The Duchess and the Devil - Chapter 87.1

Jadon was always a child full of ambition. But they were tainted by terrible vanity. When such a person tried to push Judith away from the post of Duchess, using the death of the Duke and his heir, the entire family was confused. But that was just the beginning. Jadon, going to the capital, encouraged Judith to give up the position of Duchess on her own.

Already suffering from the shock of losing Derrick and the baby, these actions only caused more pain. It seemed as if someone had opened a bleeding wound and filled it with salt. And although Judith did not want to give up on the knights, the butler and the maids who had taken care of her all this time, she could not do anything. She no longer had the strength to fight.

– But Lady…

– I divorce. Stop doing that.

Judith stood on the edge of the abyss. At the ceremony, she had an extremely difficult time when she saw her husband’s name next to hers. My heart hurt. Perhaps because the Duchess still could not believe that the demon had disappeared without a trace. My chest throbbed painfully.

The divorce, compared to the marriage, went quickly. Now the last link connecting her to the Duke was broken. The deceased Derrick was no longer even Judith’s official husband. That day, Judith sat on the steps of the dilapidated temple and cried for the last time. She could not calm down for so long that Vincent, when he arrived at the place, was embarrassed.

Everything was so confusing and complicated that it no longer made any sense. Having gone through all the horrors, Judith simply returned to the starting point. Now it was lying in the bedroom that it had used before the wedding. Only the owner of the mansion has changed.

Looking at the white butterflies flying in the green garden, the Duchess rested her chin on her folded arms. Sitting on the chair, Judith thought only that it would be wonderful to just stop breathing at one moment. After all, now she didn’t have much reason to live.

“Isn’t it okay to just die?” – this question often visited Judith’s head.

Just like Jadon said, she really didn’t know how to protect herself. Inside there was only a terrible and deep feeling of loss. And Judith didn’t want to experience that same pain for the rest of her life. If she left the mansion wall, the aristocrats, like wild dogs, would try to bite or scratch her. And then the feeling of helplessness will eat from the inside. The only way out was death.

In the Bible, self-determination is a sin that cannot be forgiven. No one will punish Judith for choosing to simply end this life. At this moment the girl closed her eyes.

“Don’t think about anything else, just think about how safe you will be, ” at the moment when the Duchess finally decided to die, a firm and warm voice suddenly burst into her heart.

The voice, enveloping me like a blanket, captured my inner feelings. Now even death did not seem a threat. Judith covered her eyes with the back of her hand. Lately she had been unable to sleep peacefully, but now a feeling of fatigue came over her.

But when Judith closed her eyes, she saw no ordinary darkness. Each time she remembered that hellish moment that happened six months ago. Hannibal, who rushed at her, and Derrick, who was brutally stabbed to death with a sword. The demon sacrificed his life to protect her. Thick blood flowed through the palms that always caressed Judith. A heart that no longer beat.

These memories made Judith relive that day again and again.

And although many might have thought that the Duchess had lost her wish to die, this was not entirely true. She just couldn’t do it when she thought about Derrick sacrificing himself for her. The shadow of the demon, whose trace could no longer be found, barely held Judith by the ankle, although she was already one step away from the underworld.

“Derrick… ” she muttered darkly.

Judith longed for the warmth she felt lying next to her husband. And along his arm, which covered his waist and cheeks without gaps. Squatting down, she felt cold and lonely. But these were only the consequences of inner emptiness.

Turning slowly, the Duchess lay down, resting her head on the armrests. She felt slightly dizzy and had a stomach ache. Not wanting to fall asleep, Judith looked at the ceiling. The pattern she had observed since childhood swam before her eyes. It showed an oil painting of the Goddess sitting on a glorious throne with winged angels entwining her. Despite the broken heart, it was a truly peaceful picture.

“Unfortunately, there is no God,” Judith suddenly remembered this fact.

The moment the light illuminated the image of the good Goddess, Judith’s eyes widened. She slowly raised her upper body. Her fading golden eyes now looked at one point.

***

Returning from the trip, Vincent took a deep breath from accumulated fatigue. He wanted to immediately take a bath, crawl under the covers and sleep soundly, but there was still a huge amount of work and paperwork to check.

Even two months after Judith moved in, he still heard gossip and reproaches from people. And one day Vincent met Jadon face to face. He didn’t know what kind of person he was, but the man, having expelled Judith from the Duchy, felt calm and joyful, smiling at everyone. Looking at this arrogant face, the Marquis wanted to slap him in the face, but could not because of the condemnation of others.

“Did everything go well, sir?” – the maid asked him, helping him remove his leather gloves.

– Yes, did something happen?

– I…

The woman hesitated.

– Rather, what is it?

Vincent frowned, realizing that something was wrong here.

– Madam…

The Marquis’s heart sank when he realized that the reason for the maid’s hesitation had something to do with Judith. After all, anything could happen to his sister during his absence. There was concern in his golden eyes.