When That Door Opens - Chapter 44
“I think it’s not me who needs to correct the mistake, but you, Lady Astel.”
I felt the murderous intent in his gleaming eyes.
Roman gestured towards the doctor with his chin.
“Report the results of Lady Astel’s examination.”
The doctor, who had been taking my pulse, stood up and bowed politely to Roman. Until that moment, I had managed to hold on.
Until I heard those words.
“Lady Astel is indeed pregnant, Your Grace.”
* * *
When I came to, I was in the side room next to the audience chamber. How did I get here?
I couldn’t remember. Roman, who had practically thrown me onto the bed, closed the door. I tried to make sense of the word I had just heard.
Pregnant? Me?
I was carrying Lakian’s child?
‘That can’t be true.’
We were meticulous about contraception. We both knew what consequences a child between us would bring. Besides, I wasn’t someone who could easily get pregnant. My menstrual cycle was highly irregular, and I had even been told I was nearly infertile. And now, pregnant?
‘Roman must be lying.’
It was entirely possible. The doctor who examined me was brought in by Roman. I hadn’t even requested a check-up when he grabbed my wrist and took my pulse. As soon as Roman approached, he declared my pregnancy as if on cue.
So it had to be a lie.
Even as I thought that.
‘But what if it isn’t a lie?’
Unconsciously, I wrapped my arms around my abdomen. What if it wasn’t a lie? What if Lakian’s child was truly inside me? If it were true. If I were really the mother of this child.
‘I have to protect it.’
By any means necessary, I had to protect it. But how? There was no way. Roman would surely kill Lakian. He would eliminate this child by any means necessary too.
“There is a way to save them both.”
As if reading my thoughts, Roman spoke. I snapped my head up. Roman sneered and grabbed me by the collar.
“People like you don’t deserve to know, but I’ll tell you anyway. You filthy wench. I told you to keep yourself decent, and you dared to sleep with a slave?”
I instinctively shook my head.
“I never did such a thing…!”
“Argh…!”
And right at that moment, a pained groan escaped from Lakian. I couldn’t even breathe as I stared at the closed door, then I clung to Roman. I started begging like a madwoman.
“Your Grace, you’re right. I was wrong. I’ll do anything. I’ll do whatever you say. Just tell me how to save him. Please!”
The image of him, bloodied and collapsed, was still fresh in my mind. Torturing him more in that state would surely kill him. He wouldn’t survive. He’d definitely die.
“Whip me instead! He’s done nothing wrong! I was the one who involved him. I was the one who disobeyed your orders!”
“You’d take his punishment? Do you even know what he’s going through right now? You wouldn’t last five minutes. And you say you’d take his place? Are you insane?”
Roman sneered at me.
“Do you love that lowly scum? Is that so?”
I looked up at Roman, pale as a sheet. I couldn’t say anything, and Roman’s eyes, once skeptical, now looked disgusted.
“Crazy b*tch.”
He shoved me roughly to the floor and spat on the ground. He brushed off where my hands had touched him.
“You’re disgusting. Don’t touch me again.”
I realized that Roman had finally decided to abandon me.
But there was no time to feel relief.
“Just tell me what to do, Your Grace. I’ll do anything. Please!”
I felt like my entire being was burning from worry. I could do anything if it meant I could save him. I would even be okay with being confined in a small house for the rest of my life.
“Then admit it in front of him.”
“Admit what?”
“That he tried to defile you! Say that he tried to force himself on you! Then I’ll mercifully spare his life. He’ll end up half-crippled, but alive. How about it?”
Roman grinned wickedly. The realization struck me like lightning. Roman had tortured Lakian to get revenge on me.
To betray him in front of his dying eyes, even if it was the only way to save him, was something I couldn’t bring myself to do.
If I did that, Lakian would hate me for the rest of his life.
“Aaaargh!”
As I hesitated at Roman’s demand, an even more horrifying scream than before echoed through the air. I rushed to the door and shook the locked handle frantically.
“What are you doing to him?!”
“I told you I’d cripple him. I’ve already shattered his arm and leg bones. The only thing left is, here?”
Roman laughed as he pointed to one of his eyes.
My heart sank.
