The Unveiled Truth and a Dangerous Temptation
A faint, ragged groan leaked from Seon-yeong's barely parted lips. Hot tears spilled uncontrollably from her eyes, drenching her pale cheeks. The chilling premonition that the horrific barbed whip would soon strike her fragile body ruthlessly made the blood in her veins run cold.
The butler slowly brandished the vicious barbed whip, pausing as if waiting for the perfect moment. That fleeting silence was even more terrifying. Finally, with a sharp flick of the butler's wrist, the barbed whip struck Seon-yeong's body like a bolt of lightning.
"Crack—! Splat—!"
With a sickening tear, the sharp barbs dug deep into the flesh of Seon-yeong's back, buttocks, and thighs. A single powerful strike tore away a large swath of skin, sending shredded flesh and crimson droplets spraying into the air. The raw red muscle tissue hidden beneath her fair skin was laid bare, presenting a gruesome sight.
"Aaaaargh—!"
Driven by unimaginable, excruciating pain, Seon-yeong screamed, her throat tearing with the force of her shriek. Her petite body arched like a bow, and the ropes binding her shook violently. As if every nerve in her body were on fire, Seon-yeong thrashed wildly, her eyes rolling back as she gasped for breath.
"P-please, spare me!"
But her desperate plea only dissolved into the cold, indifferent air. Unmoved by her begging, the merciless butler raised the barbed whip once more.
"Crack—! Splat—!"
Once again, accompanied by a sickening tear, the sharp barbs bit even deeper into Seon-yeong's already lacerated skin. This time, a chunk of flesh from the side of her thigh was ripped away, falling to the floor with a wet thud amidst a shower of blood.
"Aaaagh—! *Hic*... *Sob*... I-I'll speak! I'll tell you... I'll tell you the truth!"
Seon-yeong gasped for air, her breath ragged as she barely managed to cry out. With agonizing pain and the shadow of death looming over her, she abandoned all resistance, desperately eager to spit out the truth.
At her desperate cry, Lady Baek Rose's cold eyes flickered.
"Stop."
Her cold, low voice cut through the horrific din of the punishment room. The butler froze instantly and turned to Lady Baek Rose.
"Good. Speak the truth."
Her cold eyes flashing, Lady Baek Rose slowly stepped toward the bound Seon-yeong. Though her voice remained calm, a tense, suppressed energy vibrated beneath it. She watched intently, eager to hear what truth would spill from the lips of the maid who had only broken after enduring such brutal torment.
Seon-yeong barely swallowed the agonizing pain racking her entire body. Every breath felt like a hot iron pressing into her wounds, but she forced her trembling lips to part.
"*Hic*... S-She... she is not Lady Chae-hwa... *sob*... She is... *hic*... Lady Cheon Su-ryeon... the daughter of Duke Cheon Tae-hyeon... I... I was the maid who served Lady Su-ryeon..."
Her final words broke off into a tearful, choked groan. Her confession froze the heavy air of the punishment room into an even deeper chill.
Upon hearing Seon-yeong's words, Lady Baek Rose's face contorted in sheer shock.
'Chae-hwa... is Cheon Su-ryeon? The daughter of Duke Cheon Tae-hyeon, the leader of the Revolutionary Army?'
Stunned by this mind-boggling revelation, Lady Baek Rose was temporarily lost for words. Her blue eyes shook violently, and her lips pressed into a tight, hard line. Letting out a shallow, trembling breath of disbelief, she suddenly let out a hollow laugh.
"Ha... No way..."
As she muttered in disbelief, a flicker of dark amusement crossed her otherwise bewildered face. The puzzle pieces rapidly fell into place inside Lady Baek Rose's mind.
'Baek Kang-ho... he brought Cheon Su-ryeon, reduced to a sex slave, specifically to humiliate my husband.'
A chilling realization struck Lady Baek Rose. To demean his long-time rival, Duke Hwang Min-ho, and flaunt his own superiority, Baek Kang-ho had used the daughter of a fallen revolutionary in such a base, underhanded manner. At his disgusting scheme, Lady Baek Rose's beautiful face contorted with sudden rage.
'How dare he pull such a filthy stunt at my party... I will never forgive him.'
Yet, Lady Baek Rose's true fury was directed not at the insidious Baek Kang-ho, but at Cheon Su-ryeon, who sat by his side wearing that fake smile. Though she loathed to admit it, a creeping anxiety slithered up her spine—the same unease she had felt every time the eyes of the ballroom drifted toward that woman. Despite being a woman of a ruined house, she possessed such clear, pristine eyes and a mysterious beauty that effortlessly captivated everyone. Even Lady Baek Rose herself recalled moments when she had been momentarily swayed by her allure.
