As if the heavens could no longer bear the weight of her words, thunder rumbled above them and rain began to pour.
Cold droplets slid across the dark water as Clover stood facing Dylan, her hands clenched tightly at her sides.
"I want to go back."
Her voice was sharp, heavy with anger.
Dylan stood still, no emotion written on his face. It was impossible to tell what was going through his mind.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
"You saw everything tonight."
The image of Kate's mocking smile flashed through Clover's mind, sharp enough to sting.
"She humiliated me in front of everyone."
Her throat tightened, but she forced the words out.
"And you just stood there."
Her voice shook.
"Do you really hate me that much?"
She let out a broken laugh.
"Even if I were nothing to you… was that really the right thing to do?"
Clover finally broke.
Dylan's expression didn't change.
"So what was the point of bringing me there?" she asked bitterly. "Just to embarrass me?"
Still, he said nothing.
That silence only made it worse.
Clover stepped closer.
"You brought me there, watched me get humiliated, and now you expect me to act like nothing happened?" Her voice trembled with anger. "I'm tired. I want to go back to my world."
Dylan finally spoke.
"I can't."
His voice was low.
Even if I want to.
Clover froze.
"What?"
"Your world has been sealed."
For a second, she simply stared at him.
The rain fell harder, the sound of it filling the silence between them.
Dylan's gaze remained steady.
"If I force the barrier open, the demons will find a way through."
Clover's lips parted.
He continued, his voice calm, almost too calm.
"They will enter your world. And once they do, nothing there will be spared."
Clover felt her chest tighten.
"No…"
"It's the truth."
She shook her head, her breathing uneven.
"No, you can't just say that."
Dylan stepped closer, rain sliding from the dark strands of his hair.
"You are here for a reason," he said. "Only you can return yourself."
Clover stared at him as if she had stopped understanding anything at all.
He kept making this harder for her.
"I just want to go home," she whispered.
For the first time that night, her voice sounded small.
Dylan looked at her, unreadable.
"Then stop being unreasonable."
Clover went still.
A sharp, disbelieving laugh escaped her.
"I'm being unreasonable?"
She lifted her head slowly, anger flashing across her face.
"I was humiliated tonight."
Her voice broke.
"You saw it. You did nothing. And now you're standing here telling me I'm unreasonable?"
Dylan's jaw tightened.
"There are other matters to deal with."
Clover stared at him.
Then she laughed again, but this time it sounded empty.
"Of course."
Her eyes glistened.
"Just like every other time."
She stepped back.
"You have nothing to say."
Dylan's expression hardened.
"When you calm down, we can talk properly," he said coldly. "If you refuse to return with me, then you might as well sleep here."
Before Clover could react, he turned and walked away.
Just like that.
She stood there, stunned, the rain soaking through her clothes.
Her lips parted, but no words came out.
He really left.
Clover let out a shaky breath and slowly sat near the stone ledge, wrapping her arms around herself as the rain continued to fall.
She didn't even care anymore.
Let it rain.
She lowered her head, trying not to cry.
Then she heard another voice.
"Hi."
Clover looked up.
A man stood before her with an umbrella in hand.
It was him.
The same man from the hall.
Miguel.
He smiled faintly.
"Hi again."
Clover blinked, then gave a tired nod.
"…Hi."
Miguel tilted his head. "Can I sit?"
She hesitated, then nodded.
He sat beside her, angling the umbrella over both of them.
For a moment, he said nothing.
Then he glanced at her.
"You shouldn't expect less from Dylan."
Clover said nothing.
Miguel's smile deepened slightly.
"He left you, didn't he?"
Her silence answered for her.
Miguel leaned back, his tone lazy.
"That's just who he is."
Clover looked away.
"Ruthless. Hard to please. The type who can ruin someone's life and feel nothing."
Clover swallowed.
Miguel watched her carefully.
Clover rose to her feet.
"I should get going," she said quietly.
Then she looked at him, her expression guarded.
"You don't have to use me to get back at Dylan. Whatever score exists between you two, don't drag me into it."
That made him pause.
Then his gaze sharpened.
He stood up after her.
The rain had begun to soften.
"I might know a way to help you."
Clover turned to him.
"How?"
Miguel looked at her for a long moment.
Then he smiled.
