He engulfed her with a determination that seemed to snatch away every breath. Despite Blair’s attempts to push him away, he not only resisted but also tenaciously clung to her back.

It was a kiss driven solely by desire, without consent or consideration.

Blair could only breathe again when her breath was on the verge of being cut off, leaving her in a dazed moment. It was after Herdin’s lips descended to her neck and forcefully sucked.

A moment later, Blair, who regained her composure a bit late, spoke as if pleading, struggling to get out of his embrace.

“First, I want to wash… I want to take a bath.”

She had been outdoors, even in the forest, and her body felt sticky.

However, Herdin ignored her words and pulled down the front of her dress. His gaze, looking at her, somehow had a chilly glint.

“Did you meet him?”

A sinister voice flowed from his approaching lips. His touch on her was incredibly rough.

Blair frowned, urgently grabbing his arm.

“Herdin, wait—”

But Herdin, as if to show that he wouldn’t give her a chance to escape, wrapped his hand around her cheek and met her gaze.

“Answer me. I’m asking.”

As his clenched fingers exerted pressure, Blair suppressed a groan and opened her mouth.

“…I know what you’re worried about. But for now, there’s no other alternative. I’ll be careful so you don’t have to worry—”
Before Blair could finish her sentence, Herdin’s hand messed up her dress. Because of that gust of wind, Blair stopped talking, inhaling sharply.

Herdin searched for traces of Mikhail from her. However, the only trace was the faint scent of the man that lingered in her hair just a moment ago. Even that had now faded away.

He found relief in that realization, but soon he reproached himself. He found his own appearance both amazing and annoying.

But what made him angrier was…

Even after confirming that fact, nothing changed except for a momentary sense of relief.

This woman still only thinks about escaping from him. It’s just that her refuge is not that guy, that’s all.

His anger was directed solely towards the woman in his arms, who only seemed to think about running away from him.

“Before that, shouldn’t we uncover the truth of the incident?”

“…”

“While nothing is resolved on this end, why are you thinking about running away?”

“I’m not thinking of doing that. I promised to keep the contract with you…”

“…You also… No, you know it better. Practicing every night to overcome your fear.”

Herdin’s gaze, looking into Blair’s eyes, turned cold and piercing, as if he could see through her distorted eyes that seemed on the verge of crying.

Yeah, I know.

I know too well.

All of that is just a preparation process to leave my side.

I was momentarily forgetting that.

Because of this innocent face.
“Well, who knows? When I think that your mother might have abandoned you, it scares me, and I might want to escape belatedly.”

Herdin, and even Blair herself, implicitly suspected that Katrina might have used her daughter’s life in some way.

However, the possibility that had never been uttered.

When that possibility materialized and flowed from his mouth, the icy words became daggers, flipping Blair’s heart.

It was closely intertwined with the self-loathing that had tormented her for a long time.

Blair’s usually calm eyes began to shake intensely.

Seeing that, Herdin twisted the corners of his mouth. He didn’t stop there.

“I think it’s better not to know than to be abandoned.”

“…”

“That seems to be something you’re good at.”

I wish that were the truth.

I hope you are desperately abandoned, hurt, and lose the will to escape from that woman.

“I can’t grant your desired divorce until that incident is resolved.”

Herdin raised his moist fingers and gently stroked Blair’s cheek.

His somewhat peculiar behavior, in this moment, ironically crushed her even more.

“So, until then, don’t indulge in false dreams and listen to me.”

Tears welled up in Blair’s eyes as she looked at Herdin coldly.

His appearance overlapped with the past.

In the end, you haven’t changed.
Yet, despite that, I’ve fallen in love with you once again.

The sight of myself being hurt by you again seemed ridiculous and pitiful. It felt like the momentarily forgotten wounds were being reopened with sharp thorns.

Tears welled up in Blair’s eyes and silently overflowed. Herdin felt a strange pleasure in that sight, something even he couldn’t comprehend.

It might sound crazy, but at least in this moment, a peculiar sense of satisfaction came over me as if I’ve become a remarkable existence to you.

Your tears, your wounds, entirely mine.

However, simultaneously, the anxiety that had always faintly lingered when he looked at her struck him once again.

The anxiety that the woman in front of him, within his embrace, might disappear.

It drove him insane.

Herdin bowed down and kissed her. Although Blair turned her head to avoid him, her face was quickly restrained by his hand.

He embraced Blair while kissing her, their bodies intertwining.

“Hmm…”