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Chapter 2
Wednesday, 3 PM. Cyprine Hotel Lounge.
The person she was meeting was Kaiden Hegwin, a rising capitalist.
I want to talk with you about the Eldenberg land. Go and find out why that man wants that land.
Replaying her father’s message in her mind, Elaine checked the clock.
2:50 PM.
She had been standing in front of the hotel for nearly twenty minutes.
She knew she should go in before it was too late, but her feet wouldn’t move easily.
She was afraid of people’s eyes.
She already knew how they would look at her, what they would whisper.
Maybe meeting Kaiden Hegwin would only fuel those bad rumors even more.
But…
She wanted to change.
Doing nothing wouldn’t change anything.
Rather than continuing to live through misery, she wanted to try something—anything.
So she had to go in now.
Elaine finally gathered her courage and stood up.
The moment she entered the hotel, countless gazes landed on her.
Even though she wore a simple lace dress with minimal decoration, all attention still focused on her.
Some even whispered while looking at her.
Her head naturally lowered.
She hadn’t done anything wrong, but she still felt like a criminal.
Her steps quickened.
At the entrance of the lounge, a waiter noticed her and looked surprised.
Elaine forced a calm smile.
“Could you guide me to a slightly secluded seat?”
“Ah… yes. This way, please.”
The waiter quickly composed himself and guided her.
It was a corner out of people’s sight.
Kaiden Hegwin had not arrived yet.
Only after sitting down did Elaine look around.
The luxurious candle stands, furniture, and detailed interior decorations were still elegant and refined.
But what she loved most here was the piano performance.
Each melody flowing from the pianist’s fingertips always carried her to another world.
Sometimes gentle like warmth, sometimes calm and heavy, the music gave her comfort.
It felt like it cleared her messy thoughts.
She hoped today’s piano would calm her anxiety too.
But something was strange.
The performance was clearly ongoing, yet the sound felt unusually faint.
It was like a distant memory echoing far away.
While she was questioning this, the waiter approached again.
“Do you need anything?”
Elaine blinked blankly.
When she didn’t answer, the waiter asked again carefully.
“Is there any problem?”
“…Sorry, could you repeat that?”
“I asked if you need anything.”
Elaine looked at him, unable to hide her confusion.
Different sounds mixed and poured into her ear, but she couldn’t clearly distinguish his voice.
“Um… Lady Elaine? Are you alright?”
Her fingertips trembled slightly.
Hearing everything with only one ear made it impossible to tell what sound was what.
At that moment, she could no longer deny the truth.
Her face turned pale.
In this condition, she could not talk with Kaiden Hegwin.
She suddenly stood up.
The water glass hit her arm and fell to the floor.
CRASH!
The sharp sound echoed loudly.
All conversation stopped.
A heavy silence fell over the lounge.
All eyes turned toward her.
Panic pressed down on her chest.
Then—
A familiar voice cut through her fear.
“Elaine?”
She turned reflexively.
Not far away, someone she never expected was standing there.
Golden hair like sunlight.
Green eyes widened in shock.
He looked pale and exhausted compared to the last time she saw him.
But she recognized him immediately.
Enzo.
“Are you okay?”
Enzo approached her with a worried expression.
People around them began to murmur again.
Elaine stood frozen like a statue, staring at him.
His eyes were filled with confusion and concern.
“Are you hurt anywhere? Don’t move. Your ankle is bleeding.”
Her tightly closed lips trembled.
She couldn’t understand his words.
Just like the day she suddenly lost her hearing.
Back then, Enzo had also looked at her with that same worried expression, saying something she couldn’t hear.
The pain of that moment came rushing back vividly.
Elaine grabbed her throat with her hand.
She couldn’t breathe.
Her vision wavered, as if she had returned to that day.
Save me.
The words she couldn’t say stayed trapped in her mouth.
Even as she gasped for breath, Enzo was busy speaking with the waiter.
