@Im just a girl not yet

@VQZ yoo...😦 but thx budd to tell me

@VQZ Is he the same duke as the ML, or is he a different duke?

@aeyan Yeah, he is. Just put yourself in his shoes. If you had gone through everything he went through in the past, you'd probably overthink things too.

@Coffee Addiction well me too i was think about the💩💩

@Neko I was shocked too when I saw that 😟 Hardy's face was covered in bruises, and you know what I mean.....🫠🙃

@Kokoronoshi No, Hardy was never assaulted. Grey lied to Abel on purpose to keep them apart

@Neko Warning: The following contains major spoilers. Read at your own risk. From What I Remember: As far as I remember, Abel goes to meet Hardy's older brother, even though he didn't want to at first. During their conversation, Hardy's brother shows him a photo album filled with pictures of Hardy from his childhood and adulthood, and Abel is genuinely happy to see them. After that, Hardy's brother asks Abel whether Hardy has really quit smoking and using drugs. Abel is surprised by the question and replies that he has never seen Hardy smoke or use drugs since they've been together. Hearing this reassures Hardy's brother, who realizes that Hardy has truly left those habits behind. The conversation then takes a much darker turn. Hardy's brother reveals that Hardy once attempted to take his own life after three marriage proposals were rejected. His father constantly abused him, called him a disgrace to the family, and eventually removed him from the family registry. Those painful experiences shaped the Hardy we know today. Meanwhile, Hardy is talking with Oscar and the red-haired mage. Hoping to regain his former life, Hardy asks whether it's possible for him to become a Beta again. The mage explains that while he can provide suppressants and birth control pills, it is impossible for Hardy to become a Beta again. Oscar tries to convince Hardy that Abel truly loves and cares about him, but Hardy refuses to forgive him. He says that if Abel had simply told him the truth about the medicine from the beginning, he would have accepted taking it. Instead, Hardy decides to stay away from Abel for a while so that Abel can realize the consequences of his actions. When Abel returns to the mansion, he immediately notices that everyone is nervous and frightened. He asks where Hardy is, and one of the servants tells him that Hardy left with Oscar, Grey, and the mage, and that no one knows where they went. Furious, Abel lashes out at the servants and calls them useless. Soon after, Grey arrives and tells Abel that Hardy is safe, but that he was sexually assaulted after bandits attacked their carriage. Since Hardy already has a deep fear of Alphas, the news completely devastates Abel. Desperate to find Hardy, Abel demands to know where he is, but Grey refuses to tell him. Abel brutally beats Grey while repeatedly demanding an answer. Despite the beating, Grey looks at Abel and says: «"You're an Alpha too. You're the reason Hardy became an Omega. If you hadn't turned him into one, none of this would have happened."» Those words completely break Abel. He loses control and releases an overwhelming amount of pheromones, causing every servant in the mansion to collapse. Meanwhile, Grey, despite lying on the ground covered in injuries, smiles because everything is unfolding exactly according to his plan. Later, Hardy is walking through a garden, thinking about everything that has happened and remembering Abel. Grey joins him, and they begin walking together. As they reminisce about their childhood, Hardy notices the bruises on Grey's face and asks whether Oscar went too far when he beat him. Grey simply brushes it off, saying they're only minor injuries. Suddenly, Grey stops walking and shyly confesses that he has loved Hardy ever since they were children—not as a childhood friend, but romantically. He kneels down, takes Hardy's hand, and promises to love him sincerely, fill the emptiness in his heart, and asks him to leave Abel. Hardy breaks down in tears and admits that, despite everything Abel has done to him, he still loves him and cannot let go of those feelings. He explains that he is deeply hurt by Abel's actions, but gently rejects Grey's confession. Shocked by Hardy's answer, Grey can only ask: «"Abel deceived you... and you still love him?"» That's everything I remember. Unfortunately, the Korean website where I was reading stopped updating after this point, so I have no idea what happens next.

@GreenSoda To be fair, I'm always hungry😏✌️