Somehow, the outburst and outrage in Harlow's heart, thinking she was enchanted to see things that were not there, immediately quieted down by the sights of Raphael holding her tightly in his arms. He buried his face on her shoulder, looking so miserable.

"Sorry…? For what?"

This felt crazier than ever. Raphael was truly a confusing being with many names, a mysterious past, a secretive attitude, surrounded by demons and basking in magic.

Harlow knew there was something off about this man that she didn't feel comfortable accepting his hand in marriage.

"Raphael…" Harlow tried to push the man away, but he wouldn't budge.

For the first time, Harlow thought she finally saw him in an emotional state and she was confused as hell. She didn't know what was going on.

She pushed again, but he was too strong and his embrace became tighter as she tried to free herself. It almost felt like the man was worried if he let her go, he would lose her forever.

Harlow finally whispered in pain, "Please… it hurts."

When he heard her plea… instantly, Raphael stepped back and let go of her. His face was filled with guilt and shock for what he had done to her.

"I-I'm so, sorry…" he looked at her in a panic. "I don't mean to hurt you. Are you hurt? Do you need anything to relieve the pain…?"

Raphael looked lost, not knowing what to do to alleviate her pain when it was him who inflicted that on her.

Harlow quickly waved her hand to indicate she was okay, but she wanted the man to not repeat what he just did. "I was just surprised and your hug was a little too tight. Please don't do that again."

"Are you sure? I am really sorry... I didn't mean to—"

"I am fine," Harlow massaged her arms that were squeezed when Raphael hugged her just now. She cleared her throat. "Don't do it again. I mean it. Next time, I will punch you."

"Sorry..." Raphael nodded absent-mindedly and stepped away from her. He massaged his temple, looking ashamed of what just happened. "I'm sorry that you had to witness that… Please forget that ever happened. Why don't we just get back to the dining room? I know that you are starving and there is a delicious meal waiting for us there."

"Before we go there, could you just please explain what you were apologizing for?" Harlow looked at the Demon King with a tense expression. "I won't move until you tell me what's going on."

Raphael paused and hesitated again before he glanced at the empty space close to the rose tree by the window. There was nothing else and no other person there. Harlow became impatient at his attitude. She was impatient and tired.

"You can go eat by yourself. I refuse to have anything to do with you until you speak and explain what the hell is going on with you today and why you apologized." Harlow crossed her arms on her chest. Her eyes looked at Raphael with a challenging gaze.

Finally, the man relented. He spoke with a hoarse voice. "I wanted to apologize for my magic use and how it has affected you."

"What?!" Harlow gasped. "So, you meant to say that I am right?! This place is an enchanted castle to boot and the amount of magic present here has started to mess up with my mind. Isn't that right?"

Raphael clenched his jaws and held back from negating her words. That was not the truth. Her assumption was wrong. However, he was not allowed to correct her perception.

"Do you really want to know the truth?" he asked her softly.

"Yes, I do," Harlow replied curtly. "I was just thinking that I have gone crazy. I need to know the truth."

Raphael looked at her deeply. His voice was laced with sadness when he spoke again. "What is your price for the truth?"

"Huh?"

"What is the price you are willing to pay for the truth?" Raphael asked again.

"I don't understand…" Harlow muttered.

She suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. This Raphael who always looked flirty and presumptuous now looked serious. Even his demonic face seemed scarier than before. 

Was he offended because Harlow kept rejecting him?

"Everything comes with a price," Raphael replied curtly. "How much are you willing to pay for the truth?"

Harlow stared at the man, dumbfounded. She instantly remembered how her mother was tricked into giving her up in a stupid oath by this man before her. Raphael gave Emmelyn something and asked for her most valuable possession. Emmelyn didn't know Raphael meant her daughter.

Did this man also want Harlow's future child? What kind of monster was he really?