“Bring a first aid kit from the hotel. Quickly!”
Someone… please save me.
At that moment, when she felt like she couldn’t endure any longer, a hand rested on her shoulder.
“Breathe.”
A low, calm voice entered her left ear.
Elaine exhaled sharply, like she had been pulled out of water.
“Inhale slowly. Now exhale.”
The voice, close and clear even in the chaos, guided her.
Like a lifeline, she followed it—breathing in and out.
Her racing heartbeat slowly calmed.
“I think it’s better to go outside. What do you think, Lady Whitfield?”
Elaine nodded.
She didn’t even have the space to consider who the man was.
As long as she could escape this place, anything was fine.
She let herself be supported and walked.
But after a few steps, she stopped.
Enzo was standing in front of them.
“Wait. Where are you taking Elaine?”
“Please move.”
“Elaine is in no condition to move. We already called medical staff—she should wait here.”
“I think she needs rest in a quiet place instead.”
“She should wait for a doctor’s evaluation first.”
“Enzo, move. I just want to rest somewhere quiet.”
Elaine spoke with difficulty.
She couldn’t understand Enzo’s words, but she could guess from the situation.
But Enzo didn’t step back.
“Elaine, then come with me. Wouldn’t it be better if I stay with you?”
“Sorry, Enzo.”
She didn’t want to face him right now.
She lowered her gaze to avoid him.
“Let’s go.”
The man led her away without hesitation.
When they stepped out of the lounge and into the spring air outside the hotel, a cool breeze hit them.
The faint cedarwood scent from the man grew stronger.
It was a calming fragrance.
“Would you like to rest here for a moment?”
He gestured toward a bench.
Elaine nodded and sat down.
Fortunately, it didn’t take long for her to regain stability.
She slowly raised her head.
Only then did she see the man clearly.
Tall and broad-shouldered.
Sharp jawline, well-shaped lips, straight nose.
Deep eyes and neatly styled black hair.
When her eyes met his golden gaze, she felt a strange pressure and flinched.
He was the one who helped her, but somehow he felt intimidating.
Yet his voice had been gentle when asking about her condition.
“Are you still having trouble breathing?”
“…No. I’m much better now. Thank you for helping me. May I ask your name?”
“You’re welcome. I should introduce myself properly.”
The man stepped back slightly and smiled.
“Nice to meet you, Lady. Kaiden Hegwin.”
Elaine’s eyes widened in shock.
Kaiden Hegwin.
The very man her father had told her to meet.
Did he notice her hearing problem?
Even though she knew it was unlikely, she still felt nervous.
She had always hidden her condition carefully.
Partly because of the Fredman family’s request, but also because she feared it would become a weakness.
A weakness was the same as handing a knife to your opponent.
A lesson she had learned in childhood.
Elaine forced a calm smile.
“Ah… so you are Kaiden Hegwin. Sorry. You mentioned wanting to talk about the Eldenberg land, right?”
“We can talk about that another time. For today, I think you should go home and rest properly.”
“But…”
“If you feel uncomfortable, let’s do it this way.”
Kaiden knelt down on one knee.
“What are you doing? Please get up—ah!”
Elaine tried to stop him, but a sharp pain shot through her ankle.
She gasped softly.
Blood was seeping from a cut, likely from glass shards.
“Stay still.”
Kaiden wrapped a handkerchief around her wound.
His hand supporting her ankle felt warm.
It was only first aid, but for some reason, she felt embarrassed.
His careful touch felt both comforting and strangely ticklish to her heart.
By the time he finished and stood up, Elaine quickly looked away.
She felt like she had been caught staring at him.
To hide her awkwardness, she spoke first.
“This kind of behavior only makes me more uncomfortable.”
“I have a request that may be a bit much for you.”
“What kind of request?”
Standing against the sunlight, Kaiden looked down at her.
In the shadow, his golden eyes deepened.
Dangerous—but strangely captivating.
“Once a week. Would you spare some time for me?”
