ETDO Chapter 34

The rules of the game were relatively simple. The teams took turns, in a predetermined order, hitting their balls through the hoop wickets. The first team to hit the final stake (the final target) won. The skill of hitting the wooden balls with the mallet, however, was more challenging. The distance between the wickets stuck in the lawn was considerably farther than it appeared.

This meant that accurately judging the correct distance and applying the appropriate force required a more skilled technique. Getting the ball through the narrower-than-they-seemed wickets was one thing, but if the opposing team hit our ball and sent it flying, the process of retrieving it was quite tricky.

Furthermore, women, because of their long skirts, couldn’t comfortably swing the mallet between their legs to utilize the momentum like men. They had to turn sideways, bending at the waist to hit the ball. This posture made judging the distance and controlling the force even more difficult for those who weren’t experienced.

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Before the game started, Ethan stood close behind me to teach me how to hit the ball, placing his hand on top of mine where I was holding the mallet handle. Because of his height and build, I ended up practically nestled in his arms. Acutely aware of the surrounding eyes, as well as Arthur’s, I was very nervous and I struggled to concentrate on Ethan’s instructions.

“When you hit the ball, don’t use your wrist, use your arm… Lily, are you even listening?”

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Startled by his voice which suddenly came close to my ear, I looked up at him. His eyes, the same color as the bright sky, stared down at me intently.

“Um, I-I think we’re standing a little too close. There are a lot of people here…”

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I stammered, not even realizing that I had completely derailed his lesson. Ethan chuckled at my completely irrelevant remark.

“I understand that you might be missing my body and getting distracted by my presence, but I’d appreciate it if you focused more on the game preparation.”

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“What?! When did I–?!”

I bristled at Ethan’s absurd statement, but he ignored me, tightening his grip on my arm. He straightened my bent elbow and adjusted my awkward grip, enclosing my hands with his on the wooden handle.

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“Focus. You can do this.”

“How can you be so sure? I’ve never done this before.”

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My confidence already wavering under the pressure, I gave a sullen reply. Ethan seemed unfazed, calmly stating,

“You can do it. Don’t worry, I’ll help you.”

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And, he truly kept his promise throughout the game. No matter how badly I hit the ball, Ethan, on his turn, miraculously returned the errant ball back to its proper trajectory. He also corrected my posture and offered helpful advice whenever he could. Thanks to him, my confidence gradually grew.

As my successes increased, I gradually got the hang of it, and my skills improved rapidly. I was amazed by my own progress. When I successfully hit the ball through a wicket for the first time, Ethan and I high-fived in celebration.

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“Well done.”

Ethan nodded, a bright smile on his face. I fanned my flushed cheeks, but couldn’t stop myself from smiling brightly. A sense of accomplishment washed over me; I, someone who had never been athletic, had finally done something well.

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We were given a short 10-minute break. As the opposing team went to retrieve their ball, Ethan offered me a glass of water. I accepted the glass, smiling awkwardly.

“Thank you.”

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The fact that we were having a normal conversation like this, in front of so many people was, in itself, unusual for us. Honestly, the only conversations we’d had so far were limited to… physical ones. I’d never done anything else with Ethan besides sex.

Of course, our intimacy had always been incredibly satisfying. However, aside from that physical connection, we had never really experienced other kinds of meaningful interaction. Thus, this was quite a novel experience for me.

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Surprisingly, unlike his cold facade, Ethan, when he wanted to, could be infinitely sweet and gentle, like dark chocolate melting in the sun. And in reality, the real Ethan was far sweeter, far more gentlemanly than I had ever imagined.

A man who perfectly knows how to lead without ever deviating from etiquette, a man whose manners and demeanor were impeccable, regardless of who he was with, a man who possessed beauty, wealth, and fame—what woman wouldn’t admire such a perfect man?

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If I had seen this gentlemanly side of Ethan first and had been completely unaware of how wild and unrestrained he could be in bed, I might have fallen head over heels for him, just like the many women here who gazed at him with sparkling eyes.

