Chapter 118

The carriage was running without stopping.

Arsene’s breath was felt in the secret room. Abella’s memory was slow, but it was returning without stopping.

Abella exhaled in the suffocating atmosphere.

“I think we have arrived.”

Arsene opened the carriage door.

“Ah.”

Abella let out an exclamation. This was a place Abella knew.

“Are you crazy?” Abella exhaled in a hoarse voice. There was poison in her eyes as she stared sharply at Arsene. Why the hell did Arsene have to bring Abella to this place?

Arsene shrugged her shoulders.

“I’m always crazy, Abella.”

Goosebumps rose on Abella’s neck at the sound of his languid whispering voice. Abella opened her eyes with painstaking effort.

“You don’t have to be so nervous. I am not going to do anything to you.”

Arsene’s eyes narrowed.

“…Why are we here?”

“To think about what to do.”

Arsene smiled softly.

“I don’t know what to do with you either.”

Arsene grabbed Abella’s hand. Arsene whispered to her as he pulled her out of the carriage into his arms.

“I want to cherish you, but… I want to destroy you, Abella.”

Abella trembled with a pale face.

Her memory was starting to become complete.

Arsene was originally like this. He was no different from his childhood days. He was a person who thoroughly ruined what he couldn’t have. Be it a sword, a book, or a toy, or even pets. If he thought he couldn’t have it completely, he broke it.

Sirius did their best to hide Arsene’s antisocial tendencies. There were doctors who had been called in to treat Arsene. None of them could cure Arsene. Arsene’s antisocial tendencies were innate and could never be fixed.

It was best to isolate him and keep him away from people.

However, Arsene was the one who should inherit Sirius in the future. He was not someone who could live in isolation. In the end, Sirius hid Arsene well and presented him to society, and Abella entered Arsene’s eyes.

It was unknown what made Arsene drawn to Abella.

Abella was dark and hopeless.

Because she was born on the day of Skellus, she suffered all kinds of persecution from her family. Was he attracted to such darkness? He may have thought that the cursed Abella was suitable for the demonic Arsene.

Abella swallowed a sad sigh.

Abella closed her eyes tightly from the dizziness.

“Yes, rather…”

Abella swallowed her words.

This villa was the last. It must have been Duke Amerigo’s birthday. At that time, they gathered here after Duke Amerigo, who had come down to the villa for work.

Abella ran away from everyone.

‘Is she that kid? The cursed child.’

‘Someday she’s going to eat her family. Isn’t that a curse that can’t be endured?’

‘Yes. They should have killed her right when she was born…’

It was disgusting.

The day was being played again. The sound of people talking filled her head. Young Abella couldn’t stand it, and she fled aimlessly in search of an empty place.

‘Abella?’

It was Cade who held Abella.

‘Are you okay?’

That Cade, whom Abella thought had drifted away from her after she got engaged to Arsene. She seemed to have shunned Cade because she didn’t even remember the memories at the time. Nevertheless, Cade did not let Abella go. He followed her.

‘Abella. It’s dangerous.’

‘Go away! I’m going alone.’

Cade calmly persuaded Abella who was crying. She was confused. Cade kept coming into her life. It was obviously Abella who chose Arsene, but her heart kept drifting to Cade.

Arsene kept acting weird and Cade was warm.

That may have been why Cade was reluctant.

‘…I’ll just stay quietly by your side.’

In the end, Cade stood by Abella’s side. He tenderly comforted Abella who had hid in the corner, curled up her body, and burst into tears.

Abella bent her back.

“Ugh!”

Abella shut her mouth and moved away from Arsene. A bloody fishy smell pierced her nose. Abella’s nightmares were rising amid the sound of the grass bugs.

“You look distressed, Abella.”

Arsene spoke slowly and asked for a cigar.

A fishy smell was mixed with the strong, foul-smelling smoke. Abella stood behind, glaring at Arsene with tearful eyes.

It was when Cade returned to the mansion to appease Abella. Abella was stubborn.

She’d rather go home.

Duke Amerigo, who knew of Abella’s affliction, decided to go with her. It was a dark night and it was raining. Still, Duke Amerigo couldn’t turn away from his pale, weary daughter.

Everyone agreed to Abella leaving.

Perhaps if Abella hadn’t decided on her own, would they have put her in the carriage somehow.

The duchess, pushing Abella’s back, must have smelled of death. The mother who turned away from Abella while holding her brother in her arms.

Abella could not bear it and fled from there.

“Ha……”

Abella exhaled a hot breath. Her stomach clenched in disgust, and the corners of her eyes lit up. The carriage accident happened unexpectedly.

It must have been natural because it was the death everyone had been hoping for.

The memory of that day came to mind vividly.

*

8 years ago.

“I want to go back, Father. … Please let me go.”

It was only in front of her father that Abella could act so childishly.

Her mother didn’t even look at Abella, and the cold disgust in her eyes was enough to make Abella feel it.

She always seemed to think that Abella was going to eat someone.

So Abella had never acted like a child or whined in front of her mother.