Chapter 71: CH 71

‘Because the Crown Prince likes you.’

But, as Shannet says, if Gabriel really cares about me…

Gabriel took my hand. My body trembled at the sudden touch, but I tried not to show it. My mouth was dry.

I waited for Gabriel to speak.

“You can lean on me, Daphne.”

“Gabriel…?”

“I will become Daphne’s new home.”

Thud-

It felt like my heart was going to drop to the floor in an instant.

Gabriel thought I was trembling nervously, but he held my hand tightly.

I had to resist the urge to shake Gabriel’s hand at any moment. It felt like all my faith was shattered.

“If you need a place to escape, I’ll be there.”

“That… What do you mean?”

“If you want a divorce from the Duke, I will help you. Daphne will not be harmed by this. The reason for the divorce lies with the Duke Burstoad, who failed to perform his duties as a Duke. If anyone ever insults Daphne, I will not forgive them as Crown Prince.”

“… Then what’s next? Count Peliard….”

“Count Peliard will not be able to touch Daphne. Daphne will be the most noble woman in the world. Daphne, come with me…”

Hwik-

I shook off Gabriel’s hand that was holding my hand and stood up. I couldn’t listen any more.

It became clear. Gabriel had me in his mind.

He’s trying to tell me that he’ll make me an Empress with that pretty mouth.

Many complicated thoughts ran through my head, but the one thing that upsets me the most right now is one.

“Did you deceive me?”

I said sharply to Gabriel. It was never shown to Gabriel before.

“Did you deceive me and imprisoned Cesare? We saved you, Gabriel. Is it true that Gabriel framed Cesare? And what the hell did the people of Burstoad do wrong? Did you really think I wouldn’t know?”

Gabriel’s smile broke like a grain of sand and disappeared.

“Daphne…”

“Tell me!! Did you really deceive me?”

Gabriel came towards me.

But Gabriel did not deny it. Everything I’ve ever believed was a lie.

Gabriel betrayed Cesare and locked me here.

“How could you tell me… What about Cesare? Cesare saved you!”

“… Daphne also wanted to run away from the Duke. You hated him.”

“No!”

It wasn’t because I hated Cesare that I wanted to run away. I was trying to run away before he killed me like in the original novel.

And now, I rather like Cesare.

“Cesare is my husband and the person I love. But you…. Hah… Terrible.”

Suddenly, a spark flashed in Gabriel’s eyes.

His face, which I had only thought of as an angel until now, was distorted and angered.

Gabriel strode over to me and grabbed my wrist. Then he said in a subdued voice.

“I’m terrible? I saved your life! The terrible thing is the Duke. He imprisoned you in the tower and suppressed you! Is that what you do to your wife? He was such a person, so you must have been trying to run away from him!”

Why didn’t I even have doubts until now?

Gabriel’s words and Shannet’s words were intertwined.

‘Because the Crown Prince likes madam! Everyone talks like that.’

‘I saved you!’

And I was reminded of the words of the ladies at the reading group.

‘The eyes of the Crown Prince looking at the Duchess are unusual.’

‘I guess he likes you.’

My lips trembled.

“I wasn’t trying to run away from Cesare, Gabriel.”

I said in a voice that was submerged in water.

“I… I ran away because I thought Cesare likes you. Because I thought you were going to take my husband.”

“… How could you think like that?”

Gabriel let out a laugh.

I get away from Gabriel. I instinctively felt that I had to run away.

I tried to shake Gabriel’s hand away, but he wouldn’t let me go, but he took one step closer.

I felt dizzy at the scent of Gabriel coming close.

Then Gabriel slowly bowed his head.

My eyes opened wide with astonishment. I slapped him in the face at a breathtaking distance.

Slap-

Gabriel’s head turned violently.

Handprints were left on his white face and fine blonde hair was flowing down his head.

Gabriel’s blue eyes flashed sharply through the messy hair. He growled and said my name.

“Daphne.”

It was the first time I had seen Gabriel like this. Gabriel was revealing all of his bottom and feelings.

Surprised at seeing it for the first time, I hesitated and backed away. Gabriel looked at me.

“It’s not Cesare that I like.”

Gabriel muttered as if chewing.

“All I want is you, Daphne.”

There would be no such desperate confession.

Everything was messed up.

Why the hell did I stick to the original?

Thinking that Cesare likes me, I even made up my mind to live with him.

Why did I think that I would love Cesare while trapping Gabriel?

Gabriel’s heart could have been changed too…

“I was jealous of Cesare, so I imprisoned him and abused him.”

Gabriel meekly admitted what he had done.

But Gabriel didn’t look guilty in the slightest. He even seemed relieved.

“I freed you from Cesare. I am repaying you for helping me, Daphne.”

“… I like Cesare….”

“Stop.”

Gabriel shook his head.

“You are mistaken. It’s called Stockholm Syndrome. To mistake you for loving the person who oppressed and bullied you. That’s it. It’s so painful…”

“You don’t know who is really locking me up right now?”

Gabriel’s expression shook.

Waves pounded in the blue eyes of beautiful Gabriel. Gabriel’s lips trembled as he looked back at me.

You’re sick, you are… I really thought you were doing it for me.

Gabriel’s feelings were passed on to me.

Without realizing it, I stepped backwards and stumbled. I resisted Gabriel stretching out his hand towards me.

Gabriel’s nature was still there. Sweet and kind Gabriel.

“Go away, Gabriel. I… I want to be alone.”

Gabriel hesitated, then turned.

“… You will be safe forever.”

Gabriel threw out obsessive lines and walked out of the bedroom.

Shannet, who was waiting outside, ran towards me as I collapsed.

Shannet hugged me tightly.

“Madam…!”

“It’s okay.”

Really, it’s okay.

But I don’t know why the tears are pouring out like this.

What did I do?

Cesare… Then you… because of me…

It felt like my heart was being ripped apart. The noble Duke Burstoad had collapsed because of me.

Cesare, what are you doing? …It’s all because of me.

Tears slipped and flowed down. It was a sense of guilt in many ways.

*****

Gabriel swept his hair.

‘How did she find out?’

Was the maid standing outside the door the culprit?

Gabriel asked about this. But I soon realized that all this was to no avail.

It would have been revealed one day anyway. He didn’t mean to hold on to Daphne just because he was Gabriel.

If Daphne had taken one step outside, she would have known the truth.

The problem is that it turns out in the worst way possible.

I should have prepared for this situation in advance…

More than anything else, there was something else that caught Gabriel’s breath.

‘I love Cesare!’

Daphne’s desperate confession was lingering in Gabriel’s mind.

Gabriel shook his head and sat down on the bed.

“It can’t be….”

Gabriel muttered in a cracked voice.

Daphne had to hate Cesare. Only then could Gabriel be a hero in all of this.

He had to be the one to save Daphne, not to hurt her.

“It can’t be…”

A broken heart has been hurt.

Gabriel didn’t want to be hated by Daphne. He didn’t want to lose Daphne’s smile and warmth.

He couldn’t give up the warmth that Gabriel had tasted for the first time in his life.

Daphne’s astonished expression as she looked at Gabriel and thorny words stabbed him.