“I... remembered, Martin. How I ended up on that island.”
“Did you remember?”
Martin and Bryn sat on the bench, surrounding Angie.
“If it weren’t for those people... the shelter people would have brought me here as scheduled. Then, even if it took some time, I would have lived here with my grandparents. On that island...without having to go through such a terrible thing... not only me but the other kids too. Because of me...”
Angie choked up as she began to recount the memories that had suddenly come to her mind. Bryn held her trembling hands tightly. Martin shook his head.
“Don’t blame yourself too much, Angie. Even if you hadn’t followed through to the end, the result would have been the same. I think they would have taken you by force since once they set their sights on you, they wouldn’t have given up.”
“Martin...”
Her green eyes quickly became wet. Her heart ached as if it was going to burst. The clear sky and the spring breeze, the chirping of birds and the sound of bees coming from somewhere, the peace surrounding her and her inner self were in such a great disparity.
“What on earth did they do! I will never forgive them. I will never...”
Finally, Angie burst into tears. How could John Fitzroy Blackwell do such a thing?
It was three weeks later that Angie learned of Cullinan Island and Kyle's whereabouts. Martin came straight from the Metropolitan Police to Bryn's mansion in the evening.
“Angie. There was a big fire on Cullinan Island about four months ago. Half of the ducal residence was burned down and there were a lot of casualties. I think it was right after we found you.”
“Huh? How could that happen...!”
Angie jumped up from the couch. The first thing that came to mind was Michael, her embroidery group friends, and... a man she couldn’t forget no matter how hard she tried.
“It appears that Kyle Blackwell and his entourage have safely made it to the capital. According to what I have heard from traders who regularly travel to Trieste...”
Martin paused for a moment. Angie gave him a look that said, “It’s okay.” His heart was pounding, but he didn’t show it. Martin continued, trying to keep himself from worrying about what had happened to Kyle.
“Last week there was a ceremony to confer the title of Duke, and yesterday...”
Martin paused again. In that brief moment, Angie felt something like a premonition. Her two hands unconsciously went to her stomach.
“Yesterday. Martin?”
Bryn looked at Angie with concern and urged Martin gently. He finally made up his mind and let out a sigh as he answered.
“Kyle Blackwell’s wedding was held yesterday.”
Angie's heart froze for a moment. How strange. It was something she had expected and planned. Now, it was a meaningless marriage to someone who was the enemy of the parents who had raised her. Even though it had to be that way, her heart kept beating faster.
“Leticia Dervan and... skipped the engagement and went straight to the wedding ceremony.”
There was a moment of silence. Angie finally spoke. It was different from what Martin had said earlier.
“Then what happened to the island’s Remedy... those kids? The guy named Michael who helped me and my embroidery group friends...”
Martin shook his head as if he was sorry.
“I don’t think there’s a separate list of the dead. The Duke’s family must have handled it in the utmost secrecy. I just hope they’re safe.”
“I hope they’re okay, I really do. I really hope so.”
It was a calm but sad voice. Martin and Bryn nodded silently in agreement. And they did not mention the Blackwells' marriage anymore. However, there were still things to be said about her security.
“I think it would be better to wear a wig for now. And always carry a fake ID. Bryn’s father will make you some paperwork as if you were a distant relative of the Armitage family. Now let’s make an alias.”
“I’ll go by Amber as my public name. But the name Angie... I don’t want to throw it away. It was given to me by those who raised me like their own daughter. I only want to be called Angie when we’re together.”
“Of course, Angie.”
Bryn held her hand tightly. The needle marks that had been faintly visible here and there on Angie's wrists were now completely gone. At the time, she thought it was a dream, but it was a trace of the blood drawn several times with the master's remedy.
“Even though it wasn’t by your will... Even excluding the manipulated childhood, the times you lived happily as their daughter are unvarnished facts.”
“Thank you. For understanding. Both Martin and Bryn. Without you two, I don’t know what would have happened...”
“Martin and I are grateful that you came to us safely. Because of my leg, I have been reluctant to go out and meet people and have no friends, but I can’t tell you how happy I am to have Angie! Let’s always be together like this. Yes?”
Angie nodded. Behind her faint smile, a faint hint of suppressed sadness rose. On the other hand, she felt relieved at the news of his marriage.
Now it seemed that he could truly erase Kai from his mind. As he had previously stated, whether it was a political marriage or not, he was now married. He could only hope that his first child would not be sacrificed to some horrible ritual and that he would not follow in his grandfather's footsteps.
Baby, it's okay. You have me. Even though you don't have a dad... I'll love you as much as I can, even if it's not your dad's share. And you have your uncle, aunt, and grandma Catherine. You'll never be lonely.
Three years had passed in a flash. Everyone was enjoying peace and living their lives to the fullest each day.
The traces of the two continental wars quickly disappeared from people's daily lives. The passage of time and the rewards of effort were fair to everyone, and the scars of war were evaporating more clearly as people prepared for the future more diligently.
