But now, despite hours of lovemaking that far surpassed anything from before, there was no pain. No stinging or soreness. It was almost surreal.

For some reason, I imagined Cane grinning smugly, saying, I’m an expert now, and it made me frown.

After disappearing for days, he suddenly showed up, had wild, relentless s*x, and vanished again like a madman.

He truly was a damn scoundrel. Despite my frustration, I found myself hoping that Theo would be the one to bring dinner. It didn’t make sense for him to just vanish without a single conversation. There had to be a reason for his sudden appearance. Surely, he wasn’t going to leave without explaining his purpose.

Of course, when Theo walked into the room, it was me who threw myself at him like a woman in heat… so I couldn’t place all the blame on him for what happened between us.

Still, this was the first time Theo Blaine had shown himself to me. While the encounter wasn’t exactly productive, it did give me a glimmer of hope.

I pulled the shirt, still hanging from the chain, over my head, then found my shorts in the corner and slipped them on as well. Sitting quietly on the edge of the bed, I waited for Theo to return, hoping this time we could finally talk.

***

[Knock, knock, knock.]

Just from the sound, I could tell immediately that it was Noel outside. The realization that it wasn’t Theo left me feeling a bit deflated.

Noel entered the room, pushing a tray in front of him. He looked as polished and cheerful as ever, dressed in a crisp white shirt and light brown slacks. It was as if the earlier, intense encounter had been nothing more than a dream—his bright and neat appearance a stark contrast to how I felt, my body aching all over.

I frowned.

“Are you hungry? You can eat,” he said with a smile.

Noel set the tray down on the table, revealing a well-prepared meal of meat, soup, and a fresh salad.

“And Theo?” I asked, my voice sharper than usual.

Normally, I would go out of my way to match Noel’s gentle demeanor and keep the conversation flowing. But today, I couldn’t hold back. His calm, unaffected behavior, as if nothing had happened, baffled me.

Instead of answering, Noel quietly tidied up the towels scattered near the bathroom door, completely ignoring my question.

“Why didn’t Theo come? Noel?”

I asked again, trying to suppress my growing frustration.

“…Because it’s not Theo’s time,”

I let out a sigh, frustrated.

“You all can act whenever you want.”

“I’ll rephrase,” Noel said, his tone unchanged. “It’s not the time Theo wants.”

In other words, Theo didn’t want to see me again, at least not yet.

“…Theo came to see me today,” I said, testing the waters, watching for any reaction.

“…”

Noel stayed silent, not offering any further explanation or acknowledgment of what had happened between Theo and me earlier.

“He didn’t say a single word to me, acted like that, and then disappeared?” I pressed, my frustration bubbling over.

If it had been Cane, he would have slyly asked, What do you mean by that? But Noel just stood there, quietly gazing at me, not indicating that he intended to offer any details.

“Tell him to come back. Right now.”

I demanded, enunciating each word slowly and firmly.

Noel stood there for a moment, seemingly conflicted, before leaving the room without a word. My request had been completely ignored, and on top of that, the obedient image I had worked so hard to maintain had likely shattered.

Furious, I tore into the food as if I were venting my anger. Despite my mood, the perfectly seasoned meat burst with juices in my mouth, offering an almost euphoric taste. The salad was fresh, and the yuzu dressing matched my preferences exactly.

‘It’s like I’m being raised…like livestock.’

I thought bitterly, feeling my anger start to dissipate despite myself. I couldn’t deny it—it wasn’t far from the truth.

If this isn’t being raised like livestock, then what is it? I was becoming addicted to pleasure, sinking into a life of comfort where I didn’t have to lift a finger.

Judging by Noel’s attitude today, it seemed Theo would vanish again, leaving me behind after completely wrecking me. It was as if he’d stripped me bare, taken what he wanted, and fled without so much as a word.

The man I’d been intimately involved with for nearly four years was feeling more and more like a stranger as time went on.

***

“What makes you so angry?”

