Chapter 22
“Pretending it wasn’t anything… but I guess you’ve been seeing him all along.”
As Theo Cavill left, Kiern asked in a confrontational tone. Ever since Kiern arrived, Elizabeth’s expression had rapidly worsened, and she couldn’t even remember what she had been talking about with Theo.
If Theo hadn’t sensed the cold tension between them and hurried away, Elizabeth might have found herself reaching for water again.
She stopped in her tracks as she was about to leave and turned back to look at Kiern. He was leaning against the sofa, watching her.
His indifferent gaze looked as solemn as that of an executor in a courtroom. Just moments ago, he had acted completely uninterested, even leading the conversation.
And now, suddenly asking about her relationship with Theo made no sense. Clasping her trembling hands together, Elizabeth shot back sharply.
“It’s none of your business who I see.”
“It isn’t,” he replied. “But this is Agapel Castle, and in the duke’s absence, I’m the one managing it. Shouldn’t I at least know who’s coming and going?”
Elizabeth bit her lip, unable to respond. She had assumed he had already been informed, so his reaction caught her off guard.
Of course, the one who had blocked that information midway was Stella. And the ones who had fallen neatly into that trap were Elizabeth and Kiern.
“…I’m sorry. I thought you knew.”
“Must be your mother’s doing again.”
Kiern let out a self-mocking laugh, naturally thinking of Stella. Uncrossing his legs, he stood up.
Elizabeth stubbornly kept her gaze fixed on the floor, waiting for him to pass by. But his steps stopped right in front of her.
He lifted her chin and said,
“Smile.”
“……”
“Don’t stand there looking like a corpse. It’s irritating.”
“……”
“At this rate, it makes me feel like I’m the one in the wrong. And it pisses me off.”
“…I’m sorry.”
Elizabeth bit her lower lip and apologized. Seeing that she still didn’t smile, Kiern felt his blood run cold.
He kept feeling as though he was being chased. It was the same thirst he felt whenever he saw Elizabeth preparing to leave, slowly putting her affairs in order.
“Do better.”
With just those words, Kiern brushed past her and walked away.
He didn’t even realize that what he felt toward her—toward the woman who seemed determined to leave him alone in his own hell—was a strange sense of betrayal.
“Pretending it wasn’t anything… but I guess you’ve been seeing him all along.”
As Theo Cavill left, Kiern asked in a confrontational tone. Ever since Kiern arrived, Elizabeth’s expression had rapidly worsened, and she couldn’t even remember what she had been talking about with Theo.
If Theo hadn’t sensed the cold tension between them and hurried away, Elizabeth might have found herself reaching for water again.
She stopped in her tracks as she was about to leave and turned back to look at Kiern. He was leaning against the sofa, watching her.
His indifferent gaze looked as solemn as that of an executor in a courtroom. Just moments ago, he had acted completely uninterested, even leading the conversation.
And now, suddenly asking about her relationship with Theo made no sense. Clasping her trembling hands together, Elizabeth shot back sharply.
“It’s none of your business who I see.”
“It isn’t,” he replied. “But this is Agapel Castle, and in the duke’s absence, I’m the one managing it. Shouldn’t I at least know who’s coming and going?”
Elizabeth bit her lip, unable to respond. She had assumed he had already been informed, so his reaction caught her off guard.
Of course, the one who had blocked that information midway was Stella. And the ones who had fallen neatly into that trap were Elizabeth and Kiern.
“…I’m sorry. I thought you knew.”
“Must be your mother’s doing again.”
Kiern let out a self-mocking laugh, naturally thinking of Stella. Uncrossing his legs, he stood up.
Elizabeth stubbornly kept her gaze fixed on the floor, waiting for him to pass by. But his steps stopped right in front of her.
He lifted her chin and said,
“Smile.”
“……”
“Don’t stand there looking like a corpse. It’s irritating.”
“……”
“At this rate, it makes me feel like I’m the one in the wrong. And it pisses me off.”
“…I’m sorry.”
Elizabeth bit her lower lip and apologized. Seeing that she still didn’t smile, Kiern felt his blood run cold.
He kept feeling as though he was being chased. It was the same thirst he felt whenever he saw Elizabeth preparing to leave, slowly putting her affairs in order.
“Do better.”
With just those words, Kiern brushed past her and walked away.
He didn’t even realize that what he felt toward her—toward the woman who seemed determined to leave him alone in his own hell—was a strange sense of betrayal.
