Forced Marriage: Thirteenth Wife
40. Cunning Is Everyone's Right
More than ten years ago, when Elios was eighteen years old.
That day the weather felt humid after heavy rain fell. Elios had just picked Eirene up from her room, taking the girl for a walk near the lake in front of the Rose Castle building.
Tomorrow, Irene will fly to Papua, to the Star Castle for a few days and Elios cannot go with her, so today they are spending time together.
As Elios held the hand of the beautiful twin girl, Irene smiled her soft song.
"I always repeat your voice in my head before going to bed at night." Elios said to the girl because he wanted her to know. "Promise me you'll make another song. Of course, for me."
"Hmmmmmm, I'm lazy."
"I know you just want your twins to be clear."
Elios laughed but turned around. Hugged Eirene's waist, buried her face around the girl's neck to feel how comfortable the fragrant flowers there were.
"Make a song for Eli, yeah?" elios whispered. His face was deliberately made to beg Eirene to laugh.
Clearly, Eirene was laughing.
"Eli was born before me but was very childish." Irene rubbed Elios' head like he was the cat. "Well, I'll think of a song for you later. But instead, don't make First Brother nag anymore."
Elios moved away with the face of ogah-ogahan. "I tried so hard, I swear. But it was Arkas who was never satisfied."
"I know Eli twice backed off important meetings with the company's board. Because of that Graean becomes difficult. He's new, so shouldn't Eli be more responsible?"
"My own wife told me to relax."
"Graean says so because it is impossible to tell you this fool."
"Hey!"
Irene nudged Elios. "Do your duty well, Young Master Na-ren-dra. That way I'll respect you more."
"Alright, alright. Forget about it and continue singing. I just want to hear it today."
It was a memory Elios could never forget. Even secretly, Elios asks his personal doctor to examine the memory of Eirene if he feels something is forgotten.
That is Elios' secret. Things that he did not even allow Graean to know as his confidant or Mother as the woman he loved most in the world.
Eirene loved to sing. His voice was so sweet that Elios often fell asleep just because he heard it.
But ... Why doesn't the person he's holding sing?
Elios tried hard to resist the weakness in his body. He felt like he wanted to fall because of fatigue, tightness due to his body that seemed to be damaged internally.
Elios always knew how to force himself if it was for Eirene.
"I'm doing fine. What's the matter?" the woman in Elios's eyes was Eirene.
Elios' head is dizzy. His eyes were blurred and his head was heavy. But when he looked for the woman's face, it was true that it was her Eri.
The most beautiful girl in the world according to Elios, with long silver hair and a smile as sweet as honey. Eirene's eyes are round pretty, with pupil colors that are also like honey sparkling under the reflection of sunlight.
Is correct. It's Eirene.
"Young Master."
The foreign voice in Elios's mind came. He turned around, it took a lot of effort to know that it was Graean.
"What's wrong?" Elios' expression was immediately upset. Since he was a child, Elios had been most unhappy when someone bullied him with Eirene.
It was a habit.
"You're still not recovered. Is it alright for Young Master to take a walk?"
Elios has a headache. He groaned holding his head, staring very annoyed at his first wife.
"Do I look stupid?" furious Elios. "If I walk, I feel like I can walk."
Elios turned to his Eirene and smiled. "More steps, Eri."
Then his expression returned coldly glancing at Graean. "Don't spend time on stupid things and get back to work."
".... Fine."
Graean only watched as Elios' back drifted further away, descending to the first floor with Roxanne whom he considered Eirene.
In Graean's heart, he was already very confident Roxanne was playing in this.
"It's not just you who's tired of getting hurt, Roxanne." Graean hopes the whisper gets to the woman. "Doing something sneaky is everyone's right. But don't be mad if it doesn't last long."
*