In A World Full of Silence, My Heart Will Find Its Way To You - Chapter 93

The horse, running without direction, came to a stop only after reaching a dense forest.

There, a carriage led by four horses and about a dozen knights stood. It was the same carriage that Eric had ridden in yesterday.

As Eric walked toward them, the coachman, as if he had been waiting, opened the carriage door.

The carriage that carried the two of them soon started moving with a jolting sound.

Aria, sitting in the carriage, glanced at Eric across from her.

The cool breeze coming through the window, scattering his hair wildly, seemed to suit his black uniform perfectly. Just looking at him like this made her lips curl into a small smile.

But Eric’s expression had been dark for some time. His eyes were shadowed with a deep, black gloom.

Perhaps it was due to the butler left at the Bailey household to delay things, or perhaps he was worried about facing the Emperor, filled with anger.

Aria suddenly wondered. Why had he tried so hard to deceive Edward? And was his statement about marrying Sierra sincere?

Countless questions swirled in her mind, but Aria didn’t want to disturb his thoughts, so she maintained a hollow silence.

She merely leaned into the rocking of the carriage and turned her gaze out the window.

Then, he spoke.

“Why aren’t you asking?”

At his question, Aria quickly turned her gaze from the window to Eric.

Eric, with a languid expression, had been watching only her for some time.

“You must have many questions for me. Why did I have to do this? And whether I really plan to marry Miss Stuart.”

“Are you really not going to ask? If I keep quiet, you won’t know anything until we reach the palace.”

“Actually…”

Aria’s brown eyes wavered slightly as she hesitated.

She didn’t want to hide her feelings. As Eric had said, these complex thoughts about him wouldn’t be cleared up unless she asked.

Aria did not look away from his gaze.

“I have so many questions in my mind. But if you really intend to marry Miss Stuart… I’m just afraid of what your answer might be.”

Where had that honesty come from? Aria was surprised by the words she had spoken without thinking.

Despite the difficult situation Eric was in, she worried that revealing her true feelings might add pressure on him.

Eric, whose expression had been unreadable, lightly raised the corners of his lips, seemingly satisfied with her answer.

“Do you really think I’m going to marry Miss Stuart?”

“Then why…?”

“It was a trick to deceive Edward. If it wasn’t, he would never have let me go to the palace.”

As he said this, Eric pulled something from his pocket.

It was the Bailey family seal ring, wrapped in gold, with the family crest of a shield. It symbolized the family and carried great power as a signature.

It was the only thing that could be passed down to the head of the family.

“I needed this. With this, I can bring down the family with my own hands.”

“Bring down the family…?”

“In order to reveal my father’s death, the family will inevitably fall. But if I turn a blind eye to protect the family, then I would be no different from them.”

Eric’s eyes, heavily cast downward as he gazed at the ring, were filled with a weight that Aria mirrored, looking at the ring with him.

“What will you do with it?”

“The seal ring, representing the head of the family. I plan to offer it in exchange for a deal with the Emperor.”

“Offering the seal ring to the Emperor means…”

It meant returning all the family’s wealth and rights to the Empire.

At this sudden revelation, Aria’s eyes widened, her pupils trembling. As she grew pale, Eric’s gaze on the ring became darker.

“If the Emperor is the one I know, he won’t refuse the offer. I’ll expose my father’s death and make them answer for their crimes. After that, I’ll marry you proudly.”

His blue eyes remained fixed on the ring for a long time.

There was a dark shadow in Eric’s gaze. Bringing down his own family was a heavy burden that would weigh on his conscience.

Aria lifted her gaze and stared at Eric, her eyes unwavering.

His cold, composed expression had not changed, but there was far more complexity in his emotions now than before.

Leaning loosely against the chair, Eric recalled Count Dennis’s words.

“It won’t be a path blessed by all in society, but at least don’t make your choice in vain.”

The image of his father, who had placed his hand on his broad shoulder, and the way his eyes softened.