"Your face."
She frowned.
"What?"
"Your face is your strongest card."
Clover stared at him.
Miguel lowered his voice.
"Dylan may look untouchable and impossible, but the face you wear is enough to crack the mask he hides behind. Use that."
Clover's breath caught.
Miguel smiled faintly.
"Even if I wanted to hurt you, I can't. So you don't need to be wary of me… unless I decide I truly want an endless war with Dylan."
His eyes gleamed with amusement.
"I can't hurt you. But you can hurt yourself enough to hurt him."
Clover was speechless, trying to process his words.
Miguel stepped closer and lifted the umbrella over both of them again.
"I'll drop you off," he said with an easy smile. "Though there's always a price for crossing paths with Dylan."
Clover said nothing.
Miguel only smiled sweeter.
"Come on."
After a brief hesitation, Clover nodded.
They entered the waiting carriage and soon stopped in front of Dylan's mansion.
Under the umbrella, they walked inside side by side.
The grand hall was warm, bright, and painfully quiet.
Clover stepped in with Miguel, their voices light, almost casual.
And there, seated on the large chair at the center of the hall, was Dylan.
One leg crossed over the other.
Watching.
His crimson-gold eyes lifted the moment they entered together.
Then he stood.
Slowly.
The air shifted.
Miguel smiled like he enjoyed it.
"I'm only bringing the lady back," he said smoothly.
Dylan's gaze moved from him to Clover, then back again.
"You two are quite interesting."
Miguel's smile widened.
"Your kingdom has been peaceful lately, Lord Miguel," Dylan pointed out.
With a playful tilt of his head, Miguel replied,
"Thanks to you, Lord Dylan."
The words sounded polite.
The meaning beneath them was not.
Clover could feel it immediately.
Miguel and Dylan were not friends.
Not truly.
They were rivals dressed in courtesy.
Before the silence could sharpen further, Miguel turned sweetly to Clover.
"Goodnight, miss. I'll see you another time."
Clover gave a small nod.
Miguel walked away, leaving the hall.
He was about to step into his carriage when one of his assistants rushed toward him.
"My lord!"
Miguel turned.
The man bowed quickly, panic written all over his face.
"Sir, the ships were attacked. We lost everything."
Miguel's expression darkened instantly.
"What?"
"Our supply line was hit. Nothing remains."
Miguel's jaw clenched.
Then a dangerous smile touched his lips.
"I expected no less from you, Dylan."
He cursed under his breath, entered the carriage, and it pulled away into the rain.
Inside the mansion, the hall fell silent.
Clover stood there for only a second before turning away.
She was too tired to care.
Too angry to stay.
She walked straight down the corridor and pushed open the door to they room.
The moment she stepped inside—
A hand caught her wrist.
Clover gasped and turned sharply.
Dylan.
His grip was firm. His expression unreadable.
"Who said you could go in?"
Clover stared at him, then gave a dry laugh.
"You might as well kick me out."
His eyes darkened.
"Exactly what I'm going to do."
Her breath caught.
"…What?"
Dylan released her wrist and called out coldly,
"Elias."
Elias appeared at once.
"My lord."
Dylan didn't take his eyes off Clover.
"Take her to the garden."
Clover went still.
The rain tapped hard against the windows.
She could hear it clearly.
"That is where she'll be sleeping tonight."
For a moment, Clover thought she had heard wrong.
But Dylan's face remained calm.
Mercilessly calm.
Elias looked stunned, but he bowed his head.
"As you command."
Clover stared at Dylan, disbelief slowly turning into something sharper.
"You're serious."
He said nothing.
Clover let out a short, bitter laugh.
Then she looked at him as if she had finally seen exactly what he was.
"You really are heartless."
Something flickered in his eyes.
Then he turned away.
"Take her."
Elias hesitated before stepping closer.
"Miss…"
Clover didn't move.
She only stood there, staring at Dylan's back while the rain continued to fall outside.
He had watched her get humiliated.
He had told her she couldn't go home.
And now—
He was sending her out into the rain.
To sleep in the garden.
Like she was nothing.
Clover slowly lowered her gaze, her chest tight, her fingers curling at her sides.
Fine.
She is not going to allow herself to be bullied.
If this was how he wanted it—
Then she will definitely entertain him.