In A World Full of Silence, My Heart Will Find Its Way To You - Chapter 104

Edward nearly screamed when he heard that the Imperial Guards had come to arrest him.

The maid glanced around and lowered her voice.

“I just told the lady as well. It would be best if you left now and planned later. I’ll leave the back door open.”

Tension filled the air at the maid’s words. Edward held his dizzy head in his hands and muttered softly.

“This is Eric’s doing. He must have convinced the Emperor. I’ve fallen right into his trap…”

Caught off guard, Edward struggled to think clearly, but eventually pulled himself together.

“Prepare the carriage right away. Get Mother out before they arrive!”

“Yes, sir.”

As Edward looked out the window with a grim face, he saw the crowd of protestors gathering in the distance.

He clenched his freezing hands tightly and hardened his expression.

Quickly putting on an outer coat, Edward gathered a few belongings and went outside.

The countess and the servants were already waiting by the carriage.

“Edward, there’s no time. Hurry, get in the carriage!”

At his mother’s urgent call, his green eyes moved. He gave a short nod.

While the others boarded the carriage one by one, the Imperial Guards were already chasing them to the front gates of the Bailey estate.

“Stop! By order of His Majesty the Emperor!”

The loud shout pierced through the heavy air, and everyone could hear it.

“Edward, hurry!”

As Edward hesitated, the Countess pulled his arm and shoved him into the carriage.

Meanwhile, the guards’ voices echoed from afar.

“Stop right now! His Majesty has given permission to cut down anyone who disobeys!”

The Countess stared toward that direction for a moment, raised her eyebrows, then looked back at her son.

Edward quickly grabbed her arm.

“Mother, please get in!”

“You must go first, Edward!”

Edward’s pupils trembled at her refusal.

She intended to stay behind—to pay for the sin of killing her husband.

“You must get far away while I buy you time. I have no reason to live if you don’t survive.”

“No, Mother! I’m the head of the family now. Don’t ask me to run from shame!”

“Only if the head survives can we plan for the future! This all happened because of me. You did nothing wrong. You must go!”

The Countess turned to the coachman with tear-filled eyes.

“Don’t look back. Drive. Make sure the young master lives!”

“Yes, ma’am!”

“Mother!”

Despite his desperate call, she turned her head away coldly.

The carriage, carrying a half-conscious Edward, began to rattle toward the back door.

Just as it started moving away, the ground shook violently.

Dozens of guards in silver armor and helmets rode into the garden on white horses.

Cracks formed on the Countess’s face as she watched them.

“So, it ends like this, huh. Ha. Hahaha.”

She couldn’t hold back the laughter bubbling up inside. Her expression, usually cold and cynical, was now oddly carefree and crude.

“What a disgraceful ending. So pathetic. Hahaha!”

Surrounded by the sharp blades of the guards, the Countess lay on the cold ground, laughing so hard she could barely breathe, not caring about the enemies closing in.

Top floor of the Imperial Guard’s fortress, Eric’s bedroom. A frail woman lay on the large bed, receiving treatment from the palace physician.

“Thanks to continued treatment, her strength is returning. But the wounds are deep. She must be cautious,” the physician said.

Eric, sitting nearby, opened his eyes at those words. His tight lips finally let out a sigh of relief.

When the physician left to prepare medicine, Eric slowly approached and sat at the bedside. After watching her quietly, he brushed aside hair from Aria’s face.

At his gentle touch, Aria opened her eyes and looked at him. Her soft gaze said she was okay.

“Just lying here is making my back stiff. I can get up on my own now.”

She had stayed here for several days. At first, her body was battered and weak, but each day, she felt lighter.

After eating soup brought by the maids, she would often fall into a light nap.

When she woke up, she was usually in Eric’s warm arms.

Whenever she saw his smooth lips, she wanted to touch them with her own. But instead, she bit her dry lower lip.

Maybe he noticed—Eric often kissed her gently on the forehead.

