EPISODE 3

The first light of morning crept through the tall windows of Hye-won’s mansion. Birds sang somewhere outside, though their songs were muffled by the silence inside the penthouse.

In the grand bedroom, Aera lay curled on the bed, her wrist still cuffed to the frame. Her eyes were swollen from crying, her lips dry, her body weak from hunger and thirst. The night had been long—an endless stretch of fear, discomfort, and helplessness.

But she didn’t dare scream. Didn’t dare beg. Not when the very air of this place belonged to the woman who had trapped her here.

Meanwhile, in the dining hall downstairs, Kim Hye-won sat at the head of the table, a crisp white shirt replacing her suit from the night before. Her men brought her files to sign, updates to skim through. She sipped her coffee as though she hadn’t abducted a teenager only hours ago.

It wasn’t until she reached for the basket of bread that something flickered in her mind. She froze. Then, slowly, she leaned back in her chair.

“…Damn.”

Her eyes narrowed slightly in irritation. She had forgotten.

Her “guest.”

The little rabbit.

Hye-won set her cup down with a sharp clink. She rubbed her temples, annoyed—not with herself, but with the inconvenience.

Rising from her seat, she called out flatly, “Bring food to my room.”

One of the maids blinked in surprise. “For you, madam?”

“No.” Hye-won’s gaze flicked toward her, sharp and impatient. “For my little rabbit. Now.”

The staff exchanged uneasy glances but obeyed instantly, scurrying to the kitchens.

As she ascended the stairs, Hye-won’s thoughts twisted with disdain. She hadn’t meant to leave the girl cuffed all night. But then again, what did it matter? The brat had chosen to stand in her way. She wasn’t here to be pampered.

Still, the image of Aera’s wide, tear-stained eyes from the night before lingered in her mind like a shadow she couldn’t shake.

When Hye-won pushed open the bedroom door, she saw her exactly as expected—weak, pale, her wrist still bound to the bed.

Aera flinched when the door opened, her tired eyes darting immediately to Hye-won. She looked like she hadn’t slept a wink.

Hye-won smirked faintly, leaning against the doorway.

“Still alive. Good. I was starting to think you’d be dead by now. That would’ve been… disappointing.”

Aera didn’t answer, only lowered her gaze, shame and exhaustion written across her face.

Moments later, the maids rushed in with trays—bowls of steaming soup, fresh bread, fruit, and juice. They set the food neatly on the side table and bowed before hurrying out, the tension thick in the room.

Hye-won approached the bed slowly, her heels clicking against the marble floor. She reached out and uncuffed Aera’s wrist with an audible click.

“There,” she said coldly. “Eat. I don’t want my little rabbit dying so soon. It would ruin my fun.”

Aera rubbed her sore wrist, her eyes glistening with both relief and confusion.

Hye-won sat down on the couch across from her, lighting another cigarette, her gaze sharp and watchful as the girl stared at the untouched food.

“Well?” she asked, blowing out smoke. “Eat. Or are you planning to bore me even further?”

Aera’s hand trembled as she reached for the bread. She ate slowly, each bite small and hesitant, like a child afraid she might be punished for eating too much. The soup warmed her throat, easing the dry ache from crying all night. She drank the juice quickly, her hunger overpowering her fear just for a moment.

Hye-won sat on the couch, one leg crossed over the other, smoke curling lazily from between her fingers. Her eyes never left the girl.

“Look at you,” she said coldly, lips twisting into a smirk. “Crying all night, and now eating like a starved puppy. Pathetic.”

Aera lowered her gaze, cheeks burning in shame. She kept eating anyway, her stomach slowly filling. For the first time since being dragged here, her body began to feel alive again.

But soon after finishing, she froze. One hand pressed against her flat stomach, her brows furrowed as she shifted nervously on the bed. Her big eyes flickered toward Hye-won—fearful, hesitant, embarrassed. She opened her mouth slightly as though she wanted to say something, then immediately clamped it shut.

Hye-won noticed instantly.

Her smirk disappeared, replaced by irritation. She leaned forward, her voice low and sharp.

“What is it, little rabbit?”

Aera shook her head quickly, looking down at her lap. Her fingers twisted the sheets.

Hye-won narrowed her eyes. The sight of the girl’s silence—her refusal to answer—grated on her nerves.

With a sharp exhale, Hye-won stood, her heels striking the floor as she crossed the room in a few long strides.

She gripped Aera’s chin with cold fingers, forcing the girl’s face up, her hold painfully tight. Their eyes met—Hye-won’s gaze dark, strict, unyielding; Aera’s wide with fear.

“I asked you something,” Hye-won said through clenched teeth. “Don’t test my patience, rabbit.”

Aera whimpered softly, her eyes glossing with fresh tears. Finally, she mumbled in the smallest voice, barely audible:

“…bathroom.”

For a beat, silence hung between them.

Then Hye-won’s lips curved into a cruel smile.

“So that’s it? All that shaking, all that fear—for something so small?” She chuckled darkly, releasing Aera’s chin with a shove. “You really are nothing but a child.”

Hye-won’s smirk lingered as she released her hold on Aera. “Fine,” she said coldly. “Go to the bathroom. But make it quick. I don’t have all day to babysit a trembling child.”

Aera nodded quickly, still clutching her stomach. Her legs wobbled as she moved toward the door, hesitant with every step. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment, and her eyes stayed firmly on the floor, avoiding Hye-won’s piercing gaze.

Once inside the bathroom, she hurried, shaking as she splashed cold water on her face, trying to calm herself. Her fingers trembled as she brushed back her hair and wiped the last traces of tears from her cheeks.

Minutes later, she stepped out. Her posture was stiff, her hands pressed nervously together in front of her. She felt small—like a mouse in the den of a predator—as she moved toward the couch where Hye-won lounged.

Hye-won didn’t stand or speak immediately. She just watched, cigarette dangling from her fingers, a slow smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.

Aera stopped a few feet away, awkward, unsure of where to look. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she swallowed hard, the remnants of fear and shame settling over her like a heavy cloak.

Hye-won finally spoke, her voice low and teasing:

“Well? Back so soon? I expected you’d take your sweet time, little rabbit.”

Aera’s lips parted slightly, but no words came out. She just nodded faintly, her gaze flicking down at her hands, ashamed to meet Hye-won’s eyes.

Hye-won’s smirk deepened as she leaned back, blowing a thin stream of smoke.

“You really don’t know how to behave, do you?” she said, almost mockingly. “Crying all night, hiding your stomach, and now standing there like a lost child.”

Aera shifted awkwardly, silent, feeling the weight of Hye-won’s gaze press into her like an invisible wall, she felt awkward, ashamed.

Hye-won chuckled softly, the sound cruel but amused. “You… are going to make this interesting, little rabbit. I can already tell.”

And with that, she exhaled a long plume of smoke, eyes still fixed on Aera, who felt smaller than ever, trapped in the sharp shadows of the queen before her.

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