Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 177: Price of simplicity

Since the first moment Ezekiel Henley’s eyes had fallen on Ruelle Belmont, he had been taken in by her. Beneath the old clothes, small house and the fear sitting in her brown eyes at the sight of the debt collectors, the misery surrounding her had only made her seem more beautiful to him.

Though he had ended up marrying the younger sister in pursuit of a position within the courthouse, he had always believed Ruelle would eventually find her way toward him on her own.

The position he had sacrificed so much for no longer felt nearly as important as the growing realisation that Ruelle was slipping further beyond his reach.

He was aware that she had spent her entire life starving for affection. The thought that she had found comfort in another man settled bitterly in his mind.

"Mr. Henley?" The man who had lent the newsletter noticed Ezekiel’s hands crumple it.

"My apologies. I got distracted lately." Ezekiel turned to the man while loosening his fingers around the ruined paper. "I will buy you a fresh one," offering a polite smile.

"That’s alright. It can still be read. For a moment there, you looked as though you wanted to strangle someone," the man laughed, taking the newsletter from Ezekiel’s hand. He then said, "Oh, isn’t she your wife’s sister? The Slaters are from the old bloodlines, aren’t they? Looks like she climbed rather high. Congratulations!"

Something cold passed through Ezekiel’s eyes. He murmured, "It certainly appears that way..."

"I must say, when I first heard you were getting married to one of the Belmonts’ daughters, I wondered why you would do it at all. Harold had too much debt. Might I add he didn’t seem to want to stop last night either. But it seems you will be gaining the favour of the Slaters now," the man patted Ezekiel’s back before he started to walk. "You ought to treat me to a cup of tea for your sister-in-law’s news!"

Ezekiel’s jaw tightened faintly and he tried to smile. "Right."

Instead of taking the carriage, Ezekiel continued walking deeper into the forest until the sounds of the town disappeared entirely behind him. Before he realised it himself, his fist collided against the rough bark of the nearest tree. The impact sent snow cascading from the branches above, scattering heavily onto the ground around him.

"I should have gotten rid of Caroline before the marriage," the thought escaped from his gritted teeth.

His hand slipped into his coat pocket, and he pulled out the embroidered handkerchief that belonged to Ruelle. "I am finding it hard to forgive your actions... but I will make you understand with whom you should have remained beside."

After several hours, Ezekiel arrived before a shabby house that stood at the edge of a quiet village, smoke curling slowly from the chimney, which was hidden by the winter’s air. He knocked on the door before the wooden door creaked open. A woman peered through the narrow crack of the door.

"I need your help," Ezekiel said calmly. "I brought you souvenirs."

Stepping aside, he revealed the carriage waiting behind him. Inside, two unconscious children sat slumped against the seats.

Back in the Slater mansion, by the hour of noon, Ruelle had spent much of her time accompanying Maude through the mansion while the head housekeeper carried out her duties. Despite the sheer size of the place, everything somehow continued running with careful order beneath Maude’s watchful eye.

"Please remember that you cannot carry things from here, Miss Ruelle," Maude informed her, as if remembering what she had tried last time in the kitchen. "The future lady of the house should not be carrying things through the kitchen."

"Even if it is for her family?" Ruelle asked, puffing one side of her cheek slightly.

The older woman’s expression remained as composed as ever. "Yes, even then. It might seem strange, but the staff will grow uncomfortable if you continue trying to work alongside them. You can ask the minister’s assistant. This is what is followed."

Ruelle turned to look at Peyton, who quietly followed them at a distance without bothering them.

"But what if..." Ruelle hesitated briefly before continuing beside Maude. "I want to cook for my husband and his family? That is how women back where I come from usually showed affection."

The words left her mouth naturally before she properly realised it. Heat crept faintly into her face, though she kept her gaze forward while walking beside Maude.

Maude’s lips pursed faintly at Ruelle’s words before she replied, "If you truly wish to do so, Miss Ruelle, then inform me beforehand so the kitchen may prepare the necessary ingredients and staff for you."

"Miss Ruelle, Master Lucian has returned to the mansion."

Ruelle’s eyes brightened at the words. "I will take up the next lessons later. I forgot my scarf upstairs."

Before the older woman could properly respond, Ruelle had already turned and begun making her way back through the corridor, her footsteps quickening against the floor.

"Miss Ruelle, one of t—" Maude began, only for her words to trail off as she watched the young woman disappear around the corridor.

