Chapter 2
The words that came out of Dylan’s mouth were extremely cold, as if the intense gaze he had shown just moments ago had never existed.
His attitude was absurd and hard to understand, but Seo Mia calmly regained her composure. Without looking away from Dylan, she stepped back and wiped her lips with her finger.
“I need more time to think about what happened today. I will give you an answer in a few days.”
She could still feel the saliva on his fingertips. Mia gently held his hand and pointed it away without losing her calm.
“And I think it would be better to avoid acting so suddenly.”
“Self-control?”
Dylan asked with a slight smirk, as if he found her words amusing.
He moved closer, took her hand, and gently lifted it. Then he straightened each of her curled fingers. Mia looked down at her palm in his hand. It felt as big as her stomach.
He held her hand tightly and naturally pushed his fingers through the sleeves of his clothes.
She could feel the warmth of his body through the soft fabric she was wearing.
Dylan pressed his fingers firmly against her delicate wrist. The air between them grew tense again.
She tried to pull her hand away, but his grip was too strong.
“Self-restraint? Why should I do that?”
“Because what you wanted was a bed.”
Mia tried to keep her expression calm, but she struggled. Her composure was slipping, not only because of Dylan’s intense gaze but also because of the way he held her wrist.
As Dylan stepped even closer, Mia froze without realizing it. She tried to look away, but he leaned in even more.
“I will live with you like a real couple.”
He took one step.
“Spending time together.”
He took another step.
“Sharing a bedroom.”
Mia barely managed to pull away to escape the closeness. But Dylan refused to give her space.
“We will come together again and again.”
The moment ended when Mia’s back touched the wall.
Dylan reached out and gently grabbed her chin as she looked around, biting her lip in embarrassment. He applied light pressure and turned her face toward him. Before she could respond, Dylan’s hand moved to her lips, which had turned red from the rush of blood.
“I don’t plan to just lie around in bed.”
His finger pressed firmly against Mia’s lower lip.
Just the touch of her fingers and the memory of the tongue that had once touched hers began to stir in her mind. Dylan spoke softly while gently stroking Mia’s lower lip.
“Whatever you imagine, you will feel and experience even more than that.”
Mia felt her throat tighten as she met his blue eyes. At that moment, Dylan moved his face closer to hers.
He locked eyes with Mia, who stared back at him without any visible reaction. He let out a slow laugh along with a quiet sigh.
“So Mia, if you do not intend to stay, then I suggest you step aside now.”
Silence filled the room, so complete that even the sound of breathing faded away. Then a bell rang, cutting through the quiet.
The sound came from the phone in Dylan’s office. It kept ringing without stopping. Dylan turned his head with a hint of irritation. Only then did his eyes, which had been fixed on Mia like heat, finally shift away.
He clicked his tongue once and walked back to his desk with calm steps. He picked up the receiver. Mia, who had been frozen in place, finally let out a quiet breath.
As always, Dylan spoke to the caller with a firm and cold tone.
Was it the way he moved so deliberately? Or was it that his lips looked even redder than before? Mia could not look away. Her eyes focused only on his lips.
When she saw his tongue move gently inside his slightly parted mouth, Mia flinched. She slowly lowered her hand and folded the contract she had left on the desk.
Then I quickly left the warm office.
“Long live Admiral Richard”
“Long live Her Highness Princess Seydimia”
Mia’s steps toward the annex gradually slowed. She paused and turned to look out the window.
A week had passed since the end of the war was officially declared, but the area in front of the residence was still full of people. They clung to each other, smiling and laughing, enjoying one another’s company despite the late summer heat.
The war between Murad and Hippoly, the two nations that had been enemies for twelve years, had finally ended. Voices continued to rise, praising Mia and Dylan for their efforts and sacrifices.
A servant standing beside Mia followed her gaze, looked out the window, and spoke in an excited tone.
“The main building is closer to the front gate than the annex, so I think that is why the sound is so clear.”
At those words, Mia turned her gaze to me.
Her eyes looked empty and distant, as if the excitement and warmth outside were just an illusion. The servant, unaware of her feelings, continued speaking brightly.
“The streets of Hippolyte are filled with stories of your bravery.”
Mia listened to his words quietly, offering no strong reaction.
“The most talked about story is that the Queen of Murad, a royal by blood, helped Hippolyte bring the war to an end.”
The servant paused, realizing too late what he had just said. But the words had already been spoken, and he could not take them back. He quickly tried to change the subject, happily listing everything that had contributed to Murad’s defeat.
Even as he continued, the servant looked uneasy, worried that Mia might have been hurt. He lowered his voice slightly.
“The people of Hippolyte call her a hero who ended the endless war. The people of Murad call her a saint who freed them from a corrupt royal family.”
“Is that so?”
“Everyone says that if we tried to list all of your accomplishments, we would never finish.”
The compliments continued, but they did not seem to reach Mia.
Maybe it was because I had lived with a name I never chose. Maybe it was because the name they kept calling, Seydimia, had never truly belonged to me. Not in the past, not now, and not in the future.
That is why this discomfort in my throat will not go away.
It must be because I am deceiving everyone.
Feeling her mouth go dry, Mia began to walk again. Just then, a loud noise echoed from a distance. The servant who had been watching through the window frowned.
“We need to strengthen security in front of the official residence. It seems more people are coming in because they cannot bear the intense heat.”
“We should enjoy ourselves. The long war is finally over.”
Mia’s reply was warm and graceful, as always. Her words carried the dignity of someone born into nobility.
“By the way, Madam, there will be a banquet at the royal palace tomorrow. When should I begin preparations?”
“It starts late in the afternoon, so I think we can begin getting ready around lunchtime.”
They soon reached the end of the corridor connecting to the main building. Unlike the main building where Dylan usually stayed, the annex was quiet and peaceful. Mia entered with light steps and gave a gentle nod to the waiting servants.
As Mia arrived, the servants in the annex turned on the gaslights with practiced ease. The room, already bright, lit up even more as she walked through.
“As always, do you need help with bathing and changing clothes?”
“No, I usually do this myself, so there is no need to worry. Just help me with my hair and makeup.”
Her voice did not carry the tone of royalty, but the servants were used to it. Mia had spoken this way since the first day she arrived at the residence.
She nodded as she stood in front of the door.
“I am tired today, so I will go to bed early. You do not need to dine separately. Please enjoy your meal.”
With those words, she stepped inside the bedroom. As the door closed, a small sigh escaped her lips.
It was only then that I noticed my palms were damp with sweat.
“I was nervous.”
I tried to unclench my hands, which had stiffened from tension. Sweat rolled down from my palms. At the same time, I thought of Dylan and the weight of his presence earlier.
Mia usually did not dwell on the past. She believed it was pointless to waste emotions on things she could not change.
But the moments with Dylan kept replaying in my mind, as clear as if they had just happened.
Mia placed the contract on the dressing table and wiped her lips with the back of her hand. After fixing her hair, she swept it over her shoulder. She reached for the zipper and pulled it down with care.
Her loose clothing slipped off, revealing the thin layer beneath.
Her pale skin, though seemingly flawless, was marked by old scars.
These were the lasting traces of the abuse she had endured at the Murad royal court.
There was no sign of Princess Seydimia, the girl who had once been raised with love. Mia stared blankly at her reflection in the mirror, eyes filled with quiet disgust. Slowly, the light in them faded.
