Translator: Nox

Chapter 47

47

47. The Moment a Star Fell on the Baron family (8)

“Let’s go, Miss.”

“What’s wrong all of a sudden?”

Violet looked back and forth between Nanny, who was holding her, and the old gentleman. She seemed flustered, not knowing what was going on. The old gentleman, who had been watching Violet, shouted.

“You are forbidden from going out for the time being once we return to the mansion!”

“Ah, Father.”

Suddenly, the old gentleman’s eyes turned sharp. A blue rage flashed in his eyes. The old gentleman strode down. When he reached the bottom of the stairs with his quick steps, Vincent was standing in front of him. Ethan supported Vincent with an anxious face.

The old gentleman glared at Vincent for a moment before raising his hand. In the blink of an eye, his hand struck Vincent’s face. Thwack! The sound echoed, and Vincent staggered and fell. Ethan was taken aback and grabbed Vincent. We, who were watching the scene, gasped in shock.

Violet screamed and quickly ran down the stairs. Nanny belatedly followed her down in a flurry. I followed her down, but Lucas grabbed me. He stopped me from going down. But! I looked back at him with a confused face, but he shook his head.

In the end, I had to watch the situation anxiously.

Violet ran to Vincent and asked if he was okay, checking on his condition. Then she turned to the old gentleman.

“Father, why are you doing this!”

“How dare you deceive me and meet my daughter!”

“What are you talking about? Deceive?”

“How lightly did you take our family to hide that you can’t see! How dare you covet my daughter with that body!”

A thunderous roar erupted. Violet gasped and couldn’t hide her surprise. It was the same for me. So that was why he had been angry since we arrived here. Ethan also had a miserable expression, as if what was coming had finally come.

Meanwhile, Vincent sat up, raising his twisted upper body. The part of his face that the old gentleman had hit was red. But his face was calmer than anyone else here.

“Ah, Father. Please don’t do this.”

Violet grabbed the old gentleman’s arm with trembling hands. Her voice, calling him Father, was also trembling. But the old gentleman shook off her hand. Violet lost her balance and fell, and Nanny ran over and supported her.

“Take her away immediately! And know that it’s a broken engagement when you get back!”

“Father!”

Violet shouted, and the old gentleman gave her a fierce look. She flinched and lowered her gaze. Her fragile body, trembling with fear, shrank. But she mustered her courage and stammered.

“I, I don’t want to break off the engagement.”

“What are you lacking that you’re going to take care of that wretch! What kind of talk do you think you’ll hear by keeping a husband who can’t see by your side! Or are you thinking of disgracing the family because you’re infatuated with a man!”

“No! No, Father. I would never think of disgracing the family. I, I just… love Vincent.”

“You foolish thing.”

“……”

The old gentleman clicked his tongue. Violet flinched again.

“It must be because you’re acting so foolishly that that wretch has become arrogant and is holding out without breaking off the engagement.”

“Bu, but.”

“I don’t want to hear it! Shut your mouth!”

A loud shout swallowed her words.

“……”

Violet shut her mouth tightly. Her distorted face looked like she was about to burst into tears at any moment. Nanny hugged her and comforted her.

It was then.

“I will break off the engagement.”

The words that suddenly burst out broke the tension. Everyone’s gaze, including mine, turned to Vincent, who had recovered and stood up. Ethan, who was standing next to him, covered his face with one hand and closed his eyes tightly. He couldn’t bear to watch this situation any longer.

Vincent still moved his lips with a calm face.

“I will do as you say.”

“Vincent!”

Despite Violet’s desperate call, he did not retract his words. Violet was flustered and approached Vincent. When he didn’t answer even when she shook him, asking why and telling him not to, she buried her face in his arms and burst into tears.

“That’s enough now. Go back.”

“Don’t do this. You said you wouldn’t break off the engagement.”

“Then you have to turn your back on the family. Can you do that?”

“I can.”

“Violet.”

Vincent raised both hands and groped her face. He lowered his gaze to her face, which was soaked with tears.

“Without the help of the family, without Nanny, whom you love, you have to be by the side of a husband who can’t see. You’ll be by my side for the rest of your life, attending to me, and you’ll have no interaction with other people. You’ll have to give up the things you like for me. Wherever you go, people’s eyes will follow you. Even if you get hurt because of that, I won’t be able to notice, and I won’t be able to protect you. I’ll just be stupidly groping around with both hands.”

“……”

“Life with me is like that. Can you really live that kind of life?”

Violet opened her mouth. But this time, she couldn’t easily answer. Her violet eyes wavered. The hesitation in them stole her voice. Tears streamed down her delicate cheeks.

