Chapter 3
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Thud.
There was a small sound as the butler, who was about to announce the morning, closed the door again. But no one realized the sound in the bedroom filled with obscene heat.
Ezekiel opened his eyes and immediately pulled Olivia's body into his arms. He could still see the lips and teeth marks he left on the nape of her slender, white neck.
Last night, he indulged in his desire, but this morning, his lust was raging again. And there was no reason to restrain it.
He pulled the frail body up and rubbed her stomach lightly. Perhaps because of his constant torment, he didn't feel any flesh. As he stroked her flat, slender belly and waist, her exhausted, sleeping body shuddered convulsively. He bit down painfully on her collarbone, knowing that while she could have stayed asleep, it would be more pleasurable to wake her up.
"...ugh."
Olivia finally woke up with a sick groan. Her beautiful turquoise eyes were dazed, but they snapped open when her gaze met Ezekiel's.
Ezekiel smirked, but inside he was nervous. This woman really struck him as strange. Forcing someone to do something they don't like is something to be enjoyed in its own way, but every time he saw Olivia’s disgust, something hot rose in his chest.
"Am I horrible, do you think I'm a monster?"
"......."
"Whatever, accept it. You belong to that monster."
Olivia said nothing. Ezekiel glared at her, his anger rising and pressing against her throat.
"Forever."
"......."
Still, no words flowed from her mouth.
It had been three months since he had captured her, and in that time, Ezekiel had never heard a word of hatred. No pain, no pleasure, nothing but a short moan when it became unbearable.... Each time, Ezekiel became unbearably angry. The doctor said she was speechless from shock, but he felt she was resisting him.
She was a woman who could not be controlled. He couldn't bring himself to just break her and throw her away, letting his anger run so high.
He'd had enough of this, but touching her skin and probing her insides was never enough.
"Be gentle with her. When her heart is open, her mouth will open naturally."
Despite his irritation at who would pay such attention to a toy, he remembered the doctor's words and cupped her cheeks in a loving gesture, forcing her to look at him.
"What are you thinking about?"
Olivia closed her eyes. It was useless to question a woman who couldn't speak.
Ezekiel patiently pressed his lips to hers. There was no response to the kiss, but it was warm and sweet.
It was then.
There was a commotion outside the door. The butler's voice rang loud enough to be heard through the thick oak door.
"No!"
"If you have nothing to hide, why can't I come in!"
BANG-!
The door flew open as if it had been kicked in at the same time as Loella's shrill voice.
Ezekiel, who was caressing Olivia's lower region and pushing his index finger into her vagina, flinched. Seeing the two of them tangled up together, Loella froze in place, then lunged at Olivia like a madwoman.
"You lecherous bitch!!!"
"Loella!"
Ezekiel was a beat too late, not expecting Loella to lunge at Olivia with so little dignity. Loella grabbed Olivia's hair in both hands and yanked hard.
Olivia didn't scream, but went with her, being dragged down the bed. Without bothering to put on a robe, Ezekiel grabbed Loella's arm and twisted.
"Ow!"
"What do you think you're doing?"
He glared at her, his eyes vicious. Loella squirmed in agony. He flung her to the floor, then picked Olivia up and sat her down on the bed.
Loella watched the scene in shock. No, no, no. Even when she'd heard rumors that Ezekiel kept a mistress in his bedroom and handled her like a sugar confection, she hadn't believed them.
But it was true, and it was Olivia. She cried out in outrage.
"What do you think you're doing! Our wedding is next week! Have you lost your mind because you've been possessed by that bitch?"
Ezekiel snapped back, pulling the sheet around Olivia's body.
"My personal life is none of your business, Loella."
There was nothing wrong with having a mistress or two. But Loella, oblivious to the fact that her makeup was melting off, broke down and sobbed, shouting,
"How can this be private, I'm going to be your wife now, and Olivia, how can you...not the other woman...!"
"Take her somewhere quiet."
Ezekiel left Olivia with the butler, not caring that Loella was ranting.
Loella looked even more shocked at his behavior and began to cry. Ezekiel, irritated, pulled on his robe and told her.
"The fake Princess is already dead. There's no one to prove who she is, and no one to help, so don't bother with her. She's just a toy."
Ezekiel said that, but Loella couldn't stop crying. He'd had other mistresses before, and she had no intention of competing with them; he was a heartless man, to be fair, to all of them, and no matter who he took into his bed, it would have been just play.
But Olivia was different. And not just because she was her competition.
Loella knew how he looked at her. Perhaps she knew best.
Because she herself was watching him most intently, not missing a thing: his gaze, his gesture, his every word.
That was all Olivia heard in the hallway. She didn't really need to hear more than that; it was none of her business.
Once she was escorted to another room, the butler draped a robe over her shoulders and said politely,
"If you'll follow me to the outbuildings, I'll have your bath and meal prepared there."
Olivia nodded and followed him slowly across the Schwaben manor.
‘Now.’
This time it was faster than she thought.
The outbuildings were immaculately organized. Perhaps the butler had cleared it out with the idea of moving her here in mind from the start.
The hierarchy between Loella and Ezekiel was clear. Ezekiel was above and Loella was below. From the beginning, Loella's mother was a woman who was trained by the Duke of Schwaben to replace the Empress and brought into the Emperor's service.
But that didn’t mean he could completely ignore Loella, the princess and future empress. So Ezekiel sent Olivia off to a cottage to appease her.
This was the third time he had done so.
And this time, too, she endured. Every night and every morning, she endured the man she hated trampling her underfoot. Waiting for the day she would come here.
Standing in the living room of the small, beautiful cottage, she waited for the butler to leave. The butler locked the door to the living room on his way out.
It didn't matter; she moved quickly to the fireplace in the living room. There were several small, pretty antiques on it, simple ornaments.
She picked up one of them, a small jewelry box that she could hold in one hand, with two long rows of tiny jeweled buttons on the lid.
This was all she needed to start over.
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