Unmasking Souls

Through The Layers of Your Mask

Author's Note:

Thank you for being patient with the cliffhanger from the previous chapter, hahah.

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He had kissed women a thousand times before, did a hundred other physically satisfying things with them, but nothing could compare to the feeling of kissing Lady Go Eun for the first time. Her lips felt cold and motionless underneath his, and the only thing it caused was to burn him, wanting unbelievably more. So he cradled her nape and chin, aiming to enjoy those lips more.

She must have moved without him realizing it, because the next thing he knew was a cold feeling of metal on his throat.

He let her lips go and pulled back a little.

Lady Go Eun was holding a small blade in her hand, her eyes were horrified, and the sharp end was only an inch away from his skin.

Min Ho was utterly shocked.

For a split second, the thought that she was an assassin sent to kill him crossed his mind. But it can't be. If she's an assassin, she wouldn't refuse the marriage.

"Go Eun-ah. What are you trying to do?"

"I told myself that I must endure this," she said, only a little louder than a whisper, "I should endure this. But I can't. Apparently, I don't want to. Because heaven help me, I hate you so much!"

It must be insanity, but the frantic words of hatred made Min Ho held her closer.

"Then kill me. Go on. If you have the courage to start it, finish it!"

He saw her expression turned to determination and she touched the sharp end to his neck.

"You're a horrible man. If you don't exist, maybe it's better for this world."

"Then what are you waiting for?"

She tried to press the edge to his skin.

But her hand started shaking and her eyes were filling with tears of anguish.

Maybe the thought of taking someone's life was too much for her to bear, and in the end she couldn't do it.

Oh my lady......how long ago was it that I had the doubt of taking a life? If only you know for real how many people I have ordered to kill in order to guard my brother's throne.......

"An attempt to murder the royal blood deserves punishment worse than death. You know that, right?"

"I do," she said quickly, turning the sharp edge to her own throat in a split second, pressing it without a doubt, making a little scratch of blood on her white neck.

His heart stopped beating for a second.

And then he roughly grabbed the blade from her hand and threw it behind him. He pushed her down on the bed afterwards, his hands gripping her wrists, his weight imprisoning her.

"NO!" she screamed.

"Lady Go Eun. Listen to me. Your life is mine. I forbid you from stealing it from me. If you dare do so, you wouldn't even be able to imagine how I will torture your dear family to death."

She was crying, shaking and trembling uncontrollably in fear, trying to take her hands off of him.

This girl is completely terrified, Min Ho thought.

She was shutting her eyes, face to the side, tears streaming down, wetting the silk sheets.

The cut from the blade on her neck was small and hardly noticeable, but bleeding nevertheless. Min Ho wiped the blood clean, making her flinched and tried to shrink away.