He Who Covets the Abandoned Bride - Chapter 28

The prince said that a room would be prepared in the palace for Layla to stay in, and she was currently resting there.

The spring sunlight coming through the transparent curtains was refreshing. The warmth settling on her body seemed to completely relax the tension in her muscles.

However, due to how quickly everything happened at the engagement ceremony, Layla’s mind was still in disarray. Countless thoughts surfaced in her head, and it seemed like it would take some time to process it all.

Layla had sent the maid away and was lying on her side on the bed, lost in thought. She kept shifting positions as she replayed the recent events over and over again in her mind.

She still couldn’t believe that she had received Millay’s help to break off the engagement.

Although they weren’t able to execute the dance moves they had practiced while exchanging plans at Millay’s house, that didn’t matter anymore.

‘That man… he really helped me.’

She still found him suspicious.

But this would have definitely been impossible without his help. She wasn’t sure if he had planned it in advance, or if things just fell into place for him to cause this commotion. However, the way Millay acted at the engagement ceremony was like someone who had been planning this for a long time.

Remembering how Reynold was crying and weakly being dragged away by the attendants at the end, Layla pressed down on her pounding heart.

And without realizing it, a thought crossed her mind.

‘Will Lord Millay come find me?’

He had said he would reveal his true identity to her once everything was over. But Layla knew, unless someone forcibly arranged a meeting between them, they would have no reason to see each other again.

Layla could just return to Wessex like this, and Millay said he had things to take care of here, so he could stay and finish that.

They could part ways like this without any issues.

That was the nature of Millay and Layla’s relationship.

She had gotten the broken engagement she wanted, so wanting more would be greedy. But still, Layla wanted to see him one more time.

Because she was really curious about Lord Millay’s true identity.

She was even considering visiting his temporary residence on her way out of Wessex.

Just as she was having these thoughts…

Knock knock.

Someone knocked on the door to Layla’s room.

“Are you there?”

Overall, it was a calm and neat voice.

Hearing Millay’s voice, Layla shot up from the bed. Wanting to open the door right away, she immediately swung her feet off the bed and stood up, but fortunately, she controlled herself right before opening the door.

She had stopped with her hand on the doorknob.

That was a close call.

No matter how long she had waited, trying to open the door as soon as she heard his voice – wouldn’t that make it seem like she had been desperately waiting for him?

Of course, that was the truth, but she shouldn’t react this way to a man who wasn’t even her lover.

As Layla tried to calm her already pounding heart, Millay knocked again when there was no answer from inside.

“Princess? I was told you were here.”

Layla deliberately took a step back so his voice wouldn’t sound too close.

“Yes, Lord Millay. …What is it?”

Then for some reason, Millay replied after a short pause.

“When the building shook earlier, you seemed to stumble, so I came to check if you might have sprained your ankle.”

He must have left a gap to think of an excuse to talk to her. But Layla was surprised to learn that he had been watching her in that urgent moment.

‘No, he must have noticed because he was right next to me.’

Layla tried to calm her own heart. She shouldn’t attach meaning to Millay’s every word and action.

Of course. He was a man who was very skilled at lying.

At the engagement ceremony, Millay recited lies that sounded like the truth without batting an eye in front of the king and many nobles.

Everyone was fooled by his words.

Even Reynold, the victim, was cast out by the king without being able to fight back.

Reynold probably wouldn’t be able to recover from this. It was clear that he had been completely shaken out of the fight for the throne.

That tremendous feat was accomplished by a man who came from abroad, not even an internal noble of Filmer. In a way, it could be considered frightening.

She would be in trouble if she were carelessly swayed by someone like him.

‘Get yourself together.’

Layla, who urged herself inwardly, still didn’t open the door and conveyed her words to Millay.

“I’m fine. I’m just tired and resting for a bit, and I plan to leave the palace soon.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yes. Thank you for today, Lord.”

