Chapter 41: Visit

Chapter 41: Visit

"Are you not going to attend the meeting with the vassals Madame?" Teal asked while I was busy with shortcakes.

"Why would I?"

"Well, His Grace have suggested to have you attend that meeting since it would be the finalized preparations about the festival. I just thought you have something in mind that you would want to share with the vassals." She added but I just ate a spoonful of shortcake.

Well, I'm also busy with my own business since our international expansion has been successful so I expected that I would be too busy. I'm just grateful that Sen was taking most of the job while I get to just review and documents and stamp on it. I've also become busy with the Castle's Management since we were expecting visitors from other kingdoms and Empires. Well, the isolation decree is only applicable within the people of the Empire, and nothing stops the Halsted Dukedom from forming relationships with other kingdoms and empires.

"I've got nothing to say to them so why bother." I directly said and I didn't receive any response from Teal.

"Hmm, this parfait you've ordered it tastes like heaven, did you also buy this from the store?" I said as I delightfully finished that one cup. Is that all?

"His Grace was the one who bought it from the shop."

"What?"

"He seemed to have noticed your sweet cravings and he also knew that it was your favorite sweet shop so he must've just predicted that you would like it." She proudly said as if she wanted to highlight the generous behavior of the Duke.

"And also, your dresses, you seemed to have gain weight so His Grace the Duke requested the best tailors to get your new size--"

I slammed the cup on the table and went in front of the mirror. Shit. I'm truly getting fat but maybe because I'm not using corsets anymore, so my fats have resurfaced. But what the hell?

"Am I getting fat already?"

"What? Fat?"

I raised a brow at Van who's currently fixing my bed and gestured me to lie down already.

"And what are you doing on my bed? Don't you have your own room to sleep?" I asked as I walked towards the bed.

"I like sleeping with you because I could only barely sleep when I'm in my room." He said as he gently pulled me to sit on the bed.

"But going back to the question, am I really getting fat?" I asked but he just raised his brow and caressed his chin as if he's thinking really hard about it.

"Hmm, you're beautiful just as you are. Don't be conscious about your body--"

"You didn't answer the question. Oh, and you even requested tailors to get my new size. So, you must've really noticed that I'm getting fat. It must've been due to the sweets I'm frequently eating; don't you think--"

I was startled because he hugged my waist as if he's a child longing for his mother. Child. No, all the doctors I've consulted to say the same thing. That I'm infertile so pregnancy would be out of the question. But I can't help but to doubtful of it.

"Don't restrict yourself Emily, just continue eating whatever you want hmm." He murmured as he buried his head on my waist.

Speaking of waist. My brows furrowed when I realized that it has been a week since our last time. We had become busy these past few weeks because of the festival and we only get to see each other at night when we're about to sleep.

But never did we have 'it' again. Shit, am I really getting fat?

"Van."

"Hmm."

"I can't sleep, do you want to have tea?" I meaningfully emphasized the word tea. So, he immediately got his head up and sleepily glanced at me.

"Tea? Shall I call a maid?" He asked as he pulled away from my waist. I took that opportunity to pin him down onto the bed and kiss him. He was stunned and gaped his mouth wide open. So, I took that opportunity to invade his mouth.

"I didn't know you could be this aggressive Emily." He said as fire started to ignite and spread on his eyes.

"It's been ages since we have this again. If it were not because of the upcoming festival, I would be thinking that you've started to lose your interest on me--"

I wasn't able to finish my sentence because he immediately ravaged my mouth, so I returned the same intensity of kissing.

"I just don't want to tire you out since you seem so stress out these days. But you started this so you should take responsibility." He said in a hoarse voice which fueled my desire for him tonight.

"Then I'll take charge for tonight's tea." I said as I started to remove his robe. Thank goodness, he's just wearing a thin robe. Well, I should tell him not to wear anything later on anymore when he sleep in my room.

"Shit. Emily!" He immediately wrapped me in his arms to brace me from the impact when the bed suddenly moved felt like it fell.

"What happened?" I annoyingly asked for we are already near into reaching the zenith if it weren't only for this fucking bed.

"I think it broke." Van responded as he went down the bed and checked it. My eyes widened and also went down to check the bed.

"How could that be?"

How could this bed break?

