Liberty Awakens

(Henry's POV)

The exhibition had ended.

The gallery was now empty, the once lively atmosphere replaced with a hushed stillness.

I sat alone in my private studio, a single dim lamp illuminating the canvas before me. My hand moved with precision, each brushstroke carving out something raw, something deeper.

This wasn't just a painting.

It was a reflection.

Of my past.

Of my present.

And maybe, of a future I hadn't yet decided.

The scent of paint and aged wood filled the air as I lost myself in the rhythm—until I felt it.

A presence.

Not hostile.

But watching.

I didn't pause my brushstrokes as I spoke calmly:

"Whoever's behind me, come forward."

A moment of silence.

Then, a slow, deliberate footstep.

I set my brush down, turning my golden gaze toward the approaching figure.

"You have five seconds to explain why you're here."

I should have expected it.

Katerina.

Standing there, her arms crossed, her expression a mix of determination and frustration.

But I didn't flinch.

I didn't react.

Because to me—

She was a stranger.

And I was Liberty.

Not Henry Hans.

Not her past.

Not her mistake.

Just a man painting his truth.

I leaned back in my chair, calm, unreadable.

"You're persistent," I said casually, picking up my brush again. "But I don't recall sending an invitation."

Her lips parted slightly, like she had expected a different reaction—anything but cold indifference.

"You're still going to pretend?" she asked, her voice laced with disbelief. "Even now?"

I barely glanced at her. "Pretend what?"

She exhaled sharply. "That you don't know me."

I tilted my head slightly, as if considering her words for the first time.

Then I chuckled, dipping my brush into the paint again. "I'm sorry, Ms. Maa… Have we met before?"

Her eyes widened, just for a second.

Like she had been slapped.

Like reality was finally setting in.

I smiled—but it was polite. Empty.

The kind you give to just another guest at an art show.

"If you're here for a painting," I continued smoothly, "you'll have to speak with my gallery manager. I don't take private commissions."

She clenched her fists. "Henry, stop this."

I set my brush down, finally turning my full attention to her.

The room was silent, the weight of the moment pressing down on us.

I leaned forward slightly, my golden eyes unreadable.

"Ms. Maa," I said, my voice steady, calculated. "I think you have the wrong person."

A pause.

Then, I leaned back, picking up my brush again.

"Now, if you don't mind, I have work to do."

Her voice cracked with fury, her emotions spiraling out of control.

"I'm your wife! I know I cheated, but I'm trying to make things right! I already destroyed Oberan—do you want me to ruin you too, just so you'll come back to me!?"

She was desperate, her pride wounded, her arrogance still intact.

But I?

I was calm.

I let out a long sigh, shaking my head like I was speaking to a delusional woman.

"Ms. Maa, you're mistaken."

I reached into my coat pocket, pulling out a sleek leather wallet.

Calmly, I slid my ID across the table.

"My name is Liberty Lenient."

She stared at it, eyes flickering with doubt.

Then, I pulled out a copy of my birth records, my voice utterly indifferent.

"See? I'm not Henry I never was."

She hesitated, her hands trembling as she snatched the documents up, desperately scanning them for a flaw, for proof that I was lying.

And just when I saw the smallest hint of uncertainty creeping into her expression…

I leaned forward.

Close.

So close our breaths nearly touched.

Her eyes widened as my golden gaze locked onto hers, my next words shattering any dignity she had left.

"But..." I murmured, my voice dropping lower.

"If you need a one-time bedwarmer…"

I smirked, letting my fingers lightly graze the table.

"I can fuck you if you want."

Her face paled.

Her body stiffened, her breath caught in her throat.

Shock.

Humiliation.

Disbelief.

She had expected anger. Hatred. Maybe even hidden longing.

But this?

This was pure, unfiltered degradation.

Like she was nothing but a desperate woman looking for a man to fill her bed.

Her lips parted, but no words came.

I leaned back with a casual shrug, my smirk never fading.

"No strings attached, of course. Just say the word."

She slapped the ID and records back onto the table, her hand shaking with fury.

"You… bastard."

I simply chuckled, picking up my brush again.

"Wrong again, Ms. Maa." I twirled the brush between my fingers. "I'm just Liberty."

The silence between us stretched, heavy and suffocating.

Katerina's breath hitched, her body still frozen in shock.

Her pride, her ego, her desperation—all of it was crumbling in real-time.

I smirked, twirling my brush lazily between my fingers before tilting my head slightly.

"You said you cheated on your husband, right?"

Her jaw clenched, but she didn't respond.

I let out a mock sigh, tapping my fingers against the table.

"So sleeping with me shouldn't be a problem."

Her fists tightened, her nails digging into her own skin.

I could see it—the storm in her eyes.

She wanted to slap me.

She wanted to scream.

She wanted me to break.

But she had no power here.

Not anymore.

I leaned back against my chair, my golden eyes calm and unreadable.

"I'm gonna say it again—I'm Liberty."

A beat of silence.

Then I gave her a mocking smile.

"And of course, I can fuck you good. That's my guarantee."

Her breath hitched sharply.

The ultimate insult.

I had reduced her—from a woman who once controlled me to just another nameless, desperate lover looking for validation.

She was shaking now.

With rage?

With humiliation?

With the pain of knowing she had lost all control?

I didn't care.

She deserved it.

I stood up slowly, towering over her, my voice smooth and deadly.

"Now, Ms. Maa…" I dusted off my sleeves as if bored. "Are you going to take the offer, or are we done here?"

Her eyes burned with fury, her chest rising and falling with uneven breaths.

Then, finally—

She turned on her heel and stormed out.

I chuckled softly, shaking my head as I sat back down.

"Thought so."

And just like that—

She was gone.

And I?

I was finally free.

One final time.