Is this what it feels like for your heart to plummet into an abyss?

Ines’s eyes quivered as if she were trying to grasp the meaning behind the man’s words. However, no matter how she interpreted them, they held no positive connotation.

“It really was the worst.”

He probably meant that sleeping with me was the worst.

This certainly wasn’t a conversation a couple should have after spending their first night together.

But soon, Ines smirked inwardly.

“Or maybe it is possible between us.”

Since Carlos hated her, perhaps it was.

As if to validate her thoughts, Carlos added more words. He spoke before Ines could even tend to the wounds he had inflicted.

“How about putting on some weight?”

His red eyes scrutinized her body, as if appraising it. This was not a positive sign either. Ines instinctively recoiled from his sharp gaze, which felt like needles.

In truth, Ines was noticeably thin. Her wrists looked so fragile they might snap if held too tightly, and her legs seemed as if they could be toppled with a mere push.

This was largely due to the recent circumstances that had not been favorable to her.

In suffocating situations, she often skipped meals, and even when she did eat, she usually ended up with indigestion after just a few bites. The little weight she had gained was a result of Carlos’s threats forcing her to eat.

So, if one only heard those words, it could be interpreted as a husband’s concern for his overly thin wife’s health. However…

“It hurts when bones collide.”

Naturally, his intention was far from warm concern for her well-being.

“There’s no pleasure in touching.”

Once again, Ines’s heart sank.

It was a statement that blatantly expressed his dissatisfaction.

It made her feel ashamed and unable to lift her head.

She thought she couldn’t be shocked anymore, yet today Carlos seemed determined to slice through her heart.

His words felt like a harpoon piercing her body. She barely managed to keep herself from collapsing as her legs weakened.

Ines lowered her head deeply, unable to face him. Her voice grew small, as if it were fading away.

“…I’ll try.”

Her words came out haltingly.

She couldn’t think of anything else to say.

But Carlos straightened his back, showing no intention of understanding her feelings. Then he answered her initial question with a detached tone.

“Have your meals alone. We’re not the kind who dine affectionately together.”

His gaze then fell on Ines’s bandaged hand.

Carlos scanned the wound with an unreadable expression before speaking quietly.

“You do all sorts of things.”

Once again, it wasn’t out of concern for her.

Ines hid her injured hand behind her back in response to his reproach.

Carlos returned to his seat as if he had nothing more to say.

The sound of the quill pen scratching resumed.

It felt like a dismissal.

* * *

By the time Ines reached her room, her face was noticeably weary.

After meeting Carlos, Ines couldn’t remember how she had managed to return to her room.

She leaned against the sofa, feeling as if she might collapse at any moment, and recalled what had just happened.

‘It hurts when bones collide. There’s no pleasure in touching.’

The man’s words, vividly etched in her mind, caused Ines to furrow her brow.

It had been a long time since she had heard such a blunt remark. It was enough to remind her of Joseph.

Perhaps it was because they were brothers; they both had a talent for making a person feel utterly miserable.

Did a bitter smile form on Ines’s lips? It vanished quickly, her expression hardening as if she had never smiled at all.

Then, as if trying to swallow her tears, she bit her lip.

‘The Carlos I knew wasn’t a man who would say such things.’

The man she had known wasn’t this cruel.

He had been the one who brought her comfort.

The one who had been like a lifeline to her.

Now, with just words and glances, he was slowly suffocating her.

She was growing weary.

Like someone who had just escaped drowning, even breathing felt burdensome.

She hadn’t asked much of Carlos.

She simply wanted to share a meal and express her gratitude. But what she received in return was…

Ines whispered softly, clutching her skirt.

“I don’t think it’s possible, Mother.”

There was no way she could return to how things had been with such a man.

There was no way for her to find happiness.

Her blue eyes were filled with despair and a vacant light. For a long time, her unfocused gaze wandered through the air.

Slowly, Ines raised her hand and touched her necklace.

‘This necklace… is it really a gift from Carlos?’

It was the necklace that had kindled a small flame of hope within her.

The promise he hadn’t forgotten, the gift he had given her…

This wasn’t a necklace you could easily find anywhere. So she didn’t doubt the attendant’s words when he said Carlos had given it to her. There was no reason for the attendant to lie, and at a glance, the necklace appeared quite precious.

“Sigh…”

Ines let out a low sigh and lifted her head. Her reflection appeared in the mirror opposite her.

Her face, as if it had weathered all the storms of the world, was devoid of any hint of a smile. The beauty she once had was as precarious as a candle in the wind.

Ines tried to force the corners of her mouth upwards.

But her face only twisted grotesquely, no longer beautiful.

She couldn’t remember how to smile. She couldn’t recall the smile that Carlos had once loved. She was no longer the praised flower of Tezever.

With a face shrouded in deep darkness, Ines murmured quietly.

“But it’s okay.”

At least Carlos hadn’t seen the scars on her body.

Not everything was hopeless. He hadn’t discovered her secret yet.

Feeling s*xual shame was far better than having her deeply hidden secret exposed.

If the day ever came when Carlos learned of her shame…

‘That guy only loves you because of a crow’s nature. He’s just dazzled by the shiny exterior.’

At that moment, a sudden memory from the past flashed through her mind.

A knock on the door was followed by the entrance of a maid into the room.

It was the same maid who had asked if she wanted to eat before going to Carlos.

“I heard you haven’t eaten yet. Should I prepare something for you now?”

The maid had returned to check on Ines after learning that she hadn’t dined with Carlos.

“…….”

Ines looked at the maid in silence.

Was it just her inferiority complex?

Having gone out claiming she would have a meal with Carlos, she returned alone, feeling as if the maid were mocking her.

Ines disliked herself for having such thoughts and turned her head away.

“I’m not hungry.”

There was no way she could swallow food.

Even if she drank water incorrectly, she felt like she would choke on it. Normally, she would have at least pretended to eat, recalling Carlos’s threat about cutting off the maid’s fingers.

But right now, she didn’t even feel like doing that. She just wanted to be alone. She feared someone might see her face, which had lost its composure.

“Yes, I understand. Then, I’ll just…”

The maid nodded in response. For a while, the king’s attendants had come to check if the queen had eaten, but recently, even those visits had become infrequent.

Thinking lightly that there was nothing left to report, the maid withdrew.

Ines watched the maid leave, her mind replaying Carlos’s recent words.

‘Why don’t you put on some weight.’

His sharp words, as if cutting into her flesh, continued to bother her, and Ines bit her lip. In the end, she called back the maid who was about to leave.

“Wait.”

“Yes?”

“Bring me the meal.”

It was unusual for Ines to change her mind, but the maid quickly got to work. Soon, she returned with a trolley and began placing dishes in front of Ines.

“Please let me know if you need anything.”

After a brief bow, the maid left.

Left alone in the room, Ines stared at the food. It felt as if she were having a staring contest with the silent dishes.

“Ha…”

She felt like she couldn’t eat at all. Just the smell of the food made her empty stomach churn. But.

After hesitating for a moment, Ines picked up a fork. She stabbed a piece of delicious-looking cooked meat and put it in her mouth.

Her expression was grim, like someone swallowing dry sand.

After chewing for what felt like an eternity, forcing herself, the piece of meat slowly went down her throat. And then…

Drip, drip—

At that moment, hot tears streamed down her pale cheeks. Droplets fell from her chin, gradually soaking the table.

Ines wiped her tears with the back of her hand and took another bite of the meat.

She felt as if she would choke again.

—

T/N: I feel so bad for Ines 🙁