Chapter 68

✧You Have No Choice✧

*.·:·.✧.·:·.*

It’s been a few days since Bill Remmer had been taken in by the police. Leyla had gone earlier to meet with the lawyer at the law office. And now, she was heading home with a dejected spirit.

“Oh Leyla, you’re back!” Mrs. Mona greeted her as soon as she arrived. She had been pacing worriedly in front of their cabin for quite a while before Leyla arrived. “How was the meeting? Did you meet the lawyer yet? What did he say?” she quickly inquired of the young woman.

But Leyla couldn’t speak coherently, too stuck in the endless reminder that there was nothing she could do for Bill. She only shook her head, which made the small glimmer of hope in Mrs. Mona’s eyes disappear.

The servants up in Arvis had helped raise some funds to free Bill, giving her the money they’ve gathered from time to time to help her pay for the lawyer without her knowledge. Leyla could do nothing but receive them with gratitude, feeling her heart about to burst with their show of care and concern for both of them.

But what good was the money when even the lawyer told her the evidence gathered was stacked against Bill?

“Oh dear.” Mrs. Mona gasped, “You know I heard that Madam Norma was ready to drop the charges, but Madam Elysee felt different and wanted him to suffer for what he’s done. But it was only an accident, she could have afforded to forgive him.” Mrs. Mona informed her.

Leyla gulped down her infocus, before turning towards the missus.

“Should I, perhaps, speak with Madam Elysee then?” she asked softly, but Mrs. Mona only smiled sadly at the suggestion.

“I think the better course of action is to see the Duke instead.” Mrs. Mona suggested, “You see I heard Madams Norma and Elysee couldn’t agree on what to do, so they left the final decision to the young duke.” she explained.

At the news Leyla felt herself grow dizzy. Mrs. Mona immediately reached out to steady her back onto her feet, gently escorting her back inside their cabin to get her to sit.

“Don’t worry Leyla, I’m certain the Duke will be more gracious than his mother.” Mrs. Mona comforted her, “There’s still hope yet.” She patted her petite shoulders softly, rubbing her palms up and down the frail woman to warm her up a little before walking around the fireplace to light some fire.

“I’m worried for you Leyla dear,” Mrs. Mona voiced out, “You look so thin these days, and have gone pallor. Mr. Remmer would not like for you to ignore your wellbeing for his sake. Here, I brought some stuff I think you might like.” Mrs. Mona immediately brought over her package she had set aside earlier.

Leyla could only watch as Mrs. Mona placed some food before her, alongside some water. She politely smiled up at the missus.

“Thank you for these Mrs. Mona,” she finally said, “However I think I’ll eat them later.” she admitted softly. Mrs. Mona only sighed at Leyla’s dispirited state, before wishing her well and finally took some leave.

As soon as she was alone, Leyla buried her face in her hands and began to cry.

The lawyer she met with earlier had given her no solution, and more explanations as to why defending Bill from his crimes was a fruitless endeavor. Should he be lucky, he might not serve time in prison, instead, the litigation would only take more time and effort for them to accomplish.

Given that compensation for the damages inflicted would be unavoidable, going up against the Herhardt in a legal battle was largely inadvisable.

“At times like this, it’s best for both parties to compromise before going to court.”

That was the last advice the lawyer had given her, which only served to fill her with more dread. She knew that the Herhardt household was devoid of mercy. Perhaps not the entire household, but the Duke certainly was.

She’d already gone to see him after all, three days ago to be specific. The last few days she struggled with the decision and tried to take whatever alternative road was presented to her. She couldn’t find it in herself to eat, drink or sleep regularly due to the stress her current predicament landed her in.

Her dignity refused to enter such a perverse deal. It was against everything she stood for. She didn’t want to fall into another one of the Duke’s traps.

She bit her lip, a nervous tic she can’t seem to get rid of. She stood up from her seat and began to pace around the kitchen, before she returned to the desk to take small sips from the glass of water Mrs. Mona prepared earlier.

‘If I’m suffering this much, think about the pain Uncle Bill is experiencing right now!’

Leyla scolded herself as she recalled the hollow face her dear uncle sported within the past few days. Seeing him like that was like a knife to her heart, being twisted deeper, embedding the blade within the depths of her chest.

She can’t continue to act like this. She needed to do something to free her uncle. And she was presented with the only way she could do so successfully.

It didn’t matter how much she tried to swerve away from making a deal with them, she always ended up with the same anwer. And that was to accept the Duke’s offer.

Her jaw clenched at the thought, remembering the way the Duke gazed at her with unbridled lust, making her feel so disgusted and ashamed of even entertaining the thought. He was so calm back then, and even had the audacity to look so amused with her.

She knew that expression well. He wore it enough times whenever he went out hunting just for the fun of it, or whenever he tormented her to the point of crying. No matter what she did to rise up against him, despite her many falls in his presence, she was unable to escape him.

She collapsed back onto her chair, but no tears left her eyes. They were too dried up, and her heart too numb to produce them. She could hear her ragged breaths in the still night, much like a soundless cry for help.

