Chapter 21

Adela looked in awe at Stefan drinking the wine. She could see it passing through his esophagus, causing it to go up and down. In every sip, the glass was emptying slowly and steadily.

Her heart was beating loudly against her chest. