Chapter 82
“What the hell is that.”
Only then did Leopard turn his gaze toward the wall Ravian was staring at—and instantly froze.
What he saw was none other than an image playing from a video stone.
It was Nina’s footage—the one Ravian had been watching over and over again for the past few days.
Leopard’s pupils trembled violently at the sight of Nina on the screen.
“Nina…”
“That the kid you wanted me to find?”
Ravian’s voice was eerily flat.
“You said she was your and your wife’s daughter. Then why does she look exactly like Anna?”
Leopard blinked blankly and looked back at Ravian.
Ravian still hadn’t moved an inch, eyes fixed on the video.
“…I don’t know.”
“Is she really your daughter?”
“What…?”
“I’m asking if she’s actually yours. Because the more I look, the more I’m sure she’s not.”
For a moment, Leopard nearly lunged at Ravian, but he barely held himself back.
Veins bulged on his clenched fists.
“Cut the bullshit. You don’t exactly look like your parents either, do you?”
Instead of responding, Ravian curled one corner of his mouth.
A blatant sneer.
Leopard stared at him, baffled, then turned back toward the video—
And froze again.
But this time, the shock was incomparable.
There on the screen, right in front of Nina—on Nina’s bed—were a royal guard and a lady-in-waiting wrapped around each other.
“What… the hell…”
All color drained from Leopard’s face.
Before coming here, he had already heard from the Captain of the Imperial Guard about the embezzlement and negligence going on in the First Princess’s Palace.
But the Captain hadn’t mentioned anything about a video stone.
Hearing “improper conduct between guards and maids inside the palace” in a brief report and seeing it for himself in such graphic detail were two completely different things.
“You think I’m crazy…?”
Behind Leopard, who stood there in shock, Ravian rose to his feet.
“If I were really crazy, I would’ve left those bastards alone.”
“…”
“Just like you did. The founding emperor must be crying blood in his grave.”
Leopard swallowed dryly.
His throat felt like it had thorns stuck in it.
When he turned slowly, Ravian was now standing right in front of him, staring at him with an unreadable expression.
His absinthe-colored eyes were completely devoid of emotion.
“I… I really didn’t know. I mean—”
“You didn’t even bother to watch it once?”
“…”
“You knew it was broken. Even if you didn’t plan to fix it, did you never once think to check on your own daughter?”
Leopard’s eyes shook violently.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to look.
After Nina disappeared, he had considered getting it repaired several times.
But he never did.
Because he didn’t have the courage.
He didn’t have the courage to see Nina’s face inside it.
Because seeing her now… would hurt too much.
More than anything—because he had abandoned her.
“She’s not your and Diana’s kid.”
Leopard stared at Ravian, stunned.
“What nonsense…”
“It’s just weird, okay? She doesn’t look like either of you. You doted on Anna like she was gold, but this one? You treated her like trash because she’s not actually yours, right?”
“Watch your mouth. What the hell are you imagining? You think Anna left behind some secret kid or something?!”
“Hearing you talk about Anna is hilarious. Oh wait—their names are kinda similar, huh?”
“Ravian! You bastard—! I don’t know what sick delusion you’re in after seeing Nina, but Nina is not Anna! She’s different! Nina is my daughter—Diana’s daughter!”
That was when—
Ravian, who had calmly listened to Leopard’s shouting, suddenly threw a punch.
“Then why did you treat her that way?!”
His iron-like fist slammed right into Leopard’s stomach.
Leopard staggered hard and collapsed to the floor, breath knocked out of him.
“Why the hell did you do it?!”
Ravian’s explosive scream rattled Leopard’s dazed mind.
Leopard instinctively leapt up and grabbed Ravian.
“What do you even know—?!”
“That’s why I’m asking! What are you hiding this time?!”
This time—
Just like when Anna died.
Leopard’s strength drained from his body.
But Ravian didn’t let him collapse.
“If you went through all that drama to have a kid, shouldn’t you at least raise her properly?!”
Thud! Crash!
Their brawl tore through the luxury suite mercilessly.
Tables and chairs flipped; the chandelier shattered.
Yet the video stone continued playing undisturbed.
“You killed Anna to be together—only to end up with this? You killed Anna, used her as payment to get that girl—and then made her your scapegoat?!”
“No! That’s not—!”
“Why the hell did you make her wear Anna’s clothes?! Why?!”
Ravian’s eyes blazed like wildfire.
Leopard was thrown into the shard-covered remains of the chandelier.
“Were you that bitter about not being loved?! That Anna didn’t love you?! Diana was so jealous of her sister growing up—so what, the two of you should’ve just bitten your tongues and died together! Why take it out on a kid who knew nothing?!”
Leopard groaned.
He didn’t know if the pain stinging his eyes was from the physical wounds—or the guilt clawing at his heart.
You know nothing.
You know nothing, so stop talking.
He tried to think that…
But it was no use.
Because Ravian was right.
Even if it wasn’t intentional—even if he never meant to—
He had let it happen.
He had known Diana’s intentions and still stood by as Nina became a sacrifice.
He could’ve stopped it.
But he didn’t.
Even though Nina had done nothing wrong—even though she had always welcomed him with a smile—
He turned away.
“Get up.”
Ravian kicked aside the debris and mercilessly drove his foot into Leopard’s side.
His ribs felt like they were crumbling.
“So what? You begged me to find her because you were lonely without a toy? What were you going to do with her once you found her?”
Leopard blinked vacantly.
Shards of crystal were embedded in his palm.
But he felt no pain.
“I…”
He barely opened his mouth—
And to his own surprise, a stifled sob burst out.
“I wanted to start over…”
On one side of the wrecked room, the video of Nina continued playing.
“I know—I don’t deserve it. But I wanted to start over. Ever since Nina disappeared, I haven’t been sane…”
Ravian looked down at him with icy contempt.
“You made her like that, and now you suddenly want to start over?”
“I know how I look. I know I’m insane. But I meant everything I said. I’m going crazy thinking about Nina. Ever since she disappeared, I keep having these terrible dreams—”
“So you expect me to believe you suddenly care about her overnight?”
“I know, it sounds insane! But Nina has no fingernails!”
At those half-screamed words, Ravian, who had been ready to punch him again—froze.
