Savior Who Strangles Me

Chapter 9

Sinclair's destination with Elaina was his own private villa, situated far from both the Duke of Hank's estate and the Aswell Count's holdings.

"You seem quite startled," Sinclair murmured, observing Elaina shivering on the sofa. And for good reason—she wasn’t just trembling. Her face was pale as though she had been drowning, and her bright blue eyes, reminiscent of the sea, were still clearly etched with fear.

"It's safe here. No one knows this place."

"..."

"Or, is this a situation where I should offer some consolation?"

"...No, thank you. That won’t be necessary," Elaina responded in a voice as slight as a mosquito’s.

"But how did you know to come? And to be so precise..."

"I thought you were quick-witted," Sinclair teased.

"What?"

"You have a naive side, it seems." Sinclair smirked. "Did you really think I'd just send a proposal and leave it at that?"

Elaina paused, caught off guard.

"I had someone keep watch. I didn't want to be stabbed in the back."

"..."

"I’m more suspicious than you might think. And usually, those suspicions turn out to be more beneficial than harmful, as was the case today."

So, he had been keeping an eye on the Aswell estate. Yet, Elaina didn’t know how to react to this. If Sinclair had done so out of concern that Melvin might harm her, she would indeed owe him gratitude. However, if he was merely ensuring that Elaina Aswell, the woman leading the most miserable life in the Edenvale Empire, couldn’t escape from him, the story changed.

"...Anyway, what does it matter now?"

If not for Sinclair, she would have been sold to the old duke and never had a chance to escape.

"Thank you for your help," Elaina decided it was time to say what needed to be said, regardless of Sinclair’s intentions.

"Your words carry a sting, though unintended," Sinclair noted.

"No, you’re right. They were meant to sting."

Elaina felt a chill run through her body. Sinclair’s chilling smile revealed a darker aspect of his character. The Emperor had even killed a favored concubine in broad daylight within the palace. If he could do that, what would stop him from exacting brutal revenge on Melvin?

"You’ll see for yourself tomorrow what happens," Sinclair said ominously.

"Tomorrow?"

"My knights will come for you, just be ready for that."

As Sinclair's comment implied, Elaina did indeed have some belongings left in the attic of her former residence. While not valuable to others, they held personal significance for her. "This villa isn't fully equipped since I only occasionally stay here, but it's certainly better than that trash heap of an attic," Sinclair remarked dismissively.

"Understood," Elaina replied. The conversation seemed to have concluded, but Sinclair lingered, his gaze fixed on her.

"Your attire is quite inappropriate," he finally noted, causing Elaina to reflexively blush and cover her deeply cut neckline.

However, Sinclair showed no intention of looking away or offering her any privacy. Instead, he stepped closer, his intense gaze unyielding. Startled, Elaina froze, nowhere to run. Sinclair closed the distance rapidly, and Elaina instinctively shut her eyes in anticipation of what might come next.

Yet, nothing happened as expected. When Elaina opened her eyes, she found Sinclair draping his cloak over her shoulders. "You may not realize, but such attire is dangerous, Elaina Aswell, especially in a secluded space like this," he said, his voice carrying a hint of a warning.

"..."

"Before we add any obligations regarding the bedroom to our agreement, perhaps you should consider dressing more conservatively," Sinclair's voice had a teasing undertone, mixed with a low chuckle. "Or was this an invitation?"

"No, not at all. I hope you don't misunderstand..." Elaina stammered, flustered by his implication.

"Let me know if you change your mind. I think a year of such entertainment wouldn’t be too disagreeable," Sinclair said flippantly, smirking as he spoke.

Using his cloak, Elaina managed to cover herself more fully, and Sinclair looked at her briefly before turning away without another word. He left as abruptly as he had arrived when the carriage was attacked, without a farewell or wish for a good rest.

Alone finally, Elaina collapsed onto the sofa, repeatedly closing and opening her eyes, taking deep breaths to calm herself. She wiped the cold sweat from her forehead, wondering silently if it was truly safe and if merely waiting here was all she could do. A creeping dread began to envelop her again, a profound unease about her precarious situation.

Yet, Elaina knew she was powerless in her current circumstances. As she sat hugging her knees on the sofa, she quietly recalled the day's events and then paused. Had she ever mentioned to Sinclair that she was living in the attic of the Aswell house?

"He must have been keeping an eye on me; that would explain how he knew about the kidnapping so quickly."

While the thought was unnerving, Elaina no longer had the energy to fret or speculate further. Thus, she eventually drifted into a fitful sleep on the sofa, not even making it to the bedroom.

Just before falling asleep, the words Ren had spoken in her dream echoed once again in her ears: "You don’t have to worry about anything. I will always protect you, just as I have been." But as she woke intermittently, those comforting words from her dream slipped away, and she couldn’t recall them.

The following day brought turmoil to the Aswell house, exactly as Sinclair had implied, turning Elaina's former world upside down.