< —="" memories="" of="" mother="" —=""> (5)

Translated by: Miss Ruby

Edited by: ShadowDog

While lamenting to himself, Hugo turned around and went back to his desk. Then he noticed the gift that she left behind.

He wondered what kind of gift it was for her to tell him not to look at it when she was around. Curiosity rose to replace the sense of loss he felt from her disappearance and his mood brightened a little.

He sat on his chair and untied the ribbon around the box. After opening the box and looking inside, he quietly stared at its content. Inside the box was a beautifully folded snow-white handkerchief. He picked up the handkerchief. The rough texture of cotton on his fingertips was a familiar feeling to him. He stared at the name embroidered on the corner of the handkerchief for a while.

Hugo leaned down and opened up the lowest drawer of his desk. And he took out the handkerchief that was valuably stored inside.

A flower-embroidered handkerchief that was embroidered with slightly clumsy skill. And a handkerchief with his name embroidered on it.

He put the two pieces side by side. With folded arms, he looked at the two handkerchiefs spread out on the table.

His heart felt like it was being tickled but his stomach was churning. He felt like he had touched something squishy that flared up when it was touched. Hugo couldn't explain what he was feeling. It was an emotion he was feeling for the first time in his life. It wasn't breathtaking, his heart was beating faster and he felt like he had a vague hold of it.

Hugo went over each of the human emotions that he knew about in his mind. The feelings that he knew of by dictionary definition but had never felt before. It took him a long time to find the word that matched his current feelings.

Touched. Was this the feeling of being 'touched'? Do people usually live feeling like this? For the first time, Hugo envied the people who enjoyed ordinary emotions like laughing and crying. It was an unbelievably pleasant feeling.

When he heard a knock on his door, Hugo packed up the handkerchiefs and stored them in his drawer. Jerome came in.

"We are ready to head out. Fabian is waiting in front of the carriage, Your Grace." (Jerome)

Hugo thought for a moment then stood up.

"Tell him to come in and wait." (Hugo)

Jerome bowed his head in response to his master who walked past him and left the office. Jerome walked up to the desk to tidy up the tea tray. Seeing as the teacup was full, his master didn't drink from it and when he opened the lid of the teapot, there was cold tea left inside.

'He must have been too busy to even drink tea.'

It wasn't an isolated incident, so Jerome didn't think anything of it and took care of the tea tray.

* * *

Lucia sat on the bedroom sofa, using her free time to embroider more handkerchiefs for Damian. She could tell the pa.s.sage of time from the length of the morning sunlight entering her bedroom. She felt like she was being very productive because she was doing something at such an early hour.

She finished one piece and carefully examined it. She had embroidered Damian's name so many times already, so it looked very neat.

'I certainly have no talent for embroidery.'

Even though she had been embroidering for quite the long time, her skill in embroidery didn't increase. It only improved because she was embroidering the same thing, if she changed the pattern, her clumsy skill would show again.

When she thought of the handkerchief that she gave him, she felt embarra.s.sed. His name was an unfamiliar pattern, so the completion didn't look that skillful.

"Bring me a gla.s.s of water."

She told the maid that was sitting in the corner. When a gla.s.s suddenly appeared from above her head, Lucia was surprised at the maid's rudeness and lifted her head. Arms came from behind the sofa and wrapped around her shoulders. It was a familiar feeling and scent.

"Hugh."

"You're working hard this morning."

Lucia took the gla.s.s of water and put the needlework in her hand into the basket next to her.

'He has seen the gift.'

Her face burned and she gulped down the water. She deliberately gave him the gift in the morning because if she gave it to him in the evening, it would have been too embarra.s.sing to see his face right after. She felt embarra.s.sed because he didn't know her plans and came straight to her afterwards.

"You're so devoted to the boy." (Hugo)

"…Yes?" (Lucia)

"What good is a child? They're all just 'I'm finding my way in life'."

Lucia burst into laughter. He sounded like an old man who was feeling the shortness of time after working hard to raise his child all this time.

"I'm doing your share too. Because you don't show much interest." (Lucia)

"You shouldn't smother the boy too much." (Hugo)

"I don't smother him that much. Are you going out now?"

Lucia peeled off his arms thar were wrapped around her from behind and stood up from the sofa. She had never sent him off at such an early hour unless he was leaving rather late. She couldn't do it every day, but sometimes, she wondered if she should give it a try. At some point while Lucia was pondering, he had walked in front of her.

"Vivian."

Before she could reply, he pulled her by the waist, took the back of her neck and pressed his lips onto hers. He sucked on her lower lip and through the crack of her lips, he invaded her mouth deeply. His tongue coiled around her tongue as they came into contact. Her fingertips felt electrified. Lucia let out a small moan and her hands which were on his chest trembled.

His tongue retreated for a moment then reached for her throat, sweeping over the roof of her mouth. Lucia couldn't think straight because of the sudden deep kiss. She was caught in his arms and could only step backwards as he led.

He leaned over, continuing to kiss her as she pressed against the sofa and plunked down on the seat. He towered over her as if he was half-leaning on her.

Lucia wrapped her arms around his neck. It was a deep kiss that caressed every corner of her mouth. It caused the heat in her body to rise and stimulated her desire. It was not a fresh kiss to say goodbye. It was the seduction of a man longing for a woman.

She got up early, so her exhausted body had loosened up. Every corner of the room was clearly visible with the bright morning light and because of the unexpected tackling of the man in front of her, Lucia was both fl.u.s.tered and heated up. His erotic kiss easily made her thoughts collapse.

His lips touched the rim of her ear, went under her chin and moved down her neck. When his hand grabbed her breast over her clothes, her body flinched.

"Hugh. You have to…you have to go out."

"My schedule was postponed."

If the Fabian who was waiting heard this sentence, he would have grabbed somebody by the neck.

* * *

"Why the h.e.l.l isn't he coming down? We can barely make it even if we leave now."

Fabian paced around Jerome's office, unable to sit still for even a moment.

"Is it an important schedule?"

"There is no schedule that isn't important!"

'There is also no schedule that can't be cancelled,' thought Jerome.

"You know this isn't my job, don't be like this. Go up and bring him down." (Fabian)

Jerome slowly drank his tea as if he didn't hear a single word. It was a change of pace and a relaxing time for the always busy butler. Jerome enjoyed the leisureness of the morning.

"When the both of them are in the bedroom, n.o.body goes up to the second floor."

"Why?"

Do you really have to ask? Seeing the weird look Jerome was giving him, Fabian's face grew red-hot and he fumed.

"Hey! Aish seriously. I'll go and bring him down myself!" (Fabian)

"Then, I need to inform sister-in-law." (Jerome)

"Why?"

"To prepare flowers for your funeral."

Fabian's face became distorted. He stalked off to the door with a seething expression. Jerome was worried that he might really have to hold his brother's funeral and asked, "Where are you going?"

"Going to handle the cancelled schedule!"

Fabian noisily banged the door as he left.

"That guy, his temper is getting worse. He isn't like that to sister-in-law, is he?"

Jerome mumbled to himself as he leisurely drank his remaining tea.