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“Setting everything else aside, go and apologize to the duchess. Ask for her forgiveness. Even if you disregard everything else, remember she carries your child. You pushed her yourself. No one unjustly accused you of that.”
Hearing his usually doting grandmother speak this way,
Samuel felt a deep sense of despair.
He sneered and said, “In the end, you want me to submit. Fine, I’ll apologize to her! If she wants, I’ll even kneel before her. Is that what you want?”
“What?” Dorothy nearly had a heart attack from anger. “Can’t you speak properly? Do you want me to die an early death from anger? A man’s knee is worth gold! Even if she is your wife or even a duchess, you don’t have to kneel to her. Just sincerely admit your mistake. The duchess cares for you, so she will naturally forgive you. Show some genuine remorse…”
Before Dorothy could finish speaking, Samuel had already turned and stormed off toward the back courtyard.
Abigail screamed, “Quick, send someone to follow him. Who knows what kind of trouble he’ll stir up next?”
Having just taken a dose of medicine, Leona was almost asleep. However, she was roused by the commotion outside. She could hear Samuel and Alana arguing and frowned. What was he doing here?
“Hazel, what’s going on outside?” she called out.
Leona’s maid, Hazel, was standing by the curtain. She hurried over and said, “Your Grace, you’re awake? Mr. Langley came in a rage, and Ms. Alana and Ms. Leah are trying to stop him.”
Leona said, “Help me sit up and let him in. Let’s see what he has to say.”
“Your Grace, are you sure you want him here?” Hazel recalled how Samuel had pushed Leona into the table, and was both angry and worried. Leona reassured her, “Don’t worry. Have Alana and Leah watch from the side. He won’t be able to touch me.”
Leona had given up on this man, but if he had something to say, it should be said clearly and directly.
Hazel helped her sit up and placed a cushion behind her back. “You shouldn’t be out of bed. The physician said you’re not to move around.”
“I know,” Leona replied flatly, her pale face betraying no emotion.
Since Heather had forbidden her from seeking a divorce, she had spent her days lying listlessly in bed. Not only was she uncertain about the future, but she didn’t even know what would happen the next day. But today, Samuel’s angry arrival gave her a glimmer of strength. She wanted to do or say something.
The footsteps grew louder and more urgent as he strode in, but Alana and Leah quickly flanked him. When he reached Leona’s bedside, the two of them blocked his way, preventing him from getting any closer.
Leona looked up and met his fierce, resentful gaze.
Before she could speak, he snapped, “You want me to apologize to you, is that it? Fine, I’m apologizing! It was my fault that day. I pushed you, and I’m sorry. I apologize.”
Leona adjusted the covers but remained silent, not responding to his incomplete apology.
Samuel took a step forward, but was immediately blocked by Alana. He shot a cold glare at her and continued, “I’m apologizing to you now, but you should also apologize to Ruby for causing her to fall down the stairs that day. Get up and come with me to apologize to her.” Leona’s eyes reddened, but she suddenly smiled. “Apologize to her?”
Samuel glared coldly. “I’m apologizing to you, but you still won’t apologize to her? Do you think you’re too important? Are you trying to follow your cousin’s example and bully people with your status?”
He attempted to reach past Alana to grab Leona, but Alana slapped his hand away and said sternly, “Speak with your words. Why are you trying to touch her?”
After Samuel was struck, he kicked the table in anger, his eyes flashing with fury. “See, this is how you people are! You bully others with et your power. Even your servants are snobbish. They treat me like ‘m nothing.”
Alana was enraged and wanted to slap him again, but she anxiously glanced at Leona. Leona’s eyes were red, but she wasn’t speaking.
Alana was frustrated. Why wasn’t Leona saying anything? She had a mouth, so she should use it! What was the point of staring at Samuel with tears in her eyes?
Seeing that Leona was silent, Leah tried to remove Samuel by force.
However, Leona suddenly spoke, “First, I don’t accept your apology.”
She lifted her head, tears brimming in her eyes. Her body trembled slightly, but she made an effort to control her anger and speak calmly. Despite her best efforts, her voice still wavered.
“Your apology is insincere. Even if it were sincere, it wouldn’t undo what you’ve done to me. So, I neither accept your apology nor forgive you.” “You won’t accept it? Hah!”
Samuel found it utterly laughable.
Staring at Leona’s pale, slender face, he was about to chastise her for her narrow-mindedness but found himself at a loss for words. The net sages said that to recognize one’s mistakes and correct them was of great virtue, but their teachings never said that an apology had to be accepted.
So, he could only sneer. “Hah, on what grounds do you refuse to accept it?” Leona grew increasingly louder and colder, and her voice no longer trembled.
“I refuse to accept it on the grounds of your favoritism and the neglect of your primary wife, your arrogance and lack of consideration for others, your failure to live up to your rightful spouse, and your failure as a father. Additionally, you claim to be a gentleman, yet your actio often reflect a more petty character.”
Samuel was furious and embarrassed.
He snapped, “You think so little of me, yet you’re still eager to cling to me? Our feelings were never truly mutual. Our marriage was your obsession from the start, and I was simply pressured by the influence of the royal family…”
“Be quiet.” Leona’s eyes were red, and her lips trembled again as he spoke of their marriage. She felt deeply ashamed and distressed.
“I did have feelings for you, but you also claimed to have feelings for me. That’s how this wretched union came about. If my family had any power, would you have dared mistreat me?”
Her tears fell uncontrollably despite her best efforts to hold them back. Though she tried to remain composed, her natural weakness meant that her emotions got the better of her, and the tears flowed freely.
She was so thin and fragile, and she was trying to stifle her sobs but failed. Her appearance stirred a fleeting sense of guilt in Samuel.
Yet, this guilt was short-lived. He had vowed to be loyal to Ruby and not to show any interest or pity toward other women.
He responded coldly, “I mistreated you? Why don’t you talk about how you mistreated her? You live comfortably in Gracehold Estate, while Ruby has to stay in that shabby place on Hibiscus Lane with me. No, they even say they want to take that manor back, and I’ve been stripped of my title as heir. My miserable situation with Ruby is all because of your refusal to accept her! And now, your cousin is making things worse, leading to the Oversight Department’s accusations against me.” “What?!”
Leona was so enraged that she felt her chest tighten. Her earlier composure was completely lost, and she couldn’t even speak clearly.
In a fit of anger, she threw a pillow at him.
“You bastard!”
The pillow missed him entirely.
Samuel retorted coldly, “I’ve already apologized. Whether you accept it or not is your problem.”
He turned to leave, but Leah grabbed him by the collar. As he turned, his collar was yanked, nearly causing him to stumble.
Leah said sternly, “May I speak?”
Samuel looked at her with disdain. “And why should you…”
Before he could finish, Leah’s left hook struck him hard. He felt a sharp ringing in his ears, and his vision went dark. When he came to, he was lying on the ground.
His mouth filled with a coppery taste as he spat out blood. Fury surged through him, and he was about to roar with rage when he saw Leah bowing to him with a stern expression. “I’m sorry. I apologize.”