Chapter 81

Chapter 81

Irene’s hand overlapped with a slightly cooler body temperature. Otis, who held her hand, rested his forehead on the back of her weak hand. Perhaps it was the aftermath of the violence a while ago, his forehead was hot, unlike his cool hands.

“Irene.”

The man who was shriveled on the back of her hand whispered as if pleading.

“Can you stay with me tonight?”

I really need you today… So, please.

The whispering voice was familiar. Irene’s mind remembered the experience she had been putting off again… It was Otis’ Die ending, which she experienced in her fourth life. At that time, she held Otis’s hand even though she knew the ending. It was because she could not endure the loneliness that she grieved.

But now, things are different.

There was no given ending other than Rodion, and it was a situation in which fate could be twisted if left unattended like this.

Irene frowned as she gazed at the hand holding hers.

‘I…’

What am I supposed to do here?

Ahibalt suddenly looked back.

The deserted corridors of the mansion after midnight were dark and caliginous — a path paved with a chilly abyss without tranquility. At the subconscious behavior, Ahibalt questioned.

Why is he looking back on that path?

‘What am I looking for…’

A wrinkle crept across Ahibalt’s brows as he thought of those he had left behind. He gazed down at his palm, a dry palm that he usually grasped when anxious. It was still clear that the heat of anger that had burst out a while ago still lingered.

Hearing that Otis had returned, he did not expect such an ending when he set foot in the room to find him. If he had been beaten, would he have thought it was his fault?

It was a reasonable expectation.

Ahibalt’s visit to Otis was to explain his kiss with Irene.

He knew that Otis and Irene were dating. So, it was an undeniable situation to worry that if Otis had seen the scene, he would misunderstand that Ahibalt had coveted his brother’s lover. However, when he found Otis’ room, what was thrown at him was a truth he had never expected.

“You know what, brother? Irene and I aren’t actually in a relationship.”

“…What? Then, why is Irene in your room—”

“Because she asked me for help so I was in charge of creating a plausible scandal. The rumours between her and me are only superficial false rumours, and she and I have nothing to do with each other. So, there’s no need for brother to apologize.”

Even if brother kissed Irene while misunderstanding the relationship between me and her.

The added remark was sharp.

Even though Otis was behaving as usual, Ahibalt could feel the obvious anger in him so he hastily explained it.

“Otis, there’s something you misunderstand. At that time, Irene had difficulty breathing due to hyperventilation, and I kissed her to calm her down—”

“Stop.”

Otis raised his hand slightly and cut his words.

“Of course, I think brother must have had a good reason because you never do things without reason. I understand. I understand everything…”

As if not knowing what to say, Otis shook his head and grimaced before he asked back as if not knowing what to say.

“So, does that mean brother’s crime was going to go away?”

“…Otis.”

“I don’t know why you’re trying to make excuses after you’ve done it. I was kind enough to tell you the truth about our relationship. Didn’t I also say that you don’t have to apologize?”

“If there’s no need to apologize as you said, then there’s no reason for you to show such displeasure. Is it wrong to talk to clear up a misunderstanding?”

“You’re saying that, but isn’t that an excuse? An excuse for kissing your brother’s lover? Is what I said wrong?”

“Didn’t I tell you that it was unavoidable?”

“So, was there really not a single grain of selfishness in it?”

When Ahibalt was speechless for a moment, Otis smirked snappily.

“You can’t say no. That’s the reason why brother’s so impatient because he couldn’t make excuses since he knew that he had done something very wrong. Whatever the truth is, you kissed your brother’s lover.”

Every word stabbed Ahibalt piercingly.

In fact, those words were close to Otis’ insistence. If he was a little sensible, he would soon also know that he would never have done such a thing had it not been so urgent as Ahibalt wanted to excuse himself for a kiss.

Even though Ahibalt wanted to erase his sympathy from what he had done in an emergency, Otis only pointed out that part and dug into him. By twisting a desire, that had passed by that could not even be put into action, for a moment

“You have to pretend to be noble, but in the end, you’re just a person whose desire precedes ethics.”

…Pinch that guilt, squeeze the pressure.

“A coward who covets other people’s things without even having the courage to confess in person.”

Lashing out Ahibalt, which was like a dam, just before it burst.

“Your brother’s desire will ruin everything in the end.”

The provocation, which was supposed to be a leap, finally broke the dam.

The heated anger weighed down on reason. Knowing that it was probably what Otis had hoped for. Still, it was not the moment when Otis’ words weighed him down that truly made Ahibalt pessimistic at the moment when Irene ran in, blocking the two of them.

The moment when he felt jealousy was when he saw Otis, who leaned on Irene explicitly, made him feel inferior to anything else.

Ahibalt wanted to tear off his arms wrapped around Irene.

The unresolvable desire for Irene became violent, and he was refracted to the person he felt jealous of.

As close as he was a human being who was close to violence as he was in Knox, the violence in his head was also cruel. He often breaks limbs, as he usually did with opponents he does not have mercy on, until there was no place that was intact…

Ahibalt frowned and clenched his empty hands. The mandible was raised because of the tightened molars. Feeling nauseated by the burning sensation, he was no different from a monstrous beast.

This was his essence, so Ahibalt could not trust himself.

Perhaps, if he had stayed in the room a little longer, his desire would surely not have left them alone. Nonetheless, leaving the room did not subside the ripple that had dominated him so an unresolved vortex was still floating around in him.

It was also the reason that he suddenly stopped his steps.

His heart was pounding rapidly, and it felt like tears were about to pour out. At the same time, his shadow caught his chest, which was constantly beating, and his lungs, which repeatedly inhaled and exhaled.

Ahibalt stood still for a while.

As much as he had paused, he could feel his aimless expectations being utterly betrayed as he imagined the darkened corridor being lit up. In fact, Otis’s room was the only place where the light would come out of the hallway, so it was as though he was saying that he was looking forward to Otis’ door opening.

Light abruptly shone through the door, shaped like a piece of cake, pouring in.

He imagined another person’s shoes, whom he had not dared reach out to in a dream, crossing the hallway.

Unlike other dresses, a thin inner skirt under the maid outfit that does not inflate lightly lifted up with every step and fell, making a sound like a handful of sand pouring down. As her hair, resembling the sunset in a field, swayed from her waist, she focused her gaze on the person she was approaching…

Purple eyes reminiscent of violets in the rain grabbed Ahibalt.

“Young Master.”

Ahibalt’s eyes widened at the ensuing call. The reaction came out of nowhere.

“Irene…?”

“Yes. I thought you went to the room so I tried to find you, but you were still here.”

…It was not a fantasy, his imagination, or even a dream.

The wind that echoed through the deserted mansion disappeared. Ahibalt could feel his turbulent temperament, which was tightening his breath, slowly shrinking like a shadow at noon.

“That’s a relief.”

It was a formidable love.

__

Again, thank you so much for always supporting the novels I translate, even if you don’t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know or tag admin in comments so we can fix it as soon as possible.
RECENTLY UPDATES