The Duke's Passion

Chapter 725  If only

After their brunch, Lilou helped Klaus get some rest and run him a bath. He was even more tamed than she thought as he was exhausted, stressed, and needed a well-deserved rest. So after running him a bath and offering Stefan's spare clothes for Klaus to wear, she was about to head to her room.

But upon reaching the mansion's entrance hall and catching Claude's figure exiting, she sprinted for no reason.

"Wait!" she called, stopping him by the door.

Keeping his hand on the door handle, Claude looked back silently. "What?" he asked.

"Uhm..." she cleared her throat, thinking of anything she could think to give a proper excuse for her action. She clutched her hand closer to her chest and smiled awkwardly.

"Are you leaving now?" she asked. "Your uncles might look for you, so... I mean, they know where to find you."

"I'll return even before they can think of me."

"Ahh..." she rocked her head awkwardly, biting her tongue. She perked up when Claude tilted his head down slightly and seemed to resume in his tracks.

"I —" he stopped once again when she spoke, arching a brow and glancing over his shoulder. "I'll send you off."

"No need."

"I insist," Lilou stressed adamantly. "Let me."

Claude pressed his lips into a thin line, catching how her hand turned white while gripping her own wrist. Had he ever said no to her?

"Alright." He nodded, pulled the door open, and sauntered off.

Lilou smiled in relief before jumping and skipping steps to catch up to him. When she caught up to him, Lilou held her hand behind her. She studied his side profile cautiously as they walked towards the driveway, heading to the stable situated somewhere on the east side of the residence.

"Why do you always keep your head low?" she asked out of plain curiosity, noticing this habit of his since meeting him. But alas, Claude remained silent and didn't answer, bringing a frown to her face.

For some reason, she wanted to talk to him. It was a gut feeling; a strong gut feeling that wouldn't let her sleep at night.

"Uhm... you probably know my name, but I'd introduce myself. My name is Lilou." She smiled, biting her lips to stop it from stretching broader. "What about you? I don't think you have told me your name yet."

Claude hastened his steps, hoping if she was jogging she wouldn't talk anymore. Sadly, the outcome was the opposite. Lilou jogged, but she was still talking about the stew he cooked, asking him if he had time to teach her how to make it. The more lively and carefree she sounded, the more annoyed he got until Claude couldn't take it anymore and halted completely.

"Huh?" she stopped from her steps on instinct, looking at him with raised brows. "Is there something wrong?"

"Stop it," he breathed out, balling his hand into a tight fist, still looking at the ground instead of facing her.

"Stop, what?"

"This!" he huffed and said louder. "Stop acting like this now!"

Lilou flinched in surprise, watching him slowly walk on the same spot until he was facing her. Claude drew a deep breath, mustering a lifetime of courage to face her. As soon as he did, their eyes met for the first time. Despite the hood's shadow over the upper part of his face, Lilou could see the fiery eyes looking back at her.

"You... do you know why we are here ten years in the past?" he asked with a shaking voice. "Do you have any idea who is the reason you know nothing now? Why you are here, wondering who I am and the people who came in here? Do you know who is the reason why you... why everyone is suffering?"

Claude ground his teeth as bitterness filled his eyes. "Yes, you're correct. It's me who couldn't control the power that lies in my veins and brought everyone into this plight. You and Uncle Hell reminded me over and over, but I... didn't listen and simply lose my temper."

"If only I listened..." he lowered his eyes slightly. "... this wouldn't happen. Not to you, not to Law, not to Uncle Klaus, not to Penny, and not to everyone."

Tears shone in his eyes as he recalled Penelope, the leader of the Owl Guild in Monarey, where Claude became a part of it. During the arrest of the Nightwalkers There was a moment of silence after his last remarks. Lilou pursed her lips into a thin line, clutching her hand across her chest, and having this pain in her heart.

"Why...?" she whispered with a shaking voice. "Why did you do it?"

His face crumpled at her question, making him recall the trigger for his unleashing of power. "I had a friend... a dear friend. She had the same hazel hair, but she died."

Tears shone in his eyes as he recalled Penelope, the leader of the Owl Guild in Monarey, where Claude became a part of it. During the arrest of the Nightwalkers that had plagued Monarey, Claude was injected with a strange substance that made him hallucinate.

He thought it would wear off if he let it sit since he was a pureblooded vampire and such a drug would not affect him. However, he was wrong. The night Penelope told her to meet in the castle's garden, all he saw was her dead body lying on the grass. And when he turned her, Lilou's face overlapped with hers.

But Claude couldn't tell her all that. No matter how much he wanted to explain, his voice wouldn't come out. So, in the end, he simply turned on his heel and walked away without saying a single word.

"Same hazel hair..." she whispered, staring at his back without moving a muscle. She wanted to run and try to talk to him, but she felt it was better to let him alone for now.

In her eyes, Claude seemed like he was carrying the entire world on his shoulders. Thus, she wanted to be sensitive and approach him carefully. He was unlike everyone he came with. Even Klaus wasn't as serious or as dejected as him.

"Was it because of me?" she murmured, biting her inner lower lip at the thought. "Why am I hurting?"

Lilou wiped her eyes with her arm to stop the tears that were forming in the corner of her eyes from falling. She idled in the same spot for minutes before turning on her heel and sauntering off in the opposite direction from where Claude left.

As she walked away, her soft eyes glinted with a little determination. The reversal of time wasn't favoring anyone... she believed. It was only bringing pain and confusion to everyone who was affected by it, and thus, her determination to resolve this matter increased.