“…There isn’t.”

“Look at me when you say it.”

Laura swallowed a sigh and turned her head toward him. His dark eyes were staring at her as if piercing through her.

‘God, forgive my lies and help my words appear true to him.’

“There isn’t.”

Her prayer was answered. His face crumpled with deep despair.

“So that’s the crux of it. You don’t love me. You feel nothing beyond friendship. Yes. If you loved me, you wouldn’t care about the world’s scorn. No, it would be impossible to remain so coldly detached knowing my heart. Yes. You don’t love me. I understand clearly.”

Laura sighed inwardly. She had succeeded in deceiving him.

‘He’ll give up on me now. No gentleman would continue to harbor affection after such a rejection. Perhaps he’s even grown to dislike me.’

Laura could foresee the end of their relationship. It was deeply painful, but she consoled herself that it was inevitable.

Yet, Mr. Dalton suddenly reached into the breast pocket of his tuxedo jacket. He pulled out something angular.

“Miss Pendleton, you once said that friendship is more suitable for sustaining a marriage than passionate love. That love stirs excessive desires, leading to disappointment and resentment when unfulfilled. I disagreed with you then. But, upon reflection, a marriage based on friendship doesn’t seem so bad.”

Laura felt a sense of foreboding. The small box in his hand vividly reminded her of something.

“Miss Pendleton, we could live as affectionate spouses, like friends. If you wish, we could have separate bedrooms. I’d share everything of the Dalton family without expecting anything in return. So…”

With a click, he opened the small box. A diamond ring gleamed brilliantly before her eyes.

“Marry me, Miss Pendleton.”

Laura felt as if something were lodged in her throat, unable to speak. She was shocked, incredulous, bewildered, and slightly frightened.

Why was he proposing again after she had rejected him so harshly? What did he lack?

Looking at the diamond’s finely cut facets, Laura felt almost nauseous. Its size and setting suggested it was undoubtedly a family heirloom wedding ring.

“Mr. Dalton, I’m sorry, but could you put it away?”

He didn’t budge. Laura tried again.

“Please forgive me for speaking so harshly. Could you please put the ring away?”

“I can’t.”

He continued, enunciating clearly.

“These past few days, enduring your avoidance, I realized something desperately. My life depends on winning your love. If I lose you, I’ll die slowly in hellish agony. To escape death, I must have your affection.”

His voice was filled with urgency. She looked at Ian’s face again. His pale, shadowed expression revealed the emotional torment he had suffered recently.

He looked forlorn, desperately begging for her love.

Thus, Laura found it excruciatingly painful to be in a position where she could only say:

“I’m sorry, Mr. Dalton. I can’t marry you.”

His eyes wavered. Those beautiful dark eyes glistened with sorrow, as if brimming with tears.

In a choked voice, he said:

“If I lose you, I’ll die. I won’t sleep, eat, or tend to my estate. I’ll waste away longing for you until I go to heaven. Even so… will you still abandon me?”

Laura forced herself to nod.

He lowered his head.

Mr. Dalton’s demeanor radiated profound grief.

Laura’s heart ached. She hated herself for inflicting such a deep wound on him.

‘I must offer some comfort.’

Laura tried to think of words to alleviate his pain, but nothing came to mind. By his own words, he was as good as condemned to death.

Laura deeply considered whether to offer hope of continuing their friendship.

But suddenly, he plucked the ring from its case. Then, he grabbed her left wrist.

“Ah!”

Before Laura, lost in thought, could react, he swiftly slipped the ring onto her ring finger.

“What…!”

He stared at her intently. His tear-soaked eyes gleamed with a fanatical light.

“I can’t let you go. You must marry me.”

His voice carried the stubbornness of a boy clinging to a loved one’s hem.

“…Don’t do this. Let go of my arm so I can return this ring to you.”

“The moment I let go, you’ll take it off. If so, I’ll hold onto you forever.”

“Even if you hold my arm forever, you won’t hear the answer you want from me. Even if you drag me before a pastor for marriage vows, my only answer will be ‘no.’”

“Really?”

His hand, gripping Laura, trembled faintly.

