Chapter 238

Chapter 238

Enrique quietly took Lila.

But it wasn’t easy avoiding attention. Their presence was so clear it was only natural that they were being watched. A few tenacious eyes followed them.

Lila felt disgusted by some of the lewd gazes, and she refused to meet any of them. Only Lacias’s gaze was consoling. She could feel it on her back, warm and comforting.

They were moving in the opposite direction from the garden where the garden party was being held. Parties tended to attract lots of people. Lila was headed someplace a lot emptier.

Where is he taking me?

If she’d known they were going someplace far, she wouldn’t have agreed to come. She would’ve at least thought about it for a second.

Lila bit her lips in regret. Enrique was leading her, so she couldn’t get a glimpse of his face.

“It’s this way.”

It was a small room that looked like a place to rest during the party. Lila nodded and made to enter, but Enrique stopped her.

“I think you’re in possession of a gun,” he said.

“That’s…” Lila’s gun was for self-defense. It was hard for her to aim the ring, so she was getting help from the gun. She was annoyed by his request for the gun, although she suspected he already knew that.

“As you know,” she said, “it’s not for killing. There’s no ammo in it, and it’s just to aim the ring—”

“There shouldn’t be a reason for you to use the ring in there.”

Lila stared wordlessly at him.

“What?” he said. “You think I’d threaten my kitty?”

“Please watch what you’re saying. I have a title as a Duchess.”

His attitude changed as expected, since Lacias wasn’t there. Enrique scoffed at her blunt response. “I’m not sure if you’d be able to act like this even after you’re done talking with me.”

“Of course. I heard this is a great way to act.”

“How arrogant. Don’t avoid it. Just give me the gun.”

Lila bit the inside of her cheek, slowly pulling out the gun.

It’s not like I can’t use the ring with the gun. My aim might be a little wobbly, but I’ve been practicing, so it should be fine.

It would be wise to step back. It was time to check what Enrique had prepared for her. She decided it was best to avoid getting on his bad side until then.

Lila placed her gun in his hand. Enrique flipped the gun up and down, interest flashing across his face, and pulled the trigger.

Probably checking to see if he can use it for himself. Lila scoffed.

“You know it can’t use the hole.”

Enrique frowned at Lila. “Isn’t it all your fault?”

“Why is it my fault that you can’t use your ring?”

“Back then! If you hadn’t randomly left me, my hole would have been purified and perfect.”

“Nonsense.” Lila shook her head.

“A fake doesn’t become real just because you put effort into it.”

Lila crossed her arms and brushed past Enrique.

He frowned, looking like he wanted to say something but was having trouble doing so. There was no way a hole would become a ring no matter how much you tried.

Hmm, what is it?

The moment Lila stepped into the room, she sensed that something was off. Why was that? She gazed around until her eyes landed on the source of the unusual atmosphere.

Why is that wall so thick? It’s not just wallpaper. It looks like something thick is on top of it.

It felt like it was a room that was manmade for soundproofing purposes. And Enrique used it often, it seemed.

It feels like no one outside could hear even if I screamed for help.

It was troubling for Lila. She tried her best not to let her guard down.

“It’s so hard to talk to you alone.”

“If you have something to say, please make it concise.”

“The Lila I knew before wasn’t like this.” Enrique examined Lila, and her body trembled with disgust. “Is this a different person?”

She said nothing.

Enrique laughed. “It’s a joke. Relax. Why are you so tense?”

She shouldn’t take him lightly. It wasn’t a joke. Enrique must know something.

“I mean, it has been weird. The Lila I knew was different from you. From your eyes to your posture.”

“What…what are you trying to say—?”

“Why are you suddenly acting like a completely different person? It’s not that easy. It was always weird, and I thought it didn’t make sense. But…amazingly, there’s another person in the Empire that’s like you.”

Someone crossed Lila’s mind in that instant, even before Enrique said his name. It was the unfamiliar name of her father, who had mistreated her, her entire life.

“That man who was on trial. Baron Doug Blake. He also changed completely, around the same time as you.”

Enrique shrugged his shoulders.

“Baron Blake is currently locked up in a single room in a mental hospital. Duke Wipere guards it tightly, so it was hard to contact him. But who am I? I’m the Emperor. There isn’t anything I can’t do in this world.”

Lila swallowed.

“He claims that he’s your father,” he said. “Amongst other gibberish. I considered bringing him here to confront you, but Duke Wipere watches like a hawk. I didn’t know the duke was such a lover boy.”

He spread his shoulders confidently. Enrique already felt huge satisfaction seeing Lila keep her mouth shut. It felt like payback for when she looked down on him.

“But it’s not too hard if I choose to do it,” he said. “I’m curious about your choice.”

Enrique’s eyes were full of greed.

“To reveal the truth in front of everyone,” he said, “or help me by my side like before.”

“I…”

She’ll pick the latter for sure, he thought. If the truth was revealed in front of everyone, Lila wouldn’t be able to live in the Empire. Then Duke Wipere would be abandon—

“…don’t care if you reveal this so-called truth,” she finished.

Enrique’s train of thought came to an abrupt halt.

He glanced up, his mind clearing. He was finally able to see Lila’s face more distinctly. The tip of her mouth was raised.

She was scoffing.