Hana couldn't sleep.
The mansion was quiet, but her heart wasn't. Something Mi-Ho had said earlier clung to her like perfume—sweet but heavy.
She slipped out of bed, walking barefoot through the dimly lit hallway. Maybe tea would help, or maybe she just needed a breath away from her thoughts.
But as she neared the kitchen, hushed voices drifted from the study.
She froze.
It was Mi-Ho and his sister, Ji-A.
"…so you're finally admitting it?" Ji-A's voice, teasing but curious.
"I never said that," Mi-Ho muttered, clearly irritated.
"Oh please, oppa. I saw the way you looked at her tonight—like she's the first real thing in your world."
Silence.
Then Mi-Ho sighed, long and tired. "It doesn't matter. I'm not supposed to love her. That's not what this marriage was for."
"Maybe not," Ji-A replied softly, "but you already do."
Hana's breath caught.
Her fingers curled into her robe, heart hammering. She shouldn't be listening—but she couldn't stop.
"She deserves to be free," Mi-Ho continued. "Not tied to my baggage. Not trapped in this lie."
A lie?
Hana backed away, careful not to make a sound.
The words cut deeper than she expected. Did he think this was all pretend? Was her heart one-sided?
She ran upstairs before the tears could fall. Not because she was hurt.
But because a part of her… was starting to hope.