Although they have conversed several times as Ann and Kalan, this was Angelica's first interaction with Edward Frost the main protagonist of the novel. First impressions were always key factors when it came to deception, something Edward had accomplished as Kalan.

With that in mind, Angelica glanced around her. There were about eight maids and twelve Knights standing along the wall with the butler Nathaniel at the head behind Edward.

While Edward and a few of the Knights may have seen her true self for the past month, it was not the case for the rest of them.

Angelica's character setting was pre-established. Back when Edward was still cursed, the people in the Frost estate had seen an interpretation of her that was a heavily filtered version of her real personality.

To them, Angelica Frost was a quiet and humble woman by nature, born in a countryside noble family sheltered from the works of the world.

Ann alias Antarctica Leveret on the other hand was a rugged mercenary on the move from Velven who had no knowledge of noble etiquette or speech. She was the polar opposite of the young Duchess they knew and heard of.

'Although I can't do anything about the way I look...'

All Angelica had to do was be her usual self to raise suspicions among the servants. Since people tend to gossip a lot, getting the word out to control their perspective of her would be crucial.

"How are you feeling?"

Edward's question caught Angelica off guard. Hearing Kalan's voice through Edward's lips sounded unnatural.

The only times Angelica had heard Edward speak were in her nightmares the tone of which quickly faded from memory after waking up. Now that she could see him speak, she could clearly recognize the virile voice that whispered in her sleep.

'I expected him to ask something along the lines of 'Why are you not dead?' though... this is new'

After taking a moment to think, Angelica answered honestly,

"Not too good"

Angelica's body was still recovering after the mana outbreak. Although she felt better after the bath, she was still nowhere near full capacity.

"The priests from Eir will come in the morning to bless you regularly till you recover. Regaining your health is the most important factor now. Everything else can wait..." Edward's calm explanation prompted Angelica to enquire,

"How long was I gone?"

"Three weeks and two days" Edward paused for a moment before adding,

"It will take longer than that for your mana to restore"

"Three weeks..." Angelica mumbled biting onto her lower lips.

While she only expected a day or so to have passed, she had no idea weeks had gone by without her knowledge.

In the novel, when the Archmage Richard Stein had an immense mana outbreak the new Saintess Helen was there to control the situation before he could destroy the capital. She also aided in his rehabilitation by regulating his mana to flow naturally through his heart which was exhausted after the incident.

Seeing how there was not even a scratch on Edward's face or the Knights who accompanied him, Angelica deduced that he must have used something of a similar caliber to escape unscathed. And for the Eir Priests to bless her every day, it seemed like he had no intention of letting her out for the time being.

'Guys...' Angelica worried about the Nero mercenaries.

Given the amount of time that passed, they must be halfway back to Velven. Being beside her had almost them cost their lives.

If it were not for helping her, they would have stayed in the village instead of being dragged into her mess. It made her wonder if they regretted letting her join their team.

An uncomfortable and awkward silence enveloped the large dining hall. Only the sound of the dinnerware being arranged was heard as one by one the maids arranged various dishes on the table. Lastly, they placed a bowl of soup in front of Angelica before retreating back to their position.

"..." Angelica looked at the steaming soup in front of her.

Even without tasting it, she knew the soup would be delicious. After being unconscious for weeks, she was feeling hungry, and the aroma from the dishes was tempting her senses.

Nevertheless, Angelica chose not to show interest in the food, especially without the alchemized nose ring that detected harmful substances. Thus, she decided to put aside hunger albeit reluctantly, and focus on the matter at hand.

Meanwhile, Edward had been quietly observing Angelica who had been lost in her thoughts. He could not help but admire her emerald eyes which were sharp as a fox actively drafting schemes to escape from his clutches.

"So... Kalan?" Angelica's voice snapped Edward back to his senses.

"Hmm?"

"No. I should be calling you Mr... Mr. Frost?"

"Edward" Edward corrected, only to be immediately shot down by Angelica, who stood her ground.

