427.Chapter 427


    Dn spent the entire night sitting outside the gates of Saint Grace Nunnery, lost in thought.


    It wasn''t until the morning bell tolled, apanied by faint chanting from within, that he finally rose to his feet.


    He cast onest, lingering nce at the tightly shut gates before dragging his stiff, chilled body down the mountain


    By the time he retumed to the thatched cottage, the sky was just beginning to brighten.


    Dn noticed a faint glow of candlelighting from his thatched cottage in the distance,


    He frowned slightly.


    He thought, ''It is almost dawn. Have Matthew and Sophie still not gone to bed?'' Feeling something was off, Dn quickened his pace. He soon reached the door of his cottage and knocked firmly." Matthew, open the door,"


    "Coming!" Matthew''s voice rang out, followed by the spund of hurried footsteps. Momentster, he opened the door for Dn.


    Dn nced inside and saw Sophie sitting on his bed, carefully massaging her ankle.


    "Why are you still up? Didn''t I tell you to get some rest? You need to leave first thing in the morning, Dn said, his tone sharp but calm.


    "Dn, are you really that eager to send us away?" Matthew retorted, his brows furrowing in frustration.


    "Do whatever you want, Dn replied coldly, "But Sophie has to go. We''re at the foot of Mount Westin, and Eliza is up at Saint Grace Nunnery. I don''t want her to get the wrong idea."


    Dn stepped inside, poured himself a ss of water, and took a sip.


    The kettle hadn''t been used this morning, so naturally, it only held cold water.


    The icy water sent a chill through Dn''s body, but it also cleared his mind.


    He thought. That''s right. Sophie absolutely can''t stay here.


    If Eliza found out Sophie was here, our fragile progress would shatter instantly.


    And after that, Eliza would never forgive me."


    Dn mmed the cup down after finishing the cold water, his face hardening as he snapped, "Enough. Since you''re awake, it''s perfect timing. Get out of here right now!"


    "Right now?" Matthew''s voice rose sharply. "Dn! What are you so afraid of? Eliza is your sister, sure, but aren''t we family too?


    "You''re kicking us out before dawn because of Eliza?"


    "Silence!" Dn''s voice thundered over Matthew''s, his piercing gaze locking onto his younger brother. "Let me make this clear. The only reason I''ve given you any leeway is because you''re my brother. But as for Sophie, she is not my family, and she is definitely not my sister!"


    Dn''s tone turned icy. "My sister is Eliza, and no one can ever take her ce! You were rightst night. It''s true that! yed a part in driving Eliza to despair and forcing her to join the nunnery. But it wasn''t just me.


    "You, Benedict, Anthony, even Father. We all share the me for pushing her to that point. And for that, every single one of us will pay the price."


    Dn turned his gaze to Sophie, who was sitting on the bed. His eyes grew even colder. "As for you... You lie through your teeth, sow discord, twist the truth, and scheme against your siblings. Don''t think for a second that no one sees through you, or that you''re some innocent victim.


    "Sophie, mark my words,pared to the rest of us, you''ll end up with the most pitiful fate of all.


    "Because you had the chance to have a truly warm and loving family, but you destroyed it with your own hands."


    Dn lowered his gaze to Sophie''s face, now twisted with anger, and delivered his final words with a tone dripping in mockery, as if casting a curse, "In the end, you''ll have nothing left."


    "Shut up Sophie couldn''t hold it in any longer.


    She had nned to use her injured foot to guil: Sessfully unlocked!


    But she never expected that after spending the


    rejecting her without hesitation


    Lul back like apletely different person, coldly


    Every word he said tore through her facade, every sentenceced with mockery.


    And then, he had the audacity to call her the most pitiful one.


    the thought. How am I pitiful?


    I am not pitiful at all!


    ''I have already driven that little wretch Eliza out of the house, and now I am the treasured jewel of the Duke''s estatel


    ''Compared to Eliza, who have gone off to be a nun, am I not the one living the drearn? How could I possibly be pitiful?r Sophie suddenly jumped up from the bed, her eyes red with tears that spilled over as she cried out, "Dn! I know you''re siding with Eliza now, but how could you curse me like this just for her?


    "I''m your sister tool You used to care about me so much, but now you''re just turning your back on me like this?" Sophie broke into loud, dramatic sobs.


    Her tears didn''t move Dn, but they certainly struck a nerve with Matthew


    Matthew stormed forward, stepping between Sophie and Dn, shielding her as he red at his brother. "Dn! What the hell are you doing? Do you even realize how worried Sophie was about youst night after you ran off? Her foot''s injured. but she still stayed up waiting for you, hoping to have a proper talk. And now look at what you''ve done!


    "Youe back just to interrogate us, to try and kick us out, and then you talk to Sophie like this! We''re your siblings too, but all you care about is Eliza. Can''t you spare even a little concern for us?"


    "Matthew Stonor! This time, Dn called out his brother''s full name, his voice sharp and filled with disappointment. He stared at Matthew, whose face mirrored his own, and finally shook his head in dismay


    He added, "Yesterday, I thought there might still be hope for you. But now? You''re as clueless as ever. If you''re so determined to go your own way, then don''t call me your brother anymore. You''re no brother of mine, and Sophie is definitely not my sister!"


    "You!" Matthew froze, stunned. He never imagined Dn would say something like this to him.


    Dn was his twin brother, the one he''d shared everything with since birth. They had the same face, grew up together, and even had simr personalities. And now, they were breaking apart.


    His own brother, who had already left home, was now cutting him offpletely. The thought was like a knife to his heart. "You... Dn, do you even know what you''re saying?" Matthew''s voice trembled with anger and disbelief, his words stumbling over themselves.


    He stared at Dn, his eyes wide with shock. "Are you really cutting ties with your own brother?"


    "Yes." Dn''s voice was calm, almost unnervingly so. He turned away, unable to meet Matthew''s gaze, his profile cold and distant. "Honestly, I should''ve done this a long time ago."


    Matthew let out a bitterugh, his eyes reddened with anger. "Should''ve done this a long time ago? So you''ve been waiting for this moment, haven''t you? Then why


    wait until today? Why?"


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