“What an atrocious thing to say!”

Jane’s reaction, writhing like a salted loach, made Cain even more mischievous.

If you dislike it that much.

“I’ll kiss where I want to.”

As Jane’s pale face flushed red, it looked like a well-ripened fruit. Luscious and appetizing.

That sight turned his half-joking proposal into a perfectly serious one.

“That’s too… too vulgar!”

Jane turned her head away abruptly. She instinctively wrapped her arms around herself as if to protect herself.

“It’s our wedding night. Isn’t this much allowed? We’ll do even more.”

“Cain!”

“If you don’t like it, stop the silly wordplay and go over there.”

Cain pointed to the bed. Jane’s pupils wavered.

She knew she would spend her wedding night with Cain, but not like this.

She wanted to fully clear up the misunderstanding caused by Cedric, and spend the night respecting each other.

Even if it’s a contract, they’re a married couple, shouldn’t they spend the night with respect and trust!

It might be just one of countless nights for him, but at least for Jane, it was her first time.

But Cain didn’t seem to have any such thoughts. Jane was secretly angry. And she felt defiant.

“Fine. But the same goes for you. If you can’t answer, I’ll do the same to you.”

Cain snorted.

“I have nothing to hide. Ask me anything.”

Cain was confident. Jane lifted her chin. Since it had come to this, she was determined to make him unable to answer somehow.

“I’ll start. What did you do with Cedric’s letter?”

“I threw it away.”

“…! Why?”

“Have you forgotten the rules? We take turns asking questions. Come to think of it, you’ve already asked two questions. I’ll let the first one slide, but not the second.”

Jane furrowed her brows in frustration. Cain leisurely took a sip of wine.

“How did you meet Cedric?”

“Why are you curious about that?”

Cain shrugged. Then he half-raised his body. He must have thought Jane wouldn’t be able to answer. Jane hurriedly waved her hand.

“He helped me find a house when I first went down to Rouen.”

Cain knew that much already.

“There must have been a first meeting before that.”

“Is that your second question?”

Cain closed his mouth.

Is this woman really serious about this? If so, he had no intention of backing down either.

Cain crossed his long legs.

“Ask, Jane.”

The real battle between the two began.

* * *

Perhaps due to their competitive spirit, the game didn’t end easily.

At some point, the two forgot it was even a game and focused on the conversation.

Meanwhile, Jane and Cain learned a lot about each other.

Jane’s first job after going down to Rouen, how Cedric saved Jane from almost being scammed at the pawnshop where he was trying to pawn jewelry and borrow money, the name of the first child Jane taught, and…

“I want to do it properly. As the mistress of House Hastings.”

Jane’s determination.

Jane also heard a lot about Cain.

The battle where he achieved a great victory, the new railway station about to have its opening ceremony, the time he got severely scolded by Mary, and so on.

But she didn’t hear what was really important.

“Cain, tell me now. Why did you throw away Cedric’s letter?”

In fact, Cain didn’t remember Cedric’s letter. He just recalled that a letter had come from someone suspected of being a member of the Rose Faction.

He had put it aside because its contents had nothing to do with the Rose Faction. He meant to give it to Jane later, but why hadn’t he?

Because he disliked it.

He reached that conclusion easily.

However, he didn’t particularly want to answer.

“I’ll take the punishment.”

Cain tried to get up. Jane’s eyes widened.

“Wait a moment!”

This wasn’t what she wanted.

She wanted to know the reason behind his actions towards her.

Because the series of actions – prohibiting her from going out, hiding letters addressed to her, investigating her background – seemed just like monitoring a criminal.

So she planned to listen to his side, clear up any misunderstandings if there were any, and ask him not to do such things in the future.

But the situation flowed in an undesired direction.

Cain gazed at Jane, his sea-blue eyes gleaming.

“The game is over, Jane. You won, and I’ll take the punishment.”

He showed a very businesslike attitude.

Jane was very disappointed with his attitude. He acted like someone incapable of genuine conversation.

Jane glared at her empty wine glass, then snatched the glass from Cain’s hand. She downed the glass in one gulp and glared at Cain.

He inhaled languidly, resting his chin on his hand as he looked at Jane.

It seemed like Cain was mocking her innocence. It looked like he was challenging her, asking if she could do it.

“Don’t think I can’t do it if you tell me to!”

Jane put down the wine glass. She walked around the table and stood in front of Cain.

Cain turned his body following Jane’s movement, but he didn’t lay a finger on her.

The punishment was a kiss. So she was supposed to be punishing Cain. But why did it feel like she was the one being punished?

‘That’s because I don’t know how.’

The first kiss she had a very long time ago, the kiss in the cabin not long ago, and today’s kiss at the wedding – all were led by Cain.

The act of exploring someone’s lips was unfamiliar to Jane. Kissing somewhere other than the lips was even harder to imagine.

“If you can’t do it, let’s forget about it.”

“Who said I can’t do it?”

