My Bratty Wife
Chapter 146 - Hundred And Forty Six

Chapter 146: Chapter Hundred And Forty Six

The morning sun streamed through the window, casting long shadows across the room. Suzy slowly opened her eyes, disoriented. She blinked, trying to adjust to the unfamiliar surroundings. Then it hit her – she was in Ryan’s room.

"Is anyone outside?" she called out, her voice hoarse from disuse.

The door creaked open and Doris rushed in. "Milady! Oh, thank goodness you’re alright!"

She enveloped Suzy in a fierce hug, nearly crushing her. "I was so worried!"

Suzy laughed, struggling to breathe. "Doris, you’re squishing me!"

Doris quickly pulled back, her face flushed with embarrassment. "I’m so sorry, Milady. I shouldn’t have... I shouldn’t have crossed my boundaries. I should have known my place."

Suzy looked at her, bemused. "When did you become so serious, Doris? Snap out of it!"

Doris chuckled, the tension easing. "You always know how to cheer me up, Milady."

Suzy noticed a cut on her shoulder and a bandage wrapped around her ankle. The memories of the previous day came flooding back.

[ FLASHBACK ]

Suzy’s heart hammered against her ribs as she urged a horse into a gallop. The familiar grounds of Oakwood Manor receded behind her, a blur of green against the fading afternoon light. Tears streamed down her face, blurring the already darkening landscape. Grief, a suffocating weight, pressed down on her chest, making her emotions heavy to bear.

Suddenly, a guttural shout pierced the air. The horse reared, throwing Suzy violently to the ground. The world spun, pain exploding in her shoulder. As she scrambled to her feet, two figures emerged from the shadows of the surrounding trees.

"Do...do they rob during the daytime too?" she thought to herself, dust stinging her eyes.

"Looks like we’ve stumbled upon a rich one," one of them sneered, his voice a low growl.

"Yeah, she’s practically screaming money," the other chimed in, his eyes gleaming with greed.

Suzy, still reeling from the fall, felt a surge of panic. "What...what do you want?" she stammered, her voice trembling.

"Your valuables, of course," the first one growled, advancing towards her. "Hand over your necklace, earrings, and that fancy ring, and we won’t hurt you."

"Is...is that all?" Suzy asked, her voice rising with a desperate hope.

"For now, milady," the second one drawled, his gaze lingering on her with a predatory gleam. "Unless you’d prefer a different kind of ’entertainment.’ Just so you know, I won’t decline that.."

Suzy shuddered, disgust coiling in her stomach. She knew what he meant. Fear lent her a sudden clarity. She slowly removed her necklace, earrings, and ring, her hands trembling.

"There," she said, offering them to the first man.

He snatched the jewelry from her grasp, a triumphant grin splitting his face.

"Let’s go" he said.

"I suddenly don’t want you to leave," the second one said, a predatory glint in his eyes as he looked at Suzy lustfully.

"Do whatever you want," the first one shrugged, stuffing the jewelry into his pocket. "I got what I came for. I’m outta here. Have fun, partner." With that, he turned and disappeared back into the woods.

The second man, however, remained. He took a slow, deliberate step towards Suzy.

" See how your skin looks like silk. I believe it’s soft too." He said, licking and smacking his lips.

Suzy backed away, her eyes wide with terror. She bumped into a thick tree, the rough bark scraping against her skin. With a strangled cry, she stumbled backward, tumbling down a steep embankment. She landed with a bone-jarring thud in a bed of soft sand.

The man continued with his senseless words " I wound which of the noble is bedding you. Is it a Lord or a Baron or maybe a Duke."

Suzy’s eyes widened.

He continued as he continued to move closer " "Ah! I see" he exclaimed, " It must be a Duke. Which of the Dukes got their hands on this pretty body? Is it Duke of Lancaster, Duke of Camelot or is it Duke of Carleton?"

Rage surged through her. Scrambling to her feet, she scooped up a handful of sand and hurled it into the man’s face. He roared in pain, stumbling back, blinded.

Suzy didn’t hesitate.She took a rock, hit his head and fled, her heart pounding like a drum. She ran blindly, her breath coming in ragged gasps. A sharp pain shot through her foot – she’d lost one of her shoes in the mud. Her hat, knocked off in the fall, lay forgotten in the dirt.

Gasping for breath, she stumbled, her dress catching on a thorny bush. She tumbled down the embankment, rolling head over heels down a slope until she landed with a sickening thud beside the murky water of the pond below.

She had escaped, but at what cost? She was alone, injured, and miles from anywhere. The night was closing in, and she was far away from home and the Oakwood manor.

A sob escaped her lips, echoing across the still surface of the pond.

[ FLASHBACK ENDS ]

More memories were flooding in— the confrontation with Eleanor, the chase through the woods, the fall... and Ryan.

"Where is... where is Ryan?" she asked, her voice soft.

Doris hesitated, her gaze flickering nervously. "His Grace... He’s in his study, I believe. I... I think he slept there last night."

Suzy’s brow furrowed slightly. "Very well then. I’m going there."

Doris’ eyes widened. "Oh, milady! He told everyone he doesn’t want to be disturbed."

Suzy waved a dismissive hand. "Don’t worry about it, Doris."

Doris wrung her hands. "But your leg, milady? Doesn’t it still hurt?"

Suzy smiled, a touch of mischief in her eyes. "I can manage. Now, please prepare my bath and have my clothes laid out. I’ll be back shortly."

With that, Suzy turned and strode purposefully towards Ryan’s study.

———————————-

Ryan sat hunched over his desk, the weight of the past few hours heavy on his shoulders. The remnants of the late-night confrontation with Suzy still lingered, a bitter taste in his mouth. He hadn’t slept a wink, his mind replaying the terrifying incident of the night before.

The door creaked open, and Davis, his face pale and drawn, entered the room. He held a steaming cup of tea, his hands trembling slightly. "Your Grace, please," he urged, placing the cup carefully on the desk. "You need something warm."

Ryan barely acknowledged him, his gaze fixed on the swirling tea leaves. "Is the Duchess awake?" he finally asked, his voice rough.

Davis hesitated. "I... I don’t know, Your Grace."

A flicker of annoyance crossed Ryan’s face. "Don’t know? You don’t know!"

Davis bowed his head. "I... I don’t know, Your Grace. The last time I checked she hasn’t woken up." He hesitated, his gaze darting around the room as if searching for something to focus on.

Ryan’s eyes narrowed. "How is my brother?" he inquired, his tone sharper.

"He’s... he’s fine, Your Grace," Davis stammered. "The doctor attended to Her Grace, and he returned to Lord Byron’s manor. Thankfully, the blow wasn’t fatal."

A flicker of relief, brief and fleeting, crossed Ryan’s face. "That’s good news," he acknowledged, his voice still laced with tension. "Call Noah here, immediately. You both have some explaining to do. Your failure to protect the Duchess is a grave offense. I will determine an appropriate punishment."

The door creaked open again, and Suzy entered the room. Her face was pale, but her eyes held a steely determination. "Make that three," she said, her voice firm. "I believe I deserve to be punished as well."

Davis gasped, his eyes widening in shock. Ryan looked at her, surprised. "Duchess," he began, but she cut him off.

"I should have thought things through," she continued, her voice unwavering. "I should have anticipated the danger. I didn’t think rationally before taking off. So why blame them for my rash decision?

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