TMDFC 14

Chapter 14

Contrary to her resolve not to react, Lauren stiffened involuntarily.

The hand touching her cheek was cold as ice, yet at some point it began to feel hot enough to burn. The nail marks on her cheek—marks that should have faded long ago—throbbed painfully. It felt as though those fingertips would claw at her again.

Just like that day, long ago.

Seeing Lauren’s trembling lips, Delania smiled in satisfaction.

“You’re the reason I’m about to be married off to that old man. Do you know that?”

Memories couldn’t hurt her. They were nothing.

Lauren knew that well.

So she should have asked why that was her fault.

But her frozen lips wouldn’t move.

Breathing was difficult.

She had thought she was fine now, but memories from childhood refused to let her go.

Lauren shut her eyes tightly.

She wanted to forget her childhood.

There were countless memories of being loved by her parents.

Even so, there were things she never wanted to remember.

One of them was the woman standing before her now—

Delania.

Her father, Emel Siaz, cherished his only younger sibling deeply.

Normally, as the second child of a minor baron family, one would have had to become independent early and find their own way in life. But having lost his parents young, he wanted to keep his younger brother, Trace Siaz, close. Even after building his own family and having two children, Emel insisted the baron estate felt too large and lonely.

The fact that Lauren’s father loved his brother so much was never something pleasant for Lauren.

Even in her oldest memories, Delania was there.

Which was natural—Delania was older than her.

At least one thing Delania said was true.

Apparently, when they were young, she acted like a proper older sister.

At least according to Lauren’s parents.

She would pick clothes for Lauren because her little cousin was pretty, braid her hair, and fuss over her.

Later, Lauren wondered if Delania had simply wanted a living doll.

When had Delania changed?

Was it when Lauren began attending school?

People praised Lauren for being quick to understand things and having excellent grades.

People believed girls only needed to marry eventually, but even teachers said it would be a waste for her.

Perhaps it started then.

Lauren became a sensitive, difficult child.

At least, that was the Lauren Delania created.

The day Delania viciously scratched Lauren’s cheek, Delania cried instead and claimed Lauren had pushed her.

She apologized tearfully, saying she’d only grabbed Lauren to stop her from falling and had accidentally scratched her.

That was only the beginning.

Delania tore Lauren’s clothes, hurt her, and stole her belongings.

Whenever Lauren told her parents, Delania cried and accused Lauren instead—claiming Lauren had given the item willingly, or that they’d simply fallen while playing together.

Why was Lauren lying?

Little by little, Lauren stopped speaking up.

No matter how loudly she told the truth, people only listened to Delania.

Because the Delania they knew adored Lauren and took her everywhere.

After some disgraceful incident, Trace Siaz’s family left the baron estate.

Finally, Lauren no longer had to be manipulated by Delania’s lies.

Her parents smiled, saying their once-sensitive daughter had become gentler.

But Lauren—

Lauren couldn’t smile.

Now she understood what had happened back then.

At the time, however, she only knew one thing:

Delania had disappeared from her life.

And that made her unbelievably happy.

Gradually, Lauren began voicing her opinions.

Though she never adapted to high society, she learned estate management and administration from her father instead.

The work was difficult and demanding, but it suited her.

She enjoyed it.

Far more than attending gatherings, drinking tea, and exchanging meaningless conversation.

Even after her parents died suddenly in a carriage accident, when Trace Siaz insisted he worried about Lauren being alone and settled himself into the baron estate, Lauren thought she would be fine.

She was an adult now.

Unlike in childhood, when she could do nothing—

Now she could do anything.

Even though Delania took everything from her, and Trace tried to marry her off for his own gain, Lauren believed she was fine.

She could ignore Delania.

And she escaped the marriage by running away in the end.

Because Lauren was no longer a helpless child.

There was nothing left to fear.

Yet perhaps her memory was stronger than she had realized.

The dark malice she had forcibly buried rose like clouds, surrounding her and binding her so tightly she couldn’t move.

“You should take responsibility, shouldn’t you, Lauren?”

Delania gently stroked Lauren’s cheek.

The pale violet eyes turned toward her cousin trembled faintly.

Tell her no, Lauren.

Tell her not to waste her time.

But despite believing she could do anything now, Lauren’s frozen lips refused to part.

Someone knocked on the door.

Had Calvin returned with the tea?

Delania, who had been leaning across the table toward Lauren, straightened up and answered instead.

Then she saw who stood beyond the door and rose with a radiant smile.

“Oh my, I didn’t expect to see Your Grace. Hello, it’s our first meeting. I’m Delania Lily Siaz, Lauren’s older sister.”

What was this woman doing?

Giving herself a middle name she didn’t even have—and one suspiciously similar to Lilywood, at that.

Lauren stared blankly at her fingertips.

Ah…

She couldn’t stay like this.

