When You Turned Your Back On Me, We Became Strangers

“…Ma’am, what is this now?”

 

“How can you be so rude as to open the door in full view of the maids?”

 

It was disgusting. Even though his raised lip corners seemed to have no intention of coming down, Riley swallowed another bitter smile at his words and actions.

 

Anna cowered behind the duke, looking hurt. Theo quickly placed his jacket over Anna’s shoulders, covering her half-naked body.

 

“So I don’t care what you go anymore but It must be quite amusing for others to find out that the Duke of House Prinz is doing this in his office like a dog in heat.”

 

Theo’s face heated up at Riley’s words. What she’d seen with her own eyes had driven her to despair.

 

They were naked, and she shuddered with humiliation and shame, as if she were naked herself. 

 

Riley could no longer watch them with her own eyes. She tossed the letter in her hand onto the table.

 

“This is…….”

 

His eyebrows lifted slightly at the colour and seal, unmistakable as a letter from the Earl of Herond.

 

“Of course, this time you didn’t know.”

 

A sharp voice echoed in the room, accompanied by cold eyes. Hastily, the maid slammed the door and retreated. Theo had never seen Riley so angry.

 

“Do you mean to tell me that Anna took the letter?”

 

“Then you did it?”

 

“Ma’am, don’t you think this is too much, even if I don’t like it?”

 

Riley looked down at Anna, who was covering herself with a surprised expression. She shuddered slightly and sank to the floor in a heap.

 

“I’m going to the Earl of Herond right now, though it wouldn’t look good if I showed up unannounced and without a letter.”

 

“…… I’ll take you there.”

 

“Are you going to go there yourself without putting on your pants?”

 

Theo swiped his hand across his face. he quickly gathered his clothes and looked at Anna, who was crying. Feeling Theo’s gaze on her, Anna looked up and grabbed him with a frustrated expression.

 

“Duke…… Duke, I really don’t know.”

 

“Anna, I know you’re scared, and I think you need to calm down first.”

 

Taking her by the shoulders affectionately, Theo helped Anna to her feet and sat her down in a chair. Staring at Anna sobbing in Theo’s arms, Riley turned and left the office.

 

“Aah, aah, my head…… hurts so much.”

 

Anna’s pained voice could be heard through the slightly open door.

 

“You’ve been feeling well enough to have Sex, and suddenly you’re sick?

 

A self-help smile flashed across Riley’s face.

 

“Anna, wake up, Anna!”

 

Theo’s urgent voice called out. Riley glanced at her handmaidens, who looked at each other in disbelief.

 

“Do you also think that a girl who was well enough to make love to him collapsed in shock because of me?”

 

“No, we don’t.”

 

“Go inside. I’m afraid someone might hear you.”

 

At Riley’s words, she made her way to the quarters where the maids were staying, her expression grim.

 

She brought the maids who had told her about the letter in the garden to her room. She sat in her room drinking tea and staring out the window.

 

Beside her stood Filia and Bothe, their heads bowed, unable to speak.

 

“You look like you have a lot to talk about, have you been eating honey or something?”

 

She set down her teacup and smiled at Anna, who sat across from her. She was smiling shamelessly as if she didn’t care. Her mouth, which usually giggled in fractions whenever she saw Riley, was tightly closed today.

 

“You must be well,” She said, “for you came here in a panic when I told you I had sent for the maids.”

 

“Thanks for your …… concern, but why are those maids here?”

 

“Exactly. Why would I bring them here, after all your pretence of being so smart, you don’t know the obvious answer?”

 

Riley glanced at her watch, then at Anna, who sat across from her, her expression subtly twisting each time she checked it.

 

“Why didn’t you stay put when I said I was going to dump you?”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“Please, don’t let anything happen to my sister.”

 

It was a fate that would have ended even if she hadn’t. Anna had touched Riley, who had held still. She shouldn’t have touched Leta.

 

She prayed, and prayed, and prayed that the letter in the box was a lie, even though She knew it wasn’t.

 

‘Not this time. If you keep this up, I’m going to…….’

 

A chill ran down Anna’s spine as she met Riley’s icy eyes. She bit her nails nervously and glanced at Bothe and Filia, who stood beside her.

 

“I shouldn’t have trusted a maid after all!

 

Seeing the venom in her eyes, Bothe and Filia looked away quickly. They slipped behind her, and moved away.

 

Staring out the window, Riley jumped to her feet.

