The Beast of the Albard Mansion - Chapter 49
“If I go too, Father will come looking for us. You know that. Go first, Sister. I’ll come see you later. Make sure you live well! I’ll come to check if you’re happy and doing well.”
I slowly pulled my hand away and helped Sister to her feet.
“Are you sure you’ll be okay? Will you really be okay?”
“Yes, I’ll be fine.”
“…”
“If you go a little further east, you’ll see the road. There should be a carriage waiting by the roadside. Everything is arranged, so just get in and go.”
“Seli…”
“Hurry. You haven’t eaten all day, right? I put some snacks in the bag, so eat something on the way.”
Tears streamed down Sister’s face as she cried with relief and sorrow.
I hugged my crying sister. I was glad to be able to repay her for looking after me during my lonely childhood. I used to be jealous of her for monopolizing Mother’s attention, and sometimes I resented her for causing trouble in the household. But despite all that, she was still my beloved sister. There were countless times I was grateful to have her.
“Seli, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for leaving everything to you.”
My sister hesitated to leave, feeling guilty for the marriage being pushed onto me. She felt it was her fault and was remorseful.
“It’s not your fault, Sister.”
It really wasn’t her fault, so I eased her guilt. It was Father who forced an unwanted marriage, and Sister was only trying to protect herself. Even though the burden unexpectedly fell on me, it wasn’t her intention. I wanted to send her off with a clear conscience.
“Seli, if you can’t bear it, come find me in the capital anytime. I’ll hide you somehow. Okay?”
When I nodded, Sister glanced at Desi and whispered in my ear to be wary of men because they are all wolves.
With his keen hearing, Desi couldn’t have missed that comment. His shoulders twitched, and he opened his eyes wide, as if to say, “How did she know?” I glared at him, biting my lip.
My sister looked back and forth between Desi and me, then let out a hmph. She hadn’t been told about my relationship with Desi, but she seemed to have figured it out. She glared at him as if she were no longer afraid.
“If you mistreat my younger sister, I won’t let you get away with it.”
Feeling good about Sister’s protection, I sided with her and glared at Desi. He looked displeased but nodded slightly, barely noticeable. His glowered at me with displeasure.
But his expression didn’t intimidate me in the slightest. No matter how scary he tried to look, I knew he wouldn’t harm me.
“Hurry up, sister. Dawn is breaking.”
I was the first to bid farewell to Sister, who was still wary of Desi and reluctant to leave. After hesitating, she finally hugged me tightly and set off.
My sister walked into the dark forest, looking back several times. After taking three steps, she turned around and waved to me.
“Take care!”
“Yes, you too, Sister! Be careful!”
“I’ll contact you!”
“Okay!”
Sister had to avoid Father, so she would be in hiding for a while. We didn’t say it out loud, but we both knew we wouldn’t see each other for a long time. So we delayed our farewell, waving goodbye multiple times.
But in the end, Sister’s figure disappeared behind the trees. Only the sound of rustling leaves in the night breeze remained, and her voice and footsteps faded into the darkness.
A cold emptiness settled in my heart. After five years, we were parting again with no promise of reunion. I couldn’t help but feel regretful. But I chose to think positively, wishing Sister a happy life.
We would meet again someday. Once she settled in the capital, married, and escaped Father’s influence, I would go find her.
“Let’s go back, Desi.”
After sending Sister off, I returned to the mansion. Desi carried me and effortlessly climbed over the wall. He held me with one hand and climbed the wall with the other, reaching my room.
“I’m tired.”
Finishing everything for the day, exhaustion hit me. I had spent the day dealing with Lord Brent and spent the night helping Sister escape. For someone used to a quiet daily routine, today was an intense day.
I changed into my nightgown and lay down on the bed. Desi naturally lay down beside me. He had apparently given up his habit of sleeping on the hard floor overnight. He had always insisted he couldn’t sleep on a soft surface, but now he lay comfortably beside me. I briefly rolled my eyes at his sudden change, then rested my head on his arm. It was harder than a pillow, but I liked it.
“Did you find a trustworthy coachman?”
“Yes. I told him if he makes a mistake, I’d kill him.”
“Stop talking about killing people. You have such a foul mouth.”
After lightly hitting Desi’s chest, I yawned. As I closed my eyes, Desi sneakily hugged me.
“Are you going to sleep?”
“Yes.”
“Really?”
“…Yes.”
“Can’t you wait a little longer?”
As he spoke, Desi was already touching me. His hand, which had been creeping up my nightgown, grabbed my bxttxcks.
Until recently, he hadn’t laid a finger on me. I remembered how his hand had trembled before touching me the other night.
Having crossed that line once, Desi now boldly reached out to me, his eyes glinting in the dark.
