Chapter 88: CH 88

Tears were dripping down.

I’m crying again, and it’s all because of Gabriel.

I was whimpering, blaming everything on Gabriel.

Whistle—

A strange sound was heard.

It sounds like a whistle? whistle?

It is past midnight now. It was unlikely that such a sound could be heard from the mansion while almost all of the servants were asleep.

Just when I thought I had misheard the wind, I heard the whistling again.

Whistle!!

This is clearly a signal. I ran to the balcony. There was a familiar puppy in the garden.

“Che-Cherry…!”

Without realizing it, I covered my mouth.

Cherry couldn’t have come here alone. Does that mean Cesare is here?

My heart was beating like it was going to jump out of my throat. I put on my shawl and ran out of the room.

I couldn’t leave the mansion, but at dawn when the servants were asleep, I could go out to the garden without being watched.

As I ran out into the garden, Cherry ran up to me. It was like a fluffy ball. I quickly lifted her up.

“Kaing! Kaing! Kaing!”

“Yes, yes. I missed you too! How have you been doing? Cherry!”

I whispered in a low voice.

Cherry licked my face with her little tongue.

Struggling with pleasure, I hugged the small body that was clinging to me and walked into the garden.

“Cesare…!”

If Cherry came, Cesare must have come too…

My heart swelled like a balloon. As I was looking around, a hand reached out from behind the tree.

“Cesare…! Ugh!”

Something sweet, with a familiar scent, brushed against my lips. Tears rolled down my cheeks at the sound of urgent breathing.

It was Cesare. It was really Cesare.

Did the moon grant my wish to see Cesare?

Cesare hugged me.

“Hic… Cesare….”

A sob escaped from between my lips, which had been released for a moment.

What should I do. I guess I like you more than I thought.

Tears clouded my vision, making Cesare blurry.

Cesare carefully wiped away my tears. Cherry helped Cesare and licked my tears.

“How are you? Have you eaten? You look a little skinny… Is he not feeding you?”

I shook my head.

“Cesare is also skinny. Are you okay, are you hurt, how are you feeling?”

“I’m fine.”

Cesare said, stroking my cheek.

“Are you really okay?”

I nodded my head vigorously. Cesare sighed and hugged me.

Cesare’s scent still lingered in his soft embrace. I saw the necklace Cesare was wearing.

That was the necklace I gave him. The necklace I left for Cesare instead of my heart.

The necklace was dangling shorter than when I gave him.

The necklace was tailored to me, so it seemed small to Cesare. Still, seeing Cesare wearing a necklace made my heart flutter.

“… That’s good. I was afraid he might go crazy and hurt you too.”

“He didn’t…. How did you get here?”

Cesare pointed to the wall behind him. He’d climbed over it.

“I’m glad that there doesn’t seem to be any pain.”

“… I want to take you right now, but I can’t. Gabriel will do anything to get you back and I need something to keep him on a leash.”

“I know. I know it too.”

Cesare stroked my cheek as if pity.

Cesare bowed his head and kissed my forehead. Tears welled up again at the warmth.

“… I missed you.”

I muttered out in a weeping voice.

“I really missed you, Cesare.”

Cesare bit his lip. And he kissed my lips lightly and whispered in a cavernous voice.

“Me too. I missed you, too.”

Those words broke the dam of my tears. The tears that had been dripping down my cheeks spilled over.

I wanted to hear that. I was worried about what Cesare would do if he misunderstood me and wouldn’t find me.

At Gabriel’s urging, I didn’t get out of the place without being able to convey what I really wanted to say.

I promised myself I would never do it before Cesare did it first…

“Ugh… Ce-Cesare…”

Now that I think about it, I don’t know how useless it is.

I figured it was better to say something at a moment I wouldn’t regret than to say nothing at all.

It was time to bring out the confession I had in my heart.

“You’re jumping over someone else’s house.”

I heard Gabriel’s cold voice, and at the same time Cesare pulled me behind his back.

Cherry squirmed in my arms.

I held my breath, hiding behind Cesare’s back. Cesare’s hand gripped my wrist tightly.

“Gabriel.”

“You’re still as rude as ever.”

“There are no manners for an ungrateful person”

Cesare sighed coldly.

I don’t know how this happened. None of the three of us are happy now.

Is this what Gabriel really wanted?

“Daphne. Come here.”

Gabriel, you tell me.

“… Gabriel. Is this what you want? Why are all three of us so unhappy?”

Gabriel’s expression was obscured by darkness. Only the hand that reached out towards me was shining white.

Cesare looked down at me anxiously.

“Did you really want this?”

Gabriel took one more step towards us.

Gabriel’s face was contorted. As if he were about to drop tears at any moment.

“What I wish for…”

Cesare took a step back, holding me.

As far away as Gabriel had come.

Gabriel laughed at him.

“All I want is Daphne to be by my side and I’m not unhappy as long as she’s by my side. Come here, Daphne.”

Gabrielle’s face straightened as if it had been ironed.

“Unless you want me to scream now and send Cesare back to prison.”

“Gabriel. It would be better not to do anything you will regret.”

Cesare said through gritted teeth. Cesare’s expression, which hid me behind his back, was ferocious.

Gabriel tilted his head.

“Why? I am the Crown Prince, and I have the power to have anything I want. But all I want is Daphne.”

Gabriel reached out to me once more.

“Daphne, come on.”

Cesare turned to me.

“I… I will come to pick you up again. Do you believe me?”

I nodded.

This is the man who climbed over the fence in the middle of the night just to see me.

I have no doubt that Cesare would do anything to get me out of here.

Actually, I didn’t know Cesare could even do such a thing.

Cesare kissed my forehead.

At that moment, Gabriel was obscured by Cesare and could not be seen at all.

I handed Cherry into Cesare’s arms. Cherry whined and cried, but it seemed more comfortable and safer to be with Cesare than to be here.

Cesare said in a whisper.

“There was something I didn’t say.”

His heavy voice trembled at the end.

“… I love you.”

Ah…

Tears burst out.

It’s definitely the right time. He didn’t mean to make me cry…

Cesare gently wiped my tears away, then leaned down and kissed my lips.

After smiling as if everything was going to be okay, Cesare jumped over the fence.

“Cesare!”

I called back, but there was no answer.

I thought he was an idiot who didn’t even know his own heart, but he wasn’t. The confession of love that Cesare whispered remained as if stamped in my heart.

Gabriel hugged me from behind.

“… Don’t do that, Daphne. I’m here. I’m the one who’s here, not that man… Can’t you live with me? Can’t you stay by my side?”

I struggled in Gabriel’s loose embrace.

“No!”

I turned my back and pushed Gabriel away. Things that I had been holding back burst out.

“I want to be with Cesare. Why does Gabriel only think of himself?”

Gabriel reached out again and wiped away my tears. As if I was more important than anyone else, I glared at Gabriel.

Gabriel smiled tenderly.

“I’m the only one who thinks of you. Wouldn’t I be so pitiful if I didn’t even do it for myself? I’ll make you happy, Daphne. I will do everything with my power to make you happy.”

Gabriel whispered as he prayed and pressed his lips to the back of my hand.

Gabriel was trembling. It was worse than me. Gabriel pursed his lips in that state.

“Please… Stay with me.”