The General's Wife Wants to Leave-Chapter 257: One single word

’Love’

One single word that Joanna always viewed as a sacred feeling was uttered by the man who was kneeling before her.

Never once did it come across her mind that that word would be heard from him. Up to now, she believed that every affection that he had showered on her was because of the reasons that she had strongly held as a belief in her mind. But it turned out that she was wrong.

Then the flash of memory of their togetherness resurfaced in her mind. One by one, it was opened like the pages of a book flipped open to read.

If there were no love, he would have left her a long time ago. If there were no love, he would not have been with her at the moment. If there were no love, their marriage would have been no more.

’Love’

"You are never a burden to me, and I knew that you never meant to hurt me." The hushed tone of Canillas’ voice breached the silence that he previously left, bringing Joanna’s focus back to him. "If yours is not for me yet..." Canillas gripped Joanna’s hand that he still wrapped and pressed against his chest as he implied her heartbeat, her feelings to him. "It is fine. Just stay with me. Don’t go. Don’t leave me alone." The pressure on Joanna’s hand slightly increased as he said, "Let me love you."

’Let me love you’ freёweɓnovel.com

Joanna trembled as the sacred word reached her ears more clearly this time, penetrating deep into every fiber of her whole being, pulling the string of her heart, making it vibrate inside her.

Lowering her head, Joanna broke her gaze that felt like eternity with the piercing eyes that had captivated her while taking a rapid breath as if filling her void lungs with air.

She closed her eyes tightly, causing tears that welled up in her eyes to push out, rolling down her cheeks before dripping on her lap.

Canillas’ other hand trailed down from Joanna’s cheek to cradle one side of her warm, delicate neck before bringing his forehead to touch hers. "I am sorry about the agreement. I won’t force you. Let’s forget about that." With that being said, Joanna lifted her head, causing her forehead to separate from his. Looking at him straight into his reddened, moist eyes, she found him offering her a reassuring, warm smile.

Turning away, her gaze fell on the parchment that still lay on the table before she focused on the blood sign that was left by Canillas to then direct her eyes on the empty space next to it.

Canillas let go of Joanna’s hand that he clasped and placed on his chest. He also pulled his hand that cradled Joanna’s warm neck.

Subsequently, he pushed his knees off the cold marble floor to then grab the parchment and head toward the fireplace, implying that he would burn it into ash. But his movement was ceased before he could walk away as his wrist was being held by a hand whose skin texture he recognized even when he had to close his eyes.

Looking down, he met Joanna’s teary eyes.

"Will we prolong our stay here?" Her low voice was hoarse, showing the surge of emotions that ran havoc inside her.

Canillas nodded, telling her that they would prolong their stay in Barasca, although she did not sign the agreement. Again, Canillas turned to resume his way toward the fireplace, yet he could not move as the delicate hand refused to let go of his wrist.

Before long, he saw the other delicate hand reach out to take the parchment from him.

Placing the parchment back on the table, Joanna let go of Canillas’ hand and pulled open the box in which Canillas kept the needles and some other sharp stuff.

Knowing what she was going to do, Canillas did not stop her. Instead, he took the needle that she had taken out from the box with her trembling hand. He then burned the tip of the needle in the flame of the candle, the same thing that he had done a few minutes ago.

While he was busy with that, his other hand gently massaged Joanna’s thumb. After the tip of the needle was ablaze, Canillas again knelt before Joanna.

"Look at me, Joanna." In no time, Canillas met Joanna’s face that was wet with tears and looked sad. "Are you sure about this?" He asked in a comforting tone, to which Joanna gave a nod a few seconds later.

As he received confirmation from Joanna, Canillas suddenly leaned forward. He captured Joanna’s lips with his, which action captured Joanna’s whole attention, making the prick that Canillas inflicted on her thumb become numb.

When Canillas parted from her lips, a smile bloomed on his face as he saw Joanna’s dazed expression. Without waiting too long, as Joanna’s blood already pooled on the pad of her thumb, Canillas brought her hand in the direction of the parchment. He left her there, and Joanna took it as a clue that the decision was completely hers.

To the one who claimed to love her and to the one who said that they would prolong their stay in Barasca even without signing the agreement, Joanna landed her thumb to press on the space that was prepared solely for her as his wife. And to the one who was willing to pour out his blood for their marriage to last forever.

Joanna stared at the two blood patches on the parchment. Her trembling hand was still on top of the parchment, which in a blink of an eye became steady as it was held by a larger hand.

Joanna moved her gaze from the parchment toward Canillas, who was wiping the remaining blood with the clean area of the kerchief that he used to wipe his blood before.

"I am tired." Joanna’s voice weakly echoed in the tranquil room, complementing her pale complexion. "I have to go back to my room." With that, Joanna weakly rose from the chair, which was followed by Canillas to stand upright before her.

Joanna did not ask Canillas to move away. She took a step aside instead but soon placed her hands on the surface of the table to support her body when she felt her head throb more. Closing her eyes to subside the dizziness, she let out a gasp when she felt her feet lose support from the ground.