 

‘Please…….’

 

Running out of the mansion and towards the carriage, she waited nervously for the door to open. It did, and Theo stepped out and extended his hand. She stopped dead in her tracks as he took her hand.

 

“……Letta.”

 

“Sis, it’s been a while.”

 

Riley’s heart sank at the sight of Leta’s lifeless face. Riley stopped shaking her head when she saw the corners of her mouth turn up in a forced smile.

 

“Sis, I’m here, and you can’t hang your head like that.”

 

“……I’m sorry, sis.”

 

Theo couldn’t bring himself to approach Riley. It was partly his fault that this had happened. He couldn’t assume that Anna wouldn’t have done it. She knew something about Leta’s marriage that he didn’t.

 

Leta walked over to Riley, who could barely lift her head and patted her on the back. she felt tears welling up in her eyes as she looked as troubled as she was.

 

“Ma’am, I think it would be best if we went inside and talked first. I’ll tell the maids, so you can talk in peace.”

 

Theo stepped aside so that Leta and Riley could talk. He had things to check on, and he also knew that no matter what he said now, she wouldn’t listen.

 

Riley nodded at Theo’s words but said nothing else. She walked into the room, supported by Leta, and shut the door behind her.

 

“Leta, what the hell happened…….”

 

“Why is your face so hurt?”

 

“I know. I guess I’ve had a lot on my mind lately.”

 

She stroked her belly gently, and Leta’s gaze drifted downward. At the sight of Riley’s slightly convex belly, Leta’s eyes widened and she grinned.

 

“Wow, I’m going to have a niece.”

 

Her heart broke even more as she tried to pretend she was okay. Her eyes widened as she took Leta’s hand and led her to the table.

 

“……No, no, no.”

 

“Oh, no, it’s just a bump.”

 

“Don’t lie! Is the Count hitting you?”

 

“Oh, no.”

 

she pulled Leta’s arm away and pulled up her sleeve. Leta’s arms were covered with bruises and cuts. she felt an uncontrollable rush of anger at the obvious marks where she had relentlessly searched for an invisible place to strike.

 

“I’m sorry, sis, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have left you like that.”

 

“Sis, this isn’t about you, don’t blame yourself for me.”

 

Leta shook her head and pulled down her rolled-up sleeves. 

 

“Leta, don’t go back. Stay here.”

 

“You know I can’t.”

 

“My father is……!

 

She cursed herself for saying the word father, even though it was out of her mouth. Leta looked dumbfounded; she must have known who he was and still sent him away. Riley sucked in a breath against the pain in her throbbing heart.

 

“Leta, it’s okay, you can stay here with your sister, you don’t have to go back there.”

 

“…You won’t be happy with me, sis, don’t let him find out.”

 

“Did you know…… was there?”

 

Leta nodded. She knew the sigil had appeared on Riley’s body. She’d never told her, never shown her, but how could she know?

 

“Why…… even know!”

 

“Because I understand how you feel. I would have hated it if I were you. I told you, I don’t blame you.”

 

“But because of me, you…….”

 

“I’m fine, but if he finds out you hid the sigil, he might actually try to kill you.”

 

Riley stopped sobbing at Leta’s words, tears welling up in her eyes. Stupid, she’d known all along…….

 

“And you’ve been through so much, in a place you can’t even call home. I saw my sister loved by the Duke and thought that was enough.”

 

No, no, no. Leta, I…….

 

She couldn’t tell her. She couldn’t bring herself to say that she was unhappy with the life she’d gained at her sacrifice, that it was no better than the one she’d had before.

 

‘I’m glad she didn’t see Anna. She doesn’t know my situation.

 

Riley and Leta hid their pain and put on the mask of being okay. They didn’t talk about it anymore, even though it hurt to see each other after so long.

 

“Leta, are you sure you want to go back?”

 

“If you don’t mind, we can stay longer.”

 

“No……. You see, I wouldn’t have come out today if the Duke hadn’t come, and it’s enough for me to see your face.”

 

“Leta, I don’t want you to…….”

 

“It’s okay, sis, I’m really okay.”

 

Leta took Riley’s hand and patted it, her heart fluttering anxiously as she wondered if the warm, soft voice was reassuring.

 

Riley watched in disbelief as Leta’s carriage drove out of the ducal residence.

 

* * *

 

The day after Leta came and went, She received a letter telling her that she had died.

If you like my work please support me on coffee.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/gon7