The day's conference had taken up Rey Lueic's time and mind.

Not only that, but the news he heard this morning from Jovi also immediately made the man unable to think clearly now.


If Beatrice had decided to return to Munich, it meant that the nobleman's plan to buy time could fail completely. Because he knew that sooner or later, she would definitely appear before him.

Regardless of whether Beatrice had known that things had now taken a 180-degree turn or not, it was certain that Rey would have to prepare himself to welcome his former fiancée.

Which was probably, in the near future.


The man's head was filled with so many things, flying and twisting like tangled threads. Not knowing where to decipher, not knowing which side to suppress.

That was what finally made the nobleman still feel at home in his study, even when it was almost two in the morning.


Deliberately immersing himself in a pile of work, Rey hoped it would make him stop thinking. But as it turned out, it didn't help at all.

He even skipped dinner, and hadn't been out of there since bringing Luana back from Der Beste's building this afternoon.

"She's probably already asleep." Rey fiddled with a ballpoint pen in his hand, with his back leaning against the cushioned chair. "Luana, what should I do now?"

The question of course ended up hanging in the air, as the answer did not come.

How should I deal with you later?

How should I protect you later?

How should I behave in front of you later?

The questions continued to float, until Rey slowly moved from the chair he was in. Amidst the dim light that he had deliberately set up in his study, he crossed the room before reaching the doorknob.

His long legs were clad in knee-length casual pants and a bright gray T-shirt. His blue-tinged beady eyes looked charming even in the darkness of the night, as Rey walked down the stairs one by one.

Intending to head to the kitchen to make another cup of coffee since the servants must have fallen asleep, the man cut through the silence of the living room that connected to the kitchen ahead.

Rey initially thought he was the only one still awake in the mansion, until a rustling sound from up ahead caught his attention.

He was not alone.

Raising the level of awareness, Rey stepped closer. Their fridge seemed half open now, with contrasting lights.

"Who's there?" The man's voice echoed in the dimness of the remaining lights, as the person who had been in the kitchen raised his head slowly.

A small grimace.

"Luana?!"

The woman grinned with a chocolate bar in hand, along with her hair that seemed to have been ruffled carelessly.

"Mister, aren't you asleep yet?"

Rey squinted for a few seconds, before smiling faintly when he found Luana in front of him.

He had stayed up all night thinking about her. Even deliberately keeping his wife at a distance so he could think, but look how the universe brought him and Luana together down here.

"You haven't had dinner yet?" Grabbing a bottle of cold mineral water for starters, Rey aligned himself right next to Luana.

The satin pajamas that Mrs. Luiec wore seemed to glisten from the shining refrigerator light, as if drawing Rey's attention to the woman's body.

A body that... ah, no.

"I already ate, really," Luana said in between the chocolate melting in her mouth. "I don't know why I'm so hungry these days. That's why I woke up and went downstairs, sir. Are you alone? What are you doing?"

Rey took a few sips of his water, now turning to lean against the kitchen counter. Luana didn't seem to want to move from in front of their refrigerator.

"Why don't you tell Mare to deliver your food?" Rey glanced over as his hand closed the mineral bottle again. "Do you want me to wake her up now? What do you want to eat?"

Hastily shaking her head, Luana chewed and emptied her mouth a moment later.

"No! There's no need," she rejected quickly. "I don't want to disturb Mare's rest. Besides, there's plenty of food in this fridge. Thanks to you, who are not stingy when it comes to filling the fridge, sir."

Luana turned to take a sip of her medium-sized apple juice pack, when she turned around.

Letting her eyes meet Rey's, who had been staring at her intently.

"Do you want something to eat?" she asked. "Ah, you haven't had dinner yet, right?"

Just as Luana had shaken her head earlier, Rey did the same. "No, I'm not hungry. I was going to make some coffee."

"Coffee?" Luana's tone rose without him realizing it. "Coffee at two in the morning? Are you planning to stay up all night?"

