February 3, 2021: Kogarashi

Monastically poring over the glints that were dancing on his eyes, Syn realized that Tristan was hurting. His sorrow tugged at the strings that were shackling her heart, smothering her with the guilt that caught her breath.

Night and day, she thought that Tristan was the sort of person who would conceal his emotions, afraid that he might make people pity for him. Bearing that tendency of him in mind, Syn should've been prepared to behold this aching side of Tristan -- the man who partook half of the burden of what she was going through. Despite everything that he had done for her, there she was, failing to comply with a simple request of his.

The effrontery of sleeping with another man would've been a forgivable offence. Their relationship was neither made out of love nor trust. But it's for a fact that they were in an exclusive contract. Because of that, attempting to hide the occurrence was even more blameworthy.

"The thing is, you're making a fool out of me, Syn. Do you know that?" Tristan said as he leaned his back on the couch, bringing his hand to cover his face.

His utterance perfectly manifested his chagrin and exhaustion, doing their best to put up a courageous facade.

Latterly brushing his hair with his fingers, he lowered his hand on his lap. Tristan breathed his frustrations out, refusing to get carried away by his surging emotions. He then stood up and walked towards Syn, kneeling in front of her. The man took her hands into his grip and squeezed them lightly.

"Please, Syn, don't see him anymore. I beg of you."

Earnest but crushing, that was how his plea sounded to Syn. She tried to hoist him by pulling his hands up, yet he didn't budge as to an inch. Perchance, it was because the man still had something to say. She gave him her full attention, heeding each and every single one of the words that would come out of his mouth.

"I am working on getting out of this engagement. So please, please, leave some room for me in your heart. Wait until I can commit myself to you and only you. I will do my best to make you happy. Just give me a chance to prove myself... please." Trailing the last word through his trembling voice, Tristan lowered his head to keep his forlorn expression out of Syn's sight.

While he was wallowing in heartache, Syn felt as if a box -- where a pair of shame and regret had been stored -- was hurled at her conscience. At that point, his begging request became an unwarranted weight for her to bear. But his sincerity hurriedly mingled with her understanding. That alone urged her to comply with his plea. 

She didn't have the capacity to say no when, taking everything into consideration, she was the one who's supposed to be asking for forgiveness. The one who sinned was her, more than once to boot, and they were both aware that it was the case.

Similar to Konrad, he was keeping tight surveillance on all of his properties. Hence, Tristan was, by no means, oblivious that Konrad and Syn had already met all the while the two men's bet was still in effect. Tristan could turn a blind eye on the first instance since he was enlightened that it was a mere coincidence. However, what he could not take was the blatant unfaithfulness that Syn had been showing to him. 

The moment that his eyes landed on Syn, he remarked the small bruise on her lips and a couple of marks on her neck that peeked through the top she had worn. It just confirmed the report that he had received from his subordinate. The frustrating part of this incident was that Konrad knew he was being observed. It was a sure-fire act of feigning to infuriate Tristan.

With this episode, he became worried that Syn -- the woman he wanted to devote himself to --might get taken from his grasp. That was the reason why he did not let the chance to have a talk with her pass, even if the break of dawn was only a few hours away.

"I'm not planning to let you go, not now or ever."

Thereafter the man declared his devoutness, Syn quickly got down on her knees and bowed.

"I don't deserve your trust and compassion, Tristan. I-" Syn stopped from speaking as she held her tears back. Clutching his hands firmly, she continued, "I'm really sorry. I was not thinking when I did that. This is my fault, so you don't have to beg. I will do what you wa-"

"No," Tristan interceded her response, meeting her moistened eyes. "I don't want you to be obligated by the contract. I don't want you to force yourself."

"I a-"

"I told you that I'm willing to go out of my way just to make you feel comfortable. But it seems that I'm not enough for you. Am I lacking something? Tell me. What does Konrad have that I don't?"

That very query made Syn purse her lips as she was unable to find an answer. She, herself, wasn't sentient of a reply that wouldn't hurt Tristan. The emotions that she felt every time that she was together with Konrad was a mystery in itself. She couldn't just let Tristan know of that.

Withal, there's one thing that she knew. Syn didn't want Tristan to look that miserable further. So she discarded the abstruse sensation that's unceasingly prickling her soul.

"Out of the two of us, I'm the one at fault. Tristan. Please do not compare yourself with anyone. You're more than enough. I promise you, I won't do anything behind your back again." With conviction in her intonation, Syn stared straight into the man's eyes as she spoke.

The lady forsook the hesitation that she precociously chambered in her head.

Although resolute, watching Tristan's vision slowly became clouded made Syn's confidence waver. Losing the warmth that his hands were giving her watered the seed of perturbation that was living in her mind.

"This relationship of ours started with money, but I don't want to end it like that. So, before I fall further deeper than where I'm at, let me ask you, Syn."

Tristan allowed several seconds of repose to linger in the air that encompassed their cowardice, raising his question thereupon, "Do you want to end this contract with me so you can be with Konrad?"