Chapter 22.2

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Chapter 22 – Part 2

What’s this? I could feel my heart pounding while feeling an unknown sense of anticipation.

I wanted to see more of that look on his face.

Heartbroken. Hurt. Fragile. A trembling gaze.

The color of the emotions boiling within me was getting clearer and clearer. Now, I think I can name this feeling—even as Lily ‘Everett’ dared to feel guilt towards him.

‘Resentment.’

I thought that I didn’t bear a grudge.

I thought that I was just withering away, empty and waiting for death.

Which emotion was more powerful? It’s been so long since this urge to exact vengeance had been suppressed because I couldn’t even stab the demons of Everett with a blade.

But now, this feeling of resentment was boiling hard within me. I dared to blame Theodore Valentino. You, who never listened to anything I had to say…

You even forgot everything.

While I can still remember everything.

A strange, unknown emotion was spreading across his face, looking as though he was on the verge of crying, or laughing. I opened my lips to speak.

“I don’t want to expect anything out of you.”

I drove it in. Just as you did to me in the past.

“How can I trust you…”

Theodore’s eyelids trembled as he opened and closed his mouth without saying anything. His mouth kept moving as though he’d lost control over it.

“You turned a blind eye to me when I asked for your help. You watched from afar while Owen and Lennon Chester harassed me.”

That was at the royal banquet one year ago.

My hands suddenly shook as I recalled that time. But I clasped my quivering hands tightly.

Theodore could only stare blankly at me with a shocked face.

“I, to you…”

“……”

“How can we mend the broken pieces…”

What has once shattered cannot be put back together.

I bore resentment against him, and yet he didn’t even remember why. What a farce.

His fault was not that he lost his memories, but his changed attitude right now was a problem.

I already told you not to come near me.

“What can you do when the one that’s been broken is me?”

As soon as I said that, tears fell from his eyes.

But whether it’s tears or emotions, it doesn’t always work out the way you want it to.

I got up from my seat and outstretched my hand.

“Get out.”

“Lily…”

“I said get out… If you’re not going to…”

I stumbled to the door and opened it, then I looked back and continued.

“I’ll leave.”

Standing on his feet, Theodore hesitated for a moment and walked closer to me. As soon as he reached towards me as though to touch me, I quickly stepped back.

“Lily.”

He called out to me. It was a voice that sounded like a child’s heartache.

I didn’t want to hear it.

It felt like the world gave me the worst lie as some sort of gift.

I covered my ears with my hands and started running.

Down the long hallway, not knowing where to go.

During the royal banquet one year ago—

I think Owen was already planning to divorce me from Theodore back then.

He called me to one corner of the hall. I didn’t want to go. It was obvious what he would do when he called me.

He wanted to make sure that I was still his possession, that I was still completely under his thumb.

So, I clung to Theodore.

I thought he’d help me if he knew that I was afraid of Owen.

But I was disillusioned.

In Theodore Valentin’s eyes, I was already conspiring with Owen—with Everett’s demons—so he did not care to protect me at all.

’Theo—n-no, Duke, please help me. All you have to do is stay with me until this banquet is over, please…’

‘What are you going on about again? Unhand me. It seems like your dear older brother is calling you, so go ahead and meet him.’

I can’t ever forget his cold eyes back then. His cold voice. The way he shook off my hand and turned away from me, leaving me with Lennon Chester and his hyenas.

That day, I had to see with my own eyes the animals who were hoping to remarry me, to bite me.

So then, didn’t I deserve to blame him?

Since I was an Everett and since there were so many misunderstandings between us, I believe I have the right to hurt him. Because he had hurt me.

I gasped, out of breath. How much had I run, where was I, I don’t know.

As I was about to collapse because my legs had given in from under me, someone from behind embraced me. These arms were familiar.

When I looked up, my expression likely had not yet been erased of expectation. Nor resentment.

“Lily…”

“……”

I had no strength left in me to resist, so he continued to carefully embrace me as I could only limp.

I heard the sound of water trickling nearby, and it was only then that I realized that the fountain was right there.

Until now, I ran like a madman and arrived in the middle of the garden.

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