One night, Sarah stood by the window of her room, gazing up at the night sky.
“…Ha.”
Although it was already clearly spring and summer was approaching, the night air still held a lingering chill.
As the seasons transitioned, Sarah found a strange kind of charm in the eerie coolness of the night. With only a thin blanket draped over her shoulders, she admired the moon hanging high in the sky.
The stars shimmered, and the moon glowed—truly a breathtaking view.
‘…Ah, yes.’
Sarah remembered.
There had been a time when she had seen a night sky just as beautiful.
A moment when the moon’s radiance and the twinkling stars had genuinely moved her.
Yes—several months ago, when she had met Cain by chance at a banquet in the imperial capital.
When they had secretly arranged a meeting and whispered confidential thoughts to each other on a deserted terrace in the dead of night.
Back then, cornered with nowhere to escape, she had taken a gamble, putting all her hopes on him—on a man she didn’t even trust, let alone love.
Under the watchful eyes of the moon and stars, they had shared a breath, a silence, a sadness.
And as if the sky itself had taken pity, the moon shone down upon them as they exhaled a quiet sigh.
Now, as she reflected on that night—a memory that had become so precious to her—Sarah couldn’t help but smile softly.
‘Why?’
Every time she pulled out a memory of him from deep within her heart and examined it piece by piece, her heart would stir. She had believed she longed for beauty, but in truth, beauty had always been close.
To Sarah Cernard, every moment spent with Cain had been the embodiment of beauty.
A small trace of regret followed.
If she had known she would regret it this much, she would have cherished their time more. She would have created more memories.
Done more things together.
She would have loved him—sooner and deeper.
But now, it was too late.
Sooner or later, everything would come to an end.
Regardless of her feelings toward him, or how dearly she held them, her journey was drawing to a close.
A while ago, her so-called uncle had entered her room without a word of greeting and left behind a few chilling sentences.
[Tomorrow morning, go to the room of Heir Decaraznan. All the preparations are complete. The only thing left is the resolve of my lovely niece.]
[…]
[I trust you’ll make the right choice, Sarah. You’re a smart b!tch, so I know you understand what needs to be done.]
She hadn’t asked what arrangements he’d made or what underhanded schemes were involved. She didn’t need to. She could imagine the filth without hearing a single word.
The fact that he left without any explanation made one thing clear—once she entered Heir Decaraznan’s bedroom and lay with him, everything would be over.
It was that simple.
Sleep with Heir Decaraznan, and by dawn, it would all be done.
The pressure from her family would disappear. The torment in her mind would be gone.
And even the secret love she had harbored for Cain—never shown, always cherished—would come to an end.
In truth, Sarah had carried a foolish, girlish wish she had never dared to speak aloud.
She wanted to have a child.
A child with the man she loved.
A child who resembled him.
She wanted to embrace her baby with love, to raise them, to teach them.
To live a simple, happy life—nothing grand.
Just a quiet, ordinary happiness with the man she loved and the child they created together.
She had wanted to grow old with him.
To become a grandmother one day.
To look back on a lifetime filled with warmth and love.
…but that dream had turned into a fantasy far beyond her reach. An extravagant desire for someone like her.
“…Cain.”
A sigh slipped through her lips, tinged with sorrow.
As she gazed up at the night sky, just as she had back then, she remembered the promise they made on the day of their engagement.
On that day, she and Cain had vowed to care for each other, to love each other, and to stay faithful until death parted them.
She knew.
It had only been a ritualistic promise, something ceremonial—empty words.
She also knew full well that she couldn’t be with him anymore. Not now, not with everything so far gone.
And yet, why did the memory of that vow continue to haunt her?
Secretly, she imagined it—just for a moment.
That he would appear before her like the prince in a children’s storybook.
That he would come to save her from this crisis.