Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 11 - Chapitre 19

The moment the carriage rolled smoothly out of the city gates, Evelyn let out a long breath. Days of tension finally drained out of her body all at once.Martha leaned against the seat. When she saw her mistress' state, her eyes welled up. "My lady, we've left the capital."Evelyn reached over and took her hand, her voice quiet but steady as she replied, "Yes. We've left. We're never going back."They traveled by carriage for several days before switching to a boat at the docks. The boat was spacious and steady, with several maids assigned to look after Martha's daily needs. They also helped in changing her bandages and giving her medicine.Evelyn couldn't help but feel a quiet warmth at how thoughtful Richard had been.Because Martha couldn't travel easily, they stopped often. It took two full months before they finally reached the Southlands.Richard's mother, Lily Sanford, had received word ahead of time and was waiting personally at the gate.The moment she saw Evelyn, she h

Just then, a chorus of screams rose up nearby."Fire! There's a fire! Everyone, move!"The crowd erupted into panic, people scattering in every direction. In the chaos, someone slammed into Evelyn. She felt the ground disappear beneath her feet as she pitched straight into the lake. The icy water swallowed her whole in an instant, cold pressing in from every side.It felt like she was back at Selena's garden party, back in that pond where Julian had left her floating for an entire day. For as long as she lived, she would never forget how cold that pond had been.Her hands began to go numb, her body sinking beyond her control. But then, she heard the sound of water splashing. Richard dove in without a moment's hesitation, swimming straight toward her. Through the blur of water, she watched him close the distance between them.For a hazy moment, the memory of Julian swimming toward her that day overlapped with the figure in front of her now. But this time, the figure didn't swim pas

The day Evelyn finished embroidering her wedding gown, she was folding it to put it away when a voice called from outside, "My lady, there's someone here asking for you. He says he's an old acquaintance."Evelyn paused for a moment. She already had a guess who it was. The only person she knew in the Southlands was her uncle. Aside from Julian, who else would come calling?"I won't see him," she replied calmly.The servant acknowledged her reply and left. But before long, she came hurrying back."My lady, he says if you won't come out, he'll wait at the gate until you do."Evelyn frowned, but rose and followed the servant to the gate anyway. Outside the Ashworth family's estate, the guards were holding someone back.It was Julian.She hadn't seen him in a while, and he looked considerably more haggard now. He was noticeably thinner, with the dark circles under his eyes visible even from several steps away.At the sound of her footsteps, Julian stopped trying to force his way pas

Evelyn woke to the violent jolting of a carriage. Her limbs felt weak and boneless, while her wrists and ankles were bound with soft cotton rope.Julian sat across from her. He stared at her without blinking, as if she might vanish into thin air the second he looked away.A few days had passed since she'd last seen him, and the shadows beneath his eyes had only deepened. Unkempt stubble covered his jaw. All the poise and refinement he used to carry had been stripped away, leaving nothing but ruin and obsession.Seeing her eyes open, something wild flared in his hollow gaze."You're awake. I'm taking you back to the capital. As soon as we get there, we're getting married. Everything that happened was my mistake. I'll make it up to you. From now on, I'll do whatever you want. You'll come around eventually," he said, his voice coming out badly cracked.Evelyn leaned against the carriage wall, her expression cold. "And then what? What good does dragging me back and keeping me locked u

Before long, a maid poked her head in. "My lady! The wedding carriage is at the gate!"Martha carefully lowered the veil over Evelyn's face. In an instant, all she could see was a wash of white. The attendants guided her carefully to her feet and out the door, placing her hand gently into Richard's.Through the veil, she couldn't see his face, but she could feel the faint dampness on his palm.The man who was always so composed and unshakable was as nervous as a boy today.He guided her carefully to the carriage, and she took her seat. Following the wedding customs of the Southlands, the carriage would circle the entire city once, so that all their friends and neighbors could share in the celebration.In a quiet, overlooked corner, a carriage sat waiting. Julian leaned weakly against the seat inside, his face drained of all color. He watched the wedding carriage pass by from a distance.For a hazy moment, the scene in front of him blurred together with the dream he'd had not long