Anastasia couldn't breathe.
Hidden in the bushes with Yae, she watched the scene unfold like a nightmare she couldn't wake from. The moment Julius pulled Rem's kimono down and exposed her bare breasts, Anastasia's stomach twisted so violently she thought she might be sick. But that was nothing compared to what came next.
The kiss.
It wasn't gentle. It wasn't hesitant. It was raw, desperate, hungry. Rem's hands fisted in Julius's hair as their mouths crashed together, tongues sliding wetly, openly, shamelessly. Anastasia could see everything — the way Rem arched into him, the way Julius's strong hands kneaded her naked breasts, thumbs rolling her pink nipples until they were stiff and glistening. The wet sounds of their kissing carried on the night air, obscene and intimate. Their masks were still on, but it didn't matter. The passion between them was unmistakable.
Then Julius pulled back just enough to gasp against her lips, voice hoarse and trembling with emotion.
"I love you, Rem"
Anastasia's world shattered.
Her hands flew to her mouth to stifle the broken sound that tried to escape. Terror flooded her chest, cold and suffocating. He said it. He actually said it. Not lust. Not a slip. Love. Real, raw love.
Rem whimpered, but instead of pulling away, she kissed him harder, deeper, like she was drowning and he was the only air left in the world.
Then Julius spoke again, his voice cracking with desperation.
"Marry me, Rem."
Anastasia felt the ground drop out from under her.
Marry him?
Her worst nightmare crashed over her in waves. Julius — her Julius — wanting to leave her. Divorce her. Abandon her for Rem. The woman she had carefully chosen to be a vessel, a toy, a temporary relief, was now being offered everything Anastasia could never give him: youth, fertility, a future. A real marriage. Children that would carry his blood.
She was shaking. Angry tears burned her good eye as the swollen one throbbed in time with her racing heart. How dare he? After everything I've done for him? After I sacrificed my pride, my body, my dignity to make him happy?
Sadness followed the anger, deep and crushing. She had pushed them together. She had wanted this — the affair, the passion, the child. But not like this. Never like this. Not Julius falling in love. Not him asking Rem to be his wife while Anastasia stood forgotten in the shadows, sick and useless.
He wants to replace me.
The thought made her want to scream.
Rem shoved him away, fixing her kimono with trembling fingers. "Not in a million years," she hissed, voice breaking. "I hate you... I hate you so much right now."
The main fireworks exploded overhead in a deafening roar of color, lighting up the sky in brilliant gold and crimson.
Rem ran.
Julius stayed on the bench, hand still extended toward her retreating figure, frozen in place as the fireworks continued to bloom above him.
Anastasia couldn't move. Her mind was a storm of terror, rage, and confusion.
What do I do now?
Rem knew. Julius had confessed. Rem had shown her own conflicted feelings, even if she ran. The line had been crossed. There was no going back.
Did I even need to do anything anymore?
She had spent months orchestrating this — the uniforms, the perfume, the festival, the subtle pushes. And now it had happened without her direct control. Julius had fallen. Rem was cracking. But instead of triumph, Anastasia felt only hollow dread.
If Rem still loves Subaru... if she doesn't plan to abandon that part of her life... what does she expect Julius to do?
Wait? Pine? Stay married to a dying woman while loving another?
Anastasia's hands clenched into fists so tight her nails cut into her palms.
She didn't know what to do.
She didn't know if Julius should go after Rem or let her go.
And from the way Julius sat there, staring at the sky with a broken expression, he didn't know either.
The fireworks continued to explode above them, beautiful and indifferent, while Anastasia remained hidden in the bushes, tears streaming silently down her face, her perfect plan suddenly feeling like the beginning of the end.
Anastasia couldn't tear her eyes away from the empty bench where Julius now sat alone, staring up at the exploding sky. Her heart hammered so hard she felt dizzy. The kiss, the confession, the proposal — it was all too much, too fast, too real.
Yae's low, amused voice broke the silence beside her.
"Wow... that was amazing," the ninja whispered, her fox mask tilted slightly as she watched Julius. "You have real good intuition, Lady Anastasia. These two fit perfectly. The chemistry is insane."
Anastasia didn't answer. Her throat was too tight.
Yae continued, her tone turning playful and dangerous. "So... what should we do with Subaru? I can kill him tonight if you want — quick and clean. But it might damage Rem's mentality. She's already fragile. Of course, there's a big chance she'll divorce him after this... but honestly? It would be so much hotter if she stayed with him. Cheating behind his back, coming home to him every night with Julius's cum still inside her..."
Yae's hand suddenly slid down and grasped Anastasia's ass firmly through the kimono, squeezing possessively as she kept talking.
"Or maybe we turn him into a proper cuck," she purred, voice dripping with excitement. "He can sit on a chair right next to you and watch Julius knock up his wife. Wouldn't that be perfect?"
