How to Escape from My Possessive Fiancé - Chapter 71

She felt uneasy and didn’t have the courage to go see Ezekiel.

Standing alone in a quiet place, Sophia bitterly recalled what Solid had said.

Like a thorn stuck in her chest, Solid’s words kept sinking deeper into her heart.

 

‘What do you know? What right do you have to apologize?’

 

Solid had said that in a harsh voice—and to be honest, she was right.

Until now, Sophia had always vaguely thought about what Solid had lost and how she might feel.

 

‘She must be angry at me. She lost a child. Of course, she must hate me.’

 

That was all. But after meeting Solid, Sophia realized it wasn’t like that.

 

‘You know what? A priest comes to hold a funeral for a dead pet, but not for a dead child. My child can’t even go to heaven!’

 

Solid wasn’t angry at Sophia.

 

She was mourning.

 

She was truly grieving for her child.

 

For the child who had never seen the light of day, she was hurting—again and again.

 

Sophia had thought Solid was directing all her hatred at her, but that was just her misunderstanding.

 

Solid didn’t even have the strength left to hate anyone.

 

Sophia didn’t seem to matter to her.

 

Yes, that was the truth.

 

‘Right. That makes sense, now that I think about it.’

 

Maybe Sophia had been holding on to a situation that was already over.

 

Instead of begging to be forgiven or asking for a conversation,

 

she should have done something for Solid—or more accurately, for the child.

 

“Sophia?”

 

She heard a familiar voice calling her.

 

When she looked up, she saw Ezekiel, now wearing a clean shirt, walking toward her.

 

It was like he had never been through anything difficult—he looked neat and calm.

 

“Why are you here alone?”

 

Even now, he sounded like he was worried about her.

 

As if waking from deep thought, Sophia looked at Ezekiel.

 

She smiled out of habit, but Ezekiel quickly noticed the sadness on her face.

 

“Did something happen? Why do you look like that? Did the duke do something to you again?”

 

“Oh, no. It’s just…”

 

When Sophia hesitated, Ezekiel’s expression turned colder.

 

He seemed sure that her mood was the duke’s fault.

 

“This can’t go on. He’s treating you however he wants.”

 

Ezekiel turned like he might go confront the duke right then and there.

 

Sophia quickly grabbed his arm and stopped him.

 

“Please don’t. It’s really not because of the duke.”

 

“Then what is it?”

 

“Well…”

 

Sophia lowered her head and couldn’t answer easily.

 

Ezekiel waited patiently without pushing her.

 

A short but heavy silence passed, and in the end, Sophia told him the truth.

 

“I actually just met Solid.”

 

“That’s good. You really wanted to see her, didn’t you?”

 

His words somehow hurt Sophia even more.

 

She lowered her head further.

 

Ezekiel bent down to meet her eyes.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“It’s just… I feel a little ashamed. I realized I didn’t really care about Solid. I only said I wanted to apologize to make myself feel better. I didn’t know that I didn’t matter to Solid anymore. Of course, the child was more important. That’s obvious. I want to do something for her child… but…”

 

“What did she say to you?” Ezekiel asked.

 

Sophia let out a sigh and answered.

 

“She said priests won’t even hold a funeral for a child who died in the womb. And… that’s true. People say unborn children don’t have souls. But is that really true? Solid was so happy because of that child. Didn’t the child feel that? Didn’t the child know?”

 

Ezekiel didn’t answer.

 

Sophia wasn’t expecting one. She just looked away with her eyes lowered.

 

“I wish I could do something for Solid’s child.”

 

“……”

 

“I’m sorry. That probably sounded silly.”

 

“No. I think you can do something.”

 

Sophia let out a small laugh at his blind encouragement.

 

“Is it your special talent to give random support like that?”

 

Ezekiel shook his head seriously and replied,

 

“No. What Madam Sandel wants is for her child to find peace and be saved. I know of a relic related to that.

They say even the worst person can be saved with that relic. So, it should be more than enough to hold a proper funeral for a child.”

 

“There’s really something like that?”

 

“Yes. If you bring it to Madam Sandel, I’m sure she’ll be grateful.”

