Chapter 5 I Say My Name, Princess.

“Say my name.”

Hagen touched the tips of their noses purposefully, causing Camellia to momentarily pause her breath. “That way, I’ll let you go.”

Camellia’s chest started to rise and fall. Her lungs started screaming for air in an instant. There was something about the man’s closeness that made her feel trapped.

Uncomfortable, Camellia’s tongue’s tip brushed against her slightly wet lips, drawing Hagen’s attention unintentionally.

As soon as she realized her mistake, Camellia pursed her lips, lightly biting the inside of her cheek, and cursed to herself.

The girl in front of him was acting so naively, and Hagen couldn’t resist the temptation. He purposefully brushed Camellia’s lips with the tip of his thumb, which caused the girl’s eyes to bulge like the full moon and caused her to immediately choke on her breath.

“Are you having trouble pronouncing my name, Princess?” Hagen asked in a low, masculine voice.

She had silky, rosy cheeks, and this enhanced her beauty.

Camellia, after she’s clearing her throat then muttering softly, “Blake.”

Hagen’s eyes widened as Camellia whispered his name in a feminine tone. He quickly removed his hand from her lips and moved back to create some space between them.

Hagen remarked with a small chuckle, “See, it’s easy to say my name.”

Camellia’s two hands were clenched into fists on the sides of her body. She was aware that the man was intentionally harassing her right now.

Camellia stated firmly, “You haven’t addressed my question before.”

She resisted stooping down herself in the face of Hagen’s attitude and gave him critical look instead.

Duncan’s family has been in existence for over five generations. She shouldn’t let that man deceive her again like he did before. Her grandfather would roll around his grave and scolded her weakness.

Hagen’s face hardened once again. He obviously disliked it when others tried to bargain with him.

His remarks are already prominent. Everything he said was absolute; nothing could be changed after it was said. In order to avoid the repercussions, it is necessary to complete what he asked.

He stared at her with a questioning look, “You want to refund my money that’s been stolen for five years?”

Camellia briefly considered going back to her room and staying there for several days. Blake Hagen seemed to attempt to undermine her sanity, and she detested dealing with him.

She retreated three steps as Hagen approached.

The girl decided she didn’t want to put on an act of toughness in front of the man because it was draining her energy.

Hagen immediately slowed down after noticing Camellia’s distress and shaking hands behind her body. He remained silent for a while, waiting for the girl to speak first.

“Let me figure this out, and I promise to return every penny we owe you. One year is a very brief period of time.” Camellia stammered, “I—I just can’t put it all together so quickly.”

She didn’t care about her ego any longer because the man had already devastated her.

Hagen said in a stern voice, “I’ve said no.”

Camellia found it difficult to hold back the tears that welled up as she met his piercing gaze. The man gave no indication of caring about her plea.

Hagen purposefully moved his head to look at the wall that once held a million-dollar painting. He looks coldly at the empty wall because there are no longer any signs of the Duncan family’s former greatness after five generations. All that’s left is a shadow, which shows that something covered that wall for a long time.

Camellia bit her lower lip unconsciously until she felt blood because the man’s rejection had hurt so much.

“Right now, my father is sick and needs medical attention, so I─”

“Do you think I’m interested in the depressing tale you’re about to tell?”

Hagen’s attention swiftly shifted back to Camellia, who appeared to be standing flimsily in the center of the nearly empty room.

For some reason, Hagen found that repulsive.

Anger and other strange, conflicting emotions suddenly rose to his chest and rebelled to come out. Hagen detested the sensation of having the sympathy, so he ignored the emotions.

“Princess, listen up. Imagine that anyone who steals from me is allowed the tiniest amount of freedom.” The fiery stare he gave Camellia caused her to repeatedly swallow saliva and avert her gaze so she wouldn’t see Hagen’s face covered in rage. “In that case, I will most certainly not be able to succeed like this,” he hissed. “When word of the Duncan family’s devastation spread, I even gave your family some time to grieve.”

Camellia clenched her pajamas ever so firmly in response to the man’s statements. She detested being made aware of the moment her life fell apart.

But, Camellia stated anxiously, “I can’t pay my family’s debts within a year.”

Where else did she ask for help? The only one with the authority to show mercy is the man himself.

How low does she have to go to win his cold affection? “You look at this house, Mr. Ha─ I mean Blake.”

Camellia almost managed to say the man’s name without stumbling. She was in a challenging situation already, and she didn’t want it to get any worse. Camellia extended her arms, rearranging her erratic pounding heart. This implied that the man should open his eyes wide and take in his surroundings.

“Look at this house. I don’t even have a sofa to host visitors. Consider what you might find there. I believe you will definitely understand with just looking around my empty room.”

Camellia attempted to ignore the obsidian guy in front of her as his eyes glared at her, and she went on.

“How could I possibly pay you when I have no assets to offer?”

The moment the words left her mouth, Hagen’s smirk began to form at the edges of his mouth. The man came over, but Camellia held on to her legs and remained standing where she had been, both of them been fixedly gazing at one another.

Then, like he had done at the start of their earlier meeting, Hagen tilted his head, focusing on her entire body.

He spoke more to himself and asked, “There’s nothing you can offer?”

Camellia wanted to hug herself and wrap her hands around her body because she thought Hagen’s expression was odd.

She really didn’t like the way he seemed to strip her naked just by staring.

Camellia understood where the man’s mind was headed, instantly making her heart boil.

“W-what are you doing?”

Camellia’s arms were actually wrapped around her waist without her realizing it. This is a sign of defensiveness and being uncomfortable.

Hagen didn’t behave like a gentleman; he stared intently at Camellia. His eyes seemed to keep going back to her chest that she had covered with her arms.

“I give all my attention to you. What else I am looking at?” he whisper, followed by a frightful grin that sent chills down Camellia’s spine.

She suddenly felt cold, and her hair stood straight.

“Mr. Ha─, I-I … mean, B-Blake,” Camellia said in a slightly quivering voice.

Under the piercing gaze of his obsidian eyes, she finally lost it, “S-stop looking at me.”

Hagen touched her cheek. He held her face between his palms this time, and then he spoke softly, “I give you three choices,” with a very compassionate expression but a discordant grin.