The Abandoned and Terminally Ill Lady Married a Monster - Chapter 11
Chapter 11
Why did Mother suddenly call for me?
‘Is it to wish me a happy birthday?’
Or perhaps she wants to create another one of our little secrets, like we used to.
‘Good thing I didn’t leave with Kin right away.’
If I had gone with him immediately, I wouldn’t have heard Mother calling me. Of course, Kin was just being kind, looking out for me.
‘Wait a minute… looking out for me? Why?’
Did he pity me? But he said he didn’t hear the twins talking. The image of his face, a beat slow in his denial, flashed through my mind.
‘He heard it all along.’
And yet, he still acted like my friend. Pretending he hadn’t heard anything. He even dried my hair. Even though he must have hated touching me. He even asked me to go outside with him.
‘Or was it all a ruse, like the servants said, to sell me to the circus now that he knows I’m powerless?’
He didn’t seem cruel enough for that. But once the seed of doubt was planted, it continued to sprout. There’s no reason for him to be kind to me for no reason.
Even Mother and Father…
‘No. Mother and Father only treat me this way because I’m bad.’
I shook my head quickly. It’s because I’m a bad child. Mother and Father haven’t abandoned me yet. It’s all because of me.
The happiness that had swelled within me moments ago turned into a heavy weight. It was hard to breathe, as if someone had placed a stone on my chest.
‘I should just go. I’ll find out when I get there. It’ll be okay.’
With a sense of foreboding, I walked forward.
* * *
Knock, knock. I knocked on the door and took a deep breath.
“It’s Ailee.”
“Come in.” Her voice was lower than usual, laced with a chill. Out of habit, I replayed my actions, searching for any wrongdoing. I dredged up past memories.
‘I haven’t done anything terribly wrong this time. I didn’t cry when I was sent away from the dinner table, and I didn’t laugh too loudly either…’
I was afraid to open the door. Unlike the gardener’s cottage door, the Countess’s door opened smoothly, yet heavily.
‘Could it be that they found out Kin was here?’
There was nothing to steal in the abandoned gardener’s cottage. Still, it was the Count’s property. I might be severely punished for harboring a trespasser whose identity I didn’t even know.
Worst of all, if they found out, I wouldn’t be able to see Kin again. I took a timid step inside. As I lifted my head, three figures came into view.
‘Lane and Lizzy too?’
Why were they all gathered, looking at me? I thought Mother would be alone. My body stiffened. Mother addressed me in a deliberately stern voice. “Ailee, have you done something wrong?”
I could never know what I had done wrong because the rules always seemed to change without my knowledge. Sometimes I was scolded for not smiling, sometimes for crying too much, and sometimes for being too scared.
‘If I weren’t so stupid, would Mother like me more?’
I lowered my gaze to the floor. I was used to being scolded by Mother, but it was always humiliating and filled me with self-loathing when my siblings were present.
“Why aren’t you answering?”
“I, I don’t know.”
In situations like this, it was best to honestly admit ignorance. If I pretended to know and offered a wrong answer, I’d be accused of being clueless and scolded even more.
“Hmph.” I heard Mother scoff. “You really don’t know?”
“No…”
“Have you seen the pendant I gave Lane?”
“Y-Yes.”
I couldn’t help but see it; they had been flaunting it. A beautiful pendant with a sapphire embedded in it.
“What did you do with it?”
What did I do with it? I didn’t do anything. A strange sense of unease washed over me. This time, I truly hadn’t done anything wrong. I cautiously glanced at Mother, Lane, and Lizzy. Lane shrugged, feigning ignorance.
“I, I didn’t do anything. Lane showed it to me, that’s all. I didn’t even touch it…”
“Lying to the very end.”