 

Ezekiel smiled.

 

Sophia frowned and asked,

 

“Where is that relic?”

 

“It’s at the Duke’s house.”

 

“The Duke’s house?”

 

The fact that the relic was there—was it just coincidence? Or fate?

 

Sophia was surprised.

 

But Ezekiel stayed calm and nodded.

 

“I heard the first king gave it to the duke’s ancestor long ago. When the god first came to this land, the king received it directly from the god. So, it must be effective.”

 

“But the first king lived so long ago. How could it still be in the duke’s house?”

 

“It should still be there.

 

They never had a reason to use it.”

 

He smiled as he said that, but his face darkened a little, as if he remembered something bad.

 

To lighten the mood, Sophia joked,

 

“Come to think of it, your name is the same as the first king. Ezekiel. How does it feel to have a name that means ‘the power of god’?”

 

Ezekiel smiled, as if he understood what she was trying to do.

 

“Actually, the name Ezekiel doesn’t mean the power of god. It means the one whom god’s power is directed toward. So, I’m more of a guide—like someone who helps the lost, like you.”

 

His words sounded strange.

 

A man who had taken many lives in war, calling himself a guide…

 

It sounded more like a guide to death.

 

Sophia gave an awkward smile and changed the subject.

 

“Is your body okay?”

 

“Of course.”

 

“I was shocked the duke would treat you so rudely. I didn’t expect that at all.”

 

“Well, I did provoke him a bit.”

 

Ezekiel said it calmly.

 

It was like he didn’t care—just like the duke had predicted.

 

Sophia didn’t understand.

 

How could something as serious as choking someone be brushed off so easily?

 

‘Oh, right. They said something strange inside the tent…’

 

Sophia frowned and tried to remember their conversation.

 

She hadn’t heard everything clearly, but she remembered Ezekiel’s last words before the duke grabbed his throat.

 

‘Isn’t it god’s will that you fail and disappear? That’s why I exist.’

 

‘That was harsh…’

 

Sophia mumbled to herself.

 

No wonder the duke was furious.

 

Of course, choking someone was still wrong…

 

‘So, Ezekiel and the duke are enemies?’

 

But it didn’t feel like a political conflict.

 

It seemed more personal—like oil and water that never mixed from the beginning.

 

‘But Ezekiel went to war. If they met before, it must have been when they were boys…’

 

Sophia imagined it.

 

The young versions of Ezekiel and the duke, something happening between them, and them growing into men who now glared at each other with sharp words.

 

Thinking of it like that, even talk of “god’s will” and “disappearing” didn’t seem that serious anymore.

It just felt like a childhood grudge.

 

“That’s enough about that. Being choked isn’t the point. Let’s think about what to do with Yulicias.”

 

Ezekiel snapped Sophia out of her thoughts.

 

She looked at him with wide eyes, like it was the first time she heard it.

 

Ezekiel frowned in frustration.

 

“Why that face? Yulicias almost killed you, and you’re not even thinking about it?”

 

“Oh… I have. But my horse fell off a cliff. So, we can’t be sure who did it or if the horse was even poisoned.”

 

“So, you’re just going to do nothing?”

 

“No, that’s not it…”

 

“Then let me help.”

 

Seeing how unsure Sophia looked, Ezekiel offered firmly.

 

His eyes were serious.

 

He looked like he’d do anything for her.

 

But Sophia waved him off.

 

“No. I’ll handle it myself. I’ll talk to the guards first. Michelle already told them, so if she gives a statement, they’ll act.”

 

“That’s foolish. You think Yulicias wouldn’t be prepared for that?”

 

“Are you defending her because she’s your sister?

 

Saying, ‘my smart little sister would never do that’?”

 

Sophia spoke half teasingly, half seriously—his insult had hurt her pride a little.

 

Ezekiel answered with a straight face.

 

“I’ve never once cared about Yulicias.”

 

“She’s still your sister. Isn’t that too cold?”

 

“Do you plan to keep joking like this?”

 

Ezekiel’s voice had a slight edge.

 

Sophia almost joked again but then sighed and said what he wanted to hear.

 

“Fine. Tell me. What’s your plan?”