Read Daily Updated Light Novel, Web Novel, Chinese Novel, Japanese And Korean Novel Online.
I Hid the Duke’s Daughter (Web Novel) - Chapter 12: I can’t waver
Chapter 12: I can’t waver
This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml
‘No, I can’t waver.’
Evelyn tried to harden her heart. She could sense how painful and difficult it had been for Islay all these years. Nevertheless, the two of them weren’t fated to be together since the start. Seven years had passed since the end of their relationship, and they were now too far apart to walk the same way. She was only faltering in her resolve because they had met again after such a long time. It was right to bury the past.
‘Besides…I don’t want to be a disgrace.’
Fate wasn’t the main reason. Evelyn could no longer wish for Islay because she had sold their love for money. She did it to be able to raise and protect Bianca so she didn’t regret the decision, but she had the sliver of conscience to know that she didn’t have the right to stand next to Islay. She smiled bitterly.
“Well, thank you for saving Bibi.”
So in this way, Evelyn once again drew a line between them. As Islay’s face fell apart, she looked away.
“I just wanted to come say hello, I didn’t want to reflect on the past.”
“…What are you talking about?”
“I’m telling you that I only came for a visit.”
Evelyn spoke as coldly as she possibly could. Her fingertips were cold and her heart pounded. Her chest hurt.
She felt sorry and guilty, but still, she believed this was the right way.
“Let’s not meet again.”
As she turned around, Islay urgently called out to her.
“Eve!”
Hearing that desperate voice, Evelyn stopped, she couldn’t take another step forward. Islay quickly approached her, and it took all of her willpower to not look back.
“You can’t just leave like this.”
Even while saying this, Islay couldn’t dare lift even reach out to her. She was more precious to him than his own life. He didn’t want to act against her will or treat her roughly. But he couldn’t just let her go like this. After hesitating for a long time, he finally started to speak, begging.
“Please, please, I’m begging you. Don’t leave me…”
Evelyn felt like she was going to go crazy at his desperate words that pecked at her heart. She couldn’t bear to be too hard on him, but it’s not like she could be with him any longer. She was lost in a daze of her own thoughts, when something interrupted her.
“Mommy.”
At that moment, Bianca pulled on the hem of Evelyn’s dress. The child spoke carefully.
“Can’t Mr. Lay…come home with us?”
Perplexed, Evelyn looked at Bianca, and was shocked to see her pale and tired face.
Bianca cried, fear heavy on her shoulders.
“What if Mr. Jones comes after us… ”
Evelyn had never thought of that possibility. She bit her lips. Of course Bianca would be frightened. Kevin knew their home address and he had a violent temper. It would be fine if things passed over smoothly, but there was no guarantee that he would not approach them for revenge. At that moment Islay joined their conversation.
“See, Eve, Bibi’s afraid. ”
“…”
“Give me a chance to protect you and Bibi.”
Evelyn looked at Islay with trembling eyes. Islay spoke with a pained expression.
“But if that would make you uncomfortable…”
His hand that reached out to grab Evelyn’s stopped short of reaching her. His eyes looked to Bianca, who was standing next to Evelyn.
“…Please, at least let me assign you a guard.”
Evelyn swallowed. In fact, if she had been alone she would have refused right away, but Bianca was more precious than her own life. And if Kevin tried to harm the two of them, Evelyn didn’t have the power to stop him. So she nodded softly.
“Thank you for your help.”
As soon as she agreed, Islay smiled like the sun. Seeing his smile, Evelyn felt a deep guilt, and tried to avoid his gaze.
“May I ask, what is your home address?”
Islay’s voice shook slightly. His face still showed a hint of fear, afraid that Evelyn would change her mind and go back on her word. Instead, Evelyn replied quickly, managing to put on a nonchalant look.
“Frederick Boulevard, Building 23-6.”
“Mommy, why isn’t Mr. Lay coming with us?”