Colorful fallen leaves were all over the city. Under the sky that had changed into autumn, the air of ripe harvest permeated even the hard stone floor. A woman wearing a tunic dress with an apron and a crimson coat had flushed cheeks in the early morning air. She looked too mature to be a girl, but too young to be a woman.
She turned the corner where the Armitage mansion had stood and crossed a large park. When she finally arrived at an old apartment building, the building manager greeted her with a friendly nod.
“Amber. Are you up already? Anyway, be diligent.”
“Hello, Mrs. Barber. Good morning. This is what I made yesterday.”
The twenty-two-year-old woman smiled brightly at the middle-aged woman. The envelope she handed her contained a jar of lemon curd and a jar of fig jam.
“Oh my, this again! I’ll eat it well. It’s so delicious that I can’t refuse it. But please look forward to it, as the gentleman of our house promised me before, as a present for Noah’s birthday next month!”
“Thank you. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Angie smiled brightly and entered the apartment. The studio on the second floor was the house where Martin had lived with his police dog until he married Bryn this spring. Now, Martin had signed a lease and it was used as Angie's studio.
From morning until late afternoon, sometimes until evening, she would work here alone. After finishing her work that day, Angie would return to the Armitage family home, hand over the baby from the nanny, take care of Noah, and spend time with her family. Every day was the same, but peaceful and worry-free.
“Did you remember?”
Martin and Bryn sat on the bench, surrounding Angie.
“If it weren’t for those people... the shelter people would have brought me here as scheduled. Then, even if it took some time, I would have lived here with my grandparents. On that island...without having to go through such a terrible thing... not only me but the other kids too. Because of me...”
Angie choked up as she began to recount the memories that had suddenly come to her mind. Bryn held her trembling hands tightly. Martin shook his head.
“Don’t blame yourself too much, Angie. Even if you hadn’t followed through to the end, the result would have been the same. I think they would have taken you by force since once they set their sights on you, they wouldn’t have given up.”
“Martin...”
Her green eyes quickly became wet. Her heart ached as if it was going to burst. The clear sky and the spring breeze, the chirping of birds and the sound of bees coming from somewhere, the peace surrounding her and her inner self were in such a great disparity.
“What on earth did they do! I will never forgive them. I will never...”
Finally, Angie burst into tears. How could John Fitzroy Blackwell do such a thing?
He dared to step into the realm of sacredness and, for the sake of greed that went against the natural order, take away the lives of innocent children and sacrifice countless lives.
As payment for that sin, he was locked in the basement of the Duke's mansion as an immortal monster. However, that does not compensate for the lost time of the sacrificed children or bring back their dead lives. The Duke's family had committed terrible acts that could not be repaid in any way, and he may still be committing them.
Warm hands patted her head and back. Angie cried in Bryn's arms until she was exhausted. She could barely pull herself together with the thought that she had to calm down before Grandma Catherine woke up from her nap.
In just half a day, many memories came back to her. They will continue to come back to her, one by one, steadily, just like Martin did. But the events on the island will never be buried in the replay and circulation of those memories.
Kyle's two faces filled her mind at the same time. Kyle Rodan Blackwell, holding a gun with a cold and indifferent face. Kyle, who was infinitely affectionate and sweet to her. Kai whispered endless words of love and led her to heaven, making her fall into passion. My Kai.
I wish I could just forget. I wish I could just hate it. But I...
Angie's hands naturally went to her stomach. If there was a way, she hoped someone would tell her. If there was a way to truly hate this child's father, just as she had come to hate the name Blackwell.
As payment for that sin, he was locked in the basement of the Duke's mansion as an immortal monster. However, that does not compensate for the lost time of the sacrificed children or bring back their dead lives. The Duke's family had committed terrible acts that could not be repaid in any way, and he may still be committing them.
Warm hands patted her head and back. Angie cried in Bryn's arms until she was exhausted. She could barely pull herself together with the thought that she had to calm down before Grandma Catherine woke up from her nap.
In just half a day, many memories came back to her. They will continue to come back to her, one by one, steadily, just like Martin did. But the events on the island will never be buried in the replay and circulation of those memories.
Kyle's two faces filled her mind at the same time. Kyle Rodan Blackwell, holding a gun with a cold and indifferent face. Kyle, who was infinitely affectionate and sweet to her. Kai whispered endless words of love and led her to heaven, making her fall into passion. My Kai.
I wish I could just forget. I wish I could just hate it. But I...
Angie's hands naturally went to her stomach. If there was a way, she hoped someone would tell her. If there was a way to truly hate this child's father, just as she had come to hate the name Blackwell.
***
It was three weeks later that Angie learned of Cullinan Island and Kyle's whereabouts. Martin came straight from the Metropolitan Police to Bryn's mansion in the evening.
“Angie. There was a big fire on Cullinan Island about four months ago. Half of the ducal residence was burned down and there were a lot of casualties. I think it was right after we found you.”
