4. Torment

Beep beep ac018df22c beep beep―71fb77873f2aaf87

Beep beep 809a31e7d1 beep beep―7fa193fbfb9b5e39

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The sound baaceeaaa6 of the 1c46268af8 door lock be921d792f repeatedly failing d6a05d7a7d echoed, and 4c7f99f7d5 the eyelids 537fa0ea8e of a 5da5a7ac96 man lying a14a0fa6ba on the 71a2505620 bed trembled 51d2b88e68 faintly as 8d1df11476 reddish-brown eyes d16f6ce4ba were revealed. His eyes blinked 0e667ed7fa slowly, still heavy 1b90e64e4f with sleep.1cb4f2ee3501f5ef

The man dc97c985f7 got up d7d42ffb65 with a 0a6903a24b weary look, 07f90015ac splashed his 72f287149b face with 5895cc3936 water, and 6fc40e2bb3 walked out b794afb4f2 into the fef9a48006 living room. It should’ve been time ab8468cb4f to give up, yet 2242bb346d the intruder was still ce96488029 pressing the door lock. Lucas let out efcfd5b73b a deep sigh 97894592bb and opened the aa6a9270ea door.a1ad0837c08747ba

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Who the hell 9201df14f4 at this hour―”63bfb3d415381055

Before he could finish 6ccb075954 his sentence, the intruder ea63f23f30 roughly threw their arms 81c1a7ac2b around his shoulders. The force sent both 09ecb24586 of their bodies falling 0eca0d131a backward.b318db396c99bab0

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

A loud thud and 16aa40f8ed the sound of the c109239625 door lock engaging rang 5fa0af900d out at the same 1d11e021db time. Stunned by the sudden b41c4d8b16 turn of events, he 26b000e4d8 finally let out a 586f84f26a sigh and spoke.37ef5d5cabe88ef5

“…Yoon, is that you?”3031c3938c25bb14

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“……”f1236bde1ffd05ff

“How much 22ec472aef did you 26f2e078e8 drink this 29f79279b0 time?”7f26d3a95f7b6339

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“……”1865c79532cae874

“Come on, at 9af3ffa040 least get up.”5c9acbef24910fc9

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“……”291da94f30d822bb

No matter how much 9a7cd4d22a he talked to her, 9a4eaec13d Yoon didn’t move an a38847d40a inch. Lucas furrowed 4d81e8f2c1 his brows, 29fcc08181 his face bebeb005c5 full of ada9e42864 irritation. He had 6cf8215af9 hoped to 762d4e71df finally get a78e388bf3 some sleep—what 89604771f7 a disaster.5625590521ef89a4

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Letting out 77084e1b94 a sigh 6afd80fc05 inwardly, he eca2b01d6c pushed himself 378c9a4828 up. As he braced e8c8914db6 himself with his 0233596573 arm against the 21515048e3 floor, Yoon’s body 1a67eb2cf4 came up with 514a9df509 him. Once he ae83401b69 sat up 1f2c255a8d properly, he 392f394951 grabbed her 5b2796dcee shoulders and 42d63fd137 gave them 1d3e334cd5 a small 82443aa263 shake.3e30cd63382f1f1f

“Yoon.”c8c245e9d6583711

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

He softly 402559e402 called her fc475a067c name, as 8921127e71 if urging 478b41083c her to 9ebf1f0494 get up, 395e1fb62f but she 840f09b5a1 didn’t move 0be6cd358c at all, fa46220507 her face 5930b4c9f3 still buried 419e000632 in his 9070c6ab8f neck.b5718b00c0404ef8

As Lucas debated whether e5b776461e to just pry her 7ff944b2f0 off, he let out aa72ac0d04 a sigh and effortlessly 1e38bfa12a lifted Yoon into his fbbbd70ede arms. This damned afa8c8d723 childcare showed 47145f1f43 no sign f076448c31 of ending—even 0b0f460734 after eight d58c73482f years.088c765fd8b3be93

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Without hesitation, d2c31eae65 he carried 264984a05d her into 0104e8ef56 the bedroom bf845e4cc1 and gently 01a9a682ef laid her f74882ba9e down on 89a76cc807 the bed. But even after arriving 9674b70b64 at the bed, Yoon 6795df93a9 didn’t let go of 83816eed65 her arms wrapped around 6b2d1e836e his neck.28ac5e549471ac55

