The Reason Why the Forsaken Fake Returned Chapter 137

Although he was displeased about it, Caleb’s choice had ultimately been the latter.

 

The engagement ceremony that had been called off just before it could take place left the chapel desolate once again. In the space where only a chilly wind rolled about, Shailoh faced Caleb without even changing out of her dress. Then, slowly, she parted her lips. “Tell me. How did you rush here? Did you plant someone here?”

 

Not a single person among Baron Gardin’s party had been left behind. They had all returned immediately. She could not believe that the people of this castle, who were so loyal, had betrayed her. Besides, only a very small number of people knew about this engagement.

 

“I’m more thorough than you know.”

 

“What does that mean?”

 

“It means there are people here who want you to become queen.”

 

At his calm reply, Shailoh squeezed her eyes shut. The people of the castle did not know the whole story. Some of them must have been thinking about the various benefits the North would gain if she became queen, along with the belief that she would inevitably be happy once she sat in such a high position.

 

“What about the chapel? How did you know to come here?”

 

“Let’s just call it animal instinct,” Caleb answered briefly and swallowed a bitter smile. His mouth felt astringent, as though he had chewed bitter medicine, and his deeply wounded heart throbbed. Half of it had been instinct, but the truth was that he had already known about this place because he had considered holding the ceremony here if she wanted it.

 

Caleb had rushed here desperately, hoping that it would not be so. But what unfolded before his eyes was nothing short of hell itself. Shailoh, beautifully dressed, holding another man’s hand. As he recalled that sight once again, the anger he had briefly suppressed surged up.

 

Having barely restrained the emotions that wanted to turn violent, Caleb demanded, “Then I suppose it’s my turn now.”

 

“…”

 

“Explain.”

 

Caleb reached out and grasped Shailoh’s chin. As he lowered his head close to hers, she drew in a short breath. Their taut gazes tangled and warped in the air between them.

 

“Explain what?”

 

“What do you think? This fucking mess.” Although he gripped her chin with murderous intent, his lips drew dangerously close, as though they might cover hers at any moment.

 

“You can see for yourself. I was going to get engaged to Sir Kianan, so—ah!” Before Shailoh could finish, she let out a groan as his grip tightened.

 

“If you were trying to get revenge on me for attempting to keep another woman by my side instead of you, then it was very effective.” His voice was gentle, as if he were praising a clever student. Yet the eyes looking down at her were cold and fierce enough to pierce straight through her heart. “But you should have thought about the aftermath, too. Even if you got engaged to another man, did you really think I would let you go? I could simply kill that man and take you back.”

 

Shailoh took a deep breath. Those were not empty threats. His eyes said he truly would do it. He was the kind of man capable of it.

 

“…It wasn’t.”

 

“What?”

 

“It wasn’t for revenge!” Struggling desperately, Shailoh summoned every bit of strength she had and knocked his hand away. “It wasn’t revenge. Why don’t you understand? I just hate being by your side!”

 

“…”

 

“You’re a cold-blooded man without a drop of blood or tears. You toyed with my feelings and used me. Just when I thought I was finally getting away from you, you came after me anyway and tried to keep using me to the very end!” The resentment she had kept buried and suppressed finally exploded. With her face turning crimson as though it might burst, Shailoh poured out her anger. “I’m sick of you! You’re horrible!” She had poured out so much that she was struggling to breathe. After letting out short, broken breaths, Shailoh staggered and collapsed onto a pew.

 

“Why?” Caleb, who had frozen like a stone statue, finally opened his mouth. “Why do you hate me that much?”

 

“…I just told you.” Exhausted, Shailoh breathed raggedly as though she might collapse from fatigue at any moment. Weakness overwhelmed her body, as if she had run at full speed, and exhaustion quickly took hold.

 

“Because you want revenge?”

 

Instead of answering, she averted her gaze.

 

Caleb approached and sat beside her. “If that’s the case, then take revenge on me as much as you want.”

 

“…What?”

 

“Until your heart is satisfied. But no one else can come between us. This is a matter between you and me.”

 

Each syllable sounded painfully sincere. His voice was almost desperate, and Shailoh abruptly turned her head toward him.

 

“Why are you so obsessed with me? If you look around, there are plenty of women besides me who could bring you benefits.”

 

“It has to be you.”

