[IFITAOAMV] Chapter 37

I watched anxiously as he opened the box, revealing a stunning orange diamond ring. The men’s ring was simpler than mine, but its craftsmanship was exquisite.

"Anyone who sees these will know they’re a matching set," Edwin said, his eyes gleaming like a child’s as he held up both rings side by side.

*Why did I ever mention matching crowns?* I silently berated my past self.

"What do you think? Do you like it?" he asked. I sighed inwardly and nodded.

"Now, there won’t be anyone who doesn’t know you’re my bride," Edwin said, clearly thrilled, as he gently took my left hand and slid the ring onto my fourth finger. Then, he bent down and kissed the ring with closed eyes, a gesture that was almost reverent, like a scene from a holy painting.

"Congratulations on our engagement, even if it’s a little late," Edwin said, meeting my eyes with a smile that shone brighter than the diamond. Despite its beauty, his smile made me feel as if something was tightening around my throat.

I lowered my gaze to the ring glittering on my finger. It was stunning and captivating, but at that moment, it felt more like a shackle symbolising complete submission.

"Now, put mine on," Edwin said, handing me his ring and offering his hand. While my thoughts were in turmoil, Edwin seemed filled with innocent anticipation, like a boy.

I stared at his ring for a moment. *It’s just a piece of jewellery,* I told myself, but for some reason, I felt an odd sense of resistance.

*There’s no turning back now, is there?* I wondered. If I could go back to the moment when I first met Edwin, would I make a different choice? The answer came quickly.

Even if I went back in time, even if I were presented with the engagement contract again, I knew I would still sign it. Running away? I never really had the chance to do that.

From the moment I fell into Edwin’s grasp, my fate had been sealed. Even though I knew this, and had already decided to stay by his side, I kept trying to avoid the truth. I kept looking for a way to escape, hoping for any chance to switch to a different path.

*No more running away,* I resolved. *Now is the time to take an active role in my survival.*

Steeling myself, I let go of the futile hope I’d been clinging to. Then, as if sealing my own resolve, I gently slid the ring onto Edwin’s finger.

"What do you think? Does it suit me? Anyone can see that we're engaged, right?" Edwin asked, looking at our hands side by side, clearly pleased.

"Are you happy?" he asked, his face flushed with excitement.

I gave him a bright smile, conveying my determination to survive, not just with him but also against the royal family. For a moment, his smile faded, and his expression grew intense. The way he looked at me was so powerful that it felt like my face was burning.

*Was I not supposed to smile? Did he not like it when I smiled?* I wondered, feeling my heart tighten. Edwin had never looked at me so seriously before, and it made me nervous.

As my thoughts raced, Edwin suddenly pulled me into a tight embrace.

"Ah, what are you trying to do, smiling at me like that? My heart almost stopped," he murmured, rubbing his face against my neck. His sudden affection left me in a state of panic.

*What’s going on? How am I supposed to interpret this?* I couldn’t tell whether it was safe to relax or not with Edwin’s rapidly shifting moods.

"I’ve never felt like this before. It’s so electrifying... No, even saying it’s electrifying doesn’t do it justice. It feels so good it’s almost maddening."

*What on earth is making you feel this way?* I wondered as I slowly edged away from him, alarmed by his sudden trembling and excitement.

"When you smiled at me, I felt a thrill run through me. I’ve never felt that, not even when I killed all those Ravens," Edwin mumbled, rubbing his arm as he spoke.

I couldn’t understand why he was so excited today, even though I’d smiled at him plenty of times before.

*The mind of a madman is indeed hard to comprehend,* I thought. It seemed I would need to study Edwin closely if I wanted to survive longer.

"If I’d known you’d be this happy, I would’ve ordered our wedding rings and had a wedding ceremony right away."

*Whoa, slow down. You’re getting way ahead of yourself,* I thought, trying to calm him down. The idea of officially becoming husband and wife was something I wanted to delay as much as possible.

I patted Edwin’s back, hoping to soothe him. "Oh? Did you just pat me?" Edwin suddenly asked, tilting his head with a serious expression, which made me freeze and stop what I was doing.

*Oh no, why did I do that?* I mentally scolded myself.

"S-sorry, I didn’t realise I was doing it," I quickly apologised, pulling my hand back. But before I could retract it fully, Edwin caught my hand again.

"Keep going. It feels nice, not as much as when you touch my hair, but still nice," he said.

I hesitated, but seeing no other option, I resumed patting his back, determined to stay alive. Edwin closed his eyes and seemed to savour the touch.

*What is this?* I wondered, baffled by his reaction. Then Edwin suddenly leaned his head toward me.

"My hair... Can you stroke it too?"