Diana glanced at Claude as she hugged her own body. When she saw that there is no violent reaction in his face, she immediately averted her gaze. 'He doesn't actually mean that, isn't he?' Diana asked herself.
'I should be mindful of my words. if he ever gets pissed because of me, I can never protect myself from him,' Diana thought while staring at Claude with hostility. 'I should think of a perfect way to escape from this place.'
Claude, who was sitting on the settee was watching the reaction of the woman that is currently in his room. He had no idea why did he bring her to his room, but something is telling him that he should possess her no matter what.
He should restrain her.
Lock her here.
Never let her go.
He owns everything in this place, including this woman. He could manipulate things as if he is a god. A mere woman couldn't contradict him. She should do whatever he wants, he should control her, tell her to do everything that he commands.
His emotions are already dead long ago, but he could feel a stronger desire to possess her. None one knows if these dark feelings are created due to black magic. However, the only that his mind could think of right now, is to think of this woman.
If he will command her to die, she will die. If he will command her to live, she should live.
The wench should be his Doll. Something that he should control.
There are so many dark thoughts circulating around his mind. If Diana could read his mind, she might tremble in fear for all of his though are dark enough to scare her.
A sense of possessiveness, where could he possibly get it?
A frown appeared on his forehead when he suddenly felt a familiar pain in his head. "Damn it!" He groaned in pain under his deep breath. The pain in his head is like needles that penetrate his brain. "ARGGH!" He shouted aggressively.
His fist was clenching on his hair because of so much pain. The nearest bottle of wine suddenly explodes and shatters into pieces. "Jen...nette..." He mumbled in pain. His eyes trembled while trying to utter that familiar name. "JENNETTE!"
Diana who has a lot of things in her mind was shocked when he heard a painful groan from Claude. Her eyes were stunned while looking at the familiar scene in front of her. It was familiar because she also saw this happen when she was in the garden as 'Dianne'.
Her body stiffened when Claude's expression became more violent as he crumbled to the floor. The nearest things on his place began to shatter into pieces.
Claude really looks in pain, and Diana couldn't decide whether to feel fear or sympathize with him.
"CALL JENNETTE!" Claude shouted repeatedly. He gritted his teeth as he felt that his body became weaker. He almost forgot that Diana is in his room. "JENNETTE!" He shouted again.
He was on the verge of passing out. However, he suddenly felt a warm hand holding his face. When he raised his head, he suddenly saw a figure of a woman who was staring at him with a complicated expression on her face.
"How..." Diana paused before shutting her eyes tightly. "How could you feel pain and shout like you're hurting when it's clearly Athanasia who suffered the most?" She asked with a resentful voice. "How could you show me this kind of expression?" Diana opened her eyes before staring at him intently.
In the end, Diana is not a cold-hearted person at all.
"How could you call Jennette, who is not even your daughter?"
The pain in Claude's head disappeared while listening to the voice of that woman.
"Woman, you make me laugh at your stupid questions," He said with a chortle before pulling Diana's arms in his body. Claude locked her on the floor while showing his cold, glowing eyes that are currently full of rage.
'You make me laugh.'
'Aren't you the person who caused this to me?'
'The person who caused all of this?'
He was staring at the woman under him. However... "ARRGHH!" Claude shouted in pain once again. "DAMN IT! FELIX CALL JENNETTE!"
Diana clenched her fist while staring at his situation. That's right, this Claude isn't her Claude. She shouldn't sympathize with him. Diana should use this situation to her own advantage. She has to escape with her daughter.
This man has caused too many sufferings to her Athanasia.
Run, she has to run away.
"You deserve this," she mumbled with a cold tone before pushing him away from her body. Diana immediately stand up before looking at the man who was lying uncomfortably on the floor.
Out of pity, Diana went to a rope that was hanging on the ceiling and pulled it to call for the servants. "It should be enough for you," She mumbled.
"I am going now, I will make sure that you will never see me again," She mumbled with a cold tone. It was enough to be heard by Claude. "Neither my daughter," Diana added as she took a coat in his wardrobe before turning her back on him.
When Diana was about to open the door, she suddenly stopped when she heard him calling for her name in an unusual tone. Her expression change as she gritted her teeth out of too much emotions.
"Don't go," She suddenly heard him. That voice doesn't seem to have any emotions on it, but the impact of it feels different to her. "Don't leave, I forbid you to leave," Claude told her, his tone is almost in pain, but there are no emotions.
He's Commanding her.
"How thick is your face to tell that to me?" Diana asked in anger. "I am not yours, you cannot forbid me to leave when all I can see in your face is danger! Not for me, but for the daughter that I wanted you to treasure but suffered in your foolishness!"
Her expression changed when he saw his jeweled eyes looking at her, she didn't expect what he told her next.
"Choose me," Claude could only reply, but this time, there was a hint of helplessness in his tone. "Choose me instead of her...."
Deja vu.
