novelraw Chapter 270: Are You Turning Your Back on Me Now?
Chapter 270: Are You Turning Your Back on Me Now?
After Delphine moved back to the small attic, the next day the headlines exploded with news that Sylvester Cloud, the most charming and debonair among the Four Young Masters of Nanyang, had been reassigned back to Nanyang.
Sylvester Cloud, once hailed as the dream lover of three hundred million young girls in Nanyang, was now returning after Melody Cloud had risen to the status of the leading socialite. The Cloud Family basked in glory, becoming the most talked-about noble family in Nanyang.
Soon after, the Cloud Family sent out invitations to select noble families with close ties, hosting a small appreciation banquet.
Unexpectedly, the invite from Leclair Manor specified that both Ms. Gu and Delphine were also invited to attend.
One was a long-time mistress who had never gained recognition, and the other was the mistress’s unwelcome baggage brought into the house. Over the years, no noble family banquet had ever extended an invitation to them. While Delphine was taken aback, Ms. Gu was unfazed, joyfully calling for someone to bring over the latest season’s gowns.
In the end, Delphine picked a champagne-colored off-shoulder cocktail dress, while Ms. Gu chose several. Noticing Delphine’s penchant for these subdued tones, Ms. Gu remarked, "Young girls like you, how could you favor such bland colors? Pick red—it’s beautiful."
"Leah looks stunning in red." Her tone was detached. Among Nanyang’s illustrious women, who could rival Leah in pulling off red with such breathtaking impact? She herself was only suited to more understated colors.
"Then tomorrow afternoon we’ll go together. I need to get a beauty treatment too." Ms. Gu was giddy with newfound joy; ever since Stone Leclair had promised to give her official status, her days felt so surreal, as if walking among the clouds. Even the Cloud Family’s invitation now felt like a dream come true.
Delphine didn’t have the heart to shatter her illusions, picked up her dress, and went upstairs.
Just as she reached the staircase to the top floor, she ran into Ignatius Leclair emerging from the study. Her body tightened as she prepared to slip away, but his long arm stretched out, grabbing her slender wrist. His phoenix eyes swept over her dress before he darkly remarked, "They say a night of intimacy creates a hundred nights of favor. After all the times we’ve slept together, are you pretending I don’t exist now?"
For the past two days, she had avoided him like the plague. Ignatius had endured her avoidance for half a month, but here they were in his own house—if he endured any longer, he’d lose face entirely.
"Yes, I’m pretending you don’t exist." She turned her face away, staring at the oil painting on the hallway wall instead of his coldly handsome features, and replied with a blank expression.
Ignatius let out a cold chuckle, stepped closer, and, seeing her retreat, pinned her against the wall.
The piercing scent of pine overwhelmed her senses. Her face paled slightly as she watched him move closer. She pressed her hand against his warm chest and urgently protested, "What are you doing? Do you want everyone to know?"
Ignatius lowered his gaze, eyes fixed on her pale and delicate face. He reached out to lift her chin and leaned in, speaking in a low voice, "If you shout and everyone finds out, then I’ll have no choice but to marry you."
Delphine’s breath caught as she stared at him in disbelief, her glistening wide eyes filled with fear.
"Am I really that terrifying?" Ignatius murmured softly, his phoenix eyes dark and unreadable. On the surface, he seemed indifferent, but deep down, an undercurrent of melancholy stirred. She had once loved him—how had he now become so loathsome in her eyes?
She gave a faint, icy smile and said, "It’s either I’m terrifying, or perhaps you should show mercy and let me go."
Ignatius’s handsome face stiffened. He wanted to kiss her forcefully, but the uncontrolled moment from last time had stripped him of those privileges. Now, the small woman was fully at odds with him.