“Absolutely not!”

Mujin protested with a nervous expression.

“I’ve known Lady Woo-hye since she was a child, so I’m well aware of her loyal and loving nature. That’s why I know for sure that she would never betray her husband.”

Back when she lived in the Dan household, even amidst countless false accusations, everyone acknowledged one thing: Woo-hye was a devoted daughter.

Woo-hye asked with a faint, mocking smile,

“If you felt that way about me, why do Gyu-yeong and Sister Jarim react so differently?”

Jarim replied harshly,

“My brother is just trying to preserve your dignity. That doesn’t change the fact that you flirted with His Highness the Sixth Prince!”

Still shaken by Hyang-eum’s slap, Woo-hye turned to the crying maid and asked,

“Tell me exactly what you heard at the villa, word for word. If there is even the slightest discrepancy during the cross-examination, you won’t get off lightly.”

The maid looked at Gyu-yeong, silently asking what she should do.

Gyu-yeong wanted to gouge out the maid’s eyes for looking at her like that.

‘What is she trying to do, ask my permission at a time like this?!’

Until now, Gyu-yeong had thought the maid was clever for cleverly spreading slander in her favour, but now that she was cornered, the girl had immediately changed her tune.

“What are you stalling for? Tell the truth!”

Gyu-yeong pressed her.

The maid hesitated before finally opening her mouth.

“Milady brought handmade sweets for His Highness, and the prince, touched by her gesture, offered to grant her a request. Milady then asked to play the zither, hoping to win His Highness’s favour…”

“That sounds strange.”

San-gyeong cut her off.

“The lady said she brought the delicacies because His Highness seemed to favour her husband too much. She asked to play the zither in his place to show respect to her husband and to accept His Highness’ favour.”

Iho added with a cheerful smile.

“At that time, His Highness had already played seven pieces in a row.”

It was clear to anyone listening that the lady had acted to give her husband a break.

Her action was tactful and wise, and it conveyed both love and respect for her husband.

Feeling bitter, Mujin spoke.

“So the maid misinterpreted and distorted the situation after all.”

Woo-hye, now completely cold, gave her an order as if there was nothing more to see.

“According to the house rules, give the maid fifty lashes and throw her out.”

“Milady! Please, have mercy!”

As the maid clung to Gyu-yeong’s skirt, begging for her life, Gyu-yeong grabbed the maid’s shoulder. Her nails dug painfully into the thin fabric – a silent threat.

“You have broken the rules of the house and deceived your master. This punishment is only fitting.”

‘This has nothing to do with me. Do you understand?’

The maid, who was well aware of how cruel Seol Mi-hee could be, didn’t even dare to cry out in protest and had no choice but to be dragged away.

Still, Woo-hye showed some leniency towards Gyu-yeong.

“Gyu-yeong, you also failed to manage your servant properly and ended up helping her slander your sister. Go to your room and reflect on your actions.”

The real problem was that Gyu-yeong didn’t see it that way.

She trembled with shame and humiliation and glared at Woo-hye as if she wanted to kill her on the spot. But there was no point in dragging this out any longer.

‘This match was lost. She had to clear the board and prepare a new game.’

‘I will kill her.’

‘I will kill her. I’ll kill her. I’ll kill her!’

Back in her room, Gyu-yeong exploded, throwing everything she could get her hands on as she screamed in rage.

“Dan Woo-hye! Dan Woo-hye!”

Mujin felt a growing irritation at the mess he’d made. It had been a mistake to get involved.

But what could he do? Their engagement had been made out of family interests, but a betrothed was still a betrothed. He had a duty to look after her.

Knowing that Gyu-yeong’s pride must have been deeply wounded, he went to her guest room to console her.

But when he heard the commotion inside, he stopped at the door.

A sigh escaped his lips.

“Please, my lady, calm down! You’re going to hurt yourself!”

“Since I came to Doha, nothing has gone my way! Does that make sense?”

Gyu-yeong couldn’t accept that.

In her entire life, she had hardly ever faced a situation that didn’t go her way – especially at the hands of someone beneath her.

especially at the hands of someone beneath her.

Gyu-yeong had never experienced such humiliation before. It was something she hadn’t even imagined possible.

No matter how she thought about it, it didn’t make any sense. Rationally speaking, the situation was absurd.

Gyu-yeong snapped at the maid.

“Didn’t Cheong-un say he wanted to cripple that woman? Then why hasn’t he done it – and why is he attacking me instead?”

Standing just outside the door, waiting for her anger to subside, Mujin suddenly opened it, his expression icy.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Mujin…”

“Cripple Woo-hye? Are you saying the Dan household actually gave Cheong-un that order?”

“Why are you looking at me like that? Why are you so scared? What does it matter what happens to her? Why are you lashing out at me, your fiancée?”

Mujin stared coldly at Gyu-yeong, who was crying resentfully, not knowing what she’d done wrong.

It was an expression she had never seen on his face before.

“I really misjudged you.”

“Mujin!”

