Chapter 13: Peace Is the Prelude to Misery (Part 5)

Unable to contain her anger, Abigail grabbed Elizabeth’s hair to meet her gaze. Elizabeth groaned in pain as she was dragged, and Abigail warned her.

“You have two options. Either silence Anna Trisha or disappear yourself, ensuring this matter doesn’t leak out!”

With those words, Elizabeth was mercilessly thrown to the floor. Unfortunately, she landed where the vase had shattered, and glass shards pierced her hand. Despite the injury, neither the maids present nor Abigail showed any concern for Elizabeth’s wound. Abigail threatened with piercing eyes.

“By my birthday banquet, you must find a way to stop Lady Anna. If this matter leaks out, the vase will be thrown in your direction, Miss Elizabeth.”

With that, Abigail left the room. A maid following her gestured to the shards of the vase for Elizabeth to clean up. It meant she should clean it herself. Elizabeth cried silently in the room she was left alone in. When she pulled the glass shards from her hand, a sharp pain shot through her.

But the shock seemed to cause more intense chest pain than the wound on her hand. Elizabeth struggled to breathe properly, gasping.

“Huh! Hup.”

It was a series of unbearably painful events for her to handle. She was so tormented that she would gladly follow anyone who could pull her out of this abyss.

But there was no one. Truly, no one could rescue Elizabeth. Kiern was one of the most prominent Dukes in the Kingdom of Yelhen, and Abigail was his fiancée and the eldest daughter of the Prairie family.

No one could save Elizabeth from them. They would all just perish together in the flames.

If she couldn’t stop Anna, Abigail wouldn’t leave Elizabeth alone. Unlike James, Abigail was smart. Surely, a worse hell awaited her.

‘What should I do?’

Elizabeth felt dazed even as she cleaned up the glass shards. Anna wouldn’t stop until she knew the truth. Elizabeth knew better than anyone how much Anna despised evil and sought goodness.

Even if she was disappointed in her, Anna was inevitably on the side of Kiern and Elizabeth. As long as she didn’t know about her and her mother’s sins, she would continue to support her, which would only anger Abigail.

In the end, she had no choice but to confess her sins and break ties with Anna. Elizabeth cried for a long time, distressed by the prospect of cutting off her last remaining ally with her own hands.

And when she finally stopped crying and stood up weakly, she met Theo’s stern gaze through the open door. She didn’t know how long he had been standing there. He probably hadn’t come in easily because she was crying so bitterly.

Realizing that there was an Ingrid meeting today, Elizabeth hastily wiped her face. Seeing this, Theo stopped her with a firm look.

“Your hands are covered in blood. Your face will get dirty.”

Then he took out a handkerchief and wiped the blood from Elizabeth’s face. Elizabeth muttered, brushing off his touch.

“Please leave me alone.”

Despite the clear rejection, Theo hesitated for a moment but didn’t leave. He simply continued to wipe the blood from her face and then her hands.

“I’ll just treat your wounds, so please don’t push me away.”

“……”

“It’s strange. It seems like I always run into you when you’re struggling. So, despite knowing I shouldn’t, I feel sorry for you and want to help.”

After wiping all the blood from her hands, Theo stood up to find a first aid kit in the drawing room. Exhausted from crying, Elizabeth didn’t have the strength to stop him and could only stare blankly.

After searching for a while, Theo found the first aid kit and applied ointment to her wounds. He didn’t ask why she had been crying.

“Was it a cherished vase? Why didn’t you let the maids clean it up instead of hurting your hands?”

“……”

“I’ll give you first aid, but you must see a physician. You can’t let scars form on such beautiful hands.”

“Please don’t be kind to me. It would be better for you to stay away.”

At Elizabeth’s weak words, Theo stared at her. His green eyes, resembling new shoots, showed concern rather than displeasure. That warm gaze seemed to illuminate her sins even more. Darkness and light cannot coexist.

Elizabeth tried to leave the room to escape, but the dizziness from crying so much made her stagger, beyond her control.

Theo caught her and held her in his arms. Elizabeth was startled and tried to break free, but he held her firmly and spoke.

“Do you really not know why I’m being kind to you? I thought I had expressed it clearly.”

In the heavy atmosphere, Elizabeth pushed against his chest to create distance.

“Sir Theo, please let me go.”

But Theo held Elizabeth tightly. As she realized his heart was beating rapidly, Elizabeth froze.