"Mr.Frost"

With her hand gently stirring circles on the soup in front of her with a spoon she remarked,

"Anyway... You're a good actor. You got me fooled"

"I'm honored that I was able to please you"

"..."

Angelica frowned at Edward's causal response. Since they were seated next to each other she could clearly see the slight upward curl on the corner of his lips that indicated that he was amused.

At the same time, Edward did not deny her accusation of him impersonating an Orion merchant and tricking her into coming to Orion. Moreover, he seemed to have fun answering her in a roundabout manner to see her reaction.

"Then. Let me cut to the chase" Angelica pushed back the bowl of soup and leaned forward,

"Why am I here?"

"You're home. Where else would you be?" Edward smirked, arching his eyebrows as if she was asking the obvious.

"I think I'm sane enough to recognize my own residence, Mr.Frost. This is..." Angelica looked around dramatically and enunciated,

"This is not my home"

"This is your home" Edward retorted instantly, causing Angelica to purse her lips.

With that unyielding exchange, silence befell them once again. The tension in the dining hall was so tense that it could be cut with a knife.

'What is the matter with you?'

Angelica clenched her hands under the table and glared at Edward. From the moment he entered the dining hall, Edward had not taken his eyes off her once.

Unlike Angelica, who was on the edge of her seat. Edward was calm and composed countering her attempts in a collected manner as if he had expected them.

Since their conversation was going nowhere in the current state, Angelica decided to be the one to break the ice.

"Exactly who do you think I am, Mr.Frost?"

"You are Angelica Frost" Edward replied without hesitation. He looked into her eyes and proclaimed,

"My wife"

"!"

Angelica flinched at his definite gaze but still managed to speak with a smile,

"I'm afraid there's been a major misunderstanding Mr. Frost. I'm Antarctica. Antarctica Leveret. I've never once seen you before in my life. Or been to Orion for that matter"

"..."

Making sure that Edward was listening to her, Angelica continued,

"I've lived my entire life in Velven. Even stayed within the bounds of my village most of the time because I don't like traveling long distances away from my home"

"..."

"The only reason I even accepted the escort job to Orion was because of the money Kalan... I mean Mr.Frost you offered. Now if you could let me go..."

But before Angelica could finish speaking she was interrupted by Edward's firm voice,

"That will not be possible. You see, from an official standpoint. You're under quarantine"

"Quarantine? For what?" Angelica asked confused. This was the first time she had heard about such a thing.

"For almost decimating the city of Parthellam and the thousands of people living in it and..." Edward waved his hand causing Nathaniel to step forward and hand him a thick red binder.

'I don't like that grin' Angelica swallowed a scowl, seeing Nathaniel smile at her sweetly.

"There is a list of criminal charges against you in case you didn't know"

Edward flipped through the pages of the binder and stopped at a certain section. He turned the binder toward Angelica and slid it to her side.

"It appeared so real that even the real ones look fake" Edward joked, tapping on the page for her to see.

"!" Angelica's eyes widened, recognizing the document Edward had pointed out.

It was none other than the verification document she had presented at the guard tower when the entourage entered the border a few weeks back.

The piece of paper contained basic information with her name listed as Antarctica and the purpose of her visit. However, what distressed her was the tower's seal at the bottom that read 'forged' in red.

"Issuing a fake birth certificate, illegally crossing the border twice, using a fake identity, vandalism, defamation, theft, destruction of public property, not to mention almost obliterating an entire city to ashes..." Edward read out the charges against her as a stunned Angelica flipped through the pages of the binder.

The binder contained all the information Edward had collected throughout their travel right from the contract and papers submitted at the tower to every entry pass for each gate they went through. It also contained a copy of her birth certificate which she had not seen in years.

Suddenly Angelica recalled running into Kalan and Ezra in the market with documents in their hands right after she returned from the tower. That along with the unusual questioning by the Chief guard at the border, proved her initial assumptions right. The tower guards were indeed involved in the plot.

"Wait" Angelica raised her hand indicating Edward to stop.

"First of all, your 'charges' don't make any sense" Angelica rolled her eyes, using the split second to compose a counter-attack for the accusations.

