Reincarnation of The Villainess: She Has The Duke's Baby!-Chapter 32: #-Missions Begins: Penelope Is Kidnapped!
It was a most beautiful night and one that Edmund Gerwyn will always remember.
Unfortunately, he had to accept the disappointment that Penelope Askary did not remember their passionate and hot sex that night. Edmund had already suspected that the woman would have difficulty remembering because of her drunken state, but wouldn’t usually even a very drunk person be able to remember all the things they had experienced the next day? Then, why can’t Penelope remember what happened that night until now?
"Ed, why is your face like that?" asked Sebastian De Louis. The imperial Crown Prince frowned when he saw the Duke who had been looking annoyed from earlier. The meeting to discuss the plan to thwart the assassination of the Crown Prince was not only attended by Edmund and Penelope but also by several people selected by Sebastian. Among them are Philleo Aaron, Edgar, Chris, Tristan, and Jade. They were people of great ability who came from the Askary family, the Gerwyn family, and also the imperial family.
"What does my face look like?" asked Edmund curtly. He crossed his arms and glanced at Penelope. The woman just kept silent and drank the tea in her cup gracefully. This sucks. The man ruffled his hair and took a deep breath. He rubbed his chin. Edmund frowned and looked thoughtful.
Had sex that night not satisfied Penelope? Had he done something wrong that night and annoyed Penelope, so she wouldn’t admit that she remembered everything? Or... was Penelope mad because he couldn’t control himself that night and had sex three times with her? Isn’t it Penelope’s fault for having a beautiful face and seductive body?
"Like you want to eat everyone in here," answered Sebastian. The man sighed and massaged the bridge of his nose. "Are you even listening to our conversation, Ed? I guess you were too busy thinking about other things and didn’t listen to what plans we had made earlier."
"No, I hear everything," said Edmund with a snort. "Do you think I’m an idiot or something? I am a man who has many strategies and is also very smart. Are you done talking? If everyone agrees on what we talked about just now, can we go home? I have to take care of something and this is quite urgent business."
"Does this have anything to do with Penelope?" Sebastian asked.
As those words left the Crown Prince’s mouth, Edmund raised an eyebrow while Penelope choked. The woman coughed and Philleo who felt panicked and worried hurriedly knelt in front of his Lady.
"My Lady, are you all right?" asked Phileo. "Does it hurt? Inhale slowly, My Lady, and exhale slowly too."
"Why are you asking something like that?" Edmund asked while glancing at Penelope whose face had turned red from choking just now.
"Because you’ve only been busy glancing at Penelope Askary," grunted Sebastian. "Listen, Ed, I don’t intend to meddle in any of your business. But, doesn’t it feel weird when you keep bothering a woman, when she wants nothing to do with you?"
"Then, how about you?"
"Me? What is wrong with me?" Sebastian glared at Edmund.
Everyone in the room, including Penelope who was the main topic of conversation between the two men, felt anxious because the atmosphere in the room had turned tense and cold. Penelope was confused by Edmund’s stubborn attitude. Why did he want her to remember that night so badly?
"You have always shown your interest in Penelope too. Did you forget Tian? You are a man who hated Penelope in the past. You’re always looking for ways to keep Penelope out of your sights. But, now you are looking for loopholes and opportunities to be able to spend time with her when you already have Isabella Lysander. You are a shameless man, Sebastian De Louis."
"Edmund Gerwyn, watch your mouth!" Sebastian shouted. The man stood up from his chair, and so did Edmund. Penelope also did the same because people with higher status than her were no longer sitting. If she remained seated, then it would be impolite. "Don’t get Isabella Lysander into this! That woman has nothing to do with what I was talking to you about. And you don’t have to act like you don’t love her, Ed! I know you love Isabella as much as I do. I know you hide your feelings for Isabella because you don’t want me to get hurt. So, why did you forget your love for Isabella and prefer Penelope instead? If you don’t forget, that woman loved me even if only in the past! Our family has even talked about marriage."
Both Edmund and Sebastian clenched their jaws and clenched their fists at their sides. The knights in the room could only remain silent and lowered their heads. Not a single one of them dared to break up the argument between the Crown Prince and the Duke.
"Hey," Penelope opened her voice. The woman looked at Edmund and Sebastian with cold and sharp eyes. She was the only person in this room who dared to interrupt the argument between these two dangerous men in the De Louis empire. "Are you two not ashamed to argue in front of these knights and also in front of a woman like me? Then, you guys also talk about me in person, where I can hear it. If you two love Isabella Lysander, it has nothing to do with me. I don’t care." Penelope walked toward the door and Philleo followed faithfully like a puppy behind her. "I’ll be going since our talk is over. See you in two days."
Two days from now are the day when they will catch the people who intend to kidnap Sebastian and kill him. They know this because of a little hint from Penelope who remembers the storyline in the original novel. She didn’t know whether the events this time would match the time of the original novel or not, but Penelope felt it wouldn’t hurt to give Edmund and Sebastian such a hint. Then, the two men appointed Tristan and Chris to find out and managed to get information about the location where Sebastian would be kidnapped and killed. The time is the same as the time that Penelope spoke of.
When Penelope left the room, Edmund and Sebastian looked at each other again and both snorted.
"Where are you going?" asked Sebastian in a sharp tone.
Edmund stopped by the door and turned his head. "I told you I had to take care of some urgent business. Why? Do you still miss me?"
