Ji Eun suddenly pushed the car door open.
"I'm done playing your game," she added, stepping out.
The night air hit her face, but it did nothing to cool the storm inside her.
She turned back to him once more, her eyes blazing with something far more dangerous than anger.
Determination.
"You think you've already won?" she said.
Her lips curved, not softly, not kindly, but into something fierce.
Cold.
Calculated.
"Do you know why they call me a villainess?"
Hyun Woo's gaze sharpened slightly, intrigued.
Ji Eun took a step back, putting distance between them, but not retreating.
Challenging.
"Because I don't lose," she continued.
Her voice dropped, quieter now, but far more dangerous.
"And when I do…"
A faint pause.
Her smile deepened.
"I make sure everyone loses with me."
Silence followed.
The streetlights flickered above them, casting shadows that seemed to mirror the tension between them.
Hyun Woo stepped out of the car slowly, his gaze never leaving her.
For a moment...
They simply stood there.
Two forces, equally unyielding.
Then...
A soft chuckle escaped him.
Low.
Amused.
"Good," he said.
Not dismissive.
Not mocking.
But approving.
Almost… pleased.
His eyes locked onto hers with quiet intensity.
"Because I don't want a docile bride."
Ji Eun's expression didn't waver.
He took a slow step forward, stopping just short of her.
"I want you exactly like this," he added softly.
Unbreakable.
Fighting.
Alive.
Ji Eun's eyes narrowed slightly, but she said nothing.
Because deep down...
She understood something now.
This wasn't just about love.
Or marriage.
Or pride.
This was war.
And Park Hyun Woo...
Was the only opponent she had ever faced…
Who wanted her to fight him. Most of her enemies just give up the fight because they know clearly hoe tenacious she can be.
And for the first time
Ji Eun didn't feel cornered.
She felt challenged.
And she intended to win.