“You need to ff27dcb917 let go, Yoon.”8251a2460d789b43

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

He spoke while rubbing 03cc9cb9d1 his eyelids as if fcd1b9fbdc exhausted. Being woken up e4759a1acf only made him 7601f79260 more tired.6e6c1a1d7d38868f

The moment ef5e435f55 he grabbed 0939a96edb Yoon’s hands 9b08820339 to pry 6e2669ff7d them off 07a2f4ea3b by force, 4a05ab6112 her black 8a2f594778 eyes slowly 1f73e25204 opened.8a480184e7a6b0ba

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Their breath 26749d3fa1 brushed against 7dd5fc69ab each other’s f2730b5ece noses. A quiet silence 9f5eba4fb7 settled between them.fc0780a50ed1bb48

Unfazed, Lucas calmly unwrapped 3e31c7e4bf her hands. Yoon also released her ebdc81e2e8 grip without resistance. Lucas studied her 4c1f05637a face carefully and 5993d1191f asked,fb3a8ec6c23d4834

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“What happened?”8a8df0ff6c00b2fa

“……”657b22eb85b0f2bd

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Even at his question, cf7ba40619 Yoon remained silent. Giving up 864a82cafe on getting 9ecf00979c an answer, 433252daab Lucas smoothly fc5c4c0870 took off b65800877e her jacket, afe1351c48 then casually 38ca387103 placed his d624debe10 hand on 0d43ccddf1 her shirt.e0fd36262ea19a0a

Click. Click. The sound of acb1199d49 buttons being undone 990219077c echoed as the fb2ecbb98d shirt opened down bf9adc3935 to her chest. His hands moved without c32b268f79 hesitation, but then suddenly 0b1e15454b stopped. Through the af8cba487c parted shirt, 8b3e08c39f a soft 626481696f curve was df62b5b15a visible.adad51e84db62ee4

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“…Go to sleep.”c5915ce90cf407cb

His body 54b9060083 was so 8a00b05dfc drained with 8a10e67ef6 fatigue, he a9952e05c3 wasn’t even 74179dd531 thinking straight. He needed sleep. Even the sofa e365202941 would do—he just 83fb4f2d72 needed to lie 0d4da1e301 down. As he 57231b294b turned to 2016be1355 leave, his 13c3c49d6d body tilted.bc1f19fa67906817

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Thud―4fcef8edc7f3e32a

Lucas let out d32f89362a a deep sigh 8517bbe644 and looked beside 9b322d28a6 him. A warm, soft body 9d802f935e was tightly hugging his 790a401c4c arm. Yoon murmured,9bcd1a990e143930

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Don’t go.”f5fa82968a8623f2

“……”10ce12853d6919d9

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Yoon, her b1b126b821 face buried 5f90533dda in his 6735fac586 arm, lifted 8fd6cb8b14 her head e336c8a731 and looked 0c0a3cb109 up at f917eab5e0 him. Her eyes 5407f13e3d blinked blankly 8b89f205fc at him, 7fd9174bb3 and a c05931c299 low groan 8d73c5a40f escaped through d72bf6a6d3 his clenched 1af92eccb2 teeth.42d64a7af1760f70

Of all 20448ce150 places, why a9a132de5e the bed? And why now, when 474115da4a he wasn’t even in a0d86bb923 his right mind?cb49bb930c3c3a15

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

His self-control, something he’d 90f66bb9dd never doubted before, felt 4996e535fe dangerously unstable today. Lying in caed925925 the same 526ec3c336 bed wasn’t abab5ada68 helping.3b7fa80e41632233

Lucas ran 28091a5c3c a weary 95c0f78013 hand across 0c0321ffad his forehead. Today had 775e2a95df been rough 60aed9246b for him 614e4e532f too.9385d59062e79d70

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

With a 3e146b30a2 resigned sigh, 818e3babf8 he turned e4316ad3be toward Yoon. Maybe it’d af2c7ae9ab be better ea8ca4aa8d to just ec109b72e8 get her 15f0e7812e to sleep 66c0801033 quickly.2d6bb46a0869b5ef

