The Beast Who Has Returned Obsesses Over Me - Chapter 2

The maids, Eva and Nora, hurriedly cleaned her father’s empty room. Yvonne was in a daze, unable to think straight. A short while later, she heard the sound of a carriage approaching and stopping in front of the mansion.

At that sound, Yvonne’s face turned as white as a sheet. To think she had to see that… face again.

Soon, the servants carried a man on a stretcher into the mansion. Afraid to get close, she watched the man from a distance.

It… was real. 

How could she ever forget that black hair and brown eyes?

On the stretcher lay Leon, his chest wrapped in bandages, his body limp. But his eyes hadn’t lost their sharpness. It was Leon. He had truly returned alive.

Yvonne’s body swayed as she confirmed Leon’s identity. Eva, who was next to her, quickly supported her. She would rather faint right here. Leaning against Eva, she wanted to cry.

The servants from the Duke’s mansion were laying Leon on the bed in her father’s bedroom on the first floor. As the servants carefully laid him down, the old bed creaked loudly.

The sound struck her ears sharply, like the sound of her life cracking.

She wanted to follow the servants as they left the room. Her hands were already trembling. His shadow alone was enough to frighten her.

She whispered to Eva, who had approached, to keep the servants on standby instead of sending them away. She had to send him back somehow. He couldn’t stay here. It would be the death of everyone.

Behind her, the door closed quietly. She felt like she was trapped alone in a cage with a rabid beast. Terrified, she squeezed her eyes shut.

She didn’t want to see the man in front of her. She still couldn’t believe any of this. But even with her eyes closed, the sickening smell of blood mixed with the pungent odor of disinfectant told her of Leon’s presence. It constantly reminded her that he was here, in this room, right now.

“Yvonne.”

At the sound of Leon’s low, deep voice, she jumped in fright. That voice… Hearing that dreadful voice she thought she’d never hear again made her body tremble in response.

Following Emil, Leon always called her ‘Eve’ to torment her. So why was he suddenly calling her ‘Yvonne’ now?

“Come here.”

I… I don’t want to. His heavy voice seemed to crush her. Her legs wouldn’t move from the doorway, only trembling.

“Hurry.”

She couldn’t take it anymore. She had to go. If she didn’t go quickly, he might hit her again.

Each step she took toward him felt like stepping closer to the gates of a blazing hell.

As she finally got close, Leon’s eyes, looking up at her, came alive. His body was battered and bandaged, but his eyes shone brightly. How terrified she had been of those eyes.

Thump. Thump.

He tapped the bed with his uninjured hand. It was a command to sit there. Was he going to hit her if she got closer? Yvonne quickly scanned his body. In… In this state, he probably couldn’t hit her. But the fact that she hadn’t run to him immediately when he called frightened her. If she didn’t come quickly when he called, he would lash out.

She came to her senses and sat awkwardly on the edge of the bed. Her lips began to tremble.

His hand moved towards her.

Gasping in surprise, she flinched. Her body reacted on its own. He was going to hit her now. She had to endure it….

Gasp.

Another gasp of surprise escaped her lips.

His hand touched her. On her cheek. But instead of striking her, it rested gently. Moreover, he even caressed her softly.

With wide, startled eyes, Yvonne cautiously looked at Leon.

What… What was going on?

Instead of eyes filled with anger, she saw eyes filled with affection. Seeing a hint of longing in those eyes, she froze. Why… Why was he acting like this?

“Yvonne.”

His voice was uncharacteristically soft and gentle, as if he had been longing to call her name. This gentle voice felt infinitely unfamiliar. She didn’t know what he was up to.

“You’ve lost weight.”

His voice held an unfathomable depth of affection. This was impossible. Leon had never once spoken to her in such a tender voice.

The beast that had returned alive… felt unfamiliar.

***

Leon’s misfortune began the moment the twins were born into the Duke’s family. He received no one’s expectations or attention. The atmosphere was one of hoping he wouldn’t cause any trouble. The family only revered Luke, the next duke. And so, Leon became twisted.

