Southeast Tower Master’s office.

At first glance, the atmosphere of the office seemed warm and cheerful, but upon closer inspection, it was impossible to ignore the underlying chill.

Aria, speaking with forced cheerfulness, was met with indifference from Edward.
Ania, sitting timidly, frequently stole glances at Edward.
Edward stood with his arms crossed, gazing outside the window.

In the cold and aloof tension between them, Aria felt she might forget to breathe.

She tried desperately to break the stiffness in the room but to no avail.

“Ahaha… those were truly fun times.”
“Yeah. They were, Aria.”
“Remember when brother fell off the tree when he was young?”
“Yeah. It was funny.”

Though she responded with a smile, the smile that lingered on Ania’s lips seemed lacking in genuine joy.

Just by observing the fluctuating flow of mana around her, Aria could sense the stifling atmosphere.

Desperately trying to keep the conversation going amidst the suffocating tension, Aria eagerly awaited the arrival of the chief assistant.

‘Please, get me out of here…!’

As the sound of a polite knock interrupted, Aria’s relief was palpable.
Despite usually despising the knocking sound, she welcomed it eagerly, rising from her seat.

“Come in! Quickly!”
“It seems the inauguration ceremony is about to begin. You should prepare.”
“Alright. I’ll go right away.”

Hurrying to the door, Aria glanced back at the two individuals.
With a faint smile, Ania looked at Edward, who continued to gaze into the distance.

Despite the unmistakable arrival of spring, her office felt like a winter storm, with icy winds cutting through her.
It was almost unbelievable that she willingly placed herself in the middle.

“I-I’ll get up first! Should we go together?”

She hoped they wouldn’t.

It was a scene she had orchestrated, yet she wanted nothing more than to flee at that moment.
As if reading her mind, Ania spoke in a calm voice.

“Go ahead, we’ll join you after a brief chat.”
“Yeah. Okay, sister.”

Without hesitation, Aria closed the door and followed the chief assistant.

The suffocating feeling eased only when the door closed, but what followed was worry.

“At least it’s just a conversation.”

Indeed, they weren’t enemies to the death, just a divorced couple; they wouldn’t kill each other.
With these thoughts, Aria expelled her worries.

***

As the door closed behind them, a calm silence filled the office.

With soundproofing spells in place, no noise from outside penetrated.
In the quiet, Ania noticed even her heartbeat.

Edward still stared out the window, though nothing was visible through the faint mist.

Ania knew he was deliberately ignoring her presence.

If he had no interest, he wouldn’t bother looking outside.
Ania smiled naturally at Edward’s back.

Then, memories from three years ago flooded back.
The wedding on a spring day as cherry blossoms bloomed.

Back then, she couldn’t have imagined things would turn out like this.

She had been nervous and anxious, trying to calm her fluttering heart.

‘If I had been a bit more honest back then, maybe things wouldn’t be like this now.’

Ania lowered her head.

Even if she had been honest, things wouldn’t have changed.

Ironically, they had come this far because she hadn’t revealed her feelings.
If she had begged for love from Edward, he would have left her long ago.

Setting aside past regrets, Ania slowly broke the silence.

“Edward.”
“……”

There was no response, but trembling lips betrayed his silence.

Staring at the corner of those trembling lips, Ania called Edward’s name again.

Still, there was no reply.
So, Ania approached Edward slowly.

With each step, her shoes echoed until finally, Edward’s head whipped around.

His eyes, slightly moist and bloodshot, met Ania’s gaze.

Ania felt her body tremble under that gaze.
Though she wanted to grab his hand right away, she restrained herself.

It wasn’t the time yet.

Instead, Ania smiled while staring into those eyes.

“If you blatantly ignore me like that, Edward, even I’ll be hurt.”

At Ania’s bold words, Edward smirked.

“Good. That’s what I intended.”
“That’s not good.”
“Only now you realize that?”
“You’re a liar.”
“What?”

