Chapter 00
The girl stood beneath the broken moonlight. Her soft, platinum-blonde hair shimmered in gentle waves under the pale glow. Her skin was as pure as freshly fallen snow on a winter’s day, drawing his eyes without effort.
Her green eyes were full of life, like the first sprouts of spring. Her small, high nose and full red lips looked as though they’d been stained with petals. Her delicate, striking features—so much like her brother’s—made him feel sick.
She was just shy of adulthood, her face lightly flushed with excitement. The rosy blush on her cheeks showed her mood clearly.
Elaine Aiola.
She was the girl he now had to seduce with everything he had.
He rustled the grass on purpose, making his presence known. Her gaze turned to him immediately. He didn’t hide—he stood fully in view.
“Who are you?”
Her eyes instantly narrowed with suspicion. She didn’t know who he was, but spoke down to him naturally. Of course she did. She was an Aiola, after all.
He reminded himself of that, swallowing the hatred that always followed. Up close, she looked even younger than he’d expected. Sickeningly beautiful.
“I said, who are you?”
She asked again when he didn’t reply. At last, the man—who had been calmly watching her—smiled softly.
“My name is Dominic Cheshire, my lady.”
“Cheshire?”
It was a name she didn’t recognize. Was he one of the guests at tonight’s party? Elaine furrowed her brow and stared at Dominic. Her fingers trembled slightly behind her back. She couldn’t hide her unease around this strange man.
She looked like a small, helpless lamb dropped in front of a predator. Dominic’s lips curved into a slow smile.
“It’s a humble name, unworthy of being spoken before the noble Lady Aiola.”
He bowed politely as he lowered his head. Her tension eased slightly. Dominic noticed the change right away. Adding a charming smile, he reached out his hand to her.
“Would you grant me the honor of walking by your side until your stroll is over, Lady Aiola?”
“…Ah.”
His black eyes, locked on hers, looked like the deep, lonely sea at night. When she saw her reflection in them, her cheeks flushed even deeper.
After a moment’s hesitation, Elaine gently rested her hand on his. The estate wasn’t a place where just anyone could wander in, and no fool would dare to harm her—especially not someone invited to the party.
With that reassurance, her suspicion eased.
“Thank you, Lord Cheshire.”
Dominic lowered his cool lips onto the back of her soft hand. As he pressed them there like a seal, he could feel her hand tremble slightly in his grasp. But he didn’t let go. He held her hand even tighter, pretending not to notice.
Whoosh.
A cold breeze brushed past them. Even in the dark, he could see her gasp quietly—and he nearly laughed.
How foolish.
She didn’t even know why he had approached her.
Only after several long seconds did Dominic lift his lips from her skin. Elaine, her hand burning, quickly pulled it into her sleeve and rubbed it. A soft chuckle slipped from Dominic’s mouth.
Elaine paused and looked up at him, confused. He took a step back and smiled gently.
“Shall we begin our walk, my lady?”
Elaine nodded quickly and stepped to his side.
The first meeting between Dominic Cheshire and Elaine Aiola was born from a cruel, hidden purpose.
Elaine was the only one who didn’t know.
To Dominic, the man I came to hate.
By the time you began to feel regret,
I had already started regretting every moment I loved you.
Your sorrow burned and boiled.
Mine was cold, sinking deeper with time.
Your tears—hot and desperate—could never melt the frozen weight of my regret.
You and I… the warmth of our regret was completely different.
That’s why I will never forgive you.
“My beloved Aiola.”
That voice always whispered sweet, gentle love into Elaine’s ears.
“You make me feel like I matter.”
The words that came from his lips were always so kind, so tender. She had loved that deep, smooth voice more than anything.
“I love you, Elaine. Next spring, let’s…”
He once spoke of a love that would never fade. But now, that voice she had adored sounded so unfamiliar.
“Me? Love Elaine Aiola?”
Elaine had been looking for Dominic, holding a ball of thread she’d clumsily stitched together, pricking her fingers along the way. She hoped it would be a small gift that could bring a little warmth into the cold, quiet Aiola mansion.
But then she heard a voice—his voice—coming from another woman’s room. And she stopped in her tracks.
“Dominic…?”
Through the slightly open door, she saw two figures standing close.
“And… Vanessa.”
It felt wrong. One was the man she loved. The other was Vanessa, her brother Fernando’s wife. They should have had no reason to be alone together. Nothing in common. Nothing to say.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Vanessa.”
Since when were they so familiar? Calling each other by name so casually?
While Elaine stood frozen, confused, the man she loved spoke again—his voice cold and unfamiliar.
“There’s no way I could ever love that foolish Aiola girl.”
For a brief moment, Elaine couldn’t understand what she had just heard. Her green eyes—eyes he once called beautiful—blinked slowly, as if trying to make sense of it all.
“Cruel Vanessa. You knew exactly who I loved.”
The man’s voice dripped with icy sarcasm as he stepped closer to the woman with flame-red hair. His hand moved lazily, his fingers pressing gently against her lips. Slowly, his face lowered toward hers, their breaths mingling.
“I’ve only ever loved one person. From a very long time ago.
You.
Vanessa—my cunning, wicked princess.”
Elaine, still unable to make sense of what she was hearing, finally broke down when she saw the two share a passionate kiss. She dropped to the floor, clutching her swollen belly in shock.
Thump…!
Her heart plummeted, landing hard inside her chest.
What is happening right now? Why is my Dominic kissing my brother’s wife?
Suddenly, Vanessa’s eyes met Elaine’s in midair. In that instant, her gaze narrowed sharply, and something wild—almost unhinged—flickered across her face. Then Vanessa let out a cackling laugh and shoved Dominic away.
“You love me? Not Elaine—me?”
