After speaking, Beinice hung up the phone.
To save one or to save many-Paige never imagined she would face such a classic moral dilemma.
Who was she to deserve this?
She let out a bitter laugh, sinking slowly to the ground, her back against the wall, fingers gripping her hair.
These past few days had felt like an emotional roller coaster. One moment, she thought Enrico was beyond saving, and the next, she was forced to make impossible choices.
Under the light, her face was ghostly pale, consumed with anguish.
—
In Country D.
After finishing the call, Beinice set down the phone, his expression grim. He stood shirtless, receiving treatment for his injuries.
“How did it go?” The entire room of Folsom family members eagerly looked at Beinice as he finished the call.
Beinice glanced at the half-burnt **Medicine Curse Sect** book next to him and sighed. “She hasn’t given me an answer yet. She’s just a girl in her twenties; it’s normal for her to need time to think.”
“You’re amazing, coming up with this perfect plan to both reassure the old man and make sure Enrico and Paige don’t become obstacles,” someone nearby flattered Beinice.
“Well, I had no choice. I couldn’t just watch the old man cough up blood and do nothing.”
Beinice turned to look at Jasper, who was half-lying on the large bed, looking weary and receiving an IV drip. Jasper’s face was heavy with concern.
Beinice, worried, stood up and walked to his father’s bedside, suppressing his pain. “Father, you heard me. I gave the girl hope. Now, it’s up to her to make her choice.”
“I know,” Jasper said, not saying much else. He understood how difficult it had been for his son to get this far.
Leaning against the headboard, Jasper gazed at the fluttering curtains. After a long while, he shifted his gaze to Beinice’s injuries, staring for a long time before sighing. “In my whole life… I don’t think I’ve ever let a single young person live freely and without care.”
He had forced everyone to carry the weight of the Folsom family’s vengeance. Thankfully, they all obeyed him. Then Paige came along, a stubborn young girl unwilling to follow his path, forcing him to press harder and harder.
But could Paige bear the pressure?
Those words were heavy, almost too much to bear.
Beinice was startled and immediately dropped to his knees, followed by the rest of the Folsom family kneeling as well.
—
When Paige returned to the kitchen, she had changed her clothes.
Enrico stood by the counter, looking at her. Paige smiled and said, “I got my sleeves wet while washing my hands, so I changed. Did I keep you waiting?”
She didn’t dare admit how long it had taken her to compose herself enough to act as though nothing had happened.
Enrico didn’t suspect anything. He let out a soft laugh. “So, you really do need me to undress you.”
“…”
Paige smiled helplessly and moved to stand beside him. Noticing that nothing in the kitchen had progressed, she asked, “You still haven’t decided what to cook?”
Hearing that, Enrico frowned. He pulled her into his arms, hugging her as they both looked at the smart kitchen display. “These tutorials are all messed up. Each dish has like ten different ways to cook it. How am I supposed to know which one to choose?”
“Just go with the flow,” Paige said casually, selecting a few dishes. “Taste comes with practice.”
Her approach suited Enrico, who immediately began gathering ingredients while following the tutorial.
But just gathering the ingredients spread them all over the counter.
Enrico carefully measured each seasoning to the gram, as if conducting some sort of biochemical experiment.
Paige stood there, quietly watching his sharp features, her gaze dimming.
“Alright,” Enrico finally announced after organizing everything.
“You cook, and I’ll hand you the ingredients,” Paige smiled.
“Okay,” Enrico agreed. He rolled up his sleeves, revealing his muscular forearms, and started cooking. The sight of him, confident and focused, was undeniably captivating.
Paige handed him the ingredients one by one, occasionally reminding him of the next step.
With the simple tutorial in front of him, Enrico worked methodically and efficiently.
“Enrico,” Paige leaned against the counter, watching his back as she casually asked, “Have you ever heard of a moral dilemma? A train driver has the option of staying on track, which will kill their own father, or switching tracks, which will kill a group of people. What would you do?”
Enrico, focused on the cooking, answered without turning his head. “Stay on track and let him die.”
Paige paused for a moment. “Assuming the father isn’t an enemy.”
She had momentarily forgotten how much Enrico wanted Jeremy dead.
“What kind of question is that?” Enrico scoffed.
“It’s a question designed to test a person’s morality.”
Paige’s tone was casual, as if they were simply chatting.
Enrico turned his head slightly and looked at her with amusement. “Do you think I’m someone who follows moral rules?”
He could easily put both tracks together and hit everyone if he wanted.
“…”
Paige was speechless for a moment. She handed him a measured amount of water and asked, “What if I were on one of the tracks?”
“I’d save you,” Enrico answered without hesitation. “I don’t care if the others die. Even if I were on the other track, I’d still save you.”
Paige stared at his back. His answer was exactly what she had expected.
“You really haven’t changed at all,” she murmured softly, her eyes darkening.
Three years ago at Gangnam Hall, he had been the same, willing to risk a corporate war for her.
She could still remember how decisive and unwavering his voice had been.
Why couldn’t she be as resolute as he was?
Was she pretending too much, or did she just not love enough?
—
It took a long time to finish cooking, and by the time all the dishes were laid out on the table, the first one had already gone cold.
Paige sat down and took a bite of the meat.
Enrico watched her closely, waiting for her verdict.
The food was passable, considering it was strictly by the recipe, but it wasn’t exceptional. However, Paige couldn’t bear to disappoint him, so she nodded enthusiastically and smiled. “It’s delicious.”
“See? I told you, cooking isn’t that hard,” Enrico said proudly, picking up his chopsticks to taste his own dish. Through his biased lens, he too thought it was amazing.
He kept serving her more food and then asked, “Am I the best cook you’ve ever met?”
“…”
Where did he get his confidence?
Paige nodded earnestly.
Enrico, clearly pleased, ladled some soup for her. “By the way, everything’s settled on my end. I’ll join you on Wind Island the day after tomorrow.”
Paige smiled. “That sounds good.”
“Look at you, so happy, like you’re going back home or something.” Enrico teased, placing the soup in front of her.
Home.
The word made Paige pause. Her smile faded, and after a moment, she said, “That place is special to me. The hardest three years of my life were spent there. I met some of the worst people, and also some of the best.”