Married To The Mad Vampire Lord novel Chapter 390

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Chapter 390: What happened to Isabelle

"...You have grown so much, Theo..." she whispered. "The last time Mama saw you... you was so small and wanted to serve Aragonia in the military. You have become a soldier... tell me about it..."

Rohan told her a made-up story, and she listened with a sorrowful smile. When he was done telling her, he also asked, "What did you want to tell me that you asked for me to come?"

Her eyes looked at him, but it was as if it wasn’t really him she was seeing, as she said, "I made a mistake a very long time ago, son... a big mistake that has caused you pain. I want to tell you I didn’t mean to."

"What mistake did you make? Tell me." He coaxed, patient with the woman. He had never been patient with anyone who wasn’t his wife or son, but he found himself being patient with her and not even using his powers to compel her, for he knew that might heighten her death faster.

She stared blankly before she finally looked at him. "I... I don’t remember..."

"Was it about Isabelle?" Rohan put in, hoping to flash her memories, but she only frowned, gray brows drawing together and then falling apart.

"Who is that? I don’t know who Isabelle is, Theo... don’t remember." She muttered, her eyes closing slowly as though she was going to sleep, only to open again.

"Isabelle..." she mused faintly. "Who is she, son?" She turned to look at him.

Rohan tried to hint at her, hoping to spark some trace of recognition, but quickly realized it was useless. The woman only stared at him, her eyes vacant, as though she didn’t understand a single word he was saying. His patience, already stretched thin, began to wane. He could feel the tight coil of frustration twisting in his chest, yet he forced himself to remain calm. He had wasted too much time trying to stir her memories instead of going straight to the point.

With controlled care, he removed his hand from the woman’s trembling grasp and stood up from the chair at her bedside.

A few minutes later, Rohan had found a single coal in the hearth and a parchment. He drew his wife’s picture and then held it to the elderly woman’s curious eyes.

"Do you know her?"

At first, Mrs. Bigger stared at the picture blankly, and then slowly emotions began to draw on her face. She reached out and took the paper, running her trembling hand over the smiling face of Isabelle, a woman she had once served in her youth but could never have forgotten, if old age wasn’t playing with her memories.

"Lady Isabelle..." her voice cracked. "I’m sorry... so sorry. But I can’t forgive you... not for what you took from me too. You turned bitter... so cruel, so wicked. You wouldn’t forgive me for a mistake I made when I was just a girl. No... you never forgave and took them from me. And I... I shall never forgive you either." Tears spilled down her wrinkled cheeks as her voice broke to a whisper. "But still... it was my fault... all my fault..."

"What did you do to her?" Rohan asked as he stood at the bedside, hands tucked in his pockets, fists clenched.

The woman no longer looked at him, as her eyes remained fixed on the image on the paper. "She trusted me, but I betrayed the trust and lied. It caused her life. But I only did it because he threatened to kill my ma and pa if I didn’t do as he said. He threatened me."

"Who threatened you?" Rohan questioned, only for the woman’s face to turn almost close to anger.

"Deven Marchant threatened me. He made me lie." She whispered.

Rohan’s brow rose as he moved to sit back on the chair, finally confirming his suspicions about Deven. The bastard had indeed done something to earn Isabelle’s hate.