Compared to the others, her life may seem so insignificant, but the way she lived was oh so important to her. She tried to do right all her life; earn a living through honest, good work and to do nothing she would be ashamed about. That nothing, much less a man’s petty desires, could trample upon her hard earned life…

But she’s made up her mind.

‘What would Uncle Bill think of me, if he knew what I did?’ she couldn’t help but wonder. Just thinking about him brought up a new surge of worry.

And thus in the dead of the night, Leyla embraced the darkness around her, not finding any will in her to move for a long while.

*.·:·.✧.·:·.*

It was already late into the night when Matthias finally managed to sign the last of the documents for the day after thoroughly reviewing it. He leaned back in his chair, before turning to his attendant nearby.

“You are done for the day, you may go now.” he ordered bluntly. The attendant only bowed in acquiesce, retrieving the signed documents in his arms, before swiftly leaving him on his own.

Despite the time Matthias spent on his own in the annex, he had lately been spending more time in the building now that he had no access to electricity back in the mansion. Though that wasn’t the only reason why.

He felt as though tonight was the night.

‘Leyla should be coming to visit soon enough.’

He thought to himself. He knew she’d been exhausting her resources, trying to find a way out of her situation without having to deal with him. But she should have known by now that he always got what he wanted in the end, no matter how long it took.

Matthias knew, on that day of Bill’s accident, that he finally found an undisputable leverage over Leyla. To clip her wings, and have her stay by his side. He’d been making a plan with it in his mind when he heard…

And seeing her so desperate in front of him just made him go through with it. And thus here he was, awaiting for an answer he was certain of.

He knew her current predicament wasn’t the most proper, or the most correct way of gaining her favor for him; he had been in a hurry to bind her to him. Though he had to throw away his initial plans regarding her, he believed he would eventually be presented with an opportunity to seize that happiness he so desired from her.

He reached out to the end of his desk, his fingers opening the cigarette box, grabbing a stick. He brought it up to his lips, the other hand already reaching for the lighter, when a knock disrupted him.

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.

Something shifted in his dull eyes when he heard it. It was so soft, so hesitant. A glint returned to his eyes, and despite having not used it, he quickly discarded his cigarette to a nearby trash bin before slowly rising from his seat with barely contained excitement.

He took slow, steady steps towards the door, wanting to make her squirm, before he swung the door, slowly revealing Leyla in front of him. It was just as he expected. She did manage to make her decision.

A cold breeze rushed through him as he saw her, creating tension between them as they stared at each other wordlessly. He would have thought the time had frozen between them, but the way their clothes rustled and her hair swayed with the wind told him otherwise.

Eventually, he moved, stepping aside in a wordless order for her to come in.

Leyla turned paler at the sight of him, and despite the growing chill in her bones, she crossed the threshold into his office.

The door slowly swung shut, the sound of a lock turning echoing through the silent halls, and the occupants hidden from any outsiders.

*.·:·.✧.·:·.*

Leyla found herself in the exact same spot she had been a few days ago when she had come to beg the Duke for mercy for Uncle Bill’s sake. She stood in front of him, just as she did before as well, but the expression on her face was no longer filled with that glimmer of hope.

No, instead, there was only resignation and fear.

Matthias sat cross-legged on the sofa across from her, as if to show he was willing to give her space, allowing her more time to gather her thoughts. She fidgeted with her fingers as she took a deep breath before finally breaking the silence.

“I am nothing, right next to you, Duke.” she began softly, head held up high as she looked him in the eye. Matthias snorted at her words, tilting his head at her inquiringly.

“And what of it?”

“You are a respectable member of this community.” she pointed out, “If you were to risk that all for a slight fancy with a lesser woman, your reputation would be destroyed.” a slight defiant glint echoed in her eyes at that statement. “So I implore you, Duke, I would do anything, please, but not this.”

Leyla thought he would reconsider, but it seemed even for this argument, he had prepared for a counter-statement. He only smirked at her, a triumphant look on his face.

“Leyla,” he began, “Did you know my family actually owns a castle by the resort, south of Berg?” he asked her, filling Leyla with a sense of dread with what he was to say.

“Because of its beauty, it became a pretty reputable castle in this empire. My grandfather eventually purchased it for the sake of his mistress. She lived in the castle receiving my grandfather’s affection and soon passed away.”

“D-duke…”

“You see, my father was a music enthusiast.” he interrupted, “And oftentimes he’d bring many women there, who played fanciful music to him, but the longest he had with him was a famous singer. My mother quite liked her too.”

He gazed up at Leyla, watching the way her face slowly turned pale.

“Oh she was a very talented singer.” Matthias continued, “Would you like me to tell you how their relationship was? What fate did their reputations end with?”

His voice was sweet, as though he was just telling her an old wive’s tale, it made Leyla speechless how crass he was at implying what he meant. She knew exactly how his predecessors’ reputations ended. There was no way she couldn’t know.

Even to this day, even if they’ve long since passed, they are still widely respected and highly regarded by the people of Carlsbar.

