A distant brilliant light sparkles. Standing on the hill, Cain glared at that light. Smoke rose from the cigar between his fingers.

“Guest entry is over. The raccoon dog enters in an hour. You need to depart.”

Nathan said.

Cain deeply inhaled the cigar smoke and exhaled slowly.

Though time was pressing, no one rushed his actions.

Cain handed the half-smoked cigar to Nathan and looked around.

He took in those who had prepared for this operation, including Nathan, Vincent, and Cedric.

“You’ve worked hard until now.”

A single sentence of praise.

That sentence contained the efforts so far, meticulous planning, and the will to surely seize victory.

“I’ll signal with flares. Two means success, one means escalation. Cedric will take external command, so follow without argument.”

Cain handed over the baton he was holding. The Hastings crest was engraved on the end of the baton.

Cain grasped Cedric’s hand and the baton simultaneously and pulled. The two embraced like comrades exchanging a final farewell.

“I’ll try to finish inside as much as possible, but if by chance there’s a problem, disperse them.”

As Cedric twisted his body as if to resist, Cain separated and gripped his shoulder tightly.

“We need someone to survive and prepare for the next time.”

Cedric sighed as if he had no choice.

“You… Have you secured an escape route?”

Cain released Cedric. He smiled instead of answering.

Failure would only bring death; escape was impossible.

Even if an escape route was secured, it wasn’t for him to use.

A long trumpet sound rang out from the palace. Then festive music flowed over the high walls to reach the hill.

Cain finished speaking with a faint smile.

“The festival has begun. Shall we enjoy it too?”

* * *

Jane found a spot in the corner. No one showed interest in Jane, who was awkwardly dressed.

It was worth deliberately dressing poorly.

Jane picked up lemonade from a passing server’s tray and looked around while drinking.

Is Cain not here yet?

Jane startled, reflexively searching for him.

She needed to focus on finding the child now. Yet she felt pathetic for looking for Cain.

Jane downed the sour lemonade in one gulp, as if to clear her mind. She frowned at the strong sourness that nearly numbed her tongue.

“Duke Cain Hastings is entering!”

Her heart stopped. Though he wouldn’t see her, Jane reflexively pressed her body behind a pillar and took deep breaths.

She tried not to look, but contrary to her will, her head turned towards where Cain was.

He was wearing clothes Jane knew well. But the fit looked larger, as if he had lost weight. Though his complexion didn’t look bad, his eyes were sharply honed, showing signs of tension.

That Cain Hastings, being tense.

She finally realized the weight of what would happen today.

Jane’s palms grew damp.

Cain soon disappeared into the crowd. With Cain’s appearance, all the key figures had gathered.

Now only the protagonist needed to appear. As if wanting to enjoy themselves thoroughly until then, people downed champagne repeatedly. The orchestra’s music was buried under voices and laughter.

Joseph was nowhere to be seen, perhaps intending to enter with Helena.

Listening to the constant boasting, flattery, and backbiting made her head ache.

Jane hesitated briefly before heading to the balcony. Helena’s entrance would be boisterous, so she planned to take a breather and return at the right time.

However, even going out to the balcony wasn’t easy. There were people who had already claimed the balconies. Jane walked quite a while looking for an empty balcony.

She finally thought she found an unlocked balcony, but there was already someone there.

He turned to look at Jane as he leaned on the railing gazing at the moon. Jane bowed her head as if apologizing.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know someone was in here.”

Cain said nothing. Though he would never recognize her, her heart pounded loudly.

Jane chewed her lower lip and stepped back.

“Well then, I hope you have a good time.”

She gave a greeting so as not to seem like she was running away. And as she grasped the balcony door handle, a large shadow fell behind her.

Cain, who had approached silently, covered Jane’s hand on the doorknob.

Jane’s shoulders jerked greatly.

“Jane.”

“How…?”

Could he have recognized her?

She had even dyed her hair black and wore glasses, and her style was completely different.

“How could I not recognize you? Are you still keeping the gift I gave you?”

Cain had even figured out that she was the person he had met at the train station a few days ago.

“Did you have me followed?”

Jane’s question was reasonable. How else could Cain have recognized her?

Perhaps someone among the train passengers had suspected Jane and reported to Cain.

Or maybe Little, who had boarded with her, had said something.

“I never had you followed. I wanted to check if you were safe but lost track of you, and thought it best not to look until the job was done. Though I desperately wanted to find you.”

His voice was dripping with sincerity. Especially in his desire to find her, there was even an obsession beyond mere desire.

“Then how did you know it was me?”

“How could I not recognize you?”

