Chapter 2: An Impossible Thing Happened

Without waiting for her response, Bliss took reluctant steps as she followed Caelan, who had already turned away. Her mind remained in turmoil, still unable to fully grasp the situation.

“This way.”

When Caelan opened a nearby door and stepped aside, Bliss hesitated before stepping in.

‘A powder room?’

As she surveyed the cozy space furnished with a vanity and sofa, the sound of the closing door made her turn instinctively. Somehow, Caelan had appeared right beside her without her noticing.

‘It is today.’

Her worst fears were becoming reality. Caelan finding her at the ball, their departure from the venue together, and the series of events that would soon befall her.

“I have something to say.”

Bliss attempted to speak first, but Caelan, who had been observing her, moved swiftly. When he reached out while maintaining his gaze on her, Bliss startled and stepped back.

His hand moved faster than her retreat, reaching toward her face. She reflexively closed her eyes, only to carefully open them again at the warm touch on her cheek and the sound of his laughter.

“Are you so upset with me that you’re even avoiding my hand?”

Laughter colored his voice. Caelan, who had been cold when they first entered the party, now smiled with crinkled eyes.

“I didn’t mean to make you feel lonely, but I’m sorry.”

His long fingers caught her fallen hair, tucking it behind her ear. The feather-light touch made Bliss self-consciously touch her own hair.

“That’s not it. I was just surprised.”

She had avoided him for entirely different reasons. Though she had dodged his hand, her racing heart refused to calm. The warmth of his touch still lingered on her cheek.

“Bliss.”

At the sound of his voice, she looked up unconsciously, finding herself unable to look away from his softly curved lips.

“I felt bad about sending you alone, so I prepared something on my way here.”

Caelan produced a box.

“Aren’t you curious about what’s inside?”

He must have expected delight at the sight of the box, but Bliss couldn’t bring herself to smile as she stared at it in disbelief. Seeing her frozen stiff, Caelan mistook her reaction for nervousness and opened the lid himself.

When he removed an object from the box, Bliss felt her hair stand on the ends, unable to control her trembling.

“Do you know what this is?”

Bliss parted her lips, only to close them again. Though she hid her trembling fingers behind her back, she couldn’t conceal her pallid face. Her eyes darted to Caelan’s hand again, where a necklace glittered between his fingers.

She looked up at him with bewildered eyes. His lips curved into a gentle line, anticipating her reaction to the necklace. As their eyes met, Bliss recalled a passage from the novel.

<Around her neck lay her husband’s gift—the very thing meant to take her life.>

The necklace would poison her.

Bliss, both a villainess and a catalyst for the main characters’ meeting, was destined to die today. Her murderer would be none other than her own husband, Marquis Caelan Adrian.

As the necklace adorned with diamonds and a large sapphire drew closer, she felt suffocated, as if invisible hands were strangling her. Her heart threatened to burst from her chest, and she pressed her hand against her mouth as nausea rose.

“Wait.”

She looked up at Caelan, who approached with the necklace, his eyes gentle as he asked, “Are you surprised?”

He stroked her cheek with the back of his hand, wearing a soft smile. The same hand that had felt warm moments ago now sent chills down her spine.

“Yes, a little surprised.”

Bliss answered while fighting the urge to wipe away the sensation left on her cheek.

“Why suddenly a necklace?”

She discreetly surveyed her surroundings while trying to buy time. The room was enclosed on all sides, with Caelan blocking the only exit. She had to find a way out.

“I thought you’d like it. How disappointing.”

When he expressed his disappointment, she shifted her gaze from the entrance she had been eyeing.

“I was just startled because it was so sudden.”

At her response, Caelan scratched the end of his eyebrow with an apologetic smile. He held up the necklace she had turned away from.

“I think it would suit you well. Won’t you accept it?”

“It’s beautiful. Beautiful, but it doesn’t match my dress.”

Bliss reached for the box.

“After I wear clothes that match the necklace…”

“Bliss.”

Before she could avoid it, Caelan’s hand reached out in an instant and wrapped around Bliss’s nape. She tensed at the feeling of his large hand on her neck.

“It’ll suit you well.”