Jane pressed down on Cain’s shoulders as he tried to get up, bending her waist. Her hair cascaded down, tickling Cain’s cheek.

Jane took a moment to catch her breath as she gazed at Cain’s lips.

His red, vivid lips were slightly parted as if waiting for someone’s invasion. Cain moistened his lips with his tongue.

A dizzying sensation swept over Jane. Her hands gripping Cain’s shoulders tightened.

Honestly, Jane wished he would kiss her first. That would have been the best way to quickly end this punishment.

“We’ll be here till dawn at this rate.”

But Cain didn’t budge. Jane bit her lip.

Only then did Cain move. He tapped Jane’s lips and said,

“You should bite my lips, not yours. Can’t you do it even after I’ve told you this much?”

Cain smirked. Jane’s eyes hardened.

Who says I can’t do it?

After pondering, Jane recalled the kiss in the cabin.

Remembering how she had suddenly become heated that day, despite the atmosphere not being conducive to kissing at all, she got an idea of what to do.

It was a bit embarrassing, but before her defiance could fade, Jane climbed onto his lap.

Cain inhaled sharply.

“Jane.”

Jane liked the surprise hidden in Cain’s husky voice. She also liked how his firm thighs tensed up.

She brushed her disheveled hair to one side. This revealed her straight neck and square shoulders.

She had simply done it because her hair was in the way, but to Cain’s eyes, it looked like a seductive gesture.

Jane slowly lowered her head. She placed her hand on Cain’s cheek and captured his lower lip. Meanwhile, Cain remained still as a statue.

His lack of response was frustrating.

She had completely melted, overwhelmed by his kisses.

Annoyed with him, Jane focused more intently on the kiss.

Then Cain grabbed Jane’s shoulders and pulled her away.

“That’s enough.”

Cain’s lips glistened. His smoldering eyes were right in front of Jane’s nose.

“Let’s stop here.”

Cain pushed Jane away. As she slid down Cain’s thighs and stood on the floor, he also stood up from the chair.

“Get some good rest.”

At his somewhat urgent tone, Jane tilted her head.

“Cain?”

He tried to leave the room. Surprised, Jane held him back.

“Weren’t we supposed to sleep together? We’re married.”

Jane had clearly felt his arousal.

She had heard about aroused men before. That aroused men would somehow relieve themselves.

Jane was certain that if he left like this, he would go find another woman.

She didn’t like that. It would be a clear violation of their contract. During the contract period, they had promised to be faithful to each other.

At least to avoid creating any scandals.

“Keep the contract properly.”

* * *

Cain was fiercely battling the desire to immediately embrace Jane and lay her on the bed.

But Jane innocently held him back.

Even mentioning the contract.

What are you trying to do?

“Keep the contract properly.”

He had meant to tease her a bit and then slip away, but he ended up falling into a trap.

“As per the contract.”

Cain murmured lowly.

“I know you go out to meet women.”

One of Cain’s eyebrows raised.

“I won’t make an issue of your promiscuous lifestyle up until now.”

Jane firmly believed the rumors about Cain being a playboy.

“But from now on, it’s not allowed. That would be insulting to me.”

In her very determined gaze, Cain could sense a faint contempt towards him.

So Jane saw him as someone who would leave his bride alone on their wedding night to go meet women outside?

Is that Jane’s assessment of me?

“You see me as quite the scumbag.”

“I never said that. Don’t exaggerate.”

Cain burst out laughing. He tried to treat Jane with respect.

Although he had included the marital relations clause in the marriage contract in a fit of anger, he had no intention of laying hands on her if she truly didn’t want it.

He was a person with that much discernment and self-control.

But if Jane saw him as trash…

‘What’s the problem then.’

Cain decided not to hold back anymore.

“You’re right, Jane. There’s no reason to go out when my wife is right here.”

The suddenly changed Cain lifted Jane up. He showered her with passionate kisses.

He didn’t take his lips off until he laid Jane on the bed.

* * *

Cain looked down at Jane and sighed. She was sound asleep. The thin blanket rose and fell with each of her even breaths.

Seeing his own teeth marks densely covering her neck and shoulders, Cain ruffled his hair.

He ended up doing it after all.

The night was ecstatic, but he regretted it. He regretted it more because it was so sweet.

It wasn’t right to get close to Jane, physically or emotionally. Because that was likely to interfere with his work.

He should have brushed off Jane’s provocation last night.

Losing self-control was unlike him.

What was it about Jane that shook him so much?

Cain was very confused. Being with Jane made him feel like he had returned to his adolescent days when his emotions ran wild.

His feelings towards her became ambiguous too. At first, he just resented and disliked her, but now…

He kept wanting to ask why she did it.

But he shouldn’t trust Jane. It hadn’t been long since he had the painful experience of being betrayed by that trust.

At least until he confirmed that she had no connection to the Rose Faction, he needed to keep his distance.

Cain covered the sleeping Jane with a blanket before leaving the room.

The sun was rising.