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墨書 Inktalez
Luna's tender voice was like a small stone thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples that broke the stillness of the air in the room.
In her bright eyes, she reflected Lucius's face and the closed door in the distance. She knew that her mother Aelia's heart was, at that moment, even more pale than Brother Lucius's expression.
"Brother, the bad person... ran away..." Luna repeated, tugging at Lucius's hem with her small hand, applying a little pressure as if to confirm his presence and to encourage herself.
"Mother... is sad..."
Lucius regained his composure and looked at the small figure before him, feeling a mix of emotions. He understood Luna's extraordinary nature and the meaning behind her words. Yet, could Mother’s unwavering trust in Father truly be misplaced?
He dared not think deeply about it, nor did he have the strength to do so. Luna did not give him more time to ponder; she released Lucius and marched with her little legs toward Aelia's room with determination.
Qin Si was anxiously pacing at the door. Upon seeing Luna approach, she quickly squatted down and asked nervously, "Young Miss, what brings you here? The Madam..."
Luna did not answer but looked up at Qin Si with her clear eyes as if trying to see through her. Qin Si felt a pang of guilt under her gaze and instinctively looked away.
Luna bypassed Qin Si and gently pushed open the door. Inside the room, the light was dim, filled with a heavy atmosphere. Aelia sat alone at the grooming table, facing away from the door, making it impossible to see her expression.
Luna's heart raced as she took a deep breath and stepped inside.
"Mother..." she called softly, her voice trembling slightly.
Aelia's body shuddered slightly but did not turn around. Luna approached her cautiously and gently grasped her hem.
"Mother, Luna has something... to tell you..."
The air was thick with a heavy atmosphere that made it hard to breathe. Finally, Aelia slowly turned around.
Luna's heart sank sharply.
Before her stood Aelia, pale as paper, with red-rimmed eyes and tear stains still fresh on her cheeks. Her beautiful eyes were filled with shock, sorrow, and disbelief.
"Luna... what are you saying?" Aelia's voice was hoarse and trembling, as if she had exhausted all her strength.
Luna knew it was time to reveal the truth. She summoned her courage and, in her innocent voice, recounted everything about Leonard and his concubine to Aelia in detail.
She did not embellish or hide any details; she simply stated everything she knew in the simplest of terms.
The room was enveloped in silence.
Aelia sat there, as if she were a statue.
The expression on her face shifted from shock to confusion, then to anger, continuously changing.
After Luna finished speaking, she nervously watched Aelia, her small hands tightly clenched, palms damp with sweat.
She had no idea how Aelia would react, nor did she know if what she had done was right or wrong.
Time seemed to stand still.
Finally, Aelia's body began to tremble slightly.
Her hands were clenched into fists, her white nails digging deeply into her flesh.
In her beautiful eyes burned the fury of betrayal.
“It’s impossible… it can’t be…” she murmured, her voice hoarse and filled with despair.
“How could he… how could he betray me?”
For years, she had loved Leonard deeply, dedicating herself entirely to him and their family.
She believed that Leonard loved and trusted her just as much in return.
But now, Luna had told her that Leonard had a concubine!
This news was like a thunderclap to her.
Her world collapsed in an instant.
All her years of devotion and trust turned into a cruel joke.
“No… I don’t believe it… I can’t believe it!” Aelia suddenly stood up, her voice sharp and piercing.
She pushed Luna aside and stumbled out of the room.
Luna was nearly knocked off balance by the force of the push.
Qin Si rushed over to support her, worry etched on his face as he looked after Aelia's retreating figure.
“Madam! Where are you going?” Qin Si called out anxiously.
Aelia did not respond; she quickened her pace and headed straight for Leonard’s study.
She needed to confront Leonard and hear from him directly whether this was true!
She could no longer sit idly by or remain in the dark!
She demanded an explanation for all her years of sacrifice!
Luna watched Aelia disappear down the hallway, filled with concern.
She knew what would happen next.
A storm was about to arrive. Leonard was in his study handling official business, feeling quite pleased. Ever since he had taken in Leonard's Concubine, he felt rejuvenated. The woman at home could no longer satisfy his needs. Only a young and beautiful lover could bring him true joy. Moreover, he had already planned that when the time was right, he would elevate Leonard's Concubine to replace Aelia.
He had even begun to transfer the family's assets, paving the way for himself and his lover. Just as he was smugly plotting his future, the door to the study was suddenly flung open. Aelia stormed in, her face pale with rage and her eyes red.
Leonard was startled, and the feather pen in his hand fell to the floor. "Aelia! What are you doing? Why are you being so reckless?" he frowned, expressing his displeasure.
Aelia ignored his reprimand and fixed her gaze on him, her voice trembling as she asked, "Leonard, tell me, do you have another woman outside?"
Leonard's heart sank. He never expected Aelia would know about this. Who told her? Could it be…? He glanced towards the door but saw no one.
"Aelia, what are you talking about? How could I have another woman? Don't listen to rumors!" Leonard forced himself to remain calm, trying to deny it. He couldn't admit it! If he did, all his plans would be ruined!
However, Aelia was not fooled by his evasions. She let out a cold laugh. "Leonard, even now you still want to deceive me? Luna has already told me about you and that woman… you both..."
At this point, she could say no more; tears streamed down her face. Leonard's complexion turned pale.
"Aelia… let me explain…" He tried to justify himself but found he had no words left to say.
Aelia could no longer bear it; she accused Leonard of betrayal with tears streaming down her face, her emotions nearly breaking apart. "Leonard! You bastard! I have sacrificed so much for you, and this is how you repay me! Do you think you deserve me? Do you think you deserve this family?"
