It Seemed My Fiancé Hated Me, So I Distanced Myself—But for Some Reason, He Complained - Chapter 22

“…Lord Ryan. I must go to His Highness. Please excuse me.”

“I told you to wait.”

Lord Ryan tightly grabbed my arm as I tried to turn away and escape.

“Let’s talk, Clarissa. If we talk properly, we should be able to understand each other.”

Lord Ryan said with a smile.

The cold light deep in his eyes frightened me, and I could do nothing but cower.

Even when I said I wanted to return, Lord Ryan paid no heed and dragged me down the hallway, deeper into the royal castle.

When we reached a completely silent spot at the end of the corridor, Lord Ryan spoke in an irritated voice.

“So, how did you come to know Prince Lucas? Explain.”

Lord Ryan wasn’t even forcing a smile anymore. I answered honestly.

“I first spoke with Prince Lucas at the party the other day. At the time, he seemed to be in disguise, so I didn’t realize he was the prince… He appeared unwell, so when I brought him some water, he thanked me excessively.”

“I see. So, he used that debt to ask you to attend the party with him, did he?”

“That’s not exactly.”

I tried to deny it, but Lord Ryan didn’t seem to be listening.

A dark light suddenly ignited in Lord Ryan’s eyes, which had been looking angry.

“Clarissa, you might be getting carried away because the prince invited you, but if you don’t remain aware of how ugly you are, you’ll eventually get hurt.”

“I… I know very well that I’m ugly.”

“You don’t really know, do you? If you did, you wouldn’t show those blood-red eyes in public. They’re disgraceful, so keep them hidden behind your hair like you always do.”

As he said this, Lord Ryan reached out and roughly messed up my hair. The hair accessory the maid had put in for me fell to the floor.

“Please stop…!”

“Clarissa. Swear to me that you will never try to leave my side again. If you promise to keep your face hidden and obey me silently, as you have until now, I will forgive you for this.”

Lord Ryan pulled my hair, forcing me to look up, and spoke in a cold voice.

I couldn’t form words for a while.

“Answer me quickly.”

“Lord Ryan, I…”

It was frightening to contradict Lord Ryan. Even now, just facing him, my legs felt like they were about to tremble.

Not just now, but every day by Lord Ryan’s side was nothing but pain. Being denied everything, scorned as ugly, my heart was freezing solid, piece by piece.

But the time I spent with Prince Lucas was filled with a warmth I hadn’t felt in a very long time.

Even as I trembled before Lord Ryan, remembering my time beside Prince Lucas made an undeniable feeling surge within me. I didn’t want to go back to the way things were.