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Chapter 3

Author: Meat Loving Monster
A sudden surge of hope rose inside me, and tears wet my lashes.

House Harcourt had been wiped out. The child in my womb was the only bloodline it had left.

But before I could even feel happy, Tristan had someone bring in a draught to end the pregnancy.

"Elowen, you can't keep this child!

"Don't blame me. I promised Sabine a child to secure her future, and the heir of House Blackwood can only be hers!

"Once she gives birth to the heir, I'll come back to your bed right away. You're still young. As long as you take care of yourself, we'll definitely have our own children someday!"

He took the bowl and bent down, as if he were doing me a great favor, to feed it to me himself.

I shuddered and knocked the bowl out of his hand.

"Tristan, this is your child too! How can you do this to me?

"You said my father and brothers deserved to die. You refused to save them, and I had no choice but to let them be sliced to death!

"Why do you have to finish us off? Why won't you even spare the baby in my womb?"

Everything I'd been holding back finally broke, and I screamed at him with everything I had.

Tristan froze. For once, a hint of guilt surfaced in his eyes.

Before he could say anything, the door burst open.

Sabine rushed in, her face streaked with tears, and dropped to her knees right in front of me.

"Elowen, this is all my fault. Please don't blame Tristan!

"He was afraid you'd be upset, so he didn't tell you. The truth is, I'm pregnant too!

"He's only afraid that if my child isn't the heir, we'll be mistreated someday. That's why he's forcing you to get rid of the baby!

"If you don't want to, that's fine. I'll drink the draught instead!

"All I ever wanted was to serve him alongside you. Even if I can't have a child of my own, it doesn't matter!

"Please don't fight with him because of me. If it ends up hurting him, I'd rather leave this house!"

She cried so pitifully that Tristan's own eyes reddened with heartache.

He pulled her into his arms and looked at me with nothing but reproach.

"Elowen, when will you ever be as gracious and well-mannered as Sabine?

"Even she knows to put the family first. You're the daughter of a traitor. What right do you have to make a scene?

"Someone hold my wife down. I'll pour the draught down her throat myself!"

The moment he said it, people rushed forward and pinned me down.

Despite all my injuries, I fought with everything I had.

"Let go of me! I'd rather die than drink that!

"Tristan, why are you so set on destroying my entire family? Why won't you even spare your own child?

"The baby in my womb is the last blood of House Harcourt. I'm begging you, please spare the child!

"If you'll spare the baby, I'll leave this house of my own accord. I don't want to be your wife anymore. Sabine can have my place!"

Tristan gritted his teeth, his eyes ice-cold.

"Elowen, do you really hate being my wife that much?

"You gave away the marriage blessing, and now you want to give away your place as my wife too!"

His eyes were bloodshot, his smile chilling.

"Fine. Then there's even less reason to keep the child. Hold her down!"

Ignoring my cries, he bent down, gripped my jaw, and poured another bowl of scalding draught into my mouth.

My throat filled with the taste of blood, and he tossed me back onto the floor.

The next moment, a pain tore through my lower belly, as if someone were gouging it out.

I curled into a ball and screamed, unable to stop.

Blood gushed out from between my legs.

Maybe my screams were too horrifying, because Tristan pulled me into his arms with trembling hands.

But then Sabine clutched her belly and shrieked.

"Tristan, there's so much blood! I'm so scared!"

Tristan panicked at once. He let go, letting me fall hard to the floor.

He turned and blocked the physician, who was about to come treat me.

"Elowen's always been tough. She'll be fine. See to Sabine first!"

Even covered in blood, I couldn't earn a shred of pity from him.

Before he walked out the door, he looked back at me.

"Elowen, get some sleep. You'll be fine.

"I promise, once Sabine gives birth to the heir, I'll find a way for us to have another child."

I closed my eyes and let the tears fall.

He was the one who had snuffed out my only reason to keep living.

Now there were only two days left until I could collect my family's remains.

Tristan, there would be no future for us.

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  • The Ashes of House Harcourt   Chapter 8

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  • The Ashes of House Harcourt   Chapter 7

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  • The Ashes of House Harcourt   Chapter 6

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  • The Ashes of House Harcourt   Chapter 5

    "Elowen! Elowen!"I'm begging you, come back!"Behind me came Tristan's heart-wrenching cries.But I felt no attachment, only the thrill of finally being set free.Tristan fought past the people trying to stop him and threw himself toward me with all his strength, but he still couldn't catch me."Save her! Hurry up and save her!"You idiots, what are you standing around for?"If Elowen doesn't come back, every one of you will die with her!"Tristan screamed like a madman.But the guards around him looked helpless."My lord, we want to save her too, but the fire's too big. There's nothing we can do!"There's no water anywhere near the paupers' field. By the time we fetch some, she'll be long gone!"Tristan sank to his knees in front of the fire and desperately thrust his hands into the flames."Elowen, I was wrong. Please come out, okay?"As if he couldn't feel any pain, he clawed frantically at the burning pile.But he caught nothing.He collapsed on the ground, sobbing

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    I collapsed on the floor and drifted into a heavy sleep.In my daze, it was as if I'd gone back to the early days of our marriage.Back then, Tristan had eyes for no one but me.He tucked flowers into my hair and painted my brows.When his mother made things hard for me, he'd stand in front of me and tell me I didn't need to fear anyone.I'd never once doubted his love.But love can change in the blink of an eye.When I woke, my face was wet with tears, but my heart had gone completely, deathly still.I was still clutching the marriage blessing.I got up and opened my vanity box.Inside lay the brush he'd used the first time he painted my brows, and the wooden hairpin he'd carved for me with his own hands.One life, one love. Looking back now, what a joke.I gathered up everything I'd once treasured so dearly and stumbled out to the courtyard with it all in my arms.Without hesitation, I threw it all into the brazier and watched it turn to ash.The next moment, someone ki

  • The Ashes of House Harcourt   Chapter 3

    A sudden surge of hope rose inside me, and tears wet my lashes.House Harcourt had been wiped out. The child in my womb was the only bloodline it had left.But before I could even feel happy, Tristan had someone bring in a draught to end the pregnancy."Elowen, you can't keep this child!"Don't blame me. I promised Sabine a child to secure her future, and the heir of House Blackwood can only be hers!"Once she gives birth to the heir, I'll come back to your bed right away. You're still young. As long as you take care of yourself, we'll definitely have our own children someday!"He took the bowl and bent down, as if he were doing me a great favor, to feed it to me himself.I shuddered and knocked the bowl out of his hand."Tristan, this is your child too! How can you do this to me?"You said my father and brothers deserved to die. You refused to save them, and I had no choice but to let them be sliced to death!"Why do you have to finish us off? Why won't you even spare the ba

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