I Don't Need the Grand Duke's Regret - Chapter 56
“Your dress is a mess.”
Ricardo seemed calm. He spoke as if Armilla hadn’t escaped, as if both of them were still in the mansion.
Nevertheless, an overwhelming fear took hold of her.
It might have been less terrifying if he had shouted and vented his anger. But this…
“You’re leaving the castle on your own. Who told you you could?”
Ricardo’s large hand clenched Armilla’s forearm.
“I clearly have said that every single strand of your hair was mine. Did you forget?”
This kind of disdainful and mocking anger was unbearable.
Armilla’s heart writhed as Ricardo’s unbridled questioning made her feel tortured. She blamed herself for naively confessing her love for Ricardo.
But now, what good would regret do? With bitterness in her voice, Armilla spoke.
“Let me go.”
However, as always, Ricardo ignored Armilla’s plea. He claimed ownership over her, ignoring her pleas to let her go, and kissed her as if he was asserting his dominance.
“Hu-uht…….”
Armilla’s body responded to the unwanted kiss. Amidst this, Armilla resented herself for wanting Ricardo. She was angry at her own willingness to submit to Ricardo’s hot tongue and desires.
‘No more.’
Armilla tightened her fist. She exerted force until her nails dug into her palm and bit Ricardo’s tongue.
It was the first act of rebellion.
An act that she had never dared to imagine.
Ricardo wiped away the blood from the corner of his mouth and looked sharply at Armilla. A perplexity, like a dog bitten by its owner, flashed in his eyes.
“What is this?”
“Please.”
“….”
“Please, let me go…”
Armilla’s plea fell on deaf ears. She prayed with desperation, attempting to persuade him when pleading seemed ineffective.
In essence, she emphasized her position as someone whose fate was merely a passing of time, someone who wasn’t more than a mistress.
Expressing this with her own mouth felt miserably degrading. However, if it meant escaping from him, it seemed like a small price to pay.
Still, Ricardo remained unfazed. He treated Armilla’s plea as if it were a puppy’s trick.
“That’s enough fighting. Let’s go back. Because if you do more here, I’m going to get really angry.”
Hearing his answer, Armilla felt an indescribable sense of despair.
Why?
Why won’t you listen to me?
Am I truly nothing more than a mere object in your bed, a bed warmer?
Is that why you don’t want a child from me?
If she was taken by Ricardo like this, the child would be erased. And once again, she would have to surrender to him, against her will.
Until when?
Armilla bitterly smiled. The answer was already predetermined.
I don’t want to live waiting for you to get sick of me.
I don’t want to live waiting for when I will be abandoned.
Armilla took out Etzio’s dagger that was hidden in her bodice. When she aimed the dagger at Ricardo, he was momentarily surprised and smirked.
“You’re scared to death.”
Armilla didn’t waver. To him, her rebellion must have seemed like a child’s play. So…
“Armilla!”
She held the dagger to her throat.
“Damn it, put the dagger down!”
Armilla pressed the dagger against her throat. As she did, a sharp pain shot through her neck. When her white skin split, and blood appeared, Ricardo let out a muffled cry.
“Are you crazy? You’ll get hurt!”
“Don’t come closer.”
Now you see me for who I truly am. Feeling a bitter sense of satisfaction, Armilla glared at Ricardo.
“If you take a step closer, I will die right here.”
“Okay. I get it. Calm down.”
Ricardo raised both hands in a gesture of surrender.
“Damn it, I said I got it. Put down that damn dagger. I will do anything you ask me to do.”
“Let me go.”
“….”
Ricardo responded to Armilla’s request with silence. In reaction to his silence, Armilla smiled bitterly.
She didn’t expect anything from the beginning.
He’s not tired of her yet. That’s evident from the fact that he chased her like this.
Perhaps it’s wounded pride. The insult that his toy, attempting to escape from him even before he discards it, is unforgivable.
Anyway, Ricardo wouldn’t release Armilla until he properly takes in a real Grand Duchess.
Whether he marries another woman or gets tired of Armilla, he won’t let her go until one of those situations arises.
‘At least if you pretended.’
Armilla felt saddened by Ricardo’s penetrating gaze.
If only he had whispered false love.
If he had told her that she was the true Grand Duchess, that he would love her even after a year. If he had said that he wanted to have a child with her, even if it were a lie.
She would have gladly turned away from the truth and willingly embraced him.
However, Ricardo didn’t do that. He didn’t even bother to make such an effort.
“Damn it, Armilla!”
Armilla tightened her grip on the dagger. As her face contorted and the wounds deepened, Ricardo sternly commanded in a dry voice.
“Put down the dagger.”
Armilla looked at Ricardo with hazy eyes. His attempt to reason and the offer to forgive everything if she just dropped the dagger registered in her mind.
“If you put down the dagger, I will forgive you for trying to escape. I will buy you anything you want. Whatever you want…….”
“I don’t need that.”
Armilla chuckled with resignation. She twisted her wrist, driving the dagger even deeper.
“Wait…….”
Want to read more? Advanced chapters are available on Patreon:
For update pings, novel discussions and/or to send mistake reports, join our discord server~!