Tail’s Curse Chapter 61

Only then did Cordelia realize, somewhat unintentionally, that she had essentially one-upped her—and felt at a loss for what to do about it. 

 

But honestly, she couldn’t see what she had done so terribly wrong. Everything she said was true, wasn’t it? 

 

And it wasn’t as if she had approached them first.

 

Cordelia inwardly made those excuses to herself while fidgeting with her fingers.

 

‘Hmm…’ 

 

Maybe she had been too tense; her stomach was starting to hurt a little. 

 

Since taking medicine in moments like this usually turned out for the best, Cordelia subtly turned away from Mikael—who was still snickering—and awkwardly whispered to Sasha.

 

“Um… I need to use the restroom for a moment…”

 

“Oh, go ahead. Don’t worry about us.”

 

Sasha seemed noticeably more relaxed than before. 

 

Relieved, Cordelia quickly headed upstairs. She had left her handbag in Sasha’s atelier in surprise at their sudden visit.

 

Where did I put it? 

 

After searching the room for a while, she spotted the bag on the inner sofa, took out her medicine, and swallowed it. Her stomach was stinging a bit, so she hurriedly found a water bottle and rinsed her mouth as well.

 

Gradually, the pounding of her heart began to calm. 

 

‘Haa…’ 

 

She let out a long breath.

 

Lately, the auditory hallucinations and visual hallucinations hadn’t appeared, so her condition could be considered quite good, all things considered. 

 

Since coming to Katisha, she had coughed up blood only once. Because the symptoms weren’t frequent, she washed the blood-stained handkerchiefs right away each time and dried them carefully. 

 

Fortunately, the fabric was dark, so with proper care, it didn’t show.

 

Would it be all right to keep going like this?

 

A sudden wave of worry hit her. 

 

Unlike her mother, her own symptoms didn’t seem severe, so things had been fine up to now. But even if a doctor’s examination declared her perfectly healthy, if the illness became visible to others, anyone would find it strange. 

 

If the symptoms suddenly worsened, her physical condition would eventually be exposed. She had never thought ahead to that point.

 

It was probably true that everything had been happening so chaotically that there simply wasn’t time to pay attention to those kinds of things.

 

I don’t know. There’s no real plan, but I’ll think about that when the time comes.

 

Cordelia let out a small yawn. 

 

Meeting Sasha had been nice, but even though this was her first outing in a while, fatigue was already rushing in. 

 

Lately, she had been sleeping almost every day, so it was no wonder her body felt worn out. 

 

Why am I so sleepy all the time?

 

She slowly blinked… and before she knew it, she had dozed off.

 

“Cordelia? Are you in here?”

 

The door burst open along with Sasha’s call, and Cordelia drowsily opened her eyes. She must have fallen asleep for a short while. 

 

How long was I out? 

 

Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she was just about to get up when the door opened again. 

 

This time it wasn’t the person who had entered leaving—it was someone else opening the door and coming in.

 

“Sasha.”

 

Her mouth fell open. It was Mikael. Cordelia missed the perfect moment to say she was there and froze, not knowing what to do. 

 

The sofa where she had fallen asleep faced the window, with her back to the door, so from their position they wouldn’t be able to see her.

 

“Let’s talk.”

 

“I have nothing to say to you.”

 

She spoke coldly, but Sasha’s voice trembled ever so slightly. He seemed to notice it too, because his tone softened a little.

 

“Don’t be so cold to me. You don’t really want to, do you?”

 

“Meetings like this aren’t right anymore. Go back to your fiancée.”

 

“Strictly speaking, she’s not my fiancée yet. We haven’t even held the engagement ceremony.”

 

“Are you seriously saying that right now…?”

 

Sasha muttered in disbelief, and Mikael took one step closer to her.

 

“Why didn’t you reply?”

 

“Why should I have?”

 

She spoke through gritted teeth.

 

“You didn’t say a single word to me either! You insulted me, you humiliated me. You played with me!”

 

“I never did that. I told you—you’re special to me. That hasn’t changed.”

 

“I’m sick of those smooth, pretty words! Everything that comes out of your mouth is a lie.”

 

“My lovely Sasha… I haven’t told a single lie.”

 

Mikael spoke in a voice that was chilling yet meltingly sweet. She couldn’t fathom how two such opposing emotions could coexist in the same breath.

 

“You know it too. I never broke any promise.”

 

“…The very fact that there was never any promise to begin with is the deception.”

 

“Then why didn’t you listen to me?”

 

For the first time, Mikael sounded openly irritated.

 

“I warned you over and over to keep your distance from Georgiana Langham. I told you again and again to cut her off, but you treated my warnings like they were nothing more than after-dinner mints.”

 

“Why? Because you have to marry her?”

