Chapter 9
His gaze felt like it could pierce right through me.
His low voice, dark like deep night, made the hairs on my body stand up.
“Answer me.”
“……”
My heart tightened so much that I couldn’t even move my lips.
Only my trembling eyelids could move, but his calm, fixed gaze made my body stiffen even more.
“You should’ve avoided it.”
He glanced at my shoulder, exposed through the loose chemise, and spoke mockingly.
“Didn’t you say you’d rather die than be touched by me?”
Lea said something like that?
“If you want me to test how far I can go, I won’t stop.”
“……”
“Answer me.”
“Ah!”
My face twisted in pain, and the Grand Duke suddenly paused.
It was because his grip on my leg had tightened.
He stopped speaking coldly and slowly lowered his gaze.
The place he was holding… was my calf.
The same calf that Countess Azanie had repeatedly stepped on with her heels a few days ago.
“……”
Seeing the bruises, he pulled his upper body away completely.
Then he turned up the light beside the bed.
The sudden brightness made me shut my eyes tightly.
“Sit.”
“…Yes?”
“I said sit.”
Still stiff like a wooden doll, I slowly sat up.
His cold gaze didn’t leave me.
“Ouch!”
As soon as I leaned against the pillow, his hand lifted the hem of my chemise and grabbed my leg.
Startled, I tried to stop him—but his eyes were only focused on my calf.
“……”
He slowly examined the dark bruises, then looked up at me again.
His expression didn’t change much, but something about him felt more dangerous, making my heart drop.
“Anywhere else?”
For a moment, I just stared at him blankly, then remembered.
“Ah… my side, my ribs… and my thigh too…”
“Only where I can see right now.”
“Then… just my calf.”
He stared at the bruises, his expression darkening slightly, then looked away with a faint frown.
A cold silence filled the room.
I didn’t dare speak and just fidgeted with the bed sheet.
“That’s from that day?”
“…Yes.”
He looked at my leg again.
He didn’t look concerned—but it was clear his mood had worsened.
Carefully, I spoke.
“…Then this proves I wasn’t lying that day, right?”
I felt like I had to take this chance.
Showing these injuries should prove I wasn’t lying about being beaten.
“I can’t be sure.”
“…What?”
My eyes widened in shock.
Even after seeing this, he still doesn’t believe me?
The Grand Duke got up and walked to the side table.
He drank some water and placed the glass down with a sharp sound.
“You could have done it yourself.”
“What?!”
My voice rose without me realizing it.
His expression was calm—too calm—and that made him even scarier.
Feeling wronged, I got out of bed and walked toward him.
The closer I got, the colder his gaze became.
“Step back.”
“Why would I do this to myself?”
I looked straight up at him.
“Are you saying I hurt myself like my mother claimed?”
“……”
“How would I even do that? With what? My fists? A hammer? And on my calf? Do you think it’s even possible to hit yourself like that? Do you want to try?”
“Calm down.”
“I’m not upset—I’m frustrated!”
Only after shouting did I realize I was breathing heavily.
The Grand Duke frowned slightly—then stepped closer instead.
“Do I have any reason to believe you?”
“Th-that…!”
His words shut me up.
And he was right.
This man had no reason—or obligation—to trust me.
Even if I wasn’t the one behind the attack, the original Lea Azanie had tried to harm him.
I was still the main suspect.
He only kept me alive as bait.
“There’s… no reason.”
“……”
“But still…”
“Leave.”
His cold voice stunned me.
Leave?
I looked up at him blankly.
His shadowed gaze looked down at me.
I knew this was natural.
But being treated with such open contempt still made my nose sting.
Well… it’s not like I’ve ever been welcomed in my life.
This shouldn’t hurt.
“…Alright.”
“……”
“Good night.”
I quietly greeted him and turned away.
I won’t act childish.
“……”
I walked across the carpet and reached the door.
Just as I grabbed the handle—
I realized something important.
Sigh.
I hesitated, then turned back.
He was still standing there, watching me.
“Um…”
“Speak.”
“…Where is my bedroom?”
His expression froze slightly.
I didn’t want to say it—but I had no choice.
“I’ve only been in that hospital-like room, and I don’t even know where it is. Is that my room?”
“No.”
“Then where do I go?”
“……”
He didn’t answer.
“Don’t tell me you don’t even know where my room is?”
“…Third floor, west end.”
“Which west? From this direction, or the opposite side?”
As I turned around trying to understand, he held his forehead.
“I feel embarrassed asking this. I probably look like a burden. But I don’t even know where north is.”
You locked me up the whole time!
“I’m not asking you to take me there. I know you wouldn’t do that. But I don’t remember anything. I don’t know who I am. Suddenly I’m told I’m married. The mother who came to see me hit me with her shoes. So the only person I can rely on is my husband—but you clearly hate me. I know my situation is pathetic, but I have nowhere to ask for help—”
“Ha, you’re loud.”
He closed his eyes and walked toward me.
Since he was still half-naked, I quickly turned my head away.
“Follow me.”
He opened the door roughly.
* * *
“You really like wasting time.”
As we walked down the endless hallway, the Grand Duke suddenly looked back at me.
Sometimes, his words sounded elegant—but were actually insults.
“Are you saying I’m too slow?”
“You keep looking around.”
“Oh, did I?”
“You’ve been doing it the whole time.”
“I’m sorry.”
As he turned back, I stuck my tongue out behind him.
He paused slightly—I thought I got caught—but he kept walking.
Well… he wasn’t wrong.
The hallway was filled with beautiful statues and wide windows.
And all those closed doors made me curious.
I thought I was keeping up—but somehow, he had gotten far ahead again.
“Your steps are too big. Look, it’s hard for me to keep up. But it’s okay—I’ll run. Just look at the height difference.”
“Hah?”
He stopped again, so I quickly spoke.
“Sorry! I’ll be quiet!”
I hurried to walk beside him.
“Is it here?”
Finally, he stopped.
I reached out and opened the door.
Cold air rushed out.
But what froze us wasn’t just the cold.
“Devil woman!”
“You deserve to fall into hell!”
