Although I thought Enrico might call me because of yesterday’s outing with Alessandro, I didn’t expect him to come personally through this rain.

Well, telling someone who pops up unexpectedly not to come would probably fall on deaf ears anyway.

It was fortunate that I had already changed into a dress, as there are often unwanted visitors on Sundays.

Emilia quietly watched the carriage come to a stop, then blinked in surprise when Enrico emerged and immediately looked towards her room.

Despite the rain blurring her vision, their gazes meeting in midair felt strangely intense.

‘…I should talk to him today.’

Originally, I had planned to mention ending the contract next week, but I couldn’t stay silent now that he had come all the way here.

I would be seeing Alessandro more in the future, and if Enrico reacted like this every time, it was better to end the contract early.

Emilia stared at the now-empty space for a moment before turning away. Her tongue kept moistening her lips, as if nervous, as she went out to greet him.

Zabeta, who had been walking down the hallway, perhaps coming to call for her, slightly bowed her head and pressed against the wall to make way.

Emilia nodded once in acknowledgment and headed towards the living room where Enrico would be waiting.

“…”

In the meantime, Enrico stood by the window, staring outside. A flash of lightning split the sky, piercing through the world filled only with the sound of pouring rain.

As he slowly turned around, his face alternated between darkness and light.

“…I pay my respects, Your Grace.”

“It seems we’re at a point where we need to exchange such cumbersome greetings.”

Seeing him bring up yesterday’s conversation so quickly, she let out a small sigh.

“Isn’t it natural to show respect to those of high status?”

“Well. Unlike your words about showing respect, your actions towards me yesterday were nothing short of disrespectful.”

Enrico closed the distance very slowly, one step at a time. Emilia clasped her hands in front of her, resisting the urge to step back.

“I’m sure I told you that the Crown Prince is dangerous and to stay away from him. Yet you dare to go out holding hands in front of me?”

He seemed more enraged by the latter part than her ignoring his warning. Enrico’s lips curved into his usual precarious smile.

However, while it was the cool smile she always saw, for some reason today it felt particularly heavy, making it especially difficult to meet his eyes. Perhaps it was due to his gaze that seemed to pin her down.

Emilia moistened her lips slightly and carefully opened her mouth.

“I was on my way out and couldn’t refuse. But…”

Her eyes looked straight up at him.

“I don’t think my going out with His Highness the Crown Prince warrants such a reprimand.”

“What?”

“This kind of constant interference is becoming troublesome.”

“…Troublesome? Suddenly?”

Enrico narrowed one eye slightly, as if he had heard something unbelievable. Watching him twist his lips as if finding it ridiculous, she pressed her lips together before speaking again.

“I’ve told you many times before. It’s you who hasn’t been listening to me, Your Grace.”

It seemed best not to delay any further and just mention ending the contract. She was about to continue speaking with a stiff expression when she hesitated, interrupted by him.

“So I don’t understand what you’re trying to do now. Now that you’ve got some wealth, you think you can do whatever you want?”

There was no time to consider how to respond. Enrico suddenly strode forward and stood right in front of her.

His scent wafted over with the breeze, and his shadow fell over her.

Too surprised to do anything but stare at his chest that had come so close, she felt his long fingers lift her chin. Her head tilted up, following the gradually increasing pressure.

As his head tilted languidly, his dark hair fell messily. The tips of his black hair tickled her forehead.

She flinched, hunching her shoulders, and grabbed his wrist as she slightly moistened her lips that had quickly dried. His eyes subtly darkened at the sight of her red tongue peeking between her lips.

“But I’m the one providing all the information. What can you do on your own?”

Emilia’s eyes widened. Moisture seeped around her jade-colored eyes as she glared at him.

Enrico stared blankly at those moist eyes for a moment before tilting his head slightly. The distance between them had narrowed to the point where their breaths mingled, their noses barely avoiding each other.

“Just stay still and take what I give you. Don’t waste energy unnecessarily.”

