Edna then began to do what her stepmother ordered, evaluating finances and looking for loopholes to take some of the budgets so it could be used by Uncle Jo. She set aside some of the budgets by cutting several of the household needs.
Edna finished everything by midnight. She stretched her stiff body before tidying all the budget sheets she had made. She then brought the remaining half of the candle to return to her room to have a rest. Lucy's carriage had also arrived.
Edna was worried that if she kept hanging around outside, then Uncle Jo, who was staying over, would try to approach her when most people in the house already fell asleep. Just imagining it made Edna shudder.
"Honey, marrying Edna to Jonathan would completely bind her to this family. We can make more use of her blood again. You've made a lot of connections over the past ten years using it. We're just waiting for the king to summon us and announce you as one of the members of Parliament. Edna only needs to marry Jo."
"But you know Edna has a trauma with your brother, right, Bethy?"
Hearing her name being mentioned, Edna immediately blew out the candle to eavesdrop on the conversation between her father and stepmother who had just entered the library. Edna sneaked under one of the tables at the far end of the library.
The library door opened again, and Uncle Jo joined her parents.
"Jo, Edna is only seventeen. Can't you find a wife from another family? I can try introducing you to the daughter of another baron or marquess."
"Brother-in-law, it is not a matter of whose woman I will marry. This is how to make use of Edna's unique abilities for the Westfall family. We're not related by blood anyway. So, it's okay for me to marry her."
Edna's body shivered. Uncle Jo wanted to marry her?
The thought of the creepy man become her husband instantly stressed her. Edna hoped her father would refuse the idea. Back then, Marquess Westfall had seen with his own eyes how traumatized Edna was when she found Uncle Jo entering her room. For many years, she never once slept peacefully. She was always haunted by the worst possibility.
If Edna married Uncle Jo, wouldn't that mean giving the man access to do whatever he wanted?
Edna cupped her hands tightly, praying silently. To god or gods, or whatever power that heard her, she hoped that her father would refuse the request of his wife and brother-in-law.
"Edna is my daughter too. I love her. She also helped to stabilize this family's finances. Without Edna's special abilities, it would be impossible for us to gain the trust of other nobles. Now they are all bound by Edna's blood. If we let her go to another family, then it is very likely that this family will be shaken greatly," said her stepmother, trying to convince Marquess Westfall.
(Dad, please don't…. Listen to me, Dad… I am your daughter… protect me from Uncle Jo… I promise not to marry until I die if you worry that other families will take advantage of my blood. I will keep this ability a secret until I die. So don't let me get married to Uncle Jo, Dad …)
"Darling, Jo is also starting his new business. If what you're worried about is that Edna isn't getting good treatment, that wouldn't happen. Edna will get all the splendor because I'm sure my brother will take very good care of her. Is that right, Joe?"
"That's right, Brother-in-law. Edna is the foundation of the Westfall family. I'm not going to hurt her or make her sad."
"Alright. But can you give me some time? Wait until Edna turns twenty. I will try to talk to her during these two years, and I want to see how far your business goes in those years."
"Two years? Oh dear, that's too long. Edna is already seventeen years old. It's time for her to get married. Many noble ladies who are younger than her have got married."
"But Edna ..."
"Edna also doesn't need her debutante party, right? She is just an illegitimate child who doesn't need to be introduced to society. We'll marry her off to Jo when she's eighteen."
"Eighteen!? It's only six months away!" exclaimed Marquess Westfall in surprise.
"I will marry her at eighteen. I promise not to touch her or get her pregnant until she is twenty. Does that still make you worried, Brother-in-law?" Jonathan offered another solution.
Edna who heard it shook her head. No. Uncle Jo wouldn't keep that promise. The man had also promised that he would never visit her room again, but every time he visited the Westfall residence, he still tried to break into her room before three in the morning!
"Fine. Keep your promise, Jo. And please take good care of Edna. Edna's blood is all that matters. If we lose it, then everything we built in the past ten years will be for nothing."
***
Edna was still huddled under the table. Her father, stepmother, and uncle had come out of the library. Even the two rats that passed by her feet did not frighten Edna at all, because her fear of the Westfall family was much greater.
Her father, Marquess Westfall… Edna thought her father really loved her. However… that man was nothing more than a father who manipulated and used her for her blood.
Remembering her father's last words, Edna's heart cracked before it shattered to pieces. Her father didn't the slightest bit worry about her. All he cared about was her blood. He was more worried about losing her blood.
Edna looked at her hands, which were full of bandages. There were more than hundreds of wounds engraved on her skin because, almost once a week, her father would ask for her blood. Edna didn't know what the blood was really used for, but she always gave it unconditionally because only with her blood could she feel her father's love.
Each time Edna gave her blood, her father would always come back with delicious food, fresh fruit, as well as many other gifts. However, in her father's eyes, all that was just a transaction. Marquess Westfall never really cared about Edna. He only cared about her blood.
And Edna just realized that she was raised to be a cash cow.
Overcome with disappointment, Edna returned to her room. She had to go. Far away. So far that the Westfall family could no longer find her. She didn't want to be a cash cow anymore, and she no longer wanted to pretend to not feel any pain.
Edna immediately changed into the men's clothes she had. Knee-length shorts with a long-sleeved shirt and a faded brown vest, it was the clothes she used to clean the stables. Edna didn't bring any of her dresses. She only took all of her jewelry which was not much to escape from the Westfall family residence.
Seeing the scissors on the bedside, Edna put them in her pocket. She would use it if she was cornered and had no other choice. Edna then took a brown beret to hide her long brown hair.
She waited until three in the morning. Three o'clock at the Westfall residence was a very quiet time. It was the perfect time for Edna to escape from all this falsehood. She held her bag tightly, while her eyes stared intently at every second of the moving hand of the clock.
Cold sweat trickled down her forehead and temples, while her feet moved restlessly. Only thirty minutes left. Right now was a crucial time. Edna checked the windows and surrounding area. Because her room was located on the first floor, she didn't need to be afraid of falling from a great height.
The bushes in front of her window wasn't too thick, but it was enough to hide her later.
Her heart was beating faster and faster and, at the last minute, she hid her bag behind the bushes.
CREAK...