Chapter 81: Chapter 81

TRISTAN:

Before I could say anything back to Samalah, a knock came at the door.

I looked back at Samalah’s seat and almost instantly, she had gone invisible – a power she can use at a whim when she needed to conceal herself.

Lina came in after the fifth knock.

“Count Abell, breakfast is ready… May I know where the Countess is?”

She must have been under the impression that we were still together in the study.

“She’s probably in the bedroom… She was tired from last night,” I said as I took another sip from the wine.

“Count Abel, I know it isn’t my place to speak, but can I say something?”

I eyed the empty-looking seat where Samalah was… I’m sure she’s still there. I must be careful.

“What is it about?”

“The countess, since she was young, was never someone who spoke freely even when things were already hurtful for her…”

“What are you saying, Lina? Are you saying I’ve done something hurtful to my wife?”

“It isn’t my place to say, but ever since the party, Lady Dahlia has been on a morose state. I’ve heard that you’ve also made Lady Jeteris your assistant. The countess doesn’t show it, but she’s in great pain.”

Ah, Lina really does care for my wife… She’s loyal to her even in this circumstance…

“All I’m saying, sir, is that please don’t do anything to break her heart. She’s kind and patient, but there is a limit to what she can bear… She could still suffer from things she does not tell you…”

That’s right… I haven’t been paying attention to it, but Dahlly had been suffering since the party, and even before the party when I lost control and harmed her.

The truth was that she had started suffering since she had met me.

“I understand… Please check on her in my behalf. She told me she’ll retire some more today,” I replied curtly.

I heard Dahlly’s attendant turn the knob of the study behind me. Before she had completely shut it, I spoke again, “Lina… Please take care of her for me…”

“As you wish, Count Abell.”

As soon as the doors had shut completely, Samalah materialized before my eyes once again. She lifted the wine glass to her lips.

“My, my, was that a love quarrel I just heard?” The look on Samalah’s eyes said that she utterly enjoyed hearing that bit of news. “I didn’t know that she was jealous of Livia… I must say that you’re doing a good job at hurting her…”

“It was the first time I heard that too,” I said… So that must be why she mentioned something about spending the night with Livia.

I didn’t even know my actions were giving her so much pain… I wasn’t really a good enough husband to Dahlia.

‘That’s right, idiot! We never deserved Eva, but are you going to give up just because of that,’ Arthur roared, ‘Stand up from there and talk to her!’

I took another sip from the wine.

My head hurts, and my heart hurts… I don’t want to lose Dahlia, but I cannot face her too.

‘Stand up from there, idiot! Are you just going to let things be? Are you really going to let her walk away?’

Walk away… Yes, that’s what she should do…

If Dahlia walks away from us now, she’ll be safe...Her fated mate mark had disappeared, so it’ll be easier for her to start over… It’ll be easier for her to go back to that prince.

I never deserved someone as good as her to begin with.

“By the way, I am here because of some urgent news,” Samalah said as she finished the wine in her goblet. “A few days from now, there would be an illegal auction that will take place in Dalrus… Guess what the main attraction would be?”

I stopped tipping the wine glass halfway into my mouth. There was only one thing that I was ever interested in when it comes to auctions…

Samalah’s eyes shone brightly, “That’s right. They are auctioning a spirit stone… A ruby red spirit stone.”

It was truly astonishing… Samalah really knew the desires of my heart.

The itch to know more and participate in this auction almost made me forget about my troubles with Dahlly…

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DAHLIA:

True enough, exactly after thirty minutes after we spoke, Lina had already packed her bags and arranged our carriage ride.

This is it… I am leaving this place.

I stood at the gravel-laden porch and looked at the home I had moved into two months ago. I had not been living for a long time here, but I had so many fond memories here…

I turned around to Lina, who had already finished supervising the boarding of our luggage in the carriage.

“Countess, are you all set? I’ll go and tell the count now…”

Before I could speak, I hear a gruff growl inside my head.

‘Don’t go… Please stay…’

It was the first time I’m hearing his voice through the mind-link, but I knew who he was. There’s no doubt that he was the dark wolf from the night before – the one who bore a rune on his head.

‘I’m sorry… I can’t stay,’ I replied through our shared thoughts at that moment. ‘I can’t keep on living in a lie, so I can’t stay anymore…’

A second wolf started to speak, ‘But you haven’t even heard all of it! You haven’t even heard the truth from us!’

I looked back at the direction of the west wing, the place I had left Tristan. He was still there, probably still drinking as Lina had described earlier.

‘Let’s hear the truth when we are both ready… Right now, it just plainly hurts,’ I replied.

I look back once more to Lina, who repeated her question.

“Lady Dahlia, shall I inform the count now?”

“No need. He must be busy. Let’s just go…”

Up until the very end, he didn’t really come out of his own. He didn’t even bother to stop me…

I must face the truth now. There was never really an ‘us’ from the start… There was just me and my delusions of love…