The rain outside fell in soft sheets, a lullaby for the world. The servants retired to their quarters, Butler Hong snored faintly in his room, and even Shin finally retreated to his study with a glass of wine, brooding over Yeri's stubbornness.
The house was quiet.
But not for Lianna Neri.
Her fever dragged her deeper into the abyss of her mind. Dreams twisted into memories, and memories warped into hallucinations.
At first, it was dazzling. The blinding glow of chandeliers, polished silver trays carried by silent waiters, the clatter of crystal wine glasses. Perfume and laughter mixed in the air, the sound of violins rising above polite chatter. Children darted past, playing games, their laughter bubbling like champagne.
It looked like happiness. It sounded like celebration.
But then the smiles sharpened. The music soured. The whispers began.
"Isn't that the young Madam Neri?"
"She looks okay, nothing exceptional. How disappointing."
"She climbed far above her station. Look how arrogant and conceited she acts like she belongs."
One whisper turned into two. Two became a dozen. Suddenly, every corner of the glittering ballroom had eyes on her. Lianna felt her gown grow heavier with each breath, suffocating her, the silk wrapping her chest like a noose.
Another voice hissed at her back.
"What a shameless woman. Does she think we'll forget how she clawed her way into that family?"
"She's only standing here because of Dr. Neri. Without him, she's nothing."
"If she were my daughter, I'd have killed her already. Such a disgrace."
The words sliced at her from every direction. Lianna tried to speak, tried to explain herself, but her lips wouldn't move. She lifted her hands, but they were trembling violently, pale as marble.
The chandelier above flickered, its lights dimming, then burning too brightly until her vision blurred. She staggered back, the floor beneath her feet tilting like a sinking ship.
Her reflection flashed in the wall-length mirrors one after another.
Each version of herself worse than the last.
One mirror showed her face twisted with pride.
Another with desperation.
Another with torment.
And finally, one that didn't even look like her at all, a stranger's hollow-eyed, painted smile.
"No," Lianna croaked in the dream, shaking her head. "That's not me. That's not—"
But the reflections spoke in unison, their voices overlapping with the crowd.
Shameless. Disgrace. Parasite. Climbing without worth. Unfit. Unwanted.
She covered her ears, but the voices grew louder, clawing into her skull.
"Married for years and still without etiquette!"
"She can't even carry herself properly. Not surprising for someone immoral."
"She should have been dumped long ago."
Her knees gave out. She sank to the floor, hot tears burning trails down her cheeks. Her body shook with fever, her dream-self unable to rise. No one offered a hand.
The glittering shoes of the crowd passed her by, the hems of their gowns brushing against her as if she were no more than dirt beneath their feet.
A child's laughter rang out again...shrill, mocking this time. She looked up. The children who had once played innocently now pointed at her, their eyes sharp and cruel.
"Witch."
"Beggar."
"Not a real madam."
Lianna's sobs filled her ears, blending with the distorted music, the laughter, the scorn. Her chest burned with heat, her skin aflame as though the fever in her real body had followed her into this world.
She tried to wake, clawing desperately at the edges of her nightmare, but it swallowed her whole.
The ballroom melted into shadows. The chandelier above cracked, shattering into shards of glass that rained down like a thousand falling stars.
The guests disappeared, but the whispers remained, echoing endlessly in the dark.
Shameless. Unworthy. Replaceable.
Alone, Lianna curled in on herself, shivering violently in the dream and on the bed where she lay.
The rain outside washed against the windows, steady and soft, but it could not drown the torment in her mind.
And so the night stretched on, endless, merciless.
For others, it was a night of warmth and peace.
For Lianna, it was a night of fire, shadows, and whispered knives.
---
The next morning, Yeri felt so comfortable she almost didn't want to wake. Her bed was warm, the blanket perfectly snug, and her body felt cocooned as though the rain outside had wrapped her in peace.
Except… something wasn't quite right.
Her back, in particular, felt unusually hot. And there was… weight? Something heavy pressing against her waist.
Groggily, she cracked her eyes open, blinked once, twice, and then nearly bolted upright.
Shin Keir!
This shameless man had actually barged into her guest room and slipped into her bed, when? How? She hadn't even heard the door!