A moment of silence came as a flash of blinding lightning reflected across the window. She was stunned because that line seemed familiar to her.
'Choose me! Instead of that child that is eating your life away!'
'I'll beg if you want me to.'
Diana stepped backward when a flash of memory suddenly appeared in her mind. Her eyes went wide while looking in his direction. In her memory, she suddenly saw herself being held in her upper arms by a man, who is non-other than Claude.
He's begging her to stay with him.
But she couldn't.
"Ridiculous," She mumbled while shaking her head.
Is that the memory of the past her?
Why did it suddenly show up?
Is that real?
Is that how Claude felt she died?
Her Claude?
Diana immediately turned around while ignoring the calls of the Emperor behind her. She shook her head while covering her ears. "I don't care..." She whispered. "Athanasia... I--I still choose Athanasia," She mumbled with mixed emotions.
"I have to save Athanasia," She said with a firm tone before running away, without looking back, nor a single glance at Claude.
Claude who was calling for her couldn't help but watch her leave in a daze. His head is still hurting but the pain in the chest is more painful than anything else. His cold eyes went in his hands before groaning again in pain.
Right, she chooses their daughter once again.
Leaving him in such a painful state.
"I should've locked her up, and restrained her," He mumbled in pain. "How could you leave me."
"She has every right to do that, you fool," A cold voice that is similar to him suddenly uttered. When the Emperor turned his head around. He suddenly saw a perfect copy of him standing behind him. "How pathetic of you."
Beside him was a magician who was watching them with a bored face. 'I should've brought some snacks,' He thought while staring at the mess in that room. The magician glanced at the two Claude who was both emitting a cold aura.
"How dare you touch my wife."
••••••••
"Athanasia! Athanasia!" Diana called for her daughter as soon as she went down on the horse that she stole from the Emperor's palace. She immediately went inside the Ruby Palace, not caring about her drenched appearance.
Her feet didn't stop walking until she reached the current room of her daughter. They have to escape right now. If that bastard Claude became better, he might go there to kill her and Athanasia.
A few servants greeted her with a gloomy face. When they saw Diana who was desperately running into her daughter's room, they couldn't help but shake their heads. "Did the doctor already come?" Diana asked them.
They didn't bother to answer her in words. Instead, they nodded their head weakly while looking at the ground.
Diana sigh in relief, but she noticed that there was something wrong with their faces. "What... happened? Did something happen? Where's Lily?" She asked. The servants glanced at each other with a slight hesitation in their faces.
Diana stared at their expression.
Something's wrong.
"My Lady--"
Diana didn't bother to wait for their answers as she immediately went to Athanasia's room. As soon as she opened the room, she suddenly saw Lily sobbing beside Athanasia's bed. The maid was holding her daughter's hand tightly.
"Lily..." She mumbled with a soft tone. "What happened?" Diana asked her.
"Lady Diana..."
Diana went in Lily's direction before placing her hand on her shoulder. Her eyes stared at Lilian York intently. "Where's the doctor? They told that he had already come? Did he give Athanasia Medicine?" Diana asked, but Lilian remained silent.
"Nevermind. Pack your clothes, We will leave today!" Diana told her as she immediately went to Athanasia who's still sleeping. Diana lifted her hands as she touched Athanasia's forehead in such a careful; manner. "My daughter, we will go away from here," she mumbled.
She planted a small kiss on her daughter's forehead, before caressing her pale cheeks.
Many things are currently in her head, but she is willing to shut them off if she can save this Athanasia from a deprived life. The most important thing to do is to run away. They should do that, as soon as possible.
Diana glanced at Lilian York when she felt that the maid is not doing anything to move. "Lily! What are you still doing? I said we will escape as soon as possible. The Emperor cannot catch us!" Diana shouted in distress.
Too many things happened this day.
The stress on her face is visible.
"My Lady...." Lilian suddenly called for her with a painful tone. Diana paused when she felt a terrible feeling inside of her. She glanced at her old friend who was currently shedding tears in her eyes.
Diana couldn't help but tremble when she saw that reaction.
"No..." She mumbled.
"My Lady... The Princess..." Lily paused before brushing a tear in her eyes.
She couldn't help but weep because of the news that she just received from the Doctor a while ago. It was one of the most painful things for Lilian who raised Athanasia with all her heart. "The Doctor told me that the Princess was poisoned..."
"What are trying to say?" Diana asked in a daze. She was dumbfounded, he immediately shook her head before returning her gaze to Athanasia. "This is just a fever. It will go down tomorrow," Diana could only utter in denial.
Diana was waiting for Lilian's response, but she only received sobs. "Lily..." Diana called her name as if asking for confirmation.
"My Lady..." Lilian gritted in tears while telling her the news. Her next words pierced Diana in her chest. She almost couldn't digest it. "Athy was poisoned in that Cellar to make sure that the Princess will die."
"There was no antidote. The Princess will die today..."