The Survival Strategy of the Contract Duchess - Chapter 31

Morning came, and the first to open his eyes was Kyler.

The night before, after Sasha had confessed her feelings and quickly left his room, he had barely managed to fall asleep. But his rest had been shattered by a noise that struck deep into his ears.

This time, though, it wasn’t just a sound that bothered him. It was more than a simple irritation. It felt like claws raking through his mind. The pain was sharp and overwhelming.

He began to sweat profusely. The noise wouldn’t stop. Struggling for breath, Kyler had gone in search of the one person who could save him from it. Thankfully, she had been nearby.

She had looked startled when she saw him, clearly surprised by the state he was in. Given how awkwardly they had parted earlier, she might have misunderstood his sudden arrival.

But she had reached out and grabbed his arm without hesitation.

And at that moment, the painful, clawing sound in his ears disappeared completely. It felt unreal, like a miracle. He had been stunned by the sudden silence.

He had grown desperate for her. He realized just how much he needed her.

And when her voice had softly called his name, filling the silence where the noise had been, it was not just comforting. It had been nearly euphoric. He couldn’t hold back. He began to touch her, to claim her. But unlike before, it didn’t feel entirely right.

She had told him she liked him. Whether that meant she had romantic feelings or something more innocent, he didn’t know for certain. But while she offered him sincerity, he had responded with need. That made him feel like a selfish man.

But still, he needed her more than anything.

No one else would ever understand this pain. That was why, even when he didn’t fully understand her circumstances, he had immediately chosen her as his fiancée and brought her out of the marquess’s house. That was why he had accepted every condition she had proposed.

He had been afraid she might never come to him. And he could not let that happen.

There would never be another woman like her.

“I need to hold you. Will that be alright?”

One of the emperor’s requirements had been for them to live as a proper married couple. That included intimacy.

Even though he doubted Sasha would ever give up so easily, he still had to prove that their marriage wasn’t a sham. He had to dispel the idea that he had entered a fake marriage just to avoid the empress’s advances.

“It’s alright. If that’s what it takes to keep me by your side, then do it. So that I can never be taken back to the marquess’s house. So that you can never throw me away.”

She had truly wanted to leave that house behind. No matter what he demanded in return, she didn’t seem to care. She had clung to him with desperation. And for him, that desperation had become essential. Her presence was the only thing that could quiet the noise in his head.

“Mmm…”

She let out a soft sound and snuggled closer into his arms. He wasn’t sure what kind of emotion her small body felt in his warmth, but she did not push him away.

Even the morning after a night of passion, she always instinctively sought his arms in her sleep. The way she moved, like a small animal looking for warmth, sent a shiver of pleasure through his spine.

Strangely enough, she had changed.

She was no longer the passive, pessimistic girl he had first met. It was almost as if deciding to marry had awakened something new in her. But it wasn’t just the change itself.

The new Sasha was more vibrant, more confident, and more beautiful. Most importantly, she still had the same effect on him. As long as she was near, he heard nothing else. The painful noise that used to haunt him vanished completely.

He had never believed he would experience a moment that would make him want to pray. But that night, something had melted inside his chest, and all he could do was clasp his hands together in silent thanks.

“I’ll do everything I can to protect you. No matter what it takes.”

Because in the end, protecting her was also what would save him. He had no choice but to give his all.

“Kyler…”

Her voice pulled him out of his thoughts. It seemed she had woken up.

Still half asleep, she blinked slowly and wrapped her arms around his neck. Or rather, she was only half awake.

She hadn’t dressed yet. Her bare skin pressed against his, soft and warm. Even after everything they had shared the night before, her touch still sent waves of sensation through him.

Time passed quickly as she curled up against him like that.

“You should get up now.”

But she didn’t move. It wasn’t that she hadn’t heard him. He had seen the slight twitch in her shoulders the moment he spoke.

She was embarrassed.

It made sense. It was bright outside now, and they were still in bed like this, her body uncovered.