When Sebastian didn’t answer, Edmund immediately came out with Edgar while Chris had already disappeared because the man was a shadow knight. Edgar looked at Edmund who looked uneasy. The man walked with long and wide strides, then ran when he saw Penelope Askary getting ready to get into the carriage. Then, Edmund grabbed Penelope’s arm, causing her to flinch and turn around. Penelope wasn’t the only one who looked annoyed, Philleo was too.
"With all due respect, Your Grace," Philleo said coldly. "Could you spare My Lady, please?"
Edmund ignored Philleo’s words and kept staring at Penelope’s beautiful face. "You really don’t remember anything?"
Hearing that, Penelope fell into a panic. Not because Edmund Gerwyn looked dangerous at the moment, but because Philleo was nearby. No one knows about Penelope’s escape that night from the mansion except Sarah. Even Sarah screamed as she helped Penelope to take a bath and saw her Lady’s white body covered with small red marks. Penelope lied that she was allergic and bitten by an insect while staying at an inn.
"That night, the two of us—"
Penelope immediately covered Edmund’s mouth with her hands. Because Edmund was much taller than her, Penelope was forced to stand on her tiptoes. She almost fell and Edmund immediately wrapped his arms around Penelope’s waist to protect her.
"That night?" Philleo asked in a confused tone. He frowned and looked at Penelope. "What night is Duke Edmund referring to, My Lady? And why should you remember anything about that night?"
Penelope laughed and swallowed hard. "Don’t worry about it, Sir Philleo. Duke Edmund is probably drunk." Penelope then pulled Edmund’s arm away from Philleo. "Sir, wait here. I’d like to speak to Duke Edmund for a moment. I won’t be long."
When she created a distance with Philleo, Penelope jerked Edmund’s hand away and massaged her temples. "Are you crazy, Ed?!"
"You remember it," said Edmund in a firm tone. "If you don’t remember what happened that night, you don’t need to be afraid and you don’t need to cover my mouth so that Philleo Aaron won’t hear my words." Edmund hugged Penelope’s waist again and brought her tiny body closer to him. "Why did you lie to me by saying you don’t remember anything?"
Ugh! Now Edmund knew she was lying. Penelope groaned loudly inside her heart and took a deep breath. She defied the glare that was given by Edmund.
"If I told you that I remember, then what would you do?" Penelope asked back. "Are you going to explain to me why we both wake up in the same bed and naked? Are you going to explain to me how a Duke who is so respected in this empire raped an unmarried noblewoman?"
Edmund snorted. "Raped you? Let me tell you one thing, Penelope Askary. You were the first to kiss me while drunk. You’re the one who permitted me to touch you. You love my every touch on your body, Penelope. You keep moaning with pleasure. You don’t mind having sex with me. You—"
Penelope’s face heated up and she blushed hard. The woman immediately pushed Edmund away and normalized her attitude again.
"Don’t ever talk about that night again," Penelope threatened, pointing at Edmund’s face. "Or I will have someone to kill you, Edmund Gerwyn."
"No one in this empire can kill me," said Edmund in an indifferent tone.
"I will pray to Goddess Elleia to give a divine punishment to you!" Penelope snorted and left Edmund. However, Penelope stopped and froze when she heard Edmund’s next words.
"If you are pregnant, then the baby is mine, Penelope Askary. You have no right to hide the baby from me and you have no right to separate me from my own child."
###
The mission has finally begun.
Penelope wore the clothes of Dame Rosaline, a female knight in the Askary family. This time, her blue hair was tied. Wearing a knight’s outfit made Penelope more comfortable. Compared to dresses, Penelope prefers to wear these clothes every day. However, she knew that she couldn’t do that.
"That outfit suits you, Penelope."
The compliment didn’t make Penelope happy because it came from the mouth of Sebastian De Louis. However, Penelope kept smiling to maintain her courtesy to the Crown Prince. They will ride horses to the location where Sebastian will be kidnapped. Sebastian will act as bait and Tristan as his shadow knight will protect the man. Sebastian will ride the carriage and Tristan will act as the coachman.
"Shall I ride the horse myself, Sir Philleo?" Penelope asked in an excited tone and sparkling eyes. Seeing that, Philleo grimaced and scratched his cheek.
"Err, My Lady, if you get on your own horse and something bad happens to you, Young Master Ethan will kill me." Philleo laughed softly when he saw Penelope scowl. "I know that My Lady can ride a horse, but, for now, My Lady’s safety is the most important."
"All right," Penelope nodded. "I’m going to ride a horse with—"
"You will ride with me," said Edmund suddenly, grabbing gently but firmly on Penelope’s arm. The woman blinked while Philleo stared coldly at Edmund.
"Hey, let me go, you bastard Duke!" Penelope exclaimed. She jerked Edmund’s hand from her arm and clicked her tongue in exasperation. "Who said you could give orders for me like that? I will be riding together with Sir Philleo for he is my knight who will protect me!"
"I’m far more reliable than that lowly man," growled Edmund. "And you’re pregnant with my child, Penelope."
Penelope was wide-eyed and her mouth opened. "Who says I’m pregnant?! I’m not pregnant! I—"
Once again, Penelope’s words could not be finished by the woman. She gasped as she realized her body was flying into the air. Her hand stretched down toward Edmund who was shouting for her, when suddenly someone appeared and took her away. Penelope closed her eyes in fear as she realized she was jumping from tree to tree in the strong arms of the man who had taken her.
"Shut up and you will live," the kidnapper threatened.
Penelope could only be silent and turned around. Behind her, Edmund ran with a frantic and frustrated face and worried eyes.
"PENELOPE!"
