It was strange. With each word Carlos uttered, Ines’s heart sank.

“I’ll leave quietly. And I won’t ever look for you again. That seems to be… the last affection I can show you.”

Leaving her side was like proof that Carlos was sincerely wishing for Ines’s happiness.

Granting what the person you love wants most. That’s why Carlos couldn’t stay by Ines’s side.

Reminding himself of this fact once more, Carlos hurried to prepare. As he did so, he addressed things she might worry about.

“Finding you this time was just a coincidence. I was following Alfredo. Then I found out he was looking for you… But don’t worry now. Alfredo is dead, so there’s no one targeting you anymore. No one will look for you anymore.”

The ‘no one’ he spoke of included Carlos himself.

“Ines, you know…”

He began as if he had something more to say, calling her name. But then he lowered his head and changed his words.

“No, I’ll go now.”

Then he turned toward the door without hesitation. Watching his series of actions in a daze, Ines instinctively grabbed Carlos.

“Wait, Carlos…!”

His departing footsteps came to an abrupt halt.

“Well, that is…”

Ines stammered, seemingly flustered after calling out to him. She had grabbed Carlos feeling she shouldn’t let him go like this, but she didn’t know why she had done so. After all, a life where no one looked for her was what she had longed for all this time.

Moreover, Carlos was fine. He was so perfectly fine it made her previous worrying seem ridiculous. He would probably be fine even if he left now. She no longer needed to feel guilty about him.

Then why had she grabbed Carlos? After hesitating for a long while, her lips finally moved.

“Still… you should rest before going. Where could you possibly go in that condition?”

Her lips moved on their own. She wasn’t sure if this was what she really wanted to say to Carlos. She just felt she had to stop him.

“…”

Carlos, who had briefly shown a disappointed expression at Ines’s words, lifted his head.

“No, I’ll just go now. If I stay here any longer…”

His voice trailed off for a moment before he murmured.

“I think my resolve might waver a bit…”

She could guess what his resolve was without asking.

“I’ll go now. Take care, Ines.”

With those words, Carlos turned away coldly. Then he walked toward the door.

One step, then another. With each step he took, her heart pounded. The closer he got to the door, the further he got from her, the more she was gripped by an inexplicable urgency.

She had a strong feeling that if she let Carlos go now, it would be irreversible. Suddenly, Greta’s words before leaving flashed through her mind.

‘If he’s someone you’d trade your life for, you should stay with him forever.’

As Greta said, Ines could give her life for Carlos.

What was this emotion? Could one risk their life for another without affection?

Was it just sympathy or altruism?

Her eyes wavered strongly. Her head was spinning. It felt like the wall she had built so firmly was crumbling.

‘Could it be, I…’

The man before her had easily demolished her resolve. Seeing his face made her heart waver, and her heart raced uncontrollably at the sight that reminded her of happier times.

Her resolve to never be involved with Carlos again was losing shape like snow melting in the sunlight. She realized that despite her determination to no longer be bound to him, she had never been able to forget him after all.

‘I still…’

Her hand gripping her skirt tightened.

‘I still love Carlos.’

It was frustrating but undeniable.

Then, biting her lip, Ines rose from her seat.

And she embraced Carlos from behind as he had his hand on the doorknob.

The moment Ines embraced him, Carlos’s body went rigid.

“Don’t go…”

Her suppressed voice echoed quietly in the room.

“Don’t leave me behind, Carlos.”

Carlos’s eyes widened at Ines’s plaintive voice.

“It’s true that being with you is painful. It hurt so much, and I’m afraid such things might happen again. But…”

The arms with which she tightly embraced Carlos tensed.

“I can’t help it, I…”

Despite everything that had happened. Despite feeling like she had lost all meaning in life because of this man. She couldn’t leave him.

It might have been possible before, but not now. Even if a future with this man meant walking into a pit of fire, she just wanted to be by his side.

“I think I still love you after all…”

The moisture that leaked from her eyes soaked his back.

Carlos, who had been silent until now, parted his lips with difficulty. He moved stiffly like an unoiled iron door.

After repeatedly clenching and unclenching his fist, he murmured while suppressing his emotions as much as possible.

“You… love me?”

She answered by nodding her head.

At the affirmative signal felt from behind, his clenched fist tightened with force. But he held onto his reason until the end and gave her one last chance.

“This is the last time…”

“…”

“If you don’t let go of me now, I’ll never let you go for the rest of my life. Are you okay with that?”

She answered by nodding her head. She couldn’t speak because of the emotions welling up in her throat.

Finally, Carlos turned around and held Ines’s face.

Tears were flowing endlessly down her white cheeks.

“I’ll ask one last time. Ines, you… are choosing me?”

“…Yes.”

Ha.

Carlos’s body swayed slightly as he let out a brief breath. As startled Ines was about to call his name, he regained his balance and tightly embraced her.

“This isn’t a dream, is it? Or did I die from that mere sword wound? Is heaven taking pity on me and showing me my last wish?”

His rambling voice trembled faintly. As if trying to confirm whether this was real or not, he caressed Ines’s body and breathed in her scent.

And realizing all this was real, he let out another sigh.

“It’s not… a dream.”

Ines holding onto him was reality, not a fantasy or dream. Shaking his head in disbelief, he embraced Ines with all his might.

“Thank you…”

His body holding Ines trembled slightly.

“For giving me another chance… thank you so much.”

She silently rested her face against Carlos’s chest.

Perhaps she would regret this moment later. Maybe she had made a foolish choice swayed by momentary emotions.

But at least in this moment, she felt she would regret it if she didn’t choose Carlos. Her heart, not her head, was telling her to hold onto Carlos. She had simply made a choice following her instincts.

Carlos’s hands cupped her cheeks.

“I’ll make sure you never regret choosing me.”

Carlos murmured, seemingly reading her mind.

“I’ll make you the happiest woman in the world. I’ll make you many times happier than all the happiness you’ve missed out on.”

His words were changing from doubt about the future to certainty.

Ines also gently caressed Carlos’s cheek while murmuring.

“I won’t regret it.”

With those words, Ines pulled Carlos’s face closer. Soon their soft lips met.

Carlos’s eyes widened at the unexpected kiss. It was a series of dreamlike events for him. Not only had Ines said she would stay with him, but she had kissed him first.

Soon his eyes, accepting reality, calmed their trembling and slowly closed. Then he parted his lips and tilted his head, yielding to her.

Sunlight-like hair slipped through his fingers.

In that moment when sweet and hot breaths intertwined warmly, the two fell into a distant dream. The gentle movement of tongues exploring each other’s mouths reminded them of the day they first kissed.

That day when they blushed like children, their hearts tickling with unfamiliar happiness.

Their hands gently caressed each other for a while, comforting the difficult times they had endured.

Ines, who broke the kiss first, murmured softly.

“This time we’ll surely be happy.”

Her hot breath tickled his face with each word. His chest tingled and he felt like he was floating on clouds.

“I’ll make it so.”

His gentle promise echoed in her ears.

There were still many things they would have to face ahead. Nevertheless, nothing felt frightening. It was a night when everything melted away – worries, as well as all the misunderstandings and resentment from before.

Like warm spring melting cold snow.

A Vulgar Proposal | The End