It wasn’t her birthday, and it wasn’t any special day. Looking surprised, Taeha explained.
“When we went to the movies before, I noticed you looking closely at people wearing this necklace.”
Sihyun was surprised. She didn’t realize that Taeha had noticed.
“I didn’t know what color you liked, so I just bought various colors available in the store.”
As Taeha took out the last box, containing a necklace entirely in gold, she said.
“There are also some that are not in the store. If what you wanted is not in here, let me know. I’ll order it for you.”
Staring at the sparkling necklaces under the chandelier lights, Sihyun suddenly said.
“I didn’t want them because I liked them.”
“Then?”
“This necklace, Woojin Oppa gave it to Bora on White Day.”
Sihyun explained the situation. She had heard in advance from Miju, got excited, and went out, thinking she would be proposed to. But in reality, the gift thrown to her was hand cream. Later, she found out that the necklace had actually gone to Bora.
While listening, Taeha didn’t say a word, but sometimes a fierce expression passed over her face.
“Come here.”
Taeha gestured. As she approached, Taeha took out the necklace and put it around Sihyun’s neck, looking closely into her eyes.
“In the future, whenever you see this necklace, think like this. ‘Oh, Taeha gave me this necklace.'”
“Okay.”
“You don’t need to think about anything else. Just think about me.”
After saying that sharply, Taeha softened her expression, looking at Sihyun with the necklace.
“It’s beautiful.”
With just that short phrase containing all kinds of compliments, Sihyun felt courage surging.
A man who loves me so much, there’s no way he doesn’t see me as a woman.
“Let’s sleep together tonight.”
Taeha’s hand, which happened to be raising a wine glass, stopped abruptly in mid-air. Looking surprised at Taeha, who seemed stunned, Sihyun confidently repeated herself.
“I want to sleep with you.”
After staring at Sihyun’s face for a moment, Taeha burst into laughter.
“You don’t have to. I’m sure now that it’s not a dream.”
Sihyun knew that Taeha didn’t fully understand what she was saying. It seemed like Taeha interpreted it as a request to sleep next to her, just like last time.
Thinking it would be better to show it through actions, Sihyun leaned in close to her.
“You know, I…”
As she gently placed her hand on Taeha’s shoulder, Taeha pulled back as if touched by fire.
“I wish you wouldn’t do this.”
Although it was a soft tone, there was firmness in it.
Sihyun felt as if hot charcoal had been applied to her face. Ah, she really dislikes it. I didn’t know, and without thinking…
“Sorry. I won’t do it again.”
She wanted to find a hole to hide in, but there was no such thing in the suite of a top-notch hotel. Not wanting to be caught with her flushed face, Sihyun quickly got up.
“Um, then I’ll go to the other room and sleep. You rest well too.”
As she hurriedly walked across the living room as if escaping, Taeha’s voice stuck to her back.
“…You might not think much of it, but it’s hard for me to sleep. Just being near you, I can’t breathe. I thought it would be enough for you to like me, and I thought I could wait as long as you needed. But, truthfully, it’s becoming harder to endure each day.”
There was agony in his voice. On the other hand, Sihyun’s heart started to beat rapidly.
Could this be…?
“Just being close to you, I can’t breathe. I’m doing all sorts of things in my head alone. I try to endure because I thought you hated it, but… it’s not working as my heart desires.”
Sihyun turned around.
The man who had just confided in her heart looked at her with eyes that were partly resentful and partly regretful, as if he had spoken unnecessarily.
“Why do I think you hate it?”
When Sihyun asked, a bewildered look returned to his eyes. He hesitated for a moment, then spoke with a somewhat pained expression.
“You don’t like it when I kiss your hand, do you?”
Wondering what he was talking about, something suddenly came to her. That day, in the elevator, when Taeha had kissed her hand…!
Only then did Sihyun realize. The reason why Taeha had avoided physical contact with her until now.
Sihyun turned back and sat next to Taeha.
“It’s not because you hate it.”
“Then?”
Grabbing Taeha’s hand tightly, Sihyun explained what had happened that day. During lunch, she accidentally overheard others gossiping about her rough hands.
“At that moment, my hands felt so embarrassed that I didn’t want you to see them. That’s all.”
Looking at Sihyun’s hand for a long time, Taeha suddenly murmured.
“When I was young, every time I saw your hands, it just hurt my heart. I wanted to grow up quickly so that I could prevent you from touching water or anything like that.”
Gently caressing Sihyun’s backhand with his thumb, Taeha suddenly whispered.
“Since I got a little older, I unknowingly started imagining.”
With soft lips touching her backhand, simultaneously accompanied by a gaze passionately yearning for more.
“…These hands touching my body.”
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
