Click.

The sound of the gun’s hammer being cocked behind her made Grace burst into laughter. That was right, there was no way he would let her go.

Still, she didn’t stop.

Dragging her trembling legs, she continued to walk.

…Until she was back in the devil’s embrace.

Once Grace had returned to his arms, the man handed the gun back to the guard standing beside him.

There was no way to hide the emotions that were clearly evident on the surface.

Grace buried her face in his firm chest, remembering the man who had pointed a gun at her just moments ago. His eyes were reddened, his cheeks visibly trembling due to gritted teeth, and his throat seemed to be jumping as he swallowed back his emotions.

In short, it was a face that looked like it was about to cry.

This cold-blooded man with a face that looked like he was about to cry. It wasn’t even funny. The man didn’t know about the emotions he suppressed. Even now, as Grace clung to him quietly, he continued to breathe deeply.

Behind the silk pajama shirt, his heart pounded against her cheek.

“Why are you trembling?”

The man’s voice, who was asking the question, trembled slightly.

“It’s cold.”

No, it was because she was so furious that her whole body was shaking. The man, unaware of her true feelings, engraved a kiss on her forehead as he held her tightly in his arms.

His lips were as cold as ice.

“Yes, let’s go inside.”

The man carried her in his arms, and they headed towards the annex.

“Shall I have some warm soup brought for you?”

He whispered like a lover.

Grace nodded, her head resting on his shoulder. Her despairing gaze never left the iron gate, which was now tightly closed once again.

What kind of trick was this?

He constantly gave her hope only to snatch it away without hesitation, and now he pushed her to the edge and did something like this?

How long will you toy with me until you’re satisfied!

She gritted her teeth.

I’ll play with you, too, until we’re both in the same state. I’ll thoroughly break you.

Grace willingly recounted the conversation that had haunted her mind annoyingly like the devil’s whisper since she was trapped here.

“Grace.”

“Yes?”

The memory of her mother downing a glass of wine in one gulp.

“Do you know what the cruelest way to bring down the enemy is?”

To her, who tilted her head, her mother smiled sadly and said.

“Is to make them love you.”

How could love be a cruel weapon?

Back then, she thought her mother’s words were just drunken nonsense. But now she knew that love could be more cruel than anything else. Yes, it was so horribly cruel, and that was why she didn’t want to go this far. She thought it was all her fault that this cursed fate began.

However, going this far is his fault. He turned her into a cruel person.

Leon Winston.

I’ll make you truly love me. And then, I’ll disappear forever.

I’ll torment you like that. Forever.

º º º

“Aren’t you curious, darling? What happens when you mix fire and ice?”

Speaking about mixing fire and ice, Grace’s body and heart burned hot like fire and then cooled down like ice after getting pregnant.

Compared to her, the man sitting across from her at the small table seemed lukewarm, as if he had completely forgotten about last week’s events.

Her mouth watered at the thought that this arrogant man would soon be on his knees, looking up at her. She pretended not to notice the gaze that once passed over her again and continued to toy with her fork.

The crispy outer layer of the almond cake crumbled in her mouth. After the delicious nutty sweetness of the caramel-coated almonds, the moist sweetness of the cream inside wrapped around her tongue.

After safely swallowing the cake, Grace sighed with relief. Her morning sickness, which had been plaguing her like a living hell lately, seemed to have subsided.

Now was the time.

Her mind was clear, but the man was still suffering from fatigue, so it was a good time to begin the operation.

Not too hot, not too cold. Yes, like lukewarm water mixed with fire and ice.

Grace reviewed her tactics once again. She picked up a forkful of cake and extended it towards the man.

“Try it.”

Doing something she hadn’t done before, the man looked at her and then the fork alternately, his eyes filled with suspicion.

“Is this my favorite?”

“Are you giving me your favorite?”

He turned back to the newspaper and sighed in a sulky tone.

“If you don’t want it, just say so.”

Grace pushed her lips out. She slowly brought the fork with the cake on it to her own lips. After a moment, a sound of frustration came from behind the newspaper. The newspaper soon disappeared in an instant, and the man suddenly reached out and grabbed her hand.

The cake that was about to enter her mouth ended up in the man’s mouth.

He quickly let go of her hand, and the man went back to reading the newspaper as if nothing had happened.

He really ate it.

A man who was very stubborn after using the fork she had used to his mouth. After all, what difference did it make between this and a kiss?

It was time to focus on something different. It was the subtle emotional turmoil that Grace sensed in the man’s reaction when he asked why she was giving him her favorite thing.

Yes, he liked her, but did he love her? If he did, how much did he love her?

Grace needed to gauge how far she was from her target at this point.

“Winston.”

The man only raised an eyebrow, his eyes still focused on the newspaper.

“Do you really love me?”

Only then did the pale eyes look through the gray paper to gaze at her. After observing for a moment, the man nodded his head briefly and then returned his gaze to the paper.

It wasn’t the attitude of a man in love.

“Daisy, Sally, Grace. Among these three, who do you love?”

The man raised his eyebrows and chuckled as he turned the page of the newspaper.

“Is that really important?”

Even though he pretended that he didn’t understand the strange question, it was actually a difficult question to answer.

“Daisy, Sally, Grace. Among these three, who do you love?”

But the man still hadn’t acknowledged that fact.

What am I to you?

He had never properly called her Grace. He stubbornly avoided using her name, only using nicknames or aliases when necessary.

Grace Riddle.

It would be hard for him to love a name that was only synonymous with an enemy. Still, that statement was the same as saying he didn’t love her as she was.

Grace bit down on her anger.

Let’s see. I’ll make you truly love me.

As the man turned another page of the newspaper, he nonchalantly asked.

“Why are you suddenly asking me that?”

“Don’t lie. You don’t love me.”

Grace defended herself with an attack as the man probed deeper. She added a hint of tears to her attack.

Grace, act the way you always do.

Bold provocation and a pitiful pleading. If she deviated from her usual behavior, the man, with his keen instincts, would become suspicious. Being overly submissive or whining would be foolish. Besides, this man was the kind who got hotter when there was friction.

“You’re lying.”

The man sighed in irritation as he flipped through the newspaper.

“Why do you get to dictate my feelings?”

“Because you don’t behave like someone in love.”

“Everyone has their own way of doing things, darling.”

As if suggesting she should eat it already, he nodded toward the dessert plate in front of her. Then, he returned to reading the news.

But not long after, a grumbling voice of dissatisfaction came from behind the paper.

“I can’t see how this isn’t love in any way. Is there a man in the world who would willingly delay going to work just to have breakfast with a mistress that he doesn’t even love?”

“The answer to your question is right in front of you.”

The man closed the newspaper slightly before fixing his gaze on Grace.

“I am just your mistress. And that, too, an enemy you should have caught and put in a detention camp. In other words, I am like a time bomb that can condemn you at any moment. This annoying existence that you have to hide for the rest of your life…”

Grace shielded her face with the tip of her fork.

“You claim to love me so much.”

The man’s expression darkened, and she continued her operation.

“If you truly loved me, you shouldn’t have imprisoned me here and tormented me like this.”

Despite the fact that he looked visibly irritated and tried to rebut, Grace didn’t give him a chance and continued pouring out her words.

__