“Michael.”

Catherine called his name when her wrist began to feel slightly numb. She could see his profile was completely rigid as he refused to look back. Of course, there was no response. Only her wrist burned where Michael gripped it.

Why is he acting like this? Could he possibly be angry that I came here?

When she had brought up the masquerade ball, it was true that she had intended to draw him out. Her claim about being sick was also a lie with the same purpose.

Since Michael was the type to be overprotective of her, she was certain there would be some kind of reaction. She had been angry at Michael for disappearing without any notice or promise of return, so she thought this level of deception would be acceptable.

Therefore, it was wrong for Michael to be angry at her when he had stormed back in. If anyone should be angry, it should be me!

In the annex of the Macbeth mansion connected to the banquet hall, dozens of empty rooms prepared for today’s guests were slightly open, as if waiting for their respective visitors.

Michael flung one of them open with a bang and pushed Catherine inside.

“Ouch!”

Catherine exaggeratedly pretended to be hurt and glared at Michael. Michael was also staring back at her with his deep blue eyes. Catherine crossed her arms combatively and said:

“Why are YOU angry?”

“…You’re asking why I’M angry?”

Michael burst into a hollow laugh as if he couldn’t believe it. He tore off his cumbersome mask and looked at her with his bare face.

Catherine was inwardly quite surprised by his gaunt and sharp face that had changed during their time apart. Why does his face look like that?

She wanted to rush over and stroke his roughened face, asking why it had become so haggard, but she suppressed the urge. Ironically, his somewhat rougher and thinner face made Michael’s aura more mature and intense.

Had he changed somehow? Lately, Michael sometimes seemed a bit unfamiliar and new to her.

Though it was clearly the same face, the same Michael, emotions she hadn’t felt before were now layered over him. It felt like suddenly seeing various colors in what she had previously thought was just a plain picture.

Ah, so Michael’s eyes had this color, his skin this texture, and his pulsing veins this warmth. It was as if she was newly realizing these things.

But regardless of that…

“You, who claimed to be sick, barely recovered only to come to this dangerous and suspicious masquerade ball. Do you know what that means? It means you don’t care about your body, and that you’re looking for someone other than me…! D*mn it!”

He clenched his fist as if unable to contain his anger.

His jaw clenched tightly, trembling slightly as veins bulged from his thick neck.

He squeezed his eyes shut, then turned around abruptly, messing up his already disheveled hair. His broad shoulders rose and fell with agitated breathing.

Catherine silently watched Michael as he paced nervously in the dim moonlight. Somehow, seeing him so angry and not knowing what to do didn’t feel bad. To be honest… it felt somewhat good. It was strange.

Why do I like seeing him so angry? Michael was, if anything, more rational than impulsive. When Catherine would act on impulse and mood, he would calmly restrain her.

But now Michael seemed… very irrational. And it was purely because of her.

Catherine slowly approached Michael, who had turned his back to her. She moved around to face him and stared intently at his face.

His flushed face seemed to be suppressing anger. He also looked somewhat wronged. Staring directly at him, she said:

“Well, why did you disappear without saying anything?”

“…What?”

“You disappeared without a word, didn’t come back, didn’t tell me when you’d return, and didn’t explain why.”

“……”

She could see his eyes wavering. Looking into those blue eyes filled with complex emotions, Catherine spoke in a hurt tone:

“I was worried about you. And I felt really hurt when you suddenly disappeared like that. It happened right after we spent the night together, you know? You just vanished so one-sidedly. Did you ever think about what that might mean to me? You even lied to me.”

Her words clearly caught Michael off guard. Catherine fiddled with his tightly fastened button and murmured weakly:

“So how can you be so angry with me…?”

Michael urgently grabbed Catherine’s wrist as she fidgeted with his shirt button.

“That’s because I…!”

“Never mind, Michael. I don’t want to hear your excuses right now.”

“…Catherine.”

As her name escaped from Michael’s lips like a groan, Catherine slowly raised her eyes to look at him. Watching him bite his dry lips, Catherine took a step back.

“I’m sorry.”

In the end, it was Michael who apologized first.

Catherine was certainly upset with him and thought he was in the wrong. But now, looking at his gaunt face, she vaguely forgave him, thinking he must have had his reasons.

She was a bit hurt, but because it was Michael. Because it was Michael… Looking into his blue eyes, her heart melted like whipped cream under sunshine.

But apart from that…

Judging by how much she wanted to hear him apologize with that helpless face and heavy voice, her personality must be more spiteful than she thought.

“I… was shortsighted. I’m sorry, Catherine.”

