Ascension Of The Villain

Chapter 226: Like A Baby

At three in the morning, the balcony was quiet, save for the soft rustling of the leaves. The faint glow of the moonlight casted a silver hue over Iyana, lost in her thoughts, as she mindlessly braided her hair.

Vyan placed a bottle of wine on the small table, the gentle clink of glass cutting through the comfortable silence. Iyana blinked, snapping out of her fallacies.

Clad only in his oversized shirt, which draped over her curves, she eyed the wine bottle and glasses and quipped, "People usually drink before sex, you know? To set the mood and all."

Vyan chuckled lightly, settling into the chair opposite her, dressed only in his pants. "Yes, but I promised you a celebration for the end of your first day as the Commander. So, here it is."

She arched an eyebrow, a teasing glint in her eyes. "Didn't you say we would celebrate first and then we would…?"

"Do you have to be so specific?" he grumbled, a mock exasperation in his tone until he added playfully, "Unless you are only saying that to get back in my bed."

Iyana rolled her eyes dramatically, a playful smile dancing on her lips. "Please, Vee, I want to be able to walk in the morning."

He laughed and motioned for her to come closer. Without a word, she got up and settled onto his lap sideways.

"So, you didn't tell me—why did you laugh in the middle back there?" Vyan asked, absent-mindedly running his hand over the skin of her soft thighs. "Did I make any funny mistake?"

"No, no, it wasn't you." She played with his hair, twisting a strand between her fingers, a soft smile appearing as she recalled the moment. "It was because I just thought of myself at sixteen."

His interest piqued, he leaned in closer. "Oh?"

She nodded, her expression turning slightly sheepish. "As you know, I already had feelings for you back then, and… well, it's kind of embarrassing to admit, but when I first learned about lovemaking—"

"Wait, you only learned about it at that age?"

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"Yep," she confirmed with a nod. "I didn't get any sex education from my step-mother."

"That makes sense," he replied, a hint of sympathy and annoyance in his voice.

"So, yes, when I learned about it, I often dreamed about you. You know, being a teenager going through puberty and stuff like that. For quite a long time, honestly, I couldn't get my head out of the gutter whenever I looked at you."

"Wow, I had no idea," he said, his voice laced with genuine surprise.

Iyana smiled wryly, meeting his gaze. "What about you, Vee? How did you learn about… you know, it?"

He let out a short laugh. "Books at first, then locker room talk."

"Locker room talk?" She furrowed her brows in curiosity.

"You don't know?"

"No, I always change in private, even back when I was a Lieutenant."

"Well, okay then. Let's just say, when you are changing clothes in a room full of sweaty, grumpy brusque knights, you get to hear a lot of explicit details that you have no business knowing." He rolled his eyes.

Iyana grimaced, her face contorting in mock horror. "Oh, my, that must have been hard for you."

He nodded, a knowing smile on his lips. "Yep. There were quite a few times I had to hear about Sienna."

She made a gagging face, the mere mention of the name eliciting a visceral reaction. "Eww, stop! I don't want to hear anything about that fucking bitch."

Vyan snorted out loud. "Oh, here it is. I missed you cursing Sienna like this."

She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest in annoyance. "I can't believe Memoryless Iyana was so dumb to believe the Estelle family could be good."

"If it makes you feel better, they are great actors," he quipped.

"Good thing you already taught them a lesson. Poverty and being stripped of honor suit them perfectly," she muttered.

"Huh, and here I was this close to releasing your brother from being my slave until you regained your memories," Vyan teased, wiggling his fingers as if to illustrate just how close he had come.

Iyana glared at him, her expression turning serious. "Don't you dare let him go so soon. Make him pay for treating you so badly for years. This isn't nearly enough."

"It's okay; he has turned over a new leaf. Maybe you should give Lyon another chance," Vyan suggested.

"Please, forgiveness doesn't look good on you," she cringed.

"You make a good point. I am no one to tell you to give him another chance when he has treated you worse for longer."

"Exactly! Him acting to be good now, after treating me like I didn't exist for nineteen years, doesn't change anything," she declared firmly, her tone filled with frustration and a deep pain that had resurfaced along with her old memories.

"Okay, okay, I got it, now calm down," he said, pouring a glass of wine and lifting it toward her. "Here, have a sip."

As she took a sip, she grumbled, "I think you are just trying to distract me."

Vyan smiled. "Guilty as charged."

Once she finished the drink, she nestled her head against his shoulder, curling up in his lap like a contented baby. She sighed softly, the anger and frustration from earlier melting away in his embrace.

She almost purred at the warm feel of his palm caressing her thigh gently in a comforting manner, snuggling closer to his bare upper body.

"If your subordinates knew you act like this in private, they would never fear you again, you know?" he teased, a playful smirk tugging at his lips.

"How will they know if you don't blow the whistle?" she murmured, her voice thick with drowsiness.

"Huh, that's right," he replied, stroking her hair with a gentle rhythm. "By the way, aren't you going to catch any sleep? You only have, like, two hours left before you have to go to the office."

"No. It's pointless to sleep now. I will just get irritated when I wake up."

"Do you always have to be checking in so early?" he asked, tilting his head to get a better look at her face. "You are the commander now, aren't you?"

"Only until I select the new vice-commander. After that, I can clock in at nine if I wish," she replied, her index finger absent-mindedly scraping against his collarbone.

"Do you have anyone particular in mind?" he inquired, genuinely curious, and it made her smile, recalling their liege-knight days.

Even back then, he always used to be eager to listen about her day, and they would sit together in the garden almost every night and dissect her day. He never used to talk about himself much at that time, despite her insistence, claiming that it was a regular day, only for her to find out that he went through something terrible that day.

She was now glad that scenario had changed, even though it personally didn't matter to her whether he was the Grand Duke or her knight. His status had never been an issue for her. It was him she had always loved. He could have everything or nothing, and she would still stick by his side.

"I am a little confused between Terrence and Elijah," Iyana confessed, lifting her head slightly to meet his gaze.

Vyan considered this for a moment, his fingers still threading through her hair. "Terrence has that playful side, but he is a great motivator. Elijah, though... he is more serious but has a knack for strategy."

"Right? That's what makes it hard," she sighed, resting her head back against his shoulder. "Terrence brings energy, but Elijah is reliable."

They spent the rest of the night exchanging thoughts about the two officers, weighing the pros and cons as they discussed everything from leadership styles to their personal quirks.

As the hours slipped by, they talked mindlessly about everything and anything. Yet, beneath the surface of their laughter, the unspoken fear of losing this connection—losing him—lingered in the back of both their minds.