Angie looked up from her teacup. She thought she had misheard. Was it an unconscious wish? For a moment, a faint tinnitus rang in her ears. But she had not misheard.
The message was that he would wait for her heart to open. Silence flowed again. Angie looked down at her hands clasped on her knees, motionless. Finally, she opened her mouth.
“Michael. Thank you for thinking of me so favorably. Someone like me who is nothing special and has nothing to boast about...”
“What are you talking about, Angie? You’re so special. You’re...”
Michael tried to protest more but closed his mouth. His earlobes were red. Angie was grateful to him for that. So she smiled slightly. In reality, her face looked dangerously tense as if she was about to burst into tears.
“Thank you, Michael. But... I don’t deserve your confession.”
Just as she didn't deserve an apology from Leticia, she didn't deserve a confession from anyone, especially if that person was as good as Michael.
“Actually, what Louise saw at the Duke’s residence was true. I can guess why she changed her story and said it was a lie... But it is true.”
Why? The unexpected confession flowed out calmly. Even though the alarm bells in her head were ringing telling her to stop talking, her tongue moved on its own. Was it because she had faith in Michael? Even if his confession was rejected, she didn’t think he would carelessly reveal what he had heard here.
“I... truly loved him. But I swear I didn’t know he had a fiancee. If I had known, I wouldn’t have loved him. Never.”
She would have tried her best not to love. She would have suppressed her feelings before they grew any bigger, and she would never have let them grow on their own. She could swear to God.
“Angie. No to Blackwell. Not even Letitia Dervan. He is... the Duke of Blackwell...”
“I know. First of all, my status is...”
“No. Even if you are a noble, you can’t do that with him. It’s absolutely not possible.”
“Michael...?”
Angie was quite surprised by his unexpected reaction. He was talking as if there was something else besides the difference in status and the existence of a fiancée that made her not love the young master.
“No... No. Forget what you just heard.”
Michael stopped talking there and lowered his head. He held his chin with one hand as if he was agonizing over how much he could say.
“I’m sorry, Angie. I’ve been away too long. I think the Duke’s going to find me, so I’ll take my leave for today and come back in a few days. I hope you feel better.”
“Michael. What...”
Angie wanted to ask what he was trying to say. But she couldn't stop Michael, who was hurriedly leaving the mansion, saying he would find her. Outside, the weather was overcast and gloomy with a drizzle. He walked a few steps and then looked back at Angie.
“I’ll be back in a few days, Angie. Take care of yourself... and see you again.”
Then he caught a passing carriage and climbed on it. The carriage quickly moved away in the raindrops falling like needles. Angie stood under the porch for a moment and was about to turn around when he heard the sound of another wheel. It was the carriage exclusively for the young master, bearing the seal of the Duke's residence.
At that time, she thought Jerome had returned on another business. However, it was not Jerome who opened the carriage door and jumped out. Two men with hoods over their heads had come up to Angie in the blink of an eye.
"What..."
Angie couldn't continue. As soon as the round cloth pressed against her lips, a large cloak fell from above her head. The men grabbed Angie from both sides and dragged her into the carriage, who was struggling in surprise.
As soon as she sat down, Angie pulled down her hood and gasped for breath. She had no idea what was going on. Only then did Jerome appear and apologize.
“I’m sorry, Angie. The Master ordered me to bring you here right now.”
“Huh? Master Kyle... is that what you mean?”
“I’m sorry. I’ll bring you back safely after you see the young master.”
With those words, the carriage door closed. While Angie was still dazed, the carriage started moving right away. If he had asked her politely, she would never have complied. Kyle had guessed that and had resorted to such extreme measures. Jerome and the workers were in a position where they had no choice but to follow whatever the next Duke ordered.
He read the reply.
He would have gotten his brooch back too. So he would have wanted to talk to her face to face, even if it meant forcing her to do so. But no conversation would have been of any use. If his marriage with Leticia was a done deal and had been arranged long ago, and if he had known about the marriage, he would have confessed his love to her and willingly taken everything she had.
She thought it was a good thing. Since it had come to this, if she met him in person and made her intention clear, the young master would no longer hold her back. He would no longer try to persuade and force her, and he would leave for the capital as scheduled next week. With his fiancée, Leticia Dervan,
Angie bit her trembling lips tightly and tightened her grip on the hand she was holding. Even though she was not able to eat or sleep properly and was in a state of paralysis, her eyes, filled with firm determination, were shining brightly.
During the short time it took to reach the Duke's annex, Angie curled up in her seat and leaned forward, her stomach churning and nausea rising with each jolt of the carriage.
She hadn't eaten anything all day, but she kept feeling nauseous and it was exhausting. Fortunately, as soon as she got off the carriage and got some fresh air, her nausea seemed to subside.
But apart from her calm stomach, her heart tightened the moment she saw the familiar Gothic exterior. Every midnight, they met in the Generalife Gardens and came to this annex. Her heart ached as she recalled all the moments they shared together as they went up to the third-floor bedroom.