"Why would I fake a noble birth certificate when I wasn't even born in this country? Does that even make sense?" She pushed aside the binder.

"Second. I've never committed any theft or vandalized anything in my life. I may be a mercenary but I'm also a peace lover. Violence goes against my principles of life. And where is your proof for that?" She shrugged blatantly ignoring her guilty conscience.

The reason Angelica was able to defend herself was because she was well-versed in the workings of the imperial law. Having worked with her father Count Ashford on numerous occasions, she knew the ways to slip between the cracks of the system.

While Lorenz may have educated his children on the tricks to understand the structure of the law for governing their domain, it helped Angelica out at a time when she needed it the most.

With the imperial family already having issued a death certificate for Angelica Frost, it would be hard for Edward to prove Angelica's identity without her cooperation. Although it would be a surprise to them, she knew the Ashfords would stick to her side if worse came to worst.

As for the other charges, there was no actual proof of any form of theft or vandalism. The least bit of defamation they could possibly charge her for was that of the local Lord's son Angelica and the twins robbed and left for dead in Velven. That too was sorted out long ago as an unfortunate accident due to the lack of evidence.

"And lastly... about the city and stuff. None of this would've happened Mr. Frost if you hadn't conned us into coming to Parthellam in the first place"

"You have an answer for everything" Edward leaned back and placed a hand on his chin, looking thoroughly entertained by Angelica's responses.

"I am a law-abiding citizen of Velven. I have been an honest person all my life until... I was kidnapped by you, Mr.Frost. How does that make me a criminal? I'm the victim here"

"Are you calling me a criminal?" Edward narrowed his eyes on Angelica.

"I dare not to do that Mr. Frost. But I don't deserve to be locked up and forced into committing fraud by impersonating a noble just because I am being held hostage by a man of power" Angelica pleaded her case earnestly,

"I remember you telling me you parted ways with your wife on not-so-amicable terms. Whatever it is that made you mistake me for her... I am not your wife"

"..."

Despite the heartfelt performance, the only reaction Angelica was able to get out of Edward was a half smile. Behind Edward, Nathaniel was beaming at her with his hands on his back like he was an overjoyed child at an amusement park.

Frustrated Angelica called out to Edward with a smile of her own.

"Mr.Frost?"

"I expected nothing less from you..." Edward muttered, lightly shaking his head. He reached out, got hold of Angelica's hand that was resting on the table, and pulled her forward till she was right in front of him.

"Say what you must. Lie as you can. But no matter what you do Angelica..." He squeezed her hand and whispered,

"I won't let you go for this lifetime"

"!"

Angelica withdrew her hand from Edward's clutch. She felt a chill run down her spine after hearing his ominous declaration.

*THUD*

The next second Angelica jerked up from her seat, banging her hands on the table which in turn caused the chair to slide back with force.

"Where are my children!?" She shouted furiously aiming at Edward. It was a last-ditch attempt to escape from her prison.

Angelica's sudden outburst caused a stir among the maids. They whispered among themselves shocked by the revelation but quickly grew quiet under Nathaniel's gaze.

An illegitimate child from a powerful noble family in itself could cause a storm in the capital. But if the news that the woman Edward had brought back as his wife already had children of her own gets out. It could lead to unprecedented consequences in the imperial court due to the existing clash between the Esdels and the Frosts as well as break Helen's heart.

'It's working...' Angelica sighed at the sight of her plan working.

"What did you do to my babies? You took them away from me!" She yelled to add fuel to the flame.

"By children do you mean Eugene Leveret and Bea Leveret?" Edward asked nonchalantly, waving his hand at Nathaniel again.

'What now? Just how many more of those does he have back there?' Angelica felt a wave of uneasiness come over her watching Nathaniel hand Edward yet another binder.

"Eugene Levert twenty-seven years old and Bea Leveret eighteen years old" Edward put down the binder and turned toward Angelica.

"Now, tell me. How could a human who is not more than twenty-one years of age give birth to a beastman of twenty-seven years? Typically parents aren't younger than their children"

"I'm older than I look" Angelica declared confidently with her hands on her hips to which Edward questioned,

"Really? How old are you then?"

