Chapter 60

"Finish it all."

He filled Grace's glass with wine and commanded. Grace glanced sideways at the plates lined up in front of her with a blank look.

She wanted to live, so she couldn't afford to be picky about what she ate. Besides, it was better not to refuse such generous treatment when she should be worried about being given rotten food.

However, the problem was...

"Don't delude yourself into thinking you can gain anything by fasting."

Winston had misunderstood Grace's recent reduction in food intake as preparation for a hunger strike.

'At least it's fortunate that he doesn't know the real reason.'

She was losing weight anyway due to the beast's relentless torment, so eating a good meal once in a while might not be bad.

Grace took a sip of the refreshing wine and picked up a piece of stone fruit.

'But it's creepy that he was monitoring my food intake.'

Throughout the meal, the man's hungry eyes remained fixed on her. He seemed to spend more time looking at Grace than eating, indicating that it wasn't about appetite.

"By the way, why hasn't your fiancé come to look for you yet?"

When Winston suddenly mentioned Jimmy, halfway through the main course, it was unexpected for Grace but not for Leon. He had been on high alert, wondering if Little Jimmy would try to rescue her.

But there were no signs.

No signs of planting new people, no signs of an attack, no surveillance, nothing.

It was utterly perplexing.

'Has he given up?'

The woman in front of him looked pitiful.

"I can't understand what you saw in such an irresponsible man to promise to marry him. Miss Ridley, you look pathetic."

Grace, who believed that Jimmy wasn't failing to rescue her but was unable to, was not shaken at all.

The first step in a rescue would be for Grace to get out of this annex. Winston knew that attacking her would be impractical and more harmful than beneficial, so she wasn't upset at all.

"You offering your woman to the army is quite exemplary. Miss Ridley, engaging with a pimp like that will only lead you to become a prostitute."

Hurry up and eat or leave. Grace pretended not to hear Winston's continued insults and continued to eat.

"So, tell me about the prostitute school."

The woman, who had been ignoring his words, shot him a sharp glance.

"Ah, I already know you didn't attend. What I mean is, your friends must have, right?"

"What's the point of your nonsense?"

Nonsense. Yes, it might be nonsense.

Leon leaned back in his chair and laughed.

"Right, the school is probably exaggerated. But using beauty to seduce officers and extract information is a real tactic, isn't it?"

When he told her about the recent capture of the western commander's mistress, she gave an astonishing response.

"Having a few meals together and thinking it's a relationship. There are more men who jump to conclusions than you think."

Leon was momentarily speechless. Her words sounded like she genuinely believed them, not just defending her side.

"Are you Grace Ridley?"

Caught off guard by the question, Grace tilted her head.

"Are you from the Ridley family, the leadership? Why doesn't the leadership know anything? Even I know things you don't."

"Isn't it normal to think you're wrong if I don't know something the leadership should?"

"..."

"We don't use such tactics. Do you think I don't know that the dirty pigs of the corrupt monarchy get aroused and frame our female comrades?"

Isn't the evidence right in front of you?

"Like you."

Winston laughed in disbelief and took out a cigar case from his jacket.

"No. It's a proven fact that the Blanchard rebels plant mistresses among high-ranking officers."

The lit cigar pointed at Grace.

"Like you."

"I'm not your mistress."

Winston laughed out loud, full of mockery.

"Sure, let's say that."

He took a puff of the cigar, exhaled white smoke, and asked,

"You said you received orders from your fiancé to seduce me."

Damn Jimmy. Damn the officers. Thanks to them, the truth that the Blanchard revolutionaries don't use such tactics was beautifully contradicted.

"That was unprecedented. That's why I couldn't believe my ears."

When did we fall so low? I hope the officers learn from this failure and never issue such orders again.

"You must be that important. Consider it an honor."

The woman, who had been sarcastic, calmly continued her meal. Leon, forgetting his own cold dinner, stared at her seriously.

Brainwashed?

It could be.

But she seemed genuinely unaware.

Is it believable that the leadership family doesn't know about this? Especially when her own mother was notorious for using such tactics.

Could they be hiding it? Why?

It was too quiet. Grace, slicing the fish, glanced up. Winston, chin in hand, was deep in thought. Just as she was about to lower her gaze, feeling uncomfortable under his intense stare,

"This is ridiculous."

Confused by his words, Grace looked at Winston again.

"Do you really want to believe that? That you're clean?"

"We don't want to believe it; we are clean. We all volunteer to make sacrifices. The pigs of the monarchy, driven by selfish greed, can't understand that."

"Right, selfish greed. You're not wrong."

The woman must have meant to insult him, but it was a fact he already acknowledged, so it wasn't insulting.

"The royal family is corrupt, but at least I know I'm corrupt. The rats of your rebellion, who believe they are righteous, are dirtier."

At least he knew he was a lackey of dirty scoundrels, while they believed they were messengers of justice.

As expected, the woman gripped her knife tightly, her eyes filled with the desire to stab him.

"I'm telling you this because I care. My first love was raised by a group of insane fanatics; of course, it hurts."

First love? You, who wants to kill me slowly and painfully, mentioning your first love?

Why did he want to have dinner together? Was this an interrogation?

No, it was torture.

She neatly arranged the utensils on one side of the plate, indicating she wouldn't eat anymore, and stood up.

"Leaving the table without asking for permission during a meal?"

Lecturing during a meal is so impolite.

Grace only responded internally and turned her back.

She wanted to leave but couldn't. Heading to the bed, thinking of covering herself with the blanket like an ostrich burying its head in the sand, Winston's voice grew harsher.

"I told you to finish it all."

"I tried, but I have no appetite, Captain."

She had been tormented all afternoon. She was too exhausted to endure more. Seeing the genuine anger in his eyes, she lowered her head.

But she still didn't give in, thinking he might drag her and tie her to a chair. Unexpectedly, Winston reacted differently.

"Sally."

Grace stopped in her tracks.

'Why is he calling me by that name?'

What's his intention? Unable to contain her curiosity, she turned around.

Contrary to her expectation of mockery, Winston looked serious, almost pleading, even in his tone.

"If you have no appetite, at least try the dessert."

What was so special about the dessert that he was begging her to eat it?

'Madam Benoît's cake.'

When Winston opened the lid of the plate, Grace's mind buzzed.

She understood why he called her Sally. The person who loved Madam Benoît's cake was neither Day nor Grace but Sally.

Could he have prepared it on purpose?

It was an absurd guess. A spy and the enemy's daughter. Why would he do such a thing to a woman he only wanted to kill painfully?

For a moment, she had thought he might like her during their dirty 'deal' that night. But given what she had experienced since, it was a complete delusion.

Probably, there was a party at the mansion, and the maids brought the cake from the kitchen without thinking and served it as dessert.

'Maybe he didn't know what the dessert was when he told me to eat it.'

Leon moved his share of the cake to the plate of the woman who was completely deluded.