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Chapter 02 ….
“Cough! Cough!!”
It’s already been four days since this life began.
But that psycho still hadn’t even given me so much as a bowl of thin porridge.
Does he have some twisted hobby of starving people to death?
No, maybe not.
He gives me just enough water to keep me alive, which means he probably just enjoys watching me suffer.
My entire body felt limp, as if all the blood had been drained from it.
At this rate, I might actually starve to death soon.
I suddenly felt sorry for all the food I’d ever left unfinished.
Creak—
A broken wooden door that looked decades old swung open with an unpleasant sound.
And there, behind the door, was his detestable face.
Strangely, today he appeared carrying a neatly arranged meal.
The steam rising from the meat and soup made my throat involuntarily gulp.
I learned the hard way today that when a person goes without food for several days, reason disappears and they become a beast.
Food… I wanted it so badly I could cry.
“Hello, Elena.”
Tap.
The same greeting, the same tone as always.
The same clothes, the same hairstyle.
He placed the tray on a dusty old desk and slowly approached.
The sound of his shoes echoed through the stone floor—clack, clack—filling the room.
“You’re quiet today.”
“……”
As he wished, I stayed still without baring my teeth.
After days of hunger, I didn’t even have the strength to resist.
“I brought you something because I don’t want you to die.”
“Ha…”
Only now he’s worried I might die?
Should I be thankful for that?
“You look better than before.”
My curly, light pink hair tangled in his fingers.
I didn’t even have the strength to shake my head, so I just let him do as he pleased.
“Just kill me instead…”
I didn’t want to continue this story whose ending I could already see.
If he was going to starve me to death, he might as well kill me now.
“Why would I kill you?”
He looked at me lovingly.
His eyes were full of affection.
“You’re going to be my bride.”
“You lunatic…”
If only I could dissect his brain, maybe this pain wouldn’t exist.
I couldn’t stand listening to the nonsense spilling out of his mouth without passing through any rational thought.
“You really need to fix that foul mouth of yours.”
He bent down and slowly brought his face closer.
Between his long black lashes, I saw his red irises glimmer.
“Is that any way to bare your fangs at me?”
“Shut up…!”
I growled like a dying lion, acting purely on instinct.
He smirked, cold eyes staring at me.
“Maybe your lips are the problem.”
Warm breath grazed my rough, cracked lips.
We were so close that if either of us opened our mouths, we’d touch.
“Or… is this what you want?”
He laughed playfully, moving his lips slowly.
The warmth between us felt disgustingly filthy.
“Cute.”
“Get lost…!!!”
I whipped my head away and screamed with the last bit of strength I had.
My insides twisted so much I nearly dry-heaved.
“Cough… cough…! Haa… ha….”
“So you still have enough energy to fight back.”
“Ah…!”
My chin, forced upward, faced him.
His drowsy gaze traced my eyes, nose, and lips slowly.
“How long do you think you can last?”
The corners of his mouth lifted faintly.
His low, crawling voice seeped into my ears.
“This is my specialty, after all.”
I curled one corner of my lips upward in defiance, a metallic rasp escaping my throat.
“But I don’t have much patience.”
He uncapped the water bottle with his teeth.
“Drink.”
“Urgh…!”
He poured the water straight into my mouth.
It overflowed from the corners of my lips, soaking my clothes.
Through the damp fabric, the curves of my body became clearly visible.
“Oh my, what a clumsy mistake for a lady.”
“Haa… haa…!”
With a fake smile, he pulled out a white embroidered handkerchief and slowly wiped the water from my neck and hair.
“You filthy bastard…”
I glared at him with murderous intent.
“Such a foul mouth.”
He froze his hand midair, bent down, and met my gaze.
“Use pretty words, okay? Elena.”
“How many came before me…?”
My unfocused eyes wandered aimlessly into the void.
Surely, there were others before me who suffered the same fate—
girls brought here as “brides,” played with until they broke, then discarded like dolls.
“……”
He frowned and turned away instead of answering.
“If this disgusting fetish of yours is ever exposed, it’ll destroy you too!”
I forced out the words between ragged breaths.
“Elena.”
His warm hand caressed my cold cheek.
It almost made me feel warmth returning to my body.
“You’re all I have.”
“Heh…!”
I didn’t even have the energy to be swayed by his words anymore.
An overwhelming emptiness wrapped around me; I felt like I could faint any second.
My wet body began to tremble.
Even though it was spring outside, this place without sunlight was chilling.
“Why me…?”
Is bad luck a talent too?
How could I be so miserable in both my previous and current lives?
At this point, it felt like God was toying with my life at will.
I had lived this second life so fiercely, hoping to erase the misery of my first—
And yet God hadn’t given me a single chance.
Tears welled up in my eyes like a sudden spring shower.
“Why me…”
Would dying here bring happiness, or regret?
Or would it just be a hollow death with no time to feel anything?