"Forty-two" Angelica answered unhinged.

'I'm not lying exactly'

From a technical point of view, Angelica was not wrong. If she were to combine her life as both Eunseo and Angelica she was indeed forty-two years of age.

Edward however unconvinced by Angelica's act started interrogating her leading to a back-and-forth between the two with neither side willing to back down.

"Are you saying you were fifteen when Eugene Leveret was born?"

"It was a really really young marriage..."

"Where is the father then?"

"And short-lived. He died"

"Let me guess. You killed him"

The sound of Edward's laughter echoed through the dining hall, so much so that it scared the people around them. Even the Knights became restless as they had never seen their master laugh in such a fashion.

'Is he seriously laughing at me?' Angelica eye's twitched as she struggled to keep her expression in check.

Still, not wanting to let down the momentum she painstakingly built, she exclaimed,

"As a matter of fact, Mr. Frost 'truth' is my middle name!"

"You don't even know what your middle name is..." Edward murmured as his laughter died down. He rose up from his seat with the chair creaking behind him.

The moment he stood up, the maids and Knights exited the dining hall followed by Nathaniel who closed the door behind him leaving the two alone.

"You have lived a life of deception for so long that you can't see the difference between what's real and what's fiction even if it's right before your eyes"

Angelica unconsciously walked backward as Edward took each step towards her till her back hit the wall. And before she knew it, she was cornered close enough to feel each other's breath.

"Now you're caught, tangled in a web of your own lies. So let me tell you a truth to remember. Once you've become mine, Angelica..."

Edward tucked in a strand of Angelica's hair behind her ear as he loomed over her.

"There's no going back. The only way is forward"

'Spoken like a true male lead' Angelica scoffed and rolled her eyes. From what she could see, Edward was exactly as he was described in the novel.

"I'm gonna take a side step then Mr. Frost" Angelica pushed back Edward's chest with a finger and took a step to the side.

"I told you. I'm not your wife"

"Angelica..."

Angelica ignored Edward's call and headed towards the door. For her, that part of her life was in already the past and the past cannot be changed. Even if Edward were to call her over and over again, there was nothing he could say to make her stay.

However, that idea lasted for three whole seconds when she was proven wrong.

"Eunseo"

At the mention of the unexpected name, Angelica stopped dead in her tracks and slowly turned around.

"What did you just say?"

Angelica's eyes wavered. In this world, not a single soul knew of that name except for her. The story of a past life or of one inside a novel was not a topic of conversation over tea time.

"Who told you that name?" She asked again tracing her way back to Edward.

"You did. Remember?" Edward turned around and smiled at Angelica who looked at him with eyes of disbelief.

"You told me everything before you left me"

"Wh-What? When? What are you even talking about?" Angelica's voice stammered as her brain came to a halt. She could not make sense of his words.

"You can't change destiny Mr. Male lead. You can only fight against it..." said Edward, repeating Angelica word by word from the day she left for Mount Zion.

"So I'm gonna fight mine..." Angelica turned pale as she inadvertently completed his sentence.

She remembered saying them to Edward as an oath of survival before going to face off against fate.

'He... knows?'

Her eyes slowly widened as the realization started to sink in. The color from her face gradually drained as memories of their days together flashed before her eyes.

'How? How is this possible?'

Unable to comprehend the situation, she blankly stared into space having lost grip of her surroundings.

"This is not how I planned it but... as you know I'm not one to miss opportunities" Edward reached inside his coat.

As Angelica continued to stay in a petrified state, Edward took her left hand into his and gently slipped a silver ring into her finger.

The red ruby placed at the center of the ring shined under the light of the chandelier, the gem a perfect match for Edward's scarlet eyes.

"Angelica..."

At the call of her name, an expressionless Angelica watched as Edward brought her newly ringed hand to his lips. It was then she finally noticed a similar ring on Edward's hand with an exquisite emerald placed at the center.

"I look forward to spending the rest of our lives together"