Chapter 2
Only now did the tension come rushing in, and I hurriedly straightened my clothes.
And when the door finally opened, I couldn’t take my eyes off the man who entered the reception room.
The male lead, Layton, was taller than I had expected—undeniably, properly an adult.
“Greetings. I am Layton Zynes, Marquess.”
Light brown hair and blue eyes reminiscent of a clear sea.
Paired with a gentle expression, he was a flawless young man with nothing to criticize.
A perfectly graceful smile—one that made it impossible to think of him as a villain.
“Sister… is that the Marquess?”
Perhaps startled by his sculpted looks, Ailee tugged at the hem of my dress and whispered shyly, her eyes wide.
“Yes, Ailee. Let’s say hello.”
The man looking down at us with a faint smile appeared even gentler than the description in the novel.
So gentle that calling him a villain would be absurd.
“I’m Selena Bennett.”
“I’m Ailee Bennett!”
Layton quietly looked at the two small hands we thrust out at him at the same time, then took each of them in his own.
He gave them a small shake.
At that faint motion, Ailee burst into giggles.
As expected.
Just like in the original story, the title of “villain” was nothing but slander.
His warm, affectionate smile was far too kind to belong to a villain.
“Shall we sit down first?”
Even as the tea was being brewed, Layton never stopped smiling at the two of us seated across from him.
Perhaps soothed by his pleasant smile, Ailee began chatting away.
“Marquess, I was really looking forward to meeting you since they said you were a welcome guest!”
“I see. I’m very pleased that Lady Ailee is happy to see me.”
“They said we’ll be seeing each other often from now on. Is that true?”
“That’s correct. I’ll do my best to visit whenever you wish.”
“Wow! Then my sister won’t be lonely anymore!”
Though his words were formal, his gentle voice made them feel anything but stiff.
“I love that!”
Ailee seemed to like him very much.
Fortunately, everything had proceeded exactly as it did in the original story—up to this point.
Layton and Ailee’s first meeting.
What began as a relationship between guardian and ward gradually became something special.
From the moment Ailee began to slowly melt this so-called villain’s heart.
‘The atmosphere is great!’
Sensing the warmth between them, my own tension eased as well.
Perhaps noticing my smile, Layton’s gaze shifted toward me.
He studied me quietly, then suddenly adopted a sorrowful expression.
“I wonder… if Lady Selena finds me agreeable.”
His eyes drooped slightly, his tone tinged with concern.
The moment I saw that pitiful look, I understood why.
‘Ah. He must’ve read the letter. What do I do?’
Feeling guilty, I wiped the sweat forming on my palms against my dress and nodded frantically.
“O-of course I do. Haha.”
At that, Layton asked in a meaningful voice,
“Truly? I was worried that perhaps you reacted harshly because of the rumors surrounding me.”
“Huh? Sister, do you dislike the Marquess?”
“No! Of course not!”
I denied it as strongly as I could, but quick-witted Ailee seemed to sense something.
“Then… does that mean the Marquess isn’t someone important to us?”
Perhaps because she had already grown fond of him—just like in the original story—Ailee’s shoulders drooped immediately.
‘No! If this keeps up, the story will derail right from the start!’
True, the plot had already changed slightly since I hadn’t run away like in the original, but I was just a minor extra. It shouldn’t have mattered much.
But ruining the first meeting between the male and female leads was absolutely not an option.
With a gut feeling that the story would veer wildly off course if I didn’t act, I hurriedly called out to Ailee.
“Ailee! I forgot—I prepared a gift for the Marquess. Could you bring it from my room for me? It’s a surprise.”
“Really? Then you don’t dislike the Marquess, right?”
Her face brightened instantly, and Ailee sprang to her feet.
She looked at me with sparkling eyes, as if to say, Leave it to me.
Once I confirmed her excitement, I quickly shot a glance at the butler, Hyle.
Give her anything!
Understanding my desperate look, the butler nodded solemnly.
“I’ll be right back!”
With Ailee and Hyle darting out of the reception room like flying squirrels, silence finally settled in.
Only the clinking of teacups filled the awkward space.
After biting my lip tightly, I was the first to speak.
“You must have received my letter… Were you offended?”
At that, Layton carefully set down his teacup.
