Chapter 81

“This is my mission, therefore, none of your business.”

“Why not? Don’t you think the boss sent me because he knew you’d be a moping mess?!”

Daisy was certain she would be more of a hindrance than a help. And the moment Daisy flatly rejected her offer, Rose practically exploded.

It’s not like I didn’t do it because I wasn’t capable. Why is she being so dramatic about it? Daisy was at a complete loss.

“W-we… kissed.”

Sure, there had been a sheet between them, but she did rub against him a little.

And he also touched her nipples because of the damn cream. They did everything except full-on penetration, so what was all the fuss about?

Daisy blushed and chose to leave out the rest of the details.

“Kissing doesn’t count. People literally kiss at weddings. The real problem is you kissed him and still couldn’t get him into bed.”

“…”

“I saw him at the wedding. He’s not impotent at all. He got hard just fine in front of all the guests.”

Since when had this bitch been at the wedding?

Rose always had way too much interest in Daisy’s business. And if Rose saw it, that meant everyone else in the crowd had seen Maxim’s bodily… situation as well. Daisy’s head started to pound.

“Do you, like, have lethally bad breath or something? Or do you make a weird pig-snorting sound when you kiss?”

“Enough with that ridiculous crap.”

“Haah, good thing I stepped in. With Therese coddling you like a princess, all you ever do is hold yourself back and end up being useless.”

She didn’t even know the half of it.

Fine. Whatever. If she wanted to think that, let her. Daisy was too tired to argue and kept her mouth shut.

“Even if I taught you the art of seduction I’ve honed over the years, you wouldn’t be apple to master it in a day.”

“…”

“No, this won’t do. I’ll go to Trash and get you an incredible drug. The kind that’ll make you go wild.”

“You take it. I don’t need that stuff.”

He was already constantly in heat and overwhelming enough as it was. If she fed him something like that, that would push her way beyond her limits.

The thought of it was so horrid that Daisy strongly shook her head.

“Aim for the party. You’ll ditch the country-bumpkin look, get all dolled up. A few glasses of champagne and you’ll be set. Perfect, right? I’ll have it all ready for you ahead of time.”

“I said no.”

“I’m literally the only one looking out for you pathetic ass. So just accept it and stop making it harder than it needs to be.”

Rose stuffed a fancy lotion into her pocket like she was doing Daisy a grand favor. Daisy just gave her a tired, unimpressed look.

“Anyway, if you breathe a word of this to the boss, you’re dead.”

Just then, knock, knock. Both of them froze, holding their breath.

“Your Highness, it’s Mary Gold.”

Finally, some relief. As long as Mary Gold was here, Rose wouldn’t be able to keep harassing her.

Daisy waved a warning fist at Rose, then calmly dipped her hand back into the water as though nothing had happened.

༺♰༻

When Daisy opened her eyes, Maxim was gone.

She woke up to the sound of birds chirping in the early morning. Daisy stared blankly at the ceiling before groggily pushing herself upright.

The bed was so large it felt ridiculous for just two people to sleep in it.

But because she was now conditioned to be on guard around her husband, Daisy automatically curled up into a ball when she slept, using only the tiniest corner of that enormous bed.

There was just barely enough space for her body to fit.

Daisy’s gaze turned toward Maxim’s side of the bed.

“Did he even come in?”

She couldn’t tell just by looking at the bed. His side was perfectly made, as if no one had ever lain there at all.

“…He must be busy.”

He had said he had a mountain of things to handle while he was in the capital. Still, he usually didn’t schedule anything in the mornings so they could have breakfast together.

Well, actually, his awkward morning greetings came before breakfast.

“Did you sleep well, Izzy?”

“Did you have a nice dream?”

He’d ask while lying on his stomach, propping his chin in his hand, wearing that lazy smile as his robe slipped open to show off that ridiculous chest. Daisy was certain he did it on purpose.

But today, his side of the bed was empty. And so, Daisy reverted back into an old habit. She spoke not to her real husband, but to his portrait.

“Maybe he’s just… even busier than before.”

She murmured to herself while staring at the portrait of Maxim von Waldeck on the nightstand.

The real thing was far more striking, of course, but even in the painting, the tall, handsome man seemed to stare straight at her.

“Honestly, it’s not even my problem. Why should I care.”

Daisy shook her head, trying to push away the pointless thoughts that kept circling around her.

“Still… the timing is kind of weird.”

Come to think of it, it was right after that night. The one where he raised hell over “Taste of Heaven” and she ended up screaming every vulgar curse she knew. It wasn’t something she could just dismiss, and the timing was too perfect. It couldn’t have been just a coincidence.

At first she was relieved they didn’t run into each other, but as days passed, she couldn’t shake the feeling she might have made some terrible mistake.

“Did he have a change of heart?”

And though she hated to admit it, Daisy was starting to wonder what Maxim might really be thinking.