Winter Swan

Kail would never forget that day.

It was the day that ruined his life. When he heard what had happened in Oslo, to Silje, he quickly left Stockholm to return home.

As soon as he got back to the Bruntland mansion, he asked his personal assistant as he took off his shiny black leather gloves.

"Where is she?"

His assistant bowed and replied, "I'm sorry, sir. I was tailing her as you requested, but I lost her."

The personal assistant reported his findings and within minutes, Kail learned everything he needed to know.

It only took three hours.

In exactly three hours, their lives had changed completely.

Their love was ruined.

After staring his assistant for a few minutes silently, Kail slapped him with his black leather gloves.

Slash!

Drops of red blood fell from his cheek as the assistant apologized.

"I-I'm so sorry! I made a mistake. Please forgive me, sir. It was an accident!"

He begged and begged, knowing what his master was like.

Kail continued to stare blankly. Outside, a snowstorm was brewing.

Kail finally ordered, "Get out."

The assistant ran out in fear.

Click.

The door closed and Kail was left alone in his bedroom.

The silence was unbearable, and slowly, Kail started to collapse to the floor. He covered his face with his hands and sat on the cold floor quietly.

In his mind, he couldn't stop Solveig's song from playing constantly.

Devastation.

Desperation.

Silently, he cried out.

He lost everything.

His everything left him.

Kail thought they shared each other's souls. He was sure he felt it, but was he mistaken?

He didn't know, and maybe he never will.

It was because his Silje left him forever.

Instinctively, he knew this was the truth.

He knew she was never coming back to him.

- I don't want to be associated with you, Kail. It would be best for us to go our separate ways. Let's just end this here and say our goodbyes.

Kail read Silje's letter carefully.

A letter written in blood.

Her message was deadly clear. She never wanted to see him again. She wrote it with her blood.

It was very much like Silje to end it this way.

She seduced and snared him.

Beautiful Silje.

Her long black silky hair and lovely smile…

He didn't have a chance against her. He fell for her hard.

'Kail!'

In his dark mind, she beckoned him.

To that summer forest.

To their secret cottage.

Kail jumped into the freezing lake in his mind. He felt cold, like he was about to have a heart attack, but he didn't care. If he could see her even in his dream, he would do anything.

If he could hold her again, dead or alive, he would do anything.

"Kail!"

He could hear her whisper, like the goddess of death. She appeared in his mind with a cold smile.

"Your stepmother killed our baby. An innocent life… They took it out of my body with a knife. And that is why I am leaving you. You have lost me and our baby forever, and now you get to enjoy living in hell all by yourself."

His mind started to become red with blood. He could hear frightening cries of a woman and a baby as they filled his head.

"Mrs. Bruntland kidnapped her and got the doctors to perform an abortion. And immediately after, she left for New York."

Kail could smell the overwhelming hospital disinfectant. He clenched his hands and Kail couldn't breathe

He didn't protect her.

He could only imagine what Silje must've gone through and it ripped him apart. Ingrid killed their baby.

Oh, the agony Silje must have felt!

He loved her so much.

He loved her too much, and that was why he felt deep hatred towards Silje for leaving him without a word.

He loved her and despised her at the same time.

"This can't be…!"

Kail screamed!

No, it couldn't be.

Silje couldn't have left him. No matter what happened, she would not leave his side. She would stay with him forever and fight for their love.

The Silje he knew and loved would have waited for him.

"No…!"

Silje wouldn't kill him like this. She wouldn't stab his heart like this.

"Jump into the ice water, Kail. You need to strengthen your body, mind, and soul. You need to live like a monk."

In his childhood, there were many occasions when Kail was whipped by his paternal grandfather and was forced to jump into a lake during the freezing winter.

He was only a child, but despite the pain he suffered, he didn't cry then. His heart was made of stone.

At this moment, tears rolled down his eyes. A lone wolf with a dead heart survived this harsh world, and now that he lost his soulmate, he cried.

Then suddenly, he stood up slowly.

"I still have work to do."

A calm and sharp smile formed on his face.

White smoke.

Kail took his gloves off casually as he watched the car burn. He blankly stared at Ingrid who was banging on the window desperately.

"Get me out! Help me, Kail! Let me go! Please!"

Ingrid screamed for her life while her blond chauffeur stayed still in his driver's seat.

He was bleeding.

He was dead.

The car burned wildly.

There was the smoke, the burning smell, and Ingrid's shrieks.

Kail just watched quietly as Ingrid's face burned.

"Kail! Please get me out. I'm sorry. AHHHH! It's too hot!"

Kail finally smiled sweetly.

He threw his gloves into the flames and walked away, like the god of death.

Kail murmured, "It will be over very soon, Ingrid. Of course, I'm sure it won't be as painful as losing a baby."

Kail had much more work to do.

He had to jump into the bloody ocean now. He had to find the mother of his dead child now.

And he was going to give it back to her.

He was going to force his ugly love onto her.