A Dreadful Charade, a Filthy Touch
Alex began to explain the reason behind dressing Su-ryeon up to such an extent. His voice was low and smooth, but as the intense motive hidden beneath his words gradually came to light, Su-ryeon's heart began to pound violently.
"For today, your name is Chae-hwa. You must play the part of Duke Baek Kang-ho's lover."
"What...?"
Su-ryeon's eyes shook wildly like a frantic pendulum. An uncontrollable mixture of confusion and shock spilled from her gaze.
Yet Alex merely stared at her trembling face with an expressionless mask, continuing his explanation.
"From this moment on, you are the daughter of an obscure baron from the provinces. The story is that Duke Baek Kang-ho took you in after laying eyes on you during a business trip."
Su-ryeon remained utterly bewildered by the tale. Questions chased each other in endless circles inside her head.
Why on earth? Where are we going that requires such a lie... What is he plotting?
She could not suppress the anxiety and suspicion bubbling up inside her chest. As her unease mounted, Alex offered a cold smile and began to reveal the reasons behind this elaborate setup, piece by piece.
With every word he spoke, the shock in Su-ryeon's eyes deepened, the weight of the situation pressing down on her more heavily than anything she had faced before.
"The place you are accompanying the Duke to is the first wedding anniversary party of Duke Hwang Min-ho and Lady Baek Rose."
Alex's voice was firm and dispassionate. The sheer weight of his words overwhelmed Su-ryeon even further.
"You must take absolute care to ensure your true identity is never exposed."
His gaze was razor-sharp, carrying a silent warning that not a single mistake would be tolerated.
"If your identity is discovered... well, I believe I do not need to spell out the consequences."
A chilling shiver ran from the tips of Su-ryeon's toes to the crown of her head at Alex's parting words. The overwhelming threat and sheer cruelty laced within his voice wrapped around her entire body, seizing her in a suffocating grip of tension.
On the surface, Baek Kang-ho and Hwang Min-ho feigned friendship as fellow Dukes, but beneath the facade, they were bitter enemies locked in a fierce, covert rivalry.
When Baek Kang-ho learned that Hwang Min-ho was marrying Lady Baek Rose—a woman rumored to be the "Goddess of the Continent"—he had been consumed by a mad, burning jealousy.
On the day of the wedding, when Baek Kang-ho first laid eyes on Lady Baek Rose, he was struck by an indescribable shock. Her beauty surpassed all imagination, far more breathtaking than any woman he had ever beheld.
Seeing such a woman standing by Hwang Min-ho's side had triggered a dark, writhing desire deep within Baek Kang-ho's soul to possess an even more beautiful woman.
It was during this time that Cheon Su-ryeon, renowned as "The Flower of the Kingdom," was reduced to his Sex Slave. The moment she first entered his mansion, Baek Kang-ho had been instantly captivated by her beauty.
She was far more dazzling than he had ever anticipated, to the point where he believed even Lady Baek Rose, the so-called Goddess of the Continent, could not hold a candle to Cheon Su-ryeon's sublime beauty.
A cowardly and cunning scheme had flashed through Baek Kang-ho's mind. He devised a petty plan to crush Hwang Min-ho's pride by parading Cheon Su-ryeon as his own lover at the upcoming wedding anniversary.
He had counted down the days to this very moment. Of course, if Cheon Su-ryeon's true identity were to be exposed, Baek Kang-ho himself would face immense public humiliation. Yet, his childish desire to break Hwang Min-ho's spirit was so intense that he was more than willing to take the risk.
"Cheon Su-ryeon! Answer me!"
Seeing Su-ryeon frozen in a daze, Alex furrowed his brow and demanded a response. Despite his pressure, Su-ryeon could not bring herself to answer easily.
The sheer pressure and anxiety of having to act as Baek Kang-ho's lover suffocated her, and the terrifying dread of her dangerous lie being exposed seeped deep into her heart.
"...I... I don't think I can do this..."
"Ha! ...What did you say?"
At Su-ryeon's trembling, hesitant reply, Alex let out a scoff of disbelief and glared down at her with a freezing gaze.
"You do not have a choice! You must do this, no matter what. Duke Baek Kang-ho has already promised Duke Hwang Min-ho that he would introduce his lover today!"
"...Ah... I see..."
Naturally, as a Sex Slave, she had no right to choose. Yet, for Su-ryeon, who had never deceived anyone in her life, this task felt impossibly daunting. Watching her tremble in fear, Alex sighed and decided to offer a carrot this time.
"If you carry out this task successfully today, Duke Baek Kang-ho will bestow a grand reward upon you."
However, those words held no sweetness for Su-ryeon. Whatever "reward" he spoke of was bound to be something twisted and depraved.
Even so, Su-ryeon could neither escape nor refuse her current reality. With no way of knowing what horrific trials awaited her, the dark storm clouds continued to gather overhead.
Su-ryeon sat inside a luxurious limousine, heading toward Duke Hwang Min-ho's estate. But what did such opulence matter? As the vehicle glided silently along the road, her heart sank deeper and deeper into an abyss of despair.
Even more horrifying was the man sitting right beside her: Duke Baek Kang-ho. A man who, a mere week ago, had ruthlessly violated her body. Now, he stared at her with greedy, possessive eyes, as if she were nothing but his personal plaything.
"I trust Alex explained everything clearly?"
When Baek Kang-ho's low, heavy voice cut through the quiet interior of the car, Su-ryeon instinctively flinched, her shoulders tensing.
It was just a single sentence, but the mere sound of his voice sent an icy wave of terror coursing through her veins. Yet, she could not afford to show her fear. Suppressing her trembling breath, she spoke with utmost caution.
