Desire

Walking side by side silently, Irene couldn't help but feel awkward.

Especially the person beside her is the male lead.

Irene tries to look busy by pretending to be preoccupied looking elsewhere as they walk inside the garden folly. Not noticing that Nickolai was looking at her.

Nickolai holding into an ointment, intended to give to her. But stop himself as he hesitate.

Inside the garden folly, are full of blossoms flower. Irene couldn't help but amazed to see it for the first time.

She saw one of the flowers are daisy. Irene then reach out and pick up the pot of flower.

Seeing the daisy makes her misses her mom. After her wedding, she always sent letter to her mother. And her mother will respond kindly.

Hadn't she requested to the crown prince to send people to serve the duchess, her mother would probably be treated badly, by living in isolation again. But now, knowing her mother are doing well, makes her heart feel at eased.

Knowing that the male lead has done his part in the contract, Irene couldn't help but feel grateful to him. Irene then turn to look at him.

"I want to thank you, for taking care of my mother..."

"No need to mention it. It is what I promise for." Nickolai said.

Irene smile as she put the pot of daisy flower back to it spot. Nickolai notice it.

"Are you fond of daisy?" He asks.

"No, but my mom does. It is her favourite. Her dream was to be a gardener, she loves to grow all sorts of flowers. One day...someday...I hope to open a florist boutique just for her." Irene said with a bright smile.

"You seem...to care about your mother so much."

"Yes, of course." Irene replied.

"In the past...you don't seem to have a good relationship with your mother."

Upon hearing that, Irene smile falters.

"Not only that....you, yourself. You change to be a complete different person. It makes me wonder...how can people easily change?"

Irene knew that the crown prince began to suspect her. Having a keen eyes, the crown prince probably had someone too investigate everything about her.

She can't take the risk of him knowing the truth. This body is indeed the true Dacia, but the soul in it isn't.

With no other choice, she had to convince him, which means she had too completely embodied with this villainess character. Embracing herself to be the person.

Irene took a big breathe before she speak.

"Well, it's not strange at all to see a person change to be different from the person they used to be. People can experience personality changes due to a variety of factors including significant life events, personal growth and maturation with age, social interactions, traumatic experiences, brain chemistry alterations caused by mental health conditions, and even physical health issues that impact the brain, all of which can influence how a person perceives and interacts with the world around them." Irene specifically explain.

"In my case, I had faced several death path which it was a traumatic experience for me. And forgive me to say this, not to offend you, mostly all of that because of you."

Nickolai raises his brow hearing that.

"You've been trying to get rid of me, when you had a chance. Which where you almost succeeded. So, I don't really think you have the right to question me when you're actually the primary reason of it."

Nickolai didn't seem fazed hearing her reasons. Instead he calmly approached her.

"Fine, even if that's the case...how do you explain about your sudden profound knowledge of medicine and cooking? You never learn such things when you're young." He concluded.

"How sure you are, that I didn't have that knowledge since young? Have you ever thought that you may not know me well enough as much as you think you did." Irene shot back.

"All you ever did since we were engaged, was pestering and fawning over me. I can even listed the numerous time, you try any mean necessary to stay with me or seduce me. I doubt you had any interest over anything else other than me." Nickolai stated, still with his calm demeanor.

Irene couldn't refute. Because that was the truth. The day the villainess laid her eyes on the male lead, she had fallen deeply in love and obsessed towards him.

Knowing she couldn't argue back, make her feel frustrated.

Nickolai suddenly took a steps further towards her.

Irene saw it, feel panic inside her heart. She was about to steps back, but Nickolai took a hold of her arm, preventing her from doing so.

"I don't know why, but in my gut feeling. You're different. You're the same person, but at the same time, you're not." He said.

Nickolai then reach out towards her hair. Playing with it, then tuck it behind her ear. Such gesture is so intimate, Irene didn't dare to move.

She can't figure out what is going on with the male lead.

His word is like seriously trying to interrogate her. But his actions towards her, was the opposite.

Irene didn't know what to do but stand still.

Nickolai then put the ointment on her uninjured hand.

Irene looking at the ointment, was surprised.

"For your wounds. It's very effective. And it won't left any scar on your hand."

Upon hearing that, Irene didn't dare let down her guard as she accept the ointment.

"Thank you, your highness." She mutters.

Nickolai notice how tense she is.

"Are you...afraid of me?" Nickolai suddenly asked.

Irene was shocked with his questions.

"I....I..." She couldn't answer such questions. Irene began to panic.

"You don't have to be afraid of me. I won't hurt you. Strangely enough, I no longer feel hostile towards you." Nickolai confessed.

Such information, make Irene stunned. His behaviour and words are making her feel worried and anxious. Her heart didn't have a single rest, and keep on pumping from all the shock she felt today.

Both of them look at each other eyes for awhile. For a different reason.

Irene tries to figure out the male lead thought.

While Nickolai is mesmerised by her.

Nickolai look at her.

For the first time ever, he finds her so beautiful and attractive. Why hadn't he realised this? Her doe eyes, her long lashes, her nose, and plump lip.

It looks so desirable.

Irene then broke away her gaze, as she couldn't stand to look at his intense gaze.

"I think....I think we should...head back."

Just as Irene wants to turn back, Nickolai took a hold on her arm again.

Irene was confused as why his holding her arm. She see that Nickolai still looking at her in silent.

"Your highness..."

Nickolai feels something in his heart. A needs to fulfil. But he doesn't know what?

All he know, he needed to hold her close.

"I want to test something. Close your eyes."

"Why?" Irene grew alert.

"Close your eyes." Nickolai demanded.

Hearing his tone, Irene didn't dare to question again.

She force herself to close her eyes and tries to put positive thoughts in her mind.

Irene reason herself that the male lead wouldn't possibly hurt her, since she didn't do anything that were against with their contract.

Still, fears is a feeling that she couldn't brush off from her heart.

"No matter what happened, don't open your eyes."

Again, Irene had to obey. Her whole body becomes tense as she force to keep her eyes shut.

When suddenly, she feels her lip meet with something warm. She also recognised such feelings.

The...the male lead is kissing her??!!