His large hand trailed down her neck before gripping her shoulder and turning her body around. Bliss drew in a sharp breath at the sight of herself and Caelan reflected in the mirror. As his cool fingers wrapped around her neck, she raised her hand to stop him.

“Let me put it on for you.”

But Caelan moved faster than Bliss could stop him. Before her hand could reach him, his hand holding the necklace gripped her neck and released it.

“Ah.”

Bliss’s eyes flew open at the cold touch of the necklace against her neck. Beyond the mirror, his deep blue eyes stared at her as if they could burn right through her.

Before she could even cry out while watching him, his hands fell away. With trembling hands, she wiped away her cold sweat and touched her neck in disbelief.

Her fingers touched something lukewarm that quickly drew away her body heat. The moment she realized she was wearing the necklace, her breathing quickened with terror. She clutched her temples and lowered her head as a headache began to build.

‘I couldn’t… avoid it.’

Now that she was wearing the necklace, the poison would spread. Why had she entered this body right before death? It would have been nice to return to her original body, but if not, would she die like this?

“…liss?”

“Now I…”

“Bliss!”

When that low but strong voice called her name, her head snapped up. As she looked at her pale face reflected in the mirror and then at Caelan, his voice reached her ears.

“Are you alright?”

She hadn’t died.

Bliss couldn’t hide her confusion as she kept touching the necklace while checking her reflection. She had definitely put on the poisoned necklace, yet nothing had happened.

‘How is this possible?’

Something impossible had occurred.

“This is strange. You’re not acting like yourself.”

Bliss looked at the man standing behind her rather than the necklace. Caelan caressed her shoulders while meeting her eyes through the mirror.

“I thought you’d immediately judge my gift.”

“Ah…”

Only then did she remember what kind of character she was supposed to be. Someone who would mercilessly remove anything her husband bought if it didn’t meet her standards – that was Bliss.

“I like it.”

Bliss managed an awkward smile. Not understanding what was happening, she decided to go along with Caelan for now. She kept touching around her neck, wondering if she was really wearing the necklace.

The sensation beneath her fingertips was undeniably that of a necklace.

“I really like it.”

“I’m glad. I chose it thinking you’d like it, but I was worried whether you’d truly enjoy it.”

While barely listening to Caelan’s words, Bliss continued fidgeting with the necklace.

‘I was supposed to die after wearing this necklace.’

Something impossible had happened. That was how the original story went, but she couldn’t understand why it had changed. She wondered if it might be a different necklace, though her situation matched the novel exactly.

“Shall we head back?”

Caelan offered her his arm with a charming smile. Carefully linking arms with him to play along, Bliss remained confused about what had happened to her even as they returned to the party venue.

“Bliss. That’s a necklace I haven’t seen before.”

Bliss looked up to see several women approaching. Among them, the familiar Azel immediately noticed her necklace. Bliss awkwardly touched it.

“I just received it as a gift.”

Though she didn’t say who it was from, everyone understood.

“It’s so pretty.”

“My goodness, look at how it sparkles.”

“Where did you get this necklace? It doesn’t look like it came from an ordinary jeweler?”

Starting with Azel, the women each added their comments.

“See? I told you it would suit you.”

Caelan lightly embraced Bliss’s shoulders. She tensed at the closer proximity, worried he might hear her heartbeat. She remained stiffly in his embrace, wanting to create even a little distance between them.

Just then, when Caelan’s hand brushed her ear, Bliss turned to look at him in surprise. Meeting her eyes, he let out a laugh.

“We should enjoy the party.”

While others reacted with exaggerated surprise at the sight, Bliss could only blink, frozen in place.

“Shall we dance?”

Sensing that Caelan would drag her along even if she just nodded, Bliss quickly shook her head. She didn’t want to draw more attention to herself, and she definitely wouldn’t be able to dance.

“I want to sit down.”

“Are you not feeling well?”

Caelan lowered his head to meet her eyes.

“Are you sick somewhere?”

“I’m a bit dizzy. I want to leave now.”

Bliss murmured softly, conscious of Caelan’s unnecessarily close proximity. She no longer cared about others’ gazes. She just wanted to leave this place. As if understanding her situation, Caelan clicked his tongue softly before immediately wrapping an arm around her waist.

“Let’s go home.”

As his voice lightly brushed her ear, Bliss wondered if she had made the wrong choice.