I Made a Mistake in my Confession. Can I Cancel it? - Chapter 20

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 20

“Lillian, what did you just say!”

Startled by Baron Dante’s sudden shout, Lillian involuntarily flinched her shoulders. The Baroness pushed past her and rushed to embrace Baron Dante.

“Honey… This is how I have to live. After raising her all this time… I only did my best for you and Lillian…”

Lillian felt that things were going wrong contrary to her intentions. She had simply not wanted to cause any more trouble for His Grace the Archduke.

Soon, Father scolded her while comforting Mother who was wailing loudly.

“Hurry up and apologize to Mother!”

She wondered if this suffocating feeling was what frustration felt like. She was so wronged that she couldn’t open her mouth. Then the Baroness’s crying grew even louder.

“Look at her… keeping her mouth shut tight until the end, thinking she did nothing wrong…”

The more they pressed her, the more words refused to come out. It was when Lillian was biting her trembling lower lip.

Smack.

Unable to maintain her balance from the sudden incident, Lillian collapsed right there. The ear that was struck by the Baron became muffled, and gradually her entire cheek began to burn.

“You ungrateful thing!”

‘Ah.’

Only belatedly did Lillian realize that she had been slapped by Father. The moment she looked up in shock, a tear fell with a plop.

“Not knowing the grace of being taken in, how dare you…!”

Only then did the Baroness begin to stop him, pretending she couldn’t bear it.

“Honey, stop it. It’s all because I have no luck. No matter how much you teach her, where would lowly blood go? Sigh, I don’t know what was so precious about the child my husband brought home from outside that I’ve been cherishing her all this time…”

Mother had never cherished her even once. She had always called her ‘that thing.’ But Lillian kept her mouth shut. She had learned long ago that speaking up would do no good.

After a while, Mother took Father inside. Even as Father entered the room, he continued to glare at her and pour out curses until the end.

“Behave yourself from now on. I’ll be watching!”

With a bang, the door closed and only then did Lillian feel relieved. Her gaze turned to the wooden floor. In that moment, the fallen tears deeply stained the old wooden floor.

* * *

“What should I do, I have to go to work…”

As soon as she woke up, her body ached as if she had a fever. Lillian was dismayed when she checked her appearance in the mirror. Sure enough, her struck cheek and eye were swollen.

She briefly considered taking sick leave, but since she had already rested yesterday, it would never be accepted. Having no choice, she covered her appearance with a hat, sunglasses, and mask before going to work, causing people to look at her strangely.

“The sunlight is harsh. UV rays are the enemy of skin, you know.”

Lillian awkwardly smiled while saying things no one had asked about. Around the time the afternoon work was finishing up, His Grace the Archduke’s secretary came looking for her.

“Lady Lillian, His Grace is looking for you.”

At the voice heard from behind her, she froze in the middle of pulling weeds.

“Ah, may I ask what business he has with me?”

Though she had always gone obediently before, today she couldn’t do so. It was obvious that he would find her appearance suspicious.

“Are you very busy?”

“Pardon? Yes.”

In truth, since she had worked through lunch, she was free until quitting time, but she couldn’t let that show.

“Then shall I tell His Grace the Archduke that you cannot come because you are busy?”

“Ah…”

He had commanded(?) her to come, but would it be okay not to go? Still, it was embarrassing to meet His Grace the Archduke looking like this. While Lillian was pondering her answer, the secretary spoke first.

“Then I shall convey that message to His Grace.”

The moment she saw the secretary turning around, she could picture in her mind what kind of reaction he would show upon receiving the message. In a situation where her parents were already causing trouble, for her to also not respond to his summons – it was something that could never happen unless her liver had jumped out of her body. Moreover, wasn’t His Grace the Archduke her distant superior!

Lillian quickly grabbed the secretary.

“I, I’ll go.”

Then she adjusted the hat and mask she was wearing.

‘I hope His Grace the Archduke won’t interrogate me…’

But contrary to Lillian’s hopes, Kartan frowned as soon as he saw her.

“What’s with that bizarre appearance again?”

