Affection's Facade

The rooms have ears

Elera's present pov

"Where were you?" Jae-hoon's voice resonated with a hint of urgency as he trailed behind me.

Brushing my fingers against my face to dispel the remaining grogginess, I took a deep breath before responding, "Do we really need to go through this endless questioning, Jae-hoon?" I sensed the familiar throb of a headache beginning, and without thinking, my fingers migrated to the base of my neck, trying to knead away the pressure. "You saw me. I stepped out of the car with him," I muttered, a sigh escaping my lips.

There was a slight hesitation in his steps before he closed the gap between us slightly. "Elera, I broke things off with So-Yeon."

As I rifled through the shoe rack, searching for a pair of clean slippers, unamused at his revelation."Well, aren't you the gallant one? It would have been in incredibly poor taste, even by your standards, to pursue that relationship after what happened to me."

His face tightened at my words, a brief moment of vulnerability flashing across his features. Regaining his composure, he said earnestly, "My concern for you was genuine, Elera."

Jae-hoon swiftly bridged the gap between us, arms reaching out to wrap around me in an intimate embrace. But I held myself stiff, standing still within the circle of his arms, allowing the warmth of his body to radiate against mine but not reciprocating the gesture.

My emotions were neutral, and my thoughts felt miles away. I remained unamused at his attention. With a deep inhale, I confessed, "Perhaps now I can see a glimpse of how you felt when you watched me grapple with my emotions. I can somewhat fathom the twisted sense of satisfaction in seeing someone else's pain." As I voiced these words, I distanced myself from him, heading towards the grand staircase.

His hands, previously encircling me, now hung limply at his sides. "Elera, that was never my intention. I never reveled in seeing you struggle," he protested.

Pausing at the foot of the stairs, I shot him a pointed glance. "The problem is, Jae-hoon, you never truly recognized the depth of my struggles. As I said before, come to me when you have the heart of your mother, or the hole for her burial. Otherwise, don't come at all."

As I prepared to ascend, a fleeting movement at the edge of my sight stopped me. There, sneaking away from the corner of the corridor, was Mi-Kyung, one of the household maids. There was an unmistakable shiftiness in her movements, and for a brief second, I was sure I spotted the sheen of something metallic clutched in her hand.

My foot halted in mid-air, attention riveted to the fleeting silhouette of the maid as she slipped into an adjacent hall. Sensing my sudden stillness, Jae-hoon moved to my side, his eyes scanning the direction of my focused stare.

"What caught your attention?" he inquired, a shade of concern in his voice. Our eyes met briefly, and then mine drifted back towards the corridor.

"Perhaps if you're sincere about proving yourself, you might want to start by keeping a closer eye on your household," I hinted, nodding subtly in the direction Mi-Kyung had vanished.

His brow furrowed slightly, a shadow of confusion passing over his face.

With a dismissive gesture, I conveyed my reluctance to delve further into the topic at the moment. The smooth silk of my shirt brushed against my fingertips as I adjusted the cuff. "Ms. Ko, could you please join us?" I asked.

Emerging from the vicinity of the kitchen, Ms. Ko approached with grace, deftly wiping her hands on her apron. "How may I assist you, Madam Elera?"

"Do you know where Mi-Kyung is? If so could you kindly request Mi-Kyung's presence in my bedroom?" I replied with measured calm, "I'm in need of some assistance with my hair."