Looking for My Fiancé’s Lover

that it ever happened?”

My voice came out shaky so I quickly cleared my throat.

“Ahem, Nezar, if you don’t like it that much…”

Nezar silently signaled for me to continue.

“…You can just pretend it never happened.
It’s okay.
I will accept whatever rumours that come afterward.”

If my engagement was broken, I wouldn’t have to get a girlfriend, memorise young lords’ names, or practice embroidery.
It would be fine, but…

Unlike my words, the corners of my mouth were drooping like heavy rocks were hanging on them.
Nezar seemed to have fully grasped my gloom.
He narrowed his dark eyes and said in a somber tone.

“I think I have made it clear yesterday that you have to take responsibility for what you say.”

This time he pulled one of my hands and grabbed it with the hand he had just wiped on his shirt.

“Kate, can you take responsibility for what you just said?”

Can I take responsibility? Rather, the question is can we really forget about it and pretend it never happened? If I nod here and now, does it mean we aren’t engaged anymore? I would certainly welcome that.
If I don’t marry Nezar, I could have children.
I wouldn’t have to grow old alone.
Though I don’t remember all the advantages right now, it seems like there would be plenty of other plus factors.

With that in mind, I intended to nod.
I wasn’t confident enough to actually say yes, so I would have to indicate it through action..

Yes, definitely!

Suddenly, Nezar brought his hands onto my cheeks and held them firmly, preventing me from moving my head. 

No but, why are you stopping me when you were the one who asked?

“Alright.
Since you did not want to admit it, I, His Highness Nezar, who has unlimited grace and generosity, shall let it slide.
If you say that again next time, you will be in trouble.
Got it?”

“Where did that come from?! This is not fair!”

“That’s enough, now quickly nod.”

I quickly nodded at Near’s expression slightly turning cold.
My head could then move more easily thanks to Nezar’s loosening on his grips.
I couldn’t believe how rude he was.
Just because he was the Crown Prince, he thought he could just have it his way?

Nezar, who looked at me with his knees bent, soon pulled me by my hand.
Unlike before, all five of his fingers were cold.
As he led me, we slowly walked down the quiet hallway.

Nezar didn’t hold my hand tight.
It was always like that whether it was hot or cold.
At times, it was just mere touch or one hand putting over another rather than being intertwined.
I couldn’t figure out why, but even when I squeezed on his palm or tried interlocking our fingers, he didn’t show any reaction.
So from some point onward, I was always the one holding onto Nezar’s hand.