When he lifted my drooping head, the tears spilled down my cheeks.
“When you cry, it makes my heart weak.”
“Hands off…”
I forced the words out between my teeth, raising my trembling eyes to glare at him.
“Don’t cry, Elena.”
He looked serene, even as I cried before him, dying.
The gentle smile on his face overlapped with the image of a devil.
His fingers brushed the tears from my eyes.
“This won’t do. I’ll come back tomorrow.”
He smiled lightly, straightened up, and turned away.
Standing by the desk, he picked up the tray with the food again.
“Ah…”
A flood of thoughts clashed in my head.
If I didn’t eat, I’d really die.
No matter how miserable my life had been, I didn’t want to end my second chance like this.
I squeezed out the last of my strength and called out to him.
“Wait…”
Did I imagine it, or did I see a faint smile on his back?
The tall man slowly walked back toward me, carrying the food.
The soup had cooled a bit with time, but it was still warm.
He leaned down close, red eyes meeting mine.
“Something you want to say?”
This might be my last chance.
Like a reaper asking for one final statement before death.
I silently stared at the tray in his hand.
He stifled a laugh and spoke.
“Oh, this. You want to eat?”
“……”
My trembling eyes met his.
Some primal instinct told me that if I didn’t answer, I’d die here.
If I clung to useless pride, I’d end up a skeleton.
Eventually, I slowly nodded.
“Good girl.”
He set the warm food on the floor and lifted a bowl of soup with a spoon, bringing it to my mouth.
After four days of starvation, I devoured it greedily.
I never knew food could taste so precious.
Even when I lived like a vagrant, at least I could eat.
“You’re eating well.”
As he watched me eat, he gently brushed my tangled hair, like petting a puppy eating obediently.
I ignored his words, opening and closing my mouth just to swallow more food.
The sensation of food sliding down my throat was pure bliss.
“You sure are eating well.”
One by one, the bowls on the tray emptied.
As the pile grew, my starved stomach finally began to fill.
With that fullness came a new question: why was he feeding me after nearly killing me?
“What do you even gain from this?”
My slow, flickering gaze turned toward him.
He set the tray down and gently stroked my pale cheek.
“You.”
“……”
His face showed no emotion as he looked at me.
I couldn’t figure out what he wanted.
“What are you thinking… I’m not some rich noblewoman, I’m just—!”
“I know.”
He pressed a kiss to the tips of my curly hair.
Half-lidded, his sensual gaze seemed to bewitch.
“I just need you.”
“Why me…?”
I didn’t understand.
Why would someone like him want someone with neither status nor wealth?
“Because I love you.”
“Heh…!”
My frozen brain thawed instantly.
I couldn’t help but laugh at his sudden confession.
“Love…?”
My crumpled face didn’t smooth out easily.
I asked again, my expression sour.
“You love me…?”
“Yes. More than you can imagine.”
I was bewildered.
I’d never experienced love, but I knew what it was supposed to mean: to treasure and cherish.
Was using and imprisoning someone like an animal the definition of that word?
“Stop talking nonsense…”
“I’m serious. I love you so much.”
A mocking smile curled my lips.
This man’s words were so ridiculous that even the faintest feeling of pity for him vanished.
I stared at him with shaky eyes and said sarcastically,
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“It’s not ridiculous, Elena.”
The strength I’d regained from the food began fading again.
Talking to someone not in their right mind was exhausting.
I tasted the faint tang of blood on my dry lips.
I lowered my head in frustration and closed my eyes.
Was there any way to escape this?
This repetitive conversation felt like a hamster wheel.
“If you really love me, then untie me.”
I clenched my teeth and declared as if this were my last chance.
He froze for a moment, as if actually thinking. Then he spoke.
“Then what will you give me in return?”
“Ha…”
He wanted to make a deal?
Was he clever or just cunning?
Either way, I had no choice but to play along.
If he really untied me, it’d be my best chance.
“Then I’ll love you too.”
I mustered my best pitiful gaze.
All those years in my college drama club weren’t for nothing.
I put on the performance of my life.
“……”
Without a word, he stood and moved behind the chair.
The cold touch of his fingers against the rope made me flinch.
“You won’t regret this.”
Despite my words, inside I was celebrating, ready to bolt the moment I was free.
As soon as he loosened it, I’d run straight out that door.
“But, Elena.”
“Yes.”
The soft scent of blackberries from him tickled my nose as he moved.
The ropes binding me slowly began to loosen.
“Did you really think I’d let you go?”
His mocking voice filled the quiet room.
It felt like I’d been struck on the head.
“You’re not that stupid, are you?”
He tied the ropes again and approached me.
Then he gripped my chin, forcing me to look into his eyes.
“Cute.”
“You sick bastard.”
“If that’s how I can make you call out to me, I’ll welcome it anytime.”
He gently took my hand, knelt down, and kissed it.
His warm lips melted against my skin.
“May our love last forever.”
