Memory of the Heart

Chapter 20: Dowager's Denials

When he heard his mother's name, Luke's jaw just clenched and his eyebrows raised even more. Perhaps, in his heart, his subconsciousness was already somehow expecting it.

Even while walking out, his staff felt a sense of danger as the Duke's aura screamed with anger. No one dared to speak or do much, as they all knew how the Duke reacts to things relating to his mother.

"Did you do it? Did you hurt that woman?" With all his best, Luke actually tried to tone down his anger as he said those words.

The Dowager Duchess, who was sitting comfortably in her sofa before her only son came in, only raised her eyebrows at him. She was even smirking, as if she was purposely mocking Luke for what he said.

"What are you even talking about? Have you really gone crazy? No manners, not even greeting your mother and just invading here with no notices." the Dowager Duchess scoffed.

Luke, annoyed by his mother's dumb act, clenched his fist in order to control his temper. His mother was always a difficult person and every time, he had to exert extra energy in order to deal with her.

"Stop playing dumb, Mother. You know what happened to George's nanny. You did it, didn't you? You planned the whole thing for her to get hurt and out of your sight."

After hearing her son's words, the Dowager Duchess seemed like she heard something funny. Without any care, she laughed, once again mocking her son.

"How can you accuse your mother? You have no respect. Why would I care about a mere dirt like that girl?"

"Exactly, Mother! Why would you care about her? Just leave her be! Why did you hurt her!?" Luke replied back in anger.

"I told you already, I have nothing to do with it. I. Did. Not. Hurt. Her." the Duchess Dowager insisted, emphasising every word.

Frustrated, Luke ruffled his hair and took a deep breath. Afterwards, he signalled for one of his assistants to come over and hand him a document.

Quickly, Luke got those documents and without any care, he just threw them right in front of the Dowager Duchess' table.

"Then what do you call those evidence, huh? Will you still deny it? It is pretty stupid reason to say that it's probably your assistant who planned of it, eh?" Luke said, imitating the Duchess Dowager's mocking tone.

The Duchess Dowager only glanced at the documents once, but her expression still didn't change. No matter what her son said, her calm expression could not be broken.

"Do you really think your mother is that cruel, Luke? You even frame me like this?" she said in a somehow pitiful tone.

Instead of feeling more anger, Luke just felt disgusted and sick of the woman in front of him. With his fist and jaw clenched, he just glared once more at the Dowager Duchess before walking off furiously.

It was the right decision anyway, right? He was only wasting his energy and time because his mother would not admit to anything.

***

Thankfully though, the ugly feelings he gathered from that meeting quickly dissipated when he got a call and found out that Dalena was already concious.

Without further ado, Luke ran to the hospital and went to Dalena's room. She was already exchanging jokes with Little George and once she saw him, she even let out a little smile at him.

Upon receiving her smile, Luke's heartbeat somehow quickened a little. What is this? Is he back from being a teenager who's all excited?

Sure, he did acknowledge his attraction to her, but it couldn't be that deep as he only knew her for a short time and only spent little moments with her, right?

But more than his attraction to her, he feels more guilty at this moment.

For Luke, he feels like it's his fault why she is in a situation like that. It's his fault for having a poisonous person like his mother.

Luke let out his breath first before giving a smile back at Dalena. When he was about to speak to ask how is she though, Dalena kept on smiling but slowly, her eyes were closing.

Even though he was a little disappointed that he couldn't speak to her, he actually found the gesture quite adorable so his smile couldn't help but become wider.

'I'm sorry... From now on, I will protect you no matter what. I will never let this happen again.' Luke silently promised to the unknowing Dalena.