How to Escape from My Possessive Fiancé - Chapter 70

“She’s already hurt, too.”

 

Sophia added. The duke calmly agreed.

 

“Oh, right. Her wound opened. We should call the doctor again.”

 

He said in a generous tone and waved at a passing servant to bring the doctor. Sophia suddenly worried that Ezekiel might tell the doctor the wound reopened because of the duke. But she soon realized that even thinking like that was unfair to Ezekiel, and she closed her mouth.

 

“Are you scared?”

 

The duke suddenly asked. When she looked up, he was looking down at her. His eyes, always cat-like and relaxed, now stared at her sharply. His blue eyes, scanning every part of her, were striking.

 

Sophia shook her head, but then realized her hand was still trembling.

 

“Actually, yes. I’m a little scared.”

 

When she admitted it, the duke laughed. It was his usual playful smile.

 

“Well, no need for that. Just think of it as jealousy. Men often go crazy over that kind of thing.”

 

“Why did you do that?”

 

“What?”

 

“You tried to choke him.”

 

When she asked carefully, the duke shrugged like it was no big deal.

 

“He probably doesn’t care that much.”

 

It was a ridiculous answer. How could someone not care about being choked?

 

“But I care. Was I not important enough?”

 

“I threw a blanket so you wouldn’t see.”

 

The duke frowned one eyebrow as if he was wronged. Sophia hesitated a little—because now that she thought about it, he did do that. She was the one who took it off.

 

Noticing that she had softened a little, the duke added,

 

“Besides, I was really careful when I choked him. It wasn’t a big deal.”

 

“That’s not a big deal?”

 

“I didn’t kill him. He just couldn’t breathe for a moment. He wasn’t even hurt.”

 

His logic was strange. Sophia opened her mouth in disbelief, but oddly enough, a part of her was starting to believe it.

 

“But still…”

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

The duke apologized.

 

“I’ll never do that again. Not to you or to anyone.”

 

It almost felt empty. Sophia realized he was apologizing first only because he didn’t want to deal with the hassle.

 

She hid her trembling hand behind her back and asked,

 

“But how can I believe you?”

 

Her voice shook. Even as she spoke, she thought he probably didn’t need her trust anyway. The duke smiled gently, like he hadn’t just acted violently.

 

“Then what do I need to do to make you believe me?”

 

“Apologize to Prince Ezekiel.”

 

“……”

 

There was a short silence at her words. Sophia saw the duke’s eyes turn cold. For a moment, she wondered if she had gone too far. She realized she had asked for too much.

 

“What?”

 

The duke asked again. Sophia tried to sound calm as she answered.

 

“Apologize to Prince Ezekiel. What you did was too much.”

 

“Can’t we at least consider how rude he was?”

 

“No.”

 

“Ha…”

 

The duke let out a short sigh and ran his hand through his hair. His smooth golden hair slid through his fingers.

 

Sophia thought he might change his expression at any moment and snap at her not to be so arrogant. Honestly, she was very scared. She felt like she had already upset him once before and suffered for it.

 

“I didn’t really kill him. He just couldn’t breathe for a moment. He wasn’t even hurt.”

 

If he truly believed choking someone wasn’t a big deal, then he could do it again—to anyone. This apology wasn’t just for Ezekiel. It was for herself too.

 

She felt that she couldn’t trust him again unless she saw him set aside his pride and apologize.

 

But the duke seemed to think she only asked this for Ezekiel’s sake. A bit of annoyance and disappointment flickered across his face.

 

“Sophia.”

 

He called her gently, as if trying hard to keep a soft tone.

 

“Remember what you said before? That love means understanding someone. That even if you knew what I really was, you wouldn’t be scared.”

 

“But… that…”

 

Sophia bit her lip in frustration. It hurt that he acted like he was the one disappointed.

 

What if he really was a cruel and devilish man? Did that mean she had to accept and understand him just because he was her fiancé?

 

But the duke truly seemed to believe she had broken the promise first. His cold eyes said so. Sophia started to speak in defense.

 

“But there are limits… I can’t understand everything.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“But some say that when you’re in love, it’s worth risking your life.”

 

He raised his cold hand and brushed her lips.

 

“Of course, I’m not asking for your life.”

 

He added jokingly.

 

“I’m just saying… maybe your love is a little lacking.”

 

Sophia couldn’t hold back anymore. She frowned and shouted.

 

“You’re strange. You know this isn’t the time to blame me.”

 

Then he laughed like he never said anything odd.

 

“I know. I was joking.”

 

“Duke.”

 

Just then, a knight called him. The duke nodded, and the knight whispered something in his ear. The duke’s expression changed, and he asked, “Really?”

 

Something must’ve happened. Sophia hoped it wasn’t the duke getting arrested for attacking royalty. The duke clicked his tongue in annoyance and turned to her.

 

“Something happened in the hunting grounds. I’ll be back. I’ll apologize after.”

 

But Sophia knew he was using it as an excuse and wouldn’t apologize. She watched him leave with the knight and turned away. She thought she should go back to see Ezekiel. If the duke couldn’t apologize, then maybe she should.

 

Just as she turned to go to Ezekiel, she saw Solid slipping through the crowd and hurrying away. She was covering her mouth with a handkerchief and moving quickly. The people with her looked shocked but didn’t follow her.

 

The moment Sophia saw Solid, she forgot everything about Ezekiel and started running after her.

 

“Solid!”

 

Even as Sophia called out, Solid kept walking as if she didn’t hear. Sophia had a long piece of cloth hanging from her dress, making it hard to run. The white fabric brushed through the grass and got stained. Sophia lifted her skirt and chased her.

 

“Solid! Are you okay? What’s wrong?!”

 

Sophia shouted. Solid, clearly annoyed by being followed, turned around and yelled.

 

“Stop following me! Why are you even chasing me?!”

 

“Just tell me what happened.”

 

“Why should I tell you?”

 

Solid turned her head, and her face was full of tears. Sophia felt like her heart was breaking.

 

“We’re friends. Let me help.”

 

“Friends?”

 

“Then at least be mad at me.”

 

Sophia pleaded. Her words meant: *please don’t just ignore me*. But to Solid, it must’ve sounded ridiculous. She wiped her tears and said,

 

“I know how you’ve been. Must be thrilling, standing between a duke and a prince. But to me, it looks cheap. Live properly, Sophia Hilden. And stop meddling in my life.”

 

“Meddling? I just… I was worried…”

 

“Oh, thanks. Should I just quietly accept your concern because you’re going to be a duchess?”

 

“You know that’s not what I meant. I tried to apologize to you so many times. I sent letters too. I know it was my fault. Because of me… I’m sorry…”

 

“Shut up! Sophia Hilden!”

 

Solid shouted in disgust.

 

“What do you know? How can you even apologize? Do you even know what it’s like to lose a child? Do you understand what I’m going through? That was my only child. But people treat it like I lost some object. They say I can just have another. I’m still young, so it’s okay, they say. But I feel like I’ve lost everything. Not even like losing a pet. At least when a dog dies, a priest comes to do a funeral. But for a child, nothing. My baby couldn’t even go to heaven!”

 

Then she burst into tears. It was like she had been holding it in for a long time. Sophia stood there in silence, unable to say anything. She didn’t have the courage to approach and hold her.

 

While she hesitated, Solid’s husband, Samuel, came and gently held her. Without even looking at Sophia, he kissed Solid’s cheek and led her away.

 

Even then, Sophia couldn’t say a word. Not a single word.