After the funeral, Leah sat opposite Terren in the carriage on their way back. She kept her gaze fixed outside, observing the streets of Levon city, which, though exotic, wasn’t much different from Galdensia’s capital. Leah could feel Terren’s intense gaze on her.
‘Why is he looking at me like he wants to burn me alive?’
It was unbearably awkward and uncomfortable.
Meanwhile, Terren’s suspicions about Grace deepened.
‘Grace, comforting others?’
It was astonishing. Grace was known to be self-centered, indulging only in what she liked within her own world.
‘It was strange when she wanted to attend Leah Hamilton’s funeral.’
Grace was known to be so bothered by even the monthly visits to her brother in the countryside.
‘She didn’t even know Leah Hamilton.’
The urge to confirm his suspicions grew stronger, but Grace spoke first.
“Count Kurtois, do you have Miss Hamilton’s necklace?”
Leah waited anxiously for his response, swallowing dryly. Since Allen also inquired about the necklace at the funeral, her question wasn’t out of place.
“I knew the corpse was Leah Hamilton from the necklace…”
Leah felt relieved at his answer.
It meant Terren had the necklace. The problem was its whereabouts. Fortunately, Terren hadn’t given it to Allen.
“Why didn’t you give the necklace to her family?”
“The necklace belongs to the head of the Hamilton trading company. It should be returned to its rightful owner.”
“Right.”
“But something about it bothers me.”
‘Bothers him?’
Leah wanted to ask more, but Terren clamped his mouth shut and turned his gaze outside, returning to the awkward silence.
Suddenly, Terren broke the silence with an unexpected remark.
“You better not get too close to Allen McDowell.”
“Why? What do you mean?”
Leah was startled. No one had acknowledged her father’s innocence.
But Terren seemed to suspect Allen.
“Richard Hamilton had been gathering information for a long time. When the Empress tried to confiscate the trading company’s assets, McDowell ended up with the management rights. Doesn’t that seem odd?”
‘It’s because he’s the culprit.’
Leah bit her lip, unable to voice the truth.
Allen must have convinced the Empress by talking about the employees dependent on the company and portrayed himself and his family as victims.
Looking back, she realized she had only been climbing trees, oblivious to the dangers lurking in the forest.
‘Leah, your head was always in the clouds.’
She found it harder to forgive herself for being fooled by Allen than to discuss his betrayal.
Leah sensed that Terren was investigating the Hamilton trading company. He must know what happened to her father.
“Has the head of the Hamilton trading company been executed?”
She asked hesitantly, her heart racing.
“He was spared from execution. Influential friends and associates appealed to the Empress on his behalf. He’s been imprisoned on Reef Island, though.”
“Reef Island?”
Located in the middle of the sea, Reef Island was a prison for traitors and those with subversive ideas. Once imprisoned there, returning home was impossible. Upon death, the bodies were thrown into the sea.
Despite the shocking revelation, Leah was somewhat relieved knowing her father was still alive. It meant there was still a chance to meet him. She remembered the famous tale of Count Montes escaping from that very island long ago.
‘Truly, nothing is more fearsome than humans.’
Filled with anger, Leah struggled to maintain her composure. ‘As long as my father is alive,’ she thought, ‘I’ll do everything in my power to rescue him from Reef Island prison.’
Leah clasped her trembling hands in her lap.
Terren, however, kept his gaze fixed on her, noting the fluctuating expressions in her eyes.
Back at the mansion, Leah was consumed with thoughts of the necklace. She pondered how to naturally ask Terren about it, knowing it was key to accessing Hamilton Trading’s records.
‘Should I tell him the truth, that I am Leah Hamilton?’
She considered revealing her possession of Grace’s body and asking for his help, but couldn’t imagine his reaction.
‘He won’t believe me. It’s hard even for me to accept.’
Leah feared he might think she was insane.
Just then, Pauline returned to the room.
“Pauline, where is Count Kurtois?”
“Are you returning to your old self?”
“What do you mean?”
“You haven’t been paying attention to the Count since you fell ill.”
It seemed Grace had been utterly devoted to Terren. Leah felt a pang of pity for her.
‘Grace, you’ve done enough. It’s okay to stop now. Unrequited love only destroys your soul.’
Like Leah, who lost everything in her dangerous love.
From now on, trusting anyone or falling in love again seemed impossible. The cells of love in her body were buried along with Leah Hamilton.
“He’s in his office. Dr. Wilson is there.”
Snapped back to reality by Pauline’s words, Leah quickly left the room, not wanting to reveal her agitated state.
Reaching Terren’s office, she hesitated outside, overhearing his conversation with Dr. Wilson.
“Wilson, did the test results come in?”
Terren’s voice was tense. Wilson hesitated before replying.
“I’m sorry to have to say this.”
“Just tell me the truth.”
“The tests confirm that you will no longer be able to function as a man.”
“Damn it! Bloody hell!”
Terren cursed in frustration.
“Are you certain? No error?”
“You’ve been tested multiple times. The injury from the war is the cause. I don’t know what consolation I can offer.”
“I don’t need any consolation, Wilson!”
Terren’s anger echoed through the office.
Overhearing this, Leah covered her mouth in shock, barely suppressing a gasp.
‘The Count can’t function as a man?’
Then she heard a crash inside. Terren must have thrown something in his rage.
Terrified, Leah hurried away, her mind numb with the revelation.
‘So that’s why he’s been cold to Grace.’
Indeed, it was a trial difficult for any man to endure.
Now she understood the deep shadows etched on Terren’s face.
Leah had previously heard from Pauline that Terren had sustained many injuries, both minor and major, during his participation in the brutal seven-year war with Wales. She could only imagine the hardships he endured, but the realization that he also suffered a significant disability made his despair unfathomable.
‘I misunderstood him as an indifferent man…’
Leah regretted her hasty judgment of him.
Terren, gasping for breath, slumped onto the sofa, roughly brushing back his disheveled hair.
“Wilson, keep the results regarding Aidan confidential.”
“Of course. But it might be difficult to hide it from Baron Aidan for long.”
“No, keep it hidden as long as possible, forever if possible.”
Wilson shook his head at Terren’s words. Eventually, the patient would find out, making the effort to conceal it seem futile.
“It’s not your fault, Count.”
“No, it is. It’s a tragedy caused by the injuries Aidan suffered in the battle he went into in my place.”
Terren gripped his head in anguish. His actions had led to the potential end of the Viscount’s lineage. How could he be untroubled by that?
Dr. Wilson brought him a sedative and water. After taking the medicine, Terren calmed down in about twenty minutes.
“Wilson, I have a question.”
“Go ahead.”
“Can a person become completely different after suffering a severe illness?”
Terren was puzzled by Grace’s extreme transformation. She had changed so much that the Grace he knew seemed to have vanished.
“Yes, intense physical pain can also change a person’s psyche.”
Terren didn’t know how to take Wilson’s words. He had never heard of someone suddenly speaking a foreign language fluently after a severe illness.
Moreover, he was conflicted by his contradictory feelings.
‘I find myself liking the changed Grace.’
Turns Out He’s Been Secretly in Love with Me
One-line summary: He acts like he doesn’t like her but is actually playing hard to get.
Synopsis:
Xu Muzhou like her. He has liked her for a very long time, and through repeated schemes, he finally closed the distance with her.
But this is still far from enough.
He wants to be the one who stands out among her many suitors, to fight for her attention, and to make her take the initiative to pursue him.
_____
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