If You Leave Without a Word - Chapter 28
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
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Lying down like that had made it hard for her to breathe, and Agatha let out a faint sigh.
“Cain…”
“The wound is quite deep. Judging by the healed scars, it doesn’t seem to be the first time this has happened. It had been a while since the last injury had healed, but it reopened and bled quite a bit. But even after disinfection and applying medicine, do you think it’s enough to just put on a dress and go out? If we hadn’t met, it could have been a disaster. Thankfully, I found you there.”
Why was this man here? In her dazed state, Agatha tried hard to recall the events. She had been led into the carriage by Stella, the carriage had stopped, and then…
“…..Since when did Countess Calvino lay her hands on you?”
His tone was completely different from when he had asked if she was awake. His face appeared angry for some reason, which made no sense to her. Everything about this man was inexplicable.
Agatha, thinking that she should start with her most pressing question, struggled to move her lips.
“Where is… this place?”
“That’s not the answer to my question. When did the Countess start whipping you?”
“First, I need to know where I am.”
Despite the warmth in her cheeks and the lingering tension in her entire body, Agatha pretended to be fine. She didn’t want to show weakness, even though her lips lacked color and her sweat had yet to dry.
The unwanted favor the man was showing was rather unsettling. He had lived as a stranger for 9 long years, and suddenly, he appeared, acting as if he were her protector. Agatha found it difficult to understand him. She didn’t have the luxury of trying to understand right now.
“This is my mansion, so you can relax, Agatha.”
Agatha. Hearing her name flowing from Cain’s lips, Agatha finally understood the source of the discomfort that had been nagging her since she woke up. He was calling her by her name. Very naturally.
Come to think of it, he had called her by name several times before she lost consciousness in the carriage. Why is he doing this?
“Now that you’ve heard my answer, it’s time for you to answer my question. When did the Countess start… doing these things?”
As he mentioned “doing these things,” Cain seemed to clench his jaw, and a vein on his forehead momentarily bulged before vanishing.
“I don’t understand why you’re asking such a thing.”
Agatha’s words were sincere. She genuinely couldn’t comprehend why he was acting this way. His sudden appearance after nine years, the unexpected proposal stunt, the help he offered in a time of crisis, and now his apparent anger at her pain—it all seemed inexplicable.
“Of course, I have to ask. You are now officially my fiancée. I can’t just let the scoundrel who dared to whip my betrothed go unpunished.”
Fiancée. The alien word, so foreign in his speech, nearly made Agatha laugh. She found herself on the brink of laughter in the midst of the worst possible situation, where her back was torn and she had nowhere to go, thanks to Cain’s words. She clenched her lips.
“Yesterday, I used you because I had no other choice. I apologize for that. But remember, it was you who first provided the opportunity for such jokes.”
“A joke? I haven’t spoken a word that wasn’t true in our conversations.”
Agatha couldn’t fathom whether he genuinely intended to go through with the marriage or not. She couldn’t decipher his thoughts. With her mind spinning from the effects of the medicine, it was hard to focus on anything. Agatha blinked her eyes slowly.
“Regardless of when it started, Stella Calvino will not escape unpunished. She’s been putting on an act, portraying herself as a compassionate lady who takes pity on her unfortunate niece while indulging in such vile deeds behind closed doors.”
Stella. Hearing the name sent shivers down Agatha’s spine. She had expressed her anger at Agatha earlier for causing a scene at the gathering, and now Agatha couldn’t even begin to imagine how furious she must be when addressing the Empress for an explanation. Fear crept into Agatha’s hands.
“Don’t worry. You won’t have to see that woman ever again.”
“What…?”
“I’ve already sent someone to the Count’s mansion. They’ll be coming for your belongings and servants. From this moment on, Agatha, you will be staying here.”
Agatha’s trembling fingers, which had been so unsteady, were suddenly enveloped in warmth once more. It was only now that she realized the warmth she had been sensing since she woke up belonged to Cain. Had he held her hand while she slept?
She was about to withdraw her hand, flustered by this belated realization, but whether it was due to her own weakness or Cain’s strength, she couldn’t let go.
“I did promise, didn’t I? That I would protect you.”
Cain’s earnest gaze was so sincere that it offered Agatha a small measure of comfort.