There was no response to Layla’s way of speaking that clearly drew a line. Feeling that the conversation had ended, Layla let out a sigh of relief and turned back to the bed.

And just as she sat down, Millay’s voice was heard again.

“The dress you wore last night, Princess – I’m sure our servants washed and dried it well. What should we do with it? Should I have it delivered to you here by messenger?”

“…”

Layla couldn’t answer Millay’s question for a moment. It took her some time to interpret his words.

‘Could it be a signal?’

Telling her to come to his residence.

Actually, that dress wasn’t that important that she wouldn’t mind if it was burned. If he planned to send it by messenger, there was no need to ask – he could have just sent it without asking. That meant it wasn’t something he needed to come all the way here to ask about.

Probably because it was inside the palace, there were many eyes watching. Considering that they had to be extra cautious because of what happened earlier, he couldn’t simply ask to come into Layla’s room.

But what if she misunderstood?

As she was having these thoughts, Millay offered one more option.

“If you’re not staying here for very long, will you come pick it up yourself?”

Hearing this, Layla was convinced that she had not mistaken his signal.

Layla felt her pulse quicken at his discreet invitation. Placing a hand on her chest, she tried to calm her agitated heart and answered.

“I think… I’ll also be leaving the palace around sunset. So I’ll head to your residence then.”

“I understand.”

Although she wasn’t sure if it was a satisfactory answer, Millay calmly promised to meet a little later.

“Then I’ll be waiting for the sunset.”

It was quite a dashing farewell.

“Cough, ugh…!”

Adrian, who had urgently taken a carriage and arrived at his residence, immediately entered his room. As soon as he closed the door, he barely managed to support his collapsing body by leaning on the table, but that was it.

Seeing that the hand covering his mouth was soaked in red blood, Adrian’s eyes filled with consternation. Lilburn, who followed and opened the door, discovered it and let out a scream.

“Your Highness!”

Seeing him making a horrified expression while supporting his staggering body, Adrian hastily gestured for him to close the door.

Lilburn barely came to his senses and locked the door completely. They had narrowly prevented Maeve from following them upstairs because of the sound he had made.

Adrian sat on the bed with great difficulty with Lilburn’s help, gasping for breath. Even while swallowing the blood trying to flow back up his throat, he let out a groan.

Lilburn watched him with eyes full of anxiety, then bit down hard on his molars.

“Why on earth did you use your power again?”

Adrian smiled faintly despite the pain that made his breathing rough.

“It would have been troublesome to have my identity revealed there.”

“Please. At this rate, something really bad might happen, Your Highness.”

Ignoring the nagging with one ear, Adrian took out a handkerchief from his bosom and wiped the blood from his mouth and hands.

After first stabilizing his breathing, he shook his head and soothed his adjutant.

“It’s fine, not yet… And now I really won’t need to use it again until we return to Harkin.”

Most of what he had planned when he came to Filmer was nearly complete. With today’s events, the First Prince was also caught in the trap, so if necessary, he could finish things up even after returning to Harkin.

But Lilburn must have been dissatisfied with Adrian’s excuse, because he sighed in frustration and brought up Layla.

“Does Layla Wessex really have no power as a Tuner at all?”

“Yes, Layla.”

“Then why are you doing this to protect that woman…!”

“Lilburn.”

When he referred to Layla as “that woman,” Adrian raised an eyebrow. However, to Lilburn, who had his seriously ill lord in front of him as if he had a fatal condition, there was nothing to fear.

“Shall I be honest with you? I think Your Highness is really out of your mind. Aren’t the Wessex the ones who are at odds with the Harkin imperial family! What are you trying to accomplish by sending that princess back to Wessex? Wouldn’t it be better to kidnap her like Fitzroy’s crazy First Princess and blackmail Wessex?”

“You’re going too far.”

Adrian warned shortly in a warning tone, but Lilburn didn’t relax the intensity in his eyes. His eyes were filled with resentment towards Adrian and Layla.