"Tell me," Louise continued, his voice sharp and demanding, "were you sleeping with other Espers at that club? Your uncle told me you were just a bar attendant, but I think there's more to it than that. You served certain Espers, didn't you?"
"Oh, please," Orion muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes again.
He wanted to scream, this isn't even my body, but he caught himself too late. His mind whirled.
The owner of this body… the real Orion… he's the whore, not me, he thought bitterly, jaw tightening. I just ended up in his body, stuck with his mess.
"I'm not a whore, okay?" Orion finally burst out, rolling his eyes away in disdain. His voice trembled slightly, more from exhaustion than guilt, but the anger in it was unmistakable.
Louise scoffed. "Oh, you're not, huh? Then how the hell are you pregnant?" He threw his hands up in frustration, his tone sharp and cutting. "It's obvious you had an affair outside.... got pregnant despite knowing it's forbidden to do so unless you've been marked and claimed by a registered Esper. But here you are, unmarked and carrying a baby." He leaned closer, his jaw tightening. "That alone warrants death, Orion. So tell me.... who got you pregnant?!"
Orion's brows furrowed, rage bubbling to the surface. "I said I don't know how I got pregnant! Or are you too slow to process simple words?" His tone dripped with irritation as he glared at Louise. "And mind you," he continued, voice rising, "I'm not even interested in knowing who the bastard is. I wanted to abort it, okay? But Edwards said it would take my life too which, honestly, I didn't even mind! But he wouldn't allow it."
He took a shaky breath, eyes glistening with frustrated tears. "And obviously, I can't just walk into one of your Esper hospitals and ask them to terminate it for me. But it's fine." He laughed bitterly. "Once I'm dead, the baby dies too. Simple, right? I'll just report my pregnancy to the government myself then tada!" He raised his hands mockingly. "I'll finally get the death I've been wishing for."
Louise's eyes darkened. His voice turned cold, low, and deliberat. "The death you want?" he repeated. "You mean being torn apart piece by piece? Having your limbs cut off one after another while you stay awake, forced to watch?" He took a slow step forward, his gaze fixed on Orion. "They'll slice open your stomach without any anesthesia, rip the baby out before it's even fully formed, and use it to make medicine. That's how the government handles unmarked pregnancies. Especially ones like yours."
Orion's face went pale, his lips parting in horror.
Louise wasn't finished. "And let's not forget," he added coldly, "you're one of the government's dogs, their little tool. That means your death won't be quick or easy. It'll be public and brutal. Compared to what they'll do, even the torture I just described would look merciful."
Orion's breath caught in his throat. His heart pounded violently, and he stammered, "C....can you just… get me poison instead? I'll take it here."
Louise stared at him, expression unreadable. "No," he said finally, his tone firm and absolute. "That's not happening."
He crossed his arms, his voice steady and cruelly calm. "That's why I'm telling you to give me the name of the bastard who got you pregnant so I can kill him. Then I'll adopt your baby."
"Huh?!" Orion's eyes widened so much they nearly bulged. "Ado.... adopt what?!"
Louise gave a small smile, the kind that made Orion's skin crawl. "You don't need to worry about the government anymore. You're of no use to them now especially once they find out you got pregnant. But I'll take care of that." He moved closer again, his tone almost persuasive. "We'll keep your pregnancy a secret. You'll stay under their radar. They'll keep trusting you, revealing their little secrets, never knowing the truth."
His gaze softened slightly, though his words stayed chilling. "I'll protect you from disgrace, from execution. All I need is for you to agree to be my personal guide. In return, I'll make sure no one ever finds out. You'll live under my protection and control."
"Are you deaf?!" Orion snapped, cutting him off, his hands trembling. "I said I'm not interested in being your guide. Just call the damn government! I'll face whatever punishment they've got waiting. I don't care anymore ....I just want to die. Don't you get it?"
Louise's expression didn't falter. Instead, the corners of his lips curved upward into a broad, unsettling smile.
His golden eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "Since you refuse to tell me who the bastard that got you pregnant is," he said, his voice deceptively calm, "then fine. He didn't mark you anyway so I will. Tonight."
The words sent a chill straight through Orion's spine.
"You'll be mine," Louise continued casually. "After that, you'll start taking the masking scent pills. They'll not only hide your pregnancy from everyone but also help your baby carry my scent instead. Once you give birth, I'll officially adopt the child as mine."
He leaned closer, lowering his voice to a whisper that made Orion's blood run cold. "Marking you will make that possible. My scent will transfer to you and through you, to the baby."
"Oh my goodness!" Orion screamed gripping his head with both hands despite the sharp pain exploding behind his eyes. "Mark me?! Are you out of your fucking mind?!"
"Yeah," Louise said simply, his smile widening, his tone dangerously calm. "I'll make you my guide officially by having sex with you tonight, after the wedding."
Orion's mouth fell open. He choked on his own spit, coughing violently as his eyes filled with disbelief and horror.
"W....wedding?!" he rasped, voice trembling. "You've lost your damn mind!"