This is really it.

SUMMERINE COULDN'T stop touching her lips.

He kissed me.

It was all she could think about.

But why?

Had something changed between Ryu and the other woman?

And if that was the case—-

"Summerine?"

Her husband's unusually taut voice startled Summerine out of her thoughts, and she quickly lowered her hand when she realized she was still tracing her lip.

"I'm sorry about the kiss. Turning down De Rose's wife would only have caused people to talk."

The grim expression on his handsome face was new as well.

Could something really have happened?

"I'll do my best not to let such a thing happen again. I promise."

His jaw clenched, and Summerine realized that he was feeling... guilty?

The thought had Summerine fumbling for her phone, and she started scrolling haphazardly. She just needed an excuse not to meet his gaze, just needed something to busy herself with while pain threatened to swallow her up.

That one kiss from him had rocked her entire world.

But her husband looked as if he wished it hadn't happened at all.

It was just one kiss, and he was already acting like he was guilty of adultery—-even though Summerine herself was his wife.

I need to end this, Summerine thought miserably, before I become so pathetic that I won't even recognize myself.

Ryu made it so easy for her to pretend when they were together.

Just so easy to get carried away.

So easy to hope...even though, in truth, she never had any reason to hope at all.

Summerine wasn't sure how she was able to keep it together throughout the ride, but as soon as she got to her room—-

Oh, finally!

She shoved her face into a pillow and burst into tears.

I think this is really it, self.

(I know.)

Summerine cried even after harder at this.

(And I'm sorry.)

Her life had officially hit a new all-time low...if even Inner Troll was being nice to her.