Ania moved even closer.

“I’m worried about you.”
“Why you, of all people?”
“What do you mean?”

Edward turned his body towards Ania, his eyes gleaming with contempt.

“You really don’t know?”

He approached threateningly, but Ania met his gaze without flinching.
However, she took a step back.

“I know.”

Ania, who had been inching backward, suddenly found herself against the wall, and Edward’s arm swung, brushing against Ania’s hair as it hit the wall with a thud.

“If you know!”

At the burst of his voice, Ania’s body lightly trembled.
Gradually, a weary voice flowed from Edward’s quivering lips.

“If you know… don’t pretend you don’t.”

Accompanied by his voice, a faint breeze brushed against Ania’s neck.

“I can’t do that.”
“Why?”

His clenched jaw trembled.

“For two years, you ignored me, and now…”
“I didn’t ignore you. I wrote letters.”
“Letters…?”
“Yeah. I wrote a few and sent them. You were the one who didn’t reply!”
“Now even lying…”

Edward’s hand gripped Ania’s chin forcefully.

“Lying to this extent, what do you gain, Ania Brontë?”
“It’s not a lie.”

Ania, suddenly lowering her body, faced Edward directly.

Edward chuckled.

“Oh… I heard the Brontë family’s finances have been shaky lately. Is that why? Ignoring me when Radner went bankrupt and now approaching when the roles have reversed?”
“Edward!”

Ania shouted, grabbing Edward’s arm.

Edward shrugged her off forcefully.

“If it’s my money you’re after, I can give you as much as you want.”
“That’s not it, Edward.”

Veins bulged on Edward’s arm.
It seemed as if he might crush Ania’s jaw, as if he might kill her, but Ania realized that there wasn’t as much force in his grip.

“How many times did you marry? Did you enjoy playing with men’s hearts?”
“You’re mistaken!”
“Don’t say ridiculous things.”
“…Father forced me…”
“Duke Brontë?”

Edward lightly closed his eyes and lowered his head.

“You should lie more convincingly.”
“It’s true.”
“Ricktman said it wasn’t Duke Brontë’s doing.
“Ricktman?”

Ania’s eyes widened at the familiar name.

“Do you know where he is?”
“Why should I tell you?”

Edward walked past Ania towards the door.

“Don’t ever appear in front of me again, Ania Brontë.”

As he said this and reached for the door handle, Ania rushed forward and grabbed Edward’s wrist.

“Stop it.”
“Please…!”

As he tried to push her away, Edward’s hand paused at the soft touch that enveloped his body.

Lowering his head, he saw Ania’s hair nestled against his body. A scent, whether of flesh or perfume, lingered in his nostrils.

It was the scent he had longed for,
The scent he had detested,
The scent he had tried to push away.

Conflicting emotions surged in Edward’s chest.
As a headache threatened to split his head, Ania’s innocent voice penetrated Edward’s ears.

“You still love me, Edward.”
“Love?”

Upon hearing that word, the boiling turmoil in his heart cooled.
Hearing the word “love” coming from Ania’s lips seemed surreal.

Edward took his hand off her shoulder and slowly stepped away from her.

The simmering hatred gradually subsided.
Edward lifted his head to gaze hazily into Ania’s eyes.

“Ania Brontë.”
“Edward…”
“You don’t know what love is.”

Ania lowered her head gently.

Edward, still wearing a smirk, continued.

“You’re a woman who doesn’t know what love is.”
“But I do!”

Edward pondered.

Had this woman ever sacrificed what she held in her hands for someone else?
Had she ever swallowed her pride for someone else?
Had she ever felt her heart swell just by thinking about someone else?

“I guess not.”

Had she ever thought to give up her life just to protect someone?

“You know nothing.”

Could you even understand my heart, which I wanted to protect even at the cost of my life?

Edward walked towards the door with weary steps.

In the quietness that enveloped the office once again, Ania stood still for a long time, watching the spot where Edward had left.