Reincarnation of The Villainess: She Has The Duke's Baby!-Chapter 96: #-Penelope Askary’s Explanation And Her Tears of Sorrow
Penelope Askary opened her eyes and groaned softly.
The woman hissed in pain and held her head. Her feelings are very awful right now. Perhaps, this was the result of meeting the Goddess of Sorrow and Suffering, Goddess Oizys. To be honest, Penelope didn’t really remember what she was talking to Goddess Oizys about. But, she remembered that woman tried to control her mind and made her hate everyone.
"Are you okay?"
The question made Penelope blink and turn her head. Edmund Gerwyn looked at her sternly. There was something different about Edmund, Penelope could feel it. Usually, her husband would look panicked and worried if she fainted or something like that. But, this time, Edmund looked quite calm. His eyes did tell Penelope that the Duke was worried but he didn’t hug her and made no attempt to comfort her.
What is wrong?
What happened while she was unconscious? Why doesn’t she remember anything?
"Yes," Penelope nodded. "Did I do something weird or bad?"
"What do you mean?" asked Edmund. "Do you remember what happened?"
"I... dreamed that I met a Goddess named Oizys. She claims to be a Goddess, who gives sorrow and suffering to humans." Penelope cleared her throat and moistened her lips. "Then, I don’t remember anything else when she said nonsense things to me. And, when I woke up just now, I felt really awful. I thought, maybe I did strange things while I was sleeping or fainted when I wasn’t aware I was fainting."
Edmund was silent and nodded stiffly. The man didn’t really want to act like this but, for some reason, Edmund couldn’t control himself. He felt... like being cheated on by his own wife.
"Ed, why are you just silent? Your attitude is also very strange." Penelope was getting worried and stretched out her right hand. She tried to touch Edmund’s arm but the man suddenly stood up and subconsciously jerked Penelope’s hand away. Getting such treatment from Edmund certainly surprised Penelope. The woman froze and clenched her fists. Her heart started to ache. This was the first time Edmund had been cold and quite harsh to her. "Ed?"
"Tell me," said Edmund in a firm tone. When he looked at Penelope, those worried eyes had turned sharp. "Who are you really?"
Penelope paled. Then, she lowered her head. Her heart was pounding really hard. Why did Edmund ask her that?
"While you were sleeping," said Edmund as if he could read Penelope’s mind. "You were possessed by Goddess Oizys. She told me you weren’t the real Penelope Askary. That you are a soul from another world. I did know that we have lived in previous lives but I never thought you weren’t the real Penelope Askary."
Penelope was silent and swallowed hard. She got off the bed and approached Edmund. After standing before the Duke, Penelope looked up. The woman looked panicked, making Edmund harden his jaw.
"Is it true?" asked Edmund to make sure. "Are you not the real Penelope Askary?"
"I can explain it to you, Ed," Penelope said in a choked tone. "I—"
"I ASK YOU IF YOU ARE THE REAL PENELOPE ASKARY OR NOT?!" shouted Edmund.
Penelope flinched. Her body was shaking violently. The woman took a step back and lowered her head.
"I..." Penelope moistened her lips again. She didn’t know what to say. Is there no other way but to tell the truth? "That’s right." In the end, Penelope decided to tell the truth. "I... am not the real Penelope Askary. This body is indeed Penelope Askary’s body but I am a soul from another world. But, technically, I’m Penelope Askary’s other soul. When Penelope Askary died in her first life and Goddess Elleia turned back time, Goddess Elleia split Penelope’s soul in two. One of her souls was sent to another world, that is me. And, I was returned to this world, into Penelope’s body when that woman asked Goddess Elleia when she had a fatal carriage accident." Penelope gulped. "Forgive me. I lied to you. I’m not being honest with you."
Edmund Gerwyn gritted his teeth and clenched his fists at his sides until his knuckles turned white.
"When I was living as Sienna in another world, I had a novel. The novel tells about the life of Penelope Askary and everyone in this world. That’s why I know everything. That’s why I was scared and tried to stay away from you after that carriage accident happened."
Now, everything is clear. All the questions and riddles in Edmund’s head have been answered. So... this woman he loved... wasn’t the real Penelope Askary. Even though she said she was another soul belonging to Penelope Askary, she was still not the real one. Edmund didn’t know how to react. The first life, the soul from another world, the time being turned back, everything was too sudden for Edmund. In this world there was magic but Edmund didn’t know that strange things like this could also happen.
"I want to calm down," said Edmund in a tired tone.
"Ed, wait a minute," Penelope interrupted. "I—"
"Leave me alone!" yelled Edmund. Penelope froze again and looked down. "Please, let me alone first and think things through. Please. I don’t even know what to call you. Should I call you Penelope or... Sienna, as you said just now."
