Balte’s greasy hand stopped in mid air.
He narrowed his small eyes, which were squeezed into slits by fat, and stared at Bell’s face for a few seconds.
Suddenly, he laughed.
The fat on his face trembled along with him.
“Oh my.”
Balte withdrew his hand and wiped it on his purple silk robe.
“Is this not Duke Bell?”
His voice was shrill, carrying a nauseating familiarity.
“I even held you when you were a child. Is your father’s health still good?”
Bell did not speak.
His gaze was as cold as ice.
Balte did not seem to care about Bell’s attitude.
He turned his head, looked at the trembling Tia, and then looked back at Bell.
A hint of lewdness that only men would understand flickered in his eyes.
“It seems...”
He pointed at Tia.
“Lord Bell also wants this woman?”
Theodore stood by with a forced smile, not daring to make a sound.
Balte waved his hand generously.
“Since Lord Bell likes her, then please, do not be polite.”
He leaned in closer.
The stench of body odor became even stronger.
“How about this, Lord Bell can play with her first.”
A row of yellow teeth showed on his face.
“I am at an age where being clean does not matter, as long as she can bear children.”
After saying that.
He suddenly gave Tia a hard push.
The force was great.
Caught off guard, Tia stumbled and crashed toward Bell.
Bell reached out.
He caught her steadily.
Tia’s body was very light.
She was still shaking.
Like a frightened rabbit.
Bell looked down at the girl in his arms.
Then he looked up at the lecherous looking Balte in front of him.
And the fawning looking Theodore beside him.
His stomach churned.
Disgusting.
Utterly disgusting.
Since being reincarnated into this world.
He had always thought that Cecilia was the most terrifying existence in the world.
That yandere.
That lunatic.
But at this moment.
Bell suddenly felt.
That although Cecilia was crazy and twisted.
In her world, there was only love.
A love so pure it was suffocating.
But these people before him.
These so called nobles.
In their world, there was only desire.
Filthy.
Vile.
Rotten to the core.
Is this the truth of this world?
Is this the high society he had been desperately trying to fit into?
Bell’s fingers tightened.
He gripped Tia’s arm.
“Tia.”
His voice was very low.
Very deep.
“Do you like him?”
The hall fell into a deadly silence.
The smile on Balte’s face stiffened for a moment before becoming even more playful.
Theodore’s face turned deathly pale.
Tia’s body shuddered violently.
She looked up.
Staring at Bell.
Tears welled up in her eyes that were once filled with despair.
Like him?
How could she possibly like him.
He was a pig.
A man eating pig.
However.
Tia reached out.
She pressed her hands against Bell’s chest.
With force.
She pushed Bell away.
Bell was stunned for a moment.
Tia took two steps back.
She kept her head lowered.
Her shoulders heaved violently.
“Bell...”
Her voice was thick with sobs.
“Since you have no way to give me a future, why do you interfere with my present?”
Bell opened his mouth.
But no sound came out.
Indeed.
What could he give Tia?
Take her and run away?
Cecilia would kill her.
Marry her?
Cecilia would cut her into pieces.
He could barely protect himself right now.
He couldn't even control his own destiny.
What right did he have to interfere in someone else's life?
If Tia married Balte.
She might be humiliated.
She might be in pain.
But at least...
She would be alive.
If she didn't marry him.
Theodore would beat her to death.
If she followed him.
Cecilia would torture her to death.
Bell looked at his own hands.
These hands that had killed magic beasts.
At this moment, they seemed so powerless.
“Lord Bell.”
Theodore’s voice rang out.
Cold.
Heartless.
“Please leave.”
Several servants surrounded him.
Although they didn't dare to use force.
Their intent to drive him away was obvious.
Bell took one last look at Tia.
Tia’s back was toward him.
She did not look back.
Bell turned around.
He walked out of the Astane Estate.
The heavy door slammed shut behind him.