 

“Don’t twist my words.”

 

“How convenient for you. Thanks to all this, I can never go back to the way things were with her. Because of you, I’ve lost a friend.”

 

“If that’s the only upside you can get out of this situation, then at least that’s something.”

 

“Are you mocking me? If that’s all you have to say, then get out right now.”

 

“Sasha, you’re far too kind and gentle. If it hadn’t been for something like this, you never would have been able to sever ties with her completely. You would’ve kept spouting that foolish, sentimental nonsense—childhood affection, the only friend who didn’t abandon you when others pointed fingers and called you a bastard, and so on.”

 

“Watch your mouth! Oh, I see—are you about to spout more nonsense like you got engaged to my friend for my sake? You really do think I’m an idiot, don’t you? Pathetic and gullible! I know perfectly well that she’s the daughter of General Langham, and that marrying her will help you gain the power you’ve always wanted. Langham isn’t some half-breed like me! That’s exactly why you chose her!”

 

“How could my situation possibly be the same as yours? You grew up showered with love and money from a wealthy father. You have no idea how humiliating it is to live as a royal in name only. Is it so wrong for someone like me—a half-breed—to want more?”

 

At the coldly phrased yet genuinely puzzled question, Sasha let out a stunned, incredulous laugh.

 

“How convenient! Why don’t you just go to her right now—no need to waste any more time—and tell her to skip the engagement and go straight to marriage! What’s the matter, want me to catch the bouquet for you too?”

 

“Stop being sarcastic.”

 

At his low, sharp rebuke, Sasha seemed to explode.

 

“I told you I loved you! Every single time, you said nothing! If you were going to act like this, you should’ve ended it before things got so deep! You irresponsible bastard! You ruined everything! Everything!”

 

“You love me? Are you sure about that?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I had no idea that dear Miss Sasha Ander was so generous-hearted—ignoring every single one of my letters while going out of her way to send congratulations and even gifts to the fiancée of the man she supposedly loves. Quite the forgiving soul. You were laughing so brightly earlier, too, weren’t you? Love? And yet you put on such elegant airs and play the part so well. What an impressive display of ‘love’ you’ve put on.”

 

The emotion underlying Mikael’s viciously mocking tone was so intense and raw that it sounded almost like a growl. The argument grew louder. It sounded like they were physically struggling. 

 

A sharp slap rang out—someone’s cheek being struck—and then silence fell. 

 

Sasha’s voice broke through, thick with tears.

 

“You’re nothing but a selfish bastard who only cares about himself! Go die!”

 

“Where do you think you’re going!”

 

“Let go of me!”

 

Hearing her cry, Cordelia grew worried and cautiously lifted her head—only to swallow a gasp when she saw Mikael pinning Sasha against the wall and roughly kissing her. 

 

At first, Sasha seemed to resist, striking him several times, but then the two of them were suddenly locked in a fierce, passionate kiss. 

 

Cordelia was stunned and immediately flattened herself back down on the sofa. Her heart was pounding now for an entirely different reason. 

 

Having never been in a relationship herself, Cordelia couldn’t make sense of the scene she had just witnessed. 

 

Wait—why would they go from fighting straight to kissing? 

 

Did I miss something? What on earth just happened?

 

The rough breathing and moans of the man and woman grew heavier, followed by the frantic sounds of them tearing at each other’s clothes. 

Everything went black before Cordelia’s eyes. She wanted to bolt out of the room right then and there, but she simply didn’t have the courage.

 

At the same time… an uncontrollable curiosity surged up inside her.

 

She had never in her life witnessed such raw, explicit, nakedly sexual scenes. 

 

Before she knew it, Cordelia found herself staring—without so much as blinking—at the back of the man’s head as he buried his face hungrily against the woman’s collarbone, the nape of her neck, and the half-exposed curve of her breast; at the woman’s fingers clawing desperately into his hair like a child grasping at skin.

 

At the pale expanse of thigh revealed; at the man’s knee slipping between them to tease that secret place; and then at Mikael, lifting one slender leg without hesitation, licking along it with his lips before burying his head shamelessly between her thighs.

 

The man’s vivid red tongue. The flushed, aroused skin of the woman.

 

No—stop! Don’t look anymore! 

 

Cordelia squeezed her eyes shut, her face burning scarlet as if it might burst.

 

Lewd, wet, slick sounds kept licking at her ears. She clamped both hands over her mouth, desperately trying not to hear anything. 

 

She started counting sheep—anything to distract herself—but flinched hard when Sasha let out a sharp, keening cry. 

 

In her agitation, she began sucking anxiously on her thumb like a frightened child, and then, as if instinctively seeking shelter, she desperately summoned the image of Noah in her mind.