Shattered (5)

It was an evening that seemed to have been swallowed up by fire.

The sunset reflected the face of Rocus, who was sitting on the stone floor. His face was dyed purple, sometimes dark scarlet.

What happened during the day lingered endlessly in his mind.

“No….”

The self-talk echoed in the empty prison. It was unfamiliar even after thinking about it all day. Who could have said such a thing?

The condition of his shoulder after being stepped on by the duke was of no concern anymore. The disorientation was more terrifying than the pain of his fractured bones.

“She does not need…? Terrible?”

He muttered blankly through the tingling in his ears. It was burning as if someone had hit his cheek with an iron.

He asked her as if giving her a chance to withdraw her words, but she didn’t waver at all.

He didn’t care about his shoulder’s condition, with blood dripping from his almost shattered shoulder. His sister was just pouring out her anger.

[Apologize. You… To my husband right now….]

Vlad pulled her carefully behind her back.

[Lily. I wish you could go back.]

At that time, Rocus looked carefully.

Vlad hid his sister behind his back. It was a protective gesture that made him look like he was a threat.

The problem was, his sister was different. A sister who knew that it was better to surrender than express her feelings.

[Sister, really…]

He realized it was a disaster.

Whether it was because of the fascination, as Tristan said, or, as he guessed, she went crazy because of a miserable marriage. Anyway, his sister took the difficult marriage to heart. Clearly.

The body was dedicated to the family of her ex-husbands, but it was too different from the past.

“…”

After finishing his recollection, Rocus sighed deeply and rubbed his face roughly.

It might have been that he had a premonition after seeing Tristan returned, full of scars.

[You are the one who made my whole life terrible. You… Father and… my family.]

He banged the back of his head against the wall. His skull rattled with an excruciating pain.

“Hoo… Fuck, really….”

His emotions seemed to explode. He lowered his fist, which he had lifted to pound his chest.

Maybe, maybe, maybe.

“…Am I doing something wrong…?”

He gnawed at his fist. No. He couldn’t. He couldn’t have hurt his sister like that.

Rocus was different from his father.

Anyway, they were all choices he made for his sister. No matter what he did or what the outcome was, he cared for his sister.

But if that was really the case. As his sister said. The reason that made it go so wrong…

At that time, the voice of an old man flying into the hallway interrupted his thoughts. “The seed of disaster! Vladislav de Winter! You, who polluted the imperial bloodline, will be burned…”

That voice ignited a tantrum that he thought was dead.

“You fucking bastard! Shut up before I shed your skin away!”

Rocus’s screams echoed loudly. It wasn’t until the hallway became as silent as a mouse that he cursed and slammed his fist against the wall.

He couldn’t. Even if he escaped from prison, he had to meet that bastard first. Whether to kill or rip his limbs off, that was his decision…

“…”

Harsh breathing echoed softly in the prison.

* * *

Vlad took a step behind Lily and quickly closed the bedroom door. He was worried about her refusal to sink into his embrace.

She was a woman who was constantly swayed by an unfamiliar passion.

“Lily. Are you okay? Where were you injured?”

“Vlad.” Lily turned around. The clear green eyes wandered aimlessly. She looked as if she was about to crumble to dust. Her mouth was unable to say anything. After licking her lips for a while, she bit her lower lip. One deep breath. She wept with her small, bright red lips, “Sorry. I’m really sorry…”

It was then. She had no choice but to close her mouth like a clam as her pathetic tears were about to pour out.

She felt gutted by Rocus’s words.

That’s when she got mad at him. Lily felt so pathetic that she was so angry and cried. The anger that had risen to such a level that her temper was about to take over her.

This life. A life in which every single irreparable accusation was her burden.

She lamented knowing the weight of the accusations. It was painful, as if she was going to run out of breath, and her heart was pounding with guilt.

Vlad’s eyes shook, “You…” His thick chest trembled once, as if he was out of breath. Something inside of him was very distorted. “Why are you sorry?”