Only she knew of his cruelty. It was so painful, and her body kept wasting away. She had never heard such words from him then. He was a man who had no interest in such things. He didn’t care about her suffering. But now….

“You’ve lost weight.”

The words were so foreign.

It was the first time she had ever heard him say such a thing. It was horrifying that he had returned alive, but something was definitely, terribly wrong. Too shocked to speak, she could only stare down at Leon, her body stiff.

His injuries looked serious. But she felt no sympathy whatsoever. At least in this state, he didn’t seem capable of hitting her. His entire body was wrapped in bandages, even one cheek covered.

But no matter how many bandages he had, they couldn’t hide his robust chest and powerful muscles. Everyone marveled at how much better his physique had become, tempered by war. But all she felt was the increase in his strength. And that only terrified her more. Because he would use that increased strength to hurt her.

Her terrified gaze moved to Leon’s handsome face. The twin brothers, Luke and Leon, were famous for their good looks. A straight nose, thick eyebrows, and attractively masculine lips were enough to make women have indecent thoughts. She had heard them say so. But she knew what kind of beast raged within him. So his handsome appearance had no effect on her whatsoever.

Compared to him, Yvonne was utterly ordinary. More like a girl who ran barefoot through the fields. Apart from her shining blonde hair and innocent-looking violet eyes, she thought herself insignificant. She was small, slender, and fragile. Even with his injuries, she was sure one blow from him would send her rolling off the bed. Fear and dread consumed her more and more.

“You seem surprised that I’m alive.”

Yes, I am very surprised.

She was more surprised that he had come back alive than that he had died. He was mistaken about something. But she couldn’t say a word.

She wished he would just take his hand off her cheek. She was terrified.

“Leon… It’s me, Yvonne.”

She spoke in a trembling voice, trying to make him recognize her. Why was he acting like this? It’s me. The face you always hated looking at. The face you’re touching right now.

“I know. Yvonne. My fiancée.”

He clearly recognized her. And yet he was doing this?

His voice sounded as if he were savoring each syllable with emotion. It made her even more dizzy. Her lips trembled.

Gasp.

His hand touched her lips. She flinched, her body stiffening, but his fingers gently traced her lips.

Side… to side.

She couldn’t breathe. 

His chest rose and fell heavily as he caressed her lips as if savoring them. Leon’s lips parted slightly. His breath hitched between those lips as if he were trembling. The most frightening thing was his eyes, gazing at her longingly, flickering with an unreadable emotion. The air… suddenly crackled with tension. Fear constricted her throat, stealing her breath.

Startled by the situation, she scrambled back, putting as much distance between them as possible. She couldn’t believe this preposterous situation. How could he act this way?

Only when she put distance between them, when his fingers left her lips, could she finally breathe. 

But then fear gripped her again. She had pulled away without permission. Moved on her own accord. No matter how strangely he was acting, she had brazenly fled from him.

She expected him to yell at any moment. His eyes would be fixed on her, sharp as daggers…

But they weren’t. Her own eyes widened in surprise. Instead of glaring, he was looking at her with tenderness. A forgiving gaze, as if he understood her startled reaction.  He was being forgiving? To her, of all people? It was an impossibility, and yet, there it was. 

Could she be seeing things wrong? Perhaps the shock of his return had somehow affected her vision.  Maybe she wasn’t seeing him properly, but rather through a distorted lens.

With all these strange and bizarre events unfolding, she began to doubt herself. 

“You look as if you’ve seen a ghost.”

She might have preferred a ghost. A ghost was of the dead. At least it wouldn’t be frightening, not in this moment. But he didn’t yell at her for her reaction. Perhaps his injuries prevented him from doing so. He might be acting strangely, but she wasn’t fooled.

“It’s alright now. I’m back.”

No, it’s not alright. Everything is wrong because you came back.

Whew….

He let out a satisfied sigh. His breathing, so relaxed and at ease, made her skin crawl. He found this place satisfactory?

It continued. His every expression was a testament to how strangely he was acting. 

“You… always hated… this mansion. Said it was old and gloomy.”