Making a dull thud.
...
Late at night.
In a hotel in Seaview City.
Bell lay on the bed.
Tossing and turning.
He couldn't sleep.
When he closed his eyes.
All he saw was Tia’s tear stained face.
And Balte’s greasy mouth.
The thought of that mouth kissing Tia’s face.
Of those fat hands wandering over Tia’s body.
Bell felt as if something was clawing at his heart.
It was agonizing.
Suffocating.
He sat up abruptly.
He put on his clothes.
Pushed open the window.
And jumped out.
The night was thick.
The sea breeze howled.
Bell’s figure darted across the rooftops.
Soon.
He arrived at the Astane Estate.
Avoiding the patrolling guards with practiced ease.
He climbed up to the second floor.
That was Tia’s room.
The window was tightly shut.
A faint light shone from within.
Knock, knock.
Bell tapped gently on the window.
No movement.
Knock, knock.
He tapped twice more.
The window opened a crack.
Tia’s haggard face appeared.
Seeing Bell hanging on the windowsill.
She was stunned.
Her eyes widened.
“Bell?”
She quickly pulled the window open.
Bell jumped in.
Landing soundlessly.
The room was very simple.
There was only a bed and a table.
Tia was wearing a thin nightgown.
She stood before Bell.
“How did you...”
She looked out the window, then back at Bell.
“Sneaking onto a lady’s windowsill is not how a noble should behave.”
Her voice was very light.
Carrying a hint of helplessness.
Bell looked at her.
“Because there are some things I wanted to tell you no matter what, Senior.”
His gaze was very serious.
“I want to say...”
“Don't say it yet.”
A finger.
Lightly pressed against Bell’s lips.
It was a bit cool.
With a faint scent of medicine.
Tia looked at him.
Her eyes were somewhat red.
“This afternoon, my father and Marquis Balte finalized the marriage.”
She withdrew her hand.
She lowered her head.
“The wedding is in one month.”
Bell’s fist tightened abruptly.
“Senior, I...”
Tia grabbed his hand.
Very hard.
As if she were grasping her last lifeline.
She pulled Bell’s hand.
Slowly.
She pressed it against her cheek.
“But, Bell.”
She looked up.
Moonlight spilled through the window.
Illuminating her face.
It was pale.
Yet breathtakingly beautiful.
The corners of her mouth curled into a smile.
There was a hint of desolation.
A hint of tenderness.
And a hint of determination.
“I want to at least give my first time to someone I like.”
“Is that okay?”
Bell’s pupils contracted slightly.
Tia looked at him.
Her eyes were full of pleading.
“Don't refuse me, okay?”
Her voice was trembling.
“Since we have no future.”
“Since I am destined to fall into hell.”
“At least...”
“Leave me with a past that is hard to forget.”
“Okay?”
Bell did not speak.
He looked at the girl before him.
He looked at the light in her eyes.
It was a life burning light.
“Tia...”
Before he could finish.
Tia suddenly took a step forward.
She hugged Bell.
Very tightly.
As if she wanted to rub herself into his body.
Then.
With a slight push.
The two of them fell onto the soft bed behind them.
...
A night of passion.
Heavy breathing.
Entanglement.
It was a flower blooming in despair.
It was the final fire in the darkness.
Until the horizon began to pale.
The room gradually grew quiet.
Bell leaned against the headboard.
He looked at the sleeping Tia in his arms.
There were still tear stains at the corners of her eyes.
But a satisfied smile played on her lips.
Bell reached out.
He gently stroked her hair.
His gaze gradually became firm.
Since you gave everything to me.
Since you dared to fight fate for me.
Then what reason do I have to shrink back?
Even if it is hell.
I will charge through it.
Bell lowered his head.
He kissed Tia’s forehead gently.
“Tia.”
His voice was very light.
Yet it carried an immense weight.
“I will give you a future.”
“A future that belongs to us.”
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