You Think I Won't Talk?-Chapter 48 — Breakdown.

"Marianne!...D-dear, What’s wrong?!"

Faltering, unsure if it was alright to touch me, the Duke reached out to my body. Not knowing what to do, his hands stayed at some distance, hesitating. Nonetheless... After what didn’t get to be a mere second, I saw how he slowly brought his hands to mine, holding them gently to bring them back, folding their extended position.

Giving them a strong squeeze, the trembling was barely muffled by his careful grip.

I was still facing to the front, with my gaze still fixed on the fallen notes, seemingly unbothered by his attempt.

"Dear... Marianne... Marianne, look at me." — He called us with a hint of distress in his voice.

Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t. My shivering kept going and my chilling body was way too frozen for me to even try facing him.

A few seconds passed, and then, the Duke’s hands let go of mine in weakness. The freedom from his grasp... Made me feel extremely vulnerable to Marianne’s fright.

I unsuccessfully tried to swallow my worry for my unruly body. My mouth was as dry as a desert and the attempt only made my throat feel torn and sore after defying her body’s defence.

’....Sh*t... this might be bad...’

"..."

The silence that followed his retreat did not last long.

From the border of my sight, I saw his body approaching me.

Wrapping his arms around me, a warm and strong hug, tried to contain the uncontrollable shudders.

My face was now against his shoulder, and his clean scent made me finally able to blink.

Then, without time to process the events, I felt how a big hand began stroking my head.

"Shh... it’s alright sweetie... just breathe slowly..."

His words surprised me. I hadn’t noticed, but my breathing pace was extremely erratic.

Following his soothing voice, I closed my eyes and began to breathe slowly, calming my fast heartbeat.

Slowly, the trembling began to subside. Not entirely, but at least, the shakiness wasn’t as evident.

"... that’s it, sweetie... dad is here..."

’...Oh my God... just what has happened... really...’

Invoking a new reaction. My eyes– No. Marianne’s eyes began to pour tears without restraint after hearing his mild voice.

The Duke must have felt the tears damping his shoulder. Because he stopped hugging me and watched my emotionless face, full of tears.

"...Marianne...Marianne... what’s wrong, sweetie...? Please don’t cry..."

Whipping every single tear that fell with his thumb, caressing my lower eyelids, he asked, with an expression I couldn’t see.

I was unable to see it, not only by the clouded vision the tears provoked but, also, because my eyes wouldn’t leave the notes out of sight.

"... What is... you... right, you dropped this..."

Marianne’s father must have followed my gaze, and took the item it was fixed on.

’Haaa...’

I thought my stuck eyes would be free now that the object of their attention was missing but... I should never assume.

Now I was staring at an empty space on the table, like a traumatized child....... which is not entirely wrong but...

"...Marianne..."

In a whisper, her father called our name. I flinched at how faded his voice was.

"... Marianne... I would never get mad at you... are..... like this..."

His words began to die down in his low volume and I was not able to hear all of what he said. However, the ones I could hear, brought peace to our body, gradually stopping the shivers completely.

"..."

I was still cold like an iceberg and crying, though.

Turning to see the Duke after our body calmed down, I found one palm covering his face as he looked downwards with one knee on the floor and supporting his other hand on the couch.

’...Some kind of misunderstanding is going through his head.’

This much, even I was able to take the hint. Given the situation, he must be having some wild thoughts there. He truly adores his children after all. Maybe it was his time to panic now.

’... Let’s do the same.’

Looking at him, the thought of doing the same he did for me to calm down, came up.

Bringing my body closer to his, I took his hand off his face and lowered it, to later embrace him with my flimsy arms. Just like he did with me, I tried my best to hug him firmly, extracting all the strength I could muster.

No words could be said by us.

So, the most I could do was pat his back, gently, just like he stroked my head, to soothe his angst.

"..."

After a while, the weight of his head leaned on mine from the side.

"... sorry, my baby... I’m alright...... I’m not mad... and.... I am sorry, my sunshine...’

Hugging me back, he stroked my hair and with a loving tone, he apologised...

Though I don’t know why he’s apologising, we stayed like that for a while. The tears stopped in the meanwhile and my body began to warm up thanks to the heat Marianne’s father was transmitting to me as we hugged.

