Deceived, Yet Drawn to You - Chapter 132
Bang!
A deafening gunshot echoed through the dark forest. The search dogs, police officers, and even the ducal estate’s guards who had been scattered throughout the area all stopped moving at once.
Edmund, who had been looking down at bloodstains on a stone path near the overgrown bushes, also lifted his head. The unmistakable sound of gunfire came from somewhere not far away.
“Your Grace, there’s an abandoned villa to the northwest.”
A guard who had been sharing information with the police hurried over to report. His voice, rough with heavy breathing, carried certainty.
“It’s registered under Viscount Schofield’s name, but our investigation shows he was a cousin of Count Twyford who died long ago.”
Without a second thought, Edmund moved first. He knew he needed to remain calmer than anyone else, yet he couldn’t stop his heart from racing.
The Metropolitan Police had already been contacted, and officers across the jurisdiction were fully mobilized. Major roads on the outskirts of the capital were sealed off with checkpoints established, and nighttime travel had been restricted. Even after mobilizing every available resource and method, if they were already too late… that was something he could never accept.
The townhouse left in complete disarray, the bodies sprawled after being shot, and the floor soaked in blood. Over that horrific scene overlapped the face of Blair as he’d last seen her.
***
At the ear‑splitting gunshot, Blair clutched her head with both hands. She squeezed her eyes shut and curled in on herself, trembling violently.
Her heart pounded wildly, and a ringing filled her ears. The shudder running through her body was so intense that breathing properly became difficult. She thought she heard someone groan, but she couldn’t even tell whether it was her own ragged breathing or someone else’s.
“….”
As the lingering echo of the shot slowly faded, Blair cautiously lifted her head. Kane inhaled deeply and exhaled while still gripping the pistol. Pale smoke curled from the muzzle pointed in her direction. The unfocused look in his eyes and the smile spreading across his parted lips sent chills down her spine.
Blair’s gaze shifted to the count sitting opposite her.
“Ugh….”
Count Twyford groaned and hunched his shoulders. Dark red blood poured through the fingers clutching his chest. His complexion turned ashen in an instant.
“All you disgusting nobles are the same.”
Kane muttered darkly as he stepped closer. His eyes showed not a trace of hesitation as he looked down at Count Twyford.
“You spout pretty words, but in the end you’re just waiting for a chance to stab someone in the back.”
His eerie gaze slowly moved and settled on Blair. She flinched and leaned back, but the gun barrel, still smelling faintly of gunpowder, followed her at a slow, deliberate pace.
“You die too.”
Her heart pounded as if it would burst through her chest. The black muzzle aimed directly at her. Just like before, a familiar terror seized her entire body in the same way.
“W‑wait…!”
Barely managing to raise both hands, Blair spoke with trembling lips.
“Wasn’t it money you needed?”
Kane tilted his head slightly. His previously dull eyes flashed for a brief moment. Blair realized what she needed to target to survive this situation.
“My father planned to get my signature on that contract, receive the money from the duke, and only after all those complicated steps give you your share, didn’t he?”
“…So?”
“If you need cash right now, there’s only one way.”
Kane had also lost a great deal of blood and was no longer thinking clearly. Blair continued speaking, enunciating carefully so he could understand more easily.
“You can take me hostage and demand money.”
Kane remained silent for a while, then blinked and slowly looked Blair up and down. His gaze openly revealed that he was weighing her value.
“…Hmph. You’re no different, spouting pretty words.”
“N‑no….”
The corner of Kane’s mouth lifted as he strode toward her. At that exact moment,
“Your Grace! If you’re inside, please respond!”
“If you want something, we’ll grant it, so do not harm the duchess!”
The firmly locked entrance door rattled as several voices shouted from outside. Barking dogs, hurried footsteps, and beams of light sweeping through the curtained windows made it immediately clear that a large number of people had surrounded the place.
“Come here!”
Kane’s eyes flashed as he grabbed Blair by the wrist. As she screamed, he pressed the cold muzzle of the gun against her temple and glared at the door.
“I have a hostage!”
The murmuring outside fell silent in an instant.
“A hostage who’s pregnant, too! If you don’t want a single hair harmed, bring money! Cash!”
His ragged breathing and the metallic scent of blood reached her from how tightly he held her. She could feel blood seeping heavily from his bandaged left shoulder. He was still bleeding.
“Hey! Are you listening out there?”
“We are confirming your demands.”
“I’ll give you one hour, so bring the cash within that time! If you’re even a little late, this woman will… ugh….”
He suddenly groaned and staggered, and Blair also lost her balance as her body was pulled with him.
“Damn it, the bandage again….”
As if struck by a sudden wave of pain, Kane twisted his face and clutched his shoulder. His grip on Blair loosened, and the pistol slipped from his blood‑soaked hand.
Clatter.
The gun falling under the pull of gravity entered Blair’s vision with startling clarity. She didn’t miss the moment and reached out at once.
Her hand trembled as she grasped the cold metal. It was her first time holding a loaded gun, but from practicing with Edmund, she knew where to grip and where to aim. Blair forced strength into her legs and stood, pointing the gun at Kane.
“Don’t come any closer.”
Only then did the man realize his mistake. He slowly lifted his head. The sight of him glaring at Blair, drenched in blood, looked no different from a vengeful spirit.
“Have you lost your mind?”
“I‑I told don’t come any closer, or I’ll shoot you.”
Her voice was filled with fear rather than menace. Kane ignored it and advanced step by step.
“Give me my gun!”
Blair tightened her finger on the trigger. The warning shot she fired toward the ceiling tore through the air.
“Next time it won’t end with a warning shot.”
Kane froze, clearly not expecting her to actually pull the trigger, then scowled and breathed harshly. Tension filled the air for a brief moment before he let out a wild scream and lunged at her.
Blair forced her trembling legs to hold steady. Her lips kept quivering and tears welled in her eyes from fear, but she had no time to hesitate.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Not confident she could hit him with a single shot, she pulled the trigger repeatedly. The deafening blasts rang out one after another, threatening to rupture her eardrums, but Blair didn’t stop. She fixed her wrists and arms in place, maintaining her stance.
Kane, who had been shouting, staggered backward. Only then did Blair realize she’d been holding her breath.
“Y‑you… crazy….”
He couldn’t even finish speaking. His arms flailed uselessly in the air before he finally collapsed to the floor with a heavy thud.
“Hah… hah….”
Blair remained standing exactly as she was, still gripping the gun. Her body refused to listen to her, and she could only gasp for breath. At that moment, the entrance door shook violently. The locked bolts and hinges tore free all at once, and the door tilted before crashing to the floor with a loud bang, sending dust into the air.
Slowly lowering the gun, Blair turned her head. Figures in uniform poured inside, their forms blurred in her fading vision. Indistinct noises and flashing lights mixed together, filling the room with chaos.
Cutting straight through the commotion, a tall man strode toward her. Unlike the others, his gaze had been fixed on her from the very beginning. Soon, a familiar warmth wrapped tightly around her as he pulled her into a fierce embrace.
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namseokmin
Missing a chapter that explains how we got to this point. Thank you anyway for translating this ❤️