Chapter 98 - Leaving Duke Romanov's Castle

Note:

Thank you, Kelly Goodwin, for gifting a gachaphon to this book earlier today. You know, I have no words... T_T

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"But, Miss Hansley—" Leland wanted to talk Sophie into the marriage, but the woman looked at him with fierce eyes. 

"I have to leave, my lord. I cannot stay here anymore if you keep insisting otherwise." Sophie shook her head and without another word, she promptly left Duke Romanov's study, leaving behind the man stand rooted in his place. 

He was rejected again. He had told himself that he wouldn't care but it still felt hurt.

Sophie then forced herself to move on and quickly headed to her room.

Sophie did not expect the man to chase after her since she already refused him. No noble would swallow their pride and chase after a woman even after they have been rejected and so… she chose to leave.

Even though it seemed strange to leave because of how much Sophie needed to get the money for her child, she couldn't stay in the castle any longer. She was already expecting some form of backlash for refusing the duke's offer and then leaving without permission.

Sophie had a small experience of what the duke's wrath was like for lying to him and it made her uneasy. Duke Romanov's anger was chilly and could make a person struggle to even form words.

Although Duke Romanov may not do something to force her to marry him without consent, the man may hold a deep grudge towards her and then opt to make Sophie's life more difficult.

Sophie had grown up only experiencing love and care from her parents and then Nicholas. The rest of the people that Sophie knew mostly only cared for themselves and were very vindictive.

Even those who did not have any reason to be mad at Sophie, like her classmates in Cawden Academy, were easily predisposed to think ill of her and were influenced by Valerie's and Lucia's words.

So now that Sophie turned down Duke Romanov, the only thing that she could even imagine as the man's reaction was anger and a need for revenge. 

It would be like Richard Lancaster all over again and everyone in the castle would turn their backs against her.

Not wanting to see the history repeat itself, Sophie gathered her few belongings and quickly stashed all the jewelry that she had gotten from Aunt Helga's home. 

She knew that it would be difficult to dispose of the jewels. Aunt Helga was probably furious and called her a thief… but as long as Sophie headed to Hauntingen and sold it to people that didn't know about the Limberg family, then she would still be able to have an ordinary but happy life with her child.

Wasn't there a small noble Viscount family around Hauntingen's area? They might be able to appreciate the jewelry she had and bought them. She would sell the pieces lower than the market price. She was sure the viscount's wife would at least be interested.

Sophie quickly walked past the people in the castle and headed out before they even realized that she was leaving the place.

She was unaware that the reason why nobody stopped her was that she was in a higher position than them because of their Alpha.

Once Sophie reached Hastings, she would go look around for a carriage that might be able to take her back to Hauntingen. She started trying to make a deal with one of the carriage drivers. 

"I will be able to pay you with one of these." Sophie hesitantly showed one of the jewels that came from Aunt Helga's treasure box. It was a small gold ring.

She didn't have time to sell it to the pawnshop and thought the coachman might want to accept it as payment. It looked like her assumption was correct. The coachman narrowed his eyes at the ring and his face showed the look of greed.

"Hmm… really? Is that gold?"

"Yes. Yes... this is gold." Sophie took it to her mouth and bit the ring to show that it was really made of gold.

The carriage driver looked at Sophie and actually saw her coming from Duke Romanov's castle so he assumed that the woman must be rich and naive for trying to pay him with a piece of jewelry. 

"Yes, as long as you take me to Hauntingen," Sophie said.

However, as if she was truly unlucky, a certain woman happened to be strolling in the city with her man and suddenly called out. "I wouldn't take that jewel if I were you, that came from a thief and actually belongs to the Limberg family."

Sophie glanced over her shoulder and saw her cousin Valerie. She remembered the fact that Lucia pushed her into the river and endangered her baby. Her chest was immediately filled with anger.

Sophie glared at her cousin. "Don't throw accusations that you cannot even back, Valerie."

Sophie felt a sense of trepidation wash over her as she saw Valerie walk holding hands with Richard Lancanster, the mayor's son. For one reason or another, they were here and she needed to go on the offensive in order to not make the townspeople's belief turn to them.

However, it was difficult. Sophie remembered the moment that Lucia and Valerie both simply ran away once she started to drown in the river and it made the woman's blood boil and churn. If it was just Sophie herself who was endangered then perhaps she wouldn't have cared.

However, each action these two evil cousins of hers did was tantamount to actually hurting her child as well. Sophie's eyes narrowed even further at Valerie daring her to say something and yet the woman didn't seem to notice.

Valerie was too caught up in her own self to even notice.

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From Missrealitybites:

Yes, I will continue the delayed mass release today. Hehehe... Thank you for being so awesomely patient. I love you!

PS: Sophie's cousins and their family will pay for their sins soon.