Chapter 8 – Part 4

Late at night, Carly Dehart’s loud voice echoed in the quiet stillness.

She had come to see Evan after hearing from Joseph that Anne Riley was the hidden daughter of Baron and Baroness Vanessa.

Carly couldn’t believe she had to part with Anne like this.

“Ha. So you’re really letting her go?”

“…Yes. Joseph told you.”

Evan, frowning slightly at the unnecessary actions of his subordinate, walked briskly with the documents in hand.

As Evan headed towards the field hospital, Carly yelled at him desperately.

“Can you live without seeing Anne?”

“Yes.”

“You’ll regret it!”

“I’ve heard that countless times.”

“So, are you not reconsidering?”

Evan stopped at Carly’s question. Soon, the time to head to the Calohas region was approaching.

The summer was ending.

The long days, which usually felt scorching, seemed unusually short. The fireflies that lit up the path seemed to know that winter was coming, as their light dimmed.

“Carly, thank you for coming this far. But later, follow the Vanessas. When I arrive in Calohas, I’ll have your father sent there too.”

“I’ll go to Calohas too!”

“If you go? You know that place will collapse soon. Staying in the south will buy us more time. Then you can flee with Anne. At least you can survive.”

Carly could no longer shout.

What could she say to someone who had already made all the decisions as if this was the last time?

The thought of hearing about his death again made her stomach churn. Seeing him like this overlapped with the image of Ferrell Klein in the past, and she couldn’t stop her tears.

Evan handed Carly a handkerchief and an emerald ring from his pocket, saying.

“Give the ring to Anne.”

“Ha, what use is this? It’s not like it will win her heart….”

“It’ll be helpful if sold.”

“…Fine.”

Evan looked much more at ease, as if he had fulfilled all his duties.

But Evan didn’t realize. To Carly, he looked as if he were making the same expression he had on the day he gave up on everything.

***Inside the field hospital, an unexpectedly heated argument was unfolding late at night. The medical orderlies gathered in front of Anne’s quarters, speaking in subdued tones.

“Are you really leaving like this?”

“Ha, when I first met her, I never thought she was a noble…”

“It was a bit strange. She always avoided talking about her past. We all just pretended not to notice.”

Everyone nodded at the orderly’s comment.

“So, when are we going to ask her?”

The medics, restless and murmuring, stood in front of her quarters’ door, hoping the news they’d heard wasn’t true. But their hopes were dashed as an unexpected figure appeared, causing everyone to lower their heads.

“What are you doing here?”

Anne, who had been resting, opened the door at the commotion and her eyes widened at the sight of the people outside.

Anne, who had been resting for the first time in a while, opened the door at the noise and widened her eyes at the sight of the people standing outside.

“Lady Carly? Commander? Why are you all here?”

After a moment of silence, a rough voice was heard from a distance.

“Please, don’t leave!”

“What?”

Evan’s cold gaze turned to the man, but he didn’t stop speaking.

“Leaving like this… we’re not ready yet!”

Evan sighed deeply. He approached Anne and adjusted her dress, which had slipped slightly off her shoulder. Anne, taken aback by the natural gesture, couldn’t react immediately.

The soldiers watching this scene clung to a sliver of hope. Seeing the apparent closeness between the two, they believed Anne wouldn’t leave because of it.

“We came to talk…”

“Speak in front of us!”

“We want to hear it too!”

Despite the rudeness and audacity, Evan’s blue eyes sharpened. Nonetheless, with outbursts coming from all around, Anne approached the orderlies, patting their shoulders and asking,

“What’s the status of the patients? What’s going on? Hmm?”

“…Well, that is!”

“Don’t answer, Anne Riley.”

Unlike before, Evan’s tone was oddly firm and cold, causing Anne to tense up.

“Did something happen? This isn’t like you, Commander…”

“……”

“Look, Your Grace. See how your actions affect people.”

Carly interrupted Anne, pleading, but Evan responded with a dismissive smirk and spoke.

“Lady Vanessa of the Baron of Vanessa, Evelyn Vanessa. As of today, you are ordered to discharge. And everyone else, disperse.”

Sighs erupted from everywhere. Anne, confused by the surreal statement, looked around.

“Discharge? From the army?”

As she realized the order was directed at her, Anne responded in an agitated tone.

None of Anne’s hidden memories included ‘Vanessa.’ She was sure she had no connection whatsoever.

