The dim, amber glow of the hallway cast long, flickering shadows against the walls, heightening the heavy tension vibrating between them. Eiser stood uncomfortably close, his tall, imposing frame effortlessly cornering Serena as his gaze locked onto hers with unsettling intensity.
"You're really my ideal type," Eiser murmured, the words dropping like a calculated challenge into the quiet space.
Serena's breath hitched, a flush of irritation and defensive pride instantly overriding any flustered panic. She pressed her hands against his chest, her fingers clutching at the lapel of his suit as she glared up at him.
"But... I'm used to keeping my distance when I'm with strangers," Serena retorted, her voice sharp though it wavered slightly under the weight of his steady, cool blue eyes. "Do you realize that this game of yours is going to cause me trouble?"
Eiser didn't budge. Instead, a faint, knowing smirk touched the corner of his lips. "After inviting a strange man into your room, you're now saying you want to keep your distance," he replied smoothly, his thumb lazily tracing the contour of her jawline, tilting her face up. "You're really putting me in a difficult position".
"That's right, I did invite you here," Serena snapped defensively, her cheeks burning as his hand lingered. "But not to do something lewd like this".
"Oh, is that so?" Eiser whispered, leaning in closer until the air between them grew dangerously thin. His thumb brushed against her lower lip, his expression dropping into a mask of cool amusement. "If that's the case, then be careful... Because men like us can easily misinterpret an invitation with hidden implications like that".
His eyes darkened with a quiet, shadowed intensity. "It's dangerous. What if they think you're trying to seduce them...?"
Serena's breath caught in her throat as she stared up at him, trapped beneath the heavy warmth of his hand. But the spell of vulnerability shattered just as quickly as it formed, replaced by the bitter, hard-earned armor she always wore.
"Sadly, something like that will never happen," Serena whispered back, her voice dropping into a defiant chill. "My fiancé is very possessive. He absolutely hates seeing me alone with another man".
Eiser's gaze softened into something dark and profoundly amused, a low chuckle rumbling in his chest as he leaned down near her ear.
"Good," he murmured, his breath ghosting against her skin. "Keep acting this way".
Eiser leaned in closer, his voice dropping into a quiet, intense cadence. "Take good care of yourself and everything that belongs to you," he murmured. "Because everything you possess is a precious and beautiful gem".
Serena stared at him, her dark eyes flashing with a mix of disbelief and sharp irritation. She raised a hand, pushing against him as she retorted, "Do you realize what you're saying? That, to me, that precious gem is you yourself?"
"Yeah, that's basically it. Now, please move aside," Serena snapped, trying to put distance between them.
"It's too late," Eiser replied smoothly, a dark edge creeping into his expression. "Because your fiancé has run out of patience".
Before Serena could react, Eiser closed the remaining distance, his lips crashing onto hers in a sudden, deliberate kiss.
"You damn bastard!" Serena gasped against his mouth, her eyes widening in fury as she shoved him back. "Hey, do you have no ears?! I already told you I don't want anything to do with a strange man!"
Her chest heaved as she glared up at him, her voice trembling with rising anger. "The moment you cross my boundaries, I'll immediately consider you a stranger! Don't think you'll be treated any differently!"
Eiser didn't flinch at her threats. Instead, his gaze darkened further, studying her flushed face with an unyielding intensity before he whispered, "You're not allowed to even catch a cold, Serena".
"What?" she breathed out, caught off guard.
Without giving her a chance to pull away, Eiser pulled her back into his arms, kissing her again as he murmured against her lips, "Then let me take the cold from you".
"You damn womanizer!" Serena hissed, her voice laced with sharp fury as Eiser's lips crashed against hers.
That kiss was anything but gentle. It was demanding, forceful, and entirely consuming. Yet, deep down, a reckless part of her mind acknowledged the thrill of it—she honestly liked games that were a little rough like this.
Eiser pulled back just enough to look at her, a low, heated gaze sweeping over her face. "I like seeing you, who are usually so neat and composed, become completely disheveled because of me," he murmured.
With a swift, practiced motion, his hand reached up, sliding against his collar as he tugged open his tie. He leaned down again, pressing a soft, possessive peck against her lips, leaving her breathless.
"Haa..." Serena gasped softly, her eyes widening as she met his gaze.
Eiser smiled, his voice dropping into a low, affectionate hum. "I love it when your eyes, cold as ice, turn wild and burn like a blazing fire," he whispered, pulling her closer against him. "I love it when this precious and beautiful gem of mine..."
Wrapped safely in his arms, her heart hammered against her ribs as she felt him desiring her and taking her with all his fierce passion.