Luana looked at the man attentively, and found that something seemed different about Rey that early morning. The dim kitchen light couldn't even obscure anything, as a tired look was clearly printed on the man's handsome face.

The light in Rey's eyes dimmed, and Luana was sure it wasn't caused by something like sleepiness or work. There was something else occupying her husband's mind, which made Luana take two steps closer.

"No coffee, sir," Luana tried to offer an alternative. "How about some warm milk? Maybe that will help you relax and fall asleep after this."

Something stirred inside, as Rey reflexively pulled Luana's waist closer. The noble's chest rumbled violently, trying to hold on between the gaping holes.

Luana, how am I supposed to deal with this?

There was something now whimpering in there. Something Rey tried to hide from his wife, but Luana caught it all too clearly.

Luana gave a small gasp when Rey narrowed the distance between them, letting their faces meet each other very close. The sigh became an audible sound, though neither Luana nor Rey backed away from it at all.

"Do you have a lot of work?" Luana softened her tone. "You probably need a break."

The minty scent that wafted from Rey's body infiltrated Luana's sense of smell, sending a sense of calm and adoration that she could not resist.

Rey's sturdy arms holding her waist succeeded in making Luana's blood rush violently, when she didn't know why it felt this good to be near Rey.

Something she should no longer dream about, because Luana had promised that one night was enough for her to have Rey.

She didn't want to anymore, even though her heart was against it. She wouldn't let Rey carve anything more between them, because it would only cause her more pain.

But sometimes the heart and logic don't go hand in hand. The fact that she wanted him, the fact that she wanted to be in his arms all the time.

Rey took a long pause before giving a faint shake. The man's gaze did not waver, as if he was examining what Luana was trying to emit from those beautiful irises.

"Kiss me, Luana."

Luana froze.

No, Luana. Don't do it.

Luana was still staring at Rey without being able to blink, as if her eyes were searching for what her husband was feeling.

Pain, anxiety, and a real loss of direction. Three things that Luana could capture from Rey's gaze at her that early morning.

"Please."

Half whimpering, Rey didn't know why it was already hurting too much in there. The man's body shook violently, as his head drooped to start bowing.

As if losing his soul, the man tried to get out of the trap of destiny that had already destroyed everything.

His heart, his life. No. His wife's heart. His wife's life.

The vibration of Rey's body stunned Luana, followed by a few eye rolls. The man looked nothing like himself at the moment.

"Rey."

Not knowing where the courage came from, Luana made a small murmur to call her husband's name, the man's pride.

Rey raised his head to look back at Luana, letting his blood rush when this was the first time Luana called him without the appendage 'mister'.

Back in each other's eyes, the two were silent for a few seconds.

Luana wanted to get out of there, so that she wouldn't be further ensnared by her husband's charms. A man who she might have to let go of someday, because the stroke of fate was that cruel for both of them.

"Everything will be fine," Luana whispered closer. Moving her face forward, the woman murmured softly. "No matter what you're facing, everything will be okay."

Rey was just about to open his mouth to reply, but Luana's soft and delicate hands were already cupped on both sides of the man's cheeks.

Silencing the nobleman before he even made a sound, Luana let her eyelids close as she initiated their kiss.

A warm kiss at two in the morning, on the side of the kitchen table that felt quite cold.

The grip of Rey's sturdy arms tightened around his wife's waist, as the strokes grew deeper and more savage.

Opening up to each other to explore their feelings, both Luana and Rey did not back down an inch.

The little sighs from Luana's melodious voice sounded even more intoxicating, and the two people seemed to have no intention of stopping this time.

Rey moved closer, tracing Luana's well-manicured neck.

The surface of the woman's skin welcomed each of her husband's pecking with equal passion, even though Luana knew this would only hurt her more in the future.

The apple flavor was still faintly on Rey's lips, just as he turned to sit Luana on their kitchen table.

Keeping her from leaving his side, because that was all he (probably) needed right now.

That woman, his legal wife.

Luana Lueic.