Eric consciously turned his gaze to the window. His eyes were filled with indescribable emotions as they looked out at the darkening scenery.

Would his choice, to bring down the family with his own hands, prove to be worth it in the end? He let out a small, resigned sigh, as if mocking himself.

It was the first time he had ever felt so powerless and hopeless.

Aria slowly lifted her head to meet his gaze, hoping to comfort him. She spoke softly.

“Don’t be confused about your decision. Those who believe in you will follow your footsteps, no matter what path it takes. So, don’t undo the decision you believe is right.”

Her soft, firm voice echoed in the carriage, causing Eric to turn his gaze from the window to her.

Aria, holding her head high, spoke with resolve.

“If you cover up their crimes, the guilt will bind you for the rest of your life. It’s easy to cover someone’s crimes, but there are few who will try to uncover and confront them. I’m sure Count Dennis, looking down from heaven, will understand your decision.”

“The path you wish to take will have many people walking with you. Including me.”

Aria’s firm voice landed clearly in Eric’s ears.

As Eric gazed at her, his face cracked ever so slightly. His blue pupils expanded, and something unfamiliar began to shine in them.

“Are you telling me that the choice I’m making, to sacrifice the family’s power and honor, is the right path?”

“Revealing everything is the last way to preserve the family’s honor as it crumbles. I know the process will be difficult and turbulent, but it’s something that must be endured.”

Having said that, Aria looked at him steadily. Her beautiful brown eyes were filled with a deep, earnest gaze.

Eric, who had been staring at her, let out a small exhale, his expression loosening slightly.

“I feel a little better now.”

His gaze shifted to Aria’s tense face. As he looked at her, his stiff expression softened, and the corner of his mouth lifted slightly.

“I’ll tell the Emperor I’ll marry you when I see him. But before that, I’ll need to restore your status.”

“To revive the Reynolds family, we must first remove the Emperor’s sly fox. But don’t worry too much, I’m sure the Emperor will accept my proposal.”

The evidence Eric had presented to the energetic Emperor Carlos would be the starting point. It would fuel the Emperor’s desire to escape the shadow of his mother, the Empress Dowager, and claim absolute power for himself.

Lost in his thoughts, Eric slowly lifted his gaze to meet hers.

In that moment, a face, as if crafted by the gods, appeared in Aria’s vision.

Under the dark brows, his eyes were a cold, blue ice, but hidden within them was a warm sparkle.

Aria could not tear her eyes away from him.

Before she could say anything, Eric suddenly leaned in.

He gently grasped her chin and turned her face toward him. In an instant, their faces were closer, and Aria’s heart began to race uncontrollably.

“You’re the only one who can open or close the door to my heart. I’m yours. Only you can fill me.”

“So, stay by my side.”

His soft, deep voice made Aria gaze at him in silence. As she stared into his blue eyes, her face slowly turned red.

She lowered her eyes, feeling dizzy. But before she knew it, her gaze was drawn to his lips. Those sweet lips seemed to be commanding her.

Slowly, Eric leaned down, his lips gently brushing against hers. The soft kiss parted her lips, invading her without restraint.

As their lips tangled, Aria had no time to collect herself.

Eric’s hand lightly grasped her chin, as if he didn’t want to part from her.

As always, his touch was both rough and soft.

The dizzying sensation spread quickly, and Aria felt her body begin to burn. The soft tickle of his fingers on the back of her neck made her bite her lip tightly.

“Ugh!”

A sharp gasp escaped from Aria’s mouth as Eric immediately kissed her again, pushing her further into a state of torment. Their legs widened and pressed together, their bodies in close proximity.

The only sound in the carriage was the wet, sticky noise of their lips entwining and Aria’s labored breathing as she desperately tried to catch her breath, her face flushed.

Aria squeezed her eyes shut, still tense, yet feeling strangely familiar with this new, unfamiliar sensation.

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