Three of its feet were broken and only one was left standing completely. However, sleeping on this kind of bed would be a pain in the ass.

He looked at me apologetically while I just let out a low laugh. We were just taking things slow but how could the bed break?

"Shall we use my room for now? I'll have the butler call for the furniture owner tomorrow." He said and I just nodded while still staring at the bed.

Without any words, he wrapped me in a blanket and quickly ran outside the room.

"Hey, slowly." I said because he ran like there's tomorrow.

"We can't Emily, I would die if we got in the room any second later." He said causing me to furrow my eyebrows.

When we arrived at his room, he immediately attacked me like a food-deprived beast. What the hell?

Only then, I realized what he meant when he said those words. Yeah, not reaching the zenith and just barely reaching it would definitely kill me-- no-- maybe the two of us.

"I apologize but His Grace the Duke hasn't been able to cook a food for Your Grace, so I instead created a similar dish which..." I nodded at the Head Chef who hesitantly placed the dishes at the table.

It was the delicious dishes I once liked when I arrived at the Dukedom, however, I didn't understand why I always lose my appetite when I taste or even see those food. But I could clearly see the Head Chef gulping nervously as he stood beside me eagerly watching my reaction.

I stopped my face from being disgruntled when I scooped the sauce with my spoon. Surprisingly, it neither smelled good nor bad.

So I was expecting that it would also be tasteless or what. Shit. My system automatically rejected the food. What the hell is wrong with me.

"Y-Your Grace?"

I tried not to puke in front of him and tried to have another serving but it really didn't sit right with me.

"Your G-Grace! You don't have to force yourself! It's alright if it didn't satisfy your taste...." I wasn't able to hear the rest of his words because I immediately went back to Van's room and puked all of those servings in the basin.

"Madam, are you alright?"

Shit. Shit. What's wrong with your body Emily?

An impossible thought struck me for a second, a possibility of being pregnant. But that's not how it works with me right?

I'm infertile. But then, maybe the doctors were wrong. Maybe they saw it wrong.

I went back to my room while I told one of the servants to tell the Head Chef to keep the food for, I won't have my breakfast this morning. Although, I'm getting a little hungry, I don't want to disturb Van with his meeting with the vassals. He's not the Head Chef, Emily, she's the Duke of Halsted.

I had my maids assist me in taking a bath as well as choosing the appropriate dress to conceal the marks on my body.

"Madame, your furniture order has already arrived, and some visitors are waiting on the reception area." Teal said as I was busy covering my neck with a shawl. I would definitely strangle Van if I ever met him today.

I told him not to put too much on my neck, but he didn't listen. Now I'm having a hard time concealing these.

"Tell them to wait." I said and I didn't receive a response again.

"Alright but what would be your instruction about the furniture?"

"Accompany them to my room so they could replace and arrange it properly in here." I said so and she immediately went out to do my orders.

"Who are the visitors?" I asked as I watched myself on the mirror.

"Uh, it's Princess Marga of Tungsten and the other man refused to introduce himself." My brows raised because of that last part of what he said.

"He was suspicious and didn't even introduce himself so why did you even let him step inside the Castle?" I said as I glared at the servant who was bowing while talking to me.

"Your G-Grace, h-he said he actually knew you and told us not to identify him so that you would be surprised!" The servant quickly said which made my heartbeat in an erratic state.

Who the hell is that man? Is it Sen? One of my brothers? If so, what the hell would they do in this place?

"I'm finished. Guide me to the reception room and tell the servants to quickly prepare refreshments for the visitors." I said as the other servant beside me.

"Oh, and if possible, I would also want a fresh strawberry juice. Kindly send that to the reception room too." I ordered them which they immediately worked on. While walking towards the reception room, I've sensed Gray walked beside me, so I've slipped a paper on his hand and glanced at him meaningfully.

"Milady?" He confusedly asked.

"Go, Teal would be with me any minute from now." I said as he was hesitant to leave me alone with the servants. What do you think of me, a little child?

In the end, he wasn't able to argue anymore and just did the errand I asked him to do.

It was the right timing. The refreshments along with the strawberry juice I've requested was being brought by the servants who were about to enter the room. But I stopped them for a minute and took a glass of juice. I had to satiate my grumbling stomach.