He hesitated for a moment, then shook his head.
“Not at all. In fact, I found your reaction quite understandable. If you’d heard the rumors about my family, it would only be natural.”
“What rumors?”
“The rumors that my family is… despicable.”
I couldn’t help but snort with laughter.
Despicable, my foot.
A family too gentle to even be cruel.
Startled by my reaction, Layton frowned slightly.
“Why are you laughing? The rumors about my family are quite serious.”
“Because I know they’re not true. And I know you’re not a bad person, either.”
“…I appreciate you saying that, but it may be a hasty judgment.”
“Whatever the case, I know you’re not a bad person to us sisters.”
I could feel his surprised gaze on me.
I smiled as sincerely as I could.
Knowing the original story, I was certain that Layton was not a bad man.
“I don’t judge people by rumors. More than that, I wanted to apologize for the letter. I’ve been hounded by greedy people lately, so I misunderstood.”
“It’s all right.”
“Then… may I ask one more thing?”
Facing Layton as he gestured for me to continue, I swallowed dryly.
There was something I wanted to confirm.
“Why did you volunteer to become our guardian?”
“It seems the Grand Duke didn’t tell you.”
“No. He didn’t.”
A lie.
A complete lie.
‘The Zynes family owes our house a debt. He knows it well.’
That was all Father had written in his letter—but I knew exactly what that debt was.
‘It was Layton Zynes’s life.’
My father, a brilliant physician and herbalist, knew how to suppress the Zynes family’s madness.
That was why, when Layton Zynes had once been on the verge of death as a child, unable to overcome his affliction, Father had been able to save him.
Father knew that only our family possessed the method to ease the curse’s suffering—and that the Zynes family would be watching us because of it.
That was why he chose coexistence.
So that if he were to pass away early, someone would protect his young children from the coming power struggles.
And in return, the curse afflicting the Zynes family would be lifted.
‘Will Layton be honest about this?’
In the original story, Layton never revealed this truth.
To keep his family’s secret—and weakness—hidden, he tried to find a solution on his own within the ducal household.
He kept silent until Ailee grew up, discovered the truth, and healed him herself.
The reason was simple.
He trusted the Grand Duke—but not necessarily the Grand Duke’s children.
Layton had been a good man who did his utmost as a guardian for the Grand Duke’s sake.
But only up to that point.
Of course, later on, he would fully open his heart to Ailee.
I knew that time would come.
But right now, I wanted him to do more than simply fulfill the role of guardian.
Even if not often—someone Ailee and I could lean on from time to time.
I knew it was a selfish wish, but we were still too young to survive the noble society alone. We hadn’t even recovered from losing our parents so suddenly.
“To be honest, I received help from the Grand Duke. Significant help.”
As expected, he didn’t mention the curse.
Since I’d anticipated that, I calmly pretended not to know.
“It must have been valuable enough for you to care for two girls you’d never even met.”
“Very much so.”
Layton straightened in his seat and gazed quietly out the window beside him.
Then he turned back to me.
And as if he’d realized my true intention, he smiled gently, narrowing his eyes.
“So please don’t worry. If you ask for more than just a guardian, I will provide even that.”
“…Did you read my mind?”
“Haha. I simply saw the anxiety in your eyes.”
He was perceptive.
But it didn’t bother me. In fact, it was better than dealing with someone indifferent.
“Then that’s enough for me. That was all I wanted, really. We’re not lacking money—just someone to protect us.”
Someone who wouldn’t leave us alone to face this cruel reality.
That alone made this life different from my previous one.
I extended my hand toward Layton.
He tilted his head slightly and asked,
“Are we shaking hands again?”
“That earlier one was a greeting. This one is a handshake asking you to take good care of us sisters from now on.”
“Ah, in that case, I should accept properly.”
The large hand that slowly wrapped around mine was rough and cold—nothing like its gentle appearance.
Yet the moment I grasped it, my heart began to settle.
As if all my anxiety and confusion had been resolved.
‘All right. From now on, Layton is family.’
From the moment he became our guardian—
Until the day he became Ailee’s husband.
All the way through.
Thinking that, he suddenly felt much closer.
So I smiled as brightly as I could and said,
“Then, since we’re practically family now… shall we live together from now on?”