Vincent smiled as if he understood and stroked her hair.

“I don’t want you to do that. So go back.”

Violet shook her head, shedding tears. The old gentleman, who had been watching the two, gestured towards the outside. Soon after, a burly man came in and grabbed Violet’s arm and pulled her away. Violet struggled and tried not to let go of Vincent, but her fragile body was helplessly dragged away.

Her hand slipped and fell from Vincent.

“Vincent!”

“……”

In the end, she was dragged out of the mansion by the servant. Nanny followed them. The cry mixed with tears gradually faded and then stopped abruptly.

The old gentleman turned his gaze to Vincent. His fierce eyes were still full of anger, and his tightly closed lips did not hide his discomfort.

“I hope you keep that answer.”

“……”

“I can’t forgive you for deceiving me, but I’ll let it go this time considering my relationship with your parents. Don’t covet my daughter anymore.”

After speaking, the old gentleman turned around and quickly walked away with resolute steps.

After the old gentleman left, footsteps echoed in the silent hall. James, who had also come out during the commotion, came down the stairs. Then he looked around the surroundings where silence lingered. Everyone’s gaze except Vincent’s reached him.

Vincent’s condition was something that had been kept secret. There was no such thing as a complete secret, but they had strictly kept their mouths shut so that they could hide it for even a day longer. And the only people who knew that secret were us here and that man over there, James Christopher. We instinctively knew who was responsible for causing this commotion.

James calmly straightened his clothes and took a step. When he brushed past me and Lucas, his sharp gaze reached Lucas. Lucas trembled and tightened his grip on my hand. Fortunately, James went down without saying anything.

When he went down alone, he headed straight for Vincent. At that moment, Ethan, who was flustered, came and blocked James’ path.

Ethan tried to smile, as if trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere.

“Are you going back?”

“Yes. There’s no need to stay any longer.”

Even as he answered Ethan, James’ gaze was directed at Vincent. Ethan moved his body and subtly blocked James’ gaze.

I glanced at them, then led Lucas and ran to Vincent. He had been staring only at the door without moving since earlier. When I got closer, I saw his face, which was so still that it seemed like his breath had stopped.

I hesitated for a moment and then gently grabbed Vincent’s arm. Even so, he still didn’t move. It was the same even when Lucas called him.

“Master. Let’s go to your room.”

“……Okay.”

As soon as I heard the answer, I supported Vincent. He also willingly leaned on me.

At that moment, as we turned around together, James, who had finished talking with Ethan, came to this side and stopped in front of Vincent. Then he openly scanned us. His eyes were filled with mockery.

“I had a good show.”

“……”

I glared and stared back at the bad guy in front of me without backing down. I was angry because his attitude when he came here before and his intention to cause this incident were so clear.

Of course, I was also afraid of James. The wariness that I should be careful of scary people struck my mind. But at this moment, I was so angry that I ignored even that wariness.

James narrowed his brows when I rudely returned his gaze. He seemed upset that a mere maid was looking at him straight. Just as James was about to move his lips with an increasingly grim face, Ethan approached.

“James.”

The dissatisfied gaze fell from me.

“Where did you leave the car?”

“Outside.”

“I’ll see you off. Let’s go.”

“Okay.”

James turned his gaze to this side again. Only then did I lower my head. My crown tingled, but soon, the sound of James’ footsteps disappeared outside the door. When I raised my head, I saw Ethan, who was sighing in relief.

“I think I’m going to die young because of you, Miss Maid.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I understand. But don’t do that next time.”

He was smiling lightly, but his voice was quite serious. He looked at Vincent for a moment, then turned his gaze to Lucas, who was standing behind me. Then he looked at me again and mouthed.

‘Please take care of the two of them.’

Soon after, Ethan also went outside.

Quite a bit of time had passed since the day of the commotion. As if the boisterousness had been a dream, no one’s presence or voice could be heard in the mansion. It was eerie, as if all time had stopped, just like when I first came here.

I walked down the quiet hallway. Only my footsteps echoed in the long hallway.

Since that day, Vincent had locked himself in his room again. And he has nightmares every night. The intervals between his nightmares had recently become longer, but these days, moans could be heard every night. I listened to the sound and prepared to run to him as soon as he called me. He didn’t call me and endured it alone.

On the day James visited, I was worried that he might have bad thoughts, but the next day and the day after that, he lived his life as usual. He ate well, washed, and listened quietly to the books I read to him. However, he did not come out of his room.

I was glad that he was living more normally than I thought, but on the other hand, that’s why I was more afraid. It was even more so because he had a face that said he was fine.