Lord Blackwood Promised Me Death — Chapter 3

BELLA WALKER WOULD ALWAYS REGRET THAT DAY.

This Episode Contains Some Disturbing Content That May Cause Discomfort. Reader Discretion Is Advised.

EVERYTHING SHE HAD TRIED SO HARD TO PROTECT,

SHE ENDED UP DESTROYING WITH HER OWN HANDS.

MOTHER... WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?

IF I...

EARN SOME MONEY TO HELP PAY OFF OUR DEBTS-

THAT'S RIDICULOUS.

HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY WORK IN YOUR CONDITION?!

WE CAN JUST SELL THE MUSIC BOX.

NO, NOT THAT... I'D RATHER-

BELLA.

COUGH

COUGH

I'M ALREADY GOING CRAZY TRYING TO PAY FOR YOUR MEDICINE.

AND NOW YOU WANT TO WORK YOURSELF SICK? HOW COULD YOU EVEN...

BELLA,

WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS-

COUGH

I'M GOING TO SELL IT. RIGHT NOW!

BELLA...!

THIS IS FOR THE BEST.

IF BEING A BAD DAUGHTER FOR A LITTLE WHILE

IS ALL IT TAKES TO PROTECT MY FAMILY.

EVEN WITH THIS, WE STILL DON'T HAVE NEARLY ENOUGH MONEY

BELLA!

NO...! DID YOU REALLY SELL IT?!

...YES. IT'S ALREADY DONE.

IT'S TOO LATE, AND THE MUSIC BOX IS GONE...

...I'M...

...I'M EXHAUSTED, TOO.

NO, WE CAN STILL GET IT BACK.

I'LL GO TALK TO THEM AGAIN-

YOU HAVEN'T DONE A THING THIS WHOLE TIME!

WHAT WERE YOU DOING WHILE I WAS STRUGGLING TO PAY OFF OUR DEBTS?!

YOU JUST STOOD BY AND WATCHED...

IF YOU CARE ABOUT ME AT ALL,

THEN FROM NOW ON, DON'T SAY A WORD OR DO A THING! JUST STAY STILL!

JUST...

LIE THERE LIKE YOU'RE DEAD!!

SO LET GO OF ME! WHAT'S SO IMPORTANT ABOUT THAT STUPID MUSIC BOX—

SOMEONE'S BEEN RUN OVER!

ARE THEY DEAD?

HOW AWFUL...

EVERYTHING THAT FOLLOWED WAS ONE LONG STRETCH OF SUFFERING.

THE FACT THAT I WAS THE ONLY ONE LEFT ALIVE

WAS SUFFOCATING ME.

KEUK...!

UGH...!

I'M SORRY...

I'M SO SORRY...

KEUK

HNGH

WHY...

I SAID I WAS SORRY.

WHY...

PLEASE... TAKE ME WITH YOU, TOO...

WHAT... HIC... WHAT CAN I DO...

LIE THERE LIKE YOU'RE DEAD!!

WHAT'S SO IMPORTANT ABOUT THAT STUPID MUSIC BOX—

IT SUDDENLY DAWNED ON ME.

THE FACT THAT I WAS STILL ALIVE

WAS PUNISHMENT IN ITSELF.

DON'T SINNERS HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR SINS BEFORE THEY CAN BE FREE?

FOR SEVEN YEARS AFTER THAT DAY,

I DID NOTHING BUT SEARCH FOR THE MUSIC BOX.

HOW SHOULD I KNOW?! YOU TOLD ME TO SELL IT ANYWHERE, FOR WHATEVER PRICE I COULD GET!

EVEN IF IT'S JUST SOMETHING SIMILAR,

PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF ONE EVER COMES UP FOR SALE.

OR AT LEAST TELL ME WHERE IT IS...

...THE HOUSE OF BLACKWOOD?

THE BELIEF THAT THE MUSIC BOX COULD ABSOLVE ME OF MY SINS

WAS WHAT KEPT ME ALIVE.

...?

AS FOR OUR CONVERSATION, WE'LL FINISH IT AFTER THE PARTY.

...EVEN A CHILD WOULDN'T FALL FOR SUCH AN OBVIOUS LIE...

THERE'S NO POINT IN WAITING QUIETLY.

THE PAIN WILL ONLY LAST A MOMENT.

BEING ALIVE

HURTS SO MUCH MORE.

HOW MUCH LONGER ARE YOU GOING TO KEEP THIS UP?

YOU SHOULD AT LEAST DANCE WITH ME ONCE.

YOU'RE THE GUEST OF HONOR, WILLIAM.

I'VE... HAD QUITE A BIT OF CHAMPAGNE.

IS THAT A PROBLEM?

IF I GET NAUSEOUS WHILE WE'RE DANCING AND KNOCK YOUR HIGHNESS INTO THE POND, HOW COULD THAT NOT BE A PROBLEM?

...HAH.

IF YOU'RE TRYING TO TEST MY PATIENCE...

FIRE!!

A FIRE?!

OH MY GOODNESS!

MY CARRIAGE! GET THE COACHMAN, QUICKLY!

THAT'S...

YOUNG MASTER!

RIO. HAVE I HAD SO MUCH TO DRINK THAT I'M SEEING THINGS?

NO, IT'S JUST...

THAT INTRUDER SET FIRE TO THE STUDY.

!!!

THE FIRE ISN'T TOO LARGE, SO WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PUT IT OUT SOON,

BUT ENTERING THE BUILDING RIGHT NOW IS-

WELL, NOW,

THIS IS GETTING INTERESTING.

HONORED GUESTS!

I'M SORRY SUCH AN UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT OCCURRED AFTER YOU'VE ALL TAKEN THE TROUBLE TO COME.

WE NEED SOME TIME TO GET THINGS UNDER CONTROL, SO REGRETTABLY, WE'LL HAVE TO END TONIGHT'S PARTY HERE.

YOU'RE ALL PEOPLE OF GREAT IMPORTANCE, SO PLEASE TAKE CARE ON YOUR WAY HOME.

YOU SHOULD EVACUATE TOO, YOUR HIGHNESS IVRILLIAN.

SHE KNOWS A THING OR TWO ABOUT HIGH SOCIETY,

BUT SHE'S COMPLETELY FEARLESS,

AND HAS NO SENSE OF PROPRIETY...

DON'T LOOK FOR THE MAID.

PARDON? BUT...

I HAVE A FEELING SHE'LL COME

BACK TO ME ON HER OWN SOON ENOUGH.