Angelus Carduus

Chapter 27: Breaking Ties

"Valeria, your words are too much." her father, Felix scolded.

Valeria didn't look over at him, her gaze still on her mother. Julia gritted her teeth before lifting her hand up once more,

"I knew we should have left you dead once we found out you had an illness. I can't believe we raised such a useless daughter like you." a loud slap sound echoed through the waiting room before silence fell once more.

Valeria felt her heart throbbing in pain as she listened to those words. She knew it was the previous owner's feelings and not hers.

She looked Julia dead in the eye and said, "I said I will not give you any money."

"We are your parents, Valeria, so you must listen to us." Felix sternly said.

Valeria sighed, getting tired of how stubborn these two were. She already said no many times when will they get it in their heads that she will not give them any money no matter how much they ask or beg.

She had no other choice then.

"Fine, I shall give you the money."

After hearing Valeria's words only then Julia and Felix had a smile on their face but it didn't last long as she continued speaking,

"In return, I am breaking off all ties with you."

"What?!" the two yelled out.

Valeria shot them a brief smile, "Unsatisfied? Too bad, even if I don't give you money I will still cut off ties. So choose, still receive a bit of money or don't."

Felix laughed, shaking his head, "You think you are so big just because you are the duchess now?"

She shrugged in return, "Better than me being an empress and having you kicked out of the empire instead isn't it?"

This caused Felix to shut his mouth and glare in return.

"This is unacceptable Valeria! How could you do this to us!?" Julia shouted out angrily, her true colours revealing.

Valeria blinked and innocently looked at her, "Didn't you say you should have left me dead?"

Julia wanted to retort back but Valeria cut her off, "I'm tired, go back now."

"You-"

"Myra." Valeria called out.

Myra came inside the room, "Yes Your Grace?"

"Take father and mother back to their room. It's getting late."

"Understood."

"Valeria! We haven't finished talking yet!" Valeria could hear her parents calling out to her but she dismissed it as she left the room back to her own.

"Welcome back!" Coyedian greeted her once she walked inside.

Valeria nodded, "I'm back.."

Coyedian stretched and hopped down from the bed, walking over to her, "Hey you look really pale, are you okay?"

She nodded again, "Yes just exhausted-"

Valeria suddenly fell to her knees, her hands curled into tight fists as she was hunched over on the floor.

Alarmed, Coyedian ran over to her, "Valeria!?"

She couldn't respond to him as she felt herself unable to breathe and her head beginning to buzz loudly, white dots dancing around in her vision.

"I'm..fine." was the last thing she muttered before suddenly her surroundings became dark and sounds grew further away from her.

-

"This is outrageous!!" Julia screamed, grabbing the vase on the table and throwing it on to the ground.

"How dare she treat us like that!? I knew we should have thrown her out! Taking care of a sick child for years and this is how she repays us!?"

Julia turned to Felix who had a dark look on his face as well. She sat beside him and held his hand tightly,

"Honey what should we do? She'll cut off ties with us either way!"

Felix took out a cigarette from his coat pocket and lit it. He sucked in a breath before exhaling the smoke out.

"Let her do it."

"What!? Are you out of your mind!" she shouted, nearly knocking the cigarette out of his hand.

He frowned, exhaling another breath of smoke again, "There is nothing else we can do except taking that money and cutting off ties with her."

"But-"

"She is going to die soon anyway."

Julia stared at him before realising something, "Are you.."

He nodded, "We can then use this to get more money."

"It's like killing two birds with one stone! Honey, you are such a genius!"

-

Valeria woke up with a throbbing pain at the back of her head. She noticed her clothes were changed and she was lying on her bed.

"You're awake!" she heard Coyedian's voice.

He hopped on to her bed and sat upright. His black paw smacking her leg though it had no strength.

"You suddenly just collapsed in front of me! Scared the life out of me!"

"...You have nine lives."

"Just because my form is a cute little cat doesn't mean anything!"

"How long?"

"You have been asleep? Few hours so it didn't raise any suspicion."

Coyedian turned to the clock on the wall, "Seems like dinner is about to start."

Valeria sleepily rubbed her eyes before responding back, "Tell Myra I don't want to eat today."

"Wh- how am I supposed to tell her?! She doesn't know I can even speak!"

"..Right." she sighed before calling for Myra herself and informing her.

Valeria went back to sleep after she dealt with that. Coyedian lied beside her, curled up before falling asleep as well.

Myra quietly told Vincent who then whispered it over to Aelius. When he listened to Vincent, he nearly instinctively got up to check on Valeria.

"Is something wrong, Your Grace?" Felix questioned when he noticed an awkward empty spot between him, his wife and Aelius.

Aelius shook his head, "Duchess seems to not be hungry today so we will eat without her."

"...I see."

As the three ate dinner in silence, Felix noticed a figure standing at a corner, nervously. He shook his head as light and natural as he could. The figure gave a small nod before disappearing.

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Author's note: aah i haven't been writing lately so updates might slow down once again sorry (;'༎ຶД༎ຶ')