Living as the Villainess Stepmother

Chapter 24 - A Jealous Fiance (1)

Lila looked out of her room window when she noticed a consistent tapping sound coming from it. A carrier pigeon lay there with a message strapped to it's ankle.

"What?" She gently took the bird in and pulled out the message from the tiny container.

[When will you come? I wait for your arrival all day with my neck hanging out of the window ... You'll come before it breaks, right?]

Lila knew who had sent the message even though the memo was unsigned. The tone clearly belonged to Lacias and Lila could smell his scent from the paper itself.

"What's this about his neck hanging?" She mumbled to herself quietly with a smile forming on her face "He's not a puppy waiting for his master."

She had been thinking of visiting him soon as she had promised to visit him after organizing the articles she would write on the contract.

Well I guess the timing today seems fitting.

Lila pulled out her own pen and paper from her drawer and began writing back:

[May I visit you this evening?]

She didn't even leave her room yet when the carrier pigeon returned with a response.

[I would welcome you anytime.]

Lila went to confirm her contract after seeing Lacias's invitation. She tucked it under her arm and went to Jane to prepare for an outing.

"Jane, could you prepare a carriage?"

Jane looked up from her mopping. "For where, madam?"

"A visit to the Duke's mansion please."

Jane smiled brightly and continued mopping. "I don't think I would need to prepare it, my lady."

"What do you mean?"

"Look outside." Jane pointed to the window, and Lila's gaze naturally followed Jane's finger.

A marvelously bright carriage decorated with purple morning glories and lavender was parked in front of the Marshmell Mansion. It was in the place of the old carriage that was made of black meridian, a true sign of luxury.

"The Duke has sent that carriage ma'am."

Lila was baffled "Lacias sent something like that?"

"Of course!"

Lila never knew that Lacias could be so romantic. Since he never had a spouse in the original novel she hadn't expected him to send her these amazing signs. This was a side of Lacias that was never shown so she couldn't depend on her previous knowledge with him all the time.

"How long ago did it arrive?"

"Quite the while. It's been there ever since I started working."

Lila's confusion became ever so clear. "Why didn't you call me then?"

"I'm sorry ma'am. But the horseman made me promise not to do so."

"What? Why?"

"His grace had told the horseman not to interfere with you and see to your convenience even if it meant a long wait."

Lila's confusion was replaced by a pink flush.

"Alright I'll come down after getting ready." She said, trying to cover her face.

Jane's smile grew a little wider. "Yes, I'll notify the horseman."

"Thank you."

"Oh. One more thing madam."

"Yes?" Lila stopped on her way back up the stairs as Jane approached her warily and cuffed her hands at Lila's ears to whisper something.

"Do not worry. I'll make sure no one talks about you not coming back tonight if necessary."

*

Lila headed straight to Lacias's office after getting off the carriage, the inside of the carriage was almost the polar opposite of it's outside, as inside it had a luxurious ebony theme with golden linings. It was also designed to be as comfortable as possible so Lila had no trouble at all laying in it for the time of the ride. When she arrived at his room the door was already open as if he were expecting her.

"Why are you just standing outside the room today?"

Lacias was standing at the entrance of the door beckoning her to come in, Lila understood the situation now.

"Come in, come in. I had been waiting for you to see me all this time."

She entered the room and took her usual place by the work table with tea cups placed there on the ready. Lacias's smile was beautiful, his lips were rounded out in contrast to his sharp eyes.

"Since you didn't visit me, I was worried that you have left me."

"Don't lie."

"I'm not lying. Why would you think I'm lying?"

Lacias tilted his head from his genuine expression Lila could tell that he really did not understand the reason. She decided to not answer and leave it for him to decide, instead she began with the actual important topic.

"This is the contract I brought with me."

Lila put forth a contract written on parchment to Lacias, he looked down upon it and skimmed through it without much interest. Lila was a little irritated.

"Please tell me if you have any questions."

"I'm a little disappointed. We haven't seen each other in so long and the first thing you talk about is work?"

"Yes. Now please keep reading."

"I don't want to."

Lila really wasn't ready for this side of Lacias yet. She still saw him as a person who took his work very seriously. She sighed to herself inwardly and leaned on the table. He really acted like a stubborn puppy sometimes. "What do we need to talk about?"

Lacias's eyes had a sudden glow to them. "I'm very curious about what you've been doing in your free time while we're not working together."

Was he serious? Lila was taken a little off guard but she still answered without any surprise in her voice.

"I baked cookies."

"Oh, really?" He sounded genuinely interested.

"I also made macarons and madeleines."

Lacias's expression changed in surprise, as if he wasn't expecting her to list such a hobby. But Lila didn't mention that she just baked them for Hir to find out what he liked and get closer to him.

He liked the sweetest of them, macarons. Especially those filled with thick chocolate cream.

Lila nodded a couple times as she quickly remembered where she was and tried to act like she was concentrating the entire time. She recalled Lacias's surprised expression and shrugged her shoulders as if she didn't understand why he was looking at her like that. Lacias swiftly composed his face and answered with his usual tone.

"You seem to like sweets."

"Yes, I enjoy them."

"So, you made them for yourself?"

"No, they were for someone else."

Lacias frowned at this statement "Someone ... else?"