Warning: Dubcon (dubious consent)

He picked up the tie that was tossed on the bed and wrapped it around Rowena’s wrists.

“Untie me from this right now!”

Rowena, with her hands now tied together, screamed loudly. 

Killian restrained her lightly, then reached out and patted her red cheeks with the back of his hand. Unlike her feverish face, the touch of his cool skin felt like a surge of electricity.

Rowena glared at the man who lay on top of her with wet eyes. Even in this situation, her tamed body responded faithfully. Shame and embarrassment washed over her.

“Rowena.”

Killian called in a whisper, his knee between her struggling legs. He swept his index finger across her messy wet eyelashes and held her chin. She turned her head away from him, but he couldn’t stand it, so he turned her head back and fixed it to face him.

“Fifteen days from now.”

“…….”

“My wedding.”

“It was a marriage arranged by the Queen.”

Normally, the ceremony would have taken place in a cathedral only royalty was allowed, however, since it was a time-limited relationship, they agreed to keep it simple and private.

As a wife, Chloe Everdeen was a good partner in many ways. She did not have the romantic dreams of a grand wedding that every woman wants, nor did she disturb his mind or make him lose his sense of reason.

Rowena Philone, on the other hand, was a woman who could only be on the level of a mistress, nothing more.

A humble birthplace, a shameful past. Let alone the fact that she had two personalities attached to her.

Worst of all was the fact that he knew this and was still being swayed by her pretense. He should have strangled her immediately and buried her in the ocean, but he couldn’t. The woman beneath him would never know how much patience and mercy he was showing toward her.

“…Demon.”

A cold voice awoke his mind, which was immersed in thoughts.

“Monster. A cold-blooded man. A bad guy with no blood and no tears.”

Rowena, who chewed and spit out each syllable, spoke desperately as if she was vomiting blood.

“You knew how I felt…”

“…….”

“I’ve always been sincere toward you. You…”

There were times when she felt like she was a toy to him, a non-human being. But when she saw glimpses of kindness, she covered her eyes and her ears.

Tears had already dried up, and the sound of her voice had become hoarse.

“I…loved you.”

A chilling silence fell, it felt as if they were the only two people in the world. Both of them were buried in each other’s world. But there was nothing in that world. Except for their ragged breathing and the way they glared at each other…

“Then let’s prove it.”

An indifferent voice broke through the silence. She blinked, unsure of what he was talking about, while he began to unbutton her dress buttons one by one with his elegant fingertips.

“What are you doing…”

Grasping the situation belatedly, Rowena held the back of his hand.

“Don’t do this.”

“Didn’t you say you loved me?”

Her mind went blank. He brought his cold forehead into contact with hers.

She nodded quietly 

“If you really don’t want to, say no. I’ll stop then.”

***

She was greeted by a white envelope when she opened her eyes again. She didn’t have to guess, he must have thrown it here before he left the bedroom, as if paying her for her services to date.

Rowena was filled with shame at herself for letting the pleasure get the better of her. She left the money where it was, and picked up the bag she packed yesterday, then left the villa.

Keeping her hood pulled tightly over her head, she left the villa early in the morning and boarded a boat. She stood on the deck and gazed at the cloudy sea with her empty eyes.

It was time for her to take it one step at a time.