She had to appear unaffected, even if forced.

She had promised herself that from the day she left the Siaz estate.

But Lauren couldn’t turn toward Aster and smile.

Biting down on her trembling lips, she lowered her head.

“Lauren’s older sister?”

Aster’s low voice reached her ears.

He sat beside her.

Delania was good at lying.

Would Aster fall for her lies too?

The thought surfaced briefly.

No—

Thinking like that would only bury her deeper.

Lauren forced her attention elsewhere.

Calvin had said he would bring tea, but strangely, he was nowhere to be seen.

“We’re cousins, actually. But we lived together as children. We were very close, like sisters.”

“And?”

Delania laughed softly, but Aster only responded in a cool voice and said nothing more.

As usual, he leaned back against the chair.

His weight settled behind Lauren as well.

Perhaps because of that, despite their marriage being merely one of mutual understanding, she felt as though he was still on her side.

The reassuring presence eased something inside her.

Lauren released a long breath.

Only then did she realize she hadn’t been breathing properly at all.

“Oh dear, Lauren didn’t even tell me she was marrying the Duke. I felt a little hurt, so I came to see her.”

“Without an appointment?”

“Oh my, yes. Lauren is a Duchess now… I failed to consider that. She always welcomed me warmly before.”

Her laughter fluttered through the room like birdsong.

Lauren should say that wasn’t true.

But her mouth wouldn’t open.

Instead, she carefully gripped the edge of Aster’s clothes.

She could feel his gaze.

Even then, she couldn’t look at him.

Whatever he thought, Aster rose from his seat and helped Lauren stand.

Her strength seemed to drain away.

Though she thought she needed to endure, Lauren staggered.

Aster caught her, nearly pulling her into an embrace to support her.

At least because of that, she didn’t have to appear pitiful before Delania.

The hand gripping her waist firmly felt reliable.

“Today is the day my wife is having clothes and dresses fitted. You’ll need to leave.”

“Then all the more reason I should stay with her.”

He had clearly told her to leave.

Did she not understand—or was she pretending not to?

Aster’s green eyes narrowed.

But Delania merely smiled casually.

“Lauren has absolutely no sense for choosing clothes. Just look at her now. Things like that are what tutors wear, not a Duchess.”

Ah.

So she meant she’d choose for Lauren instead?

Aster nearly laughed.

And while doing so, she’d probably try to pocket a few dresses or pieces of jewelry.

To begin with, he had never disliked Lauren’s clothing.

Calm, practical clothes suited Lauren far better than the flashy but uncomfortable fashions noblewomen wore.

Lauren herself preferred them too.

Actually—

Aster looked over the woman before him.

Even to someone like him, who knew little about women’s fashion, the oversized floral frills and cheap lace awkwardly attached to Delania’s muted dress looked mismatched.

In other words—

Delania had neither the right nor the place to criticize Lauren’s clothes.

“I don’t think so. I’ll choose my wife’s clothing myself, so it would be best not to concern yourself.”

Still holding Lauren around the waist, Aster turned away.

Then he called loudly for Calvin.

The duke’s butler appeared from somewhere.

“It seems our guest is leaving.”

Calvin bowed politely and stepped forward to escort Delania out.

But Delania didn’t follow.

Clutching her skirts tightly, she raised her voice.

“I’m Lauren’s older sister! If you won’t even offer me a room to stay in, are you really throwing me out like this?! Lauren! Say something too!”

Lauren, who was practically leaning against Aster, flinched and froze.

Her hand tightened around his.

This wasn’t a good reaction.

Watching her carefully, Aster merely turned his head toward Delania.

“Lauren, I respected your opinion, but perhaps publishing that newspaper article wasn’t such a good idea. Strange things keep crawling out.”

Pulling one corner of his mouth upward, Aster muttered in a low voice.

His sunken green eyes flashed as they locked onto Delania’s brown ones.

In his voice and gaze lingered the murderous aura capable of making even seasoned warriors from battlefields recoil.

The nerve to keep shouting despite knowing his reputation as a butcher was impressive—

But only to a point.

Then again, of course.

Aside from Lauren, he had never seen anyone remain unaffected by his fierce stare.

Glancing at Delania’s pale face, Aster scoffed and turned away again.

Lauren’s condition bothered him too much.

Behind them came Calvin’s polite voice.

The woman would be dealt with by Calvin.

He needed to get Lauren somewhere she could rest.

Her steps wavered so badly that carrying her outright would almost be easier.

Though Lauren would probably be startled.

Seeing her surprised face could be amusing—

But now wasn’t the time.

Even he knew that much.

Lauren wasn’t a cold person, but she possessed a steadiness that normally left her unmoved by anything.

For someone like her to struggle this much…

He should ask what happened.

But that would have to wait.

Pressing his lips together, Aster silently supported Lauren as they walked.