“Especially the lying part, that was really not okay.”

Michael exhaled heavily.

“You’re right. That was truly wrong of me. What… what should I do to make you feel better? I’ll do anything.”

The atmosphere had completely reversed.

Michael apologized with a pained expression, while Catherine tried to maintain a sullen face, carefully hiding her already softened heart. Catherine asked in a suspicious voice:

“Anything?”

“…Yes, anything.”

Catherine, who had been quietly looking at Michael, slowly smiled.

“Then good.”

She strode past Michael and flung the door open.

As expected, Laura had already followed them and was waiting outside. Catherine reached for the bag she was holding.

Laura opened her eyes wide, then handed over the bag with a tense face.

Catherine, smiling broadly, waved her hand at Laura as if telling her to go in.

⁕⁕⁕

“…What is this.”

Michael’s voice, rarely unsteady, trembled slightly in confusion.

And for good reason—he was now blindfolded, his arms bound, and half-n*ked.

Although he had said he would do anything, he clearly hadn’t imagined this kind of “anything,” leaving him quite bewildered.

Moreover, the subtle scent that had been wafting around was making his body increasingly hot.

“This is a new plant we brought into our botanical garden. It’s called Poteria, imported from the northern Norse. When dried and burned, it has the effect of heating up the body. They say it’s commonly used between estranged couples.”

Catherine explained in a measured voice, almost whispering.

Michael wanted to retort, asking why they needed to use something meant for estranged couples, but he held back. After all, he was currently in the position of a wrongdoer, and Catherine held his leash.

In truth, having his arms bound wasn’t much of a threat to him.

Catherine had tied him with soft silk ribbons, and her binding technique was so clumsy that he could probably break free with just a little force. Of course… he wouldn’t do that because it would be wrong.

What drove him crazier than the restraints was the blindfold. Despite not being able to see anything, he could acutely feel Catherine’s n*ked gaze roaming over him.

He loved the thought of Catherine’s eyes fixed on his exposed body. Enough to make his c*ck stand er*ect beneath his pants…

“That’s strange… Why is it hard when I haven’t done anything yet?”

Catherine’s fingertip lightly touched the rigid shaft that seemed ready to burst through his pants.

“…Hah.”

Michael suppressed a moan as his face turned bright red. Even though her fingertip had barely touched him through his underwear, his heart pounded violently. The urge to ej*culate surged within him.

“You’re extremely sensitive. Is it because of the Poteria’s scent…?”

Catherine’s voice trembled slightly, as if she too was somewhat taken aback.

Michael wanted to tell her that wasn’t it.

He wanted to say through gritted teeth that it wasn’t the Poteria at all, but simply because of her—that his c*ck was trembling at the thought that she might do lewd things to him while his eyes were covered.

But with Catherine stimulating his increasingly er*ect c*ck by tapping it with her fingertips, he swallowed his words and only burning moans escaped.

“This… please untie me. Catherine, please?”

Otherwise, I might tear this apart with my own hands. Please…

Michael pleaded desperately, but Catherine didn’t listen.

She licked her drying lips, savoring the taste. Then she reached out and pulled down Michael’s pants.

“!”

His er*ect c*ck sprang up against his thin underwear.

“Catherine…!”

“Shh. Stay still. You’re being punished right now.”

Michael, who was about to add something, was rendered speechless as Catherine’s hands proceeded to remove his underwear as well.

He could feel Catherine’s warmth as she positioned herself right in front of his g*nitals. Michael’s prec*m leaked from the tip as Catherine’s hands firmly gripped and pressed down on his solid thighs, as if telling him not to move.

“Wow… You must be a pervert, Michael. Look. I’ve just been looking at it, and it’s already leaking something.”

Michael gritted his teeth at her casual, teasing words. His earlobes visibly reddened beneath the black leather blindfold.

Catherine giggled, finding him cute, then slowly lowered her head. Her fluttering hair cascaded down, tickling his thighs.

She licked her lips, then planted a kiss on the thick c*ck shaft where veins were prominently bulging.

“…Hah!”

Michael jerked his hips as if having a seizure. His thighs twisted instantly, and distinct muscle lines appeared on his firm abs. Not just his c*ck, but his entire body tensed noticeably.

It was just one kiss, but the amount of prec*m flowing down his twitching c*ck doubled.

“I told you before. I’ve been studying quite a bit on my own. Let me show you what I’ve been studying. Don’t cum whenever you want, Michael. Understood?”

Catherine whispered gently into his ear as he breathed roughly, “Haa, haa.”