Cane dropped his black bag on the floor with a thud and grinned playfully. What little hope I had that Theo might show up this morning vanished in an instant.

I looked at Cane, trying to pull myself together as my body treacherously began to react again – my body conditioned to respond to the mere presence of its ‘master’. Cane, his casual black hair falling untidily over his forehead, laughed as he climbed onto the bed and quickly shrugged off his shirt to reveal his chiseled muscles.

How could I have confused the two? Their aura is so completely different! I couldn’t believe I’d made such a mistake, and now, I could only blame myself.

Despite my body’s growing excitement, I fought hard to keep my composure. Noel had no intention of explaining anything, so if I were going to get any information, it would have to be from Cane. He was far more talkative, so there was at least a chance.

“Cane, Theo came yesterday,” I said, hoping to provoke some response.

“Yeah, I know,” he replied casually, as if it were the most normal thing in the world. Without showing much interest in my words, he nonchalantly began tugging at my shirt, pulling it off.

“Couldn’t you just be undressed by the time I get here? Doctor?” he added with a teasing grin.

I grumbled in frustration, my irritation clear.

“Why did Theo… ugh, come yesterday?”

I asked, my voice catching as Cane’s hands brushed against my skin, sending shivers down my spine with every touch.

“Because he wanted to.”

Cane replied, his explanation as unhelpful as ever.

“So why did he want to?” I pressed, trying to get more out of him.

Cane tugged off my shorts, leaving me completely n*ked in an instant. He, too, slipped out of his, revealing black briefs underneath.

“What’s got you so curious?” he asked, casually grabbing my br*ast.

His hands kneaded me a few times before his fingers gently teased my hardening n*pples.

“Haa… ahh…!” I moaned, my body reacting despite my frustration.

“We won’t be using any devices today,” he said with a smirk.

He must have been referring to the Seyon devices. I couldn’t let things slide this time. I couldn’t afford to lose myself in pleasure and pass out like I had yesterday. I needed to find out why Theo had acted the way he did.

“This time is yours, Cane… ugh… so why did Theo invade your time?”

I purposely used words that I knew might provoke him. Fortunately, it worked—he stopped playing with my br*ast, grabbed my waist, and stared down at me.

“That guy’s my employer. Trying to get a rise out of me won’t work.”

Cane smiled crookedly, clearly seeing through my intentions.

At least he was engaging in conversation now. If he had continued mindlessly groping my br*ast, I would have lost all ability to think rationally.

“Why did Theo come at that time and have s*x with me?” I asked, keeping my tone direct.

In situations like this, being direct is the most effective approach. Especially with Cane—rather than beating around the bush, asking blunt questions often got better results.

“Did you enjoy the s*x?”

…Cane dodged the question completely. My strategy was instantly rendered useless.

I was at a loss for words. If it had been a question I could easily answer, I would have. Saying it was good felt like I’d be giving Cane the upper hand, but denying it would have been a lie. The truth was, it had felt so good I thought I might die.

“It must’ve been good. My shoulder’s still stinging from where you clawed me,” Cane said, turning slightly to show his shoulder.

There, on his broad, muscular back, were long, deep scratches left by my nails. The red marks stood out sharply against his smooth skin, and I felt my face flush with embarrassment.

Noel had probably noticed those scratches too, yet hadn’t mentioned them once yesterday. He didn’t even show any sign of pain, which was typical of him.

“How good must it have been for you to shred my skin like that?” Cane teased.

It was nowhere near as bad as he made it sound, but I knew what he was doing. He wanted to mess with me, to provoke a reaction.

“You’re the one who made my body react like that, Cane,” I murmured with a sigh.

“True.”

Cane agreed, casually and without hesitation.

“So that’s where the saying comes from—one person puts in the effort, and someone else reaps the rewards.”

Cane mused, stroking his chin thoughtfully. He didn’t seem offended, just contemplative.

I needed to steer the conversation back. I wasn’t here to chat about how the s*x with Theo had been. Cane, at least, was open to talking about Theo, unlike Noel, who had remained tight-lipped.