At first he didn’t recognize her. Especially, he never imagined the boy he met at the train station could be Jane.

But that day he heard a report that someone matching the description of the boy he met had come looking for Lloyd at Haze Company.

So Cain realized the boy he met was Jane.

It was a deduction possible because he knew Lloyd had helped Jane escape and that he relayed her messages to Joseph.

There was one more reason he became certain the boy was Jane.

When he saw Jane disguised as a boy, his heart reacted.

Even now, dressed like a crow, his heart was pounding.

It was a heartbeat he could only feel when Jane was by his side.

“I wish you hadn’t recognized me.”

The words that came from Jane’s mouth clawed at Cain’s chest. But he smiled faintly instead of frowning.

What did it matter if she hit, scratched, or cursed at him when the real her was in front of him, not the imaginary one?

But he had to postpone sharing the joy of reunion.

“Go back, Jane. You can leave freely before Helena arrives.”

“I’m not going.”

“I know why you came here. It’s because of Joseph, right? I’ll save Joseph no matter what happens. So you go back.”

Jane bowed her head deeply.

Am I crazy for wanting to kiss that exposed white nape even in this urgent situation?

Cain derided himself.

“Cain, I’m not going back. And Joseph isn’t the only one I’m worried about.”

Cain raised one eyebrow. Jane checked his face reflected in the balcony window.

Seeing his cheeks much more gaunt than when viewed from afar, a dull pain spread through her heart.

Jane sighed.

She had to admit. The time away from Cain was not erasing him, but longing for him.

No matter how big a mistake he made, even if he completely shattered Jane’s beliefs, she might resent him but could not leave his side.

Jane pushed away Cain’s hand. Then she turned and leaned against the balcony door.

The distance between Cain and Jane was just one step.

Cain didn’t rashly close the distance. So Jane approached.

Grabbing Cain’s shirt collar tightly, she spoke as if grinding her teeth.

“I’m worried about Joseph, but.”

Jane’s eyes blazed with resentment and anger.

Seeing Cain, the faces of the late Duke and Duchess Hastings came to mind. As their son, he couldn’t help but resemble them.

Jane despaired.

She couldn’t leave Cain, which meant she’d have to live remembering her enemies for the rest of her life.

It was the worst for both of them.

Still, if there’s a chance for us.

Jane swallowed hard and said.

“I’m worried about you too. So apologize to me for what your parents did. Make it right and beg me for forgiveness.”

Cain nodded. As if he had been waiting, an apology flowed from his lips.

“I’m sorry. If you let go, I’ll even kneel. You can hit me, or shoot me. If you want, I’ll put an apology in the newspaper.”

“You’re trying to get off with just that?”

“Is there something you want?”

Jane bit her lower lip. Cain frowned in displeasure but didn’t carelessly touch Jane’s body.

If he touched her now, he felt he wouldn’t be able to stop. Even if she pushed him away saying no, he would hug her tightly and kiss her.

Cain clenched his fist.

“Don’t think you can end it with just one or two apologies. Do it for a lifetime. Until I forgive you. The way I feel now, I don’t want to forgive you until I die.”

Cain’s eyes narrowed.

Did he hear that right?

Words he thought he’d never hear from her pierced Cain’s ears.

Words like lifetime, forgiveness.

“Are you giving me a chance?”

Jane was silent. Instead, she briefly kissed Cain’s lips. Cain’s jaw tightened.

Jane was hateful and lovable, provoking him without knowing what he was holding back.

Hoo, Cain exhaled long, trying to sort out the surging emotions.

Just then, the orchestra played boisterous music.

At the signal of Helena’s entrance, Cain and Jane’s faces turned cold as if splashed with ice water.

Cain hurriedly searched his pockets. He pressed a note into Jane’s hand.

It was a map marking the escape route.

“Leave here right now.”

“No. Do you think I came here just for Joseph?”

“What?”

“I told you my worries include you too. So.”

Jane handed the note back to Cain. She gripped Cain’s hand tightly.

“You must succeed. Try to score some points with my mom and dad, okay?”

Jane left those words and slipped out of the balcony before Cain could grab her.

Cain exhaled in dismay.

“It’s all been found out.”

Both his plan, and the desire that became the starting point of his plan.

In fact, though the method was different, Cain wanted to seek forgiveness by fulfilling what the Duke and Duchess Whitney had dreamed of.

He didn’t expect Jane to see through even that.

He was in the palm of Jane’s hand.

Cain tightly gripped the note with Jane’s warmth remaining as he opened the balcony door.

Helena and Cain’s gazes collided in midair. She raised the corners of her mouth.

It was a smile heralding the start of revolution.