“A letter came to the army. They’re looking for a child with a long scar between the thighs, red hair, and green eyes. It says she was lost as a child.”

“…What does that mean? Red hair and green eyes are common.”

“The command believes you are the daughter of Baron Vanessa. If not, provide evidence. But given the war situation, verifying documents will take a long time.”

At his firm words, Anne couldn’t hide her confused expression and shouted,

“How do you plan to verify the scar between my thighs? You know nothing!”

Evan couldn’t help but laugh. In his previous life, he knew her body inside and out, including where the scars and moles were and what pleased her.

She probably thought she hid the chrysanthemum-shaped scar well, but he noticed her discomfort even while she slept.

“…So, do you have the scar or not?”

“……”

Anne couldn’t answer. No one dared to breathe, frozen in place.

“Since you can’t answer, Carly Dehart, can you verify?”

Carly, who had been watching quietly, showed signs of resentment.

“Why me…?”

Evan, looking as if in pain, spoke coldly, thinking this would make Anne give up and live as Vanessa.

“A baron’s unmarried daughter can’t be seen undressed, can she?”

Anne, her eyes welling with tears, glared at the commander. She felt betrayed by the man who once kissed her sweetly and is now forcing her into such humiliation.

Her tear-filled eyes bore into the commander. As no one moved at his order, Evan spoke firmly again.

“Carly Dehart, what are you waiting for?”

“…Duke Davis, you’ve crossed the line.”

At Carly’s words, Evan stroked his lips with one hand. But knowing that the mark in the most private place was the only way to save Anne Riley, he had no other choice.

“Then I’ll check myself.”

“Your Grace!” Carly shouted, but Evan slowly approached Anne, who didn’t flee but looked at him with disappointed eyes.

As he reached to grab Anne’s wrist to take her inside, the uneasy atmosphere was palpable.

“Please, let me do it.”

With tears streaming down, Carly blocked Evan. The situation was agonizing for Carly, hurting deeply.

It was painful.

Evan, who wasn’t Carly.

And Anne, who had to endure this without knowing anything.

“Do it now. I need the answer immediately.”

“……”

Carly took Anne’s hand and opened the door. The faint strawberry scent Anne had was strong here.

As she surveyed the scented area, she found it filled with jars of strawberry candies, a testament to how much Anne loved them. Carly, recalling how Anne enjoyed those cheap strawberry candies, snapped out of her thoughts and gently grabbed Anne, who was staring vacantly into space.

“I need to check, Miss Anne…”

As soon as she lifted the skirt, Carly found the long scar, as expected. Anne’s hand grasped Carly’s arm. Carly could sense the myriad of emotions crossing Anne’s eyes.

“I don’t know why Commander Davis is acting like this, but may I ask you a favor?”

“……”

“Just say there’s no scar, please?”

“Miss Anne. You’ll be much safer there.”

“Where would I go? They’re not even my real mother and father.”

“You might not remember because you were so young. Miss Anne, you’ll be able to enjoy everything there. You won’t have to eat cheap strawberry candies anymore; everything given to you will be of the highest quality. So, please…”

Carly’s words didn’t reach Anne.

“Didn’t you say I could achieve anything? That I would accomplish great things in the hospital?”

“……”

Anne felt like everything she had worked for was being dismissed. She couldn’t imagine what she would do there, especially since all her precious people were here.

“Please, I beg you.”

Carly shook her head. She couldn’t grant Anne’s request, knowing why the Duke was doing this. She wanted Anne to leave and live as the daughter of the Vanessa family.

“I’m sorry.”

Leaving the tearful Anne behind, Carly walked to the door and opened it. Duke Davis, still standing there with a calm expression, spoke to Carly.

“Report.”

“It’s there, as you know.”

Carly looked at the Duke with the coldest eyes she could muster, but he remained indifferent. Walking through the open door, Evan leaned against the wall and spoke softly to Anne.

“It’s time to rest, Lady Vanessa.”

Anne looked up at him with teary eyes, confused by this man who was so hard to read. For the first time, she saw the Duke showing an arrogant side.

“I’ve lived my whole life as Anne Riley.”

Evan frowned and replied.

“I understand the confusion, but you must consider the parents who have been searching for you for decades.”

Despite his words, his blue eyes, more intense in the night, wavered aimlessly. He avoided her gaze in the end.

For the next week, Anne lay awake at night, unsure how to cope with the overwhelming emotions.