My Bratty Wife
Chapter 98 - Ninety Eight

Chapter 98: Chapter Ninety Eight

The butler burst into the room, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "My Lord," he stammered, his voice filled with urgency. "Duke Ryan...The Grand Duke... His Grace is here."

Count Edmund was taken aback by the news. "Why is he here?" he asked, his voice laced with a hint of fear.

The butler shook his head, his expression filled with uncertainty. "I don’t know, Your Lordship," he replied. "But he doesn’t look happy."

Count Edmund’s face paled. He knew that Ryan was a man to be feared. He was powerful, ruthless, and he held the fate of the entire duchy in his hands.

"Tell him I’ll be right down," Count Edmund said, his voice trembling slightly.

The butler nodded and left the room, closing the door behind him. Count Edmund turned to his wife, his eyes filled with fear. "What have you done woman?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Countess Helene’s face was also pale. She knew that they were in trouble. "I don’t know," she replied, her voice filled with uncertainty. "I didn’t do anything."

Count Edmund held his gaze, his resolve hardening. He took a deep breath and stood up, his body trembling slightly. He walked towards the drawing room, his heart pounding in his chest.

A heavy silence hung in the air of the opulent drawing room as Ryan sat with his back ramrod straight and his legs crossed. He was here for one reason and one reason only: Cassandra.

In the sitting room, Isabella was practicing her piano skills, her fingers dancing across the keys of the grand piano. She was playing Chopin’s "Nocturne No. 21 in C Minor." The delicate melody filled the air, a stark contrast to the tense atmosphere in the drawing room.

Count Edmund entered the drawing room, his face pale. He saw Ryan sitting there, his posture commanding, two guards standing beside him, their swords drawn, their armor bearing the duchy crest. Davis standing at the other side of the room, his expression grave.

"You are welcome, Your Grace," Count Edmund greeted, his voice trembling slightly.

Ryan ignored him, his gaze fixed on the count’s reaction. He had come prepared, and he wasn’t going to waste any time.

"Where is your wife?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous.

Count Edmund hesitated, his eyes darting between Ryan and the guards. He knew that there was trouble and Ryan won’t let it slide.

"She’s in the room," he replied, his voice filled with uncertainty.

Ryan nodded, his eyes never leaving the Count. "Bring her here," he ordered, his voice cold and commanding.

Count Edmund turned to the butler, his voice trembling slightly. "Go get Helene," he ordered, his face pale with fear.

The butler nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. He knew that this was going to be bad.

Countess Helene entered the drawing room, her eyes wide with shock. She had never seen her husband so afraid.

"What’s going on?" she asked, her voice filled with uncertainty.

Count Edmund tried to calm Ryan, but his words were a jumble of excuses and apologies. "Your Grace," he stammered, "if my wife has done anything to offend you, please let her off this once. I promise it won’t happen again."

Ryan ignored him, his gaze fixed on the Countess. He knew that she was the one responsible for Suzy’s injuries, and he was here to make her pay.

Count Edmund cleared his throat, feeling uncomfortable under Ryan’s intense scrutiny. He sat down, his hands shaking slightly.

"I believe we have some unfinished business to attend to," Ryan said, his voice low and menacing.

The Countess’s heart pounded in her chest. She knew that she was in trouble, but she was determined not to be intimidated.

"What are you talking about?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Ryan stood up, his eyes filled with a cold fury. "I want justice for what you did to Cassandra," he said, his voice low and dangerous.

The Countess’s eyes widened in shock. She couldn’t believe that Ryan knew the truth.

"I didn’t do anything," she protested, her voice filled with fear.

Ryan laughed, a cold, bitter laugh. "Oh, but you did," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You had her beaten, didn’t you? What on earth made you think I won’t find out?"

The Countess’s face turned a sickly shade of green. She knew that she was caught, and there was no way out.

"What did you use to cause those bruises on her back?" Ryan demanded, his voice low and dangerous.

Countess Helene was silent, her face pale with fear. .

Ryan’s anger flared. "Answer me!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the room.

Isabella, who had been practicing her piano in the next room, stopped playing. She was curious about what was going on, and she wanted to know what all the noise was about.

Countess Helene finally spoke, her voice barely a whisper. "I...I used a whip," she confessed, her eyes filled with shame.

Ryan nodded, his eyes filled with a cold, calculating hatred. "Bring me the whip," he ordered, his voice low and menacing.

The Countess turned to the butler, her voice trembling. "Get the whip," she said, her eyes filled with fear.

The butler nodded, his heart pounding in his chest.

A few minutes later, he returned with the whip, handing it to Ryan. Ryan took the whip, examining it closely. It was a long, leather whip, his fingers tracing the leather handle. It was a weapon of torture used on criminals in the prison and he couldn’t believe that it had been used on Suzy.

"How could you allow this to be done to your own daughter?" Ryan asked, his voice filled with disbelief.

Count Edmund cleared his throat, his face filled with shame. "I...I didn’t know," he stammered. "I...wasn’t aware of this."

Ryan looked at him, his eyes filled with a cold, calculating hatred. "You didn’t know?" he repeated, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You weren’t aware of this?"

Just then, Isabella opened the door, her curiosity getting the better of her. She peeked inside, her eyes wide with shock. She saw her parents, their faces pale and drawn. She also saw Ryan, his face a mask of fury. And then she saw the whip, lying on the table. The tension in the room, the guards standing guard – it all terrified her.

"What’s going on?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Her father shushed her, his voice filled with urgency. "Go to your room," he ordered, his eyes filled with fear. "This is an adult discussion."

Isabella nodded, her voice filled with fear. "Okay, Father," she replied, closing the door behind her.

Ryan turned back to the Countess, his eyes filled with cold hatred. "What if I use this whip on your daughter?" he said, his voice low and menacing. " The one you both favor and love, what’s her name again? Yes... Isabella."

Both the Count and Countess looked at him, their eyes wide with shock. They couldn’t believe that he would even consider such a thing.

Countess Helene dropped to her knees, her eyes filled with tears. "Please," she begged, her voice filled with desperation. "Spare her. Spare me. Isabella is innocent in this."

Ryan stood there, his eyes cold and emotionless. He had no sympathy for the Countess, and he had no intention of sparing her daughter.

" I’m sure Cassandra begged you like this before you laid your hands on her." Ryan said, disgust reflecting in his tone.

He picked up the whip, his arm steady and unwavering. He was about to stand, when a voice stopped him.

"Your Grace," a voice said, filled with a mixture of fear and defiance.