By the time Ruelle returned downstairs with her scarf in her hand, she caught sight of Lucian standing at the bottom of the stairs. His wine-red eyes lifted the moment she appeared. It was only while hurrying down the remaining stairs that Ruelle suddenly became far too aware that she had rushed downstairs simply because Lucian had returned.

And lost in that thought, her foot missed the step.

A startled breath nearly escaped Ruelle when her body tilted forward, only for Lucian’s hand to catch firmly around her waist before she could fall further. She felt herself being pulled back into balance before their eyes met. She could feel the strength of his hand holding her through the layers of her dress.

you that eager to see me?" Lucian’s voice came low beside her and heat rushed into her face at

top of the stairs, Peyton remained silent at the sight of it. After all, the human would have fallen down the

you waiting," Ruelle replied softly, only to realise a

Lucian’s head tilted subtly.

still the one making me wait," he murmured before his fingers loosened around

her skirt. "She has been teaching me a lot of things I didn’t know about the mansion," she answered as

Lucian hummed in response.

while not crowding them. She wondered if one of the humans had been summoned before the person’s

pull on Ruelle’s face before she fixed her expression when their eyes met. He said, "With the number of humans bought there and

precautions against something like that," Ruelle

an uncomfortable feeling inside her chest. The humans willingly arrived at Sexton before they were eventually sold to others, yet the image of blood being drawn

killed during the war... had there been attempts on the rest of the Slater family afterwards too? Ruelle quietly wondered

keep out predictable threats," Lucian said

Ruelle’s coat from the stand. But before it could be

flickered across her features before it dawned on her that he wanted

"I can wear it."

quietly, "But I want to

still getting used to. Lucian’s affection wasn’t loud, but it wasn’t quiet either. It came in moments she least expected, as if those

him and raised her arms. Her hands slipped into the sleeves one

her skin but being so achingly close. His fingers adjusted the collar and she felt the brush of air as

she felt

face him, her breath seemed to catch in her throat from the look in his eyes. It was a hunger so carefully

was soft on

nodded. The doors opened and they stepped outside into the cold, before climbing inside the carriage with Peyton,

travel, they finally arrived at the house Ruelle had been intending to visit since

as it did a few days ago. The gates still creaked as they walked past it and the path to the door had been cleared of the snow. Just as Ruelle was about to walk past the threshold, her movements slowed as if she

the plant had grown taller, its leaves spread out. When she

was probably because she wanted to hear the boy’s voice again, as

Peyton offered, taking the pot in her

gliding against the wall as if she would pick something. But instead, she was led to where Lucian stood before a

my home," Ruelle murmured, as her eyes fell on her parents, a young Caroline and... her, whose side appeared

pursed for a brief moment. He then said, "I will ask the local painter to fix it up.

her head. "You don’t have to go through that trouble. It isn’t like you tore it," a small laugh escaped her

It seemed easier to hate you then than love you," Lucian murmured in the end. A faint look of displeasure crossed his

a simple anger as he made

been torn and almost looked crumpled, Ruelle felt the weight of his suffering in the past. She tried to lighten up

are because of the things they survive. I know it was never something within my control, but... I still wish I could have

Lucian while she stared at the old portrait yet she could not remember a single thing about it. She wondered

is strange that my parents

one of the human families for money," Lucian explained, his hands slipping into his coat pockets. "The transaction was done quick and quietly. The human family whom he sold it to, was informed that he was

we never did..."

though things were stressful right after the war, he believed it would bring a little peace and quiet down the uproar," Lucian explained to her, and they began to walk down the corridor. "But in less than two months, it was given

rooms before they stepped inside the kitchen. Her eyes fell on the floor and

doing here, young miss?’

are ghosts in my room...’ came a young girl’s voice.’Can

course, Miss Ruelle. But only until Mr. Belmont wakes up,

frown. She asked,

"All of

for losing her memory of someone kind. Someone who must have cared for her between these cold walls that had refused to accept her. She then added, "She must be the one who gave the plant in

Lucian hummed as he

nodded enthusiastically. "I told you that my favourite colour is pale pink," she

remember," Lucian hadn’t forgotten that morning, how she subconsciously picked a colour he had given her

made to restore it. The town itself had once been considered desirable because of its location, yet regardless of status,

had taken advantage of that fear when he bought

away as Claude whispered something to him, Ruelle was left standing in

the vampiress, talking about Lucian with her

it had come to crossing the condition. She