In A World Full of Silence, My Heart Will Find Its Way To You - Chapter 49

Before Aria spoke the words that she would leave, she had never realized how difficult it would be to actually leave.

Not until she faced Jacob’s blurry gaze.

Jacob swallowed the tears that had gathered in his eyes, and he recalled the time he worked at the Reynolds household in a calm voice.

“I remember the first time I met you, Miss. You were just a young girl, but you reached out to me first. When you asked me to be your friend, I thought I had misheard. I thought it was just a polite gesture.”

“But you truly cared for me, and you even asked the Count to help with my difficult circumstances. If it weren’t for you, Miss, I wouldn’t be here today.”

Aria’s eyes filled with tears at his quiet confession. She swallowed her tears repeatedly.

The difficult times she endured after joining the Bailey household. The person who warmly comforted and soothed her broken heart was none other than Jacob.

The one who protected her when she didn’t know what to do and only wished to escape. Aria would never forget his loyalty to her.

Jacob took a careful breath. He smiled faintly at Aria.

“Miss, please promise me one thing. Wherever you go, would you send a letter to this poor but loyal butler sometimes?”

As Jacob’s voice trailed off, another tear fell from his eye. Seeing this, Aria nodded quietly.

He looked down sadly for a moment, then forced a smile back on his face. To Aria, that smile seemed pitiful and sorrowful.

“Miss, please wait a moment. The medicine will be ready soon.”

Jacob went to a cupboard in the corner and began preparing the medicine. After a short while, he handed Aria a paper box full of the medicine.

“I’ve made it with extra care, especially for someone precious like you. Although there won’t be a need for this anymore, now. It’s made with good ingredients, so you can leave with peace of mind.”

Aria nodded after hearing his explanation.

[Thank you, butler. It’s not much, but please accept it this time.]

Aria handed Jacob the envelope she had received from the Count. As Jacob’s gaze landed on the envelope, his face immediately grew pale, and he took a step back.

“Miss, I was truly fortunate to have spent my younger years at the Reynolds household. Just that memory is enough for me. Please don’t embarrass me any further.”

Although he spoke firmly, his eyes softened gently.

The lines around his eyes had deepened with the passage of time, but his loyalty to Aria remained unshaken. He was a steadfast and loyal butler.

Aria had to accept it in his way. Holding the paper box close to her chest, she turned and walked toward the door.

Without daring to look back, she quickly turned her body down a narrow alley. That was her final farewell.

Jacob’s blurry gaze stayed in the same spot for a while, watching her retreating figure.

“Where have you been?”

As Aria entered the annex, she was startled by a voice and turned around without thinking.

Eric, who had been sitting on the stairs, stood up when he saw her.

Aria took a moment to look him over. Despite his simple shirt, Eric’s muscular frame made him stand out even more.

His cold-looking eyes under thick eyebrows reminded her of the feeling she had that day.

Eric slipped his hand into his pocket and gave her a relaxed smile. Aria couldn’t help but smile in return.

Unaware that her vision was blurring and her heart was tightening.

Eric’s gaze naturally slid down to the paper box in Aria’s hands. His lips curled into a slight smirk.

“You’ve brought medicine, I see. You could sleep well without it now.”

He then gave her a strange smile.

“What you really need is something else, though.”

His subtle glance in her direction made Aria’s heart beat faster. She blamed her foolish heart and quickly turned her head away.

Before she could react, Eric stepped closer and gently lifted her chin. Aria found herself face to face with him, too close to avoid it.

She could hear his breath growing heavier, as if it was echoing in her ears.

“You keep running away. How am I supposed to keep your attention on me like this?”

Eric slowly brushed his thumb over her lower lip.

Aria swallowed nervously at the unfamiliar sensation. Dealing with Eric was overwhelming and sweet.

‘Take him. Keep taking him. Beg for the feelings you haven’t yet expressed.’

