After I Died, He Died After Me Too - Chapter 45

Chapter 23.1

The memories of last night refused to fade. She could still feel his touch lingering on her skin. Biting her lip, she tried to push away the vivid marks he had left behind.

“It wasn’t because of pheromones.”

There was no use making excuses. It was probably because of their high compatibility that she was instinctively drawn to him.

“If this continues, I might actually say it myself…”

Bianca pressed her face into the blanket, murmuring to herself. What if she was so entranced by him that she unconsciously begged to be imprinted? The actions she once thought were horrifying and disgusting didn’t feel that way at all now. That was what terrified her.

She remained frozen in place, deep in thought. Then, a strange feeling washed over her, prompting her to check the clock.

“Why… hasn’t anyone come?”

At this hour, a maid should have knocked long ago, but the hallway remained eerily silent. Bianca moved, preparing to rise from the bed.

“Hht…”

She winced as a sharp pain shot through her. Every inch of her body throbbed as if she were suffering from a fever. Even the sensitive area between her legs was swollen and sore. The slightest touch sent a dull, lingering ache through her, forcing a quiet gasp from her lips.

It was clear she’d be sore for days. Every step would serve as a sharp reminder.

Just how ruthless did he have to be to leave her in this state…?

Even though she had long sensed something was off about him, last night confirmed it beyond doubt. Enduring five years on nothing but suppressants, without any guiding, was something no ordinary person could have managed.

‘I should’ve run away instead of signing that contract.’

While it was too late for regrets now, she couldn’t help but worry about the remaining time. The only consolation was that once it was officially announced she was his exclusive Guide, things might ease up a little. No one would dare touch the Crown Prince’s personal Guide.

Bianca exhaled slowly. Her family was visiting today, and she needed to get ready.

She tugged the bell rope beside her bed. Normally, a maid would arrive immediately, but there was only silence beyond the door.

“That’s strange…”

Now that she thought about it, she had been too preoccupied to punish Elris. She would have to see her again today, but she had no choice but to endure it. It wouldn’t be wise to make an enemy of someone who could become a contender.

Bianca tugged the rope again. Still, no maid appeared. If they were purposely ignoring her out of resentment for yesterday, that would be troublesome. Of course, there were several other maids besides Elris, but if they had all decided to refuse to attend to her, that could turn into a serious issue.

‘If no one’s coming, I’ll have to do it myself.’

When she checked the clock, it was already past noon.

With only two hours left, getting ready on her own would be difficult. More than anything, she likely wouldn’t be able to present herself properly. She didn’t want her family to notice that something was wrong. If they found out that not only had she been forced to live away from them but also wasn’t being treated properly, it would only worry them.

Her family had always cherished her, and that made it weigh on her even more.

She carefully rose from the bed and made her way to the inner dressing room to change. When the maids had dressed her, she never noticed how many dresses had been prepared for her. It was far more than she could count.

“This one should be fine.”

Bianca picked a dress that was neither too simple nor overly extravagant. She slipped on a thin, semi-transparent chemise before fastening a corset over it.

Straining by herself, she tried to pull the laces tight.

“Ugh, I knew it… I can’t do this by myself.”

Without the corset, her silhouette wouldn’t be properly shaped, but she had no other choice. Bianca decided to give up on it. After all, her waist was naturally slim, and her chest was full enough that it didn’t need any extra enhancement.

Stretching her hand behind her, she grasped the loosely fastened laces, ready to undo them.

Knock, knock.

She finally heard a familiar sound from beyond the door. It seemed the maid, whom she had nearly given up on, had finally arrived.

“You can come in.”

Bianca let go of the laces and cast a quick glance toward the dressing room door. Moments later, she heard the faint sound of movement.

“It seems everyone was busy with something. I tried pulling the rope, but no one came. I was going to do it myself, but it was harder than I thought. Would you mind helping me?”

“….”

Bianca exhaled briefly, a quiet sigh escaping her lips.

To be honest, she had no reason to be so cautious. She had endured their insolence, but in the end, Elris was the one who had overstepped. Still, this was the imperial palace.

Even so, coming from a family with a long lineage of Guides, it wouldn’t be beneficial for her to be on bad terms with them. The Fair family likely held influence in high society. So, if this incident ended up causing trouble for her family, she wouldn’t be able to face them.