Chapter 8: Remnants

Chapter 8: Remnants

It has been days since that event and my hand is getting better. However, a bandage must still be worn to keep it from being infected.

"You can ask whatever you want Sen. Stop disturbing me with your glances, I can't concentrate." I irritatingly said.

"I've been dying of curiosity. What has happened to the hands of a young lady like you?" He asked so I stopped reading the document.

"Just a small accident." I didn't want to discuss personal matters with him and he's better off not knowing anything.

"Alright, milady I will stop questioning you because it's against our rules."

I took the ballpoint and before it even touch the document some scoundrel snatched it from my hand.

"Sen what are you doing right now?"

"However milady, you should concentrate on healing your hand for now. So stop writing and doing arduous tasks and just leave it all to me." He said and snatched all the documents which needed to be reviewed and checked.

"But this is a joint business so there has to be an imprint of my effort in it--"

"Yes milady, I understood that you value effort and contracts. However, as I've said a while ago, your hand should heal first before you continue doing these tasks. S-so just focus on that!"

He said as if he was talking to a subordinate. But why did he have to blush like that?

"Are you okay Sen? Are you hot or what?"

His eyes widened and I shot my eyebrow up but he just avoided my gaze and continued working on the documents.

He was true to his words, so all I ever did was read the documents and whenever I would put a mark or comment on it, he would do it instead so he ended up working himself too much.

"Should I treat you next time because you seemed generous to me today?" I jokingly said to him while letting Gray handle all the documents I will bring home.

"W-whatever lady Emma, just be sure to have your hand healed by the time we meet again." He waved his hand goodbye and quickly ran away from me.

"He seems to have a date right now, am I right Gray?"

Gray flinched with my question but he just agreed to my words.

"Let's go back now. I want to have a tea."

"Yes milady." Gray answered and guided me towards the carriage.

I was about to take his hand so I could ride the carriage but someone slapped his hand away.

It has been a week since I last saw him and he just caused me terrible pain. So I don't have the energy to deal with him now. Just seeing him right now makes me remember my pitiful previous life.

"Emily."

"Milord, I apologize but I'm already tired and I can't have another conversation with you to--"

"This will be the last conversation I would have with you Lady Emily."

I observed him for a moment to see if he's bluffing but I sighed when I realized that he's serious.

"Last you say. There's a nearby cafe in here so--"

"No, I w-wanted to invite you to our estate."

"To your estate? Milord, we can just talk here."

"In private Emily. This will be the last time I promise you."

"If you want, you can stay in your carriage and have you knight with you. But please accept my last request."

Sitting alone in a carriage, my auburn-ish was obediently staying in their rightful place while my amber eyes busied itself with the beautiful view outside. Somehow, it reminded me of something I had in mind ever since I was born.

I once died. And this is my second life, my second chance.

However, I didn't have any recollections of how, when and where I died or if someone caused it to happen. It was something I failed to remember and ended up having restless nights and intolerable headaches. But due to some terrible events, I have slowly guessed what kind of life I have led in the previous one.

"Milady."

The coachman knocked on the door of the carriage before opening it. However, I didn't budge from my seat and darted my eyes in the mansion in front of her.

"Milady, we have arrived."

It took me minutes to compose myself and calm my mind before transferring my attention to the coachman who is awkwardly smiling at me as he offered his hand to assist me to come down the carriage.

"Milady, may I ask about the time we should come back and bring you back to the mansion?"

"Before it gets dark and bring my brother with you."

"Yes, milady."

When the carriage left, I was greeted and guided by the butler and some servants.

"Milady, the young lord has emphasized that only milady would be allowed to enter the estate." The butler said eyeing Gray who was walking behind me.

"Is that so?"

"Y-yes milady." The sweat on his forehead seemed to stop because he thought that I was going to follow what he said.

"Gray."

"Yes milady."

"Go back and call the coachman. We will immediately return to the estate."

The butler and the servants paled as if my decision would either save or take away their lives.

