There Is No Paradise Where You Escaped - Chapter 49

The forest path that the Baroness boasted about endlessly also captivated Vivianne. Due to its clean and wide trail, it felt more like a vast garden than a walk through the woods. The dense trees were not overly clustered, and the rich, warm sunlight filtered through the leaves, carrying the deep scent of grass.

Because of Rottermond’s hilly terrain, the forest path had a slight incline, but compared to the beauty of the surroundings, such a slope was hardly an inconvenience.

The forest’s magic didn’t end there. As they walked a little farther up the path, a small square paved with stones appeared. In the middle was a small fountain, and the soft sound of trickling water was accompanied by small birds bathing in it.

Startled by their presence, the birds fluttered away, scattering droplets into the air, but when Susanna whistled, the wet little birds, along with others, flapped their wings and gathered around her.

The birds perched on Susanna’s fingers, shoulders, and even her head, singing along with her whistle.

When a servant handed Vivianne some grains, the birds flitted toward her. Amazed, she carefully interacted with the tiny creatures, afraid they might flee at any sudden movement.

A dreamy confusion washed over her—it felt as if she had stepped into a fairy tale. The clouds in the sky seemed close enough to touch, the birds showed no hesitation in approaching humans, and even deer peeked out from behind the trees. Everything around her filled her with joy.

Any concerns Vivianne harbored faded in Susanna’s presence, which radiated love for animals and tranquility. By her side, her worries vanished. For this brief moment, Vivianne allowed herself to sink into pure happiness, as if nothing else mattered.

The two spent their time at a tea table set up in the small square, sometimes engaging in passionate discussions about nature and landscaping, at other times sharing lighthearted conversations about their favorite flowers and animals. Naturally, the topic shifted to art, and Susanna suggested visiting the Rottermond Manor’s gallery.

Vivianne, having no reason to refuse, readily accepted, and the two finished their tea and left the forest.

Susanna’s remark that they “would get along well” was no mere politeness. Their tastes, hobbies, and even their values regarding nature and art aligned so well that their conversations seemed endless.

Once back at the manor, Vivianne followed Susanna to the gallery. Just as she was brimming with anticipation, looking forward to seeing the collection, when suddenly…

“Oh my, where are you off to, Eddie?”

She suddenly ran into Edwin, who was walking up the stairs leading to the gallery. Her discomfort quickly turned into displeasure the moment she noticed the hat tucked under his arm.

“I was on my way to the gallery. You returned earlier than expected.”

“Oh? Yes. Miss Aveline wanted to tour the gallery.”

“Well, that works out then. We can go togeth—”

“No.”

Susanna smiled sweetly but rejected the idea firmly, causing Edwin’s expression to twist in confusion.

“I’m in the middle of a serious conversation with Miss Aveline. You can see the gallery on your own later, alright?”

Having been turned away so abruptly, Edwin looked at Vivianne as if hoping she would intervene. But she had no intention of doing so and deliberately looked away.

After all, Edwin had finally snatched the hat she had given to Charlotte.

She had thought the joke about selling the hat in the carriage was mere teasing, but to think he had been completely serious—truly, Edwin was an unpredictable and unexpectedly peculiar man.

“…Then do as you wish.”

Ignored by Vivianne as well, Edwin turned and descended the stairs once more.

Susanna smiled warmly at Vivianne and affectionately linked arms with her.

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The gallery exceeded Vivianne’s expectations. 

Though Susanna humbly claimed that most of the collection reflected her husband’s taste, it was clear from the way she spoke about the artworks that this was her own curation. More than that, she had a habit of collecting pieces from unknown artists rather than those already renowned, many of whom had since become leading figures in the art world.

Even now, she continued to seek out paintings and sculptures by yet-to-be-discovered artists, enjoying the pursuit of their raw artistic vision.

As Vivianne slowly examined the oil paintings lining the walls, she stopped in front of one. It was a war painting, depicting a strikingly familiar backdrop.

“Oh! Isn’t this Preston? I recognize this square in front of the palace. I went there a few times when I was young.”

Susanna approached with a gentle smile, hesitating for a moment before slowly looking over the painting.

“Yes, that’s correct. The artist who painted this was from Preston.”

“I see… Which war is depicted here?”

Vivianne’s eyes gleamed like starlight in the night sky. The masterful and dynamic composition was stunning in its detail, and the commanding presence of the castle’s leader was so vividly rendered that his determination seemed to burst from the canvas. The figure, given such prominence, was undoubtedly the subject of the piece.

“It’s called The Last Stand of Raven.”

Vivianne’s admiration quickly faded.

“These are the soldiers of Mayr attacking the palace. This painting is a tribute to the House of Raven, which disappeared into the back alleys of history. It ensures that future generations know they fought bravely until the end.”

The painting The Last Stand of Raven depicts a confrontation between two opposing forces against the backdrop of Preston Palace: those who fought to defend it and those who sought to seize it.

Knowing exactly what role her father—and her family—had played in this battle, Vivianne could hardly bear to look.

“I wouldn’t have brought it up if you hadn’t asked, Miss Aveline,” Susanna said quietly. “Because I happen to like you quite a bit.”

Vivianne lowered her gaze.

Fourteen years ago, the events of that war had been the very reason Susanna and Edwin’s fates had been intertwined. And yet, it had also been the very thing that had ruined the life of her beloved son.

