Why Is My Husband the Villainous Schemer! - Chapter 59

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 59
“An embrace…, you mean?”
I nodded eagerly.
When I thought of everything Carcel had done for me, I felt genuine gratitude toward him.
His face grew pale as he wrestled with some thought, then twisted faintly, all within a few brief moments.
Finally, like someone who had made a firm decision, he opened his arms with quiet resolve.
And he gave me a single nod.
‘Now’s the time!’
I stepped into Carcel’s embrace and wrapped my arms tightly around his waist.
It was an awkward position, given that he was considerably more broad-shouldered than I was.
Even so, through the thin fabric, his firm muscles pressed against my skin.
And the sound of his heartbeat reached my ears—rapid, thundering.
That pulsing heart beat with unusual intensity.
“Ah.”
At the sound of his heart, so acutely aware of me, my own breathing grew unsteady.
‘Carcel must be experiencing an embrace for the first time, just like me.’
I sank into a peaceful feeling, as though someone were protecting me.
My heart raced even as I felt safer than anywhere else.
‘An embrace is such a wonderful thing.’
It felt entirely different from when I held Linea.
Carcel’s hands, which had hung stiffly at his sides, gradually wrapped around my back with careful hesitation.
I drew in a deep breath.
‘He smells good.’
The crisp scent of freshly pressed linen mingled with his natural warmth made me feel even better.
The firm strength of his arms holding me felt oddly satisfying.
After remaining in his embrace for some time, I looked up at him and whispered.
“Thank you, Carcel.”
“…….”
“Mm?”
When he didn’t answer, I lifted my head in confusion.
Carcel stood motionless, even the slight smile he usually wore absent from his face.
I tried to push away the hand I’d placed on his chest.
“Are you all right? Does something hurt?”
“No! ……It doesn’t.”
His arms tightened around me as he shook his head, his composure visibly shaken.
“May I hold you a little longer?”
“Um……, yes, of course.”
My cheeks suddenly burned hot.
I could feel the tension building in Carcel’s fingertips, unwilling to let me go.
‘There’s something almost desperate about this.’
He slowly raised his other hand and drew me deeper into his embrace, pulling my shoulders close.
It wasn’t suffocating.
But his hands trembled even as he pulled me wholly into him.
It was just as his embrace began to overwhelm me—as if he might swallow my very soul—that he released me.
“Hah.”
He exhaled softly, a low, ragged breath, and let me go.
I looked up at Carcel tentatively.
‘Ah, what a masculine face.’
It was not the tender expression he usually showed.
Carcel’s gaze, darkened as he looked down at me, was as fierce and predatory as a beast eyeing its prey.
Even after holding me for so long, he appeared to want more.
Without thinking, I took a step backward.
“……Carcel?”
I called his name in a slightly frightened voice, and Carcel slowly wiped the expression from his face.
As if it had never been there.
“Yes, Asha.”
He offered me only the gentle smile he always did.
And Carcel made a suggestion.
“Shall we go out early tomorrow morning and buy some other gifts for Linea as well?”
The tension that had swelled within me gradually dissipated.
I nodded.
The raw, untamable edge I’d glimpsed in him for just that moment seemed to have imprinted itself on my mind.
‘I don’t dislike that side of him, but……, somehow it makes me nervous.’
In that instant, my breathing quickened of its own accord, and faced with such ravenous attention, I found myself at a loss for words, my body faltering.
Gripped by a tension that seemed to flow from the nape of my neck down to my heels, I couldn’t even hide my bewilderment.
“Asha?”
Carcel called my name with apparent composure, as though nothing had happened.
But I, overwhelmed by him, remained dazed.
‘Why do I feel so flustered.’
I gathered the documents he’d given me earlier, placed them back on the table, and lay down on the bed.
“Sleep well, Carcel.”
“You rest well too, Asha.”
Carcel whispered to me with a faint smile.
I closed my eyes tightly.
Believing that Carcel’s composed face was all there was to him.
The moment I shut my eyes, I didn’t know that Carcel had covered his lips with his palm and quietly exhaled a breath of barely contained emotion.
* * *
I rose early, had breakfast with Linea, and then slipped out with Carcel.
It became my job to stop him from trying too hard to sweep through the entire Shopping District.
‘If I hadn’t gone with him, he would have bought enough gifts to stock several stores.’
In truth, hosting a social event was also my first time.
Other than a birthday celebration at a franchise burger restaurant when I was young, I’d never thrown a birthday party before.
But with the help of the butler and the head maid, everything was prepared on schedule.
“Welcome!”
Carcel and I greeted the guests who came to Linea’s birthday party.
In fact, it was the first official social event for the Rivandel Marquis Family as well.
Perhaps for that reason, people came well-dressed despite the sudden invitation, offering us warm smiles.
“Countess Annexa, you’ve come?”
Having met her once before, I found it much easier to interact with the ladies.
Countess Annexa smiled at me knowingly.
“Eloy’s been wanting to see Linea.”
“Really? Linea was so relieved when she heard Eloy would be here.”
“Oh, how wonderful. Madame, do come to Eloy’s birthday party next time as well.”
The expression she wore was sincere.
‘She must have known……, that my mother-in-law wasn’t caring for the child properly.’
I gave her a small smile in return.
After she passed by and I exchanged greetings with a few others, Lucian finally appeared.
Along with his escort knight, who looked as flustered as ever, Lucian beamed.
“I apologize for arriving late!”
“Lucian! Thank you so much for coming.”
“Of course—this was a place I had to be!”
Linea, who had been quite tense, visibly relaxed at the sight of Lucian.
I leaned down to Linea and whispered.
“Why don’t you go play with your friends? After you finish the beaded bracelet craft, we’ll have a delicious meal, and then you’ll blow out your birthday candles.”
“Yes!”
I watched contentedly as the children eagerly learned to make beaded bracelets from Linea.
The children spent time happily, then enjoyed the dinner.
Fortunately, everyone looked satisfied with the meal.
“Now shall we move to another room and blow out the birthday candles?”
The children entered the Reception Room, where gifts were piled high, and gasped in wonder.
“Wow!”
Even though I’d tried to stop Carcel, the things he’d bought were so excessive they filled an entire corner of the Reception Room.
And on top of that, gifts from Lucian and her friends.
“There are so many presents.”
Linea, the true star of today’s birthday party, was overwhelmed by birthday gifts she’d never received before in her life.
“Linea, your friends are all waiting, so shall we blow out the candles now?”
I asked the child gently, and Linea answered confidently, her face alight with anticipation.
“Yes!”
At that very moment, the butler wheeled in the trolley bearing the cake and entered the Reception Room.
“Look at the cake!”
“Mother, can you do something like that for my birthday next time?”
Both the children and the adults let out exclamations of delight at the five-tiered cake specially made for Linea.
The cake, taller than Linea herself, had eleven candles alight atop it.
I quickly exchanged glances with the maids.
As the cake arrived before Linea, the maids began to sing the birthday blessing.
The invited children could hardly stay still.
Naturally, they clapped along and joined in the song.
“Happy birthday, dear Linea!”
As the song ended, it was Linea’s turn to blow out the candles.
“Now, shall we blow them out?”
But Linea had been standing with her lips pressed firmly shut, unable to speak, her fists clenched at her sides.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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