To My Beloved Oppressor

Chapter 7

"I don't want to eat."

Annette protested, but Heiner just removed the empty papers on the side table without reply.

"I don't want to eat."

"Are you trying to starve yourself to death?"

"It doesn't matter if I'm going to starve to death or not."

"If you are going to die, do it in a more graceful way."

Heiner turned away from the clean side table and looked at her coldly.

"You're the princess of Rosenberg."

At that moment, Annette's expression hardened. She stared at him, her mouth closed and her eyes downcast. In that hurt look, Heiner felt dirty all the while he was being sarcastic.

Princess of Rosenberg. That was what people used to call Annette.

Annette was the envy of every man in the capital.

The only daughter of the noble Rosenberg, she had a beautiful appearance, a kind heart, and was even an aspiring pianist.

No one could treat her disrespectfully. Annette was a person who made you acutely aware of her nobility just by looking at her.

To call her then-name now was nothing but a mockery.

Around the time they were surrounded by uncomfortable silence, a servant came in with some food. Heiner had it placed on the table and then said.

"Eat."

"Please leave. I'll eat it on my own."

"So you're going to leave it untouched?"

"If I do, what are you going to do about it?"

Annette said in a sharp tone. Heiner's eyes widened slightly.

"This isn't like you..."

"What about me? How much do you know about me?"

Annette scoffed when she said that. This was not like her either.

Since Heiner had known her, Annette had never spoken in such a sarcastic way. Even when she was angry, she was honest.

Annette was a woman who acted nonchalant and pliable even when she knew of his deliberate approach and demanded a divorce.

But now she seemed quite sensitive.

"Perhaps I took your pills?"

What in the world was about the drug?

Heiner said quietly , tightening the nerves that had risen up.

"At least I know more about you than you know about me."

"Of course you do. Because only by knowing about me would you have been able to perform to win my heart."

The words made Heiner want to question her.

"But, Heiner."

'Am I still in your heart?'

"Nothing is the same anymore as it was then."

'You still love me.'

"Everything has changed."

Why did he want to ask her that?

"I am no longer the 'Princess of Rosenberg,' I am no longer your lover, and I am no longer that young age who was oblivious to the world. The me you knew and the me you know now are totally different people."