Wicked Husband-Chapter 164 - 163

His declaration that his actions weren’t for her should have reassured Eileen. Surely, Cesare had grander motives or ambitions that he couldn’t yet reveal.

And yet, doubts continued to creep in. Eileen chastised herself for overstepping, for letting her position as Grand Duchess cloud her judgment. Still, the thoughts refused to leave her mind.

’It’s his fault. He planted the seed.’

Cesare had given her something to ponder, and Eileen had nurtured it until it blossomed into suspicion.

Snapping out of her reverie, Eileen looked up as Cesare spoke again.

"The emperor plans to visit the grand duchy," he said, his gaze briefly lingering on the Morpheus before returning to her.

"And he’s bringing Lady Farbellini with him."

The news of Leone and Ornella’s visit came as a surprise. While it was natural for Leone to visit his injured twin brother, it was unexpected that Ornella would accompany him. The two rarely appeared together, making the situation unusual.

’Now that I think about it, they were together at the hunting festival too.’

Eileen had initially assumed it was to publicly affirm their engagement was more than just a formality. However, to attend a private matter like a hospital visit together seemed excessive.

It was clear Ornella harbored feelings for Cesare, but her proud nature made it unlikely for her to take the initiative in such a manner. Eileen found the situation strange and couldn’t shake her curiosity.

She was so lost in thought that she missed Cesare’s question. His gaze remained fixed on the Morpheus crystals as he asked again, "Still upset with me?"

"Huh? No, it’s not that..." Eileen stammered as she hastily looked up to reply, only to feel her chin caught in his large hand.

His grip was firm but not painful, guiding her chin upwards. As his gloved fingers pressed gently against both sides of her jaw, her lips naturally parted. Cesare’s sharp gaze swept over her as if inspecting the very depths of her mouth.

Eileen flushed with embarrassment, a warmth spreading across her face. As she instinctively tried to curl her tongue back to hide it, his low voice cut through her movement.

"Stay still." 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

His tone was that of an adult chiding a child—patient yet commanding. Resigned, Eileen kept her mouth open, waiting nervously. She had no idea what he was trying to check, but it felt intimate to the point of humiliation. Her gaze darted around the room, avoiding his eyes, but when she finally stole a glance at him, their eyes locked.

"Ah..."

A soft sound escaped her lips, and Cesare leaned in, capturing them in a kiss. Eileen’s eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected gesture. His gaze remained on her, unwavering, even as he deepened the kiss.

His tongue traced every corner of her mouth, exploring deliberately, as a wet, obscene sound filled the air. Eileen’s body heated from head to toe. After thoroughly tasting her, Cesare finally pulled back, leaving her breathless and dazed.

In stark contrast to her disarray, Cesare appeared utterly composed. His lips were slightly flushed, the only evidence of their kiss. As if to seal the moment, he leaned in to give her a soft, quick peck before asking casually, "How far along are you with Morpheus?"

The question snapped Eileen out of her haze. Her cheeks burned from the memory of the kiss, but she forced herself to focus. Now wasn’t the time to dwell on his sudden intimacy.

Cesare was the primary benefactor of her research on Morpheus. While he had given her free rein, she hadn’t yet updated him on her progress—a lapse she now felt guilty about. Considering the immense resources he had poured into her work, Eileen hurried to respond.

"I-I’ve succeeded in extracting the analgesic properties! These crystals here are Morpheus—well, they’re in powder form now, but they start as crystal-like formations. I’m preparing for human trials next, but..."

Cesare listened in silence as she explained, his gaze steady and unreadable. When she paused, he asked calmly, "You’re planning to test it on yourself?"

"Yes! I thought I’d test it myself first to observe its effects..."

Eileen trailed off, suddenly feeling uneasy. Something about saying this to Cesare felt wrong. Yet his next question was as gentle as the first.

"But you don’t experience any pain. How would you measure its effectiveness?"

It was a valid point, one Eileen had been grappling with herself. As she hesitated to answer, Cesare’s fingers lightly brushed the corner of her eyes, his touch disarmingly tender.

"I’m not scolding you," he assured her. "I’m saying there are others who might benefit more from this. For example..."

Cesare’s gaze held hers as he continued, "The President of the Senate."

"You mean Count Dominico?"

Count Dominico, the Senate’s president, had been a regular customer during her days at the inn, purchasing pain relief medication for his terminally ill wife. He hadn’t contacted her in some time, though, which was unusual given his wife’s condition. Eileen had even arranged for him to contact the Grand Duchy directly if he needed more medication.

A flicker of unease passed through her. She made a mental note to write to him as soon as she was done speaking with Cesare.

"What did you discuss with the knights?"

The unexpected question startled Eileen. She had just been thinking of sending a letter to Count Dominico when Cesare’s words made her heart skip a beat.

Eileen knew Cesare was well aware of her yearly visits to commemorate Lotan’s daughter. But this was the first time he had asked about what they talked about during those visits.

’Did Michele tell him everything?’

She tensed, worried that Michele might have revealed the favors she had asked of the knights. Eileen’s mind raced as she tried to gauge Cesare’s reaction, but his expression remained neutral.

’Maybe he’s just asking casually...’

Clinging to that hope, Eileen carefully recounted mundane stories and trivial conversations she’d had with the knights, deliberately omitting anything of significance. Cesare listened with a faint smile, giving no sign of suspicion.

***