But for Kyler, this was beginning to test his limits. Holding her like this, for so long, with her bare skin pressed against him, was quickly becoming a problem. If they weren’t going to do anything more, then it was time to get up.

At that moment, Sasha finally pulled away slightly, grabbed the edge of the bedsheet, and threw it over herself. Wrapping it tightly around her body, she quickly sat up in bed.

“Ah, good morning.”

Sasha greeted him with a slightly shaky voice.

She looked flustered, and it was absolutely endearing. Kyler stayed lying down, watching her from below. She seemed caught between wanting to leave and not knowing where to sit. Eventually, she spoke, clearly struggling with herself.

“Can I ask you for something?”

“What is it?”

She clutched the sheet, hesitating. He could tell she was holding back, but he couldn’t wait anymore. It didn’t matter that it happened almost every night. Today, even that didn’t feel like enough.

“Come here.”

He pulled back the blanket and opened his arms to her. Sasha understood exactly what he meant. Her face turned red instantly.

When she had woken up and seen his face so close, she had already felt breathless. But now, just the thought of approaching him again filled her with a sudden, overwhelming shyness.

If she went into his arms now, she knew she wouldn’t be able to leave.

His expression stayed calm, but she knew the truth. She had seen how quickly that calm face could turn intense and full of passion.

In the end, Sasha lay back down beside him. Even as he slowly pulled the sheet away from her body, she didn’t resist.

How could she say no when the person she loved made her feel like this?

As she bit her lip, Kyler leaned in and kissed her. He captured her lips, already flushed from being bitten. The sound of his breath vibrated deep in his throat, low and rough like a beast.

“Kyler…”

As soon as their lips parted, her breath came rushing out. She hadn’t even realized she was holding it in. Without thinking, she called out to him. Kyler flinched slightly but seemed dissatisfied, his brows drawing together.

“My name.”

“What?”

Startled, Sasha reached up as if to wrap her arms around his neck but paused. What did he mean by “name”?

“Ka… Ky… Kyler…”

She had whispered it during the night, lost in the moment. Now that she was fully awake, she didn’t know how to say it again. Neither of them was good at being openly affectionate.

Still, Kyler waited, silent and patient. Sasha hesitated, full of embarrassment and uncertainty, but in the end, she had no choice.

“Kyler.”

His lips curled into a smile without him realizing. Her voice, calling his name, seemed to trigger something. His hands began to move again.

“Are you alright?”

Kyler sat beside the bed, looking at Sasha, who was lying down with barely the strength to move.

“I don’t think I am.”

What had started in the morning had continued all the way to midday. Sasha was completely drained.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to go that far.”

His voice was quiet, touched with guilt. It made her body relax without her realizing. There was something comforting in the way he spoke.

“It’s alright. I wanted it too.”

She said it in a soft voice, barely above a whisper. That alone nearly made Kyler pull her into his arms again. He couldn’t believe he had acted with such force. Was he really the kind of man who couldn’t hold back? It made him feel no better than a beast. Every time he touched her, it felt like he was crossing some invisible line.

She had said she liked him. But what was he supposed to do with that? He didn’t even know how to name the feelings he had. She had come to him first, had reached out. He wanted her close, wanted her beside him, but didn’t know what that emotion really meant.

Even though she had given him permission, he didn’t hold her again. Instead, he ran his hand gently along her back. Just feeling the soft curve of her spine was enough.

“I want to learn more. I don’t want to miss out or make mistakes because I don’t know better.”

Sasha’s voice was small, like she was speaking in a half-dream. It was easy to guess how deeply she longed for the things she had never been able to have in her small, limited world.

If she had known more, she might not have been trapped in that narrow life for so long. But she hadn’t been old enough to escape on her own. That made the marquess even more responsible for her pain.

Kyler listened quietly, then gently stroked her hair.

“You’ll be able to learn everything. You can do anything you want.”

He nodded, understanding what she was trying to say. She wanted to give something back to him in her own way, through emotion, through words. He could feel it.

He didn’t expect her to give him everything. But the fact that she wanted to do something for him, that thought alone, was already beautiful.

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