Countless desires cried out in her chest, and Aria felt herself lose focus.

At that moment, the face of Count Dennis seemed to overlap with Eric’s.

“Eric is about to marry a noblewoman from a prestigious family. She seems to like him, you know. If things are to go smoothly, he must avoid any scandals. You know what’s best for Eric, don’t you?”

The Count’s cold voice echoed clearly in her ears. Eric, as the illegitimate son, was already facing criticism among the nobles.

She couldn’t allow her presence to tarnish the reputation they had carefully built. That was the fate of her and Eric. To face this harsh reality, she had to tighten her fist.

Aria stepped away from Eric, bowed slightly, and quickly headed upstairs.

Startled by her sudden movement, Eric stopped in place. He tilted his head, watching her retreating figure for a long time.

His eyes narrowed as he observed her, and he mumbled to himself.

“What are you hiding…?”

He shook his head, lost in thought. Her strange behavior puzzled him, but he dismissed it as just a misunderstanding.

That night, in the deep darkness, Aria was once again applying medicine to Eric’s broad back, which was half-bare.

Each time her hand brushed his smooth skin, she made a conscious effort to straighten her posture. She glanced up at Eric briefly. Was she hoping to keep him in her heart, even for a moment?

Once this night passed, she would never see him again. She closed her eyes tightly, trying to hide her blurry vision. Would she ever be able to forget? Or endure it?

Suddenly, a voice interrupted her thoughts.

“What are you thinking about?”

At Eric’s low voice, Aria instinctively looked up. His cold blue eyes, tilted slightly, seemed to try to capture her face.

“You’re acting suspicious today. Could it be…?”

“Is it because of what I said yesterday?”

Eric thought she was lost in her thoughts because of the proposal he had made. If that wasn’t a dream and could actually become a reality, Aria would have gladly accepted it.

But she felt too insignificant to love him. She had to keep her feelings for Eric to herself, hidden deep inside.

“If you’re going to cowardly run away, you’d better give up on it now.”

When Eric fully turned around, his muscular back was exposed under the dim candlelight.

His ice-cold eyes, like the reflection of frozen ice, briefly scanned Aria.

“I never go back on my word. I never cared about your opinion from the start.”

As Eric leaned closer, Aria’s body started to tremble from the proximity.

When Aria turned her gaze away, Eric lifted her chin to meet her eyes.

“Listen carefully. Everything about you is now mine. Stop having foolish thoughts.”

His gaze lightly slid from her white neck to the curve of her chest, partially visible under her maid’s uniform. Every touch, every look from him made Aria feel as if she was losing her breath.

If she stayed with him any longer, her foolish instincts would take over and her reason would crumble.

She pushed him away gently with both hands and quickly got to her feet.

Aria took out a memo from her pocket and quickly wrote down a note.

[It’s hard to stay here tonight. The servants will be busy with the wedding preparations tomorrow. I need to help out too. The medicine has been applied, so please rest well.]

She handed the note to Eric and hurriedly left.

Eric’s eyes lingered on the note for a while. His lips curved into a faint smile.

“Do you know? Watching you keep running away only drives me mad.”

He swallowed dryly, trying to suppress a lewd smile. Every time his skin touched hers, it was as if he was shaking off the thirst that had built up.

Eric sighed briefly, disappointed, and lay back on the bed. As he stared at the ceiling, the faces of Aria and his mother seemed to overlap.

The one who took care of him without a single complaint, the one who embraced and cherished his lonely heart more than anyone.

From Aria, Eric could feel the warmth of his mother. The only person who could melt his ice-cold heart. As thoughts of Aria filled his mind, Eric’s lips curled into a smile.

He had returned here for revenge. The dark and oppressive Bailey household, yet he did not feel lonely at all. He closed his eyes, imagining the days he would spend with Aria, the days ahead.

But the sweet dream didn’t last long. The next day, when he learned that Aria had disappeared without a trace, everything changed.

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