Chapter 28: Seed of Doubt

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Outside the station, I was suddenly greeted by Miss Koran.

"Lady Lilian, are you alright?" she asked as she ran towards me.

"Miss Koran, you are still recovering from a head injury. You should not be running around," I said.

"I heard that you were taken in at the station, so I rushed over," Miss Koran said worriedly.

"I was taken in for questioning, but that was it," I assured her.

"You do not seem worried," Miss Koran said.

"I am not worried. The investigation went exactly how I imagined it to go," I said.

"...Lady Lilian, you seem a bit different compared to before," Miss Koran said.

To be honest, my heart was in complete disarray. I had killed Teacher and tried to get away without punishment. I was a despicable person.

"It would be strange if I stayed the same," I said as I grabbed Miss Koran's arm to help support her.

We soon came face to face with Sheze and Elze. The two were walking together side by side. My heart stung seeing the two of them together but there was nothing that I could do about it.

It was fate for them to meet one another and uncontrollably fall in love...

"Lilian, I heard that you were taken by the police!" Elze said as she threw her arms around my neck.

She accidentally hit Miss Koran's shoulder when she did so.

Was Elze Kruger really this thoughtless as a person?

Miss Koran was clearly injured, but she brushed Miss Koran aside as if she did not see that I was holding her up.

"I was only called in for questioning. It is not like I am a murder suspect," I said as I hugged her lightly before peeling her off of me.

"Are you really okay?" Elze said with a tearful gaze.

There was literally nothing to be tearful about. If anything, she is making me look worse by suddenly tearing up in front of me.

"I am fine, Elze, so there is no need for this kind of greeting...Ah, if it is not Duke Chaldean," I said as I did a curtsy in his direction. "What a pleasant surprise to see you..."

Sheze made an unpleasant face upon seeing my greeting towards him.

"Sheze led me here when I got lost," Elze said with an innocent expression.

He lets her call him by his given name?

"It is Duke to you, Lady Kruger," Sheze said sharply. Sheze lightly pushed Elze aside and grabbed my hand with both hands. "What is this about being called to the station, Lilian?"

I slapped his hands away and quickly wiped my hand with a handkerchief.

"Duke, it is a bit inappropriate to take my hand whenever you wish. We are not intimate enough for you to touch me," I reprimanded him.

"Not intimate enough? With our history, it should be appropriate," Sheze said.

"With our history, it is clearly inappropriate," I quickly refuted.

"...Lady Kruger, I would like to speak to Lilian alone," Sheze said coldly.

Even Elze stepped back from Sheze's cold tone.

"Miss Koran, could you give me a moment with Sheze?" I asked her with a smile. "Let's talk afterwards."

"I will wait over there then," Miss Koran said as she pointed to a bench close by.

"I will wait with her!" Elze said as she grabbed Miss Koran's arm and roughly dragged her away.

I could clearly see Miss Koran's unpleasant expression from being dragged away by Elze.

Sheze and I were finally alone again.

"Duke, what would you like to discuss?" I asked him.

"Why were you brought to the station?" Sheze asked.

"I was only brought in for questioning about the recent death of a Noble," I said.

"Did you have anything to do with it?" Sheze asked.

"Are you asking me if I murdered him? If that is the case, what are you going to do?" I asked him.

"I am willing to support you in any way," Sheze said with his hand over his heart.

He does not even say that he believes in me, or think of me being incapable of doing so...

"Do not worry...I have not done anything to besmirch your name in any way, so there is no reason for you to be here with me," I said as I put on a dull smile.

"Lilian, why are you so cold to me?" Sheze asked.

"Of course I will be cold to someone my best friend is in love with," I said.

"Lady Kruger? I am not interested in her. The only person—"

"Stop it!" I shouted at him.

I do not want to hear your lies! I saw the way you looked at her.

"...Why do you still doubt my feelings, Lilian?" Sheze asked.

I do not doubt that I had a place in Sheze's heart but only as a passing fancy.

If only I forced myself to never look at his expression when he first saw Elze, maybe I could have continued trying to be with Sheze and live in complete ignorance...

"Can I ask you this then...Did your heart not once race for her while you were with me?" I asked.

Sheze seemed distraught by my question and was unable to answer me. His silence was enough of an answer for me. My entire body began shaking with frustration and sadness. I wanted to cry so badly but kept my tears in as I faced him. I did not want to appear weak at least in this moment.

"Is it not already obvious as to why I am acting like this? You could not even refute me...I knew that I was not the right person for you. That is why I said to end it," I said.

"...I'm sorry," Sheze said.

"Don't apologize to me...You are just making me feel worse about myself. Just own up to your feelings and make her happy," I said.

I grit my teeth and ran away to find Miss Koran who was waiting for me.

Elze ran up to me with her annoyingly big smile.

Her smiling face angered me. It was as if she has already anticipated Sheze's feelings for her and was rubbing her happiness in my face.

"Did you finish talking with Sheze?" Elze asked.

"I did," I answered her.

"What did you two talk about?" Elze asked as she latched onto my arm.

"We talked about you. It seems that he is interested in you as well," I said.

"Really? I am so happy!" Elze said.

"Congratulations," I told her.

"...I am going to find Sheze then!" Elze said as she released me and ran towards Sheze.

I had cried terribly in front of Miss Koran. She had consoled me with a loving embrace without any questions asked.

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