Chapter 46. The Past Revealed (2)
“She looked so pitiful. Her arms and legs were so thin, her cheeks sunken. I couldn’t just leave her there, so I took her with me and spent the most money I ever had in my life buying her food.”
Pitiful, he said…
So Escallion felt pity for Scarlett when he first met her. Did that feeling grow deeper until now?
As Belladonna listened, her heart began to ache for some reason.
“At first, I just wanted to save someone. She kept shaking her head, saying she didn’t need any food, but when I put it in her hands, she’d eat it all up with sparkling eyes. It was almost funny to watch.”
“So I started taking care of her. She gained weight, her hair got shiny, her body grew, and I enjoyed getting her new clothes as she grew.”
Escallion’s face softened with the memory.
But Belladonna felt a sting in her heart, like she couldn’t breathe.
She didn’t want to hear more. Listening to how his feelings for Scarlett grew was just uncomfortable and painful.
She was starting to regret asking at all—but Escallion kept going.
“Since I lived like a wandering mercenary, I couldn’t stay by Scarlett’s side all the time. But after a few months traveling, when I came back, she’d always grown up a bit more and welcomed me. I didn’t mind it.”
“But for some reason, maybe because of who she takes after, she’s always cranky and sensitive. Even when I try to be nice, she snaps and gets irritated. I don’t really know how to deal with girls, so I’ve mostly given up.”
Something about this felt strange.
Cranky and irritated? So… Scarlett didn’t have feelings for Escallion? Then what kind of relationship did they have?
Was Escallion just one-sidedly caring for her…?
Belladonna looked at him in confusion. Escallion shrugged.
“But what can I do? She’s my only family, so I have to take care of her.”
Family…?
That word made Belladonna blink in shock.
Wait, family…?
“She’s not my full sister, but we share half our blood. I can’t just ignore her.”
“W-wait a second.”
“Hm?”
Escallion paused when Belladonna spoke.
She tried to organize her confused thoughts and spoke haltingly.
“Family? Half… blood?”
“Ah, did I never tell you? Scarlett Rayton is my half-sister.”
“You never told me!”
When did he say that?! Something so important!
Belladonna glared at him, frustrated.
Escallion just looked at her like he didn’t understand.
“I told you before—I’m not good at talking. Looks like I left out the most important part.”
“Scarlett is my half-sister. Her mother was unmarried, so she took her last name, Rayton, from her mom, not her dad.”
“If you want to be precise, my father probably never knew about her. He died before he found out she existed.”
Listening to his story, Belladonna shook her head, overwhelmed, and reached out a hand.
“Wait. So Scarlett Rayton is your family? Your sister?”
“Yeah.”
“Who else knows about this?”
“Almost no one. Wolf and a few old servants in Griblata know, since I send her money and supplies regularly.”
Belladonna remembered seeing Scarlett’s name in the big ledger for firewood.
Oh, so that’s why her name was there…
“Before you came, Scarlett even stayed at Griblata Castle for a while. There was a leak in her house, so she stayed until the repairs were done. Even then, we never got close.”
Belladonna also remembered the mysterious necklace she found in a drawer her first day at Griblata.
So that must have been Scarlett’s too.
“Why do you hide this? If people knew Scarlett was your sister, there’d be no misunderstandings. The servants at the castle must think she’s something else.”
“She doesn’t want anyone to know.”
Escallion answered right away.
“Maybe she doesn’t want to be connected to someone like me… And I didn’t want to give anyone a weakness to use against me by making a ‘family.’ Back then, I wasn’t as powerful as I am now, so I thought I couldn’t even protect one little sister. I had too many enemies.”
“But it’s different now, Bella.”
He reached under the covers and pulled her close.
“Now, I have more than enough strength to protect you. I have a safe and strong castle, a big group of knights, and plenty of money. So don’t worry.”
“I’m not worried.”
Belladonna pressed her forehead to his chest and mumbled grumpily.
“But I did spend a lot of time worrying about Scarlett Rayton until now.”
“You did?”
Escallion let out a laugh like a deflated balloon.
“If you’d told me this, I wouldn’t have misunderstood you.”
“What did you misunderstand? Did you think Scarlett was my secret lover or something?”
Escallion leaned down, trying to see her face, but Belladonna just burrowed deeper into his chest.
Ugh…
“Hm? What did you think? Did you think I was some kind of bad guy?”
Escallion kept asking, but Belladonna stubbornly refused to answer.
But… to think Scarlett was his half-sister…
Honestly, Belladonna felt good—relieved, and everything suddenly felt so much lighter.
Knowing that the person who tormented her so much wasn’t her husband’s lover but his family, she could finally let go of all her worries.
I don’t have to go back to Astanya anymore.
Belladonna thought, feeling at peace.
I can stay by Escallion’s side, not the Pope’s… I can keep living here…
“Bella.”
Escallion’s low voice called her name.
Sensing something had changed, Belladonna slowly looked up at him.
“If you keep pressing close and breathing so warm, I’ll start thinking other things. I really wanted to let you sleep this time.”
“Wha—”
She didn’t get to finish the question.
There was still more she wanted to ask about Scarlett, but Escallion didn’t seem to be in the mood to talk anymore.
Soon, he was covering her lips with his, wrapping his thick arm around her waist, and Belladonna had to speak with her voice for a long time again.
“Bella.”
“…”
“Wake up for a second, Bella.”
Ugh, so sleepy…
Belladonna frowned and opened her eyes.
She saw Escallion looking down at her in the dim early morning light.
Let me sleep, please. Seeing her annoyed face, Escallion chuckled softly.
“You’re an angry baby bird again. Sorry for waking you, but I have to leave soon. Can’t put it off any longer.”
Belladonna stared at him, still frowning.
He gently sat her up and wrapped her tightly in the blanket.
What is he doing…? Belladonna just watched him quietly.
He slipped her arm out of the blanket.
“Sorry for being late.”
He took her hand and pulled out something shiny, slipping it onto her ring finger.
It felt thick and heavy. A ring…
“It’s a ring. I was supposed to give it to you yesterday, but things were so busy.”
Belladonna looked down at the ring on her finger. It fit perfectly and had three sparkling diamonds in the center—one round diamond in the middle, with two more on the sides like a little ribbon.
Wow, it’s so pretty…
She glanced over and saw Escallion had a similar ring, simple but matching, though his had no diamonds.
Belladonna’s heart felt warm. Now that they had rings, she finally felt truly married.
“Go back to sleep now. I’ll be home late today. The knights are training and I have a lot of work.”
Escallion kissed her cheek and gently pushed her back onto the bed.
Belladonna lay on her back and nodded as he got ready to leave.
“My wife really is quiet. You only say what you have to, then you’re done.”
“Except at night.”
Ugh, really… Belladonna squinted at him, but she couldn’t hate him for it.
She didn’t want to get used to talking out loud—it could make her careless, and she still wanted to keep her voice hidden from others.
Escallion tilted his head and teased her.
“So you’re not even going to say goodbye?”
“See you later…”
Satisfied, Escallion touched her cheek with his finger.
“What about a goodbye kiss?”
“T-that…”
“Go on.”
He bent down and offered his cheek.
Belladonna closed her eyes tight and pressed her lips to his cheek.
“There. Happy?”
“Ah… I really don’t want to leave.”
He bowed his head over the covers.
“I wonder if my wife’s body can handle it…”
“W-what are you saying! Be careful!”
Belladonna’s face went red and she hid under the covers.
