Working at a Haunted Mansion Chapter 81

“Right now, it’s a dangerous time for you to be in the spotlight. If I want to put your worries to rest, there’s groundwork I need to lay first. So unfortunately… for now, it has to be a secret relationship.”

Lily silently scolded herself. Of course. This wasn’t the right time. She had chosen to leap into love, yes, but she’d been reckless and impulsive.

Instead of pressing further, she brought up the strange expressions he’d used earlier.

“But… the Duke of Kashimir knows words like that? ‘Shadow lover’ and… what else did you say? ‘Tragic maid who never became the official mistress’?”

“Those are common tropes in romance novels.”

Romance novels? Her eyes widened in disbelief. Aiden added casually,

“They’re all pretty dramatic. Easy to imagine you worrying about those things.”

“What were you doing while I was gone?”

Aiden just smiled, offering no answer. Seeing that look on his face, she felt it was better not to know…

“For now, keep playing the part of my counselor.”

“Yes.”

“With the added secret that the counselor is secretly seeing the patient.”

“Oh my gosh—what have you been reading?!”

She shouted, clearly horrified.

“And counselors should never get involved with patients like that! Taking advantage of someone’s vulnerable state for personal gain is completely unethical—”

“Ah, Lily. You’re blushing again.”

If he’d been anything less than a duke, she might’ve punched him. He was teasing her with such glee, it was unbearable.

“Sigh… I’d take you with me right now if I could, but I need to restrain myself. I don’t want to be the fool blinded by love.”

Lily blinked.

Is he serious? He’s already acting exactly like that.

Of course, if we’re comparing who’s being more foolish, Lily easily took the crown. She had known the hardship this love would bring and still hadn’t turned him away.

So… since she’d already made a fool of herself— maybe one more impulsive move wouldn’t hurt.

Aiden held out the candlestick to her. Instead of taking it, Lily lightly grasped the sleeve of his coat.

“What if… I said I’m still too anxious, so the counselor needs to stay close by all night—what would you say to that?”

For a split second, perfect silence. Lily lowered her gaze, embarrassed. She’d given him more than enough time to laugh or be annoyed.

“I just said it on a whim…”

She started defensively, but the words trailed off.

Aiden’s expression had shifted. A faint smile curved his lips, but his eyes didn’t match. Inside them stirred a desire she hadn’t meant to provoke.

Radiating restraint, Aiden stepped back a pace.

“Just a whim, huh… What a shame. But I suppose I have to accept it.”

With a belated, gentlemanly smile, he gently took Lily’s hand and passed her the candle.

“I’ll send a carriage early tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

Aiden looked at her quietly, then offered a soft goodbye and turned to leave.

In the end, the line wasn’t crossed. It was disappointing, but if she were honest—relieving too.

Yeah… I must’ve gone crazy for a second. ‘Live-in counselor’? Really? I threw a fit over just a kiss, and now this? Thank goodness Aiden still has some self-control.

She was berating herself as she reached to lock the door—

—but suddenly it swung open. Aiden burst in, snatched the candle from her, and with his other arm, pulled her tightly into him. It was as fast as a gust of wind.

“This isn’t a dream, right?”

Gone was the lovesick expression from earlier. Now his face was full of anxiety and disbelief,
eyes locked onto hers.

“It’s not a dream.”

“You’re not going to suddenly change your mind tomorrow?”

“I won’t.”

“That’s what I thought last time too.”

“Are you really going to keep bringing up the past?”

She tried to sound playful, but it wasn’t enough to calm him. Honestly, he looked like the one who needed a counselor now.

She bit her lip and whispered,

“It’s not a dream or a whim… So check again tomorrow if you need to.”

And then— just like he had done— she gently pressed her lips to his cheek and pulled away.

 

 

 

****

 

 

 

 

Lily had slept deeply and sweetly. When she naturally opened her eyes, all the fatigue in her body had vanished, and her mind felt wonderfully refreshed.

“Let’s go!”

She threw off her blanket with a dramatic yell and dove into her morning routine with energy.

‘That man is mine!’