The master was waiting for her in the study. The moment she entered the room alone, guided by Jerome, a chill ran down Angie's spine. The terrifyingly cold walls pierced her heart as if they were stabbing her. She had fully expected him to be angry since he had summoned her so forcefully. But she didn't know he would be this angry.
He was leaning against his large desk and glaring at her, looking like a perfect Duke from head to toe. On the desk lay the letters and envelopes Angie had sent him, crumpled and strewn about beside the box of brooches.
“Sit down.”
It was a voice she had never heard before. There was an icy chill over the indifferent intonation, just like when he gave orders to his butler and servants. It was a completely different tone from when he was alone with Angie.
“Your Highness, I...”
“Do I have to put you in and sit down myself?”
Angie gasped in surprise at the sudden slam. It was as if he would really throw her onto the sofa, and her heart sank. Angie barely managed to move her feet and sit on the edge of the sofa. The hem of the cloak she had been forced to wear when she got into the carriage dragged on the floor, but she didn’t have the luxury of time to think about it.
Kyle sat across from Angie. His handsome face, which had been ten days old, had become thinner. His sharp jawline was hardened with anger, making it look even sharper. Angie took a deep breath without realizing it.
The sight was breathtaking as if looking at a beast caught in a trap. However, there was no trace of the satisfaction or joy that a hunter would usually have. Only anger and resentment toward the target of his capture were present.
“Congratulations on your wedding...? How... could you send a letter like that? And even send the brooch back.”
Angie closed her eyes tightly and opened them again. She was out of breath at the situation, even the expression “the perfect storm” was an exaggeration.
“Then what should I have done? If I had written a long and angry reply to you, cursing you for deceiving me, would you have been satisfied? Did you want me to beg you not to abandon me, to not marry Leticia?”
Even amid the fear and suffocating tension that she felt for the first time from Kyle, Angie did not stop. Even to herself, her calm and cynical tone flowed out so smoothly that it was surprising. She suddenly felt like she had become a different person.
“I did the best I could from my position, Master Kyle.”
Kai, the nickname that only she could call him was no longer there. A crack appeared on Kyle's straight forehead. The blue mirror that had sparkled in his eyes shattered in an instant and disappeared without a trace. He looked like a wounded beast.
“I know. You may be wondering what I’m talking about all of a sudden, but... I liked you from the beginning. I think I fell in love with you from the moment we first met at Master Edward’s funeral.”
“...”
“It might be too sudden. I completely understand.”
“Michael, I...”
“It’s okay if you don’t answer now! And even if you reject me... Of course, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t reject me... But that’s okay. I’m satisfied if we can just stay good friends like we were in Blackwell Heights.”
“...”
“It might be too sudden. I completely understand.”
“Michael, I...”
“It’s okay if you don’t answer now! And even if you reject me... Of course, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t reject me... But that’s okay. I’m satisfied if we can just stay good friends like we were in Blackwell Heights.”
The message was that he would wait for her heart to open. Silence flowed again. Angie looked down at her hands clasped on her knees, motionless. Finally, she opened her mouth.
“Michael. Thank you for thinking of me so favorably. Someone like me who is nothing special and has nothing to boast about...”
“What are you talking about, Angie? You’re so special. You’re...”
Michael tried to protest more but closed his mouth. His earlobes were red. Angie was grateful to him for that. So she smiled slightly. In reality, her face looked dangerously tense as if she was about to burst into tears.
“Thank you, Michael. But... I don’t deserve your confession.”
Just as she didn't deserve an apology from Leticia, she didn't deserve a confession from anyone, especially if that person was as good as Michael.
“Actually, what Louise saw at the Duke’s residence was true. I can guess why she changed her story and said it was a lie... But it is true.”
Why? The unexpected confession flowed out calmly. Even though the alarm bells in her head were ringing telling her to stop talking, her tongue moved on its own. Was it because she had faith in Michael? Even if his confession was rejected, she didn’t think he would carelessly reveal what he had heard here.
“I... truly loved him. But I swear I didn’t know he had a fiancee. If I had known, I wouldn’t have loved him. Never.”
She would have tried her best not to love. She would have suppressed her feelings before they grew any bigger, and she would never have let them grow on their own. She could swear to God.
“Angie. No to Blackwell. Not even Letitia Dervan. He is... the Duke of Blackwell...”
“I know. First of all, my status is...”
“No. Even if you are a noble, you can’t do that with him. It’s absolutely not possible.”
“Michael...?”
Angie was quite surprised by his unexpected reaction. He was talking as if there was something else besides the difference in status and the existence of a fiancée that made her not love the young master.
“No... No. Forget what you just heard.”
Michael stopped talking there and lowered his head. He held his chin with one hand as if he was agonizing over how much he could say.
“I’m sorry, Angie. I’ve been away too long. I think the Duke’s going to find me, so I’ll take my leave for today and come back in a few days. I hope you feel better.”
“Michael. What...”
