She was about to break! The physical pain Eliana inflicted was far beyond what she could endure.
Elyse’s pupils dilated suddenly. Shame and physiological loss of control swept through her body like a tsunami. A warm sensation meandered down her inner thighs, soaking her already thin silk nightgown and leaving a dark, humiliating mark.
Eliana’s fingers could clearly feel the violent spasm, the sudden tightening of the lower abdominal muscles, and the subsequent limpness.
She let out a low, husky sigh that sounded almost pleasant, but her hand gripping the neck didn’t loosen in the slightest.
“How pathetic, Eldest Daughter of the Duke. Such a grown person, yet you still wet yourself~”
The voice, carrying a scent of blood, sounded right against Elyse’s burning ear, filled with cruel amusement.
“It turns out the noble Young Lady is so… fragile.”
All of Elyse’s struggles and pride collapsed completely at this moment. Tears mixed with humiliation surged out of her eyes.
‘She’s just a game character! Why is she bullying me like this? I… I don’t want this!’
The young girl wanted to curl up, but her body was pinned firmly in mid-air, like a fragile butterfly pinned to a display board. All her secret loss of composure was fully exposed.
Eliana slowly released her grip on the neck, letting Elyse slide down like a broken puppet. She slumped onto the floor, coughing violently and gasping for air, her body still twitching uncontrollably. Every breath brought a piercing pain to her throat, and the wet coldness below reminded her of the humiliation that had just occurred every single second.
Eliana slowly crouched down, her shadow looming over. Through Elyse’s blurred, teary eyes, she could only see the lower half of the other woman’s face hidden by her collar and those pale gold eyes that shone startlingly bright in the darkness. Those eyes were currently scanning her disheveled body with undisguised scrutiny and mockery.
A fingertip reached out. It didn’t touch her face but instead lightly pinched the soaked hem of her nightgown, rubbing the damp fabric between her fingers.
Elyse shuddered violently and tried to pull her leg back, but she couldn’t muster even a shred of strength.
“Such a cute reaction.”
Eliana’s voice dropped even lower, like a venomous snake sliding over skin.
“Do you know what you did wrong?”
“Get… away…”
Elyse used the last of her remaining strength to squeeze out two words, her voice utterly shattered.
Eliana began to laugh softly, a sound filled with the joy of control. Instead of backing away, she leaned in even closer, so close that Elyse could smell the faint fragrance on her.
“If you can’t remember, then use your body to remember~”
With that, she kissed her again. However, this time it wasn’t a bite, but a lick.
A slow, deep, and purposeful lick. Her tongue licked the edges of the wound, sometimes forceful and sometimes gentle, as if tasting the most precious vintage wine.
Meanwhile, her other hand fell back onto Elyse’s abdomen. This time it wasn’t a press, but a rhythmic, slow circling motion.
“Ugh…”
Elyse’s whole body went stiff, and a whimper involuntarily escaped from deep in her throat. This feeling was scarier than pure pain — a strange dizziness, being forcibly dragged from the edge of pain toward sensory stimulation, seized her.
A bizarre sensation, a mix of stinging and itching, came from the wound on her shoulder. And what that hand on her lower abdomen brought was a terrifying throb, a lingering stimulation left behind after the soreness faded.
She really couldn’t hold on any longer. Elyse felt a wave of dizziness and fell backward.
“Oh? You can’t handle it? Heh, I hope you remember tonight’s punishment, Young Lady~”
—
When Elyse opened her eyes again, it was already the next morning. She tried to struggle to get up, but her entire body had no strength at all. Even turning over felt extremely difficult.
“Young Lady, do you need help?”
A voice suddenly appeared beside her. Elyse turned her head and saw Eliana standing respectfully by the bed.
“Young Lady, you don’t look like you rested well. May I help you?”
Eliana tilted her head and offered a warm smile.
‘Why… why is she here? Is she going to do something else to me?’
Elyse’s pupils constricted sharply. Memories of the previous night flooded back like fragments of a tide — the piercing pain in her neck, the shame of losing control, and the cold mockery in those pale gold eyes. She felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar.
She instinctively wanted to shrink back, but her weak body only trembled slightly before sinking heavily back into the soft pillow.
“You…”
Just as she was about to say something, the other woman walked to the bedside and gently stroked her slightly messy long hair.
“Young Lady, the wind was quite strong yesterday. Look, the window was even blown open. Did you have a nightmare? Don’t worry, I will stay with you.”
‘What is she saying?! It’s not like she didn’t see the wound on my shoulder! How does she dare say such a thing!’
Elyse trembled all over. ‘This bastard demon!’ However, she only dared to be angry in private. After hearing Eliana’s words, she only managed a soft hum and a nod.
“Alright, Young Lady, I’ve prepared breakfast. You need to hurry. There’s a Tea Party waiting for you this afternoon~”
In the afternoon, the Glass Conservatory on the west side of Marquis Matilda’s Mansion had been set up as the venue for the Tea Party.
Sunlight filtered through the dome, casting mottled shadows on the white tablecloth and exquisite porcelain cups. The air was filled with the fragrance of black tea, honey pastries, and fresh flowers.
Elyse sat on an exquisite chair, but her face was very gloomy, as if the beautiful scenery before her didn’t suit her appetite.
Even now, her mind was still filled with what happened last night. Eliana… she actually laid hands on her!
Elyse’s fingers, holding the bone china teacup, turned slightly white. The black tea in the cup had long since gone cold, reflecting her pale, distracted face. The wound on her shoulder throbbed under her soft silk dress like a searing brand of shame, a constant reminder of everything that had happened the night before.
The laughter of the noblewomen at the Tea Party and the crisp clinking of porcelain seemed to be separated by a thick layer of glass, blurred and distant.
“Lady Elyse?”
Countess Rosen, sitting opposite her, leaned in with concern.
“You don’t seem to have much energy? Are the pastries not to your taste?”
Elyse snapped back to her senses and forced a faint smile.
“No, the pastries are delicious. It’s just… the wind was a bit strong last night, so I didn’t rest well.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt a sense of absurdity. Strong wind? Heh, Eliana had certainly found a good excuse this morning.
“Yes, the wind last night was indeed annoying,” another young lady agreed, lightly covering her mouth with a fan. “The flowers I planted myself were even blown over.”
Their conversation buzzed in Elyse’s ears, but her gaze fell on her own shoulder.
‘Eliana clearly saw my wound, but she didn’t even ask. And I don’t dare to bring it up myself. Dammit…’
“Young Lady?”
A soft call came from beside her ear, the tone identical to that demon’s. Elyse’s body jolted, nearly knocking over the snacks in front of her.
“I — I’m sorry…”
Elyse looked at the two young girls walking over, her face full of apology.