Suddenly, I recalled Ethan subduing the much larger man in a flash at the racetrack a few days ago. That image, combined with his current impeccably gentlemanly demeanor, created an incredibly powerful synergy.

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As I handed him back my empty glass, he elegantly placed it on the silver tray held by a nearby servant. I looked at his long, delicate fingers, and the memory of the indecent things, the passionate touch those fingers had done to me the previous day caused my cheeks to flush. My chest tingled as if butterflies were fluttering around.

The short break ended, and Ethan extended his hand to me again. I took it and stood up. As we headed back to the center of the court, I subtly glanced sideways at the hem of the blue dress of the woman playing on Court 2, who was deliberately matching her pace with ours. 

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I didn’t need to turn my head to know who it was. I had been aware of her burning glare of anger directed at me since the game began.

“Charlotte! This way…”

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Of all the places, why did she have to be assigned to the court right next to ours? It made the back of my neck tense throughout the game. However, it was a relief that we were on different teams because of the rule that required family pairings.

Even though she wasn’t that close, I sighed, too tired to continue pretending to be unconcerned. Seeming to notice my exhaustion, Ethan spoke calmly as he watched the game as it resumed.

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“Don’t mind her and just focus on the game, Lily.”

When it was our turn, he strode confidently onto the court. Pressing his foot firmly on the opposing team’s ball, which was right behind ours, he swung his mallet.

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Bang!

With a sharp sound, our ball flew past the hoop and lightly struck the stake. We had won. Amidst the cheers of the spectators, Ethan retrieved the ball and approached me. He lightly high-fived my outstretched hand and said quietly,

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“As long as I’m here, no one will beat us.”

I took the ball and looked up at him. Unlike the gentle smile on his lips, his bright blue eyes held a firm determination. Looking at those eyes, devoid of any playful teasing, I knew his words were sincere.

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─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───

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Arthur took a sip of red wine. He outwardly pretended to be indifferent, but deep inside, he was burning with anxiety. He intently kept a close watch on Court Number 3, where Ethan and Lily were playing.

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Lily seemed a bit shy about playing a game for the first time, but with Ethan’s constant help, she seemed to be adapting well. The advice and coaching of a croquet champion were definitely effective.

The problem was that the coaching’s effect seemed to be too effective in other ways. He secretly struggled to deal with the subtle emotions and the resulting confusion, something he had never experienced in his life.

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It wasn’t surprising that Ethan, who excelled at everything, would also excel in any sport. However, seeing Lily beside him felt… out of place. It was disconcerting that the sight of them together made him feel uncomfortable.

Sharing Lily with his twin had already been agreed upon.

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So, shouldn’t he be used to this sight? 

Why was he feeling this way now? 

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How was this different from what he had been condoning all along?

The gentle touch of Ethan’s hands on Lily’s waist and shoulders as he escorted her, the intimacy of their bodies close together as they planned their strategy, whispering in each other’s ears, the encouraging smiles they exchanged, and the perfectly synchronized high-fives after every successful shots—all of this felt suddenly strange.

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He had lived his entire life being proud of Ethan. His heart swelled with pride every time his twin, his other half, succeeded. But for some reason, this time, the fact that it was Ethan, and not him, standing by Lily’s side bothered him.

Yes, Arthur had to admit that the unfamiliar emotion bubbling up inside him, filling him to the brim, was jealousy. He cheerfully waved at Lily every time she looked at him and smiled, but he couldn’t suppress his sighs.

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She was the person he had desired with all his being, for the first time in his life. He had resolved to possess her, whatever it took, and he had succeeded spectacularly. He finally had her as his wife, his lifelong wish fulfilled, yet it was his twin brother, shining even brighter, who stood by her side.

Of course, this wasn’t a formal occasion and everyone knew that Lily was married to him, the Duke of Beaufort. Still, the sight of the two of them together grated on his nerves, probably due to his wounded pride.

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Arthur drank his wine with a bitter feeling. 

Had it been the best choice to send them out onto the court together? 

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Even though he knew it was the most rational decision, he couldn’t completely erase his belated regret over it.

“Aren’t you drinking too much for someone not even playing?”

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Someone plopped down heavily beside him.

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