Chapter 06
Seeing the unfamiliar look on Lucas’s face, Marsha instinctively took a step back.
But Lucas grabbed her forearm.
“Marsha.”
“W-What are you doing?”
When Marsha tried to shake off his hand, he pulled her toward him.
Her slender body was dragged helplessly.
“Ugh…!”
“Where do you think you’re going?”
The eyes that were always so gentle now burned with a chilling flame.
“This is your home, Masha.”
“It’s not anymore.”
“Why isn’t it? I’m permitting you!”
Lucas suddenly shouted.
Masha flinched at his raised voice.
“Why… why are you acting like this all of a sudden?”
“Shouldn’t I be asking you that? Are you saying nonsense because of Rosna? Did she finally tell you to leave or something?”
Marsha frowned at his sudden swearing.
She couldn’t believe Lucas would use such crude words, especially toward his fiancée.
“How can you talk like that?”
Marsha spoke as she pulled her arm away.
Lucas covered his eyes with his now-empty hand.
After a short sigh, “Hoo…” he slowly lowered his hand, revealing his cold, sunken eyes once again.
“Marsha. If this is about Rosna, don’t worry. I’ll take care of it. So stay where you are.”
“No, I…”
“Just listen to me for once!”
Lucas harshly cut her off.
“How do you plan to survive on your own?
Huh? What exactly do you think you can do?!”
Letting out a deep sigh, he brushed his hair back and continued.
“You know it too. You’ll starve to death without my help. There’s no one else who can help you but me.”
“…”
Marsha’s body trembled a bit as she lowered her head.
Her face burned with shame, and tears welled up in her eyes.
But… he was right.
She didn’t know how to do anything.
Even now, all she could do was ask Lucas for help.
At that moment, Lucas gently patted her shoulder with his usual warm smile.
Goosebumps ran all over Masha’s body in an instant.
Lucas was not someone who casually touched her.
Even a simple handshake never happened unless Marsha asked for it first.
“Marsha. You were startled, right? I’m sorry I spoke so harshly. I was just surprised when you suddenly started saying nonsense.”
“…”
“You don’t have to worry about anything. I’ll protect you, no matter what.”
He spoke kindly, just like the Lucas she used to know.
Then, he hugged her gently, as if she were something precious.
But Marsha felt extremely uncomfortable with both his kind tone and his unwanted embrace.
“So you just…”
His voice whispered near her ear.
If he leaned in just a little closer, his lips might touch her face.
“… I’ll take care of my own life.”
Marsha pushed him away as she spoke.
“… ”
Lucas stared at her with a stiff, cold gaze.
Just then, a footman approached him.
“Mr. Lucas? It’s time to leave. You’ll miss the train.”
Lucas turned away, as if holding back a sigh or words he wanted to say.
He spoke without looking at her.
“… We’ll finish this conversation when I get back.”
“Lucas, I—”
“Enough!”
Lucas shouted sharply.
Marsha flinched in surprise, and Lucas said firmly,
“Don’t try to leave. Just stay put. Otherwise, I’ll…”
Lucas shook his head.
“… I’ll see you in three days.”
With heavy, determined steps, Lucas left the room.
As soon as the door closed, Marsha gasped for air as if she’d been running.
Had she been holding her breath without realizing it? Or was it just the shock?
‘What’s happening to him? He’s like a completely different person…!’
It wasn’t just unfamiliar—it was terrifying, like a snake tightening around its prey.
It made her skin crawl.
Did Lucas lose control of his emotions simply because he was worried?
Or was it just frustration for his foolish friend that made him say such harsh words without thinking?
No matter what Lucas was thinking, Marsha had no intention of staying here.
‘Living alone will be hard…’
But if Marsha stayed here, Rosna and Lucas would continue to argue because of her.
Marsha didn’t want to be the cause of their problems, and she didn’t want to live in this house that had been changed to suit Mr. Poudel’s tastes.
‘Why can’t they just understand how I feel…’
Marsha bit her lower lip.
‘… I’ll talk to Lucas again when he returns.’
Right now, Lucas was probably confused too.
If they talked later, even if he couldn’t support her, at least he wouldn’t block her with such harsh words.
‘Yes. I’m sure…’
Suddenly, the image of Lucas from earlier flashed through Marsha’s mind, and she shook her head.
‘Lucas only acted like that because he was confused.’
Yes, yes.
That must be it.
Marsha desperately tried to erase the frightening image of Lucas from her mind.
But just three hours later, something happened that snapped her back to reality.
Slap!
A loud, sharp sound echoed through Marsha’s room.
