I went to Layla's room at the promised time and knocked gently.
The door was slightly open, but there was no sign of anyone inside.
It felt a little wrong to enter someone's room without them there, but usually, if you arrive early to a meeting spot, it's normal to wait.
Besides, Layla had said she might be a bit late because of work, and that I could wait inside.
After some hesitation, I carefully opened the door and stepped inside.
This was the room Kallion had once told me never to enter again.
To him, it was a secret, private space that he shared with Layla—one he seemed ashamed of.
But this time, I had been invited by the room's owner.
I didn't really understand why we had to have tea in this room, but Layla had said she had something important to share with me in private.
That made it all the more intriguing.
Maybe she just wanted to brag about sharing such a secret space with Kallion.
If that was the case, I didn't care.
Whatever happened between her and Kallion in this room didn't concern me.
If she gave away useful information about Valdormer just to feel superior, then I stood to gain more than I'd lose.
With that thought, I looked around the room.
It looked exactly the same as the last time I saw it.
Still clearly used as a bedroom, yet oddly untouched—like no one had entered it since.
Then, as I was closing the door, a picture frame that had been hanging precariously on the edge of a table fell to the floor.
Crash!
It shattered loudly, glass scattering across the floor.
I didn't know why the frame was left in such a dangerous spot, but I quickly picked it up in a panic.
That's when I saw who was in the frame—and froze.
It was a woman with black hair, sitting gracefully. A woman I'd never seen before.
It was definitely not Layla.
As I stood there, confused and still holding the frame, the door suddenly burst open.
Kallion and Layla stood there with tense expressions.
Or more precisely—they were looking at the broken picture frame in my hands.
I was too stunned to move when Kallion quickly strode over and snatched it from me.
The broken glass cut my hand.
"Ah…"
Blood started dripping from my fingertips.
Kallion's shoulders tensed as he looked at the bleeding, then he scowled deeply.
"I told you never to enter this room."
I'm the one bleeding, and yet he looked angry at me.
Was he mad because I came in here? Or because my blood might have dirtied the room?
Or… both?
"Why don't you ever listen to what I say?"
That cold, resentful glare filled with anger and disgust made me feel equally upset.
Why was he making such a big deal out of this?
"I came because the room's owner invited me."
"The room's owner?"
At my calm reply, Kallion scoffed in disbelief. Then his face twisted with fury.
"Are you mocking me?"
What was making him this angry?
Was it because I came into his and Layla's private space?
Because I ignored his previous warning?
Or did he think I'd come here to do something to Layla?
While I tried to understand, my face slowly turned cold too.
Then Kallion glared at me with intensity and growled,
"Are you saying… my dead mother invited you?"
It took me a few seconds to understand what he meant—and then I froze completely.
His dead mother?
Wait… is he saying this room belonged to his mother?
Suddenly I remembered the photo in the frame—the elegant black-haired woman.
She didn't look like Layla or her mother.
My confused eyes shifted to Layla.
Blood dripped from my fingers and pooled on the floor.
Layla had acted like this was her room.
Like it was hers…
Thump.
It hit me like a blow to the head.
She had never actually said it was her room. She had only responded vaguely to my questions.
She just said, "Let's have tea in my room"—but never explained where that was.
Even if she let me believe the wrong thing…
I was the one who assumed it was her room.
I looked at Layla with wide, trembling eyes.
She was smiling sweetly.
"…Ha…"
Suddenly, Kallion's extreme reaction made sense.
Layla's unusually submissive behavior today also made sense.
I knew that, despite being from a rival house, Layla had once liked Kallion.
I didn't know all the details, but I'd heard Kallion lost his mother at a young age.
And now that I thought about it—the woman in the photo looked a lot like him.
All the puzzle pieces fit together, and I felt ridiculous.
Layla knew I was misunderstanding the situation, and let me continue to believe it.
She even encouraged the misunderstanding and used Kallion's attachment to this room to create this entire setup.
My expression hardened. I marched straight over to Layla, who was standing behind Kallion, smiling quietly.
Before Kallion could even react, I reached her and slapped her across the face with all my strength.
Smack!
She fell to the side, clutching her cheek.
Looking down at her coldly, I said:
"I'll admit it. This time… you win."
Layla glared up at me with tear-filled eyes, her lip bleeding, but before anything else could happen, Kallion stepped between us and shouted.
"What the hell are you doing?!"
From his point of view, it must've looked like I had suddenly attacked his innocent assistant.
Too drained to explain, I let out a bitter laugh and said quietly,
"Ask your assistant. I'm curious what she'll say."
"…Ha…"
Kallion, clearly annoyed by the situation, swept his hair back in frustration and looked at Layla.
"You explain. Why did Yuliana hit you?"
Then, out of nowhere, Layla fell to her knees and began to cry like a tragic heroine.
"L-Lady Yuliana, I'm sorry! It's all my fault! I should've stopped you from coming into this room. But I couldn't lie to Lord Kallion…"
Tears poured down her face as she shook on the floor.
"Please… please don't hit me again. I was wrong. I'm sorry…"
It was as if she were implying I regularly beat her. I was too stunned to react.
"What are you saying—!"
As I stepped toward her in shock, Kallion reflexively moved to block me.
"Stay there, Yuliana."
He looked like he thought I was about to hit her again.
I wasn't even angry anymore—I was just speechless.
Kallion turned his gaze to Layla.
"Layla. Stand up."
"Sob… I'm sorry… I…"
Layla cried hysterically, her legs too weak to stand properly. She kept slipping.
Something felt off—Kallion must've noticed it too, because his expression hardened and he suddenly lifted her up.
"What's wrong with your legs?"
Then, his voice dropped low and cold.
"Lift your skirt."
Layla hesitated, glancing nervously at me, tears still falling.
I stared at her in disbelief, completely lost.
After a long pause, she slowly lifted her skirt under Kallion's command.
And there it was—
Her calves were dark with deep, black and blue bruises.
For a moment, both Kallion and I stood frozen in shock.