Read Atonement, For Your Cruelty English Novel Translation

[AFYC] Chapter 90

original: Han Boyeon, translation: Ru

Romance, Drama, Mystery, Fantasy, Mature, Smut

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“Do you know how much those were worth…” Abel groaned as he started his day, lamenting like a fool who couldn’t let go of a past lover.

The worst part was that his body seemed to be moving on autopilot. The habit built over the past week had taken control of him entirely. Even as he cursed under his breath, he was already worrying about which market they might visit today.

Standing naked in front of the bathroom, avoiding the empty bottles scattered on the floor, Abel had a sudden thought.

Maybe today she’ll decide to stay at the mansion?

Yeah. She’s only human, after all. Maybe today, she’ll finally succumb to exhaustion.

“Sir.”

Shouldn’t she, though?

“Sir, your target is waiting for you outside the annexe.”

The junior agent who had come to wake Abel clicked his tongue quietly as he took in the sight of his senior, naked and burying his face in his hands. He turned to glance out the window.

There she was the woman who had been the subject of much gossip among the mansion’s agents.

None of the agents were known for their romantic tendencies, so their descriptions of her had mostly been clichés. But one comparison had stuck with Abel—cosmos.

The ideal beauty in East Norfolk had always been women with golden hair and voluptuous figures. Abel’s target was the exact opposite: plain and unassuming. But perhaps because of her foreignness, those very qualities seemed to draw attention.

The agents were split into two camps.

“It’s better than spending all day covered in blood, following her around!”

“Screw that. You try doing it, then.”

Abel, of course, was in the latter camp, while the rest were in the former. And so, the junior agent decided to avoid the thoroughly annoyed Abel and went downstairs, curious to see what kind of entertainment the enigmatic foreigner would provide today.

Meanwhile, Seo Ah shivered in the increasingly cold morning air as she waited outside the annexe. She had noticed the chill yesterday when they had arrived at the cemetery, and the drop in temperature was even more pronounced this morning. The trees along the road, and even those on the mansion grounds, had begun to lose their leaves.

She clasped her cold hands together and felt the amused stares from various directions. It seemed everyone was enjoying the show.

Everyone, except for one person.

Seo Ah took a deep breath. The approaching presence felt much more menacing than usual.

She gripped her bag tightly, forcing herself to stop retreating as a long, slender leg came into view.

“Haa.”

The sigh that escaped Abel was heavy with resignation and irritation, like a harsh winter frost.

Seo Ah’s already pale face grew even whiter as she watched Abel run a rough hand over his face.

Judging by Oscar’s reaction last night, Abel wouldn’t get demoted for failing to secure the target, but avoiding some form of penalty seemed unlikely. On top of that, he’d have to continue tailing her regardless of success.

In the end, he was left with two choices: either follow her around like a lapdog and face a demotion, or somehow convince her and secure the position he wanted.

Whichever way he turned it over in his mind, the latter was clearly the better option.

But all the resolve he mustered during his descent down the stairs shattered like fragile snowflakes when he saw Seo Ah. How could he lose his composure so completely? Where had Abel Sting, the man confident in seducing any target, even if they were male, gone?

Just by looking at her, he could tell she’d spent the night crying without getting a wink of sleep. Yet here she was, ready to drag him out to another market. He couldn’t exactly crack open her pretty little head, fix whatever was wrong, and put it back together again.

Abel forced himself to think of Oscar and summoned every bit of professionalism he had left.

I can win her over. She’ll fall for me. I’ll make her love me.

Abel had given countless morning greetings tailored to suit his targets’ preferences. For those who loved a gentleman, he had greeted them like one. For those with cruder tastes, he had given them exactly what they wanted. It wasn’t so much that he carefully picked his words as much as they flowed out, instinctively matching the target’s taste.

“Curious about the market again today?”

F*ck, really…

Abel wished he could die on the spot. Any semblance of professionalism drained away like a receding tide, leaving behind a stark, muddy expanse of disillusionment.

He could almost hear the laughter of the wolves behind him, and with it, something inside him crumbled completely.