It was rare to see Bianca whine. Evelyn leaned down and soothed her child, trying to smile.
“The duke is busy, so we shouldn’t bother him.”
Honestly, Evelyn’s reason seemed like a lame excuse even to herself, and sure enough, Islay interjected.
“I’m not busy at all.”
Evelyn looked back at Islay, who hesitated before hurriedly adding on.
“That guy from earlier, isn’t there a possibility that he’ll come find you on the way back home? ”
“Mommy, I want him to come with us.”
Bianca replied before Evelyn could even refuse, and then sneaked a peak at her mother. The two people stared at her, and eventually, Evelyn nodded.
“…Ok then.”
When the permission sounded, Bianca and Islay’s faces brightened at the same time. They looked so much alike that Evelyn once again felt remorse. The butler, who had been watching the situation from afar, approached them. When he bowed to the mother and daughter, Evelyn embarrassedly bowed back.
“Ready the carriage.”
“Yes, my Lord.”
The butler quickly disappeared into the distance.. Some time later, a luxury wagon slipped forward in front of the three people.
“Please get on.”
Islay, looking back at Evelyn, said, swallowing his breath.
“……Thank you. Let’s go, Bibi.”
‘How did this happen?’
Evelyn wondered to herself as she followed after Bianca.
The sun was bright and the breeze gentle. It was a sunny day that blinded one’s eyes, but unlike the joyous weather, there was little conversation among the three in the wagon. Even the usual chatterbox Bianca was overwhelmed by the heavy atmosphere of the two adults.
“……. ”
“……. ”
After getting into the carriage, Islay continued to stare at Evelyn, as if afraid that if he blinked his eyes, she’d up and disappear. Evelyn looked out the window the entire time, trying to avoid his gaze. The streets passed by with little activity. Actually, all of Evelyn’s focus was on Islay, so she wasn’t really registering what she was looking at anyway.
“Ah.”
Evelyn blinked her eyes. At last, the familiar scenery of the mother and daughter’s house came into view. The carriage gently came to a stop. Evelyn got up and spoke to Bianca, who sat by her side.
“Bibi, let’s get off. Mommy will get down first and then carry you-”
“I will do it.”
At that time, Islay’s voice sounded. Evelyn’s eyes sharply collided with his in the air.
“I will escort both of you, Bibi and Eve.”
“No, it’s fine.”
Evelyn rejected, but Islay didn’t look like he was going to back out at all.
“No, escorting a lady and her child is a gentleman’s virtue.”
He reached out his hand, but instead of grabbing it, Evelyn turned around. When Islay saw how she stepped off the wagon by herself, he put away his hand and smiled bitterly.
‘It’s fine.’
For Islay, this time felt like a dream. Evelyn was alive and moving right in front of his eyes. While he was still absorbed in his thoughts, Evelyn reached into the wagon to help her daughter out of the carriage.
“Hold Mommy’s hand.”
“I will help Bianca off-”
At the moment, Evelyn and Islay’s hands touched. Evelyn moved her hand back as if it had been burned, and Islay struggled to pretend to act casually. Bianca took her mother’s hand instead of Islay’s. Islay looked around after stepping off the wagon.
“…It’s a wonderful house. ”
With ruddy cheeks, Bianca took a couple steps towards Islay and spoke.
“Right? These flowers were also planted by Mommy. ”
“I…I see.”
“Bibi, shhh.”
Evelyn pulled Bianca to her side with an embarrassed look on her face. She wanted to refrain from having any friendly conversations with Islay somehow, but she wasn’t decisive enough to draw a strict line between them. Islay felt his throat dry up as he looked at Evelyn’s home. It was a small old house that must have been well taken care of given its tidy exterior. Colorful flowers bloomed in the garden, and the white walls were clean without stains.
‘So she was living in a place like this.’
