The Devil's Betrothed-Chapter 660: Erin’s Explanation and Resolve

She was taken aback by what Rowan said, but his doubting question didn’t sit right with her. "What are you trying to imply, brother Rowan? Let me make it clear that my decision has nothing to do with anyone else."

"Swear on my name and say you do not have feelings for Lucian?" Rowan demanded, his tone and gaze determined to make his sister talk at all costs.

Erin felt a surge of annoyance. "I don’t have to do this when I am doing nothing wrong. I don’t understand what is the meaning of this talk at all. I won’t swear for anything."

"But I want to," Rowan insisted. "I want you to swear on my name that you are not doing this out of anger and being heart broken by that Lucian Rainier."

"Rowan," Euron and Rafal interjected, trying to stop him, but he persisted. "Let me speak. You two always want to paint me as the villain. You two can stand to her taking a wrong decision but I can’t. I will do anything to stop her, even if means turning a villain in her eyes."

Euron and Rafal stayed quiet, knowing Rowan wouldn’t relent.

"Tell me you didn’t feel hurt when you heard he rejected marrying you," Rowan pressed, urging his brothers to say something, anticipating Erin would react to a bit of provocation.

"Erin, didn’t you first agree to marry because Father was going to propose your marriage to Lucian?" Euron asked gently.

"It’s time to be honest and tell us what’s on your mind, Erin," Rafal added. "Your brothers don’t want you to make a decision on a whim and then end up regretting it."

Erin, gripping the armrests of her chair, listened to her brothers. She released her grip and inhaled deeply, trying to calm herself. "So you three think I agreed to this marriage because I was angry when Lucian rejected me? You think I am that kind of a person to plan revenge on someone who did nothing wrong?"

Rafal swallowed nervously at her words. "We don’t exactly mean that, but..."

"No," she interrupted her brother, "The way you three come to me showing your worry all the time, it shows what you think about your sister," her eyes glared at the three, her displeasure at their behavior clear. "I will say this one last time, and you have to listen to it. My decision has nothing to do with Lucian Rainier. This is what I have decided for myself with sane mind."

They had never seen Erin like this before; she had never looked at them this way. By being protective brothers, have they made a mistake of misusing her?

She continued, "You want me to be honest? Fine. Yes, when I heard he rejected me, I felt hurt. I don’t even know why I felt hurt, but it did..." Her eyes turned moist, her voice faltering. "Are you three happy to hear it from me now. Yes, I was hurt like a fool. A man’s rejection managed to hurt me, a man who I hardly know for a while and till few days before I was doubting for having wrong intentions for coming to our home?"

"Erin," Rowan stood up and knelt in front of her, taking her hands in his while the other two brothers watched, pained by her distress.

Erin didn’t pull her hand back, knowing how much her brother loved her, but she spoke firmly, while not letting the tears make their way out, "Let me finish."

"Say it. We will listen and accept whatever you say. We don’t want you to keep it in your heart and feel suffocated," Rowan urged, looking into her teary eyes.

She nodded, her voice choked with emotion. "I was hurt...," she inhaled deeply to calm her emotions, "...but I have no reason to be angry at him or make such a huge decision based on anger. It would benefit no one. Why would I be angry at him? He never led me on; he respected me and always maintained boundaries making things clear from his side. We never had anything going on between us for me to feel anything bad and feel angry towards him.

"Maybe it was just my pride hurt by the rejection from someone I started to have soft feelings for, but it’s nothing much. Maybe it was a momentary thing I felt towards him, but it’s not to the extent that I would think about taking revenge on him at the expense of my own future. I can get over it.

"He and Aaron are brothers, and doing something reckless will only leave me with a lifetime of regret. Trust me, I didn’t make this decision to affect Lucian. In fact, I know he would come and congratulate me and Aaron on our wedding, still having no feelings in his heart for me. He is not made for that and I should not expect anything from him. And I know I will forget about him as well."

"I am glad you can think of it like this," Rowan said softly. "Then, why did you agree to it? Was it because of our father? You should still reconsider. Our family is not the kind to force their daughters into something they do not want. We want you to marry someone you love, not out of duty as a daughter."

"Father is one of the reasons," she admitted. "He had given his word to the King, and I didn’t wish him to go back on it. But that’s not all. I have to marry someone sooner or later, and instead of marrying just anyone, I chose to marry a man who is not a spoiled son of a noble family but has a goal in his life. I have known Aaron through brother Rafal, and I know he is the kind of man who won’t restrict my freedom. He will allow me to work by his side as he becomes a new lord. With him, I would continue to live my life as I do here at home. I am selfish about my future and want nothing but the freedom I’ve always had. With him, I would have it."

The three brothers exchanged glances. They didn’t doubt her words, knowing she valued living on her own terms. They knew she was right; with Aaron, it was possible.

"But we want you to marry someone you love. It’s important," Rowan pressed.

"It doesn’t matter what I think if no man loves me that way," she said, her expression tinged with sadness. "So, I can only look forward to marrying a good man who I might fall in love with or at least will allow me to live the way I want."