Cry, Or Better Yet Beg
Chapter 24. Blue Candy

The four days that Leyla spent alone were frightening and a bit strange.

Listening to Uncle Bill's advice, which he initially thought was a joke, Leyla locked the window and placed the hunting weapon hung in her uncle's room beside her bed.

Even after preparing for her sleep, Leyla stayed awake and had trouble sleeping. He was jolted by the sound of an owl and suffered from a nightmare that suddenly appeared. The duke's face often appeared between dreams of him being beaten or thrown away. The memories of their kiss were strewn about tirelessly, and deepened in his dream like a swamp of glutinousness.

The first hue in the morning comes out and every day feels so long and timeless. Leyla busied herself and continued moving without the slightest break.

He took care of the cattle, took care of the lawn, and swept and polished all the places in the already clean cottage. He washed all the curtains and beds and even set up a warehouse. Reading a book or studying was the only task he missed: because his eyes, strangely enough, could not understand the prose of the book.

Leyla spent the whole day alone, walking back and forth until nightfall bringing another nightmare.

On the morning of the fourth day, he came out to take care of the backyard, tightly tying the aprons strap behind him.

Everything shuts down the mind.

Bill Remmer regularly spends most of his time at work. In addition to helping her with her work, Leyla goes through daily tasks and studies.

Living together does not mean that everything can be done together. They just sit at the same table, return to the same warm house at night, share stories from their days, and so on…

“This is the first time.”

Leyla muttered pensively upon realizing that.

Ever since he was ushered into Berg, he has never led a single day apart from Uncle Bill. He was always by her side, and never a day was she alone. Bill Remmer is always with him, day and night, like clockwork.

But now, he's alone.

The consciousness that Leyla Lewellin realized for four days gave her another consciousness. It enlightened him: how lonely, sad, and fearful he was as he wandered this world, alone.

Leyla walked back a step after a moment of standing still. While feeding the chickens and milking the goats, he kept glancing across the courtyard.

His greatest wish for Uncle Bill's return has grown into a heartfelt prayer. He was sure most of his confusion and frustration would disappear once he returned. His solitude, the sadness of his teenage years, the bad memories of his first kiss can be forgotten with someone to accompany him.

Everything will be fine, and everything will be back to how it was.

“Kyle Etman.”

Kyle looked back, startled after someone suddenly called his name from behind. His father was standing behind his chair.

“Yes, dad.”

Kyle hurried to his feet. A book remained open on the same page for several days on his desk. The page had not been turned over since the night she announced she was marrying Leyla to her father.

“You're home early.”

Kyle alternately stared out the still-bright window and looked at his father's face. Dr Lips. Etman formed a gentle smile upon seeing his son's sharp gaze. “It's a weekend, Kyle.”

"What's? Oh already?”

“I won't ask what you think. I guess I know even though you didn't tell me.

Dr. Etman muttered in laughter and leaned back on the chair where Kyle had fallen some time ago. It was his uniqueness whenever his father wanted to tell him something. Kyle pulled up the chair in front of the table and sat down facing his father, a little nervous.

His father did not answer and remained silent that day. After staring at Kyle for a long time, all he said was to give him a few days to think about it. Kyle was aware that there was no point in daring to speak when his father expressed himself in such a manner and tone.

Therefore, he did nothing but wait. Despite his desire tempts him to run towards her in a matter of seconds. So Kyle endures it and wastes his days by living in a slow-moving clock. Because he did not want to hurt Leyla by giving ambiguous promises.

“I deeply understand your feelings. I know how much you love Leyla. But Kyle, you and him are too young to talk about marriage.”

“But Dad, you married mom when you entered medical school, didn't you?”

“It happened 20 years ago.”

“Lady Brandt is only one year older than Leyla, and she will be engaged next week.”

“It...”

“Lady Arundt, introduced by mom, is also the same age as Leyla.”

Seeing Kyle refute his every word with a stiff face, Dr. Etman finally exploded, “It seems, you are more serious than I thought.”

“Dad, I know I'm young. I also understand what makes you worry.”

“Do you love Leyla so much that you are willing to sacrifice anything for her?”

"Yes." Yeah." Kyle answered without hesitation. To her, loving her was as natural as breathing. So, it doesn't even need to be taken lightly.

“I can help Leyla college by becoming her sponsor.”

With a firm yet loving look, Dr. Etman looked at his beloved son fondly, dearly,

“Leyla is a good boy. He's good-minded and smart. I know him well, Kyle, and I'm willing to sponsor him for college if he wants.”

“Of course I really hope Leyla can continue her studies in her favorite field of study. But dad, what I want most is to marry her.”

“It takes more than two people to make a wedding.”

“Household, dignity and dignity. I'm not saying that those things don't matter.”

“So, why are you so stubborn?”

“No matter how important it is, Father, there is nothing more important than the person who will accompany you for the rest of your life.”

“Kyle.”

“I want to be a great doctor, as well as being a good husband and father. Just like you. But, Dad, for me everything started from Leyla.” Kyle said. His heart started pounding, almost like it wanted to get out of his chest. But he hid it and started talking about all the things he had been hiding for years.

“I want to live with Leyla, by her side, as a good Leyla, a good husband, a good father to her child.”

His heart now felt like it was about to explode, but Kyle continued.

“If I have Leyla by my side, I am very confident that I can make all that happen, but dad, without her, those things are just cakes in the sky.”