The knights opened the door for me, and I immediately scanned the room. My brows furrowed when a man in his gray tailcoat and black pants was looking at the window and only his face was facing me.

"Greetings to the visitor of the Halsted Dukedom. To whom do we owe the pleasure of--"

"Emily."

It was as if someone deliberately put a glue on my shoes making me unable to move. But I could hear my heart making an erratic beat. I suddenly lost my ability to move. How the hell? Why is he here?

What the hell is going on in here?

"Madame, are you alright?" I failed to respond at the servant who suddenly asked me. She probably noticed my body becoming tense. Shit.

"Emily, are you alright--" I immediately slapped his hand away when he tried to reach and assist me.

Confusion and hurt passed across his eyes but it didn't matter to me.

"I can stand by myself." I said as I seriously glanced at him but he's just looking at me like nothing controversial ever happened between us.

"Madame, shall I call the butler or His--"

"That won't be needed, since I am Emily's special acquaintance--"

"It's Duchess Halsted, Your Grace and not Emily, let us please observe politeness and formality since we're both holding important positions in the Empire." I corrected him because having him call me Emily corrupts the way Van calls me.

Van is the only person allowed aside from my family to call me by that name. And this bastard of a Duke is not included in that.

The smile on his face faded away when I mentioned the Halsted.

"But then we're on the same page and close acqua--"

"I don't remember being close to Your Grace. Before I became the Duchess of Halsted, I was once a daughter of the Count so how could I possibly form connection with the man who holds the second highest authority in the Empire?" I said as I gently placed the glass on the tray the maid was holding.

"Let's talk, Emily--"

"It's Duchess Halsted, Your Grace how many times am I supposed--"

"Duchess Halsted it is. So, let's talk." My brows furrowed when he glanced at the servants behind me. He even gestured his personal knight to leave the room, but I didn't want to stay with him in this room even for another minute.

"As I said, Your Grace and I are not acquaintances, so I don't think we have something to talk about with each other. However, you might have a business with His Grace the Duke--"

"It's you whom I wanted to speak with and not the Duke--"

"My husband wouldn't like it if I engage in a private conversation with another man, just like Your Grace."

"Then is it alright to let the servants hear about our affairs?"

I don't have any idea about the affairs he's blurting out, I'm not even sure if he's speaking the truth but having the servants hear it would be a problem. However, restricting them and having them leave the room would be the same as verifying it as a fact.

"All of you leave." But them not hearing anything would be much better. I'll have to hear and verify first before deciding which one would work the best.

I gestured the servants to place the refreshments on the table and have them leave. The bastard sat on the sofa like it's his own house, so I also sat and heaved a sigh before glancing at the food in front of me. I suddenly felt famished.

How I wished Van could've cooked something. But then it would mean disturbing him with his work and meetings.

"So what is it that you want to tell me? Just be brief and direct to the point." I said but he just glanced at me like he's looking at his new toy.

"You're the one who invited me here and yet you seem to have been cursing me since you stepped on this roo--"

"Invited? What are you talking about Your Grace?"

He now looked confused and even caressed his chin while looking at me.

"I came here because you told me to come." He said as if it's a matter of fact and should only be natural for me to know. But what the hell is he scheming again?

When did I ever invite this son of a bitch?

"I can't quite understand what you are talking about, why and how would I even invite you?"

Of all the people in the world, why would I even invite you, you bastard.

Suddenly he let out a loud laugh while holding his stomach. But then his face suddenly turned serious as if he's slowly losing his patience.

That face. My hands were starting to tremble again when I remembered that face. That face he makes when Emily ignores him or defies him.

I was suddenly rooted in my chair when I was about to move because he abruptly stood up and went near me. Shit Emily, is this another part of your remnant?

"What the hell is this, Emily? Are you mad at me so you're feigning ignorance?"

He's too close. I felt like the air I was breathing is starting to fade. I suddenly felt suffocated by his presence.

"Don't be like this huh. Don't wash hands and ignore me like we didn't happen. You know how much I love you righ--"

At that point, my hand quickly took the dagger from my sleeves and pointed it at his neck.

"Go away. I don't want you to be near me. And I don't want to hear those words from you. It's disgusting--"

My eyes widened when he slapped my hand causing the dagger to fall down the floor. He took that chance to pin both of my hands on the sofa restricting my movements.

