Chapter 69

How to Tame My Beastly Husband — Chapter 69. Conversation (2)

“…what do you want to know?” Celestine asked quietly, anxious to answer the questions so that Annette would leave.

“Thank you,” Annette replied gently, sensing her urgency. “There was something I wanted to ask you about your kidnapping. I had thought you bribed my coachman to fake it yourself, but now…”

“What?” Celestine burst out, cutting her off mid-sentence. Her face was red. “You think I set that up?”

Until that moment, she had been trembling with fear, but now it was clear that she was shaking with anger.

“Since that day…do you know what it has been like for me? My heart races every time I hear a strange man’s voice! Even when I am home, I can’t stop checking behind the furniture, to make sure no one is hiding there! And when I try to go outside…”

The words burst out between gasps, her mouth twisting to try to fight them back, her lipstick smearing over her teeth. She didn’t even notice. Even as she was crying, she glared at Annette.

“You have your wonderful marriage, but I’m still scared to death, every day, it’s so hard, and I can’t even talk about it to anyone, and now you chase me here when I’m praying to the Goddess for help…!”

Overcome, she burst into sobs as her emotions overflowed. Annette was almost dizzy with shock as she watched the other woman weeping, clutching at her heart, in every way appearing sincerely distressed.

It was possible that Celestine had convinced herself of her own lies, but Annette couldn’t quite believe it. The storm of emotions looked so genuine, consistent with her story.

Something was wrong. Quickly, Annette reviewed her own assumptions. She had believed Celestine was trying to avoid her from guilt, for having set Annette up for a crime she had not committed, and stealing the place of Crown Princess. But really, her behavior could easily be explained as lingering trauma from being kidnapped.

It was the last thing Annette had expected. She had been so sure of Celestine’s guilt.

But it also made sense, then, that Celestine would avoid engaging in social activities, even though she would soon become Crown Princess. It was understandable that she would seek refuge in religion. All of it could be explained by trauma.

She needed more time to think.

And that time could not be now. Annette saw the priestess, sleeping in her chair, starting to twitch. Celestine’s screaming was going to wake her up any minute, and the guards outside were likely in a similar condition.

Nervously, Annette glanced that way. She was certain there was noise outside the door.

Glancing down at the sobbing Celestine, Annette knelt down beside her on the floor, and Celestine lifted her tear-streaked face in surprise. The two women’s eyes met.

“I’m sorry, Celestine,” Annette whispered sincerely. “I didn’t know you were suffering like that. I thought it was all a plan of yours, because I’m innocent, too. I swear in the name of the Goddess that I had nothing to do with your kidnapping. If I had, it would have been silly to risk coming in here like this to see you, don’t you think?”

She sighed.

She had done the best she could, but she doubted she had conveyed it very well to Celestine. The other lady was looking at Annette with wet eyes, panting. It was clear in her face that she was still wondering whether to believe Annette.