Forced Marriage: Thirteenth Wife
23. I Hate you

Fear is both a strength and a weakness.

Roxanne recalls the moment she yelled at Elios that he was crazy. He's guilty, he's sinful, he's disgusting. But, if now Roxanne pretends to forget all that, then she thinks the situation will be better.

"You're up." Roxanne comes closer with a tray filled with porridge. "The First Lady said feed you a meal."

Because his hands, legs, stomach and even neck were shackled at the stake, Elios could not even lie down, let alone eat.

"I've been a long time" whispered Elios, "not seeing a woman as brave as you."

That's definitely not a compliment.

"I can tell you if it's my half-sister or my cousin. But it's hard to believe you're just an ordinary person. I was made dark by the eyes thinking only Narendra was amazing."

Roxanne placed the tray on a nearby table. He looked up at Elios who was also looking at him.

Now Roxanne is very willing to talk about Elios' twin. Want to say that he doesn't care even if Elios has an incestuous relationship with his twin, so just tell him what Roxanne has to do in order for the wealth he can get from this relationship.

How should he pay for all the money he was given?

That's all Roxanne cares about, but Roxanne can't seem to lure Elios yet. If Graean was angry with him and thought Roxanne was bothering Elios, then he would have killed Roxanne instead of this man.

"I hate women like you, Roxanne." Elios whispered with a wicked smile on his face. "You pretend to be weak to get everything. You are willing to lower your head for your own sake. People like you are disgusting."

"Then would you rather if I pretended to be strong? Pretend like everything I can get my hands on and never bow my head?"

Elios laughs. The wrong thing because it made him instantly cough in pain.

But Elios did not care and kept laughing.

"No. I also hate women who pretend to be strong."

"So you hate people who like to pretend. All right, I'm not gonna pretend in the future."

Elios laughed again. "I hate all women who aren't Narendra."

That statement can't be Roxanne chimpali. Therefore he decided not to retaliate, again want to take Elios' porridge.

Whether he wants to eat or not, Graean points out that Elios hasn't eaten since yesterday morning.

"You should eat if you don't want—"

"Elios!"

Roxanne immediately turned to the unfamiliar yet familiar high voice.

The Great Mistress, his mother Elios, came hastily into the room. From his face it was clear that the woman was sad.

Elios' originally cold expression somehow softened as a result of his mother's touch. "Mother shouldn't have come."

"Don't say such a cold thing."

Madame Medea hugged him even if it was hard because of all the shackles that pressed Elios' body on the pole.

"Wait a minute. Mother tried hard to persuade Young Master to revoke his decision."

"No need." Elios murmured weakly. "I don't like begging that fucking guy."

"Elios."

"Mother, don't make me angry."

Madam Narendra took a breath, then exhaled it roughly as a form of resignation.

But in this way Roxanne finds out that even Great Lady Narendra cannot oppose the First Young Master's decision, even if she is his own niece.

Madam Medea let go of her embrace finally. He turned to Roxanne for a moment, but said nothing and looked back at Elios.

His expression was very affectionate as he looked at his son.

"Hasn't Mom begging you not to experience this again?" The madam put her forehead on Elios' chest. "It's not that you're afraid of the First Young Master or can't fight back, honey. But I don't want to see you go through anything bad again."

".... I can't."

"Elios."

Roxanne secretly flinched as Elios' eyelids widened and the entire warmth in her eyes dissipated.

"Can't, Mother," he replied as if he wasn't Elios who had just smiled at his mother. "I've had enough restraint not to kill Arkas, so shouldn't Mother tell me to hold back any further?"

Why did Madame Medea suddenly look stiff?

"Did Mom betray me too? Mommy doesn't care about me anymore? Ah, right too. Mother remains a slave of Narendra. Mother is a nobody but a slave. Of course Mother is useless."

What ... are they talking about?

"N-no." Madame Medea hugged Elios again. "If the Mother is a slave, it means the Mother is a slave to the children of the Mother. You are Narendra. Mother does not betray."

Elios suddenly smiled softly. "I love Mom."

What kind of relationship is this?

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