How to Run Away from Obsessed Men

Episode 59

Kalia flinched, her body stiffening.

Her eyes began to tremble uncontrollably at Lindsey’s sharp words. Heis frowned, thinking to himself:

‘This is too much.’

He found Lindsey’s behavior to be insolent.

Kalia had already shown excessive kindness to Lindsey. She had allowed an unknown cleric to stay in the Riken Duchy, provided the best food and accommodations, and even dispatched an overwhelming force to search for her when she went missing.

Despite all this kindness, what she got in return was nothing but insolence.

“You’re being disrespectful, cleric,” Heis said.

But Kalia stepped in to stop him. Heis looked at her, shocked.

“Stop,” she said.

Then, Kalia did something completely unexpected.

With a trembling voice, Kalia spoke.

“I would like to speak with Cleric Roana alone.”

⋆★⋆

Kalia had never forgotten the letters she had written to her daughter.

The words spoken by Cleric Roana were exactly the kind her daughter might have said to her.

Kalia had imagined many times what she would say if she ever met her daughter.

After learning that Crain had persecuted her daughter, it became even harder to think of what she would say.

How could she explain?

Could it even be explained?

She couldn’t simply say that she had remained silent to protect her daughter.

‘That would only hurt her more.’

If they were to meet, Kalia had promised herself she wouldn’t offer any excuses. She would apologize and love her with everything she had.

That was the choice she had made.

But now, it seemed impossible.

Her daughter had left this world without Kalia ever seeing her face.

But…

Roana’s words had been so meaningful. The hope that had once burned out and disappeared reignited, even if just a flicker.

Kalia’s hand trembled as she gripped her teacup.

“What did you mean by what you said earlier?”

“Does my appearance seem familiar to you?” Lindsey asked.

Kalia’s hands shook even more, and she clasped them together to stop the trembling.

“My real name is Lindsey Kesion.”

Kalia’s breath caught in her throat. Normally, such words would be unbelievable.

Her daughter was dead.

She had heard that people had seen her daughter throw herself off a cliff.

And now, this cleric was suddenly claiming to be her daughter.

“I understand if you don’t believe me…”

It was hard to believe. Lindsey understood this, and she didn’t have much hope for Kalia’s reaction.

But then…

Kalia embraced Lindsey.

Tears began to fall from Kalia’s eyes, and Lindsey froze in shock.

It was a reaction completely different from what she had imagined.

‘She believes I’m her daughter?’

How?

There was no proof.

Lindsey recalled when she had been falsely accused of stealing Raysis’s mother’s heirloom necklace. She had pleaded her innocence to Crain.

“I didn’t steal the necklace, Father.”

“So what?”

“What?”

“The necklace is gone, isn’t it? There were witnesses. Are you saying the maids and Rosalyn, who said they saw you take it, are lying?”

“……”

“If you don’t have proof, I can’t believe you. Are you refusing to admit your fault and instead accusing others?”

Crain’s words had left Lindsey speechless.

So now, Lindsey couldn’t understand how Kalia could believe her without any proof.

Kalia’s reaction was unfamiliar to her. If Kalia hadn’t believed her, Lindsey had planned to suggest a paternity test.

But Kalia didn’t ask for anything. Instead, she hugged Lindsey and wept.

That warmth confused Lindsey.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I truly am.”

Kalia held Lindsey tightly as she repeated her apologies.

Kalia didn’t know how her daughter had survived, but like she had often imagined, she asked no questions.

For a long while, all she could do was repeat her apologies.

⋆★⋆

Heis and Gerard arrived in the drawing room at Kalia’s summons.

Kalia’s eyes were red from crying, and she held tightly onto Lindsey’s hand as she looked at her sons.

“Cleric Roana is Lindsey.”

Hearing this, they both failed to hide their shock.

Heis looked at Kalia with disbelief. No matter what his mother said, he couldn’t accept it.

He glared at Lindsey with sharp eyes. How could this sudden cleric be his sister, Lindsey?

“Mother, I cannot believe this,” Heis said.

“Heis.”

“Isn’t it possible that Crain is trying to deceive you? Sending a fake Lindsey to trick you?”

Heis gritted his teeth, just the thought of it making him boil with rage.

It was bad enough that she had been mistreated and died, but for her death to be used like this?

“Until we conduct a paternity test, I cannot trust her words. The dead don’t just come back!”

Heis clenched his fists tightly.

“And if you’re deceiving my mother, I won’t let you get away with it.”

“Heis.”

Kalia looked at Lindsey in response to Heis’s outburst.

Lindsey’s expression remained calm.

She seemed used to having her words distrusted and facing criticism. Kalia found it unbearable.

What kind of life had she lived to react like this in such a situation?

“Heis, stop.”

“Mother!”

“Stop!”

Heis couldn’t say anything more. The stern look on Kalia’s face was unfamiliar to him.

Kalia had always listened to her sons. But now, for the first time, she was looking at him with a harsh expression.

“I’m fine. I think Lord Heis is right. We should do a paternity test,” Lindsey said, her hands clenched tightly.

Kalia shot Heis a look of reproach.

Heis felt wronged.

He hadn’t said anything unreasonable. It was a standard procedure to conduct a paternity test whenever an illegitimate child appeared.

Kalia seemed incapable of making an objective judgment at the moment.

‘When it comes to Sister Lindsey, Mother always loses her composure,’ Heis thought.

He looked around.

It appeared that he was the only one here who was trying to remain rational.

Gerard, too, was looking at Lindsey with the same emotional gaze as Kalia.

Both of them had clearly lost their sense of objectivity.

‘It must be because of the guilt.’

The family’s guilt toward Lindsey was profound. Crain must have been aware of this fact too.

‘Although, I must admit, she does look eerily like Mother.’

Whenever he looked at her face, he couldn’t help but feel an unsettling sense of guilt, for reasons he couldn’t quite understand. Heis had a feeling that even if the paternity test came back negative, his family would still be swayed by this Cleric Roana.

‘I have to keep my head straight.’

⋆★⋆

Kenyan arrived at the Riken Duchy.

From the spire of the temple, he gazed down at the estate.

He couldn’t shake the heavy feeling that had settled over him. The entire journey here, he had been dreaming of Lindsey—specifically, dreams of the times he had spoken harshly to her.

Dark circles hung under his eyes.

He felt thirsty.

It was a thirst that couldn’t be quenched, no matter how much healing he received. Kenyan looked at his sword and let his thoughts wander.

‘Would things have been different if I hadn’t said those awful words?’

Sometimes, he felt the urge to cut his tongue out.

If it weren’t for his desire to avenge Lindsey, he would have lost all will to live.

‘You fool.’

Kenyan pressed a hand to his forehead.

Every time he thought of Lindsey, a sharp pain pierced his head.

As he stood watching the people below, Kenyan’s head tilted slightly.

Did he see that wrong?

His eyes widened in disbelief.

In the distance, he saw a woman with striking black hair and yellow eyes.

Though she was far from where he stood, two black-haired men were with her, standing protectively by her side.

Had he finally lost his mind?

‘Am I seeing a hallucination?’

Kenyan whispered the name of the person he saw.

“Lindsey?”

Could she really be alive?

Kenyan knew how impossible that was.

But he ran anyway.

Even knowing it was impossible, he ran like a madman. The closer he got, the more certain he became.

The person in front of him was Lindsey!

It was the face he saw every night in his dreams.

His steps quickened.

Kenyan grabbed the woman by her shoulders and shouted.

“Lindsey!”