Chapter 7: Rejection

Chapter 7: Rejection

He told the server our order and he didn't even ask what I want and just assumed that I liked what he chose for me.

"So you were saying?"

"I wish to talk about the marriage proposal you offered." He shot his eyebrow up and looked at me as if I've said something ridiculous.

"The marriage proposal, I didn't know you're quite aggressive Lady Emily. Well, yes I also wanted to marry you, however, we have to spend months in preparing it, you're marrying the only heir of the Duke and you're going to acquire the second highest position in the Empire so I understand that you can't wait for it--"

"I wish to reject your marriage proposal." I firmly said while looking at him and he immediately stopped talking. How ambitious of you to think that I would marry such a guy like you. Indeed, you hold one of the highest position in the Empire but your attitude seems to have been dragged into the depths of Erebus.

"Reject. Do you even know what you're saying?" He said as if I have lost a once in a chance for a huge deal. I have now realized that marrying him would indeed by me biggest lost so I'd rather not.

"Yes, milord. I'm still unfit to be wedded so I needed to learn more things before I marry someone--"

"But as I said, we would spend several months preparing for the wedding and you can use that time learning what you're supposed to learn."

"Milord, I also wish to do some things before getting married because I know that being your wife would mean a lot of responsibilities and I won't be able to do the things I wanted to do so much. That is why--"

"I will lessen your duties so just stop giving me excuses."

"But milord, I don't wish to marry someone whom I just met. I don't wish to have a loveless marriage. And I don't think I'm fit to be the Duchess. I'm just the daughter of a lowly Count so I don't understand why.."

"So are you even questioning my preferences? I chose you because as I've said, I've taken a liking of you and I can't help but be possessive Emily. You know that I always get what I want."

That's when the hairs on my arms stood. He's gone crazy and I can't even think of a way on how to have him give up on me.

"Milord I--"

"No more Emily. Strangers you say, then we shall spend more time to get to know one another."

"But milord, as I've said I do not wish to get married. I--"

"Emily, I will remind you once again. I always get what I want no matter what so I will do everything in my power to have you."

I thought that was our last meeting but it definitely wasn't. The next day, I received a shocking pile of gifts.

"The House of Kingsley?" My parents and even Archer had his eyebrow creased because they thought I have broken the proposal but I just stared at the pile of gifts and instead of butterflies in my stomach, I felt something awry and my instinct is telling me to not accept these gifts.

"Tell the House of Kingsley that they got the wrong address." I said which puzzled the man while he was looking at me.

"Tell him that I won't receive any gifts. My wardrobe is about to pop because it has several dresses on it." I said and the sweat began to form on his head because it seems like he wouldn't be spared if I didn't accept those gifts but I couldn't care less.

"B-but m-milady I was strictly told that--"

"Butler, they're going to leave with the gifts so kindly show them out." I said and the butler immediately did what I asked him to do.

However, I didn't know that he was going to be this persistent. He sent wardrobes, jewelries, accessories and even pastries but I rejected every single one of them. But the newspaper seemed to have received a fake news.

'Lord Charles Kingsley seems to have fallen head over heels with Lady Emily Wescott: His gifts are the proof'

'Riches of the House of Kingsley Knows No Bounds'

'Romantic perseverance of Lord Kingsley as a proof of his undying love for Lady Wescott.'

I spit a hundred curses while reading the headlines of it. Unfortunately, I can't touch the media because the House of Kingsley itself is backing them so that explains the news always emphasized the bastard.

"Emily, are you really not going to accept Lord Kingsley? He seems serious though?"

Sylvia asked with her puppy eyes which seems to have hearts on it so I felt nasty.

"Why would she? I honestly don't feel good about that man Emily. He seems to be fine on the outside but seems distorted on the inside."I almost agreed to Anne because we felt the same thing however I feel uncomfortable around Sylvia.

Looking at her, those innocent blue eyes seemed to have a lot of secrets behind it and I don't think I can be carefree around her.

"But Lord Kingsley is almost a perfect man in every woman's eyes and there can't be anyone who is much better than him. His peculiar features are what sets him apart from us. It almost seems like he's untouchable."

Anne and I met each other's eyes and can't help but to shake our heads while staring at Sylvia. Now this is also one of the things I'm wary about, she seems to have a crush on that man. Or maybe it's more than like?

"Sylvia, as I've said I can't afford to marry someone right now and it has not been a part of my plans ever since so I don't think it's a good thing." She can't helped but sadly gazed at me.

"But the news says that you have a very romantic relationship. Wait, is that nit even true?"

"Sylvia, why do you think I came here?" I said as a matter of fact.

"T-to clear the misunderstanding and ask for our assistance in stopping the marriage proposal."

"Well that's correct. I wouldn't ask for your help in stopping his marriage proposal."

"But it's still unfortunate…"she said in a low voice.

"What's unfortunate?" My spine immediately was filled with chills. My forehead creased when I turned around and saw a bastard walking towards me. How did he know that I was here?