Masha’s trembling hand touched her burning cheek.
Her cheek, which had only felt hot, now stung painfully.
Marsha forced her head, which had snapped to the side, to face forward again.
Rosna stood there, breathing heavily as if she had run up the stairs, her flushed face twisted with rage.
“What do you think you’re doing?!”
“So, you planned to sell your body to stay in this house, didn’t you?”
What?
Marsha frowned at the disgusting, completely incomprehensible accusation.
“What are you talking about?!”
“Don’t play innocent! You slept with Lucas, didn’t you?!”
For a moment, Marsha thought she had misheard her.
“What… what did you say?”
“Don’t pretend you don’t know! How dare you use Lucas’s feelings and do such disgusting things!”
‘I used Lucas’s feelings…?’
Marsha couldn’t make sense of what Rosna was saying, but first, she had to deny this ridiculous nonsense.
“I don’t know why you’re saying that, but I didn’t do anything like that!”
“Ha! Someone saw him coming out of this room early in the morning!”
That’s what made her come up with this ridiculous idea?
Marsha couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
“He just came to talk before leaving…! How could your mind immediately jump to something so dirty?!”
“Dirty? Ha, dirty, you say?! Who’s the dirty one here…!”
There was no way to have a proper conversation.
Marsha suddenly remembered the footman who came to find Lucas.
He might be able to testify that Lucas had only been in her room for a short time.
But when she looked out the wide-open door, the footman was among the gathered servants, whispering to them with an amused expression.
“Listen carefully!”
Rosna grabbed Marsha’s shoulders roughly and spoke through gritted teeth.
“Do you think just because Lucas likes you, he’s going to protect you forever?”
“What… what are you talking about all of a sudden…?”
“Stop pretending. You know it already. That Lucas likes you. That’s why you keep smiling sweetly at him and playing with his feelings. And now, look what you’ve done!”
Marsha’s eyes widened.
Lucas liked her?
She had absolutely no idea.
And she never did any of the things Rosna was accusing her of.
“I…”
Just then, Rosanna suddenly shoved Marsha.
“Ugh!”
Marsha fell to the floor.
Rosna looked down at her with a twisted smirk on her face.
“Don’t think Lucas’s affection will last long. He’s just obsessed with what he can’t have. After playing with you a few times, he’ll get bored and throw you away like nothing.”
Rosna let out an exaggerated laugh and spun her head around dramatically.
“Oh, and of course!”
The bizarre laughter disappeared instantly, replaced by cold, murderous eyes staring down at Marsha.
“Before that happens, I’ll drag you down into the gutter myself…!”
Marsha’s eyes trembled.
“What…?”
“What? You think I’m joking? Then stay right here and find out.”
With those final words, Rosna turned and walked out of the room without hesitation.
When she asked the gathered servants, “Did something happen?” they followed behind her, replying,
“No, nothing happened.”
Marsha trembled on the cold floor.
There was something she had always wanted to ask Rosna: I’ve always liked you and treated you kindly, so why did you hate me so much? But now, she felt like she had her answer.
Because Lucas likes me…
Marsha recalled her conversation with Lucas from earlier.
His actions weren’t out of concern or care.
He was angry because something he finally had in his grasp was trying to leave.
“Ugh…”
Marsha vomited.
She hadn’t eaten anything, so nothing came up, but the nausea wouldn’t stop.
I have to leave.
Immediately.
Rosna wouldn’t stop at threats.
Lucas wasn’t someone she could reason with right now either.
If I want to survive, I have to escape!
Marsha quickly packed the few pieces of jewellery she owned.
Selling them would allow her to survive for a while, though she’d need to find work as soon as possible.
This ring…
Marsha tightly held the small ring case her father had left her.
This was the one thing she would never sell.
Even if she starved to death, she intended to keep it with her.
… I’ll survive.
And I’ll find the person who did that to Father.
With determination, Marsha carefully placed the ring case into her coat pocket.
She waited for nightfall.
Though she wanted to leave immediately, she had to slip away as soon as possible.
Rosna would probably be happy to know she was gone, but Marsha was worried the news might reach Lucas.
If he comes looking for me…
Would he go that far?
Maybe not… But she couldn’t be sure.
And if he caught her, she might never escape—stuck in this house where no one loved her, treated like this forever…
The world was now covered in deep darkness.
In the quiet of dawn, when everyone was asleep, Marsha took a deep breath and turned the doorknob.
“!”
Marsha almost let out a scream.
Someone was standing in the hallway where no one was supposed to be.
“Young lady, where are you going?”