“Yes, Vanessa. Not that foolish Aiola girl. You.”
Dominic confirmed it without hesitation, pulling Vanessa into his arms and whispering sweetly.
“I love you, Vanessa. There hasn’t been a single day I didn’t love you.
Even when I whispered false love into that wretched Aiola girl’s ear.”
Elaine couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Even though it was happening right in front of her, her heart refused to accept it.
Dominic… my Dominic… how could you…?
A chill crept over her body. Sharp pain twisted in her lower stomach, and she curled up, trembling. Just then, Vanessa’s lips curled into a wicked smile.
“What about the child she’s carrying? Your child?”
At her sharp question, Dominic’s shoulders stiffened.
“…Just a sacrifice. To destroy the Aiolas from the inside.”
Elaine’s hand, still wrapped protectively around her belly, clenched tightly.
“I hate everything about the Aiolas. The day I tear Fernando Aiola apart will be the day I’m finished with that dumb girl, too.”
His voice was dripping with hate. The black eyes Elaine had once adored were now burning with murderous rage.
Vanessa, whose hands had never known a day of hard work, gently stroked both sides of Dominic’s face. She leaned in close, resting her head on his chest, and whispered something only he could hear.
“….”
Silence. It dragged on.
Elaine, crouched in the corner, felt her heart pounding violently in her chest. Her fingers curled into fists as she tried to keep herself together.
“…If that’s what you want,” Dominic finally answered.
He pulled Vanessa into a tight embrace and whispered:
“If you want a child, then I’ll tear that woman open and give you her baby, Vanessa.
And if even that disgusts you… then Elaine Aiola and the child inside her—both of them…”
Suddenly—
HA HA HA!
A shrill, unhinged laugh filled the room. Vanessa threw her head back, howling with delight, the corners of her bright red lips stretching nearly to her ears.
“You idiot, Dominic! The foolish one isn’t Elaine—it’s you! You didn’t even realize she’s been here, listening to everything!”
“…!”
Shocked, Dominic shoved her aside and looked toward the doorway. And there, trembling, was the woman carrying his child. Elaine sat collapsed on the floor, staring at him with wide, unbelieving eyes—her face pale, her body frozen.
“Elaine…?”
Dominic stood still, stunned.
“Look at her stupid face—like her whole world just ended!” Vanessa shrieked with laughter, pointing at him like a madwoman. “And you still say you don’t love her? That you love me?”
Then, her voice dropped to a deep, eerie tone—no longer sounding like herself.
“She finally knows what kind of devil you really are, Dominic. And she should.
A monster like you should never be loved by anyone!”
As if possessed, Vanessa let out another burst of deranged laughter and stormed out of the room. Her echoing cackle faded into the distance.
Silence fell.
Only Elaine and Dominic remained.
Suddenly, his expression twisted into something harsh. He stepped toward her with heavy, angry footsteps.
“…My dearest Elaine.
When did you develop such a bad habit—listening in on other people’s conversations?”
The proud, once-graceful daughter of House Aiola had never seen this side of him before. Her mind went blank. Her lips parted, trembling.
“You… did that to Brother Fernando…?”
“So clever, my Aiola,” Dominic chuckled dryly. “It only took a few words to piece it all together.”
Elaine gasped. His laughter didn’t match the situation at all. The man she’d loved now seemed like a total stranger.
“But how could someone as smart as you not see this?
That I could never love a disgusting Aiola woman?”
The words pouring from his mouth didn’t feel real. Elaine shook her head again and again, silently pleading for it not to be true. Dominic looked down at her with a cold, twisted smile.
“Still don’t understand?
You were never more than a pawn—a sacrifice I offered to bring down this house.”
His handsome face and deep voice became instruments of cruelty, delivering truth like knives.
“You.
And the child inside you.”
He bent down toward the trembling Elaine.
When his hand reached for her belly—
Smack!
Elaine shoved him away with all her strength.
“….”
His face hardened instantly.
“Filthy, pathetic Aiola wench.”
“Kh…!”
Suddenly, he grabbed her by the collar. Her small, frail body—barely able to sit upright—was hoisted into the air.
“Always looking down at others with that high-and-mighty face. And now you eavesdrop like a rat—”
“Let go… let go of me, Dominic!”
Elaine flailed, struggling to break free.
“And you still claim to be a noble Aiola?”
“Please—your hands… let me go…!”
Her voice cracked and shook as she clawed at him, hitting and scratching at his arms.
“Stop moving, Elaine!”
He shouted, shaking her violently in frustration. Then—when Elaine bit down hard on his hand—he let go without meaning to.
Thud!
She staggered back and collapsed to the ground.
“…Ah.”
Dominic let out a soft sound of disbelief. He stared between his stinging palm and Elaine’s crumpled body.
“Elaine, I didn’t mean to—”
But she was already on her feet, glaring at him through teary eyes. Without a word, she turned and fled.
“Elaine!”
His shout followed after her.
She made it as far as the grand staircase leading to the central lobby before he caught up again.
“D-Don’t come any closer!”
Her green eyes—once filled with love—were now full of fear. This wasn’t the Dominic she knew. This man, wearing Dominic’s face, terrified her.
She pulled away from him as he reached out—and when she shoved him back, her balance tipped.
Her body swayed.
“Elaine!”
His voice—so frightening, so unfamiliar—grew distant.
Her world spun as she fell. Slowly, she shut her eyes. And opened them once more.
Thud.
The sound of impact felt far away.
Red.
Blood soaked her vision as her thoughts began to slip.
It hurts…
It hurts so much…
Her whole body screamed in pain. Her hands instinctively clutched her burning stomach.
Dominic… it hurts… so much…
Elaine’s eyes closed as she lost consciousness. A wave of darkness washed over her, swallowing every last trace of light.