"How much is the price for the truth…?" she gritted her teeth and looked at the man to challenge him. She wouldn't fall into his trap. "I won't name how much I am willing to pay without knowing the full information. You can't trick me like you did my mother."

She was dying to know what the hell was going on, but there was no way she would be so dumb as to agree with whatever this man had to say.

Raphael looked at Harlow deeply. He understood why she was so annoyed and felt deceived. He did trick Emmelyn once, but only because he didn't know how else he could make sure his wife would return to him.

It was the only way for him to send those gifts to her. Without the bond he established between them, by the oath, he couldn't send Niam, Icecube, and the others to his beloved wife.

If only everything he did was enough to make her fall in love with him again.

If only he was enough.

"What if the price is losing the person you love?" Raphael finally asked her in a serious tone. "Will you still insist on finding out the truth?"

Harlow pressed her lips and her eyes bulged at the unexpected question.

The person she loved?

Was Raphael talking about Julian????

Was SHE in love with Julian??? Did Raphael think so?

"I-I… I don't have anyone I love…!!" she retorted after the initial shock. "If you mean my parents and brothers… DON'T YOU DARE—"

Raphael looked up to the sky and hid his gleaming eyes. It was easy to just reveal everything to this woman, but the consequences were just too great.

HE didn't want to pay that price.

Raphael sighed and turned to Harlow. "Will you marry me in exchange for the truth?"

"Huh?"

"You want one thing from me, I want one thing from you," Raphael said flatly. "If you marry me, I will tell you everything after we exercise our marital duties."

Harlow's throat suddenly felt parched. She didn't expect the man to ask such a thing. Didn't he already claim her as his bride? So, why did he still ask her to marry him?

"You threatened me with your death if I forced you to marry me," Raphael said as if reading her mind. "Even though you are my fiancee by the oath, I cannot make you my wife without your consent. I cannot marry a dead woman."

Harlow batted her eyes and realization soon dawned on her. Now she understood why the demon king was so sweet to her and pampered her to no end.

Raphael couldn't actually force Harlow to marry him. That's why he tried his best to woo her so she would agree to be his wife. 

Harlow remembered she did threaten him yesterday, that she would kill herself if…

If he forced his will on her.

Perhaps Raphael was really scared that Harlow would act on her threat. So, he had been treading carefully.

She looked at the man and thought of her options. What should she do if the only way she could find out the truth, and all the secrets, was by marrying this man?

Harlow took marriage seriously. If she married a man, it would be for love and for a lifetime. She already had this idea in her mind about what her future husband should be like, and how her marriage would turn out.

They were nothing like this.

Harlow realized that even if she kept avoiding Raphael, she would still be bound to him for the rest of her life unless she could free herself from this man. Her only way of getting that freedom was through Julian who was now no longer around.

What should she do?  Should she just marry Raphael and be done with this craziness? She would know everything she needed to know.

However... was the truth worth it?

Could she tie herself to this man and be his wife forever just to know a secret? He also said the price was losing the person she loved.

Who?

Raphael noticed her conflicting mind and said, "If you agree to the marriage, I will tell you everything you want to know."

"..." 

"If you don't want to marry me, we can pretend that everything is fine and there are no secrets to uncover," he added. "Perhaps, over time you could know me better and love me for who I am, and then you will marry me out of love, not out of obligation."

Harlow bit her lip. 

Which one should she choose? How could she pretend that everything was fine? She was seeing things that other people didn't see. She thought she was losing her mind.

"You can think about it," Raphael said. "Let me know your decision once you are ready."

He turned around and left Harlow alone to enter his beautiful white castle. Harlow turned to look at 'Julian' again and realized he was gone.

.

.

________________________

From Missrealitybites:

Raphael's words reminded me of Pandora's box and the famous old saying "curiosity kills the cat". Sometimes, too much curiosity is bad.

However, if you were in Harlow's shoes, would you pay the price to know the truth if the price is losing the person you love?

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