"How did you know that I was here?" He brightly smiled at me and immediately extended his hands to wrap me in a hug but I immediately stood up avoiding him. His smile was immediately replaced with an angry frown.

"Emily, why are you avoiding me?" He said as if it's just natural to let him come and hug me. As if I'd let that.

"I apologize for my rude behavior but doing that in a public vicinity seems to be rude. I just didn't want to have unnecessary news spread." I said as I took my purse from the chair and was preparing to leave.

"Well, you're my fiancee so what's wrong with us being intimate?"

"Correction milord, your proposal has not been formally accepted by my family and me so now you are the only heir of the Duke and I'm the daughter of a lowly Count."

I was expecting him to get angry, however, he just smirked and went closer to me so he could whisper in my ear.

"Stop resisting already. I told you that I will do everything just to have you. What you want and not want are insignificant." His voice sent chills down to my spine and by that he's not just annoying but deadly creepy and harmful. From that day on, I started to bring with me the dagger given to me by Adler. I even started practicing it so I could easily use it if the situation requires me to but I hoped that it would not lead to that.

However, I didn't expect things to get worse.

"Emily, choose whatever dress and I'll pay for it. However, I feel sad because you didn't even accepted my gifts to you before."

"Milord, how did you know that I was here?"

"Hmm, I just knew you would be here." Liar.

He's started stalking me since our first meeting at the restaurant. I didn't know that he's going to be this persistent. And what's worse, he would just attempt to hold, hug or even kiss me which I find really disturbing.

"Why are you avoiding me Emily?"

"Because it's inappropriate milord. You being intimate with someone who is not even your fiancee--"

"Then why didn't you accept my proposal in the first place?! So that I wouldn't settle in this kind of treatment?" That was the first time he lost his cool but I didn't get scared or what. Just feel somehow creepy.

The next time, he will definitely lose his patience and I will face a great problem. Yeah right.

So these days, I decided to lessen my outings. While staying at the mansion, I felt the presence of not less than five knights outside the house. They were even monitoring me inside the estate.

However, a letter arrived from Sen. We have encountered a conflict with unit rental passage so I had no choice but to meet with him.

We spent only few minutes organizing and reading our files so we could pinpoint the root of the problem and solve it with our planned solution. But I couldn't stay with him for a longer time so we went our separate ways through using our secret exit.

"Emily!" I was too focused with looking for a solution for this issue but a rude bastard suddenly barged into my study room. What the hell is it this time?

I didn't even had the time to give him a 'polite' greeting because he rashly grabbed my arm and angrily looked at me. I wasn't expecting that so he got me with that.

"May I ask what milord is doing here?" I sarcastically smiled at him and harshly removed his hand from my arm. Unfortunately, his rudeness left a mark on my arm.

"What am I doing here? Don't you think I'm the one who should be asking questions right now?" My forehead creased and I already don't like where this conversation will go to.

"What do you mean milord? For you to rudely barged into a lady's room without even sending a formal request, you must have a proper reason as to why you're here." I calmly approached this disturbing situation. No good will come out in standing against an heir to the Duke. However, if situation leads to a terrible one, I will have no choice but to defend myself.

He tried to grab my arm but I stepped away from him and maintained my distance. I don't see the reason as to why I need to explain myself for he's the one that needs a proper explanation.

"Is this why you're dying hard to get rid of me? Is is because of that bastard Leopold? Why? Did he propose a better offer to you--"

"Wait milord, what are we talking about? What do you mean by Leopold?"

Who is he referring to by the way?

"What you don't even know that the bastard you had a secret meeting with is the heir of Marquis Leopold?"

Then as if an arrow hitting its bullseye, his answer enlightened me and I realized that Sen was actually the only heir of Marquis Leopold. I won't be held guilty of knowing his identity, because I didn't broke our contract, only that it's caused by a certain third party.

"Milord, are you sending your men to follow me? I have never thought that you would do this ridiculous thing." He's gone beyond sanity. He's already crossed the roads of insane madness. No words can help me to make him understand that I don't want to marry him.

How the hell did he come like me anyway?

"Ha! Is it bad to protect my fiancee? You've always detested strangers and you even used that excuse to reject my marriage proposal and yet you're secretly meeting a man without my knowledge! What is that you even want to do Emily? Is this what you mean when you said that you had to do something before marrying me--"

A crashing sound enveloped the silent room. He immediately stopped talking and looked at me with a surprised eyes.

"Oh, I gripped that too hard." He suddenly went near me and attempted to hold my hand but I again avoided him.

"Emily y-your hand."

"Milord, this is what will happen to me if you keep on forcing me to do what you want. If you keep gripping me like this, I may break and bleed. Now if you don't leave me alone, I will end up like this glass right here, right now." I said threatening him. I looked at my hand and there were shards of broken glass that dug into my palms. It's painful. In my previous life, did I bled too much when I died?

"Then let's die together right here right now, is that what you want?" I didn't respond to him and just blankly looked at him.

