What a miserable little princess."
Rui Griffin's voice was low.
Not cruel.
Just observant.
He reached out and lightly touched her face.
"…Little princess," he murmured. "I've finally found you."
His gaze darkened slightly.
"This time, I won't let you disappear again."
In the driver's seat, Assistant Sian stiffened.
He had worked under Rui Griffin for years.
He had seen him dismantle companies without emotion.
Negotiate conflicts without raising his voice.
But this—
this tone was different.
Quiet.
Possessive.
Almost unrecognizable.
Sian's eyes flicked to the rearview mirror.
A question formed instinctively—
But the moment Rui Griffin lifted his gaze,
it died.
Cold.
Sharp.
"Focus on driving," Rui said.
"Yes, Master."
No hesitation followed.
No curiosity.
Sian understood something immediately:
Some questions were not meant to exist.
By evening, Reina woke up.
The first thing she felt was the softness beneath her.
A bed.
Too large.
Too quiet.
Her body tensed instantly.
Memories surged back—
Liya. Toshiba. The funeral hall. Collapse.
And then—
that man.
She sat up abruptly.
"You—!"
A deep voice answered before she could finish.
"You're awake."
Reina froze.
Across the room, Rui Griffin sat on a sofa.
Relaxed.
Composed.
A cigarette rested between his fingers—more habit than indulgence.
Dark eyes met hers.
Unmoving.
Reina's breath tightened.
"…Why are you here?" she demanded.
Rui tilted his head slightly.
"That should be my question," he said calmly. "Why are you in my room?"
Her gaze swept the space.
White. Gold. Muted beige.
Elegant. Controlled.
Not a hospital.
Not a hotel.
Something private.
Something absolute.
Her expression darkened.
"…Where am I?" she asked.
"Grief Mansion," Rui replied simply.
Reina's face went pale.
That name—
she had heard it before.
Only in rumors.
She sat up straighter, instinct sharpening her posture.
"What do you want from me?"
Rui exhaled slowly, watching her without pressure.
"You've asked two questions," he said. "Which one first?"
Reina's jaw tightened.
"…Your reason."
A pause.
Rui studied her for a moment.
Then answered.
"You collapsed in front of your grandmother's portrait," he said. "I brought you here because leaving you there would have been inconvenient."
"That's all?" she asked sharply.
Rui's gaze narrowed slightly.
"That's enough."
Silence fell.
Reina didn't relax.
But she also didn't feel immediate danger.
And that—
was what unsettled her most.
Rui leaned back slightly.
"You should rest," he said. "You're not in a condition to think clearly."
"I don't trust you," she said.
"I didn't ask you to."
That answer—
was worse than denial.
It was indifference.
Reina fell silent.
For the first time since waking,
a realization formed clearly in her mind:
This man wasn't trying to earn her trust.
He wasn't even trying to explain himself.
He was simply… placing her where she could not leave.