“Huh? How could that happen...!”
Angie jumped up from the couch. The first thing that came to mind was Michael, her embroidery group friends, and... a man she couldn’t forget no matter how hard she tried.
“It appears that Kyle Blackwell and his entourage have safely made it to the capital. According to what I have heard from traders who regularly travel to Trieste...”
Martin paused for a moment. Angie gave him a look that said, “It’s okay.” His heart was pounding, but he didn’t show it. Martin continued, trying to keep himself from worrying about what had happened to Kyle.
“Last week there was a ceremony to confer the title of Duke, and yesterday...”
Martin paused again. In that brief moment, Angie felt something like a premonition. Her two hands unconsciously went to her stomach.
“Yesterday. Martin?”
Bryn looked at Angie with concern and urged Martin gently. He finally made up his mind and let out a sigh as he answered.
“Kyle Blackwell’s wedding was held yesterday.”
Angie's heart froze for a moment. How strange. It was something she had expected and planned. Now, it was a meaningless marriage to someone who was the enemy of the parents who had raised her. Even though it had to be that way, her heart kept beating faster.
“Leticia Dervan and... skipped the engagement and went straight to the wedding ceremony.”
There was a moment of silence. Angie finally spoke. It was different from what Martin had said earlier.
“Then what happened to the island’s Remedy... those kids? The guy named Michael who helped me and my embroidery group friends...”
Martin shook his head as if he was sorry.
“I don’t think there’s a separate list of the dead. The Duke’s family must have handled it in the utmost secrecy. I just hope they’re safe.”
“I hope they’re okay, I really do. I really hope so.”
It was a calm but sad voice. Martin and Bryn nodded silently in agreement. And they did not mention the Blackwells' marriage anymore. However, there were still things to be said about her security.
“I think it would be better to wear a wig for now. And always carry a fake ID. Bryn’s father will make you some paperwork as if you were a distant relative of the Armitage family. Now let’s make an alias.”
“I’ll go by Amber as my public name. But the name Angie... I don’t want to throw it away. It was given to me by those who raised me like their own daughter. I only want to be called Angie when we’re together.”
“Of course, Angie.”
Bryn held her hand tightly. The needle marks that had been faintly visible here and there on Angie's wrists were now completely gone. At the time, she thought it was a dream, but it was a trace of the blood drawn several times with the master's remedy.
“Even though it wasn’t by your will... Even excluding the manipulated childhood, the times you lived happily as their daughter are unvarnished facts.”
“Thank you. For understanding. Both Martin and Bryn. Without you two, I don’t know what would have happened...”
“Martin and I are grateful that you came to us safely. Because of my leg, I have been reluctant to go out and meet people and have no friends, but I can’t tell you how happy I am to have Angie! Let’s always be together like this. Yes?”
Angie nodded. Behind her faint smile, a faint hint of suppressed sadness rose. On the other hand, she felt relieved at the news of his marriage.
Now it seemed that he could truly erase Kai from his mind. As he had previously stated, whether it was a political marriage or not, he was now married. He could only hope that his first child would not be sacrificed to some horrible ritual and that he would not follow in his grandfather's footsteps.
Baby, it's okay. You have me. Even though you don't have a dad... I'll love you as much as I can, even if it's not your dad's share. And you have your uncle, aunt, and grandma Catherine. You'll never be lonely.
***
Three years had passed in a flash. Everyone was enjoying peace and living their lives to the fullest each day.
The traces of the two continental wars quickly disappeared from people's daily lives. The passage of time and the rewards of effort were fair to everyone, and the scars of war were evaporating more clearly as people prepared for the future more diligently.
Colorful fallen leaves were all over the city. Under the sky that had changed into autumn, the air of ripe harvest permeated even the hard stone floor. A woman wearing a tunic dress with an apron and a crimson coat had flushed cheeks in the early morning air. She looked too mature to be a girl, but too young to be a woman.
She turned the corner where the Armitage mansion had stood and crossed a large park. When she finally arrived at an old apartment building, the building manager greeted her with a friendly nod.
“Amber. Are you up already? Anyway, be diligent.”
“Hello, Mrs. Barber. Good morning. This is what I made yesterday.”
The twenty-two-year-old woman smiled brightly at the middle-aged woman. The envelope she handed her contained a jar of lemon curd and a jar of fig jam.
“Oh my, this again! I’ll eat it well. It’s so delicious that I can’t refuse it. But please look forward to it, as the gentleman of our house promised me before, as a present for Noah’s birthday next month!”
“Thank you. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Angie smiled brightly and entered the apartment. The studio on the second floor was the house where Martin had lived with his police dog until he married Bryn this spring. Now, Martin had signed a lease and it was used as Angie's studio.
From morning until late afternoon, sometimes until evening, she would work here alone. After finishing her work that day, Angie would return to the Armitage family home, hand over the baby from the nanny, take care of Noah, and spend time with her family. Every day was the same, but peaceful and worry-free.
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