“Will you say ‘no’ no matter what?”

“Yes.”

“Even if I die?”

Laura’s eyes widened.

“The moment you remove this ring, I’ll find a pistol and shoot myself. Even if you flee or say ‘no’ at the altar.”

“…Are you… serious?”

“Yes.”

Laura’s face paled.

He covered her left hand with both of his, pressing gently.

To some, Ian’s actions might seem like a dramatic courtship. But to Laura, he looked like a child throwing a tantrum to get his way.

Laura was angry at his childish behavior. How dare he wager his precious life over her? What was she to him?

Laura yanked her left hand free. And then—

Slap!

She struck his cheek with all her might.

He blinked, his face turned aside. A burning pain seared his right cheek, and the taste of blood spread in his mouth.

Slowly, he turned to face Laura. She raised her right hand again. With her arm drawn back to her shoulder, she slapped his cheek once more with a whoosh.

Slap!

His left cheek stung.

His face throbbed, especially the left side, where the blow had split his lip.

But more than the pain, he was shocked that Laura had struck him. He couldn’t imagine her resorting to violence. It was as if a dog had started smoking or a lion began juggling—something defying the natural order.

His frenzied state gradually cleared. Laura’s slaps were that shocking.

“I’m truly disappointed, Mr. Dalton. Threatening your life just to win affection? Aren’t you ashamed as a citizen of a Christian nation?”

Her voice was sharp with reproach.

Though her reaction stung, he wasn’t truly ashamed. He was that desperate. He could think of no other way to hold onto her.

Returning to his usual composed self, Ian Dalton wiped the blood from his lip with the back of his hand.

“My actions deserve your contempt. But my heart remains unchanged. I can’t live without your love. Even if I don’t take my life, I’ll waste away and die if you leave.”

“Get a grip. You’re not the hero of a melodrama.”

Laura replied coldly.

“You think losing love will kill you. Your heart feels torn, and life seems meaningless. But it’s temporary. No one dies from love.”

“Countless people have died from lovesickness.”

“Only those who indulge in their suffering, ruining their health beyond recovery. Or those who, believing they’ve lost everything, throw away their lives in despair. Either way, it’s foolish. Eat well, stay busy, and you’ll forget feelings not worth dying for.”

“How can you undervalue love so?”

“Because the world overvalues it. Love is a luxurious emotional indulgence. It’s a hollow facade, like a poster ad for romance. Love can’t shield you from bankruptcy, a ruined reputation, or life’s inconveniences. If I’d ever witnessed love conquer all, I wouldn’t speak so definitively.”

Ian frowned. She seemed to speak of love in general, but she was belittling his feelings.

“I understand why you say this. You’ve been hurt since childhood because of your parents. But don’t lose faith in love itself. We won’t repeat history. We’ll be a lawful couple, and our children will bear the Dalton name. My love will never change.”

“Speaking of eternity proves you’re lost in a dream, Mr. Dalton. I’m Laura Pendleton. A bastard born before marriage. A stain on a prestigious family. My children will face gossip because of me. The Dalton name might shield them somewhat, but a son will hear insults about his mother at school, and a daughter will be deemed a flawed lady in the marriage market because of her mother’s past.”

“If that troubles you so much, we needn’t have children.”

“What about heirs?”

“It’s fine without them.”

“You have a duty to produce heirs. As the eldest son inheriting all property, you must fulfill your obligations. And above all, would you not touch me?”

It was the first time Laura spoke so directly. Mr. Dalton’s face flushed.

“As I said earlier, if you want separate rooms—”

“From what you just showed, you’d be at my bedroom door within a month of marriage.”

Laura sighed. “Let’s end this pointless argument. My point is this: for the sake of my future children, I’ll never marry a man of your class. I’m grateful for your kindness. I’ll treasure our friendship as a fond memory. But that’s all.”

Laura removed the diamond ring he’d forced onto her finger and held it out. to Ian. He stared at it.

The ring he’d placed on her had returned. His love, unaccepted, had come back to him. His heart ached terribly.

He took the ring and placed it in its case.

“What happens to us now?”