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Chapter 12
“You’re forbidden from leaving this room starting today. Until that old man comes to take you away, if you so much as set one foot outside this room…”
If looks could kill, Bella would have been dead long ago.
The older fox lowered her head slowly, her eyes sharp enough to cut.
As if possessed by something, she didn’t even blink.
“Then I’ll make sure those two legs of yours never walk again.”
“……”
Bella unconsciously held her breath.
It might have sounded like an empty threat under normal circumstances, but this time… she knew it wasn’t.
Yet if she backed down now, she would end up locked in the attic without any chance of escape.
No. Absolutely not.
Biting her lip, Bella lifted her head.
Just as she was about to firmly say, “No,” hurried footsteps echoed from downstairs, and a servant burst into the room.
“M-My lady!”
“What is it?!”
“A-a guest has just arrived…”
“What? A guest?!”
The older fox snapped.
“At this hour? Without even sending word ahead? Who on earth is it?”
Her piercing shout made the servant delivering the news freeze in place, visibly frightened.
Trembling, he managed to answer.
“I-It is His Grace, the Duke of Avalan.”
“…What?”
The older fox’s eyes widened in shock.
Bella was just as stunned.
Wait… what? Who came here?
“Y-You’re saying His Grace came here in person?”
“Yes, my lady.”
“But why all of a sudden?”
“He says he wishes to meet Lady Bella Eaton.”
The moment the servant mentioned the daughter of Count Eaton, every fox in the room turned to look at Bella.
The younger fox glared at her resentfully.
But even that expression quickly changed to utter disbelief.
“Did he say why he came?”
“Well…”
The servant hesitated, tilting his head as though he himself wasn’t sure he’d heard correctly.
“He… he said he came to propose marriage.”
“T-The Duke… came to propose?”
“Yes, my lady. He’s waiting in the drawing room.”
The servant nodded repeatedly.
Bella’s mind went completely blank.
Wait… what is happening?
“H-He really came… to propose to me…?”
“Silence!”
Just as Bella was about to ask if he had truly come to propose to her, the older fox screamed.
Even the younger fox, who had been crying hysterically moments ago, flinched at the outburst.
The older fox paced around the cramped room for a moment before suddenly stopping, as though she had made up her mind.
She pulled Cecil to her feet.
“Cecil. Get a hold of yourself. This isn’t the time to cry. This is an opportunity. An opportunity.”
“But… Mother…”
“Don’t worry. Just trust your mother.”
A strange gleam flashed in the older fox’s eyes.
A bad feeling settled in Bella’s stomach.
The duke was here, yet somehow she felt nothing but overwhelming anxiety.
And her fears proved correct.
“You. Stay here.”
“…What?”
Turning around, the older fox shoved Bella back by the shoulder and spoke coldly.
By now, the younger fox had already stopped crying and gotten to her feet.
Bella was left momentarily stunned by the sudden turn of events.
“What are all of you standing around for? We have an important guest! Hurry and help the young lady get dressed!”
Ignoring Bella completely, the older fox barked at the maids.
But when she said “the young lady,” the servants naturally looked toward Bella—the true young mistress of the house—not Cecil.
The older fox’s expression darkened instantly.
“You worthless fools! Can’t you even recognize your own mistress? Take my daughter to her room at once! Are you planning to keep His Grace waiting?”
Under her furious scolding, the servants reluctantly escorted Cecil out of the room.
Soon, Bella and the older fox were left alone.
“You are not to leave this room.”
The older fox gave one last warning before heading for the door.
Her eyes made the threat unmistakably clear.
If Bella disobeyed and took even one step outside, she would make her pay.
But Bella had already reached her limit.
“I won’t—”
“Shut your mouth!”
In an instant, the older fox grabbed Bella by the hair.
Her eyes had long since lost all reason.
Her voice was hoarse from all the screaming she’d done, making it even more chilling.
“Don’t talk back. Your future husband will be here next week. A bride shouldn’t have her hair all disheveled, should she? Hmm? Don’t you agree?”
