When You Turned Your Back On Me, We Became Strangers [EN]: Chapter 42

“Oh my, Theo. What’s with that look?”

Seeing him miserably huddled in the closet, Reilly scanned Theo. He looked pathetic, trying to hold his breath, afraid of being caught.

‘Did he think I wouldn’t notice such a small presence?’

As long as mana flowed, she could detect a certain amount of presence. More than anything, from the moment she entered this room, Reilly expected Theo to be here.

“What should we do? Reilly, Theo knows everything now.”

Anna lifted her chin with a triumphant expression. Theo nonchalantly straightened himself and came out. His eyes were filled with murderous intent towards Reilly.

“To confine me as a madman and even bewitch the servants! How can you be so ungrateful after all I’ve done for you!”

Theo trembled with betrayal.

The day after he was imprisoned, Anna had secretly come to him in the early morning.

‘She must have thought I would abandon Theo.’

Theo had more to offer than Anna thought. Among them, the title of Duchess was what captivated her the most.

Even if there were a trial, the Duke’s family wouldn’t collapse, and if something happened to Theo, she could simply take over.

‘What’s so important about that wealth? If I have a name, I can raise it up again with the hidden money.’

Anna had hidden more money than Reilly thought. Much more, from long before. Even if Reilly knew about the assets she had embezzled, she had hidden them in places Anna wouldn’t reveal.

“So, you’re going to stick with him to the end.”

Reilly looked back and forth between Anna and Theo with a disappointed expression. How could people be so predictable?

“Reilly, just what are you! This Dukedom is mine! What have you done to dare covet the assets? I picked up a discarded thing and made it into a person, only to be backstabbed like this?”

“Are you talking to me? I think that’s more fitting for Anna and you.”

Who does the word ‘backstab’ suit better?

She sneered at the sight of Anna and Theo. They really did make a good couple.

‘I should have left it to Ren back then…’

If she had, she wouldn’t have had to see the faces of these fools. There would be so many more things to come, but wouldn’t she have died in vain without seeing them?

That wouldn’t do.

‘I guess it’s better to handle it myself, even if it’s more work.’

Reilly crossed her legs and shook her head.

“What? What did you just say…?”

Theo looked dumbfounded, as if he had been hit. Reilly’s cold gaze and blunt tone were filled with contempt.

“I loved you! I loved you, a discarded princess!”

He shouted like a madman. He couldn’t imagine that Reilly would betray him, and his face was filled with frustration.

Reilly’s lips twitched, pleased with Theo’s miserably distorted expression.

“Isn’t this like spitting on my own face? You were the one who brought me in because you liked me. You coveted my family’s power, but now that you can’t get it, you’re talking as if you never wanted it from the start?”

Reilly felt nauseous at Theo’s shameless and dirty true feelings. And what about Anna, sticking right next to him?

‘It’s better if he doesn’t know that the child in her womb isn’t his.’

The thought of Theo’s face when he finds out later made her smile. What will you do when Anna is all you have left and you find out the truth?

Theo, enraged by Reilly’s perfectly composed demeanor, glared at her fiercely.

“Ha. You were just a discarded princess anyway, what did you expect me to want from you? How could you do this to me? The reward for the love I showed you is betrayal!”

Theo strode over and grabbed Reilly’s arm roughly.

“I didn’t know something useless like you would be so much trouble! Did you think I would fall for you if you used that pretty face to seduce me-”

Slap.

Reilly raised her free hand and slapped Theo’s cheek. Due to the mana circulating within her body, she naturally failed to control her strength.

“Ugh.”

Theo felt a dull pain in his cheek as if he had been punched. He tasted something bitter in his mouth, as if his lip had burst, and he clutched his cheek in bewilderment.

“What are you doing!”

Anna stopped in her tracks, startled.

Reilly’s frozen eyes fell upon Theo.

“Can you stop with that tiresome love talk? How long did you think I would play along with your love games? I told you clearly when I left. I don’t love guys like you anymore.”

Theo’s fists, planted on the floor, trembled. His eyes, filled with humiliation and anger, turned to Reilly.

“Since you two are acting like this, there’s nothing I can do. I’ll see you at the upcoming trial. Anna, you should have grabbed onto my skirt and begged instead of Theo.”

That would have been better.

If she had appealed to my sympathy with the child, maybe I would have wavered a little.

“I wonder if you’ve checked if the person playing Theo’s role is in the room.”

Reilly took out a tissue, wiped her hands, and left the room. It seems it won’t be easy to end this quietly.

“Reilly!”