"M-milady, the young lord has specifically instructed as to--"

"A lady going in a Duke's estate without any guards might bring unfavorable news to you, am I right?"

"B-but milady is the young lord's fiancee--"

"Haven't you seen the marriage proposal letter being returned to your estate?"

His lips shut off as if I have dropped off the bomb onto his face. A while later, he dropped on his knees as well as the other servants.

"M-milady, please have mercy on us! We want to live! The young lord will surely not let us get away with this so please even if you bring your escort with you please just accept the young lord's invitation." They all begged me to come inside and I was planning to return back to our estate because going in his den gives me creeps and my instincts are telling me to just run away from this place.

However, I was curious as to why my mind keeps on telling me to go and run away as far as I could.

"M-milady this way please."

"And please you can just leave your escort here outside."

"I understand." We stopped in front of dark green luxurious door where a tidbits of gold can't be easily spotted by the naked eye.

"Milady." Gray interrupted me and for the first time, I saw him look at me with a worried eyes.

"Gray, you can take your break and don't forget to take a nap." I meaningfully said and he immediately flinched as if he understood what I meant. I left him there dumbfounded and focused my eyes in the scoundrel in front of me.

"A code milady?"

"Yes in cases that we can't properly talk to each other or if there's a tendency that someone might eavesdrop on it."

"Then what will be the code for the worst possible scenario?"

"You can take your break and don't forget to take a nap."

"What does that mean milady?"

"If a situation I can't handle or stop happens, I want you to get away from people's eyes to scan the surroundings and look for possible exits. And if ever you saw me on the verge of death…"

"M-milady…"

"If ever that happens, assess the situation first if it would be favorable on our side or not. If it's not, please immediately take me back to my family and protect them as they flee."

"And Gray, don't ever forget your status. Harming a commoner may be overlooked but not a noble, especially those that rise higher in the ranks. So don't ever, even in worst case scenarios, raise or point your sword at any nobleman or noblewoman."

"Your shame truly knows no bounds. To force me to shake off my escort upon entering your estate." I shamelessly said and glared back at him.

But he just leisurely took a sip on his tea while looking at me.

"I told you Emily, this will be the last time we will be talking to each other."

I covertly surveyed the room with my eyes while focusing my attention on him so I could immediately react if he do something funny.

"Relax Emily, don't be too frigid. I'm not going to hurt you, so just only look at listen to me."

"As I've told you before, I will do everything even if it costs me a life just to have you."

"That remark has been disturbing me even in my dreams milord. So could you please stop with that?"

"Tell me Emily, why don't you just love me back? You know that I could give you everything you want. Money, dresses, jewelry, mansions or even the crown of the Empress. I'm going to be the Emperor soon so why don't you just accept me?"

"I apologize but I don't need any of that. I have enough of it to keep me going in life."

"But I could provide you with the things that you don't even want. Or is it people that you want? Tell me Emily and you will have it. But I need you beside me instead."

"Do you really love me milord?" That stopped him from sweet-talking me. He regained his original self. That manipulative, psychotic selfish bastard he has always been as I've seen him.

"Will you accept me if I say yes Emily?"

I sarcastically smiled at him as I confirmed my decision.

"As I thought milord, my decision will never change. So just forget about me, there are a lot of women out there who would be willing to even spend a night with you so just stop bothering me and just move on."

I composed myself and slowly stood from the sofa while looking at him.

"This meeting has never happened so I hope that what happened here will never be known to the outside."

As I was nearing the door, I heard him call me but I didn't look back.

"Emily, as I've said I would do anything just to keep you here with me. And you who has been always rejecting me has willingly embraced me with your own arms."

It was too late for me to realize what he meant because I already felt the painful prick of the needle on my neck.

I glared at him and cursed him before losing my consciousness.

"Son of a bitch."

His shocked face was the last thing I saw when the world turned dark. This isn't what I've planned.

"Emily! Emily!"

"Butler! Prepare the guest room, Lady Emily has collapsed. She must have been too exhausted from her outing. Come on!"

You son of a bitch. You dare stoop this low.