"Yes... Master..."
Try as she might, Su-ryeon could not hide the tension in her voice. At her slight tremor, Baek Kang-ho's brow furrowed in displeasure.
"From now on, you address me as Duke. And smile! Do you plan on looking this stiff in front of Hwang Min-ho?"
His words fell upon her ears like a threat. Su-ryeon bit her lower lip, desperately trying to compose herself, but it was far from easy.
"I understand, Duke..."
Though she fought to mask the trembling, her voice remained rigid. Seeing this, Baek Kang-ho smirked slyly and suddenly grabbed her hand.
The sudden contact made Su-ryeon gasp, her breath catching in her throat, but she did not dare summon the courage to pull away.
"Allow me to help you relax. Since you are playing my lover today, it is only fitting that you get used to me, is it not?"
Before she could even process the meaning behind his words, her body felt his intentions. He forcefully pressed his greedy lips against hers.
"Mmph!"
Su-ryeon's instincts screamed at her to push him away, but the terror engraved in her muscle memory forced her to endure. She knew all too well that a horrific punishment awaited her if she dared to resist.
Baek Kang-ho's repulsive kiss grew increasingly intense. His filthy tongue invaded her mouth, swirling and rubbing against her soft tongue.
Squeezing her eyes shut, Su-ryeon clenched her fists and painfully endured the filthy violation. Unable to contain his arousal at the velvety texture of her tongue, Baek Kang-ho turned into a ravenous beast.
His rough hands slid down to her cleavage, eventually slipping beneath her dress to squeeze her breast tightly.
A wave of goosebumps broke out across her skin at his touch, but unable to resist even this, she could only let out a soft, stifled moan.
"Ah...!"
Baek Kang-ho's hands grew rougher as he kneaded her breast, his tongue sweeping through her mouth with frantic, practiced movements.
Yet Su-ryeon could do nothing but tremble and endure his beastly assault, praying with all her might that he would bring this torment to an end quickly.
But there was no sign of his depraved actions ceasing, and his animalistic touch continued to violate her inside the moving limousine.
Inside Duke Hwang Min-ho's estate, three couples sat around a lavishly decorated dining table. They were Duke Hwang Min-ho and his wife, Lady Baek Rose, along with the invited guests: Duke Na Tae-man, Duke Min Baek-su, and their respective wives.
Seated amidst the exquisite fine china on the marble table, they were enjoying a luxurious evening celebrating the first wedding anniversary of Duke Hwang and his wife.
"Lady Baek Rose, it has been far too long. You have grown even more beautiful. How is your skin so flawless?"
"Indeed. Please, share your secret with us."
As the wives of Duke Na Tae-man and Duke Min Baek-su showered her with sycophantic praise, Lady Baek Rose offered a faint smile, waving her hand with elegant superiority.
"There is no special secret, really."
"Oh my, truly? Then you were simply born with it. I am so envious, my lady."
"The heavens are truly unfair. It seems they bestowed all the finest skin, figure, and beauty solely upon Lady Baek Rose."
"Ladies, you flatter me too much."
Though Lady Baek Rose waved her hand in feigned humility, a quiet satisfaction lingered on her face. Swirling her wine glass with delicate fingers, she slowly raised it and pressed it elegantly to her lips.
Under the soft chandelier light, the crimson wine rippled gently within the crystal glass, and her eyes shone with a deep, clear confidence.
At that moment, Duke Na Tae-man, who had been lightheartedly enjoying the atmosphere, set down his sloshing wine glass and wore a knowing smile.
"Now, it seems Baek Kang-ho is the only one among us left to marry."
At Na Tae-man's remark, Duke Min Baek-su sliced off a thick piece of greasy steak, stuffed it into his mouth, and let out a boisterous laugh.
"Bwahaha! Indeed. But that fellow Baek Kang-ho has standards that are far too high. I doubt anyone short of Lady Baek Rose would ever satisfy him."
Duke Na Tae-man chimed in right on cue.
"Exactly. Did you all see him on Min-ho's wedding day? Baek Kang-ho couldn't take his eyes off Lady Baek Rose. But whenever he looked at Hwang Min-ho, his gaze turned ice-cold—like a man absolutely desperate to steal away whatever Min-ho possessed."
"Well, Baek Kang-ho has always viewed you as his rival, Min-ho. It must have burned him up inside... After all, with a woman like Lady Baek Rose by your side, how could that greedy bastard ever find peace of mind?"
As Min Baek-su gossiped about Baek Kang-ho while chewing his steak, Duke Hwang Min-ho, who had been listening in silence, spoke up with a faint smile.
"Actually... I heard Baek Kang-ho is bringing his lover today."
At those words, every eye at the table locked onto Hwang Min-ho. Swirling wine glasses froze, and forks remained suspended in mid-air. Amidst the sudden, suffocating silence, Na Tae-man's eyes widened in disbelief.
"What? Baek Kang-ho has a lover?!"
Na Tae-man could not hide his utter shock. Meanwhile, Min Baek-su wiped the grease from his mouth with a napkin, a look of deep intrigue crossing his face.
"If Baek Kang-ho is willing to introduce her to us, he must be incredibly confident in her looks... Though, no matter how beautiful she is, there's no way she can compare to Lady Baek Rose. Still, I must admit, I am highly curious to see who she is."
At their guests' words, Hwang Min-ho and Lady Baek Rose exchanged a glance, a subtle tension rippling between them. Though Hwang Min-ho maintained a thin smile, his eyes remained cool and calculating.
At that moment, as if the dark clouds heavy in the sky could no longer hold back, a torrential downpour began to lash violently against the windows.
— AI-generated illustration of Lady Baek Rose —