When Reina woke again, sunlight was already streaming through the curtains.
For a moment, she lay still, staring at the ceiling.
After her grandfather's passing, she hadn't slept this deeply in a long time—nor woken this late.
The room was quiet.
Rui Griffin was gone.
Slowly, she looked down at herself and realized her nightdress had been changed. Her body felt clean, refreshed.
So… last night wasn't a dream.
She pushed herself upright—only to freeze.
A deep soreness spread through her entire body.
Reina winced, her brows knitting together.
"…He really didn't hold back," she muttered under her breath, her cheeks warming despite herself.
Fragments of the night before flickered through her mind—blurred, overwhelming, impossible to ignore. She buried her face briefly in her hands.
Then, after a pause, she sighed.
"He's my husband now…" she whispered.
Avoiding this forever wasn't realistic.
Still…
Maybe she really did need to start exercising again.
Reina let herself fall back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling once more, her thoughts drifting.
At that same moment, Rui Griffin sat behind a mahogany desk in his office.
A photo frame rested in his hand.
Sunlight filtered through the window, casting a warm glow across his sharp features, but his expression remained distant.
He studied the photo in silence for a long time before finally setting it down.
Then, without another glance, he returned to his work.
By the time Reina woke again, the sky had dimmed into evening.
She tried to sit up.
Bad idea.
The moment she shifted her weight, a sharp ache ran through her body. Her legs trembled, and she nearly lost her balance.
"…Seriously?" she muttered, half-annoyed, half-embarrassed.
She had always been active—jogging, even taking pilates classes. There was no way her stamina should be this bad.
And yet…
Here she was.
Defeated.
Reina let out a small, helpless laugh at herself.
"Okay… maybe I do need to train again."
Just as she was lost in thought, she heard footsteps approaching.
Her heart skipped.
Before she could react, the door opened.
Rui Griffin entered, carrying a meal tray.
Reina instinctively lowered her gaze, suddenly unsure how to face him.
There was a brief silence.
Then—
"I'm sorry."
She blinked.
His voice was low, steady… but sincere.
"I'll be more careful next time," he added. "Eat first."
Reina looked up in surprise.
A man like him—calm, commanding—apologizing so directly felt… unexpected.
It left her unsure how to respond.
"…Thank you," she said softly.
Right now, food did seem like a very good idea.
After eating, exhaustion quickly caught up with her again.
Rui noticed immediately.
Without a word, he moved the tray aside and helped her lie back down, pulling the blanket over her with surprising gentleness.
"Rest," he said.
Reina didn't argue.
When she woke again, it was already night.
The room was dim, quiet—except for the faint sound of pages turning.
She turned her head.
Rui was sitting nearby, reading.
He noticed her movement instantly and closed the book.
"How are you now, Babe Rei?" he asked, walking over.
Before she could answer, he leaned down and brushed a light kiss against her forehead.
Reina stiffened slightly, still not used to the closeness.
"I'm… okay," she murmured.
He studied her for a moment, then pulled her gently into his arms.
"…I feel sticky," she admitted after a pause, her voice small. "I want to take a bath."
Without hesitation, Rui stood.
Then, before she could react—
He lifted her.
Reina's eyes widened in surprise as her arms instinctively wrapped around his shoulders.
"You don't need to force yourself to walk," he said calmly, carrying her toward the bathroom.
Reina stared at him, momentarily speechless.
This man…
He could be overwhelming.
But at the same time—
unexpectedly gentle.