Cursed Villainess’ Obsession

“Why… why isn’t he coming? He should’ve been here by now…”

Laphne paced nervously in her room at the top of the tower, her feet tracing the same path over and over.

“I haven’t done anything wrong… have I?”

The reason for her growing anxiety was the man she had been waiting for—Ken Feinstein. He hadn’t arrived at the tower yet. Normally, by this time, he would have come, and they would be having dinner together.

But today, he hadn’t shown up.

“Ken… ugh… Ken…” Laphne whimpered.

Logically, she knew he would come. Even if not today, then tomorrow, or the day after. She understood that Ken, being human, couldn’t visit her at every single hour of every single day.

But that was only what her mind understood.

Her heart, on the other hand, didn’t care. Tears welled up in her eyes and fell to the floor. Despite her rational thoughts, all she could feel was a suffocating fear of being abandoned. A sinister whisper in the back of her mind kept telling her, once again, that she was being left behind.

But then, as if to dispel all her fears, the door opened.

“I’m back…” Ken said, stepping inside.

“Ke-Ken! Why are you so late?! I was so scared!” she cried, immediately rushing toward him.

Desperate to ease the gnawing anxiety inside her, she wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face in his neck. She needed to feel him, to confirm that he was real and right there with her.

“W-wait! Laphne! You’re too close!” Ken exclaimed.

But even as he protested, he lowered himself to the floor, allowing her to cling to him. The scent of him, the warmth of his body, gradually soothed her anxious heart.

“I don’t care! It’s your fault! Do you even know what time it is? I was so worried!” she cried, though she knew full well her concern wasn’t about his safety—it was about whether or not he would come.

Still, his lateness had shaken her. The fear of being abandoned had consumed her thoughts, making her feel unjustly treated.