It seemed after all, there was really no way out of the deal he had given her. She knew that when she came here, but she wanted to try one last time. A different angle to revise the deal set out for her.

“So, so for just one night then?” she clarified, finally looking back into his eyes. Perhaps she was more worthless than she initially thought, she wasn’t even good enough to tarnish his reputation.

Leyla thought to herself numbly, that it would be just as though she had fallen from a very tall tree, and got deep wounds from it. She would be unlucky, and it would hurt for a long time, might even leave a scar, but eventually she will recover from it, sooner or later.

“Such an unfair deal that would be, don’t you think, Leyla?” the Duke hummed, “I refuse to enter deals where I couldn’t get the maximum amount of benefits I could take.” he eyed her up and down, “Do you really think yourself so impressive that one night with you would be enough for the price of Bill Remmer’s freedom?” he prodded at her, making her squirm.

She couldn’t bear to look at him any longer, swiftly turning her back towards him, but was rooted in place.

Should she leave now, she would forever surrender her only hope of helping her uncle. And even if he were to be released after he’s served his sentence, her uncle would never be the same again…

Bill’s hollow face in her latest visit flashed through her mind. Her jaw clenched, knuckles turning white as she balled her hands into a fist. Matthias leaned back on his seat, and watched as Leyla fought with herself over what decision she would make.

Leyla couldn’t help but think just how despicable he truly was. But how could she expect any different? He really was the type of person who would willfully destroy a person’s life just to get what he wanted, with no regards as to how the other person would feel when it’s done.

When he gets bored of her, he’d no sooner throw her away as trash in his pocket. Just as he did with those poor birds he shot and killed whenever he hunted them down for a little bit of fun.

Matthias could only smirk at the glare Leyla stared at him with. This time, she turned around to face him fully. Unable to run or turn away from him any longer, Leyla immediately fell to the floor as her knees buckled beneath her. Matthias wasted no time in kneeling in front of her, a smug grin on his face as though he expected her to do so.

Deft fingers traveled up her arms, popping one button open at the top of her blouse. Leyla shied away instinctively, but he held her in place…

“Leyla,” he whispered, a warm breath hitting her cheeks as he brushed his lips against her ear. “You have no choice but to do as I wish, that was the deal.” he reminded her. “You said so yourself, didn’t you? You’d do anything?”

He chuckled as he held open her blouse, his other hand coming up to grab her chin, forcing her to look up at him.

“However, if you did change your mind, well,” he gestured to the entrance of his office, “The door’s right there.” he pointed out, forcing her to look at the locked door, before slowly letting her go, and pulling away from her.

He was reminding her she was the one making a choice to be with him, and not the other way around. Oh how she despised him!

He practically cornered her between a rock and a hard place. She was completely desperate by now, how could he make it seem as if she even had a choice in the matter!? She never had one in the first place!

Her body trembled as she looked down on the ground, refusing to give him the satisfaction of her looking up at him like a weak woman.

“I will never forgive you!” she hissed in a whisper.“Do as you wish!” she finally declared, and Matthias wasted no time in closing the distance between them once again, watching as she shed her blouse, popping the buttons away one by one.

Impatient, he grabbed her hands, and ripped her blouse open, the buttons scattering all over the floor as he slid it down her shoulders and threw it aside. Leyla felt herself sink onto the floor, back pressed onto the cold tiles as he nosed her neck, before his lips stopped right next to her ears…

“Don’t worry Leyla, I certainly will.” he responded.

She wanted nothing more than to hurl curses and insults at him in that instant! However she could only bite her lips in response, feeling the way his eyes roamed all over her. She refused to participate in such an act, turning her head away from him.

But, his hand grabbed her by the chin once more, and before she knew it, his lips were upon hers.

Leyla moaned in protest at the way he was shoving his tongue down her throat. She wanted to avoid kissing in the activity, but he wouldn’t even allow her that kind of dignity. He covered her with his body, hovering above her half naked form, making her feel more suffocated.

He pulled away, a strand of saliva connecting both their lips as he moved down, trailing wet kisses and suckling on her unblemished skin, nipping and biting her wherever he wanted to. She couldn’t help but wince with every action, resolutely looking up at the ceiling instead.

She felt his hands shift, calloused palms rubbing at her thighs, slowly going higher and higher. He was rubbing circles at her inner thighs, making heat pool uncomfortably in her stomach with every touch. His hands went up under her skirt, hooking nimble fingers by the edge of her stockings before pulling them all the way down her legs.

She choked back a sob as the cool air hit her bare legs, feeling the goosebumps begin to form. The mixed sounds of labored breathing, and moaning echoed in the room, filling the silence between them as he pried her legs open for him.

Next he swiftly discarded the rest of her skirt and underwear, tossing them onto the growing pile of her discarded clothes. He settled down between her legs and looked down in all her bare glory…

“Beautiful…”

He couldn’t help but whisper with such adoration as he gazed down at the perfection beneath him.

*.·:·.✧.·:·.*