As she spread jam on her toast, changed her clothes, and tied her hair, she thought joyfully,

‘That man is going to stay mine from now on!’

The girl in the mirror already had flushed cheeks. Lily gave her a cheeky grin and slipped into her counselor uniform.

Lily Dienta had cleared everything else from her heart, leaving only hope and joy behind.

Well—what could she do now? They had staked their lives on each other. They had kissed each other’s cheeks.

They’d made an irreversible choice, so worrying about the future was pointless. All that was left was to move forward!

She waited by the window like a dog awaiting its master, and the moment the carriage arrived, she bolted out the front door. She climbed aboard and shut the door in one smooth motion.

So, when the carriage reached the Duke of Kashimir’s townhouse in the capital, Lily found herself face-to-face with Aiden, who had come out himself—as if he couldn’t wait either.

The carriage door opened, and there he was, welcoming her with a radiant face.

“Welcome.”

“Radiant face” was a double entendre. Aiden was literally polished to perfection, and his face was practically glowing.

But what made his familiar features seem twice as dazzling was Lily’s own heart.

‘He’s blinding…’

He looked so stunning her chest ached.

He was elegant, refined, pure— and above all, lovable. Every glowing word in the dictionary fit him.

Of course, Lily hadn’t forgotten that they were supposed to be in a secret relationship. Being meticulous by nature, she kept her voice formal.

“Good morning, Your Grace.”

As she took his hand and stepped down from the carriage, Aiden lowered his head slightly and whispered,

“It really is a good morning—but Lily, maybe tone the smile down a bit. It’s supposed to be a secret.”

She whispered back without missing a beat,

“I was just about to say the same to you.”

Truly, Aiden Kashimir needed to learn how to control his expressions. Unless he wanted their relationship known in every alley of the capital.

His lowered eyes, his constant grin—he looked like someone thriving without any help from a counselor. The empire’s top actor was laughably terrible at pretending.

Then again, Lily wasn’t any better. She thought she was keeping it together, but her smile was climbing up into the sky.

She cleared her throat and forced her lips down. It wouldn’t be hard. She could act, too—when needed.

But the resolve didn’t last more than a few minutes.

They both reached for the door at the same time and their fingers touched. And without knowing who started it first, they both burst into laughter.

Lily, out of habit from her time as a subordinate; Aiden, out of the reflex of an escorting gentleman. But none of that mattered now. Everything was simply delightful.

They really shouldn’t be this happy, considering the fake emperor Julius’s soul and the cult hanging over their heads…

‘But why not? Is it so wrong for someone facing a big challenge to laugh and be happy?’

Lily thought rebelliously. And anyway, it’s not like anyone was watching them—

Until the door opened. And there stood Wolfram.

He looked like he had a lot to say. His eyes gave off the vibe of someone witnessing something extremely peculiar.

Lily quietly averted her gaze.

“Follow me. We need to discuss the upcoming counseling schedule.”

With a tone more businesslike than either of the other two, Wolfram took the lead. It didn’t even feel like he was acting. It just sounded like a man who’d had enough.

Lily’s mouth froze into a tight line. She was so embarrassed, she couldn’t keep her toes still.

Wolfram clearly knew all the details of her and Aiden’s agonizing journey to love.

Buying the townhouse, filling the parlor with bouquets—none of it would’ve been possible without his help.

And when you serve someone closely, you naturally pick up on their emotional ups and downs.

Lily groaned inwardly,

‘Ughhh… this is so embarrassing…’

She couldn’t lift her head. They’d keep running into each other at meetings—what was she supposed to do then?

And it wasn’t just now. Even when all of this was over, they’d still be working together. Unless Wolfram stepped down as Aiden’s aide or she and Aiden broke up.

He’d be witnessing every step of their relationship. Up close.

Lily bit her lip hard.  Then, overwhelmed by embarrassment, her mood shifted to something more aggressive.

She glared at Wolfram’s back with a rebellious gleam in her eyes.

‘Don’t think I’ve forgotten either. Your legendary love letter about my “peachy pink cheeks”… If you dare tease me, I will strike back…’