At some point, I began to enjoy the hugging session. It felt really nice. His hug made me feel loved and precious. It was a hug that reassured, not only me but Marianne too.

A hug of a loving Father who protects us.

’Heheh... so warm~...’

I began to feel sleepy from how relaxing and comfortable it was.

Thankfully...(?) The Duke, slowly separated from me, bringing the long hug to an end.

"Alright... oh dear, your eyes became red from all those tears... my child... it might sting later..."

With a compassionate look, he caressed my eyelids.

Taking a handkerchief from who knows where; he began drying my face.

"Your face is soaked in tears... oh dear... my poor baby..."

’... I’m... I’m not a baby...... he’s calling you a baby, Anne...’

As he finished drying my face, he showed a soft smile.

"... there... as pretty as always..."

’Ugh! My heart!... such a sweet lie!!!’

"... sorry, my child... this father of yours must have tired you out... how are you feeling? Do you have enough strength to stand?"

’Heeey~~ of course I–... huh...?’

As I tried to stand up to prove him wrong... my body showed no reaction. I had no strength left within me.

’Woah....we are weaker than I thought...’

"..."

’Pathetic.’

Shaking my head, I confirmed the Duke’s guess and tried once again just to be sure.

"..."

’I really can’t move.’

My inward expression couldn’t be more silly. A withering, tight-lipped and deadpan face, that every time I messed up or put myself to public shame, was bluntly enacted in my inner self.

I call it... "The curl up and die face".

Once again... I am thankful for my inability to talk... or show emotion.

’... "of course I can" my a**... If I stand up I’ll look like newborn Bambi...’

"I see... then, excuse me."

Marianne’s father swiftly took my body in his arms and lifted me in a princess carry. With my hands recoiling to my chest, I was so lost at what to do with myself for experiencing something like this at my age. The embarrassment to be lifted so easily... made me feel like a little kid.

"... I’m sorry, dear... I won’t let you fall, so bear with it until I bring you to your room..."

Slightly nodding my head with my eyes closed tightly, I quickly agreed, so he would take me there as fast as possible.

’Please... just hurry up... I’m a twenty-eight years old woman on the inside! For the love of peanuts!!!’

"... It’s alright sweetie... just breathe in slowly..... your father is here with you..."

I guess the Duke interpreted my gesture as me feeling sick. Because as he said that, he brought me closer to him, grasping a good hold of me as he began making his way to the office door.

"Thomas!"

He suddenly called the butler in a loud voice, but it wasn’t as loud to make me flinch.

The Butler rushed to his call, opening the big door.

"My– Sir?!"

With a surprised tone, I heard the butler call Marianne’s father. The sight of having a grown woman in his arms must have shocked the old man.

’Even I am shocked... can’t blame him...’

"Bring lemon balm and chamomile to Marianne’s quarters, you know the rest."

"As you order, my Lord."

While he gave long strides the Duke gave instructions to the elderly butler.

Marianne’s father must have walked carefully as he carried me because it was such a pleasant ride, I didn’t even feel we were moving at all.

All I could feel was the breeze, made by his rushed pace, colliding on my side.

Moments later, the Duke spoke once again.

"Open the door."

"Gasp! My Lady!"

"Paige, prepare some water."

"Y-yes, yes, Sir! Immediately!"

All I could hear was the sound of his steps and the short orders he gave as he walked with me in his arms. For some time now... my eyelids felt heavy and I couldn’t open them to see what was happening.

’... I feel no energy in my body... so heavy... sh*tty luck I have...’

Leaning my head on his shoulder, my mouth dried up. Even though I was tense for being carried, my body wasn’t able to keep the tension. All my weight fell, from weakness, on him.

"Marian... dear don...... stay...wake....!"

Feeling how my body was placed on a soft bed... I struggled to look at Marianne’s father, who seemed to be speaking to me now.

’Eff**g...... sorry Sir..... Gotta....... Sleep.....’

The previously unsteady breathing that invoked panic and tremors in our body... was so overly peaceful now... that in my dismay, I thought I wasn’t even breathing anymore.

’I’m..... fallin... aslee......right...?’

The dark space that came with the closing of my eyes, engulfed me, shutting down all of my senses.

However, the endless dark, only hid scenarios that... depicted a past... that I had forcefully locked, in the deepest part of my unconscious, a long... long time ago.