The Broken Ring: This Marriage Will Fail Anyway — Chapter 11

DID YOU SEE HIM EARLIER?

I'M REFERRING TO THE PORTRAIT ARTIST'S ASSISTANT WHO VISITED THE MANOR TODAY.

I THINK OUR LADY IS IN LOVE WITH HIM.

I SUPPOSE SHE IS AT THAT AGE, ISN'T SHE?

AND THAT YOUNG MAN WAS UNUSUALLY HANDSOME TOO.

WARNING

This episode contains depictions of a murder-suicide. Reader discretion is advised.

HOW ADORABLE...

SO, WHAT BECAME OF THE WOMAN WHO OBEDIENTLY ACCEPTED AN HONORABLE MARRIAGE AND REMAINED FAITHFUL TO HER HUSBAND?

SHE FELT THAT LOVE MIGHT MAKE UP FOR THE FRAUDULENT MARRIAGE THAT HAD FAILED HER IN HER FIRST LIFE.

SO WHEN TRUE LOVE FINALLY FOUND HER, SHE WAS TAKEN BY IT IN AN INSTANT.

MY LADY,

HOW COULD I DARE LIE WITH THE DAUGHTER OF A DUKE...?

KEEP QUIET IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE CAUGHT.

...YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL.

IN FACT, FROM THE MOMENT I FIRST SAW YOU...

...I KNEW THAT I WAS HELPLESS...

...TO STOP MYSELF FROM FALLING IN LOVE WITH YOU.

MY NAME IS EMILIANO.

THE 16-YEAR-OLD GIRL DISAPPEARED FROM PEREZ WITH HIM, AND THOUGH PENNILESS, THEY LIVED A HAPPY LIFE TOGETHER FOR FOUR YEARS.

EMILIANO MANAGED TO ESCAPE FOR A SHORT WHILE WITH THE HELP OF ANOTHER PERSON...

BUT IN THE END, HE RETURNED ON HIS OWN TWO FEET TO DIE BEFORE HER VERY EYES.

DUKE VALEZTENA'S DAUGHTER DISAPPEARED WITH SOME POOR MAN...

...ONLY TO RETURN WITH A BABY.

TO THINK SHE WAS ENGAGED TO THE CROWN PRINCE TOO...

HOW EMBARRASSING.

IT'S A MIRACLE THAT THE EMPRESS WAS SO MERCIFUL.

YOU NEED TO WATCH HER CAREFULLY, LUCIANO.

WE MUST MAKE SURE HER WEDDING TO COUNT ALMENARA GOES SMOOTHLY.

...AND AS FOR THAT FILTHY OFFSPRING SHE GAVE BIRTH TO...

...IT'S BEST THAT WE ELIMINATE IT.

OF COURSE.

I WILL TAKE CARE OF IT, FATHER.

I DON'T WANT YOU GOING PAINFULLY IN SOME UNFAMILIAR PLACE.

SOMETIMES, A SINGLE NAME CAN CHANGE YOUR WORLD.

MY NAME IS EMILIANO.

HE WAS THE ONLY COLOR IN MY WORLD MADE OF BLACK AND WHITE.

PLEASE DON'T FORGET ME.

EMILIANO, WHO HAD CHANGED MY WORLD, NO LONGER EXISTED IN IT.

IT WAS A PERFECTLY WELL-THOUGHT-OUT PLAN.

I EVEN CHOSE A HANDSOME MAN TO MARRY SO HE WOULD CHEAT ON ME.

IT WAS ALL SO I COULD BECOME THE WIFE OF DUKE ESCALANTE WHO JUST HAPPENED TO NOT LIVE WITH HIM.

I MAY BE AN AWFUL BASTARD, BUT I'M FAR MORE FAITHFUL THAN YOU THINK, INÉS VALEZTENA.

THAT IS WHY I WOULD NEVER BETRAY MY OWN FAMILY.

...WHAT ON EARTH DID I DO WRONG?

...WHAT DID I MISS? WHAT MISTAKE DID I MAKE?

THIS PLAN HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR 17 YEARS.

IT CAN'T ALL JUST FALL APART LIKE THIS.

WHY IN THE WORLD...

...ARE YOU BETRAYING ME,

CÁRCEL?

Inés Valeztena's Point Of View, Fin.