“It seems fate has drawn Miss Aveline to this painting as well.”

Susanna knew the truth about Edwin, and that much was clear. This meant that this painting carried an unshakable significance to her.

Vivianne swallowed hard, unable to speak. The weight of knowing she’d become a blade to someone else’s heart cut just as deeply into her own.

“Last night, Eddie stayed in your room.”

So, she found out.

Vivianne released a quiet, resigned breath. The fact that Susanna hadn’t raised her voice at the end of her sentence wasn’t a suspicion—it was a conviction. She had some idea of what had happened that night, and there was a faint bitterness in her tone.

Vivianne needed to explain herself. She should have insisted that, while it was true Edwin had come to her room late at night, there was nothing to worry about. She should have denied any wrongdoing and protested the unfairness of any assumptions.

But had there really been nothing between them?

She had seen the desire in his eyes. And Edwin had not attempted to deny it.

He had been in her arms for what felt like forever. They had rolled across the bed together. And he had cupped her cheek in his palm.

Susanna knew about Edwin’s past. She loved him despite knowing his complicated history. Vivianne didn’t have the courage to tell her that the child she cared for—the one she loved and cherished—was actually a shameless man who felt a desire for the daughter of his enemy.

“Is it love?” 

Faced with that grand word, she felt as if her soul had been reduced to that of an ant crawling past her feet.

A relationship devoid of affection, dry and emotionless. No, rather, the word love felt vast and solemn in contrast to a relationship consumed by hatred and driven only by instinctive desires.

“In this painting, it doesn’t look like Bannister’s army and Mayr’s army are in love. No. There’s no way Bannister and Mayr’s old grudge could ever turn into love.”

Vivianne bore the weight of a sinner. That weight pressed down on her head and crushed her heart.

“I need an answer from you, Miss Aveline. Are you two in love?”

Susanna’s relentless questioning made Vivianne shrink. The moment she shook her head, her despair deepened, and the lady’s disgrace became clear.

Susanna’s dry, concise response wrapped around Vivianne’s throat like a noose. Without another glance, she turned her gaze to The Last Stand of Raven.

“This time, the Queen has agreed to arrange a match. It’s the second daughter of Count of Chadwick—a truly lovely and beautiful young lady. I am quite fond of her, and I sincerely hope she becomes the Duchess of Baytness. I can picture it now—she and Edwin, living together in Rodinia, spending a dreamlike honeymoon, having many children who fill their home with laughter.”

As Vivianne followed the picture Susanna painted, an unease settled deep within her. Something felt off. Was the future Susanna spoke of meant to take place after Edwin had completed his revenge? Or was it about him falling in love with Miss Chadwick, abandoning his revenge, and letting her go?

Whichever it was, she could not picture Edwin loving his wife and children as if nothing had ever happened.

“If the two of you truly love each other—if love can exist despite old resentments—then I would support you. If it means Edwin’s happiness, what does it matter to kiss the foot of an enemy?”

Vivianne pressed her lips tightly together. Her trembling gaze revealed nothing of what she felt.

On one hand, she was sad. On the other hand, she felt uneasy. Her emotions were tangled, and she didn’t know where to begin unraveling them.

“Fate exists. Some bonds hold together no matter how hard you try to break them, while others fall apart no matter how much you try to keep them together. My husband and I were the latter. What about you, Miss Aveline? What kind of fate do you and my Edwin share?”

If fate existed, it was nothing but a series of coincidences orchestrated by a biased god.

People say that every outcome has a cause, but in the end, it had been nothing but a chain of coincidences that had brought them here.

Fourteen years ago, her family had fallen from grace, and Mayr had demanded her as his mistress. By chance, her family had chosen to flee to Neway, only for the business her father started there to collapse.

Her father and mother had gone missing, one after the other.

Debt. Foreclosure. The sequence of events followed a cruelly predictable order.

And through it all, everything had unfolded just as Edwin had wanted.

“I…”

Vivianne’s voice trailed off. She could not find an answer.

“Do you think the two of you are tied together, no matter how much you try to break apart?”

Susanna smiled gracefully, without a trace of malice.

Vivianne, having gathered her thoughts, let out a deep breath.

“What you’re worried about won’t happen, Madam. I cannot say when, but I will leave the Duke’s side. And when I do, he will forget everything and start anew. That is what I believe.”

She tried to reassure Susanna with a faint, bitter smile, but it was not what Susanna wanted to hear.

What she wanted was Edwin’s happiness.

To see her beloved son marry, build a family, and find joy in the simple, ordinary things in life.

“So the two of you truly are not in love.”

Unanswerable questions crowded Vivianne’s mind.

If Edwin fulfilled his revenge, would he truly find happiness? Once he fulfilled his 14-year-old vow of hatred toward her father, would he finally escape that pain?

“There is only one thing I wish for. I want Eddie to forget. I don’t want him to live carrying such deep pain. But if you stay by his side, Miss Aveline, he will always be reminded of that suffering.”

The realization that there was nothing she could do for him shattered Vivianne.

Because she knew—this revenge could never lead to happiness.

“So please, Miss Aveline. Run away. Let Eddie move forward, get away from him.”

Susanna’s warm hands wrapped around Vivianne’s, her desperate plea sinking deep into her heart.