Anastasia's breath hitched sharply. She could feel Yae's arousal radiating off her — the way the ninja's body pressed closer, the slight tremble in her fingers as they kneaded her ass. Yae was wet for this. Genuinely, shamelessly turned on by the nightmare she was describing.
And the worst part?
Anastasia was too.
Even as horror and jealousy clawed at her chest, a sick, shameful heat bloomed low in her belly. Her thighs clenched involuntarily. The image Yae painted — Subaru forced to watch, broken and humiliated, while Julius claimed Rem completely — made her pulse throb with unwanted arousal. She hated herself for it. She hated how her body responded to her own worst nightmare.
Yae noticed. Of course she did.
The ninja leaned in closer, lips brushing the shell of Anastasia's ear. "You're getting wet too, aren't you? Even though you know it's terrible... you're soaked thinking about it."
Anastasia's face burned crimson under her mask. She wanted to deny it. She wanted to slap Yae's hand away and scream that she was wrong.
But she couldn't.
Because deep down, in the darkest corner of her twisted heart, the idea of watching Julius breed Rem while Subaru sat there powerless... it excited her more than anything had in years.
She swallowed hard, voice barely a whisper.
"...Keep talking."
Yae's grin widened behind her mask as her fingers tightened on Anastasia's ass.
"As you wish, my lady."
The fireworks continued to explode overhead, painting the night in brilliant, indifferent colors, while two women hid in the bushes — one terrified, one aroused, both completely lost in the same dark fantasy.
Anastasia couldn't move.
Her legs felt like lead, her chest so tight she could barely draw breath. The fireworks continued to explode overhead in brilliant, indifferent bursts of color, but she saw none of it. All she could see was the empty space where Rem had stood moments ago — and Julius, still sitting on that bench, hand outstretched toward the path she had fled down.
He asked her to marry him.
The words repeated in her head like a death sentence.
Yae's voice finally cut through the roaring in her ears. "Lady Anastasia... are you alright?"
Anastasia swallowed hard, forcing her voice to work. "I'm going back to the hotel," she said, the words coming out hoarse and strained. "I expect a detailed report from the party. Every word, every touch, every look. Do not leave anything out."
Yae nodded, but her hand slid lower, fingers pressing boldly between Anastasia's thighs through the thin silk of the kimono, seeking to slip inside. "As you wish... but before you go—"
Anastasia grabbed Yae's wrist with surprising strength and wrenched her hand away. "Don't," she hissed, voice trembling with barely contained rage and shame. "Not now."
Yae tilted her head, amused. "Can I at least hit on Julius later? He looks like he could use some stress relief after that little heartbreak."
"Absolutely not," Anastasia snapped, her good eye flashing with fury. "He is my husband. Mine."
Yae raised her hands in mock surrender, but the smirk never left her lips.
Then came the voice that froze them both.
"Anastasia... come out."
Julius's voice was calm, tired, but unmistakable. He hadn't raised it. He didn't need to.
Anastasia and Yae exchanged a stunned glance. He knew?
Anastasia's mind raced. If he wanted to humiliate me, he's succeeded. He knows I watched everything. He knows I saw him confess. He knows I saw him beg Rem to marry him.
There was no point hiding anymore.
She stood up slowly, brushing leaves from her kimono, and stepped out from the bushes. Yae followed silently behind her, keeping to the shadows.
Julius turned his head toward them. He looked exhausted, conflicted, but not surprised.
Anastasia stopped a few feet away, her swollen eye throbbing, her heart hammering so hard she thought it might burst. She was terrified. Angry. Devastated. And beneath it all, a sick, shameful arousal still lingered from what she had witnessed.
"You knew," she whispered, voice cracking. "You knew I was watching."
Julius let out a long, weary breath. "I guessed you would spy on me. So I tried calling your name. Looks like it worked."
Anastasia's lower lip trembled. She wanted to scream at him. She wanted to beg. Instead, she forced a broken, bitter smile.
"So... you can celebrate now, right? You finally got what you wanted."
Julius stood up slowly, his eyes filled with pain. "I won't lie to you, Anastasia. You were forcing this on me for months. Pushing, manipulating, teasing... and tonight I finally cracked. You shouldn't play with fire like that."
Anastasia's breath hitched. "Do you... love her?"
Julius looked away for a moment, then met her gaze again.
"If I didn't love you, I would have left a long time ago. But recently... I'm really tired of your manipulation, Anastasia. It hurts."
Tears spilled down her cheeks. "I'm sorry... I thought I was doing it for you. From now on, I won't do it anymore. I promise."