But no, there was an even more pressing matter.
She hadn't had pajamas last night. She had gone to bed in nothing but her underwear.
Yeri's molars ground together as she clenched her jaw, forcing her temper down with every ounce of patience she had. If she screamed, the entire villa would hear. If she slapped him, Master Keir might very well storm in thinking she was being murdered.
But did he really have to wrap his arm so securely around her waist? His skin was hot against her bare back, his breath steady, his face maddeningly serene as though he were the most innocent creature on earth.
Yeri: "…"
Of course, this wasn't the first time they'd ended up sleeping together naked, circumstances in the past had thrown them together in far more compromising situations. But this was different. This was his family's villa. Other people were present. And while Master Keir might be warm and welcoming, that didn't mean she could behave improperly. Every action of hers reflected not just on her but on the Zhi family name.
Shin, meanwhile, was still dead asleep. His face looked almost angelic, a cruel contrast to the shameless reality of his actions.
Yeri sighed heavily. With painstaking care, she slid herself out of his grip, wincing as his arm fell across the sheets.
Luckily, her wet clothes from last night had already been laundered and neatly folded. She dressed quickly, then picked up a pillow.
WHAM.
She slammed it down onto his handsome, sleeping face.
Not that it mattered. The man didn't even twitch.
Grinding her teeth, Yeri decided to spare him for now. Consider it her act of magnanimity. But oh, she would have her revenge later.
---
That morning turned out far livelier than the usual quiet that hung over the Keir villa. Saeki's unmistakable chatter could already be heard echoing from the dining room, filling the house with exaggerated laughter and gossip.
Butler Hong had risen early too, busy tending the rose garden in anticipation of making larger batches of his beloved rose tea.
When Yeri entered the dining room, Saeki waved at her enthusiastically. "Sister-in-law! Good morning! Did you sleep well?"
She forced a polite smile. If only he knew.
Master Keir gestured to a seat. "What would you like for breakfast, child? Don't be shy."
"Anything is fine," Yeri said quickly. The last thing she wanted was to impose further.
But Master Keir narrowed his eyes slightly, studying her. "You look a little red. Was the guest room uncomfortable? Did you caught a cold?"
Yeri immediately shook her head, cheeks warming. "No, no—it was fine. I was just… I mean I must have rubbed my face too hard while washing."
Almost on cue, the estate doctor arrived for an early visit. Butler Hong ushered him in, and together they checked on Lianna.
She was still asleep, but the fever had subsided a little. The doctor scribbled instructions for her meals, emphasizing mild food once she woke, and left behind fresh medicine.
By the time the clock struck eight, Shin finally stirred awake. His hand reached instinctively across the bed only to find cold sheets.
His mouth twitched.
He had originally told himself he would just slip in quietly last night, steal a glance at Yeri's sleeping face, and leave before she stirred. But then… she had looked so peaceful. The temptation had been unbearable.
So he had stayed. And one thing led to another until he found himself sleeping beside her, the calmest he'd felt in years.
Now, however, reality dawned. She had already discovered him. And knowing her temper, she was likely fuming.
Shin exhaled, pressing his palm against his forehead. He was indifferent to other women, or those demoness that Tristan called the Capital's treasures, utterly unmoved by their faces or their schemes. But Yeri, Yeri could strip away every layer of restraint, stirring emotions, desires, and madness he'd never thought himself capable of.
And this time, he had been caught red-handed.
He could already imagine the look she'd give him at breakfast. The sharp arch of her brow. The deadly quiet of her voice when she scolded him.
Shin sat up, raking a hand through his hair, a crooked smirk tugging at his lips despite himself.
Yes, she was angry. But wasn't it thrilling to be the only one who could make her flare up like that?
At the dining table, Shin met Yeri's gaze. Normally, she would have retracted her eyes quickly, but this time was different.
Yeri stared at him ominously, her dark eyes narrowed, lips pressed into a line that could have cut glass.
Shin raised a brow, lips tugging into that infuriatingly lazy smirk of his.
Yeri really wanted to shove a whole raw bitter gourd into his mouth and see if he could still smile so slyly after that. But never mind, she knew exactly how to piss him off.
The best way? Treat him like thin air.
So, she turned her head slightly, completely ignoring him.