Chapter 12: The New Duke and the Hidden Mistress (Part 11)

The hope of escape had long since been stripped from her life. Elizabeth had lost all meaning in her existence, and the body he clung to was nothing more than an empty shell.

Elizabeth thought to herself. 

Surely, the original sin of this hell was my own. I was the one ruining everything.

“I won’t run.”

Her resigned voice made Kiern pause. When he looked at her, Elizabeth spoke again.

“I know better than anyone how heavy my sins are.”

“…Well, that’s good to hear.”

Kiern said no more after that. He relentlessly tormented her, like someone poking at a festering wound. He didn’t hesitate to crush her like a peach soaked in honey. His blue eyes gleamed as he whispered.

“Good. Then don’t ever say you’re leaving me again.”

With that, Kiern kissed her again, this time with surprising gentleness. His touch, as he ran his hands over her body, was also unexpectedly tender.

And that made Elizabeth even sadder.

To Kiern, she was like a thorn lodged under his fingernail. It was so small and insignificant that he couldn’t pinpoint exactly where it was, yet it constantly irritated him, driving him mad.

The more he tried to remove it, the deeper it burrowed, until it was impossible to extract.

Kiern wanted to keep Elizabeth by his side, to torment her. Even though he hated her, he couldn’t let her go. And Elizabeth pitied him for that.

Just as she pitied her own ruined life, she pitied the rest of Kiern’s life as well.

‘I don’t understand you at all.’

For a moment, Elizabeth wondered if the man who was dragging her into ruin was actually afraid of losing her. But she quickly shook her head, dismissing the thought.

She did not want to create another futile hope.

After countless shattered hopes, Elizabeth could no longer hold any expectations for Kiern.

She only wished for this relationship to end someday. For Kiern to grow tired of her and let her go as soon as possible. Of course, being abandoned by him would completely destroy her.  

The thought that Kiern was the only thing holding together her cursed existence—an existence unloved by anyone—filled Elizabeth with sorrow.  

At the same time, Theo’s face came to mind. Remembering the kind face that had offered to help her escape, Elizabeth hid the communication stone Theo had given her even deeper. She feared that if Kiern found it, Theo would be in trouble.  

Elizabeth would not run away. She couldn’t bring herself to leave this pitiful man behind. She had no choice but to live with the misaligned button of her life.  

Even if she did not escape and continued to live in this hell, she wanted to cherish the sentiment Theo had conveyed to her for as long as possible. It was one of the few small breaths of air she had found.

Elizabeth wrapped her arms around Kiern’s neck. Her docile response made his actions even more impatient. Though they didn’t go all the way, as they had to return soon, the heat in her body surged beyond control.  

The lips that trailed along her cheek, earlobe, neck, and collarbone felt like searing flames, making Elizabeth shrink back. It felt as though she were a butterfly trapped in a fire. Like a foolish moth diving into the flames, unaware it was burning itself alive.  

Meanwhile, Kiern mocked himself for his inability to control his own emotions. When he heard Elizabeth say she wouldn’t run away, the first emotion he felt was relief.  

Ridiculously enough, Kiern felt relieved. Even though she was already in his grasp and locked in a cage. He didn’t understand what he was so afraid of that he felt relieved.  

At that moment, Elizabeth, her face flushed with heat, spoke softly.  

“Kiern.”  

Her sighing voice snapped Kiern out of his daze. He pulled away from her, as if he had never been affectionate.  

He hated the way Elizabeth naturally called his name without hesitation. Every time she said his name, he felt an unbearable anxiety that he wouldn’t be able to hate her anymore.  

“It’s time to go.”

Kiern briefly said as he adjusted Elizabeth’s disheveled clothes. Elizabeth obediently accepted his touch, unaware that she had once again carelessly called his name.  

Well, they had been calling each other by name for over five years, so it wasn’t easy to suddenly change how they addressed one another. But Elizabeth shouldn’t have done that.  

She shouldn’t have enchanted and unsettled him with such innocent reactions. The more she did, the more Kiern resolved not to waver, no matter what happened. From the start, he had been the one clinging to a relationship that should never have existed.  

