The door didn’t open quietly —it slammed open with a deafening bang that made everyone in the room flinch.

The men sprawled across the floor were already trembling from everything that had happened. But the moment they saw a line of men in fitted dark suits stepping in one after another, their fear deepened into something far more desperate.

The air itself seemed to grow heavier.

The more they stared at those men, the more one thought echoed helplessly in their minds—

Just what sin had they committed in their previous lives to deserve a day like this?

But what they failed to notice—

This time, they weren’t the only ones terrified.

Karl, Pier ... and even Adelyn—

All of them carried a shift in expression.

Especially Karl.

The moment his eyes landed on the man at the entrance, his face drained of all color, turning as pale as paper.

If possible, he would have run.

Run without looking back.

Run to the ends of the world —just to escape the wrath that had now stepped into the room.

"Pier ..." he breathed, his voice so faint it sounded like it might disappear at any moment.

Pier let out a soft hum in response —but it was barely audible.

"You owe me a favor, don’t you?" Karl continued immediately, not even waiting for acknowledgement. "Repay it now ... by taking the blame."

Blame?!

Pier’s head snapped toward him instantly, eyes wide with disbelief, his expression practically begging Karl not to sacrifice him —not here, not in front of that man.

"Brother Karl ... you can’t do this to me," Pier whispered frantically. "I don’t remember owing you anything. When did I—"

"You don’t owe me?" Karl turned sharply, his teeth clenched. "Are you forgetting who dragged us here? If not you, then who else should take responsibility for this?"

"I ... I—" Pier faltered.

Because he couldn’t deny it.

He had brought them here.

And he had boldly declared that if anything went wrong, he would take the blame alone.

But—

At that time, he hadn’t known they would end up facing the ultimate judge of the Hell.

If he had known, he wouldn’t have dared —even in his worst moment of madness.

"Brother Karl ... you’re cruel," Pier nearly whimpered, his eyes already glossing over. "You know what’s waiting for us, and you’re still pushing me forward? Don’t you love me at all?"

Karl glanced at him, a flicker of conflict crossing his face.

But in the next second, he hardened his resolve.

"I ... I do love you, but—"

"If you do, then why are you doing this to me?" Pier cut in, voice cracking. "Can’t we find another way?"

"There is no other way," Karl insisted.

Then—

His words suddenly halted.

Because from the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Adelyn.

"... Wait," he murmured slowly, his gaze sharpening. "It seems ... we do have another way."

Hope flared instantly in Pier’s eyes.

"We do?" he asked eagerly —only to follow Karl’s gaze and freeze.

"... You mean Sister-in-law?"

Karl didn’t turn, but he nodded.

Pier, however, shook his head immediately.

"No. No, absolutely not," he refused, almost panicked. "How can you drag her into this? Your brother is practically the Devil himself! How can you make my goddess take the blame? I won’t allow it—"

"Shh!" Karl snapped, frowning. "Who said anything about her taking the blame?"

Pier blinked, confused.

"Then ...?"

"I’m saying she can save us," Karl clarified quickly.

"She can?" Pier still looked doubtful.

"Of course, she can," Karl insisted, his voice lowering but firm. "She’s my sister-in-law. If she can take down fifteen hooligans without breaking a sweat, what is one old demon compared to that?"

Even then, Pier hesitated.

His eyes drifted toward Adelyn, as if weighing the possibility.

"Brother Karl, I think—"

"Shh," Karl cut him off again. "We don’t have time. I’ll go beg her first."

Without waiting for a reply, he silently asked Pier to look over Eira, before hurrying toward Adelyn.

"Sister-in-law ..."

Adelyn was still standing stiffly when she heard the soft voice behind her.

Almost instinctively, she responded with a quiet hum. And only after the sound left her lips did she realize—

She had acknowledged him.

And the title.

Her brows knitted instantly.

She turned, ready to correct it—

But Karl was already speaking, his tone desperate.

"Sister-in-law, you finally accepted me! Now you have to protect me!"

"Protect you?" Adelyn’s frown deepened.

But Karl nodded rapidly, almost frantically.

"Yes! Protect me from Big Brother’s wrath. Only you can do it!"

Adelyn pressed her lips together.

"I can’t," she said flatly. "And let me correct you—I am not your sister-in—"

"You are my sister-in-law!" Karl cut her off before she could finish. "How can you not be? You already slept with my brother and—ah!"

His words were cut short when Adelyn stomped hard on his foot.

"If you don’t know how to speak, then go learn," she snapped. "And what if I slept with your brother? Is that something humiliating?"

Karl winced, the pain shooting up his leg —but he still shook his head earnestly.

"It’s not humiliating, Sister-in-law," he said quickly. "It’s rare."

Adelyn paused.

"... Rare?"

Karl nodded again, completely serious.

"No woman has ever been allowed within even an inch of my brother —let alone sharing a bed with him. If you managed that, then you must be capable."

Adelyn froze.

She knew Dylan Warren was disciplined, distant ... someone untouched by scandals.

But she hadn’t expected his record to be that clean.

No woman.

Not even one.

Then—

How had she ...?

The thought had barely begun forming when something suddenly struck her.

Her brows furrowed, and she asked—

"Wait ... doesn’t your brother already have Eira? I can’t be the only woman—"

Karl reacted instantly.

"You can’t bring Eira’s mother into this, Sister-in-law," he said firmly. "You two are completely different."

Adelyn frowned deeper.

"Different?" she repeated slowly. "How different?"

Adelyn didn’t realize she was probing until she heard a familiar voice from the distance, reminding her of his presence.

"Ms. Grace ...!"