Chapter 13
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3. Refusal to marry
The next day, it was close to noon when Theodore woke up.
He thought he had dreamed for the first time in a long time. It was a terrible, lustful dream, one that wouldn't go away.
He had run into Olivia. She had grown up to be as beautiful as he had imagined-no, more beautiful than he had ever imagined.
Theodore raised his gaze in self-loathing for a moment, knowing it was meant to blame himself, and then panicked.
It was not his own bedroom, furnished with luxurious bronze furniture. The room was plain, like a monk's, and the bed was small, with a small window high up in the room that told him this was a tower, not a mansion.
He was impressed for a moment, then jerked awake.
‘Was I dreaming?’
The dirt from the garden floor was still on the sheets from where he'd lain in bed.
He shuddered at the vivid memory of being fully awake and still unable to believe it was reality.
He held Olivia until dawn. He couldn't remember how many times he'd ejaculated inside her, it had been a frenzy.
He pushed his naked body up and sat on the bed. Between his legs, his cum and Olivia's juices mixed and tangled.
"Mmm."
He let out a short groan, his back and shoulders still red from the night before.
Where was Olivia, anyway? She couldn't be in any condition to move.
He pushed himself up, feeling annoyed. He opened the closet to see if he could find a robe to replace the one he couldn't wear anymore, but there were only a few modest women's dresses hanging inside.
He was annoyed by that, too. This was supposed to be Olivia's room, and those were the only clothes she had? It looked like the room of a governess or secretary, not the Count's beloved daughter. And a despised one at that.
It was time for Theodore to unfold the clothes to see if he could somehow repair the damage.
Tap.
There was a gentle knock on the door. He said out loud.
"Come in."
The door creaked open, and the maid who peered in quickly ducked her head in horror.
There was no reason to be bothered by the mere sight of nakedness of the employer, so Theodore asked coldly.
"And Olivia?"
"Oh, she's gone to the main house to entertain guests, and she told me to bring master a new set of clothes...."
"Leave them there."
"Yes."
The maid hesitantly lowered her gaze and slipped her hand inside the door to set down the well-opened garment bag.
Theodore called her back as she turned to leave.
"Wait a minute. Olivia is entertaining guests?"
"Yes. There's breakfast and lunch, and she's supposed to check in on the guests to make sure they didn't have any inconveniences overnight...."
"And not the butler?"
The maid spoke in a gruff voice, though he couldn't see her expression because her head was bowed.
"When the relatives came to visit, they were quite talkative if she wasn’t there."
"Ha."
Theodore let out a short sigh of exhilaration.
After a night like that, she sneaked out of bed to get ready for the morning, all because she was worried about what others might say?
He thought he'd made it so she couldn't move, but apparently he'd bitten off more than he could chew.
He gritted his teeth, pulled on his clothes, and ran a hand through his disheveled hair. Then he walked quickly back to the main house.
Clang!
The brandy bottle shattered on the floor, sending shards of glass scattering in all directions. Denis's wife, Helena, rushed to embrace their youngest son, while the other two children turned away in shame. Several relatives drinking tea with them frowned.
"That's enough, Sir Denis."
Andrei Knox said, as if to interrupt, but not actively. Although they were related, they were distant enough that they had never had any interaction, and he was not one of Pavel's heirs, so he was in no position to interfere.
Denis, still drunk from the morning, paid no heed to the concerned glances and bellowed fiercely at Olivia.
"What the hell did you do to my brother?"
Olivia didn't bother to answer. She knew Denis was like this: whenever he needed money, he'd come to Lutgard to find Pavel, and when Pavel refused, he'd throw a temper tantrum.
He would often say that the Lutgard fortune was being wasted on the support of the likes of her.
"Never mind. I'll make sure Denis never comes here again."
"But...."
"He’s being ridiculous. What has he ever done to contribute to Lutgard? You're my daughter. I'm raising my daughter, what kind of nonsense is that, that I'm wasting my fortune?"
Pavel must have been about sixteen when he found out and banned Denis from the house altogether. Denis’s verbal assault hurt, but it was covered with joy because it made Olivia more aware of Pavel's outpouring of love.
Most of all, it was so long ago now.
Olivia stood at a distance, letting the accusations go in one ear and out the other. These words were nothing compared to what was truly hurting her, and she didn't really feel it.
Denis was just a drunkard, who would just have to listen in moderation and it would be over.
More than that, she was exhausted. She wanted to give Pavel her best until the end, but she could barely stand.
When she didn't speak, Denis’s sarcasm intensified.
"Ha! You're a good little girl, you've got a trick up your sleeve, you should be ashamed of yourself...."
"Master Denis, you can't do this!"
The young butler, who had entered the living room to attend to business, interrupted impatiently. Denis's fist flew.
Puck!
The butler went sprawling, unable to block.
"Boom!"
Several men, including Andrei, jumped to their feet. The women and children, including Helena, scrambled out of the living room.
"Sir Denis!"
Denis, his demeanor fierce, took a menacing step toward Olivia, not caring that Andrei had called him.
"What, did I say wrong, you're too stupid to think like a daughter. Who in the world would give that kind of money to a bitch with not a drop of blood in her?"
He jabbed a finger into Olivia's breastbone.
The room went silent at that moment, but Denis, in his drunken stupor, didn't notice. Once again, just as he was about to insultingly poke Olivia in the chest, a large hand grabbed his wrist.
"What do you think you're doing, Uncle?"
An icy voice drifted down from above Denis's head.
Instinctively, Denis flinched. But he refused to admit his fear and looked up fiercely, then shrank even further when he met Theodore's cold gaze.
"No, that's....ahhh!"
Theodore twisted his wrist tightly and ripped him away from Olivia with a snap. Denis staggered backward, as if he'd been thrown.
Everyone fell silent.
Theodore was not his usual self. Instead of his usual impeccable attire, he looked ragged, with disheveled hair and roughly thrown-on clothes. He didn't even have a tie, and the muscles of his chest were exposed through his open collar.
It made him look even more rugged. Terrified, Denis stammered, desperate for words.
"I, I... I'm the adult, the one who should be teaching her the proper lessons...."
"Is yelling at a woman and poking your finger in her chest a proper lesson?"
Theodore spat out bitterly. Denis visibly flinched.
He looked away, and the servants who had followed him hurried into the sitting room.
"Take my uncle to his room, please."
"Yes, sir."
"Theo, Theo, why are you doing this, what have I done wrong?"
"Lock the door from the outside and don't let him out until he's sober."
"Theo!"
Denis shouted again, and soon the servants, who had been waiting nearby, rushed up and took him away.
Then Theodore turned to the butler, whose cheek was beginning to swell.
"I'm sorry, go tend to your wound."
"Yes, sir."
The butler politely said so and walked away. As he left, they could see that he was in considerable pain as he wrapped his cheek.
"Theo, where were you last night, are you okay?"
Andrei said with concern in his voice as he approached Theodore.
***
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