Reincarnation of The Villainess: She Has The Duke's Baby!-Chapter 84: #-The Beginning of Penelope Askary’s Suffering
Penelope’s birthday party ends successfully.
Penelope was very grateful to Edmund. She was also happy that she was able to reconcile with Isabella Lysander. After talking privately on the balcony, the two women were never apart even once. Actually, Edmund still didn’t trust Isabella one hundred percent. After all, the woman once slapped his Duchess and threatened to kill his child who was in Penelope’s womb. But, seeing Penelope looking happy, seeing that woman never stopped smiling when she was with Isabella and chatting with Isabella, Edmund had no other choice but to let her be by his Duchess’s side.
After the nobles left, so did Penelope’s family, Sebastian De Louis was still in the room. He approached Penelope, who was in a corner of the room and was talking to Marchioness Rania, the wife of Marquess Gilbert Dawson. Edmund was nowhere to be seen at Penelope’s side and that meant, Sebastian had a chance to talk to Penelope without being bothered by that bastard Duke.
"Sorry to interrupt your conversation," said Sebastian in a friendly tone. The man smiled at Penelope and Marchioness Rania. As Penelope gave Sebastian a sharp glare, Marchioness Rania smiled and nodded.
"Greetings to His Highness the Crown Prince. May Elleia’s light always be with you," said Marchioness Rania. The woman looked awkward because she could see how Sebastian gave Penelope adoring glances and Penelope looked like she didn’t want anything to do with the Crown Prince.
"Marchioness Rania, may I borrow Duchess Penelope for a second?" asked Sebastian De Louis with a sweet smile. "I have something important I want to discuss with the Duchess."
"Huh? Oh. Err..." Marchioness Rania gulped and was at a loss as to what to act. She glanced at Penelope. Couldn’t the Crown Prince see that Penelope really didn’t want to talk to that man? "I...."
"It’s all right, Marchioness," Penelope said. The golden-eyed woman smiled and hugged Marchioness Rania tightly. She rubbed Marchioness Rania’s back and whispered, "Please, call my husband. Tell him, I’m stuck with the Crown Prince. Thank you for coming and for helping me, Marchioness."
Marchioness Rania blinked and smiled broadly so that Sebastian wouldn’t suspect anything of her. The green-haired woman nodded and returned Penelope’s hug.
"I will send you a letter later, Duchess. I’ll invite you to the tea party I’ll be holding in two weeks." Marchioness Rania deliberately raised her voice so that Sebastian could hear their conversation. The woman let go of her hug and nodded at Penelope. Then, after Penelope nodded back at her, Marchioness Rania looked at Sebastian and bowed. "I will go first, His Highness the Crown Prince. May you always be given health and luck."
After Marchioness Rania left, Penelope crossed her arms and glanced coldly at Sebastian. The man smirked and tilted his head. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺
"I’m sure you will definitely invite me to your birthday party, my Penelope," said Sebastian in a gentle tone. There was satisfaction in his tone and also in the way he looked at Penelope. "I know you still want me and still love me."
Penelope snorted. "I invited you because I had to, Your Highness. Because you are the Crown Prince in this empire. If I didn’t invite you, I’m sure Your Highness the Emperor and the Empress would definitely feel embarrassed. I was just trying to save their faces from embarrassment. I already told you that my love for you has disappeared and only exists in the past. The only man I love right now is my husband, Duke Edmund."
Hearing that, Sebastian’s jaw tightened. He couldn’t control the anger that was starting to well up inside of him. He was locked up for a week in his palace by the Emperor because of Ethan Askary and Isabella Lysander, and then he also proved the truth of Edmund’s words about the nobles, who wanted the damn Duke to take the throne to become Emperor and not him. And now, he was also belittled and trampled on by Penelope Askary?
Sebastian growled and pointed at Penelope’s face with a finger shaking because of his anger. "You—"
"Hello!"
That joyful exclamation made Sebastian lower his finger and turn his head. Likewise Penelope. The woman felt very grateful for the appearance of Helios Rune Abelavish and his loyal knight, Jeremy. The Crown Prince of the Abelavish empire smiled broadly at Penelope and nodded at Sebastian.
"What are you two talking about?" asked Helios in an innocent tone. "May I join your conversation? I know the birthday party is over but I don’t want to go back to the Abelavish empire yet."
"No—"
"Of course, you can," Penelope nodded. To be honest, Penelope was currently trying to control her fear of Sebastian. She knew Sebastian had intended to be rude to her earlier. But, Penelope was also trying to stay bold and unafraid of the Crown Prince of this empire. "Your Highness Helios, if you still wish to be here, how about we chat with Duke Edmund somewhere else? I’m sure my husband will love the idea."
"Okay," Helios nodded enthusiastically. He looked at Sebastian. "Your Highness Sebastian, would you like to join us?"
"No," Sebastian answered coldly. "I have to go back to the palace because I have a lot of work to do. Unlike you, who always acts recklessly and doesn’t care about your position as Crown Prince, I will achieve my goal of becoming Emperor in the future and will obtain all the things I desire in this world!" Sebastian glanced at Penelope, who turned her gaze the other way. "Once again, happy birthday, Duchess Penelope. May you always be given happiness by Goddess Elleia."
When Sebastian left through the South door, Edmund Gerwyn came into the room through the North door. The man ran over with a pale face and a look of panic as well as worry. He immediately hugged Penelope tightly, making Penelope blink and giggle. The woman was very relieved to have Edmund at her side. Some of the nobles, who were still in the room still talking about business or something, looked at Edmund in disbelief. They had heard rumors that Edmund was deeply in love with Penelope. However, they didn’t believe the rumors were true. That cruelest Duke had been tamed by the cruelest women of this empire.