But Mujin, feeling nothing but disappointment and disgust, turned and walked away.

“Aaaagh-!”

Gyu-yeong let out a scream, clutching her hair in utter frustration, feeling like she was losing her mind.

***

That evening, after the rain had stopped, the Sixth Prince rushed to Seok’s residence without even having time to pack his belongings.

Woo-hye awoke from a light sleep without stirring, blinking blankly.

‘It’s warm.’

It was a thought she’d had many times lately when she woke up – but never before had she felt such a sense of security.

As a faint curiosity stirred within her, she suddenly realised that she was hugging something tightly.

At first she was a little frightened. But she soon got used to it.

The fact that she now had a husband and shared a bed with him was something she accepted with surprising ease.

‘Perhaps because he is?’

It was the first time in her life that she had felt such a firm, comforting embrace.

It was large, as if it could wrap itself around her, and his body was so warm that it radiated heat. No matter how hard she clung to him, he didn’t even falter – he was incredibly strong.

He had the kind of physique that perfectly matched her preferences.

‘If I’d known it was so beautiful, I would have married sooner. How could I not have known?’

A smile crept onto her lips.

Just then, a low, husky voice spoke right above her head.
“If you’re awake, it’s about time you got up.”

Hearing his voice while still in such a relaxed, drowsy state sent a tingling sensation through her entire body—something akin to a shiver.

When Woo-hye squeezed her eyes shut and huddled closer, thinking she was cold, San-gyeong gently pulled the blanket over her more securely.

‘He’s so considerate.’

“Your arms are so warm, husband… I just want to stay like this.”

“……”

Woo-hye sensed his chest rising slightly and held back a chuckle.

‘He just sighed.’

He didn’t seem experienced with women at all. At times, he was almost like an innocent boy.

‘Could it be that the rumour that he has three illegitimate children is really nonsense?’

Just as Woo-hye found him increasingly puzzling, San-gyeong too found her behavior strange.

‘This… this goes beyond just being loyal by nature, doesn’t it?’

Could the duty between husband and wife really surpass the feelings for a true lover?

Can the duties of a married couple really take precedence over feelings for one’s beloved?

No matter how he looked at it, Woo-hye didn’t seem like a woman who had someone else in her heart. If she did, she wouldn’t be so casual about how much she likes another man.

San-gyeong, unable to push Woo-hye away as she kept burrowing into his arms, simply placed his hand lightly on her forearm.

“You’re too close.”

“Get used to it. That was the deal, wasn’t it?”

Seeing San-gyeong trying to push her away, Woo-hye mischievously clung to him even tighter. But her leg happened to wrap around a rather unfortunate spot.

Even if she couldn’t see…!

Startled, San-gyeong turned her around and held her down as if to immobilise her. He held her wrists with both hands.

Clink!

At that moment, a small medicine bottle slipped out of his sleeve and hit Woo-hye’s fingers.

Flinching, Woo-hye asked.

“What is this?”

San-gyeong let her go and answered.

“A medicine for my neurosis.”

“Neurosis? Oh, is that what you gave me yesterday…?”

“Yes.”

He didn’t know when this long mission would end. And his condition was becoming more and more unstable.

San-gyeong thought that Woo-hye should be aware of the danger. So he decided to reveal a secret that could become a vulnerability.

“When my neurosis kicks in, my personality changes. I become more violent or impulsive. I can’t control my emotions or desires, and I could seriously harm those around me. No – not could. I will hurt them.”

His voice grew darker as he spoke, as if the memory of being overcome by neurosis came back to him. His eyes grew dim, his expression cold.

Gripping the vial in his hand, he continued his warning.

“This medicine is only a temporary solution. So always be careful around me. Don’t get too close. If you prefer, we can sleep in separate rooms. It would be safer for you.”

Woo-hye now understood that the distance he kept from her wasn’t out of indifference, but because of his neurosis.

San-gyeong’s coldness wasn’t to protect himself, but to protect others. He chose isolation because he didn’t want to hurt anyone.

She was his complete opposite.

How could she be like that?

How could she be so strong, so unwavering?

He could never be like that.

He didn’t understand her—but maybe that’s what made her decision feel all the more noble.

She seemed untouched by loneliness, as if it had never laid a hand on her.

And that… drew him in.

“You really are a lovely person, husband.”

“…What?”

San-gyeong’s brow creased. No one had ever called him that before.

He almost wondered if he’d misheard.

Then Woo-hye gently reached out and wrapped her arms around him.

“I like you even more now.”

“……”

“Even if you’re dangerous, it doesn’t matter. As long as I can stay by your side, I won’t be afraid.”

San-gyeong stood frozen like a hostage with a blade at his throat, unable to move, staring only at the vial in his hand.

‘I should… take the medicine.’

Before this ominous, strange feeling swelled any further – before it became unbearable – he had to take it quickly.

‘But… only a little later.’

As he turned his head slightly, her soft cheek brushed against him and his eyes closed of their own accord.

‘Just a little more, like this.’

‘Just a little more, like this…’