“Only a portion of the assets, you say?”

Enrico stood up from his seat and stood next to Emilia. Surprised by his sudden movement, she opened her eyes wide, forgetting that she had been shedding tears.

“That’s also a matter to investigate in the future. I’ll let you know as compensation once the truth is revealed.”

The ends of Emilia’s eyebrows slightly lowered. She would have normally furrowed her brows in displeasure, but today she showed a subtle, desolate appearance, and Enrico licked his lower lip at the sight of her.

Enrico knelt down on one knee and gently wiped her wet cheeks with a handkerchief. As she was startled and tried to pull her head back to avoid his hand, his hand that grabbed her slender shoulders was faster.

The hot body temperature could be felt through the clothes. Enrico’s hand went up along her shoulder line and stopped between her chin and cheek, pulling Emilia’s face closer to him.

“Your Grace?”

“…Is it over now?”

A light scent of wine emanated from him.

“Yes, thanks to you. So could you please let go of me?”

Feeling her tear glands that had abruptly stopped due to Enrico’s unexpected action, Emilia grabbed his wrist and pushed it away. However, his body didn’t budge, and her brows slightly furrowed.

“What a pity. It was a nice sight.”

“Pardon?”

He waved the handkerchief in front of her as if telling her to take it. She alternately looked at him and the handkerchief, hesitated for a moment, then carefully took it, thinking that if she accepted it, he might let go of her, and tidied up under her eyes.

But contrary to such expectations, after looking at her for a while, he stood up from his seat and reached out his hand towards the table.

“Stay like this for a moment. I have something to give you.”

He said while not releasing his hand that was holding her cheek.

With his other hand, he picked up a rectangular-shaped jewelry box that had been pushed to one side of the table.

Blinking her eyes, wondering if there had been such a thing, Emilia looked at the diamond earrings and necklace inside the opened box and alternately glanced at Enrico and the box.

As if asking what this was with her gaze, Enrico’s face quickly turned indifferent as he picked up the diamond necklace.

“Why is this…?”

“I don’t hold back when I’m being generous.”

“It’s alright. What you told me a little while ago is enough.”

“Do you think I bought this to ask for your opinion?”

Enrico whispered languidly, and his hand that had been holding Emilia’s face slid down and pushed her hair that had been draped over her shoulders to the back. Then, with his fingertips, he lifted her chin. Tilting his head, he once again lowered the back of his hand under her chin with an inscrutable expression, brushing against her neck.

Somehow, it felt as if she was being overwhelmed by his peculiar atmosphere. She merely shuddered once at the unfamiliar touch, and felt a cold sensation surrounding her neck where his hot touch had brushed against.

She felt like she had to refuse right away. Thinking that if she waited any longer, she would never be able to escape, she carefully grabbed his arm.

“I think I told you. Get rid of your petty pride.”

However, at his words that sounded like a warning, she flinched and her strength drained away. She thought that she shouldn’t provoke him further as he already seemed to be losing his temper because of Giorgio.

The approaching necklace felt as if it was tightening around her neck like a rope. His fingertips slid from her neck to her collarbone. At that ticklish sensation, a short breath, whether it was a sigh or a sob, escaped from her shoulders.

“…It suits you indeed.”

She was already getting used to the humiliation of him calling her a work of art and not treating her as a human being. Even if she asserted her pride now, she had neither the intention nor the courage to break the contract, so what was the point?

‘But… no matter what, I’m not an emotionless doll….’

In the end, Emilia tightly closed her eyes and lowered her head like someone denying reality. His hand fell from her chin. As if he was solely focused on decorating his doll, Enrico brought the remaining earrings and put them on each of her ears.

Her neck and both ears felt too heavy. Eventually, her chin was grasped by his hand again, and Emilia’s head slowly lifted. As her trembling eyelids rose, dry eyes filled with resignation were revealed. Although he bent his head down, filling her field of vision, Emilia didn’t move at all. It was like a quiet forest.

“…Your tears have already dried up.”

Enrico didn’t like that reaction that seemed indifferent. It had only been a few minutes since she had been crying, but she was showing a different face as if she had never cried. He had expected her to shine like she had under the chandelier, wearing the diamonds, but she shouldn’t have shown such lifeless eyes.

Forgetting his own warning not to show emotions off-stage, he had an ironic thought.