"Do you think I would let you die and leave me alone? No Emily, even if I have to put you in an empty room without anything on it so you won't have a chance to kill yourself, I will never let you go." He said and I was left frozen.

"Milord, it seems that you have gone crazy. As I have said before, I have no single intention of marrying you. This is my last attempt of begging you to stop and leave me alone. I won't be kind the next time this happens." Right now, I could care less whether he's going to be the Duke in the future. This is something that needs to be stopped right now.

"Then this will also be the last time of kindly begging you Emily. I told you I will do anything just to have you, even if I have to eliminate everyone."

That was the last words he said before slamming the door.

"M-milady." The maid suddenly rushed to my side and called the other servants to tend my wound.

"M-milady does it hurt?"

I shook my head and blankly stared at my bleeding hand. Then a surge of a memory flashed across my eyes. I blinked twice because I saw my wrist bleeding instead of my hand. What?

"M-milady what's the problem?"

I took the cloth from her hand and started putting pressure on my wrist because the bleeding didn't seem to stop.

"Milady what are you doing?"

"Get me more cloth! Can't you see that my wrist is bleeding? I'm going to lose a lot of blood!" It was the first time I felt fear. The fear of death.

"M-milady w-what are you saying? Your wrist is not bleeding milady, it's just your hands and the bleeding seems to have stopped already."

My forehead creased at what she said so I turned to looked at her.

"B-but if you want milady, I could fetch a clean towel right away."

Before I saw the servant's face, I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my head. I groaned a little loud because it felt as if my head is going to split into two.

"M-milady! Milady!"

With my left hand holding my head. I looked at my wounded hand and the servant was not really lying. My wrist is perfectly fine except for a small stain of blood and the bleeding in my hand seemed to have stopped but I could still feel the pain of the shards digging into my palms.

It was the last thing I felt before being sucked into total darkness. I didn't know what time was it when I felt my consciousness coming back.

I slowly opened my eyes to adjust with the dim light. There I saw my crying mother sitting beside my bed while my father is calming her. I heard the doctor saying something to them but it wasn't that clear. I flinched a little when I heard a painful ringing sound in my ears.

"It's a miracle that the young lady has been immediately brought to me. A second later and her life might already be in danger."

Danger? It was only my hand that got injured but why would I be immediately be endangered?

I heard my mother cried a little louder and saw her slap father's arms. What? I just injured my hands but why did it looked like I'm dying?

But then I remembered seeing my wrist covered in blood and the bleeding didn't seem to stop. Is this a memory from my previous life? Did I die from slitting my wrist?

What an absurd way of dying Emily. You should have been at least brought before a guillotine and not be defeated by a flimsy knife.

"Why would our daughter attempt to do such a thing. Slitting her wrist!"

"Good heavens. What did that bastard do for her to be like this."

"If I may Milord and Madamme. Unfortunately, the young lady cannot use her hand for the rest of her life..."

My hand? I shifted my glance into my bandaged hand and slowly brought it before my face. I-it's still moving. B-but why did he say that I could never use it for the rest of my life?

"My Lily! Thank goodness you're awake!" My mother immediately wrapped me in her arms and my father secretly wiping his eyes. Then in the corner I saw the familiar figure of my brother, Archer. We made a second eye-contact then he immediately moved his eyes away from me.

"Dear, our Lily can't breathe. You can let her go right now."

Slowly, my mother pull me away from her embrace and gently cupped my face with her freezing ice as if she had touched a bucket of snow.

"Mother. I'm fine. As you can see I can still move my hand which would prove that the doctor made a mistake. I could still use this hand for the rest of my life.

Mother and father suddenly creased their eyebrow and exchanged glances with the doctor.

"What are you talking my dear? Your wound has been tended to and there has been no complications so you can use your hands to your satisfaction"

"But why did the doctor said that I could never use my hand for the rest of my life?"

"L-Lily, what are you talking about? Of course you can use your hands for the rest of your life but the doctor advised you to not use it for a week for it to be healed as soon as possible."

"Then is my life not in danger?"

Now they looked at me like I'm a crazy person saying ridiculous things.

"N-no dear! Your life has never been in danger. You just fainted for hours and we're just worried because you slept for hours. But your life has never been in danger."

"Mother, how many hours have I been sleeping?"

"It's been 5 hours Lily. That's why we were so worried."

I sorted my thoughts for a moment while they worriedly looked at me. When I opened my eyes, I faintly smiled at them and asked them to leave me for a while so I can peacefully take a rest although I have just awakened.

I glanced at my wrist and I can almost see it bleeding non-stop. I closed my eyes for a moment and remembered what has happened so far.

It seems like my previous life has been overlapping with my recent life. So it seemed like my injured hand overlapped with my previous memory where I have slit my own wrist so the trigger was blood in my hands.

Emily, what has really happened to you?

What made you slit your wrist?

Was it because of the circumstances? Was it a person?

Tell me Emily, what made you resort to such cruel method and I'll do everything in my power to avenge your death so you can be at peace.