Chapter 86
A cold, unwavering gaze pierced Zeppelin.
He froze. In all his life, he had never seen that expression on Rebecca’s face before.
“Wh–why are you looking at me like that…?”
Rebecca placed her hand on his right cheek.
For a moment, Zeppelin smiled faintly, intoxicated by the softness of her touch.
Smack!
A sharp sting seared across his face.
Clutching his cheek, Zeppelin stared at her in disbelief.
“Wh–what was that for…?”
“Not enough, huh.”
Smack!
This time it was the left cheek. Stars burst across his vision. The pain felt strangely unreal.
Rebecca shook her hand. Even her palm stung from the impact.
So, she thought bitterly, she wasn’t even strong enough to slap him properly.
I really need to train more.
Zeppelin shouted desperately, voice cracking.
“Rebecca! Why are you doing this to me?!”
Rebecca let out a cold, contemptuous laugh.
“Why? You locked me in a living hell, Zeppelin. You chained me up, tried to turn me into your own personal doll. Do you even know how horrifying that was?”
“You—you loved me too.”
“Are you out of your mind? You destroyed my family. You cut off my arms and legs—metaphorically—so I couldn’t live without you. You really thought that was love? Do you think the song a bird sings in its cage is a happy one?”
A chilling smile curved her lips.
“I’m going to destroy you, Zeppelin Devonshire.”
“Destroy me…?”
“Yes. I’ll trample everything you hold dear, smash it to pieces, and burn it all to ash. Then I’ll throw your pathetic body into the flames.”
“Rebecca! How could you say such awful things! I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that. You must’ve gone mad after leaving me!”
“No, Zeppelin. Listen carefully.”
Rebecca seized his face roughly, fingers digging into his skin.
Then, as if engraving each word into his ear, she whispered, clear and deliberate:
“I’ll give you hell.”
Zeppelin’s eyes widened in shock.
Rebecca flung his face aside without a hint of hesitation. His body staggered sideways, and he barely managed to catch himself on the floor, gritty sand biting into his palms.
He looked up at her—only to meet eyes filled with utter disgust.
Their gazes clashed in the air, sharp and merciless.
After a moment of silence, Zeppelin finally opened his mouth.
“You’ve… gained some weight.”
Rebecca blinked, momentarily too stunned to process what she’d just heard.
That wasn’t a response—no, not even remotely appropriate to what had just happened.
Then she realized what he meant.
Zeppelin wasn’t listening at all. He was just looking at her body.
To him, no matter what she said, she was merely a doll—something that could talk but didn’t need to be heard.
No one listens carefully to the chatter of a toy.
It was only natural that he’d ignore her words.
Rebecca pushed her bangs back and gave a hollow, furious laugh.
“Zeppelin Devonshire!”
Her voice rang out, shaking the air with blazing fury.
“You never learn! You’re stupid—so stupid! Who else in the world deserves hell more than you?!”
Just then, a shout boomed from behind her.
“Rebecca! Jump!”
It was Julian’s voice.
Both she and Zeppelin looked down toward the balcony below.
“No!”
Realizing what was about to happen, Zeppelin shot to his feet.
Rebecca didn’t hesitate—she sprinted toward the railing.
Zeppelin lunged after her, hand outstretched.
“Don’t you dare run from me!”
Rebecca climbed onto the railing. The wind whipped around her, nearly throwing her off balance.
She looked down, smiled faintly, and murmured coldly before leaping.
“I’m not running anymore. I’m just waiting for the right moment.”
“Rebecca!”
Ignoring his desperate cry, she kicked off the railing and vanished into the air.
Zeppelin’s body shook violently as he stared at the empty ledge.
He couldn’t bring himself to look down. He feared the green lawn below would be stained with her blood.
He stood frozen, gasping for breath, eyes locked on the balcony’s edge.
He couldn’t bear to confirm her death.
Her image—standing on that railing, looking straight at him—still flickered before his eyes.
Her hair, fluttering like canary feathers, flashed through his mind.
With trembling legs, Zeppelin punched his thigh.
“Damn it! Move! I can’t lose her—not like this!”
Dragging his shaking body forward, he gripped the railing and finally forced himself to look down.
Below, a man with brown hair was running across the lawn, carrying Rebecca in his arms.
