LOGINInside the hot spring club, steam lingered in the air, carrying a faint, soothing fragrance.The private bath area lay in near silence, broken only by the soft sound of flowing water.The moment they stepped out of the car, Bruce, as always, lifted Isolde into his arms and carried her with steady ease to the soft sofa bed in the private lounge. He set her down with care."You're hurt. You shouldn't be soaking. Just sit here and let the steam warm you. It'll help." He draped a thin blanket over her legs, every movement precise and deliberate.Isolde studied his profile at such close range, her gaze conflicted.Considerate? He truly was.But if he were truly considerate, why bring her here?In the end, she said nothing and only nodded.At her quiet compliance, as she suppressed every trace of emotion, a dark undercurrent flickered in Bruce's eyes before he forced it down.He straightened, his tone even. "I'll go change."Only after he disappeared into the changing room did the
Isolde's polite smile was now almost impossible to maintain. 'This man really is… skilled at playing both sides. While flirting with Claudia, he still makes a show of caring for his wife.'Bruce seemed completely unaware. He picked up a piece of cut steak with his fork and, as if by habit, brought it to Isolde's lips. His voice dropped to a low, magnetic tone. "The steak here is quite good. Try it."Isolde did not want to eat. Every part of her resisted. Yet in this situation, reason compelled her to obey, and she opened her mouth.The meat was tender and full of juice, melting on her tongue. The seasoning was precise, the quality unmistakably top-tier.'It seems this star-rated restaurant isn't a place Bruce has visited only once.' The thought tightened her throat, and the delicious beef suddenly became difficult to swallow. Humiliation, anger, and exhaustion surged within her."My hand hurts." Isolde's voice was cold and emotionless. "I want to go back.""It hurts?" Bruce immed
Claudia looked at Isolde with clear blue eyes. Her delicate brows drew together, and a hint of gravity settled in her gaze.Their eyes met.Isolde's stare was chilly. 'What did you promise?'Claudia gave a barely perceptible shake of her head. 'I didn't know you'd come.'As if oblivious to the tension between them, Bruce sat down, picked up the decanter, and poured wine for himself and Claudia."Princess, thanks to you, Isolde's hands will heal." He raised his glass, his tone as casual as if he were discussing the weather. "She's always wanted to thank you in person."Claudia did not fully understand what was happening, but years of attending grand occasions had taught her composure. Even if a mountain collapsed in front of her, she would remain unruffled.She clinked her glass against his. "It's nothing."Bruce's next sentence nearly made her choke. "It's just as well to get familiar. You'll have to interact sooner or later. Better to get used to it in advance."'Later?' Clau
"That's too dirty," Bruce spat.Ezra opened his mouth to speak, but his throat tightened and no words came out. He had never seen Bruce like this.Bruce spoke of his own ugliness with stark honesty, saw his desires and weaknesses with unsettling clarity, and guarded a "light" he might never reach with something close to humility."But…" Bruce's fingers tightened around the railing. "I'm not willing to accept that. I still want to try one last time. If she still doesn't care at all…"He fell silent for a long moment, long enough that Ezra thought he would not continue.Then, slowly and faintly, Bruce tugged at the corner of his lips. "Then I won't struggle anymore. I don't believe… that there's truly not even a trace of me in her heart."…At dinnertime, a maid came instead of Bruce. "Ms. Vancrest, the Prince instructed me to bring you to the dining hall."Isolde had been staring out the window, lost in thought. At the maid's words, her lashes trembled slightly. "Where is he?"
Ezra's hand, which had been idly toying with the lighter, stilled. The metal casing clicked, the crisp sound unusually sharp in the quiet night.He slowly turned his head, surprise filling his eyes.He raised a brow, his expression caught between curiosity and confusion. "What do you mean? Weren't you just about to win her over? Weren't you smug and satisfied a few days ago? What is this supposed to be now?"Backing out halfway, giving up at the final step… that's not your style, Prince."Bruce did not answer. He took another deep drag of his cigarette.The inhale was harsh and forceful, as if he meant to crush the surging emotions in his chest that had nowhere to go.After a moment, through the drifting smoke, he spoke in a low, heavy voice. "She… doesn't have me in her heart."Ezra froze."No way, right?" he said at once. "The way she treats you—""To her, every moment of staying by my side is torment," Bruce said, curling his lips in self-mockery.He thought of the way she
'Be rational. Be rational, be rational. The man in front of you is your greatest benefactor. I can't, and shouldn't, throw a tantrum at him. Endure, endure, I have to endure…'Isolde took a steady breath, careful not to show it, then slowly exhaled. The stiffness in her expression eased back to normal.She lifted her gaze, her tone calm. "Prince, if you went out, you must have had something important to deal with, right?"She tilted her head slightly, her smile flawless. "If I ask about everything, wouldn't that make me seem too inconsiderate?"'Considerate… Ha!' Bruce looked at her composed expression and felt a surge of twisted anger, laced with a deep, chilling coldness, rush to his head.He straightened abruptly and pulled away from her, no longer looking at her.His soaked shirt clung to his tense back, outlining sharp lines. With his back to her, his voice turned cold and hard. "Yes, you're very considerate."He raised his hand and glanced at his watch."It's almost time
Isolde glanced at the neatly arranged continental breakfast on the plate, curled her lip in disdain, and said with open disgust, "Bruce makes better ones. Yours are ugly as hell."She walked past Alan, opened the fridge, and took out a bag of toast. She would rather gnaw on dry bread than touch the
Isolde parted her lips as she stared at K's retreating back. Dejection weighed on her, yet this time she did not call out to stop him.Bruce noticed how she wilted at once, like an eggplant struck by frost, and his brows drew together almost imperceptibly.After a brief silence, he spoke. "Isolde,
On the screen was the smart TV's on-demand interface. It was clearly not a live broadcast channel.Sandra had been lying to him.Alan stared at the screen in silence for a long moment. His gaze hardened by the second.In a low voice, he instructed Maxime, "Call Sandra to the study. Then go to her
Spencer stormed out in a fury, his chest tight with anger.Back at Nightfall…Isolde moved with swift, decisive efficiency. She reorganized K's workstation and reassigned his duties.K sat in front of the computer, his face drained of life as he muttered to himself in despair,"Is Joker even stil







