4.5

Baron Deloher was in quite a predicament. Regardless of the truth, the rumor that Vanessa had killed her husband had tarnished the family’s honor.

If that were all, there might have been hope for their reputation to recover over time, but the situation became complicated when Vanessa claimed her innocence and requested a trial by combat, with Earl Arenshen acting as her guarantor.

On the surface, it seemed like a fight between two women, Vanessa and Miriam, but beneath it lay a power struggle between Earl Arenshen and Earl Plar. Now, the fate of those who vouched for her would also be decided based on the outcome of this case.

If Vanessa won, she would gain the honor that came with it, but if she lost, the family would be on the path to ruin.

Thinking of his young son, Baron Deloher could not take such a risk. From the moment he heard the rumors about Vanessa, he had made up his mind. It was time to sacrifice the small for the greater good.

“Unfortunately, there is nothing our family can do for you. Earl Arenshen has decided to help you, isn’t that enough? Instead of being selfish, you should also think about your poor little brother.”

Even if it seemed cold, this was the best choice. Although all ten fingers are precious, the youngest son, who came late, could not be compared to the third daughter. The youngest son was a child who wouldn’t hurt even if you put him in your eyes.

“Yes, you’re no longer part of our family. If you had to die, you should have died in that house, why are you trying to hold my precious son back? Instead of repaying the kindness of feeding and raising you, are you trying to disgrace our Deloher family?”

Amidst the stepmother’s shrill screeches and a father determined to sever ties with his daughter, Vanessa felt as if the ground beneath her feet had caved in. Despair gnawed at her heart. The light in Vanessa’s eyes gradually dimmed.

“I just wanted to live. I did nothing wrong, but a death sentence? I didn’t want to die unjustly, leaving my beloved son alone in this cold world. Father, you only care about your son, and doesn’t care about your daughter and grandson? Why does everyone want me to die?”

Her chest felt tight, making it hard to breathe. Her unfocused eyes filled with tears.

“I will leave now. Since I am not welcome here, I will never return.”

Her voice was as faint as a candle about to go out. She staggered backward, bumping into Julian’s chest and back.

Julian’s heart felt like it was tearing apart as he looked down at Vanessa’s tear-streaked face. If only he could repay them for the pain they caused Vanessa.

As if reading his mind, Vanessa, with her head bowed, tugged at Julian’s wrist. She didn’t want any more chaos. Julian followed her weak pull without resistance, leaving the castle together.

As soon as they mounted the horse, they galloped away at full speed. They wanted to leave this cursed land as soon as possible.

The impact of the horse’s hooves hitting the ground shook their bodies violently. To avoid falling, Vanessa clung tightly to the horse’s neck.

The pounding of the carotid artery, the fierce wind and breath brushing past her ears, and the hot body heat felt against her skin overwhelmed Vanessa. The vibrations felt throughout her body scattered her sorrow.

“Vanessa! Vanessa!”

Julian’s shout sounded distant from behind. Without looking back, she closed her eyes and let the wind carry her tears away.

The horse veered off the road and began running wildly between the trees. Confused about where to go, the horse, dodging obstacles, gradually slowed down. It stopped, panting with its tongue hanging out, in front of a large tree.

Vanessa clung to the saddle, gasping for breath. She felt she might collapse from exhaustion. But she couldn’t stop here. She urged the horse on, but it didn’t budge.

“Run, I have to run. I have to go. I must leave….”

No matter how much she coaxed and cajoled, the exhausted horse wouldn’t move. Abandoning the stubborn horse, she withdrew her foot from the stirrup. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she sank down.

She could no longer return home. She couldn’t go to the Cloet estate either. She felt like a wandering refugee driven to the streets, having lost her sanctuary.

Thinking she was left alone in the world without a single ally, she wanted to disappear.

She barely managed to lift her trembling legs and take a step. But she didn’t get far before her knees gave way, and she nearly collapsed again. Julian caught her arm and lifted her up.

