Chapter 2
The late hours in the Ashford estate were anything but peaceful.
Sebastian had gone out to fetch the royal physician for me, and I lay in bed, overhearing the servants whispering in hushed tones.
“Ninth time, isn’t it? Wonder if this time he’ll bring home a mistress.”
“The lord loves Lady Grace too much. He’d never take a mistress!”
“They say a woman loses children if she carries bad karma. Maybe Lady Grace’s…”
“Enough nonsense!” Sebastian’s voice cut through sharply. “Give those gossipmongers a proper lesson–then kick them out of the estate!”
He dismissed the servants and watched the physician attend to me with aching concern.
Ignoring the mess and dirt, he even wiped the blood and filth between my legs with his own hands.
I lay silent. After a while, Sebastian suddenly dropped to his knees beside me.
“Grace, does it hurt? If it does, hit me, curse me — just don’t keep it bottled up inside.”
Before I could answer, a young footman rushed in, breathless.
“My lord, someone’s here to see you…”
Sebastian snapped, irritated, “At this hour? Don’t let them in—”
But his words faltered when he saw who it was.
The visitor wore loose, simple robes and knelt with bowed head and humble eyes.
Sebastian hesitated, then whispered to me, “Grace, he’s from the king’s council. Must be urgent. I’ll take him to the study first.”
“I’ll be back as soon as I can. Wait for me.”
I was nearly broken by pain, but I recognized the visitor instantly.
Her lips like rose petals, her skin pale as moonlight
–
none other than Seraphina, the woman Sebastian had been entangled with that day.
If this were before, I’d have confronted him. But this time, I only loosened my grip on his sleeve and said softly, “Go.”
He seemed briefly dazed but finally pulled Seraphina up and hurried away.
What he didn’t know was that I’d already told the system: three days after this child died, I would leave this world
Enduring the pain, I quietly followed them to the study.
The study was filled with things I’d carefully prepared for him, which he treasured above all else.
He never let anyone enter except himself, even insisting on cleaning it personally.
But now the room was a mess.
The paintings we had worked on together were spread across the dark oak desk.
Seraphina was sprawled over them, her young fingers crumpling the delicate parchment into deep creases.
The wolf–hair brush I had made by hand
–
the one he cherished
–
was wet and stained in her mouth.
never to return.
wwwwwww
“My lord… I can’t bear it…”
The woman’s breathy moans shattered the silence.
Sebastian gasped, then cursed harshly, “shameless siren, daring to ensnare me!”
Crude and reckless words tumbled from his lips as they tangled together.
Iwatched them with a twisted kind of pain so this was how he was, when he was consumed by passion.
Lost in the moment, I suddenly caught Seraphina lift her head
–
and our eyes locked.
Chapter 2