“Is family that important?”

Looking at Enrico, who fortunately didn’t come close like last time, Emilia spoke softly.

“…Yes. More than anything.”

“Then why did you stay still all this time? You were living well, forgetting about it.”

At his words that mercilessly probed her painful spot, she gave a self-deprecating smile.

“That’s why it’s even more important. I’m so sorry for using reality as an excuse and just rushing to run away, neglecting it for a long time.”

She knew. Even if she had found out, her parents were already dead, and it would have been difficult to investigate at such a young age. But having let go of her parents too easily back then made her blame herself for everything.

“So I must find out the truth about the incident.”

The reason she had been more obsessed with ballet in the first place was because it was a memory with her parents and the last method they had prepared for her, so she had clenched her teeth and clung to it.

But if she could find out the truth about her parents’ accident through this ballet, what couldn’t she do? Her eyes sparkled as she made up her mind again while talking to him.

Enrico slowly straightened his upper body. Indifferent one moment, then emotional, and calm again. The more he looked at her, the more fascinating she was.

It was an appearance unlike the woman who danced as if she might die the moment she came down from the stage after burning all her vitality. The thought of sacrificing oneself for the dead, the fact that one could be so desperate for someone else was amazing.

What would happen if that desperation, which was too busy running forward without even having time to feel loneliness, was directed towards someone else?

Enrico’s eyes sank deeply at the sudden curiosity. The deepening night, revealing the hazy moonlight, was calling for dawn.

Emilia, who remained until the end today as well, was stretching her body and practicing ballet moves. Her body, repeating the same movements dozens of times, immediately moved on to the next movement. Sweat gathered at the tip of her chin, dripping from her sweat-soaked forehead and cheeks, falling to the floor with a plop.

‘Considering the closure of the case and the circumstances that were quickly settled, it could be that a high-ranking official was involved.’

Her mind was spinning fast, just like her diligently moving body. She should have been focusing solely on the movements, but lately, she had more distracting thoughts.

Especially after visiting Enrico’s mansion three days ago, it had gotten worse. She kept reading the case files he had given her whenever she had a chance, to the point where she had memorized the contents and they constantly lingered in her mind.

‘That person knew right away on the day my parents died. He turned a blind eye to the cover-up….’

She knew it wasn’t Enrico’s fault. Even knowing that, she just felt an unnamed resentment pouring out.

If he had been constantly watching, could he not have immediately saved her parents as soon as the accident happened? The records stated that it was an instant death, but was there no hope at all? Or could he not have stepped forward even a little to prevent the incident from being covered up?

She knew all of this was unreasonable and just her own guilt, but whenever she tried to deduce the identity of the culprit, the arrow naturally shot at him as well. Even though it was a truth she would have lived not knowing for the rest of her life if it weren’t for him.

Emilia endlessly executed the movements as if trying to shake off her complicated feelings. She spun with all her might on one foot. Like someone trying to fly away all thoughts on *fouetté, she quickly turned her head forward while rotating, letting the changing scenery flow by.

Her heart was pounding as if it would burst. With her breath rising up to the tip of her throat, her mind gradually turned white.

Bang!

At that moment, a sudden sound made her mind snap to attention. Barely regaining her balance that was about to collapse, she stopped in place.

“Work hard when others are doing it. Don’t stay behind alone and be dramatic.”

At the sarcastic tone, she turned around to see Director Carlo standing there. The cause of the thunderous sound seemed to be the door, as it was still creaking from the force.

“It’s not good that we maintain the lights just for you, and the floor wears out faster. It’s all a waste.”

“…I apologize.”

She knew it wasn’t something to apologize for, but it seemed like that sarcasm would end if she did this. As expected, Director Carlo, having nothing to say at Emilia’s docile attitude, smacked his lips once and then clicked his tongue.

“Anyway, stop and go back! You’re always so peculiar….”

Emilia didn’t move a muscle until his back, scanning her up and down, disappeared.

‘What the….’

Her body stiffened in bewilderment. She had been doubtful during the audition, but it seemed like Director Carlo was really dissatisfied with her. Back then, he had also glared at her with a suspicious gaze, so she thought she might have seen it wrong, but looking at the current situation, it seemed she had seen it correctly.

‘Does he just dislike me? Why on earth?’