Islay swallowed back a sigh. It was obvious that Evelyn had faced so many hardships. Based on what Kevin was saying earlier, Islay could tell what the opinions of the people around her must be…at that moment, Evelyn spoke as she nodded to him.
“Thank you for escorting us back home.”
“It was my pleasure. I will dispatch a guard for you soon as well.”
There was an awkward silence. Bianca opened her mouth as she pulled Evelyn’s skirt.
“Mommy, we said we’d give cookies to Mr. Lay.”
“Oh, that’s… ”
Evelyn was embarrassed. After what happened with Kevin, and then Islay, there were so many things to think about that she had forgotten about the cookies. Bianca gave a cheerful grin.
“Then I’ll give them to him!”
“Bi, Bibi!”
Bianca quickly got up and took the cookie box out of the basket before Evelyn could stop her.
“Thank you for saving me when I got lost, and thank you for coming home with us so that Mr. Kevin couldn’t follow us.”
Bianca thanked Islay and lowered her head.
Islay stared at the cookie box. The sweet, fragrant sweet spread around him. And this scent.
‘…Did Eve make them herself?’
It reminded him of a very old memory.
As she looked at the Islay who stood as if fastened immovably, Evelyn subconsciously chewed on her lips. Just like how she baked cookies for her daughter, she had once baked cookies for Islay as well. “Then, thank you.” After an awkward pause, Islay replied as he received the cookies.
Bianca smiled in response and ran to her mother. Evelyn held Bianca in her arms, staring at Islay with a conflicted look in her eyes.
‘That’s right, she must still be shocked.’ Islay took a deep breath and then tried to speak with a casual voice.
“Then, please go in first.”
“…Goodbye.”
Evelyn nodded her head and closed the door. Islay silently looked at the house.
‘It’s alright. Because finding Eve is…it’s a big step.’
The black eyes that were gazing at the door softened. The butler standing nearby was surprised at the gentle gaze. But after a bit, Islay’s eyes grew sharper and he threw out a question.
“You said that man’s name was Kevin Jones?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“That man, locate him by tonight and report to me.”
“…Yes, sir.”
Fear creeped up his spine, the butler swallowed. The man called Kevin wasn’t going to have a good end.
Islay coldly added.
“Also, keep the security of this area tight.”
“Understood.”
Islay nodded and then turned away. The inside of the butler’s head soon became busy as he planned out his tasks.
After closing the door, Evelyn leaned against it and let out a deep breath. She really didn’t think she would ever see Islay again. She hardly remembered what they just talked about. Bianca asked carefully.
“Mommy, are you friends1 with Mr. Lay?”
“Yes, we were, sort of, a long time ago…”
Evelyn replied with an awkward look on her face. Bianca tilted her head in thought, and then nodded as if she understood the situation.
“So adults also fight?”
“Oh. That’s-”
“No Mommy, you and Mr. Lay can’t fight.”
Bianca looked at her mother with unusually sharp and mature eyes, as if she realized something.
“Mommy, you said that I have to get along with my friends, remember?”
“…Bibi.”
“So shouldn’t you guys say sorry and make up?”
Evelyn didn’t know what to say after hearing those innocent words. She didn’t dare to think she deserved to have any sort of relationship with Islay.
‘Lay, you’re so foolish.’ As she remembered his empty eyes, she felt immense pain in her chest, and struggled to breath.
You could have completely forgotten about someone like me. I’m only a helpless woman from a fallen noble family, after all, what about me is so great. Seven years…you’ve been looking for me…
She bit down hard on her lower lip.
“Huh? Mommy. Why are you crying?”
Bianca’s sounded flustered and her voice trembled. Then Evelyn realized that there were tears falling down her face.
***
Notes:
1: “엄마, 레이 아저씨랑 아는 사이에요?” Means “Mommy, do you know Mr. Lay?” >> is sort of the literal meaning. I changed it to friends, however, because in the raws Bianca later says that her mother shouldn’t fight with her friends.