Her voice was piercing and filled with despair, brimming with sadness and anger. Leonard looked at the heartbroken woman before him but felt not a shred of guilt; instead, a flicker of annoyance arose within him. He thought Aelia was too loud and too bothersome. He wanted to rid himself of her and fly away with his lover.
“Aelia, stop being unreasonable! I…” He wanted to argue, but was interrupted by Aelia.
“Unreasonable? Leonard! You dare say I’m being unreasonable? Ask yourself, how have I treated you all these years? How have I treated this family? Haven’t I done enough?” Aelia's tears flowed down like pearls strung on a broken thread.
She truly didn’t understand why Leonard was treating her this way. What had she done wrong?
Leonard looked at Aelia’s tears and felt even more agitated. He didn’t want to get entangled with her any longer; he just wanted to end this farce as quickly as possible.
“Aelia, calm down! We can talk about this later…” He tried to soothe her, wanting to send her away.
But Aelia wouldn’t let him off the hook.
“Talk about it later? Leonard! How long do you plan to deceive me? Today, you must give me an explanation!” Her voice was filled with determination.
Leonard’s expression darkened. He knew that today’s matter would not end well.
“Aelia, are you really going to force me?” His voice carried a hint of threat.
Aelia didn’t respond; she just stared at him with eyes full of hatred.
A sense of unease rose within Leonard. He felt as if he were caught in a massive whirlpool, unable to escape.
He looked at Aelia, his gaze flickering uncertainly as he pondered how to respond.
“You…” Leonard barely uttered a word before stopping short.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of someone standing at the door, gently shaking their head at him, signaling him not to continue.
Who was that…? Why were they trying to stop him?
His heart filled with confusion and fear.
The atmosphere in the room grew even more eerie.
Seeing Leonard’s hesitation only fueled Aelia’s anger further.
“Leonard! What do you want to say? Go on!” she shouted, her voice sharp and piercing.
Leonard tightly shut his mouth, afraid to speak again.
He feared that if he said anything…
What would happen?
He didn’t know.
All he knew was that he couldn’t speak.
He couldn’t…
Who was the person outside?
What was he truly afraid of?
Aelia's gaze followed Leonard's, turning toward the door, filled with confusion.
Leonard's silence acted like a fuse, igniting the fury within Aelia.
She no longer held any illusions, nor did she have any expectations of Leonard.
She would seek justice for herself!
Her eyes became resolute and determined.
"Good... very good..." Aelia sneered, her voice cold as ice.
"Leonard... you... just wait for me..."
With that, she abruptly turned and strode out of the study.
Leonard watched Aelia's retreating figure, his body trembling slightly.
What should he do?
How should he respond?
He felt as if his future was engulfed in darkness...
In the study, only Leonard remained, slumped in his chair, his face pale as paper.
What was he supposed to do?
Who was that person outside?
What would they do?
He knew nothing, his heart filled with fear and unease, as if an invisible net was slowly tightening around him, leaving him nowhere to escape...
The atmosphere in the study was suffocatingly tense.
Under Aelia's unwavering gaze, Leonard's carefully crafted facade crumbled in an instant.
He could feel sweat trickling down his back, the cold, clammy sensation reminding him of the impending doom he faced.
He opened his mouth to speak, to fabricate another flimsy excuse, but the words caught in his throat.
The shadow at the door flashed through his mind like a fleeting image of Leonard's Last Night, silent warnings echoing in his ears.
He struggled to swallow, the metallic taste of fear filling his mouth.
Aelia watched him, her breathing urgent and erratic.
The flickering candlelight cast dancing shadows on her face, highlighting every line etched with pain.
Silence spread out, only her heartbeat wildly pounding in her chest breaking this stillness.
It was a silence filled with expectation, laden with unspoken accusations.
At last, Leonard's voice broke the silence, almost like a whisper.
"Yes," he choked out the word, feeling it bitter in his mouth like ashes.
"There... there is another woman."
This confession hung in the air, coiling around Aelia's heart like a venomous snake.
Her face drained of color, turning as pale as paper.
Her eyes, once burning with flames of anger, were now shrouded in deep, hollow despair.
The world around her seemed to tilt, the opulent furnishings of the study blurring into a colorful whirlpool.
She swayed slightly, her twin legs suddenly feeling weak and unsteady.
With a soft thud, she collapsed onto the cold stone floor, the impact sending fresh pain through her already shattered nerves.
Beneath her lay a vibrant tapestry depicting scenes of pastoral family life, cruelly mocking her with its irony.
Her hands trembled as she reached out to grasp the woven dark purple thread, as if seeking some tangible support amidst the whirlpool of betrayal.
Luna witnessed this heartbreaking scene, a wave of intense sympathy swelling within her that nearly took her breath away.
Her small hand instinctively reached for her mother, fingers clenched tightly into a fist.
A strong resolve surged through her veins, echoing a silent vow in the quiet room.
"This will not happen," she thought, her mind racing.
"I will not let this happen." The injustice and the cruel suffering endured by her mother ignited a steadfast determination within her heart.
She "knew" this story; she would not allow it to unfold according to its predetermined plot.
The atmosphere in the study subtly shifted, almost imperceptibly.
The heavy despair that had wrapped around them like a shroud began to dissipate, replaced by a faint glimmer of hope—a resistance against the impending darkness.
The scent of aged parchment and leather, usually comforting and familiar, now carried a metallic tang—the smell of impending change, the scent of a brewing storm.
A gentle breeze swept through the room, rustling the papers on Leonard's desk and softly whispering of the turmoil to come.
Suddenly, an urgent knock shattered the tense silence.
Leonard jumped, his eyes darting nervously toward the source of the sound.
He coldly and firmly knew who was waiting outside that door.
"Open up, Leonard," a voice said lowly, laced with steely determination.
"We need to talk."
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