“Ah, the sunlight is too strong. UV rays are the enemy of skin, you know.”

She tried saying the same thing she had said to people at work, but it didn’t work on him.

“Then I’ll draw the curtains for you, so why don’t you take that off?”

Lillian jumped up while waving her hands frantically.

“No, no! I’m fine.”

“I don’t like looking at it.”

Despite Lillian’s protests, Kartan drew the curtains. Only then did Lillian regret coming to the office, thinking she should have made any excuse not to come.

‘I think it would be best to get out of here as quickly as possible…’

Now no other excuses came to mind. As she was wondering whether she had no choice but to take off her hat, she heard a heavy sigh from above her head.

“Is there something on the floor?”

“Pardon?”

“You’ve been staring at the ground this whole time.”

“Ah, have I been doing that… haha.”

As she laughed awkwardly, her cheek suddenly throbbed. Lillian unconsciously grabbed her cheek like a patient with a toothache. An awkward silence flowed through the room. She wanted to say something, but she didn’t know what words to bring up to that stern face.

After a moment, the secretary brought tea.

“Drink.”

“Yes.”

She answered, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. It was because she couldn’t take off her mask.

“But what did you call me for?”

“I called you to have a cup of tea. Why, do I need to have business?”

“Ah, no. It’s not that…”

She was flustered and started sweating. The interior felt like it was getting hotter and hotter. Yet she was wearing long clothes with a hat and even a mask, so it was suffocating enough to drive her crazy.

“Why don’t you drink some?”

“Ah, yes…”

Again she only answered and just stared at the teacup containing black tea. Her cheek was already throbbing every time she spoke, and if the hot tea touched it, it would obviously sting.

Growl.

Since she couldn’t take off her mask, she had skipped lunch and her stomach made a sound. Instantly embarrassed, Lillian’s face burned.

“If you’re hungry, let’s go have dinner.”

Suddenly startled as he got up, Lillian raised her head.

“No, no. I can eat when I go home.”

The moment their eyes met, his expression turned cold. Then he slowly looked over Lillian’s appearance with his eyes.

“Something’s definitely strange today. A mask and hat weren’t enough, now sunglasses too.”

Lillian’s heart suddenly sank. She tried to quickly change the subject, but Kartan was faster.

“Ah, that’s…”

“Take them off.”

“…!”

Finally, those words came out of his mouth. Lillian could neither do this nor that, only biting her lips.

“Your Excellency…”

“Should I take them off for you myself?”

“N-no. I’ll take them off myself.”

His presence was fierce, like looking at a beast about to pounce. It seemed she shouldn’t displease him any further. She had no choice but to remove the mask and hat.

“I fell down the stairs.”

She couldn’t bring herself to say she was hit by her father. But once again, it didn’t work on him.

“Ha, who was it.”

“Pardon?”

Lillian’s shoulders trembled for a moment. He looked the most frightening she had ever seen him.

“I asked who it was.”

“…”

Instead of answering, Lillian just hung her head low. Facing those murderous eyes, she couldn’t bring herself to speak. After a long silence, Lillian couldn’t muster the courage to tell the truth.

If she spoke honestly, her parents would be put in a difficult position, and she was afraid retaliation would come to her again.

“Well… I just fell…”

“Don’t make me ask three times. Tell me now.”

When his voice changed to a commanding tone, Lillian had no choice but to open her mouth.

“Just… there was a minor argument. It’s nothing serious.”

“I’ll judge whether it’s serious or not.”

When she actually tried to speak, her lower lip began to tremble. Not knowing where to start, she just clenched her fists.

At some point, he fell silent. Instead, a handkerchief was placed in her hands.

“My father…”

The moment she opened her mouth, tears poured out. While she was wiping her tears with the handkerchief, he suddenly stood up from his seat.

“That’s enough. Don’t say anymore.”

“What?”

She blinked her wet eyes in surprise.

“Don’t go home today. If you have nowhere else to go, then stay at my house.”

Lillian could see Kartan’s hands trembling with anger. Then the door slammed shut with a bang, and only then did she grasp the situation.

“This is… terrible…!”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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