Prologue

It was because of the alcohol. Adele wanted to think that. But unfortunately, despite having been pleasantly drunk just moments ago, she was now completely sober.

A man’s thick fingers slipped past her undergarments.

“You’re impatient.”

The man whispered. His fingertips caressed her already dampened flesh. The wet sounds echoed inside the storage room.

“I wonder if you just got wet now or…”

Slipping in smoothly, his fingers pressed into her.

“…if you were wet from the moment you laid eyes on me.”

“Ah…!”

At the low whisper, as if asking a question, Adele’s face flushed red with shame.

But she didn’t push him away.

Because this was better. This was the better choice.

‘I have a request.’

She was the one who had asked for this.

Every time his fingers stretched and searched within her, Adele clung to his shoulders as if they were a lifeline.

—Creak.

“Who in the knight order would have ever imagined that the ice-cold Adele Limier could make such sounds?”

His low voice resonated in the old storage room. The man she had chosen had exceeded her expectations.

“…!”

When Adele deliberately suppressed a moan, the corners of the man’s mouth twisted.  

“You’re the one who asked for this.”  

Even as she tried to close her legs, it was futile. Her already exposed lower body betrayed her, releasing a sticky liquid.  

“But when you act like I’m forcing myself on you…”  

He deliberately swirled his fingers inside her, scooping out the liquid before pulling them out.

“…then I, who am kindly obliging your request, come across as trash, don’t I? Hm?”

At his whispered words, Adele bit her lip. The man kissed her.

“Mmph…!”

There was nowhere left to run.

Trapped between the man and the cold warehouse wall, Adele was utterly helpless. Even in the dimly lit space, his crimson eyes gleamed ominously.

The man parted his lips again.

“……!”

Before he could say anything more, Adele hastily pressed her lips against his.

The man chuckled.

The way she clumsily rubbed her lips against his, as if desperately trying to keep him from speaking, was rather endearing. He had never met someone so easy to read before.

It seemed she thought this pathetic kiss would put an end to everything.

But it was already too late.

“Haah…”

Still, he let her have her way for a brief moment. She gathered strength in her trembling legs, as if she might bolt at any second.

Noticing her intent like a predator sensing prey, the man slid his thigh between hers.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“…Please stop.”  

Adele’s trembling voice pleaded.  

“This much indulgence… I think it’s enough.”

“Enough?”

The man chuckled silently.  

So, you’re saying your wish has been fulfilled?”  

Adele nodded desperately. The man let a small space form between them, as if he were about to release her. But it was still close enough that she could feel his breath.

With the small gap between them, she could now see his changing expression. The corners of his lips curled into a smirk, then suddenly froze. A chilling sneer followed.

“Then what about my wish?”

“What…!”  

His leg pushed further between hers, pressing deeper. As Adele’s body tensed momentarily, the man let out a low chuckle.

He didn’t mind that his pants were getting wet. Adele’s face twisted in distress.

“My wish isn’t over yet, Adele Limier.”

She wanted to beg him to stop.

But he took advantage of that hesitation. As her lips parted slightly, he slipped his tongue inside.

His tongue scraped against the roof of her mouth, exploring every corner.

“Mmgh…!”

The man was taking everything from her—her first kiss, her first experience, even her breath.  

Each time she shook her head, gasping for air, he only deepened the kiss. Tears welled in her eyes.

Yes, maybe this was for the best.

Adele knew very well who this man was.

And that was precisely why she had chosen him. A man with a handsome face, a notorious reputation, and someone who could be forgotten as easily as a passing memory.

This man—Chereph—was the perfect fit for that role.

That was why she had lured him here, to this rarely visited storage room.

That had been the plan, at least.

But now, it was this dangerous man who ruled the night.

“It might hurt a little since it’s your first time. But that’s what makes it better.”  

The weighty presence against her back suddenly disappeared. As if to keep her from collapsing, Chereph wrapped an arm tightly around her waist, his lips curling into a cruel smile.

“I have a feeling you’ll pretend this never happened. And you’d do it so skillfully too.”  

His voice was low and rough, like he was scraping it from deep within his throat.

He was right.

For Adele, this night was supposed to be a night that never happened.