"Disgusting? Emily, I may confess my love for you, but I can't accept you looking down on m--"

"Let me go this instant or you will regret it." I said as I seriously glared at him, but he didn't budge even the slightest.

"Why would I let you go when you're mine--"

"Stop. Stop that delusion of yours, I'm not yours, I own myself." I said as I was about to knee his manhood, but it seemed like he read what I was trying to do.

"Don't repeat your mistake twice, Emily. I don't give forgiveness twice in a row." He firmly said as he pushed my knee down and held the two of it with his other hand. This fucker really had it worse.

And this headache really has the perfect timing. I closed my eyes because of the sudden pain I've felt in my head.

"I said I've love you right, so..."

I was putting too much focus on the painful screeching in my head that I wasn't able to pay attention to what he's saying. But I got fed up with all of these. I'm not the same old weak Emily who always got forcefully pinned down by this bastard.

You've prepared to beat his ass, so do something. Yes, something. I have something in my shoes. I moved and kicked my feet into the air to reveal a small knife hidden under it.

He's to preoccupied with pinning my both hands so I adjusted my body and stab his leg with the knife on my shoes.

"Fuck!" His grip on me loosened so I took that opportunity to push and kick him away from me. I picked up the glass and threw it at him. I don't care anymore; I've long wanted to kill him anyway. I've come a long for this so why not end everything today?

He was sitting on the floor groaning with the pain on his leg while his head is starting to bleed.

"Emily, what the hell? You bitch, you really have no manners at all!" He tried to grab me by my hair again. While I heard the door abruptly open, but I didn't pay any attention because it would probably just the servants.

But I was surprised when a familiar hand pushed the bastard's hand away and immediately went in front of me to prevent the son of a bitch from reaching me.

"V-Van." I stutteringly said.

"Emily, are you alright?" He said while he's catching his breath. I unconsciously nodded at him sigh in relief. He must've run all the way from his office to here. I suddenly felt overwhelmed and teary-eyed. Shit. Why get emotional at this moment Emily?

I saw how he seriously glanced at the bastard who's currently being assisted by his knight to stand. The servants on the door were also fussing about what happened.

"I don't know what happened before I got here but I clearly noticed that Duke Kingsley has been assaulting the Duchess, my Wife."

My heart skipped a beat when he mentioned the word "heart". Fuck. When did I become like this?

The bastard just blankly stared at us-- not just me while he's wiping his forehead with a napkin.

"You may have the highest position in the Empire, but you are in my territory, and I greatly despise people who disrespect and hurt my Wife in any ways."

My eyes turned into my hand when Van suddenly grabbed it as if not wanting me to vanish out of thin air.

"What is the fuss all about? Did something bad happen?"

My brows furrowed and my heart once again experienced an erratic beating. I searched for the owner of that familiar voice.

But when I saw that familiar face, the remnants came flooding in inside me causing my head to feel like it's starting to be ripped apart.

I continued to glance at that familiar woman leaning beside the door. That familiar pink-haired woman with an innocent beautiful face. That same face who tortured the past Emily and the one who had her be violated by some random men.

It was her. Duchess Kingsley.

Once again, my hand trembled. Van must've noticed it too because he looked back on me and glanced at my trembling hands.

"Emily."

"Why... Why are all of you here? How\... How could that happen."

No, this must be another remnant. Emily!

I started hitting my head with my hands wishing that I would wake up from this ironic reality. But then the pain in my head only worsened.

I grabbed the shelf beside me for support, but I only ended up hitting one of the vases making it fall and break into pieces.

"Emily, what's--"

"D-don't move! Just stay where you are!" I yelled at them, especially to the bastard who worriedly glanced at me while attempting to assist me, but I gave him a glare instead. You son of a bitch.

"Emily!"

The pain in my head only worsened and it feels like it's going to explode any minute from now. I tried to take another step, but my ankle turned. Why get sprained now of all the times?

I could see the bastard running towards me to catch me, but Van must've immediately got me because the arms holding me felt familiar.

My consciousness is slowly fading away. But my eyes were focused on that cursed woman who was confusedly watching me with her innocent eyes. That bitch and this bastard. Can this day get any worse?

"Emily!"