He replied to his father in a resolute and unwavering tone.

“Without him, I don't have the confidence to live as such a person.”

Kyle raised his head to look at his father; his hand was wedged in his lap.

“I'm sure Leyla is a woman who meets the expectations of her father and mother. She's probably the most beautiful thing I've ever had.”

Dr. Etman looked at his son with a serious face.

“I don't want to lose him.”

Kyle's eyes gleamed with a light full of determination.

“Please help me protect Leyla, father.”

(ED: I don't love him but good luck Kyle! At least you're better than that**hole Mathias.)

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The night is getting longer, but Bill Remmer is not back yet.

Was there any accident?

The worrying idea that came to Leyla's mind made her stand up. One day, he recalls reading an article in a newspaper about a train accident. Trains, in addition to carriages and cars, are often involved in various incidents.

Which train is that?

Leyla circled around the courtyard and gathered her courage to head towards the mansion gate by the time the sun started to set. It had become a path he could not cross in the past few days due to his fear of meeting the Duke.

At every step she took, Leyla kept thinking about Uncle Bill. He had a tendency to assume the worst since he was a child. The unhappiness of a person like a clay pigeon is truly terrible. So he believed, if he had the simplest preparations, at least, he would be able to accept bad luck without becoming too overwhelmed.

Leyla prepared to face the unhappiness that would ensue after her relatives looked at her with displeased gazes.

Don't cry even if you get hit.

You will hear harsh words, but do not get hurt.

I had to be polite and brave even when I was sent off.

I will try to smile brighter on the way to the house next time.

His efforts bore fruit. Leyla was not too hurt and could smile a little better. Misfortune seemed to follow him like a straw blowing in the wind, yet he was able to bear it easily, as he had braced himself, ready to face anything.

But, he felt doubtful when it came to Uncle Bill.

"Uncle…."

Calling his name, he passed through the entrance of the mansion.

Uncle Bill is not the kind of person to leave him. No doubt, he will be back.

But if he doesn't, then…

"Please come back…."

Leyla put her hands together like she was praying.

“Don't leave me alone..”

The shadow of her yesterday, which had calmly calmed the man who had been afraid of leaving her for four days, had now disappeared, replaced by her own worry.

***flashback on***

'Mom, where are you going?'

Leyla innocently asked her mother when she gave candy in a gorgeous glass jar for the first time in her life. That day, her mother was as pretty as the candy she held.

'So far.'

His mother had been staring at him for quite a while, and he answered briefly.

'Then, did you come home late?'

Leyla asked again impatiently, as she was eager to taste the candy.

'Yes.'

'How late?'

'Very late.'

'You'll be home before I finish this meal, right?'

Leyla shook the glass jar containing the colorful candy and her mother nodded lethargicly

'Yes'

Again, he gave a short answer.

'I will.'

“You shouldn't leave me such an answer if you're going to leave me.”

Her mother was too beautiful to be the wife of the poor. She eventually ran away, leaving her husband and daughter as if she was throwing away her ill-fitting clothes.

In keeping with the vines, she had become a mistress of high nobility or married a silk stocking merchant, and emigrated to another country.

People like this kind of exaggerated and twisted rumor that often withers away. The only thing left is a man abandoned by his beautiful wife and an abandoned little princess, let alone such a cruel reality.

From then on, his beloved father became an alcoholic and drunk every day. He did not want to see Leyla's face any longer, as it was difficult for him to see someone who reminded him of his truant wife.

Leyla appreciates the candy while waiting for her mother's return. When the bottom of the beautiful glass bottle was seen, she realized that her mother would never come back. But he did not want to accept that painful reality. That's why he couldn't eat his last candy.

He ate the last candy bar for dinner only after he was left alone in the world.

His father, whose health was impaired by alcohol, later died of illness.

'Was it a sign of his passing and his final farewell? '

His father, who had neglected his daughter for years, smiled at her on the day of his death.

'Let's go to the garden together when the flowers bloom, Leyla.'

His father whispered in a lifeless voice. However, after he departed that night, his words only became a vain will.

“Do not leave any appointments if you go.”

Leyla is orphaned in an abandoned house. Her relatives had no idea what to do with the troubled child, so they left her for a while. It seems they are looking at him. There was nothing left for him except the empty words of worthless promises and a piece of candy that provided only a little comfort.

Even after so many years, Leyla still remembered the color of the candy. The sparkle of the sparkling blue-glazed confectionery that glistened like crystal.

A few days later, on the day when there was nothing left to eat, Leyla finally ate the last candy. As he bit him hard, some candy shards scraped his fragile gum and soft skin of his sense of taste.

Her mouth was bleeding, but Leyla kept chewing on the crispy candy. Tears flowed in his eyes as he ate them. The sadness was so sweet, like biting a delicious candy but with the rest of the fishy flavor.

***flashback off***

There was a rain of flowers outside the window, adorning the scene with sun spots. It was an afternoon in early spring when the pale pink flower petals blown by the wind looked like snowflakes falling on a layer of fresh grass.

"… Uncle?!"

Leyla's eyes widened in surprise as she walked along Platanus Road.

"Uncle!"

A dazzling smile appeared on his face.

"Uncle! Uncle Bill!”

Leyla ran towards Bill Remmer, who was crossing the street from across the street.

At the same time when a black limousine transporting the duke enters the Platanus highway.