“I like you, Elizabeth Lua.”

“……”

“You’re the first person I’ve wanted to approach and protect, even knowing it’s a loss, and the first person I miss when you’re not in front of me.”

“Sir Theo, I…”

“I thought it would be fine to remain just friends. But I was wrong. The truth is, I want you to be my wife, Elizabeth.”

Theo grasped Elizabeth’s hand, which was near his chest, and confessed his feelings. Seeing her only suffer made him angry, so he didn’t hesitate to take a dangerous step forward.

Elizabeth’s thoughts froze at the sudden confession. His feelings seemed deeper than she had imagined. However, Elizabeth had no heart left to give to Theo.  

Her heart had already been mortgaged and severed by someone else. She could no longer love anyone. Even if she tried to love, it didn’t seem like anyone other than Kiern would occupy that place.  

“Please, allow me to protect you by staying by your side. I don’t want to keep waiting aimlessly for your response. Even now, I want to take you away from here and…”  

As Theo leaned closer, as if about to kiss her, pouring out his passionate emotions, a clear and short knock interrupted his confession.  

Theo, startled by the sudden knock, stepped back. His eyes darkened as he noticed Kiern standing at the door, leaning on his gentleman’s cane.  

“Duke.”  

“I heard a very touching confession, Sir Theo Kabil.”  

“Kiern, this is…”  

As Elizabeth tried to explain, Kiern struck the floor with his cane once more. Only then did Elizabeth realize that the clear knocking sound had been the sound of his cane striking the floor. She held her breath.  

Seeing Elizabeth trembling, Theo stepped in front of her to shield her.  

“It seems you have no sense of respect for your friends, Duke.”  

“Lately, I’ve been hearing that I lack courtesy quite often. Go on, continue.”  

“Miss Elizabeth is not your possession, Duke. I will no longer stand by and watch you intimidate her like this.”  

“She’s not my possession?”  

Kiern chuckled as if Theo’s words were amusing. Theo’s face twisted in anger.  

“Do I look like I’m joking right now?”  

“No. I was just laughing at myself, realizing that I’m not the only one bewitched by this temptress.”  

“What did you say?”  

Theo moved as if to charge at Kiern for calling Elizabeth a temptress. But Kiern was faster. He struck Theo’s shin with his cane as he lunged forward.  

Caught off guard, Theo fell to his knees before Kiern as if bowing.  

“Ugh! What are you doing?”  

Despite Theo’s protests, Kiern’s expression remained unchanged. Instead, he pressed Theo’s shoulder with his cane, preventing him from moving.  

Although it seemed like a light gesture, Theo couldn’t move, and he let out a low groan of humiliation. Kiern leaned forward and warned him.  

“It seems you’re misunderstanding something, so let me clarify. Elizabeth Lua belongs to me. Therefore, whatever I do to her is none of your concern, Sir Theo.”  

“People are not possessions!”  

“Yes, but Elizabeth is mine. Isn’t that right, Ellie?”  

Kiern tilted his head, urging her to answer. Elizabeth trembled, unable to utter a word. Theo turned his head to look at Elizabeth with a pitiful gaze. His eyes pleaded with her to refute Kiern’s words, but she couldn’t say anything.  

As Elizabeth hesitated, Kiern chuckled. After a moment, he gave her an order.  

“Do I need to show him directly? Ellie, come to me and kiss me right now.”  

“Duke!”  

When Theo shouted and tried to stand, Kiern threw aside his cane and pressed Theo’s shoulder with his hand. The difference in strength was stark, and Theo couldn’t move an inch.  

“I’m not a patient man.”  

Seeing Kiern’s gaze, Elizabeth began to walk toward him with a pained expression. She knew that unless she gave him what he wanted, he wouldn’t let Theo go. He would destroy him.  

Theo Kabil was a good man. He was too good for a woman like her, who lived as a dirty mistress. It was time to let go of the last remaining breath of fresh air in her life.  

Elizabeth could barely manage her own life; she didn’t have the strength to protect Theo’s.  

“Miss Elizabeth, please…”  

Theo shook his head desperately, his gaze begging her not to do this. Guilt surged within her at his pleading eyes. 

“I’m sorry, Sir Theo.”  

Those were the only words Elizabeth could say. With trembling hands, she cupped Kiern’s cheek. Then, in front of Theo, she kissed him.  

Kiern’s lips curled into a smile, as if mocking Theo while claiming victory.