He hates me

His eyes were wide open, blazing with fury, as if to convey that unless I moved away promptly, he wouldn't hesitate to push me out of the window.

I immediately sprang away from him, putting some distance between us, my phone still clutched tightly in my hand.


I gasped, covering my mouth with both hands in shock. 'How could I be so close to a man?'

Another thought peached in 'how could i not, after all he was about to throw away my phone and why i keep breaking holly Syrvoski's rules.' I started to bite my nails, i could not hide my emotions, how was i feeling infront of Adrian.

"I...I am tr..uly re..regretful for my..my action, Mr. Duke. I..I would take.."

I was embraced by Juli suddenly, i was definately taken a back by her sudden embrace. she was assuring me like a mother assures her child,

"Everything is alright. Calm down, You did nothing wrong," she gently grasped my hands, locking her gaze into mine.

"I can see just how frightened you are. And if anyone should be extending an apology, it's Duke, not you."

Juli became furious and she turned to face Duke.

"Are you not satisfied with one mistress, that you're now willing to ruin another woman's?" Juli tears started to roll from her eyes while her gazed switched between mine and Adrian.

"Or perphaps this is your new game for my attention?"

The situation wasn't getting any better, it only added fluel to Adrian's limited patience, "You already belong to me." Adrian's tone carried a weight of authority as he addressed Juli, Juli.

"How dare you to accuse me?" he made it clear who held power in the situation.

Witnessing Juli's situation and Adrian's altered demeanor towards her, mirroring events from the novel, it acted as a harsh reminder to me, of the deep-seated hatred she held for Adrian.

Her intense hatred for him consumed her, eclipsing all other feelings. A quiet love, which had blossomed in secret, a sentiment she refused to admit. Instead, she continually reaffirmed her hatred for him.

The thoughts hit me and my heart began to ache. My eyes were drawn to Adrian, and like that other fateful night, tears started streaming uncontrollably from my eyes.

I remained silent, fixated on Adrian, my vision blurred by ceaseless tears, rendering me unable to speak a word.

Adrian looked at me with a confusion, as he attempted to discern the reason behind my silence tears.

He found himself in the midst of a scene, with two women shedding tears in his bedroom.

I was so overwhelmed that I dropped to my knees and I let out a an uncontrollable cry.

Hearing me cry, Juli paused and turned her attention to me, wiping away her own tears. And she approached me, gently grasping my shoulders and helping me rise to my feet.

"Your Grace, I am taking her to my home."

Adrian, who had been sitting with authority just moments ago, was completely astonished. It was an unexpected turn of events, one he had never anticipated.

To his surprise, he could not speak a word seeing her cry. Something ached in him.

He simply nodded in response to Juli's statement to take her. For now he decided to let her go.

Juli and I strolled past the entrance to Duke's bedroom, venturing down a path that was typically reserved for the Duke himself. Juli held my hand, guiding me in the direction she was heading.

My thoughts were still consumed by the final chapter and Duke's ultimate moments.

As we passed through the woods and arrived at Juli's home, my recollection of the journey was hazy.

I found myself seated on the veranda, lost in my thoughts, still. Unaware of the passing time, I hadn't realized when Juli went inside and prepared the bath for me. She gently took my hand, guiding me to the washroom.

"Do you want me to help you in the bath?"

Juli's question brought me back to the present.

hann..

I looked around before my gaze stopping at Juli.

"I will bathe myself."

Juli gave me a warm smile and pointed to a pair of dresses hanging on the hook. "That's for you."

Her gentle caring nature was as similar as i read in the novel, I was truly thankful to her for helping me out in this unknown place.

I am not sure, if she had taken me with her, where would i have been ended up at. Probably sleeping in the woods with empty stomach. I completely stranger to this place. To make matter worst, I do not know anyone here.

From the novel i know that this place is called Wismar. The Duke of Wismar is Adrian de Louis himself.

I Indulge in a long and rejuvenating bath, I allowed the warm water to wash away the remnants of fatigue and stress that had clung to me.

Emerging from the bath, I adorned the dress Juli had kept it aside above a drawer in the bathroom.

I went in search of her and found her standing in the kitchen, preparing a meal. As I approached, she turned back with a smile, "Look, I am preparing the meal for us."

It was an irony that she was attempting to make me feel comfortable, though she herself was battling turbulence in her own heart and mind.