“Your Grace, mmph-”

She couldn’t move freely for fear that their lips might touch at any moment. She could only tighten her grip on him, but in the end, she couldn’t keep up with the speed of his approaching lips in such close proximity.

She felt his soft lips and hot breath seeping in. The fierce wind rattling the windows and the pouring rain made everything noisy, but strangely, the moment his lips touched hers, she couldn’t hear anything.

Confused breaths spilled out. The sudden situation made her feel like her mind was going numb. As he once again tried to stir her up when things didn’t go his way, her senses gradually returned.

With anger rising to the tips of her hair, she snapped open her tightly closed eyes and pushed against his chest with all her might.

“Haa, haa…”

Enrico seemed to have no intention of pushing further, allowing himself to be pushed back by Emilia’s hands. However, he still stood close by, as if not planning to move away completely. She glared at him while trying to catch her breath.

She must have bitten him without realizing it, as a small wound was visible on his lower lip, but he leisurely licked his lips while continuing to look down at her without averting his gaze.

“What do you think you’re doing!”

Emilia finally shouted when she caught her breath. Despite her intense reaction, he didn’t lower the corners of his mouth, which were raised as if he found it amusing.

“Just trying to make you recognize who your master is, since you’ve been wagging your tail here and there without knowing.”

“…Now I’ve gone from an object to an animal?”

“Well. If you had just listened to me, I would have treated you like a person.”

She should have spoken up as soon as she made up her mind. Emilia smiled painfully, furrowing her brows, her eyes clouded with hurt. Covering her lips with the back of her hand and rubbing slowly, she turned her head to the side for a moment.

‘If only I had spoken up earlier, I wouldn’t have had to feel this humiliation again…’

She didn’t understand why she always did such foolish things. She felt foolish for becoming small only in front of him, and her resolve hardened that she truly must not repeat this.

His eyes narrowed as he looked down at her, sensing her unusual reaction. Just as he was about to reach out to make her meet his gaze again, she spoke.

“I want to terminate the contract.”

His hand stopped abruptly in mid-air at her trembling voice.

“…What?”

Enrico’s face completely changed as the faint smile on his lips disappeared. It was like watching all the colors drain from a vivid painting, leaving behind an eerie monochrome.

He looked down at her quietly, as if checking whether he had heard correctly, his atmosphere strangely chilling.

“Please terminate the contract.”

Emilia repeated the same words once more, as if engraving them. The corner of Enrico’s eye twitched.

“Are you joking right now?”

“No. I’m serious.”

“…Then you must be insane.”

She stepped back, avoiding his hand that reached out as if to grab her.

“I’m more sane than ever.”

Emilia forced herself to maintain eye contact. She knew that if she showed even a hint of wavering here, he would not take her words seriously and would simply try to ignore them.

“If there’s a penalty for breaking the contract, I’ll bear it all. I’m not asking to nullify the contract without reason.”

At her calm yet firm voice, his hand fell limply to his side. Lightning flashed outside the window, creating a backlight behind him.

“Who do you think…”

A low, husky voice muttered. Perhaps due to the gloomy weather, there was not a single spark of light in Enrico’s eyes.

“You want to end the contract?”

He asked in a cracked voice. As if unable to contain the heat rising from deep within his chest, the muscles in his jaw tightened and veins began to appear on his neck.

Though he tried hard to suppress the uncontrollable emotions, his eyes became bloodshot and his chin trembled for a moment.

Had he ever been this excited before? It wasn’t that he had never been angry in his life, but this feeling of his reason being paralyzed was a first.

“You never had any authority over the contract to begin with. I was the one who determined its beginning and end!”

His voice became heated. He had casually assumed it was just a passing whim, that she would soon obediently follow his words again as before.

But for her to mention terminating the contract first, when in the past she would have been too cautious to even react if he had brought it up—

Something had gone seriously wrong.

“But you dare to what? Say you want to terminate the contract?”

It was something he could have calmly responded to or simply ignored, but that didn’t seem possible. His eyes, as he looked at her, were clouded with a mixture of resentment and anger.