The Reason Why the Forsaken Fake Returned Chapter 78

It was a face he was seeing for the first time in four days.

 

Caleb clicked his tongue at her pale complexion. “I heard you collapsed.”

 

“…Yes.”

 

“Are you unwell?”

 

As Shailoh sat on the couch, she suddenly looked up at him. She couldn’t believe he was saying such things. He was the one who had tormented her the most cruelly and hurt her the most deeply.

 

“Sasha Griche was brought in just to be used. Once she’s no longer needed, she’ll be discarded.”

 

The words, like an indelible stain, pierced her heart and broke every joint in her body. She was angry, resentful, sad, and tormented. If only she could show him her heart, she would gladly do so. She wondered what expression he would make upon seeing her shattered heart.

 

But the impulse was fleeting. Over the past three years, she had become accustomed to not lashing out or pouring out her resentment at him. If she burst now, everything might spiral so far out of control that even she wouldn’t be able to contain it.

 

“Answer me.” Caleb, frowning at the cold silence, approached and grabbed her chin.

 

Looking up at him from her seated position, Shailoh shook her head. “I’m fine. I just collapsed from overworking myself with practice lately.”

 

“That’s all?”

 

“That’s all.” Shailoh removed his hand and smiled faintly. “How gracious of you to worry about a tool you were using.”

 

“So you do know how to be sarcastic.” Caleb laughed coldly and sat on the couch opposite her.

 

“In any case, I’m saying I’m fine, Your Highness.”

 

Instead of answering, Caleb’s indifferent turquoise eyes scrutinized the woman before him. It had only been four days since he’d last seen her, yet she looked significantly thinner, her cheeks hollow and lifeless.

 

Caleb clicked his tongue quietly. It was astonishing how much weight she had lost in just a few days, and he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of concern. If she lost any more weight, she’d be nothing but skin and bones. In any case, the goal of using her to bring down the Diponz ducal family had already been achieved. If only she hadn’t overheard his conversation with Eric that day, things might not have gone so awry.

 

It wasn’t love, but he did care for her. Like one might care for a canary in a cage or a cat on their lap. Caleb had thought he would discard her once she had served her purpose, but looking back, he realized he had never once imagined a scenario where he would let her go.

 

“Sasha.”

 

At the familiar address, Shailoh flinched and gripped the hem of her dress. His calm gaze lingered on her trembling lips.

 

“I was harsh last time.”

 

“…”

 

“Telling you to seduce Albert, that was excessive of me.”

 

Her blue eyes, which had been shaking as if an earthquake had struck, met his gaze for a moment before slowly looking down. Caleb persistently watched Shailoh, who refused to meet his eyes no matter how much he stared.

 

“Sasha. Look at me.”

 

“…”

 

“It was cruel of me, considering the horrible experience you went through.”

 

Shailoh refused to lift her head despite his repeated words. When he finally reached out, she recoiled.

 

“Sasha.”

 

Shailoh squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath. It felt like something was lodged in her throat. Her chest was tight, and her insides burned as if she were suffering from indigestion. “Why…”

 

“…”

 

“Why do you say such things?”

 

She couldn’t stand the way he used the same voice and expression as when they played the part of sweet lovers, before she had uncovered the truth. She despised him for his deceit, but what she hated even more was herself. Knowing it was all a lie, a facade, yet still wanting to believe him again made her feel foolish and wretched.

 

“Do I look that stupid to you? Stupid enough to be fooled twice?”

 

Her reckless actions, provoking Evan and getting caught by him, were partly due to the shock she had experienced and also served as a test for Caleb. It was a test for Caleb, but even if he didn’t save her, she felt she could die without regret. That’s how much he meant to her, more precious than her own life.

 

“Well, you did manage to deceive me perfectly for three years, so I suppose you could do it again. After all, I’m just a foolish woman who danced in the palm of Your Highness’s hand.”

 

“I never said you were stupid.”

 

“Really? You didn’t just refrain from saying it out loud?”

 

“Shailoh!” Caleb finally snapped, his patience worn thin by her continued sarcasm, and he issued a low warning. “I hate repeating myself.”

 

“…”

 

Shailoh couldn’t believe her eyes as she looked at his icy expression. For the first time, the man who always looked down at her with such ease was angry. A low sense of satisfaction welled up within her.

 

Shailoh’s lips curled into a twisted smile. “Did you treat Octavia the same way you treated me?”

 

“…”

 

“Did you whisper sweet nothings to her too? Deceive her like some perfectly sweet lo—Mmph!”

 

Before she could finish, his hand wrapped around her waist and gripped her chin. His lips descended upon hers suddenly and forcefully, and his tongue invaded her mouth, leaving her breathless.

 

“Mmph…!”

 

Even as her mind grew hazy, Shailoh pushed against his chest, trying to break free. But the more she struggled, the deeper the kiss became. Eventually, she gave up and relaxed, and the rough kiss softened, his tongue tracing her palate and teeth. Seizing the opportunity, she bit down on his lip with all her might.

 

“Ugh.”

 

As soon as he released her with a groan, Shailoh collapsed onto the couch.

 

“Haa…” Her vision spun. Already weakened, she felt as if all her energy had been drained from her body.

 

If vampires existed, they would surely be like the man before her. A devil who seduces with a captivating face, then hunts by sucking the life out of his prey. She glared at Caleb, who wiped the blood from his lips with his thumb.

 

Caleb licked the blood from his hand and spoke mockingly. “I didn’t do this with her.”

 

“But you would if you had to.”

 

He chuckled softly at the immediate retort. Not understanding what was so amusing, Shailoh frowned.

 

Caleb soon stopped laughing and got to the point. “What do you want?”

 

“What do I want?”

 

“I’ll treat you better than before. I’ll give you any gift you desire. Any jewel, any dress, it doesn’t matter.”

 

“Are you suggesting I become your personal courtesan, adorned in jewels and dresses?”

 

“That depends on how you see it.”

 

“I refuse.” Without a moment’s hesitation, Shailoh shook her head and informed him. “I’ll seduce Prince Albert. And I’ll extract the information you want from him.”

 

An icy silence settled between them. In the tense air, where even breathing seemed difficult, Shailoh spoke clearly. “In return, let me go completely. That’s my condition.”

 

“Let you go… completely?”

 

“Yes. Completely. Let me live without ever seeing your face again.”

 

Even now, she could rely on Declen and head north. As Declen had said, she could assume the status of a noblewoman, cleanse her identity, and be reborn as a new person. But if she did that, she would be forever bound to Caleb in another sense. Even if they were physically apart, lingering feelings would mean it wasn’t true freedom. Moreover, she had a debt to repay him.

 

Amidst the heavy silence, many emotions passed between them. Finally, Caleb, who had been looking down at her with darkened eyes, nodded. “Alright.”

 

Shailoh closed her eyes gently at his straightforward acceptance. It was both sad and liberating. A mix of conflicting emotions tormented her. She wanted to repay her debt and escape as soon as possible, as if she had never been Sasha Griche.

 

There was still time before the premiere, and as things stood, she couldn’t sing anyway. If the cause was indeed that, resolving it quickly might allow her to sing again. She wanted to stand on that final stage with a clear mind. And then, she would leave without a trace.

 

After composing herself, Shailoh spoke. “Then arrange me a meeting with the Duke of Cornwall as soon as possi—”

 

“So soon? You’re in quite a hurry.” Her words were cut off. Caleb, interrupting her, picked up the coat he had left on the couch and opened the door to the sitting room. “I’ll tell you about Albert’s preferences. Get ready and follow me.”

 

With a bang, the door closed.