Edmund came out of the room and accidentally closed the door with a slam. After Edmund left, Penelope fell to her knees. Her body was shaking even more. Then, the tears started to fall. And finally, Penelope burst into tears. She sobbed badly. The woman brought her hands to her face to hide her sobs. But, no matter how hard she tried to hide her sobs, they were still audible.
"What should I do now...?" Penelope asked. "I’m... alone now. He left me. I... I..." Penelope hugged herself and bit her lip until it bled. "Don’t hate me, Ed."
###
Edmund Gerwyn didn’t mean to scold Penelope Askary.
The man just wanted to know everything clearly. He just wanted Penelope to be honest. Edmund just wanted to hear everything from Penelope’s mouth, no one else. Even though it has been proven that the soul in Penelope’s body does not belong to the real Penelope Askary, Edmund doesn’t care. Even though the woman said she was a soul named Sienna, who came from another world, Edmund didn’t care. Edmund fell in love with the woman who was in front of him all this time. But, what made Edmund hurt and sad was Penelope’s dishonesty.
No, it’s not Penelope’s fault. It was his fault for not being able to figure it out in the first place even though he already saw the oddity in Penelope.
"Here you are, Duke Edmund."
Edmund turned his head and Helios smiled at him. The Crown Prince of the Abelavish empire sat beside Edmund. Currently, Edmund and Helios were in the backyard of Gerwyn’s mansion, in front of a fish pond that had a fountain in the middle of the pool.
"Why aren’t you with the Duchess? She needs you, Duke."
Edmund was silent. The man looked straight ahead. Seeing that, Helios chuckled and shook his head. He had heard from Edmund about the words spoken by the goddess Oizys about Penelope.
"Duke, do you regret marrying the Duchess because you know the Duchess’ true identity?"
Edmund looked down. "I...."
"Think about it if you were in her shoes," Helios said with a deep breath. "You woke up in the body of someone you don’t recognize. You have to adapt to everything that exists in this new world. I’m amazed the Duchess didn’t go mad when she came into this world and had to live up to her role as Penelope Askary." Helios glanced at Edmund. He knew Edmund was listening to him and was thinking about his words just now. "That woman is alone in this strange world, Duke. She is lucky to get the love from the kind-hearted Askary family so she doesn’t feel lonely. She was lucky to meet you and become your wife because you care so much for her and love her so much. Or... you don’t love her anymore now? If that’s the case, I’m willing to bring the Duchess into my palace and make her my Empress."
Edmund snorted and shot Helios a glare. "Don’t talk nonsense, Your Highness."
Helios chuckled. He stood up and patted Edmund on the shoulder. "What happened was really shocking but it’s all real. The important thing is that your love for the Duchess is genuine and vice versa. The Duchess loves you very much. She’s a good woman. So, don’t waste the Duchess’ love or I will take her away from you."
Edmund snorted again and the man chuckled. He stood up and lightly punched Helios in the shoulder.
"Thank you, Your Highness. You’ve made me think straight again."
"I really regret that I did that," chuckled Helios. "If I just stay quiet, can’t I bring the Duchess to my palace?"
Edmund rolled his eyes and turned his head when he heard someone call his name. The Duke frowned when he saw Sarah run while crying. Her face looks pale.
"Sarah, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?" asked Edmund. He has a bad feeling about this.
"Your Grace, My Lady—I mean, Duchess—the Duchess is missing!"
Edmund froze. He could hear Helios calling out for Jeremy and telling Jeremy to look for Penelope around the mansion with the knights of the Gerwyn family.
"Disappear...?" Edmund shook his head frantically. "What do you mean disappear, Sarah?! The Duchess is in her room! I just saw her in our room because earlier we discussed an important matter!"
Sarah shook her head and wiped the tears off her face. Her body was shaking.
"Your Grace, I came to the Duchess’s room to give her tea and sweets. But, the room is empty, Your Grace. Some of the Duchess’s clothes were missing! Then, I found this." Sarah took a paper out of her clothes and gave it to Edmund.
Edmund opened the paper and widened his eyes as he read what was written on it.
’I’m sorry, Duke Edmund. I didn’t mean to trick you. I will disappear from your sight, from your life. I don’t deserve to be by your side. Thanks for everything you’ve done for me. Thank you for loving me. I... still love you even though you already hate me.’
Edmund crumpled the paper and shouted.
"Chris, Jellal!" shouted Edmund. When his two shadow knights appeared in front of him, Edmund shot the two of them with a murderous look. "What were you and the other knights doing that all of you didn’t know your Duchess had escaped from the mansion?! Find my wife right now! If you fail to find her, I will kill all of you myself!"
Edmund ran to his horse which was in the stables owned by the Gerwyn family. His face started to look pale and he clenched his jaw. The man bit his lip until it bled but the man didn’t care.
"Penny, I’m sorry," muttered Edmund. "I am a very stupid man. I’m an idiot! Please, come back to me. Please, come back to me!"