"Are you all right, Penny?" asked Edmund. The man released his hug and cupped Penelope’s face. He looked at his wife from head to toe. "I was really worried about you because Marchioness Rania said you were stuck with Sebastian."
"I was," Penelope nodded. She looked at Helios and Jeremy with a smile. "But, His Highness Helios came to help me. Thank you, Your Highness."
Helios waved a hand. "I just noticed that the Duchess is in trouble. Your face seems to show that you want to escape as far as possible from the presence of Crown Prince Sebastian. As a man who likes you—" When Helios noticed Edmund giving him an annoyed look and the Duke also growled, even Jeremy was tugging at his shirt like a child asking his mother for something, Helios cleared his throat. "I mean, as a man who once liked you and is now your best friend, of course I have to help you, right?"
Penelope wrapped her arms around Edmund’s waist and looked up at him. "My beloved Duke, you must not scold and frighten the person who saved me. You must present a gift to His Highness Helios."
"All right, if that’s what you want, Penny," whispered Edmund. The Duke kissed Penelope on the cheek and looked at Helios. "Your Highness, is there anything you want?"
Helios looked thoughtful. He glanced up when he felt his waist being touched by Jeremy from behind. The relationship between Helios and Jeremy is very close. They’re like brothers. Then, Jeremy brought his face close to Helios’ ear and whispered, "Your Highness, I still want to live a little longer in this world. I beg you, ask for things that will not make Duke Edmund angry and then decide to kill you. Because, if Duke Edmund intends to kill you, then I must step up to protect you. Compared to Duke Edmund whose sword skills are outstanding, I would have died within five seconds."
"I’ve decided!" Helios looked at Edmund. Then, the man looked at Penelope and smiled broadly. "I want Duke Edmund to give me permission to have a date with Duchess Penelope, all day, next Sunday!"
"Huh?!" shouted Edmund.
As Penelope giggled and rubbed Edmund’s arm to calm her husband down, Helios raised his thumb and winked. Meanwhile, Jeremy immediately lowered his head and covered his face with both hands.
"Hopefully, Goddess Elleia will give me a chance to enjoy my life before I follow her light," muttered Jeremy in a sad tone.
###
Tonight, Penelope went to bed first because Edmund had to finish some work in his study.
The woman felt very tired. She forced herself to accompany Edmund to work in the man’s study. However, when Penelope fell asleep on the sofa in his study, Edmund immediately picked up his Duchess and carried her to their bedroom.
Suddenly, Edmund and Penelope’s bedroom window opened. Someone came into the room and stood right beside Penelope’s bed. The figure smiled at Penelope. He bent down and caressed the Duchess’s smooth cheek.
"Finally, the time has come, My Lady," said the person in an adoring voice. So is his gaze. The man remained calm as he noticed a sword pointed at the side of his neck. "Welcome, Duke Edmund."
"What were you doing in our bedroom, Philleo Aaron?" growled Edmund. Behind the Duke, Chris, Jellal, and Edgar prepared to attack if their master gave the order to kill Philleo Aaron.
Philleo’s purple eyes shone brightly in the darkness of the night. The man grinned and tilted his head. "As I thought, you were watching over me. You gave the order to that shadow knight of yours to spy on me, right?"
"Because, your movements are very suspicious and because I received a report that you dared to kiss my wife’s forehead when she was sleeping at night." Edmund shot Philleo a murderous look. "Depending on your answer, I will give you life imprisonment or the death penalty. So, think carefully before you answer my question just now, Philleo Aaron."
Philleo shrugged and looked at Edmund with disdain. "What do I have to be afraid of? I’m not afraid of anything. And, you know too well that I want Penelope Askary, Duke Edmund. I love Penelope Askary. I’m obsessed with her. I was the first to know her, I was always by her side, I saw the change in her, but why should you are the one who get her love, huh?! I will never accept that fact until whenever! She is mine and will forever be mine!"
Philleo snapped his fingers and Penelope’s body lifted up into the air. Then, Penelope’s body moved toward Philleo, making Philleo immediately catch her and hold her.
"Philleo Aaron!" growled Edmund. "Let go of my wife right this instant!"
"Ah! I forgot to tell you, Duke," said Philleo in a mocking tone. "I heard that you ordered the wizard of the Gerwyn family to cast tracking magic on Penelope’s body. But, did you know that I can remove that tracking magic and replace it with one that will make her untraceable to anyone including you?"
"Chris!"
When Chris stepped forward to attack Philleo on orders from Edmund, Philleo immediately pointed his palm at the man. Chris was wide-eyed and flung. His back hit the wall and he coughed up blood.
"Oops! Forgive me! I also forgot to tell all of you that actually, I am really good at magic. Ask Ethan Askary and the man will surely give you the answer." Philleo snapped his fingers and this time, Edmund, Jellal, and Edgar growled as they fell to their knees. It was as if the three men could feel their hearts being squeezed tightly and felt hot.
"Until we meet again, Duke Edmund. That is if you can find us. You don’t need to worry because I will protect my Penelope very well. I will make her happy. Ha ha!"
Philleo floated through the air and out through the open window. Then, a circle appeared under the feet of the flying Philleo, and then the man disappeared along with Penelope who was in his arms.
"PENELOPE!" shouted Edmund. The man growled and punched the floor repeatedly until his fists were bleeding. "Arrgh! Damn it! All of you, go and find my Duchess right this instant! Bring Philleo Aaron alive in front of me for I will cut off his head myself!"