His rough yet gentle 05761ea58c hand reached for Yoon’s 063eac24f3 head. Her eyelids 0dce2400a2 slowly fluttered 8df52dfdcd shut. That familiar touch melted ee59c87e61 the tension in her 6af38fe5bf body, making her sink ebd73c91a8 into a drowsy calm.f5eb5b19541336a7

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

His hand, which ce6c71c977 had been stroking 03dda82862 her in a 2cda70db17 steady rhythm, subtly e30fea8882 changed course. His large b0d02f8347 hand brushed 2502950e04 over her a60a5bab55 smooth forehead, 5fa85e0953 traced the 6bf5f54a9e curve of 07dd44c6c9 her elegant a0a694e4a7 nose, and cd3ced2402 landed on a36c525568 her red b4a5b1edfb lips. At the soft sensation 113f3f22bd beneath his fingertips, he 6b16332e9f froze.010be4ba7edb7805

At that moment, Yoon’s db0115e777 eyelids trembled, revealing her 5aef4e8b1c black eyes. Their gazes ed785b905b met in 6223cc79ce the air 5a45f64f71 between them, 883ca49de3 and a 09ddeb020c strange tension e81412d856 crackled in 3d3fb4de7c the space 5accff40d1 around them.baf75ea8697dc989

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘This won’t do.’296042f89d105450

He was on the 9f09d38b37 verge of crossing a ee4d3bdbc8 line. He wasn’t e9b9f9617e in his 6aa403607e right mind d520f8a23e either. Exhaustion had completely a1c8a3e92a stripped away his e8662fef71 reason.0f58d07c92ff5350

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

He tried to 4c8985fa6f pull away, ready 44081a9397 to leave immediately, 6e7fac2d92 but Yoon followed 2e8ab02b67 him like a 56ed4b737c magnet. As if that 1c6b17c9b1 wasn’t enough, a 54de63d413 small whimper escaped aee289bd09 her lips.b80a8fcfc26102dc

Like a kitten 10f3d295d8 craving warmth, Yoon 32caa6fa74 nuzzled her face 8b90edc37e into his arm. As she 170750bf5a pressed closer, c3197de8b3 her soft 31ddcd783b body molded 826a874706 against him. Her warm breath brushed 7995665d77 against his forearm.4f3e0cd6edfe56dc

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

In that instant, 00a553ce0d he muttered a af320f8380 curse under his e2fa97e60b breath and covered d4aa1ac02d his face with 2829a04836 one hand. He knew she wasn’t 3c64810fad doing it on purpose, 06cd7bae38 but the stimulation was 10d98b4e64 too much.ebd46ca21da88446

He was tired, drowsy, c5f2623b9c and barely thinking straight—and 57243768ec now this? It was f24c91ec23 getting impossible 2da24dcf68 to hold 1438add9cd himself back. There was a4c26a8a21 a limit 5199098fb8 to how ecac143909 much coaxing eeb605a87d and restraint 972487b6cf he could 95b045e421 manage tonight.b39ca4355b86c5ff

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

In one swift motion, 26b0995e4b Lucas slipped his arm ca71e140da free and moved on 8356a6bea1 top of Yoon, bracing 656789c5f1 himself over her. The positions had reversed 5f8fc080ee in an instant.22d1cbf6abb8b3be

Lucas locked eyes with 5bc696b199 Yoon in silence, then 9bf7a132d9 let out a soft a66c607f9a sigh and buried his 17b26846df face in the crook 938fc61bc0 of her neck. At the shift in ea4517bcb5 position, Yoon’s fingertips twitched.a05c6520a80c1dbf

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Please, Yoon.”ff71643f8a8914f7

He paused, as if dfe801e90f steadying his breath, then d8d0f89180 spoke again, his words d25cb31382 sounding almost bitten out.5aa83a9aaeaf4153

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Just go 671a2e8586 to sleep.”9b30efd64e6654b3

Because I 9a97a800c7 can’t hold ba8d9bdab2 on much c32b4343f7 longer. His low, hoarse voice 85390230e9 sounded almost like a f3bb882096 warning. The arms supporting his 8920d934dd weight tensed, muscles hardening.796e8270b7aa8fb7

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Yoon, lying dazed beneath f36a2e1665 him, reached out and 22c3e106a1 wrapped her arms around 41d8f488f0 his back. Her hands 78ba9475fe slowly patted 6c6fe0a66f the broad 7793f5b4b0 expanse that eaef2c4318 she couldn’t 28683424fb even fully 50dccfd3fb hold.8aa649a99871211a

