Chapter 270: Promise Me!
[Music recommendation: Dangerously by Ahyeon] I hope you listen to the song <3
Four weeks had passed since their return to Carmarthen, and Madeline was able to rectify the wrongs in the Albrecht family. Elaine’s name was restored, Inna had resumed her etiquette classes a week after, and things were starting to move fine for the Albrecht family..... maybe not completely fine.
In the serene garden of the Duke’s mansion, Richard was still in the middle of recovering from all of Juliana’s schemes, and although he never loved her the way he loved Elaine, the shock from all the revelations he had received from corners were all difficult for him to swallow at once.
Cas’s death, Abbot’s death trial, Juliana’s procession. When people spoke of nightmares, Richard was finally able to understand what it felt like experiencing one in real life.
As he sat on the bench, he facepalmed at everything that had happened. He was more shocked to learn about Cassian’s death, and a part of him wasn’t ready to believe that yet. Cas wasn’t so easy to get rid off so how can he be dead? Unless he saw the body with his own two eyes, he wasn’t going to believe it.
"No." He shook his head.
Elaine had showed up at the garden where she found Richard sitting, contemplating to himself as he seemed to be at sea. She had joined him, but Richard had been too lost in his thoughts to notice her presence.
"You tend to ponder a lot these past few weeks." The soothing voice of Elaine had broken him from his train of thoughts, but he didn’t look at her, he didn’t have the audacity to. Sitting up properly on the bench, he let out a deep breath before asking.
"Why are you here?"
"I have always been here, you just never noticed." Came Elaine’s response that held a different meaning to what he had asked, and she knew he understood cause the regret on his face was too visible for her to ignore.
"What really happened to Cas?" He asked, his voice dry, and Elaine stared ahead at the flowers.