No matter how many times it happened, Aria’s cheeks always turned bright red from the unfamiliar warmth.

“I know you’re getting better. But not yet.”

“I feel fine…”

“Why are you trying to get up when you’re not fully healed?”

“I’m not used to being treated like this. And being treated by the palace physician… I don’t deserve it.”

“He’s here under the Emperor’s orders. So stop making excuses and stalling your recovery. Wait—don’t tell me you’re doing this on purpose?”

“On purpose?”

Aria’s eyes widened as she looked at Eric. His cold blue eyes were now slightly relaxed, with a strange glint. Flustered, Aria turned her head.

But Eric gently pulled her chin back toward him.

“The longer you delay, the less time I get to enjoy you.”

“T-That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what?”

“If I wanted to reject your touch, I would’ve done it already.”

“So you miss my touch?”

“Not ‘miss’ exactly…! Mmph!”

Eric smirked and leaned in, cupping her neck and pressing his lips to hers.

She turned her head, trying to hide her dry lips, but his forceful teasing made her mouth open on its own.

His moist kiss swept through her mouth, sometimes sweet, sometimes rough.

His warm hands slid under her shirt and roamed her body.

His hands moved upward, without hesitation, as if he never intended to stop.

“Not there!”

“Why not?”

“What if someone comes in… Mmph!”

Before she could stop him, his fingers firmly grabbed her chest.

When Eric lightly bit her neck, pain from her wound made her gasp.

“Ugh…”

“Still not healed. And yet you want to get up?”

“You’re the one messing with my body like this…”

“You called me… what?”

His narrowed blue eyes stared straight at her. Aria lifted her chin boldly.

“I can’t keep calling you ‘young master.’ People are watching…”

“Say it again.”

“W-What?”

Eric urged her, his gaze sly.

“That word you just said.”

“You…! Mmph!”

Eric’s muscular thigh slipped between her legs, and his snake-like tongue pushed into her mouth even more deeply.

Just then, a knock followed by Henry entering the room broke the moment.

“Captain, the—gasp!”

He quickly shut his eyes in shock, and silence filled the room.

Henry had no idea what to do.

Was this really happening in the Imperial fortress? With their cold and stoic captain?

He looked between Eric and Aria, blinking slowly.

Eric quickly pulled the blanket over Aria and stood up.

He took a sip of water, then spoke.

“What is it?”

“Ahem! The guards just reported—they’ve caught the leader of the protest who opposed the Reynolds union.”

“Did he talk?”

“Not yet. He’s backed by Count Cecil, so it won’t be easy. The Count is already on his way to the Empress Dowager’s palace. What should we do?”

It was expected. The only problem was the lack of time. Eric furrowed his brows and muttered.

“I’ll interrogate him myself. Tell them to wait.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll prepare outside.”

When Henry left, Eric looked back at Aria.

Seeing her flustered face, he gently touched her blushing cheek.

“You heard. The protest leader who worked under Count Cecil has been caught. If we interrogate him, we’ll soon know what happened that day.”

Aria’s eyes trembled. This could be the final key to uncovering her father’s unjust death. She bit her lower lip.

Eric gave her a faint smile, trying to reassure her.

“Soon, the truth about the Bailey family’s crimes will come to light. The Emperor has issued an arrest warrant for the Countess and Edward.”

“So much happened while I was lying here. Isn’t there something I can do to help? I want to help.”

“Help, huh…”

Eric’s eyes darkened slightly.

“But before that, there’s one condition. His Majesty wants to meet Miss Reynolds in person.”

Remembering the Emperor’s unpredictable nature, Eric frowned deeply.

“That man is impossible to read…”

Aria saw the worry in Eric’s face and felt fear creep in.

Eric forced a soft smile and looked at her.

“Get well soon. You’ll need your strength if you want to leave this place.”

Aria nodded, slightly lifting the corners of her lips.

She wanted to help, but for now, the only thing she could do was not burden Eric with worry. That was her way of helping him.

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