Im Lina's POV
I want to crawl into a hole and die.
I sit stiffly, my hands folded in my lap as Choi Jihun paces the room, his frustration radiating off him in waves.
I can't bring myself to look at him. Instead, I focus on everything but him—the lavish decorations, the polished tile floors, the intricately carved furniture. Anything to avoid his piercing gaze.
"I'm sorry," I murmur, my voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't know she would come at you like that."
He stops pacing.
"No, don't apologize." His voice is steady, but there's something raw underneath.
"I'm glad she did. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known you felt this way."
Then, he switches to our native tongue.
That's how I know he's really rattled.
"Why, my beloved," he says softly, kneeling in front of me, "would you think I love another?"
His hands find mine, warm and steady, and he presses them against his face.
"When you mean the world to me?"
I swallow hard and turn my head away.
"Look at me," he says.
