The Devil's Betrothed-Chapter 699: Painful Memories-II

Just then, a soldier dragged Aaria into the foyer, a helpless girl, crying and begging, "Let me go. My father won’t...." Her words died in her throat the moment she saw her father and mother lying in the center of the foyer, covered in blood. She forcefully shrugged off the man’s hand and ran toward her parents, horror gripping her heart.

"Father... Mother..." she cried out, but before she could reach them, a large hand gripped her delicate wrist tightly. "Not bad," Elrod commented, his eyes gleaming with cruelty.

"Let me go," she cried, struggling to free herself, desperate to reach her parents who didn’t respond to her cries, making her painfully aware that she had lost them. "Father... I’m here... look at me... Mother..."

"Luis, if you deny me this girl, I’m breaking our alliance," Elrod declared, holding onto her hand, ignoring her struggles entirely.

"She looks too young for you..." Luis remarked.

"Really? To me, she seems perfect to warm my bed every single night," Elrod sneered, then slapped her hard. "Stop crying. Save it for later when you serve me."

Aaria fell to the ground, feeling the sting of the slap, but all she could think about was reaching her parents. She tried to crawl toward them, but a boot pressed down on her ankle, making her wince in pain and stopping her from moving.

The soldier had also dragged a servant into the foyer after Aaria. "How old is she?" Elrod asked.

"F-fifteen," the servant stammered.

Elrod looked at Luis. "Not so young."

Luis sighed. "Do whatever you want," he said, then turned to his men. "Hang Reghan’s body on the city wall for everyone to see. Make sure Colin Rainier is hung beside him."

"Yes, my Lord."

"Did you find his son?" Luis asked.

"He was gravely injured but managed to escape. A soldier saw him running inside here. I’m sure he’s hiding somewhere. He won’t be able to get away," the soldier informed. "We will find him soon."

"I want to see his dead body. None of the Wynters or Rainiers should be left alive," Luis declared.

"We’ve already killed the Rainiers’ child."

Luis hummed in acknowledgment and walked away, leaving his men to handle the rest while Elrod dragged Aaria with him. "You’ll pay the price for what your mother did. Instead of coming with me, she preferred to die. Ungrateful whore."

"Let me go..." Aaria’s repeated cries echoed throughout the foyer as she was forcefully dragged away.

In the foyer, now filled with enemies, Reghan’s lifeless, blood-coated body was being dragged across the floor as two soldiers held onto his legs, leaving a trail of blood in their wake. Another group lifted Evelyn’s body and carried it out, while a few remained inside to search the premises.

All of this was witnessed by a ten-year-old, gravely injured Aaron, who was hiding behind a netted window. His mouth was covered by a strong hand, keeping him silent and restrained. He struggled to break free as he helplessly watched every cruel moment unfold before his eyes.

Tears streamed down his face as he longed to cry out, to shout for help, to protect his family—but he couldn’t. The butler of the home, himself injured, was using every bit of his strength to keep Aaron quiet, his own heart breaking as he witnessed the merciless slaughter of his masters.

Aaron, bleeding heavily and in shock from what he was witnessing, felt his consciousness slipping away. The will to live was slowly fading as all he wanted was to die and be with his parents.

But the butler didn’t give up. Hiding from the soldiers, he managed to bring Aaron to the rear of the estate, where he knew a quiet path and hoped no one would catch them.

Just then, two horses entered through the silence of that pathway. The butler hid behind a tree, shielding Aaron, but then saw a familiar face, thanks to the moonlight gracing the dark night.

He stepped out from hiding, and they noticed him. A young boy sitting in front of a tall, burly knight dismounted from the horse. It was young Nathaniel and his two knights.

"Aaron," Nathaniel said softly as he reached him, "You’re hurt. I’m here to protect you, okay?"

With heavy-lidded eyes, Aaron looked at him, but not a single word came out of his mouth.

"Young Lord, please take him with you. Don’t let him die," the injured butler pleaded in a shaky voice, his strength waning due to the grave loss of blood.

Nathaniel signaled to his knights. One of them carefully lifted Aaron and mounted him onto the horse, while the other urged the butler to leave.

"Butler uncle," Nathaniel called out to him.

"Don’t worry about me. I can’t be saved. Leave quickly," the butler urged, his voice filled with urgency. "We don’t have time."

Reluctantly, Nathaniel nodded and left with his two knights on two horses, taking Aaron away with them.

Aaron woke up after many days, only to find that his parents were gone, and he later learned that his sister had been found dead the morning after Elrod had taken her away.

With these most painful memories flooding back, Aaron lost control and fell to his knees, right in the very spot where his father had knelt that night. The loud cries of a grown man echoed through the vast foyer, cries that could shake even the hearts of the dead.

Nathaniel couldn’t hold back his tears either, as if he was sharing Aaron’s pain. Arthur’s eyes were also teary, his chest heavy with emotions.

Unable to contain himself, Nathaniel hurried to Aaron. Kneeling beside him, he hugged him tightly, but not a single word of consolation could leave his mouth; his own throat was choked with emotion.

After a long time, Aaron spoke, his voice choked with sobs, muffled against Nathanial’s shoulder. "I promised them I would protect...I failed...I failed to protect them..."

"You were just a child, Aaron. You could do nothing," Nathaniel spoke, his voice heavy.

"Why didn’t you come earlier? Why didn’t you save my sister instead of me? Why...? You should have saved her...you...." The rest words stuck in his throat.

"I... I’m sorry... for being late..." Nathaniel sobbed as well. "I... should have... come earlier..."

Both friends continued to cry, their shared pain overwhelming them. They both knew what had happened to Aaria that night and how she had died. The anger and grief of it would never vanish, no matter how many times they imagined killing that monster Elrod.

Arthur approached them, containing his emotions. "Elrod is locked in a military prison," he informed, knowing that this was what Aaron wanted most at that moment. "I made sure to keep him there for you."

Aaron clenched his fists, his resolve to make Elrod and all those responsible pay growing stronger. Everyone involved would suffer.

Nathaniel held his shoulder and made Aaron look at him. "I know it won’t be enough, but make them—make Elrod and Luis—suffer and regret."

After a moment of silence, Aaron raised his gaze, his bloodshot eyes meeting those of his friends. "I’m going to be worse than they are. I’m going to do exactly what they did."

"I won’t blame you for it. They deserve it," Nathaniel replied, understanding exactly what Aaron meant. "I’m with you, always. I’ll support you, even if you turn into the worst monster in this world. I’m a monster myself."