Chapter 90: What Happened One Night VIII (part 2)

Even though the middle-aged man clicked his tongue and hurled outrageous insults at her, Sarah maintained an expressionless face. She let his verbal abuse enter one ear and exit the other—or at least, she tried to.

It was all too familiar. 

Ever since the man who was the head of the Cernard family—her own father—had entrusted her discipline to the man before her, such insults had become insignificant compared to the things he had made her endure. 

This was just something to tolerate.  

‘Just bear with it.’  

‘Somehow, just get through this moment.’

“By the way, Sarah. How’s your seduction of the Heir Decaraznan going?” the man asked mockingly. “Even though the Heir already has a fiancée, I doubt it would be too difficult to win him over with your body.”

As he spoke, the middle-aged man’s eyes roamed over her body with a grim, lascivious gaze. 

Sarah instinctively felt a visceral disgust. The way he looked at her made her skin crawl.  

‘Does he really see his only niece with such a lewd and sinister gaze?’

She understood all too well the answer he expected from her. He was coercing her again—for the sake of the family, her uncle wanted her to seduce the Duke like some common courtesan. He was blatantly pressuring her to sacrifice herself.

“…Uncle.”

In the past, she might have accepted such a disgusting demand. She might have willingly spread her legs for the Heir Decaraznan, believing her b0dy had long lost its value, having been raised only to be sold to the highest bidder.

But—

“…I…”

[Because I was worried. It’s pouring outside—how could I stay put after hearing you’d suddenly disappeared?]

She was no longer the woman she once was. 

The old, jaded version of herself—cynical and detached from the world—was gone. It wasn’t that she longed to monopolize him or sought something unattainable. 

The desires she used to hold… they didn’t exist anymore.

‘But I admire him.’  

‘For the sake of myself, I just want to stay by the side of someone who reached out without hesitation.’  

‘I only want to lean on that support, even if just a little longer.’  

‘In my heart, that much feels like something I can allow myself.’

She didn’t want anything more. She firmly believed she had no right to ask for more. 

A man like him, and a woman like her—they weren’t meant for each other.

“…I won’t do it, Uncle. I will never seduce the Heir Decaraznan.”

“…What did you say?”

“I’m willing to do anything else. But I can’t whisper words of love to someone I don’t love, just to seduce them.”

Because, deep in her heart, she had already embraced another man. She knew full well that her love would never be returned, but she didn’t want to live with regrets—not when it came to him.

She shook her head at her uncle’s command. 

It was a clear and defiant gesture.

For a moment, the room fell into cold silence. 

The middle-aged man stared at her, dumbfounded. Then his expression twisted with rage.

“…Tch. You’re talking back a lot today, Sarah.”

He shot up from his seat and strode toward her. His arm rose slowly, threateningly. 

Instinctively, Sarah squeezed her eyes shut.

That man had always been like this. Whenever things didn’t go his way, he never hesitated to use violence—even on his much younger niece. 

Sarah’s hands trembled slightly as she braced herself for the blow. It wasn’t the pain she feared. It was the humiliation of being unable to say a word, even while being struck by such a man, that hurt most.

“…Cunning girl.”

But the blow never came. 

No, he had to restrain himself. Laying a hand on her now—especially when she could potentially ensnare the Heir Decaraznan—was a risk he couldn’t take.

“…No, yes. No, no. Maybe elsewhere—but not your face. That’s a precious ‘product.’ You never know when you’ll have the chance to seduce the Heir Decaraznan, right, Sarah?”

His hand drifted lightly from her neck, over her shoulder, and up to her cheek. 

The touch was a mockery, revolting and calculated. It was nothing like Cain’s touch—the one that had once been gentle and real. 

This was repulsive. 

Every caress felt like a snake slithering across her skin.

“Don’t act high and mighty, Sarah. Don’t pretend you’re something special. You know what you are. You’re a commodity. Nothing more than a finely polished ornament, raised with care in Cernard. If you understand that, why hesitate now to spread your legs?”

“…..”

“Well, since you’re my darling niece, I’ll give you a day. Think it over. Decide for yourself what course of action will benefit you.”

Even as he finally left her room, he didn’t take his eyes off her. His parting sneer lingered in the air like a stench.

“…Ah…”

The moment he was gone, Sarah collapsed onto the floor, her strength completely drained.

“…Ca…in…”

She was terrified. Recently, she had attempted something like rebellion against her uncle for the first time. But in the end, she still couldn’t stand up to him.

It wasn’t the pain she feared. It wasn’t even the man himself.

No, what scared her most… was the part of herself that might eventually give in. The part that might surrender.

“…Sorry…”

Covering her face with both hands, Sarah broke into tears.

But no sound escaped her lips.

That silence… was the last shred of pride still remaining in the woman named Sarah Cernard.