 

“Because I know too much about you? Because it’s dangerous to let me go now?”

 

“…” Instead of answering, Caleb’s expression hardened.

 

Shailoh deliberately spoke each word clearly, as though making sure he understood. “If that’s the reason, then I swear to God. I’ll keep my mouth shut about you forever. I won’t say a single word. If you want, I can even swear to it in writing.”

 

It was a solution she could not believe she had never thought of before. Confident now, Shailoh continued fiercely.

 

“When you return, have ‘Sasha Griche’ officially declared dead. Then everything you wanted to keep secret will remain buried forever.”

 

Shailoh swallowed dryly and waited for his answer. She had expected him to agree immediately, but the only response was a suffocating silence. Yet it was not the tense silence from moments ago, the kind that felt like walking across a razor’s edge. She quietly stared at Caleb’s now-pale face. A strange sense of déjà vu came over her. It was exactly the same expression he had worn when she had belittled herself.

 

“How can you say something like that?”

 

“…What?”

 

“Have you completely erased me from your life? Do you really… hate me that much?”

 

His expression looked as though she had driven a knife straight through his heart. His face, twisted by a mixture of betrayal, anger, and sorrow, was still composed even in that moment.

 

“You asked why I’m so obsessed with you.”

 

“Enough.” For some reason, Shailoh felt that she must not hear whatever came next. She sprang to her feet and turned away. “Stop talking.”

 

“Sasha.”

 

She raised her arms to cover her ears, but a large hand soon caught hers and pulled them down. Wrapping one arm around her waist from behind, Caleb continued speaking.

 

“You need to hear this.”

 

“I don’t want to.”

 

“Even so, listen to me,” Caleb whispered like a plea and kissed the crown of her head. Then he confessed in a voice full of aching tenderness. “I love you.”

 

“…”

 

“I realized it far too late.”

 

Having finally heard the words, Shailoh closed her eyes. The strength drained completely from her body, leaving her limp. She was so exhausted that simply remaining standing was difficult. “Since when?”

 

“From the beginning…”

 

Caleb lowered his head and rubbed his nose against her slender shoulder. He was like a dog fawning for even a little touch from its master.

 

“When I saw you by the lake, I had already fallen in love with you.”

 

Caleb had desperately tried to deny that fact. He had struggled and resisted. But in the end, he could not escape it. This emotion, shackling him like chains, would remain until he died and torment him. He realized it when Shailoh had given up and called herself a degrading name in front of him. A pain as though his heart were being torn out overwhelmed him, and he could not even breathe properly. Even when he left the North under the pretext of sorting things out and dealing with urgent affairs of state, his heart was always here.

 

Seeing him wandering around like an empty shell, Eric had felt sorry for him.

 

“…Your Majesty.”

 

The several dozen seconds he spent waiting for her answer were agonizing, as though he had become a condemned criminal awaiting sentencing.

 

Still held in his arms, Shailoh replied quietly. “You already told me you loved me, Your Majesty.”

 

“Sasha.”

 

“But it was a lie.”

 

“That’s…”

 

“Did you think I would believe those words again?”

 

The strength naturally left his hands.

 

She turned around after asking coldly. “I don’t believe in Your Majesty’s love. Because Your Majesty is a person who can never love anyone.”

 

“…”

 

“So please, stop deceiving me with words like that. I’m not a fool, and I won’t be fooled twice.”

 

It would have been much better to laugh at his confession. It would have been better to point at him and say that a confession like this was nowhere near enough, then throw his heart to the ground.

 

“How can I make you believe me?”

 

“Leave me behind. Forget me completely and set me free. Forcing what you want upon someone isn’t love. Love is giving the other person what they want most.”

 

“That’s…”

 

Caleb’s turquoise eyes shook uncontrollably. Shailoh quietly looked up at him. His lips moved several times before he finally answered as though exhaling a breath he had been holding.

 

“I can’t do that.”

 

“…Of course. I knew you would say that.”

 

“But.”

 

She turned away without hesitation, intending to walk away. But his next words stopped her in her tracks.

 

“I’ll do anything else you want.”

 

“Really?” Shailoh gave a faint, mocking laugh and turned back toward him. “Then get on your knees.”

 

“…”

 

“Kneel down and beg me for love. Desperately.”