Behind Reilly, a cry like a beast’s roar was heard from the room.

* * *

Tap tap-

Someone was knocking on the window.

Reilly closed the documents she was reading and approached the window. The wind blew through the open window, scattering her hair.

She sat on the windowsill with a slightly tired look.

“…How is Ren?”

She seemed worried. Kaver carefully took a seat next to Reilly.

‘Ren will probably be in that state until you come.’

Kaver couldn’t bring himself to say that, so he just shrugged.

The reason he secretly came to Reilly in the middle of the night was because he had decided that he couldn’t stay here any longer.

“Reilly, I think I have to go to the Imperial Palace.”

“I thought we would have a little more time.”

Since the contract with Ren wasn’t completely severed, she thought she had some leeway.

According to Habahn, the Imperial magic side and people from other factions had started to move, sensing Reilly’s mana.

Above all, Duke Beritas was moving in all directions to make her his ally, so it must be true.

“Is it my father’s doing?”

“…I can’t say it isn’t.”

‘Is he still clinging to vain dreams, unable to give up on me?’

I didn’t think he would give in so easily. But when I realized how much he was obsessed with me, I felt a chill.

‘Even if I did nothing, the end was predetermined.’

Reilly clenched her fist without realizing it. Her emotions fluctuated with her trembling hands.

“…I’m sorry I have to take you to the Imperial Palace.”

Kaver covered Reilly’s clenched fist with his hand. Warm body temperature was transmitted to Reilly’s hand.

‘It’s warm.’

Reilly couldn’t shake off his hand. She actually liked the kindness and warmth she felt after a long time. She was alone here, without even Ren.

Kaver explained the reason to Reilly. He knew how much she hated the Imperial Palace.

‘She said she would come on her own, but it looks like she’ll end up going anyway.’

No matter how much I searched, the safest place was the Imperial Palace. If Ren, who never answered properly, said just one thing, it was a single word to bring her without delay.

“I tried to find a residence elsewhere, but I thought it would be better for Ren and me to be together.”

Reilly nodded at Kaver’s words. Unless a proper barrier was set up, she would be easily discovered by others.

Everyone might storm into the Prinz Ducal residence before the trial tomorrow.

There was nothing good for her in the current situation. If Theo thought this was his chance and handed her over to them, that would be the end.

“Is it okay not to hold the trial in private?”

Kaver looked at Reilly with worried eyes. Everyone’s attention would be focused on her, and the story of that day would probably continue to follow her.

“It’s okay, I’ll come out smiling that day. You’re keeping that person safe, right?”

“Ah. Fortunately, he came without resisting.”

Reilly had gathered all sorts of evidence and witnesses for this day.

“Did that bastard notice anything?”

“He won’t even think about it. He just thinks it’s a property division lawsuit.”

It was nominally a property division lawsuit trial.

“He probably doesn’t even expect that everything will be revealed at that trial.”

The Reilly that Theo knows is someone who wouldn’t dare to move in that direction. Reilly turned her head slightly to look at Kaver.

Today, too, he had hidden his appearance as usual, and his black hair, like the night sky, was illuminated by the moonlight.

Kaver felt her gaze and slowly turned his head to the side.

As Reilly’s eyes met his, their gazes intertwined. As the wind lightly brushed them, Reilly’s hair tickled Kaver’s face.

Without realizing it, Kaver reached out and tucked Reilly’s hair behind her ear.

“Ah…!”

He seemed very surprised himself, startled and swallowing a dry cough.

Seeing Kaver acting so cautiously, Reilly burst out laughing. His reddened ears looked a little cute.

“Then it’s better to move now.”

Kaver nodded at Reilly’s words.

It would be better to move quickly, as he didn’t know how the situation would change when the day broke. Reilly was only going to pack the necessary documents.

“But…”

Kaver raised his head to look at Reilly at her hesitant voice. She looked somewhat troubled, hesitated, and then turned her gaze to his hand.

“Wouldn’t you have to let go of my hand so I can pack my things?”

“Ah, ah!”

Kaver’s hand, holding on tightly as if he didn’t want to let go, remained as it was. Only then did he realize that he was still holding Reilly’s hand.

‘I’m losing my mind, I can’t focus.’

Kaver quickly released her hand and jumped up from the windowsill. His heart was pounding as if it would burst. Kaver couldn’t look Reilly in the eye and looked at the sky.

He turned his back to Reilly, who was preparing.

He clenched his hand tightly, still feeling the warmth of Reilly’s hand, and tried hard to calm his pounding heart.