Chapter 130
As a result, Aisha was exposed to all forms of violence that he inflicted by her side. Bruises on her jaw and arms were commonplace, and her eyes were often swollen red from repeated blows. Yet, more severe than the physical abuse was the psychological torment—Ian treated her like a doll, coercing her into accepting it as if it were the right thing to do.
Even when injured, she had to obey his every command without question; any hint of defiance was unacceptable. He manipulated her mind, exploiting her habitual fear of his words, causing pain while ensuring obedience. He even made her body yield to him effortlessly.
Of course, it couldn’t be said that Aisha bore no responsibility at all in these circumstances. But in a situation where the perpetrator and the victim were so clearly defined, Ian had no right to speak of her faults or responsibilities.
“Ugh…”
Ian gagged as he realized the starting point of his own arrogance, reflecting on the disgusting, cowardly mindset he had harbored in the past—so vile he wouldn’t even face a fly. Yet, even in that moment, his final thought was absurdly selfish: he would immediately go find Aisha, apologize, and see her.
He dashed like a madman and quickly arrived at Padrenga. But the doors were sturdier than ever, and the people of Padrenga were tighter-knit than prison bars. In the end, he couldn’t set even a single foot inside.
“Arthur!”
Inside the shop, in a room secretly borrowed, Sophia jumped to her feet and called out the name of the person she had been waiting for. But Arthur, just having entered the room, didn’t look at her or sit down.
“I was surprised when you suddenly wanted to see me. No, actually… I was just… so happy.”
“……”
“Arthur, honestly, I’ve been having a hard time lately. Ian oppa’s acting strange. You know, right? He… he broke off his engagement with Aisha…”
Despite feeling unsettled by his rigid demeanor, Sophia smiled and hugged him, spilling out all the troubles she had faced recently.
But Arthur, looking down at her firmly, immediately pushed her away. Startled by the cold touch of her lover, Sophia froze, eyes wide. Yet Arthur didn’t care; he threw something onto the table and began speaking.
“Do you know what this is?”
Sophia’s eyes fell on the object he had thrown. She recognized it instantly: the fragrant tea she had lived with her grandmother drinking. The tea known for clearing the mind, which she had once offered to her brother Ian, and gifted to Arthur at the academy in a pretty jar.
“I gave this to you as a gift. Why? Don’t you like it?”
Sophia was puzzled—her notoriously picky brother had even sought out this tea again. Arthur, however, closed his eyes briefly at her innocent ignorance, then sighed.
“This… is poison. A highly toxic poison that can destroy a person’s mind.”
“What?”
Sophia’s eyes widened in shock. Arthur took out a pouch from his pocket, emptied it onto his palm, and separated two types of dried flowers with a slight purple tint.
“The flower on the right is a Pallas flower. See the small stem at the bottom? If dried and brewed in hot water, it becomes a poison that damages the mind.”
At first, even Arthur hadn’t realized the tea contained Pallas flowers—they resembled the other flowers in the blend, and drying made the difference hard to detect. He only discovered the secret when he served it to an academy professor.
“Arthur, let me see your hand.”
“Huh? Ah… yes…”
“Good grief… where did you get this? Throw it away immediately!”
Even the professor, knowledgeable in herbalism, only noticed the Pallas flowers after seeing Arthur’s fingertips tinge slightly purple. The tea had been hiding a deadly secret.
‘Where did it even come from? Hopefully she hasn’t drunk too much…’
Once he knew, Arthur immediately left the academy, worried about Sophia. Though he had corresponded occasionally over the past few months due to Aisha, he still cared deeply for Sophia.
‘Ah, young master, fortunately you came. If you hadn’t…’
‘What’s the matter?’
‘First, this… is a letter sent by the elder young master.’
A family servant caught him just as he left the academy. Upon hearing the news, Arthur immediately turned his steps home instead of going to Sophia.
‘Ian and Aisha’s engagement is over. And the relationship between our family and the Marquis Lloyd’s is over as well.’