Feeling the desire to contribute, I asked for Juli's permission to set up the table. She gladly allowed me, showing me where the cutlery and utensils were kept.


Juli had orchestrated a delectable feast for our evening meal, featuring a garden-fresh vegetable soup, succulent roasted chicken, and a side of freshly baked bread. As she artfully arranged the dishes on the dining table, Juli cast her gaze upon me, her expression were of a model of composed serenity.

My hunger had reached an undeniable peak and we began our dinner.

Regrettably, I couldn't taste the farm-fresh roasted chicken, though it look delicious and mouth watering. I own meat allergy.

Instead, I opted for a comforting bowl of soup and a portion of the freshly baked bread. The aroma of freshly baked had bread filled the air.

"Is chicken not to your liking? I apologize; this was all we had at home," she said with concern, feeling unsure if she was being a good host.

"I am sorry, I have a meat allergy and that is why i did not eat it."

"You are not stammering."

"Oh yes, I don't usually. I was nervous and scared, so I stammer," I told her one of my secret, which is only known by my parents.

We continued our dinner without speaking a word after that.

But something was weighing heavily on Juli's mind. Between bites, I noticed her furrowed eyebrows and stressed expression, indicating she was lost in thought.

Finally, with a hesitant voice, she spoke up. "Can I ask for a favor?"

Her request for secrecy regarding our visit to the Duke's Palace, her eyes were silently pleading for my cooperation.

"Even if you hadn't asked me," I assured her, "I would have never said anything to anyone."

I had managed to douse the flames of her worry with comforting words, and now she appeared visibly more relaxed than before.

A sigh of relief escaped Juli's lips, her posture was visibly relaxed, as if a heavy weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

With great difficult i decided to lay another question infornt of her, which Juli never want to hear.

“Do you love the Duke?”

She looked at me with a disgusted eyes. 'I guess i shouldn't have asked that.'

Juli clenched her hands, her eyes were filled with anger. “I certainly do not.”


I was taking risk again to ask her further question related to Andrian. I hope she wont throw me out of the home.

But i needed to comprehend the part of their life into which I had stumbled. I was well aware that I had entered Adrian and Juli's lives at a rather late juncture.

If I had arrived when Adrian was just beginning to show interest in Juli, I might have taken measures to thwart his ill-conceived advances and malicious plots.

The challenge ahead for me was uncertain; I couldn't be sure if I could help Adrian open his heart to her, or if I could orchestrate Juli's heart to sway in his direction.


What I was certain of was that the universe had granted my wish, offering a chance to reshape Adrian's heart, leading them both toward a brighter future together.

With a heavy heart, I continued with my further questions. "Why are you with him?"

“I made a deal with a devil and yesterday was my...—"

"I am sorry, no need to say anything. I understood."

I interrupted her, not wishing to hear what she had to tell me about spending the night with Duke. 'I know the point in their lives where I had entered.

"I don't love him, and I'm not drawn to his wealth. However, I had no choice. Refusing would have only led to my father being wrongfully accused of stealing a worthless piece of jewelry.”

I was well aware of this incident which Juli had mentioned.

There was a very famous thief known as the "Shadow Thief" who had come to Wismar after a string of thefts from wealthy individuals in another city.

With his exceptional skills, including the ability to climb trees and jump from one to another, he chose Duke's palace as his next target for stealing jewellery.

Duke, being the sharp-minded man he was, had anticipated this move long before the thief arrived in Wismar.

Having left a trail as the "Shadow Thief" in Rivil County, which was closer to Wismar, it was only a matter of time before he would strike again.

So, Duke had made arrangements in advance to capture the thief himself.

On the day the thief entered Wismar palace, Adrian was hiding behind the trees in the forest.

He planned to catch the thief with the stolen jewellery and had his gun ready to shoot.

The moment the "Shadow Thief" successfully acquired the jewels and began using the trees to make his escape, Adrian took aim.

However, in a twist of fate, the thief lost his balance and fell from the tree, injuring his leg.

He Panicked, he started to scanned his surroundings and attempted to flee. But he couldn't get far. Not with injured legs.

Not far, he spotted a nearby cottage, seeing the cottage, he was relieved, a smile tugged on his lips and he decided to hide the stolen jewellery in the garden.

There, he found a large wooden bird's nest and carefully concealed the jewels, covering them with leaves.

It was not just he, who was boring a smile but also Adrian.

Adrian's eyes gleamed with anticipation, and his mind began racing with calculated plans.

Chapter end