Page 123 of Bound to the Heartless Duke
That made both Lily and Magnus pause and look down at him.
“I was wrong,” he said hoarsely, not looking at either of them. “I see that now. I—I’m sorry, Lily. I never wanted this. I swear it.”
Lily stood a few feet away, unmoved, her arms crossed tightly over her chest like she was holding herself together.
Even if she wanted to address him, she wasn’t exactly sure where to start.
She lifted her chin, her eyes shimmering. Not with tears, not yet, but with everything she had buried for too long.
“You never wanted this?” Her voice was quiet, dangerous. “You gambled away Medlin Manor in a drunken haze and vanished, while I had to barter away my future to save what was left of our family name. But of course, you neverwantedthis.”
Nathan looked up at her, startled.
“You think I wanted to be like this?” he snapped. “I didn’tchooseit, Lily. I was born into ruin, just like you.”
“No,” she whispered, shaking her head before stepping forward. “That’s where you’re wrong. I may have been born into ruin, but I chose to rise from it.”
He blinked, confused. Or perhaps realizing how intelligent his sister had become, that he had been too focused on his recklessness to notice.
“And do you know why I did?” she went on, her voice trembling with rising emotion. “Because I had no one else. Because the one person who was supposed to look out for me—you—was too busy chasing cards and drink to see what I needed. Or worse, you saw and you simply didn’t care.”
Nathan stood up slowly, his expression hardening. “That’s not fai?—”
“Isn’t it?” she cut in, her eyes flashing. “You spent years belittling me. Every time I tried to be responsible, to build something from the ashes you left, you called me childish. Foolish. Do you have any idea what that did to me?”
He blinked again, at a loss for words. It was as though she had heard his thoughts and had reconstructed them as a harsh reality.
“Lily…”
“No, let me speak,” she insisted, her voice rising. “You talk about ruin, about our father’s debts, but you forget that I carried them too. I carriedyou.While you were squandering what little we had left, I was holding our world together with nothing but stubbornness and a hope that maybe, just maybe, you’d wake up one day and realize you weren’t the only one grieving.” Her voice cracked on the last word.
Nathan lowered his gaze, his jaw tightening.
“You say you’re sorry,” she whispered, tears pooling at the corners of her eyes. “But if you truly were, you’d take responsibility. Not just grovel.”
“Even if I wanted to, I can’t pay him back,” Nathan muttered, nodding toward Magnus, who had stood silently the whole time, his arms folded across his chest. “You know that.”
“Then you’ll work until you can,” Lily declared, her voice hardening. “Because I won’t let you crawl through life making excuses for your mistakes. Not anymore. You’ll repay every last cent to my husband.”
Nathan scoffed. All of a sudden, his apologetic side seemed to have vanished.Almost.
“How? Shall I go work in the coal pits? Or perhaps sell off my soul? You’re dreaming, Lily.”
“That’s enough.” Magnus’s voice cut clean through the rising storm.
Nathan turned to him, only for Magnus to step forward with quiet command, his eyes cold.
“I’ve already spoken to a few associates in the Colonies,” Magnus said. “They have a post in the Indies. You’ll be given food, lodgings, and a salary. And every month they’ll keep a portion of your salary until you fully repay your debt to me.”
Nathan gaped at him. “You can’t be serious.” He shook his head, already pacing to and fro.
“I’ve never been more serious.” Magnus’s lips curled into a smirk that was devoid of humor.
“But I’m your brother-in-law!”
Magnus’s jaw flexed, before he raised an eyebrow. “And…?”
“It’s your duty to help me!” Nathan protested, his voice rising. “I’m Lily’s blood.”
