Chapter 151

"...You're not upset?"

"Should I be upset?"

Viola smiled prettily, her eyes curving, but Cain couldn't bring himself to smile back, still frozen in place.

However much he'd told himself he'd only acted to spare Viola from getting hurt, the fact remained that he'd overstepped a line on his own judgment.

It felt exactly like being caught red-handed doing something wrong—and worse, caught by the one person he least wanted to see it.

The Emperor's words from not long ago, delivered with a click of his tongue, echoed in his ears.

"A man ought to know how to exercise some restraint. Get too overbearing and a woman will get tired of you, you know."

Was she just forcing herself to look fine, out of consideration for him, even if she secretly found it burdensome?

Just as Cain sat there stewing in anxiety, the words that came out of Viola's mouth…