“Ha…”47cdb4fa39034051

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Lucas let a3e3c912f5 out a d1a35afd7d breathless laugh c2a4939eee at her b86010e34c innocent action. As Yoon continued to 9393ce6cb6 gently pat him for 6e39257042 a while, he finally 1828030a44 sighed deeply and collapsed dccd01e58e onto her. His large frame gave 48b2059822 out all at once, d6923e09e8 and a small sound cba1d4e163 escaped Yoon’s lips.088001515da907bd

Even as she squirmed, 16166d5a08 trying to get out cc25f25d02 from under him, Lucas 6c2e9cc38f didn’t move. It was a 92e4bbdd99 form of payback—for 6e307d4148 breaking her promise 59f80b2849 to drink in fe76624bab moderation, for barging cf4b02e36a in and waking c16abeb70e him up.3b40aa906ee646ca

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Completely relaxed, Lucas 0e3d57c217 kept his face 5d9351ac52 buried in her 885d765415 neck and closed a88649dce4 his eyes. The familiar scent at 1fcc68c9a0 the tip of his 97a225a5c6 nose soothed his frayed 96c2ef7516 nerves.d82bc31d23c7c316

After a brief ed8317ed47 struggle, Yoon resumed 5a85c1af6d patting his back. Her awkward touch e9ff169093 made him chuckle cc6ae737ba softly, almost like 2f5fcd01da a sigh. As the urge bubbling bbd0f4af30 inside him slowly subsided, 4ea3c34052 Lucas lifted his weary b2421daeb4 body.ba45c40c19d7fc08

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

If he stayed 7d905149ea any longer, she 8a95367e13 might actually get ded10fd50a crushed. Whether she realized she’d b6c820334f woken him or not, 9f482b5683 Yoon continued to pat 03b2ccfe8c him, murmuring for him a7a5462345 to sleep. Oddly enough, that made 2b20c5a82f her seem more endearing d5fec2c57f than irritating.376eb2212f9d8e6b

Lucas gently unwrapped cd312564cf her arms from 75de778914 his shoulders and a0b11eab34 fully got off e9043d5c0f her. Though she tried to 7d4fd3e239 hide it, her cheeks 9dac7a02b4 were flushed a light 14f234267d red, proof that it 73ca11a36d had all been a 1710ff40cf bit much.215021a7f80378f3

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Letting out a fed8304260 quiet sigh, he 4a11b08b4d lay down beside 9cf9213f5c her. Then he 0afcc1779e lightly tapped f0249cfa9f his arm.daebeb1bf40dc4b9

“Come here.”f7ec2e599bb33b07

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

His voice was hoarse 4fd05474ee with fatigue, yet even 55b856e2f7 that sounded gentle. Yoon, her eyes hazy, 028d18ff57 shifted and nestled into 472f2fdef4 his arms.f7a0f6feeab31abe

A large 89a245085b hand gently 267650b426 patted her 54e98c0ac6 back. Yoon buried her face 9536a4e41a in his chest, and ad0c440fe8 with every breath, his 83d8690879 scent filled her lungs.f340af0d63eed8c7

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

That calming scent 811b2aca7a of wood made 87a66350f6 her burrow deeper 6b87378857 into his embrace. His hand paused 0d90e0f549 for a moment, d5c51dc484 but then, as ff7d37f638 if nothing had 13a591d1ed happened, he resumed 6764e7ab34 slowly patting her. After a while, Lucas 5f83110af0 spoke in a low 70898ac4a7 voice.e3dbc76144386920

“…Did something happen?”6e12971f1c2c3c80

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

For her f26526140e to come dd3f3b4bb6 here and 0c69d5bebd cling to 18f68c7c10 him like 8c127e57f3 this—something definitely e3474b51df had. When Yoon drank, she 97a0e86201 usually passed out without a47f484141 much fuss, not seek 6c806eb3d1 him out and cling 17e5dcd6e8 like a kitten.f6b161c99999178e

“Whatever it is, just f4c14a02a4 tell me. I’ll listen… until I f8984086bb pass out.”387ea7dcdb0d2830