Chaos suited both him and her.  

Even though he had steeled himself, Kiern’s resolve wavered again when he saw Elizabeth’s disheveled expression. Her flushed face, still lingering with the heat of their earlier exchange, was sensual. Her effort to pretend nothing had happened, despite the lingering heat, made her seem even more provocative.  

Kiern felt his body tense. Watching Elizabeth act as if she could stop at any time made him feel as though he was the one groveling at her feet, not the other way around.  

Elizabeth no longer smiled prettily or blushed shyly while her eyes sparkled.

Before him, she only turned pale or looked dazed, utterly disheveled from his torment.

The disparity between the two versions of Elizabeth left Kiern feeling uneasy. Confused, he left Elizabeth behind and fled the scene.

***

Kiern, who had been obsessively visiting Elizabeth every day, suddenly stopped coming.  

Elizabeth recalled the day Kiern disappeared as though fleeing. Like glass struggling not to shatter, or glass already fractured and lined with cracks, Kiern had left in a precarious state.

Elizabeth found herself slightly concerned about Kiern. Not to the extent of covering everything up and worrying as she had before, but a faint concern lingered in her mind. At the same time, she wondered if he might finally be letting her go. It was a hope she didn’t dare to call hope.  

Elizabeth decided to visit Abigail to ask for permission to go out for the first time in a long while. Since Kiern was away, the decision rested with Abigail.

“Where are you planning to go?”  

“I just want to look around the city. If you need anything, please let me know. I can get it for you while I’m out.”  

“Hmm.”  

Abigail ran her fingers through her glossy blonde hair, looking thoughtful. She seemed indifferent, as though she had only asked out of courtesy.  

Having unintentionally learned about Abigail and Sir James’s relationship, Elizabeth now saw Abigail’s composure in a different light.  

It was strange. Kiern seemed to grow more tormented the more he possessed her, yet Abigail appeared to become more relaxed.  

Despite being in similar relationships, the dynamics were different. Elizabeth knew it was because there was no ill-fated connection between Abigail and Sir James, and that knowledge left her feeling slightly bitter.  

“Then I’ll ask you for a favor.”  

Abigail gave instructions to a maid while keeping Elizabeth standing. She seemed to mention something about the Trisha family. Since it was an unfamiliar name, it was likely not a noble family from the capital.  

A moment later, Abigail handed Elizabeth a card.  

“Could you go here and pick something up for me? They said they wanted to send me a gift, but I haven’t had time to go myself.”  

“Oh, yes.”  

Elizabeth hesitantly accepted the card. It seemed to serve as a pass. Both the family name and the seal were unfamiliar to her. The mansion’s location was on the outskirts of the capital, but the surrounding area was known for being home to wealthy residents.  

The location, backed by a small mountain and stretching toward a lake, was often used for vacation homes.  

The fact that Abigail didn’t go herself and sent Elizabeth instead suggested that the family wasn’t important to her. Abigail liked to subtly categorize people into those who met her standards and those who didn’t.  

“Then I’ll be off.”  

Elizabeth took the card and left the castle. When she gave the coachman the address, the carriage moved quickly.  

The farther she got from Agaphel Castle, the lighter Elizabeth felt. Who would have thought that a space she had once considered her home would feel like a prison?  

Elizabeth leaned against the carriage window, letting the wind brush her face like someone finally able to breathe freely. 

How long had it been since I last went out?  

Even if it was just an errand, it didn’t matter. She didn’t particularly want to go anywhere; she just wanted to leave Agaphel Castle for a while.  

After passing rows of trees and traveling for a while, the entrance to Liv Town came into view.  

The town gatekeeper checked the card and allowed the carriage inside. The Trisha mansion was located at the very end of Liv Town, in a prime location.  

“Welcome. We’ve been expecting you.”  

The butler greeted Elizabeth politely. He was so courteous, even to a mere maid, that his experience was evident.  

Elizabeth waited in the drawing room for Madame Trisha to arrive. The household seemed devout, with items symbolizing the divine scattered throughout the mansion.