I Became My Son's First Love - Chapter 30
“This way, if you please. That area holds my personal collection,” came the voice, followed by Dane’s.
Eve grew even more anxious.
“It seems Azazel and Eve went in this direction.”
So he wasn’t disinterested in this area after all. Eve’s body tensed with nervousness. Having the two men meet now wouldn’t be ideal. Her mouth, which had been filled with the sounds of their wet kiss, was now dry. What saved her was Aeshath’s voice.
“And?”
“I’d like to take a look.”
“As I mentioned earlier, that area contains my personal collection. Even if Azazel and Eve are there, I won’t be showing it to you.”
“So that’s the extent of our relationship?”
“Yes, so come this way, Dane.”
“That’s disappointing.”
Though Dane insisted a few more times that he wanted to see that area, Aeshath stubbornly led him away. It wasn’t until their footsteps had completely faded that Eve let out a sigh of relief. And then, as if he had somehow closed the distance in an instant, Azazel whispered into her ear.
“Lucky, isn’t it?”
Startled, Eve shoved at Azazel’s chest. This time, he slowly backed away, speaking as he did.
“You know it’s not a good idea to go out now, and you won’t kiss me again. So, should we talk about something else?”
Did he really think there was anything worth discussing in this situation? Eve looked at him with incredulity.
Azazel wiped the playful smile from his face, his expression turning serious as he asked, “Do you really have no intention of accepting me?”
The fact that he could act so whimsically and then suddenly shift to an emotional tone irritated her. No sane person would pursue their former stepmother like this.
“Do you really think it’s possible for us to be involved?”
“And why wouldn’t it be?”
His nonchalant answer was laughable. There was no way their relationship could ever be acknowledged, and the deeper it went, the worse things would get. Even if they kept it a secret, there was only one way they could be together.
“Are you suggesting we have an affair?”
Her voice dripped with sarcasm, but Azazel blinked a few times before nodding.
“Hm, that wouldn’t be a bad way to start.”
“And you’d be satisfied with that? You’re insane.”
That was exactly why it was best to not get involved with him in the first place. It was bad enough that things had already started, but she couldn’t let it go any further. Azazel seemed to mull over her words, lowering his gaze and falling into thought.
For a moment, he looked like a scholar lost in contemplation. After a brief silence, he spoke again, “Yes, you’re right. It would be hard to be satisfied with just that. But if that’s what would make you comfortable, I can live with it.”
Despite his seemingly calm words, his face was filled with a deep sense of possessiveness. It was impossible to trust him. Sensing her wary gaze, Azazel finally smiled brightly again.
“Don’t worry, Eve. I won’t do anything you hate.”
Even now, his smile didn’t erase the dangerous feeling that clung to him. Blood began to seep again from his torn lip, staining his smile. The sight of it sent a shiver down her spine. It was like looking at a demon, beautiful and poised to drag someone into the abyss.
“You really are like a demon,” Eve muttered coldly.
Azazel turned back to the painting and asked, “If a demon were truly beautiful, do you think you’d be drawn to it?”
“What?”
He was talking nonsense again.
“If a beautiful demon whispered love to you, cherished you, and brought you all the treasures of the world, do you think you’d accept the demon?”
Eve leaned her back against the wall and stared at him as he made his absurd proposal. Azazel met her gaze without looking away.
“A demon would desire you as much as I do.”
Eve sighed. Was he trying to say that being with him would be better than a demon, because at least he was human? It was a childish comparison.
The truth was, her kiss with Azazel earlier had been a moment of impulsive anger. But the deeper the kiss had grown, the more she realized she was being drawn to him. To be more precise, she was attracted to his body. If the object of her desire had been anyone other than Azazel, she might have accepted it. But that was a useless hypothetical.
“Young Duke, let’s be honest. If you weren’t Azazel Hound, I wouldn’t have hesitated so much to play with fire with you.”
“Play with fire?”
Azazel’s focus on her choice of words made Eve frown.
“You don’t know how long these feelings will last, do you?”
“Well, go on.”
Azazel seemed amused, but what she was saying was grounded in reality. Right now, Azazel was behaving as if he couldn’t live without her, but feelings didn’t last forever—especially when they flared up so suddenly. And when the fire died, it would be Eve who bore the consequences.
Even if Azazel’s feelings didn’t change, the problem remained. How could a divorced woman like Eve Jenna be with Azazel Hound Seratine, the heir of the Seratine family and once her son? No matter what they chose, the ending was obvious. So why would Eve even consider taking his hand?
“So what I’m saying is, if you were a demon, I’d have accepted you. Because in this situation, a demon would be a lot less complicated than you. But since you’re the heir of the Seratine family, I won’t.”
Eve rejected him coldly, even though they had been passionately kissing just moments earlier.
After a brief pause, Azazel spoke again, “They say that when you’re with a demon, you become corrupted by evil. Doesn’t that scare you?”
“I was never particularly devout, so it doesn’t really scare me.”
Whatever the case, being involved with a demon seemed far better than being with Azazel. He repeated his question, as if to confirm.
“So, you’d prefer a demon over me?”
“Yes.”
His persistence was annoying. Eve stared at him. Having rejected him outright, she now wondered what ridiculous stunt he would try next. But to her surprise, Azazel actually seemed pleased.
‘Is he really insane?’
Her tension eased slightly as Azazel suddenly shifted his attention to the paintings around them.
“Shall we take a look at these?”
“What?”
Was this really the same person she had just rejected? Eve stared at him in disbelief, but he remained unbothered, gesturing toward the wall lined with paintings.
“These belong to my mother’s private collection. Many of these works have never been shown publicly, including some pieces by famous artists. Since we’re already here, why not take a look?”
It was true that seeing Aeshath’s private collection piqued her interest. But after the conversation they’d just had, it didn’t seem wise to stay with him any longer. Eve glanced down the hallway longingly before making her decision.
“There are not only paintings but also sculptures and other items in the collection. Don’t worry, I won’t try anything else. And like I said before, it’s better not to go out just yet.”
Azazel lightly tapped his swollen lip with his finger. Without the wound she had inflicted, his face would have looked completely pristine. Despite his innocent appearance, Eve knew full well how easily that face could commit all sorts of sins. But as he pointed out, leaving now wasn’t an option. She stiffened her tone as she issued a warning.
“You said you wouldn’t try anything. If you pull any more stunts, I’ll go straight to your mother.”
It was an empty threat, of course. Reporting this to Aeshath would only cause more harm to herself. But it was the only leverage she had to pressure him.
Azazel nodded obediently. “Of course, today at least. Shall we begin over here?”
Eve followed him, keeping several steps of distance between them. Azazel didn’t seem bothered by the gap and introduced Aeshath’s collection with ease.
It turned out he had quite a deep understanding of art, and despite her discomfort, Eve found his explanations rather engaging. As they leisurely examined the collection, Eve thought back to the portrait of the wrinkled old man she had seen earlier
“There’s quite a variety of paintings here.”
It seemed that Aeshath had collected these pieces based purely on her personal taste, rather than for investment or political messaging. While there were works by famous artists, many were anonymous, and some were so poorly done that it was puzzling why they had been purchased in the first place.
“She has a keen interest in everything. She believes that all things in the world are beautiful.”
Indeed, the collection ranged from landscapes to still lifes to portraits, with nothing missing.
“Still, I found most of the pieces to be quite lovely. She has a remarkable eye…”