‘……’
‘I already know about your secret lover. Both my mother and I do. You’re smart, Arthur, so I won’t say more. Have you seen how Aisha is? Take care of things before Daniel and your father find out about your lover.’
His twin sister, still dazed, and his elder brother’s stern words left Arthur without hesitation. Though a corner of his heart ached, it was not guilt. He nodded at Edward’s words and sent someone to meet Sophia. She responded immediately, and within half a day, they met.
“This… this can’t be!”
“……”
“This was recommended by my grandmother… and the shop was familiar too!”
Sophia, stunned by the word “poison,” shook her head violently after a moment. Poison… something that destroys the mind…
‘This tea is meant to clear Ian’s mind. He has so many troubles, after all. But if I gift it, he might refuse, so Sophia, please deliver it for me, okay?’
Sophia remembered her grandmother insisting she give the tea to Ian. Her heart sank. And recently…
‘Stop drinking so much! You’ll ruin your health!’
For reasons unknown, Ian had broken off his engagement with Aisha—and he was broken.
Sophia had been shocked seeing the broken engagement papers in Ian’s hands while he was drunk. Though she had secretly wished Ian and Aisha’s engagement would end, seeing the reality made her worry. And seeing her brother intoxicated as usual, she kept quiet, carrying the tea to Ian’s room out of concern.
“…More.”
Ian did not refuse the tea Sophia offered. In fact, he asked for more. Sophia felt uneasy at his demand, but it was better than drinking alcohol, so she handed it repeatedly—only to discover it was poisoned. She trembled.
“Your grandmother gave you this tea?”
Arthur furrowed his brows at the mention of Diane from Sophia. He clearly saw her intentions through the current events between Diane and Lloyd.
“Tell Ian immediately. And don’t get close to that woman. It’s dangerous.”
Arthur carefully avoided saying Diane wanted to kill Ian, but Sophia, tears streaming, shouted:
“No! Grandmother is the only one for me, just like you…”
“Snap out of it!”
Arthur could no longer tolerate Sophia. He grabbed her shoulders, shouting as loudly as she had.
“How long are you going to act spoiled? How long are you going to only take the sweet words?”
“……”
“I’m telling you this and you still don’t understand? One wrong move and both you and your brother could die, do you get me?”
“Arthur…”
Sophia, seeing this side of Arthur for the first time, cried as she clung to him like a child. Though frustrating, her pitiful state stirred his sympathy. But thinking of his sister lying ill at home, Arthur resolved not to be swayed by Sophia’s behavior and pushed her away.
“Sophia. Listen carefully.”
Sophia, pushed back, tried approaching again, but Arthur shook his head firmly and spoke coldly:
“As you said yourself, Ian and Aisha are over. Our family and yours are over too. And you and I are over now.”
“No! Why are we over? You’re on my side, Arthur. You’re supposed to stay with me… ugh!”
Sophia tried to cling again, but Arthur showed no mercy. He forcefully pushed her onto the couch.
“…This should have been done sooner.”
“What?”
“When you… Sophia, when you did that to Aisha, it should have ended then.”
Looking down at Sophia, Arthur’s face was contorted with guilt. He truly loved her. He empathized with her pain, and for over ten years, he had wanted to protect her, though she was difficult and childlike.
“But even now, Sophia… do you even know how Aisha is after her engagement with your brother ended?”
Yet the woman he loved had deeply hurt his precious family and didn’t care.
Arthur had stood by Sophia even when she spread rumors about Aisha, but the guilt gradually gnawed at his feelings for her, leaving only doubt.
“…Sophia. No matter what, Aisha is my sister. My precious sister. And I cannot love anyone who harms her.”
Old memories and attachment clouded this truth, but seeing his sister lying near death, Arthur realized he no longer loved Sophia. He couldn’t.
“If this continues, I, I’ll—”
As Arthur turned, Sophia reached for her hair accessory as before. But this time, Arthur glanced at her briefly, then walked away without hesitation, saying:
“Do as you please.”
<3