The Countess's Body Has Disappeared - Chapter 60

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 60
In that instant, Davion’s gaze—clouded by shock—struck Cecilia’s chest like a dagger, pinning her in place. She believed he would understand the meaning, and so she shook her head faintly.
Don’t interfere. You know it won’t matter.
“I would very much like to meet him. Thank you for your kindness.”
“Very well.”
Blake’s smile spread softly across her lips, satisfied. She jerked her chin toward Cecilia, mocking her son, who stood rigid and bewildered.
“Look at her and learn something. How gracious she is.”
.
.
.
The date of the meeting was to be decided between Blake and Rowen, then communicated to Cecilia afterward.
Naturally, Cecilia’s own wishes played no part in that decision. Since she could not leave the estate without Blake’s permission except on weekends, she harbored no complaint.
Yet knowing that Davion would come, Cecilia remained taut with tension the entire time. But she had not expected the place where they would meet to be……
The incinerator.
Cecilia’s final task each day was to gather the refuse and carry it to the incinerator behind the Manor.
The afternoon had brought a shower, leaving the ground damp beneath her feet.
Cecilia was dragging a burlap sack heavy with garbage when she spotted a man smoking a cigarette in front of the incinerator. She froze mid-step as if turned to stone.
She wiped the sweat from her brow with her sleeve and steadied her ragged breathing, glancing around. The incinerator yard held only silence; not a soul was near.
Cecilia grasped the sack again. Davion clamped his mouth shut, watching her approach.
After setting the sack against the metal gate of the incinerator, Cecilia swept her eyes over him from head to foot, her brow creasing in displeasure.
“You’ll reek if you stay here. The smell will cling to your clothes.”
“Is that what matters to you right now?”
He flicked the cigarette irritably to the ground and crushed it beneath his heel.
“Are you really going through with this arranged meeting? If it’s because of me, I’ll go speak to your mother this instant and tell her I won’t do it. Otherwise, every time such an arrangement comes up, I’ll be the first to step in front of you.”
Cecilia’s brow furrowed deeper. As she bent to pick up the cigarette butt, Davion released a long sigh as if restraining something within him, and caught her arm, pulling her upright.
“I’m saying this for your sake, Cecilia.”
“It’s not because of you that I’m going through with this.”
“Cecilia, please.”
“Your mother is right.”
Cecilia wrenched her arm from his grasp as she spoke.
“I can’t live here forever anyway. I’m twenty-two now—it’s time I thought about marriage.”
Before her words had even finished, Davion pressed his palm against his forehead. With each passing day, his patience wore thinner.
“You’ve never met any man but me in your entire life! So why are you suddenly talking about marriage?!”
“That’s none of your concern.”
“Then if that man from the arranged meeting appeals to you, you’ll marry him?”
“Yes. I’ll move away too, and I’ll have children.”
Davion fell silent. He felt no particular sense of victory, yet a faint smile had bloomed on Cecilia’s lips.
“Why do you look like that? You’re going to be betrothed soon anyway. You’ll go your way, and I’ll go mine—now we’re each finally walking the path we should, that’s all.”
As she turned to leave, Davion seized her arm urgently.
“Wait, Cecilia. Let’s talk about us for a moment…….”
“Davion.”
His name struck his chest like a spear point. Meeting his gaze steadily, Cecilia shook her head slowly.
“Let go of this attachment. You knew from the start we couldn’t be together.”
“Cecilia…….”
“I won’t live as your mistress.”
Cecilia’s brow twisted slightly with pain as she withdrew her hand from his. Without looking back, her voice worn thin with exhaustion, she made her request.
“Pick up the cigarette butt yourself and throw it away.”
Following the curve of her heel, Davion caught sight of dried reddish bloodstains. She wore no bandage.
Cecilia quickened her pace toward the Manor, and not long after her departure, rain began to fall from the sky.
Even after Cecilia had vanished completely from sight, Davion still stood motionless in that place. In the meantime, another maid emerged carrying a trash bin, spotted him, and started—then, seeing his grim expression, ventured a careful question.
“Young Master, what brings you out here?”
Davion’s gaze, which had lingered on the crushed cigarette butt at his feet, shifted toward what he had been staring at.
Neither a soul nor even an ant was visible. Yet possessed by something, entranced, he presented such a vacant appearance that the maid could do nothing but ask again.
“Young Master, are you all right?”
“Tell my mother I’ve gone out.”
With those words alone, Davion bolted toward the garage.
Five automobiles were parked there, including the Black Sedan that he owned. He yanked open the driver’s side door and began checking the interior.
The Gray Open-Top Car that Blake favored was there, keys in the ignition. The tank was full.
He climbed in and started the engine. The moment he passed through the Manor’s gates, the car roared into the rain-soaked street.
Davion had fled the Manor to stay alive.
Cecilia.
Because of that woman, I felt as though I’d go mad if I stayed there even a second longer.
* * *
“So that’s how it came about — I’ve agreed to meet the gentleman the Madam arranged for me.”
Cecilia set a plate with a sandwich down on the kitchen counter as she spoke. Kate, who had been eating there already, shifted her body slightly to make room.
“Good for you. If you meet him and think he’s not right, you can just meet someone else. There are plenty of men in this world…….”
She glanced toward the doorway where servants were bustling about, then continued in a lowered voice.
“You’ve been cooped up in that cottage all this time, so you mistook the second master for someone decent. He’s always got a cigarette in his mouth and can’t utter a word in front of the Madam — from where I stand, that’s far from acceptable. The more you see of him, the worse his expression seems. For one thing, he looks absolutely terrifying.”
Though she did not agree in the least, Cecilia nodded along. Just then, one of the servants ventured further into the kitchen and took an interest in their conversation.
“What are you two being so secretive about?”
She was one of Kate’s closer colleagues and friends.
Cecilia gave a friendly wave, but internally she broke into a cold sweat, frantically racking her brain. Unfortunately, she had not yet memorized the names of all the servants working in the main house.
“Oh, nothing much. Just this and that. The sort of thing about the second master?”
Kate shrugged and dodged the question. The servant exchanged a glance with Cecilia, then stepped beside Kate and joined the conversation naturally.
“That’s true. I wonder why the master still hasn’t come back.”
At that point, Cecilia’s busy mind came to an abrupt halt.
Another difficulty that had arisen since she began working at the main house was that news of Davion reached her in real time, whether she wanted it or not. It had been two days now since he drove off in Blake’s car yesterday, and he still had not returned.
Thirty-six hours had passed. This was far beyond the bounds of a simple outing.
“Honestly, I always thought the second master would spend his whole life serving the Madam. The way the men in this house go out at the drop of a hat — I suspect it runs in the family.”
Just then, someone let out a sharp “Psst!” — a warning sound.

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