Caught in the lingering warmth of the moment, Serena looked down at Eiser, her tone laced with playful skepticism. "Earlier, you looked so hungry, like you wanted to devour me whole," she murmured. "Why? Are you still thirsty and not satisfied yet?"
"Heh! Who said that?" Serena quickly backpedaled with a light tap, brushing off her own boldness. "I was just a little surprised to see you acting this clingy... It was a bit unexpected, that's all."
"Please be quiet for a moment," Eiser replied softly, burying his face against her shoulder as he rested.
In the end, I fell into your trap so easily... Serena thought, her gaze drifting. No... More precisely, I was too blind to realize that from the very beginning, this was a game with an obvious outcome—one where I was bound to lose miserably.
Eiser Grayan. Would you like to play a game with me?
At first, she had thought it was rather ridiculous. How could something as important as their engagement be decided by a bet over a board game? But a moment later, she had started to feel that it wasn't such a bad idea after all. Because if she won, at least they wouldn't have to discuss their engagement for a while.
It was an interesting challenge, and she had no intention of losing. That was why she had been fully determined to win this bet.
But as it turned out... I was wrong.
"Even though you weren't in the best condition, you refused to give up until the very end. Watching you relentlessly pursue me and follow every move I made..." Serena thought, her fingers gently lifting a handkerchief to her face.
"Before I even realized it... the walls around my heart slowly crumbled, and I began to take your side. No... Perhaps that was when these feelings began."
She looked down at Eiser, who held her close. "Someone who was so anxious that they pleaded to be desired... Perhaps it wasn't you, but me."
It was only then that she finally realized she was destined to lose this game. And when she saw the happiness on his face, shining like a child's, all the worries that had been gnawing at her for so long suddenly melted away, leaving not even the slightest trace of meaning.
For the sake of that smile on his lips, the outcome didn't matter anymore.
For the sake of that smile on your lips, nothing else matters anymore.
Even if what I fear eventually comes to pass, now that I have you, I'll gladly face it and bear it all. Upon the deadly snare you've laid, upon that impossibly thin and fragile thread... willingly, I let myself fall and become trapped within it.
The secret I had never been able to truly understand, the dark desire I had desperately tried to suppress, along with the stirrings in my heart that I could no longer suppress...
You are my soulmate, created from the union of all those broken pieces.
I used to wonder why so many people at our hotel ordered cookies and ice cream through room service at night.
I think I'm starting to understand why now.
The silver spoon hovered between them, a fragile bridge of chrome and melted sweetness.
"Do you want to try it too?" Serena asked, her gaze softening as she looked down at Eiser.
Eiser kept his eyes closed, shaking his head with a faint, stubborn murmur. "No."
With a gentle, playful insistence, Serena pressed the spoon forward until it met his lips. Eiser parted them just enough to taste the cold, sugary chill, his expression shifting into a comical, scunch-nosed frown.
"How is it? Good, right?" she teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Really sweet," Eiser muttered, his face scrunching up further in exaggerated defeat. "It tastes sweet... but it's too sweet."
Serena burst into a soft, melodic laugh, poking fun at his dramatics. "Of course it's sweet! It's ice cream, after all. What did you expect it to taste like? Seeing you happily devour all these sweet and cold treats, it looks like you've recovered quite a bit."
Eiser opened his eyes slightly, a lazy, contented smile touching his lips as he rested his head against her lap. "Yeah, that's right. I'm a strong woman, you know!" he retorted playfully, turning her words back on her.
Serena laughed again, her bare legs shifting comfortably beneath the blanket as she looked down at him. The playful banter faded into a quiet, tender stillness, leaving only the soft rustle of the bedsheets.
"Eiser, you know what?" she whispered, her voice dropping to a vulnerable register. "Usually, you're the one who holds me. But earlier, it felt like I was the one holding you tightly."
She paused, running her fingers softly through his dark hair as a wave of unexpected emotion washed over her.
"I never expected that holding you could feel this happy and warm."
Even if it was only for a moment—the first time she had ever leaned against him and let down all her armor—she knew she wanted to stay in this safe harbor forever.
"I'll surely remember it for the rest of my life."
Serena cradled Eiser closer, her fingers gently tangling into his dark hair as she rested her chin against his head.
"Your face looks so much calmer and more peaceful now, and that's how you should be. Every now and then, let the voice of your heart guide you, instead of letting the chains of logic hold you back. Set aside all your worries about me. I promise you won't regret making this decision."
Ting tong!
The sharp chime of the doorbell cut through the quiet intimacy of the room like a blade.
Serena bolted upright, her eyes wide with sudden shock. "You just caught me by surprise!" she gasped, looking toward the entryway.
Beside her, Eiser blinked open his eyes, instantly shifting from a state of sleepy vulnerability back into a posture of guarded alertness.
