Riley clung to him tightly.

“Riley.”

“…….”

“Look at me.”

She didn’t dislike the feeling of being completely captured in his eyes. The passionate look far removed from his usual coolness. The smoldering obsession, pleasure, the thrilling feeling of having it all to herself.

She knew this relationship wasn’t forever, yet she wanted more.

Stupidly so.

(This is a time marker.)

Riley blinked blankly.

The grand chandelier on the ceiling caught her eye, and she soon became aware that she was wrapped in a white quilt. The vivid marks that seemed to prove that last night’s events were not a dream.

And the man with the world’s most beautiful face, sleeping.

‘Ah…….’

The shock of tasting the climax of pleasure and facing the next day was considerable.

‘Did I really do this?’

An unavoidable onenight stand.

She couldn’t even use alcohol as an excuse. It was her own decision, and she felt a slight sense of selfreproach.

Of course, after marriage, she would have to engage in regular intimacy for the sake of continuing the family line, but this relationship was quite unusual, and it was not easy to dismiss and move on.

A mysterious feeling that couldn’t be described in words lingered.

‘Can I continue to treat him without any personal feelings?’

A slight anxiety and hesitation remained.

As their bodies became closer, so did their hearts. Riley didn’t dislike spending the night with him. On the contrary, it was so good that it was problematic. The thrilling pleasure at the climax, the excitement, was too stimulating and too intoxicating.

Physical intimacy between men and women was such a good and happy thing…… She realized part of it when she was drunk, but it was even more so when she was sober.

If only the act had been painful, she wouldn’t have to worry about their hearts growing closer as their bodies did.

The closer their bodies became, the closer their hearts felt.

What if she truly fell in love with him? She was suddenly scared. Relying on someone and loving someone are different things. Right now, she has positive feelings because he’s caring, attentive, and dependable, but what if it goes beyond that?

They agreed to continue an emotionless marriage, but if feelings develop first, it will only be painful. If feelings develop, it’s no longer business. Can her feelings for him… her growing fondness for him stop?

‘It seems to be growing…….’

Riley didn’t want something like unrequited love.

Craving affection and love from someone was now tiresome. She knew how painful and lonely the process was and didn’t want to repeat it.
The heart of a person, unknowing of limits, feared that a moment might come where the body alone would not satisfy.

If one night’s fling becomes two, three, repeated many times. And after getting married, fulfilling marital duties, bearing children…… Will I be able to resist craving this man in such circumstances? Can I keep from crossing the line?

If I cross that line, then he will.

‘…He will abandon me.’

Gibnen treated me as one would a beloved lover, but I do not think that he loves me. At most, it’s probably mere fondness. A trivial emotion that wouldn’t pose any problem for spending a night.

“What are you looking at so intently?”

Riley flinched at the voice that reached her ears.

Gibnen, who had awakened at some point, was gazing at Riley and smirked.

“Did you sleep well?”

“……Yes.”

“Is your body feeling okay?”

“It’s fine.”

Actually, I don’t remember at all how I fell asleep yesterday.

It seems I passed out and fell asleep.

“Your throat’s all dry.”

“……”

“Drink some water.”

Gibnen slowly rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers.

Water filled the empty cup that was on the table, and it flew toward the bed in an instant, stopping in front of Riley. Riley carefully grabbed the cup that was floating in the air. Then, she gulped down the water to moisten her parched throat.

As he rose, the blanket that had been covering his body slipped down, revealing his torso that looked sculpted. On his back were nail marks that hadn’t been visible before. Riley, upon discovering the nail marks, was taken aback and coughed.

“Cough, cough.”

“Goodness.”

Bewildered by Riley’s unexpected reaction, Gibnen patted her back.

Completely bare, he drew near, and Riley, even more bewildered, coughed twice as much.

“Are you okay?”

“……I’m fine.”

Riley hurriedly pulled the blanket up to cover herself.

Gibnen was about to get out of bed but paused and looked at Riley.

“Want to shower together?”

“No, no!”

“Alright, then.”

Thump, thump, thump!

This isn’t good. My heart was beating irregularly.

I’ve heard that if your heartbeat is irregular, you might suspect a disease like arrhythmia, but can you get something like arrhythmia if you’re too embarrassed and excited?

Riley buried her face in her knees.

‘I can’t calm down.’

Gibnen’s face on the bed was lethal, but his appearance when greeted from the bed was also stimulating. Why is his messy appearance more stimulating than his neatly groomed one? It doesn’t make sense.