Chapter 77 - Kadon's Memories

"Hmm, that looks good," Geraldine caresses her chin while looking at the makeshift house that Alexjin and the kids are building.

They decided to build a treehouse instead so that they can still use it when the time the second floor is finished. 

"They seemed to enjoy building the treehouse," Aurelie chuckled while sipping her tea.

They are currently sitting in the backyard, drinking their tea, and watched them building the treehouse that is located a few meters away from the house.

"How about you Aurelie, where would you like to sleep? I can pay for a hotel --" Geraldine was cut off when Aurelie shakes her head. 

"Don't bother, I'm fine with what we have. I'll be staying at the store for a while till the house is finished," Aurelie smiled with an assurance that she's gonna be fine on her own.

"I'll let one of the girls to accompany you there," Geraldine said firmly. Aurelie was about to disagree but one knowing look from Geraldine, she backed down.

"I'll gladly accept your decisions," Aurelie giggled.

Both of them enjoyed the afternoon tea and talked about other topics for 30 more minutes before Geraldine excused herself and went to her room.

She went down to the basement and eats another poison tablet and sits comfortably on the chair while waiting for the poison to be digested in her body. She didn't realize that she had fallen deep in sleep.

***

Geraldine has been hiding behind the bushes dressed in black robes to hide herself from the person she's trailing for an hour already. 

"Where is he?" She muttered while looking around for her fiancee. It didn't take long before Kadon appeared with a woman in his arms.

They both looked happy with wide smiles on their lips as they walked towards the pavilion. Geraldine's heart was shattered into million pieces again. She has been letting herself be hurt every time she decided to stalk Kadon's activities.

She liked Kadon, even though he's a jerk. Geraldine tried to like him because he's her future husband and wanted to love him with all her heart but Kadon feels the opposite. He's disgusted with her even if she's from the house of a Duke of the North.

A tear dropped from her eyes as she watches the two couples happily flirting with each other. She keeps on denying that she's fine that everything will be okay but at that moment, she realized that she's been too stup*d to fall for a guy like Kadon.

Turning her heels, she went back to the mansion and waited for Kadon as he was supposed to visit her.

Geraldine waited for more than two hours before Kadon arrived with a boring look. He sits in the living room with his feet crossed while waiting for him to come downstairs.

Geraldine asked the servants to go away as she needed to talk to Kadon all alone.

"What do you want to talk about? Hurry up, I don't got time to waste," Kadon took a cookie from the plate and eats it while looking at the window.

"Kadon, look at me," her voice shakes when she spoke the words softly. She put her trembling hands behind to hide it from Kadon.

Kadon only took a peek before his attention went back to the window, "Gawd, can you tell me what you want already? Don't beat around the bush!"

Geraldine bites her lips to stop herself from crying, "Kadon, you never look at me every time we meet."

"Because I don't want to see you. Don't you understand that?" Kadon snapped back, this time, he looked at her in the eye but instead of love and caring, it was full of hate.

"Kadon, I am your fiancee!" Geraldine couldn't help but raised her voice as tears started to form in her eyes.

What she said makes Kadon pissed, he stands up and stands in front of her in close distance. Geraldine could smell his sweet honey perfume, making her dizzy.

"You will never be my fiancee. You will never have a place in my heart. So, if you think that stalking me every time I had a date would change everything, you're mistaken. You woman will never be loved by me!" Kadon's harsh voice sinks into Geraldine's chest like knives piercing through every piece of her flesh.

"I like you Kadon!" Geraldine took a lot of courage to blurted out the words of what she truly feel to the man in front of her.

"Pathetic," Kadon rolled his eyes and scoff. He was about to leave the room when Geraldine kneeled down and hold onto his right leg.

"Kadon, I like you. I don't care if you date many girls every week. I don't care if you bedded them. I don't really care Kadon. I just want …" She paused as she tried to stopped her tears, "I just want us to get married." 

Geraldine could no longer hold back the pain she felt as she sobbed on his feet. She felt so worthless and pathetic for clinging to a man that treated her like trash.

"Woman," Kadon looked at her for a while, the coldness in his eyes slowly replace with pity but then shakes his head and shrugged his feet to remove Geraldine but she tightened her hold.

"Woman, how many times do I have to tell you. I don't love or like you, I know our parents arrange this sh*tty marriage between our families but you don't need to force yourself to amend with their demands. You have your own thoughts and make decisions in life. Don't be such a pathetic person and follow every word they say. I know you're just blinded by this marriage because all your life, you have been treated like sh*t by your family and everyone else. That's why you cling to me because you thought that I'll be your knight in shining armor that will save you from your miserable life. It's time for you to wake up and face reality and accept the truth. Open your eyes woman and see how pathetic you are right now. How can a noble lady kneel and cling to a man like that!" 

Kadon looked at her as she slowly removed her hands on his leg. He began to walk away but before he left the mansion, he said his remaining words, leaving Geraldine drenched in her tears as she cried silently.

"This relationship isn't working. Let's end this."

All the words that Kadon has said killed her heart and soul. Her only light of happiness has been crushed in front of her eyes and she can't do anything but accept it all.

Laying on the cold floor, Geraldine curled up in a tiny ball as she silently cried herself to sleep.

***

Geraldine's eyes slowly opened. She looked at the ceiling for a while and stands up and that's when she realized something wet on he cheeks.

"Huh, I'm crying?" She muttered in surprise seeing the number of tears streaming down her face.

"Why am I crying!?" Geraldine aggressively wipes the tears from her cheeks and flutter her eyes to stop the tears from falling but it's no use as it doesn't stop.

She could feel the pain in her chest as if she's been pierced by a sharp object multiple times, "Bre - breathe. It's hard to b b -breath," she grasps her chest and tried to punch it in an attempt to ease the pain inside.

"Master?" Alexjin's worried voice can be heard outside her room and knocked twice, "Master, are you awake?"

Geraldine scrambled to her feet and tried to walk upstairs but her legs give away, causing her to fall down on the cold floor.

She tried to scream that she's fine but no words came out of her mouth but sobs.

Now, she's crying and sobbing at the same time without stopping and she let it all out. Letting herself feel the pain piercing into her chest. She let it consumed her to the point that she yelled in pain, not physically but emotionally.

Even though the basement is tightly closed. A tiny sound of her scream was able to slip through outside and was heard by Alexjin who was standing at her door.

"Master!?" panic rose in Alexjin when he heard a tiny bit of scream of pain. He knocks on the door harder. What he's worried about is that he never felt his master's presence in her room again, just like last time but he knows that she's there.

"Master, are you okay!?" He continued banging on the door as hard as he could but still, there's no response. He was about to kick the door open when it suddenly opened and Geraldine took a peek.

"What do you want Alexjin?" She tried to gather her remaining strength to be able to spoke those words.

"Master, I've heard screams," he said but closed his mouth when he saw the tired face of his master and the sweats forming on her forehead keeps on falling.