The Devil's Betrothed
Chapter 508: First Morning After Wedding

Chapter 508: First Morning After Wedding

The next morning Oriana woke up by the dawn as per her usual habit. Upon opening her eyes, they were greeted by the sight of the handsome man sleeping beside her, his face turned towards her. At that instant, it almost felt like she had stepped into a dream, yet reality quickly reclaimed her.

Recollections of the previous night- their wedding night, flooded her thoughts, along with the reasons behind his presence in her bed. His heartfelt words from the night before lingered in her memory, touching her deeply. However, she couldn’t help but harbor doubts about deserving someone of his caliber and the warmth of his heart.

Her duty towards her sick grandfather loomed large, making it impossible for her to overlook the resentment Arlan held towards her grandfather. She couldn’t expect him to accept everything, nor did she wish for him to do so.

Oriana could not have the courage to accept her feelings towards him while tending to the man who was nothing less than his sworn enemy, the very person responsible for the loss of his mother.

Nevertheless, she couldn’t tear her gaze away from his tranquil sleeping visage. She won’t be getting this chance once he wakes up. Looking into his eyes might make her feel even more guilty and she would avoid doing so to take care of her grandfather without having anything to restrain her decision.

Finally, her attention shifted to his neatly cut hair. He had cut those long hair, yet whether his hair was short or long, he remained the most handsome man she had ever beheld.

As an irresistible urge coursed through her, she extended her hand towards his face, yearning to run her fingers through the strands of short hair that grazed his forehead. However, she stopped midway, ready to withdraw her hand, fearful of disturbing his sleep.

"Do I look better with short hair?"

Her hand, on the verge of retracting, was unexpectedly ensnared by a firm grip, leaving her startled.

Arlan opened his eyes, his gaze fixating on the surprised woman before him.

She attempted to withdraw her hand, but his grasp remained steadfast, his eyes intently assessing her. Her face looked refreshed unlike the sad one like the last night, that meant she slept peacefully next to him.

"I... I thought there is something in your hair, so..." she stammered.

"Then remove it," he replied, his voice husky and languid.

Caught like a thief with her hand in the proverbial cookie jar, she hesitated. "I don’t see it now."

Arlan inched his face closer to hers, catching her off guard once more. "You might see it now."

A nervous gulp escaped her throat, her eyes locked onto his, her heart quickening its beat. Why was he subjecting her to this? Sharing a bed wasn’t enough; now he was teasing her like this. Was he attempting to drive her crazy?

"Go ahead," he prodded, releasing her hand.

As her hand was finally released, she contemplated making a swift escape from the bed. Yet, it seemed as though he had anticipated her intention, as his hand swiftly encircled her waist, effectively immobilizing her.

"You..." she began.

"You have yet to retrieve it from my hair," he declared, resolute in his determination to not let her go. "Ensure you show me what it was."

She masked her internal frown and extended her hand towards his hair. Her fingers moved with a feigned delicacy, pretending to search for the elusive thing that did not exist.

Throughout this charade, his gaze remained fixed on her face, scrutinizing her delicate features, lingering on her delicate lips more than required.

Oriana found her fingers liked the touch of his hair and she continued to move her fingers through them.

"Have you found it?" he inquired, his warm breath sending a shiver down her spine.

"I cannot," she confessed, withdrawing her hand and meeting his gaze. "I must have been mistaken."

"It’s alright," he reassured, his voice a low, intimate whisper, his gaze growing more intense.

Oriana knew the meaning of the change in his gaze and spoke, "I need to check on Grandpa. I haven’t seen him since yesterday morning."

Arlan stared at her wordlessly. It was evident that she intended to set a boundary. Although displeased, he chose to honor her wishes. He left the bed, announcing, "We have plans for breakfast with my parents."

"I’ll be there," she assured him.

"Wait for me to come and get you. This marks our first meal together as a family, and it wouldn’t make a good impression if we arrived separately."

"I understand," she replied before stepping out of bed.

Just when Oriana anticipated Arlan’s departure, she watched him stride to her side of the bed and stand facing her. Before she could inquire further, he drew her into his arms, his hands encircling her, his unwavering gaze fixed upon her startled countenance.

"Whatever you’re attempting, I can’t bear to miss this with my wife on the first morning of our married life," he declared.

Before she could question his meaning, her lips were met with a gentle and tender kiss, not willing to suffocate her early in the morning.

When they parted, he whispered against her moist lips, "I expect every morning for us to start this way. Understood?"

With her face still flushed and her mind attempting to grasp her new reality, she nodded in agreement.

Arlan gently pecked her forehead and released her, saying, "Wait for me there."

She nodded once more as he left the room.

Oriana’s gaze remained fixed on the door through which he had departed. She placed her hand over her chest, her heart continuing to race. ’This isn’t good. With such intimacy, maintaining a proper distance will be nearly impossible.’

At that moment, Ana entered the chamber, capturing her attention. "Good morning, Your Highness."

Oriana offered a simple nod in response. Ana continued, "If you’re ready, should I allow the other servants to enter and assist you with your preparations?"

Oriana nodded again, and Ana moved toward the bed. "I’ll start by removing this sheet, Your Highness."

Oriana understood her intentions and replied, "There’s no need. It’s not soiled."

"I know, Your Highness. That’s precisely why it needs to be removed," Ana replied politely as she proceeded to take away the sheet.

Oriana now fully grasped Ana’s intentions. It was evident that Ana was well aware of Oriana’s situation with Arlan and was determined to ensure that nothing had occurred between them.

As her loyal servant, Ana didn’t wish other servants to know it and later gossip spread that nothing happened between the newly wedded couple and there were issues between them. It certainly won’t be good.

While personal servants were generally trained to be discreet and loyal to their masters, Ana’s exceptional vigilance and dedication stood out. She had assumed responsibility for her master’s well-being and reputation.

"Thank you, Ana," Oriana expressed her gratitude.

"Do not mention it, Your Highness. This is simply my duty," Ana replied as she carefully folded the bedsheet. "But I do hope for the day when I’ll be removing it for the right reasons."

Oriana chose not to respond to that remark.

With the assistance of the servants, she soon completed her preparations and departed to visit her grandfather, leaving Ana to attend to her duties.

She loved her grandfather undoubtedly but there was now another reason that why she was desperate to wake him up. She hoped her grandfather would wake up and tell her why he killed the Queen. No reason could justify taking someone’s life, but she still harboured some hope that could rid her of this guilt at least a little.