Zeppelin stared blankly for a moment, then crumpled to the floor.
When the rope ladder dropped from the balcony, Kanna’s mind went white.
Rebecca’s upper body was already hanging dangerously over the edge—Zeppelin seemed to be the one holding her.
Kanna’s eyes darted rapidly, calculating every possible escape route.
Even if Rebecca managed to slip free, there was nowhere to run.
The mansion had already been locked down. Eyes were watching everywhere.
And once it came out that Grace had helped, Rebecca—stubborn as she was—would never use the secret passage.
Jumping from the railing and landing safely seemed like the only viable choice.
But that was impossible for someone with Rebecca’s athletic ability.
Unless someone caught her midair—or a soft landing was prepared below—there was no way she’d survive.
But there was no time to find anything soft to break her fall, and moving any such object would only draw attention.
And even if Kanna were strong, there was no guarantee she could safely catch someone falling from that height.
Rebecca was also much taller than her.
Frustration trembled through Kanna’s clenched fists. For the first time in her life, she wished she’d been born a man—
taller, stronger—someone who could catch Rebecca safely.
The thought that she couldn’t protect her made her eyes sting with tears.
But there was no time for self-pity.
She thought of one last hope—and ran toward him.
“Lady Rebecca! She’s in danger!”
She didn’t think. Her mind was filled with only one thing—save Rebecca.
Julian looked down at the rough, calloused hand gripping his wrist.
That hand was covered in scars—a testament to a hard life. Even so, he could feel the desperation in her touch.
He raised his eyes to her back as she ran ahead, dragging him along.
Her shirt was soaked through with sweat.
So it wasn’t just loyalty, he realized.
What was Rebecca to her, that she would risk everything like this?
Julian had thought Kanna’s devotion was simply blind loyalty to her master. There had always been people like that.
But no—there was something deeper here.
It was almost awe-inspiring, how completely she trusted and believed in Rebecca.
Thinking that, Julian suddenly understood her defiance toward him.
She was trying to protect her…
He thought of Croa.
He too was hostile toward Rebecca—but somehow, it was different.
Julian couldn’t quite define that difference, but he sensed it.
He shook the thoughts away. There was no time to ponder.
What mattered most now was Rebecca.
“Excuse me for a moment,” he said—then swiftly hoisted Kanna over his shoulder and began running.
They moved much faster that way.
Kanna pointed directions while Julian followed her gestures.
A few of the estate’s hounds spotted them and froze, eyes wide.
But when they recognized Kanna, they said nothing—and turned away.
Some even blocked servants who tried to chase after them.
Rebecca had reached out to those hunting dogs days earlier.
Even after her divorce, she had maintained contact with the Devonshire hounds—
and eventually, she’d won over all of them except Octavio and Bates.
Grace’s stance had been ambiguous, but judging from the greed burning in her eyes, she would soon join Rebecca’s side.
One of the four pillars that held up the Devonshire estate was beginning to crumble.
Seeing the obedient dogs turn away, Julian let out a low whistle.
It was astonishing—everything seemed to move according to Rebecca’s plan.
“There!”
Kanna pointed frantically as they rounded a corner.
She scoured the wide lawn with her eyes.
Thankfully, there was no sign of Rebecca lying injured on the ground.
She hurriedly slid off Julian’s shoulder, relief washing over her as she saw the grass was spotless—no trace of blood.
Julian picked up the rope ladder lying nearby and looked up.
The balcony was clearly visible from here.
But there was no sign of Rebecca—or Zeppelin.
Kanna bit her lip, eyes fixed on the empty railing.
“What do we do? If that bastard dragged Lady Rebecca back inside—”
“He didn’t.”
Julian’s tone was firm. His brows were furrowed, but his eyes didn’t waver as he stared upward.
Kanna looked at him in surprise.
“Rebecca wouldn’t go down that easily. She’s still up there. If anyone’s in trouble now, it’s the count. He’s lost his memory—Rebecca’s probably giving him hell right now.”
A faint smile touched his otherwise resolute expression.
Kanna stared at him, struck by the unshakable faith in his voice.
Julian stepped back a few paces, raised a hand, and measured the distance to the balcony.
After a brief calculation, he nodded to himself.
Then, taking a deep breath, he shouted—
“Rebecca! Jump!”