Julius's voice softened, but the pain remained. "You know it's not fair to me. Because of your actions, my heart started beating for another woman. A woman who is with a different man. A woman who loves and wants to be with Subaru. And now... I've ruined her happy marriage."
He looked at her with raw honesty. "What should I do now? Should I divorce you and leave?"
Anastasia's knees buckled. She dropped to the ground in front of him, sobbing openly now, no longer able to hold back the tears.
"No... please, no! I'm sorry! I love you! You're the only person who cares for me. Without you... there's nobody. Please don't leave me. Please..."
Julius knelt down in front of her, gently lifting her chin so she had to look at him. His own eyes were glistening.
"I never expected to cross a line like this in my life," he said quietly. "I don't know what to do anymore. Even though I know you're a lying, manipulating woman who disrespects and toys with my feelings... I still love you. But right now... I also realize I love Rem. The woman who is with another man. The woman who loves and wants to be with Subaru. So yes... I ruined her happy marriage. Subaru was right to get angry at me. I don't even know where the line blurred anymore."
Anastasia sobbed harder, clutching at his kimono. "Should I fire Rem and Subaru? I can give them extra money, anything—"
Julius shook his head. "You can't. This is our fault. It turned out like this because of us."
Anastasia's voice broke. "Then... what do you want?"
Julius looked at her for a long moment, his thumb gently brushing away her tears.
"I still want to see Rem. And I'm asking for your forgiveness."
Anastasia sat there on the ground, looking up at him through blurred vision as the final fireworks exploded overhead in a spectacular finale. She reached out with shaking hands and pulled him down into a desperate, passionate kiss.
Her arms wrapped tightly around his neck as their mouths met — wet, hungry, and full of everything they couldn't say. Julius kissed her back just as fiercely, one hand cradling the back of her head, the other pulling her closer. Their tears mixed on their lips as the sky lit up above them in brilliant, final bursts of color.
For a moment, the world was only the two of them — broken, guilty, and still desperately in love.
But the damage had been done.
And neither of them knew how to fix it.
Julius reached up slowly and removed Anastasia's fox mask, setting it aside on the bench. His fingers brushed gently against the swollen skin next to her left eye. The bruise had deepened to a dark, angry purple, the eyelid almost completely shut.
"Does it hurt?" he asked, voice low and thick with guilt.
Anastasia gave a weak smile, trying to hide how much it throbbed. "A little."
She reached up in turn and pulled his mask off as well, letting it fall beside hers. "You don't need to hide your face when you kiss your wife."
They sat down together on the wooden bench. Anastasia immediately leaned her head against his shoulder, curling into his side like she used to when they were younger and the world felt simpler. The fireworks continued to explode overhead in brilliant bursts of gold, crimson, and sapphire, lighting up their faces in shifting colors.
For a long moment she was silent, gathering her strength. When she finally spoke, her voice was small and trembling.
"Julius... I don't mind if you love different women. I really don't. I only care that you still love me... that in your heart I'm still first. Because the truth is... I know I'm a disappointment. I can't have sex with you anymore. I can't give you children. My body is sick and weak and unattractive. But with all my soul, I love you. I want you to be happy. And when I die... I want you to remember me. Even if you find another woman, marry her, and build a happy family with her... I just want you to remember me sometimes. That's all I ask."
Her voice cracked on the last words, fresh tears slipping down her cheeks.
Julius's arm tightened around her. He pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head, his own voice rough with emotion.
"There will never be a second woman I love the way I love you, Anastasia. And I will never forget the years we spent together. Not a single day."
Anastasia closed her eyes, letting his warmth soothe her for a moment. Then she asked the question that terrified her most.
"What about Rem now?"
Julius was quiet for a long time, staring at the fireworks blooming across the sky.
"I don't know," he finally admitted. "At one point... I thought I would like to be with her. But I don't want to ruin her life any further. She loves Subaru. She chose him. I... I crossed a line tonight. I shouldn't have."
Yae, who had been standing a respectful distance away, suddenly spoke up with a mischievous lilt.
"Well, since Lady Anastasia doesn't mind different women sharing Julius, maybe I could—"
"Shut up, Yae," Anastasia cut her off sharply, not even looking at her. "Do not interrupt."
Yae wisely fell silent, though a small smirk remained on her face.
Anastasia shifted closer, pressing her body tighter against Julius's arm, seeking comfort in his solid presence.
"Can we... just watch the fireworks tonight?" she whispered. "Tomorrow we can decide what to do next. Please?"
Julius turned his head and kissed her temple gently, careful of the bruise.
"Of course," he murmured. "Tonight is just for us."
They sat together on the bench, Anastasia's head resting on his shoulder, his arm wrapped securely around her. The sky continued to explode in brilliant colors above them, but for the first time in weeks, the only thing that mattered was the warmth of the person beside her.
For tonight, at least, the storm could wait.