The Strange Groom's Cursed Bride-Chapter 105: Seduction plan

Midday in the Block C mansion was usually a hive of controlled activity for Hades’s inner circle. Today, however, it was surprisingly quiet. Milo, tasked with digging up every conceivable detail on Dawin Wildfire, was out, likely deep in the city’s underbelly. He had, however, left Hades with a final, rather emphatic piece of wisdom before vanishing: "Boss, if you two ever go for a movie, choose horror. Fastest way to bond. She’ll be all over you for safety, trust me."

Rowan’s duties had inexplicably doubled since this morning, leaving him locked down with his computers. Even Clarisse was nowhere to be found, probably immersed in some obscure corner of the mansion, analyzing something intensely.

Well, there was also Gavin, but come on. That guy was practically useless.

This left Hades with practically no one to defer to, no one to filter his decisions, and certainly no one to offer practical advice. He was going to have to fend for himself.

So, it was no surprise when Hades emerged from his private quarters, looking his most basic. And that, paradoxically, meant extra hot. He wore a simple, fitted sporty vest that showcased the formidable expanse of his arms and shoulders, paired with black joggers and sleek sneakers. His hair was pulled back into a surprisingly casual, messy bun.

Holy shit, Alice briefly thought, a fleeting, unwelcome flicker of appreciation, before consciously trying to banish the distraction. She had to stay focused.

Meanwhile, Alice was a bit more serious about her half-day plan. Her makeup was on point, lips gleaming with a carefully chosen gloss. She wore a crisp, tucked-in shirt that felt a little stiff, paired with a pair of wide-leg jeans, a black belt and a pair of heels that were a tad too tight. They were, in fact, Suzy’s. Despite the minor discomfort, she looked nice, poised, and utterly determined. Her purpose for this outing was strictly professional, centered on her survival. She simply wanted him to trust her. A lot. And to do that, he had to have feelings for her. She was not planning on doing anything with him! Even if he begged her. Hmph!

"Ready?" Hades asked with an unfamiliar note of... awkwardness after staring for more than a few seconds.

She slowly nodded. Adjusting the scarf around her neck which was not really necessary. But well, just in case he decided to strangle her. She had to cover it. Haha.

He had opened the door for her without saying a word.

As soon as they were out of the estate gates, Hades turned to her. "Where do you want to go first?" His voice was flat, betraying no hint of enthusiasm for this impromptu outing.

Alice, however, felt a tiny thrill of freedom. She glanced at him, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Do you have any place you want to go to?"

He eyed her, a faint frown creasing his brow. "Why are you asking me? This is for you."

"Well," she said, shrugging lightly, trying to appear nonchalant, "I just wanted to go out, so I’m open to recommendations."

"I’m not interested."

She paused, considering. "Okay, then, what kind of places do you like?"

"No place," he stated, unequivocally.

Alice almost rolled her eyes. Why was he difficult? "Fine. I asked that wrong." She pivoted, a new strategy forming. "What kind of places do you not like?"

His response was immediate, almost a reflex. "Noisy."

She frowned. "Do you mean... I’m noisy?"

He met her stare, unblinking. "Noisy places." His tone was firm, correcting her without a hint of amusement or concession. He clearly wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of a rise.

He was back to looking ahead.

For some reason, she had a feeling he had been calling her noisy.

Alice had been thinking all morning, from the moment Hades appeared at breakfast, almost making her choke on her coffee, until now, as they drove into town. Her mind churned, trying to pinpoint the ideal location for her subtle, yet strategic, seduction.

Where was the best place to go that would be safe enough for her, but dangerous enough for him? First, she needed to engineer body contact. In public, he wouldn’t openly get rid of her. It also needed to be somewhere he couldn’t overreact, somewhere his particular brand of intimidating presence wouldn’t escalate into outright violence.

A restaurant? She immediately shook her head. He had, after all, once stabbed someone in a restaurant. And Gavin had dangled another over the edge of a building. So, no, a restaurant was out. A cinema? A mall? Too many people, too much potential for him to simply vanish.

Wait... a cinema.

Enclosed. Dark. Quiet. Public enough to feel safe. Intimate enough to test proximity. If she timed it right, they might even brush hands on the armrest or while eating popcorn, that was if he even tried to have a taste.

If it were a romantic movie, it would be perfect. She suppressed a wicked giggle. Hehehe.

"I want to watch a movie," she announced, turning to him.

He barely glanced at her, his gaze fixed on the road ahead. "You could have just watched at home." His voice was flat, implying the futility of leaving the mansion for such a mundane activity.

"The feel is different," she countered, a slight whine in her voice, playing the part of the slightly helpless, whimsical woman.

"You can watch a movie if you want," he said, surprising her, "I’ll be out."

"No!" she blurted out quickly, then winced. She had to be more subtle. Her secret mission, after all, was to have him in there with her.

She tried a different angle. "What kind of movies do you like?"

He turned his head slowly, his dark eyes meeting hers for a brief, intense moment. "Horror."

Ha! That was her favorite too! A wave of unexpected delight surged through her. But... horror? There would be no romantic atmosphere, no accidental hand-holding over a sweet, emotional scene. It would be jumpscares and gore. Her grand plan of subtle seduction seemed to hit a snag.

He caught her hesitation, a faint, almost imperceptible tilt of his head. "Are you too scared for that?"

She was almost going to tell him she loved horror movies, but then she shut her mouth. No, Alice. Stick to the plan. "I could manage," she said, trying for a brave, slightly fragile tone. She did hope, against all odds, there would be some kind of romantic horror shit out there though. Maybe a ghost who falls in love with a haunted house, or a vampire with a tender heart. She could only hope. And better... he might instinctively pull her close during a jumpscare.

Ah!

She was going to ruin his life.

She smirked as she relaxed her body on the seat, browsing her phone for cinemas and movies going to air this evening.

She also had to check for other places and send it to him before they arrived the city, because she couldn’t just watch movies the whole day even though it was a more safer place.

While she was busy with that, Hades fiddled with the dashboard, his long fingers surprisingly deft as they navigated the controls of the car’s intricate system.

A song came on, a nice, slow melody. It sounded almost melancholic, with gentle string instruments and a haunting vocal. It didn’t quite fit the image she had of Hades or what she imagined his musical taste might be, but then again, she knew almost nothing about him. The song was about a man who dies at war, a sad, poignant tune carried by beautiful instrumentation.

She closed her eyes, letting the music wash over her, a rare moment of peace enveloping her.

The song faded, its last notes lingering, and then another track began.

Oh.

She knew this song. A faint smile touched her lips as she hummed along unconsciously, her eyes still closed, letting the familiar notes carry her. It brought with it a sudden wave of nostalgia, a bittersweet ache for a simpler time. This was a really popular northern song, a beloved folk tune from her home region. She doubted any of these people, especially someone like Hades, would even know—

Her eyes snapped open immediately.

It was a northern song!

Northern media wasn’t popular in other places; the accent, the language, the specific cultural nuances were all distinctly Northern. She had been humming it, completely lost in the moment.

When she turned, for what felt like a split second, it seemed like Hades had been looking at her, his eyes fixed on her, before he abruptly turned his gaze back to the road, his profile now inscrutable. He didn’t comment on it, didn’t acknowledge her humming, or the strange choice of music. The silence in the car, once heavy with awkwardness, now hummed with an unsettling new question.

Alice’s heart was beating so fast she could hear it. Why had he played that song?

She couldn’t bring herself to ask him about it.

But then, maybe she was just overreacting. It might mean nothing.

Right.

Right?