“Vanessa….”

She swayed and leaned against his chest.

Julian, who had hurriedly chased after her, was breathing heavily. He looked as precarious as Vanessa.

She had dragged him here against his will, causing him to be humiliated. Vanessa felt as if everything was her fault.

“I apologize for what my father said. You didn’t deserve to hear that.”

“It’s okay, it’s not something you need to apologize for.”

Being called a bastard or whatever, such insults had no effect on Julian. It hurt more that Vanessa was bothered by something so trivial.

A cautious hand cradled the back of Vanessa’s head. His heartbeat echoed loudly in her ears. Although she thought she had shown Julian everything to the bottom, she felt too ashamed to lift her head.

“I showed you an unsightly side of me.”

She tried to feign composure with a blank face, but her voice broke into a sob despite herself. She bit her lower lip hard, trying to hold back her tears.

What words could comfort Vanessa?

He wanted to gently soothe her wounded heart. But he was afraid of saying something that might inadvertently deepen her wounds. He felt so anxious that he couldn’t think of the right words, feeling stupid.

In the meantime, Vanessa’s tear-filled eyes touched Julian’s heart. Like handling a fragile piece of glass, he carefully wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. Through his wet fingers, Vanessa’s sorrow flowed into Julian. Emotions Vanessa might feel, such as emptiness, betrayal, and loneliness, settled heavily beneath Julian’s heart. His heart ached as if it were being squeezed.

“If you want to cry, don’t hold back. You don’t have to keep up appearances in front of me.”

At Julian’s gentle gesture of stroking her shoulder, the tears she had been holding back gushed forth without a moment’s pause. Vanessa couldn’t bring herself to hug him and instead buried her face in his chest, sobbing.

Among the many things Julian wanted to say to Vanessa, he mustered the courage to tell her the words closest to his heart.

“You once said you weren’t afraid of dying. I, too, once wasn’t afraid of death, but not anymore.”

His words, whose meaning was unclear, descended softly over her head.

“I didn’t want to lose you because of my mistake. The reason I said I wouldn’t engage in a trial by combat was because I was so afraid of the possibility of losing you.”

Just imagining such a situation was painful, Julian tightly closed his eyes and pulled Vanessa closer.

“You must have been disappointed in my cowardice. But I swear, I won’t break my promise again. I’ll take responsibility and help you and your son. So we don’t need the help of the Deloher family.”

Wiping away her flowing tears, she looked up at Julian. Staring into Julian’s reddened eyes, she was swept up in an indescribable emotion.

She thought she was left alone in the world without a single ally. It was a misconception. Julian was standing firmly by her side, protecting her more steadfastly than anyone else.

The times she stumbled and quarreled with Julian were perhaps a process for their clumsily patched-up relationship to solidify. The irresponsible and unreliable man had suddenly transformed into a partner to share life with. Her heart burned with a passionate emotion she had never felt before.

Vanessa realized she wanted not only Julian’s body but also his soul. She felt that with him, they could rely on each other to overcome any thorny path. She wanted to spend the rest of her life with him and didn’t want to let this passion dissipate.

Vanessa gathered Julian’s hands as if in prayer before her chest.

“Julian, will you become the father of my son? Even if we later have a child of our own, promise to love Robin and that child equally.”

Overcome with waves of emotion and joy, Julian was momentarily speechless. A hint of tension flashed across Vanessa’s face as she waited for Julian’s answer. Her flushed cheeks and trembling pink lips were so lovely. The two hearts that were touching resonated as if they would burst.

“I want to be with you until the end of my days. Please, don’t refuse me.”

Her delicate white hand gently cupped Julian’s cheek. Soft lips slowly met his. Julian’s eyes widened. The tingling sensation spread across his lips more than their first kiss. The vivid sensation brought him back to reality. It wasn’t a dream or an illusion. It was the moment Julian’s long-held wish was coming true.