"Geez! Who's bold enough to come visiting this late at night?" Serena whispered frantically, nudging him. "Go outside and see who it is, hurry!" Then, panic suddenly flashing across her face, she caught herself. "Eh, wait! I forgot this is my room!"
"Who is it? Why are you bothering people?" Eiser muttered, his brow furrowing as he pulled the blanket up.
"Eh, no, no, no! Just stay here! Whatever you do, don't come out." Serena panicked, waving her hands as she scrambled to her feet. "Alright, just stay inside. I'll go check outside."
Eiser ran a hand through his messy hair, a cynical expression settling over his features. If someone was bold enough to visit at this hour, it had to be for something serious. But as his mind raced through the implications, a new wave of logic took over.
"You must not come out," Eiser pointed out sharply, sitting up. "The problem is, this is my cabin! If you walk out of my room in the middle of the night with nothing but a towel on, what are people going to think about us?! As far as everyone else is concerned, we're already officially divorced, you know!"
"Then just ignore them and pretend you're asleep!" Serena hissed back, already slipping her feet into her slippers.
"Would someone really come at this hour without an important reason? What if it's an emergency?"
With a soft tap of her slippers against the wooden floor, Serena prepared to face whoever was waiting behind the door, leaving Eiser behind to weigh the risk of the unexpected visitor.
Serena pressed a finger to her lips, offering a fierce, silent warning as she glared into the corridor. With a quiet klak, she pulled the cabin door open just a crack.
Standing in the dim light of the hallway was Ednoc, his neat blond hair and tailored suit standing out in the stillness of the night.
"Ah, fortunately, you're still awake," Ednoc said, offering a soft, polite smile. "I hope I'm not disturbing your rest."
"Ah, Mr. Ednoc! What brings you here at this hour?" Serena asked, blinking in surprise.
"Nothing in particular. It's just that the midnight performance is about to begin. You said earlier that you were interested in watching it," Ednoc explained, his gaze softening as he looked at her. "I hesitated for a moment, but eventually I worked up the courage to come here because I was afraid you might miss it."
Oh, right! The performance! Serena thought, a wave of gentle appreciation washing over her. Thank you for coming here in person just to let me know.
"Ah, I understand. In that case, you should get plenty of rest now," Ednoc said, his tone shifting with gentle concern. "How are you feeling? Are you feeling any better?"
"Yes, after warming myself up in the cabin, my cold has gotten better. I'm feeling better physically as well," Serena answered warmly.
"Thank goodness," Ednoc replied, his expression easing. "You were coughing earlier, so actually, I stopped by about 30 minutes ago to bring you some medicine. I knocked several times, but there was no answer, so I thought you had already fallen asleep and eventually went back."
"Eh... really?" Serena asked, blinking in surprise. "Sorry, I guess I didn't hear it."
He came here earlier? I don't remember hearing anything at all.
As Ednoc stood in the doorway talking about his visit from thirty minutes ago, the sudden realization hit Serena hard: If it was thirty minutes ago, then we were definitely pretty caught up with each other at the time.
Suddenly, a shadow fell over the doorway. Behind Serena, Eiser stepped out from the shadows of the room. Wearing nothing but an open bathrobe, he casually leaned against the doorframe right beside her, closing the distance between them with a striking, undeniable intimacy.
Ednoc's polite smile froze as his gaze shifted from Serena to the tall, dark-haired man looming right behind her. The stark contrast between Eiser's relaxed, bare-chested presence and the late-night visit sent a heavy, silent shock through the hallway.
Serena's eyes widened in panic, her face flushing bright red as she realized how completely compromised their "officially divorced" cover story looked right at that moment.
Ednoc's polite smile faltered for a fraction of a second as his eyes dropped from Serena to the imposing figure standing intimately right behind her.
"Hahaha, oh my, what a cute couple!" Ednoc chuckled, though the sound lacked its previous warmth, his expression tightening as he looked between them.
"...!" Serena's face flushed crimson, her breath catching in her throat as she shot an anxious, flustered look back at Eiser.
Tip's
lansa, who loves baking, personally served homemade cookies and cakes via room service during the early days of Serenity Hotel's founding. Some of the - original recipes have been passed down with slight refinements over time and - theses desserts have become signature menu items at the Hotel.
팁
베이킹을 좋아하는 란사는 세레니티 호텔 설립 초기에 직접 만든 쿠키와 케이크를 룸서비스로 제공했습니다. - 일부 오리지널 레시피는 시간이 지남에 따라 약간씩 수정되어 전해 내려왔고, - 이 디저트들은 호텔의 시그니처 메뉴가 되었습니다.