The Boundaries of Possession - Chapter 16
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The Brillen estate’s large garden was the most peaceful place in the manor. Following the path from the entrance to the center, one would come across a glass greenhouse. Upon entering, a radiant light, like something out of scripture, cascaded down from above.
Elysia loved this greenhouse. Memories of holding her mother’s hand and tasting the first fruits her father had cultivated often surfaced in her mind. Her delicate fingers lifted the teacup, and the smile on her lips was mirrored by the Viscount.
“I’m glad you prefer this place over paintings,” her father said.
Lost in her thoughts, Elysia exhaled a sigh as she replied,
“Paintings can be sold, but this place can’t.”
A hint of melancholy swept over her blue eyes.
“There are memories here… I can’t afford to lose it.”
She knew her father was watching her closely. The Viscount understood that regardless of how much he credited the family’s restoration to divine intervention, the truth was that the blessings had come through his daughter’s efforts.
Elysia slowly closed her eyes, savoring the scent of the tea. If she were to just open her mouth about inheritance, her father would readily hand over either the heirship or the memory-filled garden without hesitation.
But Elysia wasn’t so heartless as to strip her father of the path he had walked. She understood too well the inner turmoil he would suffer if he couldn’t pass down the family title to Kian, his alpha son.
“How are things going with the Duke?”
Without hesitation, Elysia nodded. As long as Andreas fulfilled her conditions, he wouldn’t be able to push her away. After all, he had publicly declared their engagement in front of everyone, so saying that things were going well wasn’t a lie.
“The imperial decree arrived this morning,” her father said, wearing a knowing smile.
Elysia wished, for once, that the Viscount would look at her with disapproval. To anyone else, she was speaking from a place of privilege.
She often chastised herself the same way. Deep down, she wished someone would put a stop to the life she was leading, a life she could no longer control—like a carriage running endlessly without brakes.
“You must have already read it.”
Even just thinking about the work she had to handle with Karmaut made her head throb. Sharing the mining rights to the minerals with the imperial family meant she’d have to make countless trips to Karmaut.
The demand to deploy soldiers from Brillen to guard the maritime trade routes was a thinly veiled attempt to test Brillen’s influence. The responsibility for maintaining security was being shifted onto Brillen, a fact she would have to closely monitor at least five times.
The Emperor was just as exasperating. Whether it was due to political interests or his support for the future crown prince, it was clear that the imperial family intended to exploit Brillen publicly.
Had she been the Emperor, she would have made a different decision. Instead of placing the burden of securing the maritime trade routes on Brillen, she would have granted greater authority to the family. This would have provided them with a legitimate excuse to interfere in the remaining trade shares.
It had been a prime opportunity to seize real power, but the Emperor had handed it over to Andreas instead.
“Well, your decisions have always been right.”
Her father spoke gently, pulling her back to the present. Strictly speaking, this wasn’t her decision. If anyone with malicious intent were to interfere, things could quickly fall apart. Elysia let out a deep sigh, unable to mask her troubled expression.
“I trust that you’ll manage the Duke well.”
That likely wasn’t the message her father had intended. Elysia smiled faintly and lifted her head toward the light that poured down on her. The light brought a sense of peace, but it also reminded her of the reality she couldn’t escape. She felt as if she were swimming in a tranquil hell, bound by the weight of her past.
As she felt the lingering warmth of the tea, the memory of his lips suddenly flashed through her mind. Her lips trembled slightly. Like his forest-green eyes, his presence was becoming more overwhelming.
I must not give him my heart.
There was no such thing as a fairytale ending. In stories, the protagonists were always happy, and no misfortunes ever blocked their path.
But Elysia was different. She was afraid Andreas would be the cause of her downfall. He had already burdened her with so much.
Could she bear it all?
Once she clung to him, she knew she wouldn’t be able to let go easily.
To stop herself from thinking further, Elysia lifted the teacup to her lips. Cold tea couldn’t be reheated, and she believed her feelings for him would follow the same fate—or so she thought.
“I only wish for you to take a good look at your heart, my daughter.”
