Chapter 3

To stay alive, I had to put on a show.

The next morning, when I woke up, Nathan was already gone.

On the nightstand, a brand-new dress and a note were there. His handwriting was strong and confident, almost pressing right through the paper.

It read: [Wear it. Come downstairs for breakfast.]

I picked up the dress. It was a white lace gown that looked almost ethereal.

It was beautiful, but definitely not my style.

I changed into the dress and limped out of the room.

As soon as I got downstairs, I saw Nathan sitting at the head of the long dining table, looking like he'd been robbed of great fortune.

However, he thought inside, 'She's coming down.

'She's wearing the dress I picked out. She looks gorgeous, like a real fairy.

'See? My taste really is top-notch.'

Trying not to laugh, I slowly made my way over and sat down right across from Nathan.

The table was absolutely packed with breakfasts of different styles. It was a feast for the eyes.

But, of course, not a single thing was something I actually liked.

I absolutely hated milk, but Nathan had it served anyway.

I never ate sweet, sugary bread, but he made sure it was on the table, too.

Nathan shot me a cold look. "What are you staring at? Eat."

He thought, 'Why isn't she eating?

'Aren't girls supposed to love this stuff? Strawberry cake, macarons, milk, and oats...

'Did the books totally lie to me? Or maybe she hates what I picked?

'I must've messed up. That's why she's not happy.'

I picked up a piece of toast and, acting casual, asked the maid next to me, "Excuse me, do you have any egg dishes?"

The maid jolted and gave Nathan a helpless look.

Nathan's expression turned more sour.

"Eat what's here," he said, not taking no for an answer.

He thought, 'She likes egg dishes? Is she so ordinary?

'How could I not know that? Man, I'm really failing as a husband.

'Alright, tomorrow I'll get her the best egg dishes in the whole city, no matter what.'

I lowered my head and quietly nibbled on the dry toast in my hand, while my inner gremlin was cackling and doing cartwheels.

As long as I kept doing the exact opposite of what he expected, I could have him completely wrapped around my finger.

After finishing this so-called loving breakfast, Nathan got up and barked out an order.

"Stay in the mansion. Don't step outside." With that, he strode out without another word.

He thought, 'There are way too many bad people out there. What if someone tries to kidnap her?

'Especially the Carter family. They're definitely up to no good. I can't let them get anywhere near her again.

'If I keep her locked up here, where only I can see her, that's the safest way.'

Nathan's possessiveness was seriously over the top.

I instantly put on a tearful, puppy-eyed expression, staring at him with all the innocence I could muster. "Are you leaving? Is it for work?"

Nathan stopped in his tracks, but didn't bother to look back. "Don't ask about things that aren't your business."

He thought, 'Wait, is she worried about me? Is she actually concerned?

'My heart's racing again. I'm losing it.

'Quit hanging around in front of me. If you keep doing that, I won't be able to stop myself from grabbing you and holding you tight.'

I got it. I instantly stepped back, acting all weak and vulnerable, head down, with a hurt tone in my voice. "Well, then come back early."

Nathan disappeared through the doorway.

But in my head, I could practically hear him having a meltdown. 'Come back. That's not what I meant. I'm just shy.

'Babe, don't misunderstand. I'll come right back to you.

'Why did I leave? I should've stayed with her.'

I was sure at that moment.

Nathan was the ultimate tsundere, always acting cold and tough, but deep down, he was a total softie.

Whatever he said out loud was never what he was actually thinking inside.

The books painted him as some savage monster, but I saw it was his way of keeping people at arm's length, a defense mechanism, nothing more.

I mean, how dangerous could a guy really be if his heart started racing every time he said a few words to me?

I wandered around the mansion in a great mood.

The Knight family's mansion was insanely huge and super fancy, but it felt cold and empty, more like a museum than a real home.

I wandered into the garden and saw a few gardeners tending to the flowers and shrubs.

An idea flashed through my mind.