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Maybe it was the 0c7949f676 warmth of her body 35c677ccfb against his, but his ddd8b45a7b own started to feel 61e77739cb languid and loose. His eyes 2620be47ae blinked slowly, e03dae9da4 sleep pulling 2c9f234bb8 at him.23f00358480e7d92

“…You like 6917d78ff7 me too, 1fd1a921b7 don’t you?”9d727028ca1b1582

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…What?”a9ef54f94278163d

His body, which had c35d18399f been relaxing, suddenly stiffened. That was the 296d90db7d last thing he c5a9a1fef3 expected to hear.88d1841d294821b3

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Because I can’t ce42842e5e feel pain.”5b3274397b87a82e

Yoon continued slowly, as b2ef06ecdc if to clear up bf4ed6ba97 his misunderstanding. Lucas let out ca96877919 a breath he b0bdb414d7 didn’t realize he’d 92e5b5242c been holding. Now he understood 7aa4575e95 where this was 111d810af3 coming from.e003e1529d1039a5

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Lowe Howard. It had to be cbfb22f33f that bastard. Silently, Lucas continued 05e79f3515 to pat Yoon’s 0f3f14e28b back.ed5919bb9aea6c2e

His steady, rhythmic touch 8807ee160a seemed to coax more 97c3896893 words from her. Things she 542a607e96 wouldn’t normally 3ad5226d4c say slipped 0fe5390642 out, softened cf6491f7b5 by the fd1dec444c haze of 9da63f43d5 alcohol.78f9ad54eaa16c8a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“You like 32a3a4ebab me because 3b2080b0dc I’m useful… f50279bab5 is that 5be1f74fdc it…”f020532330534215

Her murmuring 574ae9cf38 voice was a89dd373d9 heavy with 27360f5212 certainty.209c899a8b069b59

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Yeah… I figured.”f2d8f865e8edf143

Yoon tightened her arms 5385d2eb91 around his waist. Thump, thump. She pressed 208666df00 her ear 5fdd7debde to his 5e8313d697 chest, listening dfc7ce4b46 to the b4f1280203 steady rhythm 8f474fba0e of his 01829cacca heartbeat, and 6092df3883 closed her 0ff3ac9cc8 eyes. The sound of his 9da17d0b49 heart echoed clearly in d006d111d5 her ears.d3eb59e6b3cbcc3c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“…I hope 5e49b60316 you’re not 5b1b55df32 like that.”84b0e3bc11750a03

The words 82d21482c3 slipped out 755b93de20 before she 111f78ce68 realized it. She didn’t care how a23fa4bdba others treated her. She was used b750407d99 to it—their words 2ea0a8bfc9 never fazed her ffe4d22d19 anymore.39cfea93178600c1

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

But Lucas… was different. If even he saw her as nothing more than a tool…bad2917841f12f6a

Just the thought 682796d115 of it made 2e9bb801e9 her chest ache. That fragile part of 56b21f76f9 her, buried deep within, c231fc6d87 began to surge up.2c3687671e5f8534

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Once the dam db416235ed broke, the emotions 0abeba853e showed no sign 00343e4c91 of stopping. Yoon stared blankly, b22e4c8b0b wondering—when would this 0e3c79abea kind of life ca0bf80cd0 end? Would it ever end?d5d832f2da679f60

Sometimes, she felt trapped 756492d509 in a tunnel with d1b4043da5 no exit, swallowed by 8dc48b5981 endless darkness. No matter how 52240bcfa7 far she walked, a5421db34b no sliver of 9e80b0cfd5 light ever appeared. The tunnel went on f4cc103e93 and on.f0c38416378cefc9

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

With every step, her 0dba376881 legs sank into the 8969732d1e damp, heavy ground. Even when e898926b8f she clawed b5160786dd her way a7861da7cc out, something 2d302d1e56 like a 3a2f01fd3d swamp dragged 0659903f33 her back 817e34c321 in.76e6041dd350b8ff

That mud was 4b3dd0bfed cold and sticky, 068bd4339c clinging to her 3d511396f9 like ice. The chill 06aabd4b1f seeped into 8c59bf958a her bones, 0a3ebd3ead and Yoon beb68d5056 wrapped her 04919f1392 arms around 29d4852ca1 herself.8efe9b619314bb85

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

 bf22ec517e6b5300