Until You

Chapter 11 - Part 2

It's dinner. If the beast wants to throw you out, he wouldn't be sending a dinner invitation. Would he?

Jennie took a deep breath as she stood in front of the mirror. She was more nervous about the fact that the beast had invited her over for dinner rather than throwing her out.

What was his intention? Strange, irrational thoughts ran through her mind.

Maybe the dinner is to throw off suspicion when he poisons or strangles me tonight. The other girls ran away within a day or two of meeting him. Were they the smart ones rather than cowards?

Or maybe my dream was actually a premonition. Maybe the beast really murdered them and buried them under the tree.

Oh God!

"Stop these ridiculous thoughts. You have faced worse situations before. Chin up."

As she stood indecisively with irrational thoughts barging in yet again, suddenly the door to the suite opened. Jennie held her breath which she released in a whoosh when she saw it was Jang mi.

"Sir... wants to know whether you... uh... intend to wait outside his door all night and talk to yourself, or would you be joining him for dinner."

Jennie was shocked. "What? How does he—"
"Cameras." Jang mi pointed to one right on top of the doorway.

She followed her as she took her inside the familiar living room suite and then to the dining area where the beast was waiting for her. Her anger grew seeing him seated regally and sipping a glass of red wine. 

"I'm surprised you don't make everyone bow to you," she said, taking the seat opposite to him.

She knew she should shut up and not taunt him, making him angry, especially when he held the position of power to throw her out of his mansion. But somehow, his entire regal demeanor and the sarcastic raising of his eyebrow seeing her beautiful dress made her snap at him.

"Some of the older ones working in the estate still prefer to curtsy. According to them, its tradition."

"A tradition I'm sure you would love carrying on," she said.

He didn't reply. He poured some red wine into his glass before pouring into another one kept in front of her.

Had he decided to woo her? Oh God! What was worse? Being completely ignored by the beast? Or being wooed by him?

Definitely ignored. Her stomach fluttered nervously at being the sole recipient of his intense stare. She never had wine before, but she picked up the wine glass and took a large sip.

Immediately, she felt the need to spit it out. She started to cough, and her eyes began to water.

The beast was watching her, continuing to sip his wine. "Never had wine before?" he asked.

"No. I—" She broke off and then coughed slightly before answering. "I meant... No, I didn't have this particular type of wine before."

She jumped when he spoke. "I have a proposal for you."

She was shocked, and then she began to panic. "Proposal?" Oh my God. No! No, no and NO! He was proposing to Krystal. And if she rejected him, he would call Krystal's father to let him know that Krystal had turned down the proposal. This was a disaster.

He continued to lock her gaze to his while maintaining his indifferent look. "I want you to pretend we are taken by each other and might marry soon."

She gaped at him in shock.

"Why?" she finally asked when she could.

"That's none of your business. I just need you to play along."

The sheer arrogance of that statement snapped her out of her shock. She glared at him. "And why would I agree to such a ridiculous thing?" she asked.

His eyes flashed, but the rest of his face remained expressionless. "Because the moment you disagree, I will expose your charade."