Tonight, the star of this lavish party was supposed to be her, and her alone. Backed by her husband's immense power, she should have shone like a queen basking in the adoration of the entire court. Yet Cheon Su-ryeon, appearing like a mysterious stranger, was a direct threat to her throne. Though she seemed hidden in Baek Kang-ho's shadow, the guests' covert glances constantly strayed toward her. A foul mood washed over Lady Baek Rose as she felt her carefully cultivated, dazzling presence grow dim beside that single, pitiful-looking woman. Alongside her jealousy, a fierce rage erupted at the thought of having the spotlight stolen from her on her own glorious night.
'How dare she... at my party... try to strip away everything I have?'
Her cold blue eyes burned even darker, fueled by an uncontrollable fury.
Suppressing the complex swirl of violent rage and strange intrigue, Lady Baek Rose kicked open the door of the punishment room and swept out. Her tightly compressed red lips and ice-cold blue eyes betrayed the turbulent storm raging within her.
Before she could take more than a few steps down the chilly corridor, a familiar dark silhouette caught her eye in the distance. It was Baek Kang-ho. He was walking toward her with a perfectly nonchalant expression, as if nothing had happened. In fact, he had the audacity to look pleased upon spotting her, prompting Lady Baek Rose to swallow a cold sneer.
"Duke Baek, where are you heading in such a hurry?"
Lady Baek Rose called out to him, her voice soft and dripping with a gentle smile. Her blue eyes held a strange, unreadable gleam.
Baek Kang-ho stopped in his tracks, looking at her as he replied smoothly.
"Ah, my Lady. I was just on my way to the restroom."
His expression was so serene that it was impossible to imagine what had just transpired in the punishment room.
"But the restroom is that way..."
Lady Baek Rose tilted her head slightly, pointing her finger in the opposite direction. "But Duke, why don't we have a little chat? I happen to have something to discuss with you."
Her voice grew even softer, and she did not miss the brief flicker of hesitation in Baek Kang-ho's eyes at her suggestive offer. Without waiting for his answer, Lady Baek Rose slipped her hand over his arm, pressing her body gently against his. As the voluminous folds of her dress brushed against his clothes, Baek Kang-ho felt a strange, sudden tension.
"Let us go this way. There is a very quiet, cozy spot at the back of the manor. No one will disturb us there."
Her voice drifted into his ear like a sweet whisper, and at the intimate invitation, Baek Kang-ho's heart began to beat faster. The sly smile playing on her red lips and the depth of her blue eyes lured him in like a dense forest, quietly drawing him into an inescapable darkness.
Renowned for his insatiable lust, Baek Kang-ho swallowed hard at the beautiful Lady Baek Rose's overt seduction. His gaze lingered on her voluptuous figure from behind, and with a surge of illicit anticipation, he followed her into the dark, secluded depths of the estate.
Before long, the two arrived at a remote corner of the mansion—an indoor garden where the heavy rain lashed violently against the glass windows. Filled with a strange anticipation, Baek Kang-ho faced Lady Baek Rose, who seemed to glow with a moist, dewy radiance. His eyes locked onto her crimson lips.
Lady Baek Rose gazed out at the rain before turning her damp, glistening eyes up to him, and spoke softly.
"Duke Baek... truth be told... ever since I first saw you on my wedding day, I have felt a powerful attraction to you."
Her voice was slightly muffled by the patter of the rain, and a faint blush bloomed on her cheeks.
"If only... I had met you first back then... how different would our destinies have been? I find myself wondering that sometimes."
"Ah... my Lady..."
At her unexpected confession, Baek Kang-ho's eyes wavered. A visible tremor shook his usually stoic composure. Having always been weak to beautiful women, he felt his heart flutter at Lady Baek Rose's confession, which crept in as stealthily as the falling rain. But her next words instantly froze his excitement.
"Yet... seeing you bring that woman, Chae-hwa, by your side today... it truly broke my heart."
Her voice was laced with a carefully manufactured sorrow. Baek Kang-ho struggled to decipher the true meaning behind her words. A flurry of emotions as chaotic as the storm outside swept through his mind.
'Why on earth is she suddenly saying this...?'
Inside his chest, a strange thrill and a budding expectation began to take root. But just as he was losing himself to that sweet anticipation, Lady Baek Rose's next words pierced his brain like an icy needle.
"The truth is... I know that the woman you brought today, Duke Baek, is actually Lady Cheon Su-ryeon, the daughter of Duke Cheon Tae-hyeon."
The color drained from Baek Kang-ho's face in an instant. His eyes shook violently, unable to mask his sheer panic.
"W-what... what are you talking about..."
His voice trembled slightly.
Lady Baek Rose watched his panic with quiet amusement, a soft smile gracing her lips. Her red lips curved into a seductive arc, and her deep blue eyes whispered a silent reassurance.
"Do not worry, Duke. I will not breathe a word of this to anyone."
Beneath her gentle tone lay a chilling certainty and a hidden agenda. Caught completely off guard by her unexpected words and subtle attitude, Baek Kang-ho could only watch her warily. He could not begin to fathom her true intentions. A heavy mix of anxiety and tension weighed down on his chest. What was the real truth lurking behind her beautiful smile? Baek Kang-ho grew more bewildered by the second.