "You said I should focus on my responsibilities as the Duchess of Valerion, that I had gotten what I had always wanted. That I should be content with that and not burden you with such trivial matters."

She swallowed, blinking rapidly to keep the tears at bay. But she could feel the heartbreak of the original Vivian in her chest, raw and unrelenting. At that moment, the original owner had realized that her marriage, her dream of becoming his Duchess, had not come with the happiness she had hoped for. It had been a painful awakening.

Leonard exhaled slowly, rubbing his fingers together as guilt settled like a heavy weight on his shoulders. He had said those words, that much was true. But what she did not know, what he could not bring himself to tell her, was that he had done it deliberately. At the time, he had wanted her to hate him. He had wanted to drive her away so that their marriage would eventually crumble. It had been part of a larger plan, one that seemed far less important now in the face of the pain he had caused her.

How could he possibly tell her that now?

He stood suddenly, moving toward her before she could react. Gently, yet with a quiet determination, he pulled her into his arms.

Vivian stiffened, surprised by the unexpected embrace. His warmth surrounded her, his grip firm yet careful, as if he were holding something fragile.

"I have no excuse," Leonard murmured near her ear. His voice was low, rough with sincerity. "For all the pain I have caused you, I have no excuse. The only thing I can say is that I am sorry."

Vivian's breath caught, her fingers instinctively clutching the fabric of his shirt.

"Trust me," he continued. "And wait for me. I promise you, I will make it up to you."

He pulled back slightly, just enough to look into her eyes before placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

Vivian felt something inside her stir, something unfamiliar, something dangerous. She had spent so long believing that Leonard cared nothing for the original host due to the original novel, and yet… this moment, this tenderness he had been showing, was it real?

Leonard, on the other hand, made a silent vow to himself. Once his plans were complete, once he had seized full control of the Valerion family from his father, he would dedicate himself to one thing alone.

Making Vivian the happiest woman in the world and becoming a couple envied by all with her and nothing will come between them again.

And he would not fail.

Or so he thought.