Angie wanted to ask what he was trying to say. But she couldn't stop Michael, who was hurriedly leaving the mansion, saying he would find her. Outside, the weather was overcast and gloomy with a drizzle. He walked a few steps and then looked back at Angie.
“I’ll be back in a few days, Angie. Take care of yourself... and see you again.”
Then he caught a passing carriage and climbed on it. The carriage quickly moved away in the raindrops falling like needles. Angie stood under the porch for a moment and was about to turn around when he heard the sound of another wheel. It was the carriage exclusively for the young master, bearing the seal of the Duke's residence.
At that time, she thought Jerome had returned on another business. However, it was not Jerome who opened the carriage door and jumped out. Two men with hoods over their heads had come up to Angie in the blink of an eye.
"What..."
Angie couldn't continue. As soon as the round cloth pressed against her lips, a large cloak fell from above her head. The men grabbed Angie from both sides and dragged her into the carriage, who was struggling in surprise.
As soon as she sat down, Angie pulled down her hood and gasped for breath. She had no idea what was going on. Only then did Jerome appear and apologize.
“I’m sorry, Angie. The Master ordered me to bring you here right now.”
“Huh? Master Kyle... is that what you mean?”
“I’m sorry. I’ll bring you back safely after you see the young master.”
With those words, the carriage door closed. While Angie was still dazed, the carriage started moving right away. If he had asked her politely, she would never have complied. Kyle had guessed that and had resorted to such extreme measures. Jerome and the workers were in a position where they had no choice but to follow whatever the next Duke ordered.
He read the reply.
He would have gotten his brooch back too. So he would have wanted to talk to her face to face, even if it meant forcing her to do so. But no conversation would have been of any use. If his marriage with Leticia was a done deal and had been arranged long ago, and if he had known about the marriage, he would have confessed his love to her and willingly taken everything she had.
She thought it was a good thing. Since it had come to this, if she met him in person and made her intention clear, the young master would no longer hold her back. He would no longer try to persuade and force her, and he would leave for the capital as scheduled next week. With his fiancée, Leticia Dervan,
Angie bit her trembling lips tightly and tightened her grip on the hand she was holding. Even though she was not able to eat or sleep properly and was in a state of paralysis, her eyes, filled with firm determination, were shining brightly.
***
During the short time it took to reach the Duke's annex, Angie curled up in her seat and leaned forward, her stomach churning and nausea rising with each jolt of the carriage.
She hadn't eaten anything all day, but she kept feeling nauseous and it was exhausting. Fortunately, as soon as she got off the carriage and got some fresh air, her nausea seemed to subside.
But apart from her calm stomach, her heart tightened the moment she saw the familiar Gothic exterior. Every midnight, they met in the Generalife Gardens and came to this annex. Her heart ached as she recalled all the moments they shared together as they went up to the third-floor bedroom.
The master was waiting for her in the study. The moment she entered the room alone, guided by Jerome, a chill ran down Angie's spine. The terrifyingly cold walls pierced her heart as if they were stabbing her. She had fully expected him to be angry since he had summoned her so forcefully. But she didn't know he would be this angry.
He was leaning against his large desk and glaring at her, looking like a perfect Duke from head to toe. On the desk lay the letters and envelopes Angie had sent him, crumpled and strewn about beside the box of brooches.
“Sit down.”
It was a voice she had never heard before. There was an icy chill over the indifferent intonation, just like when he gave orders to his butler and servants. It was a completely different tone from when he was alone with Angie.
“Your Highness, I...”
“Do I have to put you in and sit down myself?”
Angie gasped in surprise at the sudden slam. It was as if he would really throw her onto the sofa, and her heart sank. Angie barely managed to move her feet and sit on the edge of the sofa. The hem of the cloak she had been forced to wear when she got into the carriage dragged on the floor, but she didn’t have the luxury of time to think about it.
Kyle sat across from Angie. His handsome face, which had been ten days old, had become thinner. His sharp jawline was hardened with anger, making it look even sharper. Angie took a deep breath without realizing it.
The sight was breathtaking as if looking at a beast caught in a trap. However, there was no trace of the satisfaction or joy that a hunter would usually have. Only anger and resentment toward the target of his capture were present.
“Congratulations on your wedding...? How... could you send a letter like that? And even send the brooch back.”
Angie closed her eyes tightly and opened them again. She was out of breath at the situation, even the expression “the perfect storm” was an exaggeration.
“Then what should I have done? If I had written a long and angry reply to you, cursing you for deceiving me, would you have been satisfied? Did you want me to beg you not to abandon me, to not marry Leticia?”
Even amid the fear and suffocating tension that she felt for the first time from Kyle, Angie did not stop. Even to herself, her calm and cynical tone flowed out so smoothly that it was surprising. She suddenly felt like she had become a different person.
“I did the best I could from my position, Master Kyle.”
Kai, the nickname that only she could call him was no longer there. A crack appeared on Kyle's straight forehead. The blue mirror that had sparkled in his eyes shattered in an instant and disappeared without a trace. He looked like a wounded beast.
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