Chapter 97: Chapter 50.1

Jennan smiled inwardly when Yernia’s hands moved towards his shirt.

He couldn’t believe it when he saw her button them up again.

“It hurts me when you do this, Jennan. I love your performance on stage. You have a good voice and you’re also a good actor.”

“…….”

“——but this is not what I want.”

Jennan looked straight into her eyes.

Was it because he grew up in a back alley and lived like a ladies’ man to survive his predicament?

She was too obvious, and it made him feel sick.

“Why? Is it because I’m dirty?”

“No. It’s not.”

“Did you hear all the rumors about me? Most of them are correct. That’s how I lived. But I don’t want to do that to you, Yernia.”

Jennan told her the truth because he wasn’t asking to get paid.

The notches in his belt would provide the money he needed, but for now, he had no use for them.

“Jennan, I only like you as an opera singer.”

“You’ll like other things, too.”

Furious, he shoved her to the bed.

Jennan had no idea why he was feeling this way.

Did Yernia know who he was?

Did she even know what she really liked?

Why would she say that?

No one had ever said that to him.

Not even the woman who had given birth to him and sold him, after wards.

When he started working at the theater, he was told that he had a cheap voice.

Nevertheless, the female audience adored him and wanted to groom him into this arm candy.

Later, he got used to this type of treatment and didn’t care about it anymore because he wanted their money, too.

“Your lifestyle is none of my business, Jennan. You might think I’m greedy but I just want to keep you as my favorite opera singer.”

“You don’t have to say that. No one in this world had truly listened to me other than you.”

The reason why she could sympathize like this is that she lived a different life compared to him.

He was falsely accused.

If he could live in this world with only his voice, he wouldn’t have done what he did in the past.

Jennan had to laugh despite the insults, and he must kiss the back of a noble woman’s hand while that hand whipped him to death.

He wanted to die from the female aristocrats’ abuse at the start.

Marchioness De Bellet was the only woman who made him comfortable with this arrangement.

But, this lady in front of him liked his voice, and her compliments on his stage performances sounded sincere.

Someone had truly admired his talent without him knowing it.

“Just tell me you want me and I’ll give it to you anytime.”

Yernia looked at him and sighed.

“I mean it, Jennan. I don’t want to have an affair.”

After fastening the last button, she rushed out of the room so fast that Jennan couldn’t catch her.

Yernia returned a little later and handed him a scented candle.

“Here. A good scent in your room will help you relax and sleep.”

Jennan was so speechless he couldn’t even bring himself to laugh.

He watched the candle all night until he fell asleep.

Yernia’s soothing words were the last thing that hovered in his ears.

***

“Follow me.”

“What do you mean ‘follow me’?”

“Do it before I get angry at you, Yernia.” Cassian snapped.

The instant he saw her come out of Jennan’s room, his face crumpled in disappointment before he went into rage.

“What were you doing inside his room?”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“How can you be so thoughtless?”

“I’m hungry.”

‘Aside from Jennan’s attempt at seduction, you don’t have to worry about me , Cassian.’

Yernia wanted to tell him that but she changed her mind before it made her husband angrier.

Cassian huffed and puffed as he dragged Yernia to the kitchen.

After kicking the cruise chefs out of there, he tried to with-hold the food they cooked for them.

“If you don’t tell me anything, I won’t give you these. You have to starve.”

“You’re horrible.”

“To eat, you must repeat what I say first. ‘I listen to my husband.’”

“…….”

“Won’t you do it?”

Yernia’s arm shot out to grab some, but Cassian swerved the plate in the blink of an eye.

Bastard.

“I listen to my husband,” Yernia mumbled with gritted teeth.

“I can’t hear you.”

“I listen——”

Pausing, Yernia showed him her most innocent puppy-eyed look but it wasn’t effective.

Cassian simply narrowed his eyes at her and hid the delicious toast behind his back.

“Again.”

Yernia wanted to change the subject, but her hunger was starting to eat her from the inside.

Her gaze darted around and she realized that they were the only ones in the kitchen.

“I listen to my husband.” She spat  out as fast as she could.

He must have heard it his time.

“Repeat after me. I won’t follow a man other than my husband.”

After repeating that promise, Yernia could finally eat the chopped toast.

As Yernia smacked her lips while eating, Cassian gave her another homework again.

“Can’t you just give the rest of the food to me? You’re so mean.”

“Yes, I’m mean. That’s why I won’t.”

“I won’t follow a man other than my husband.”

“Here.”

Yernia suppressed her tears as she ate another toast.

It was so delicious that he must have practiced how to cook them well.

That was the problem.

“I won’t treat the man-in-question like a human being. Do it.”

She still had to do as he told her.

“I won’t treat you like a human being.”

Her pronunciation was crushed as she mumbled with the toast in her mouth.

Cassian’s pupils narrowed into slits as if he didn’t want to let this slide.

“I will treat you like a human being. Tell that to me straight.”

Yernia gritted her teeth.

***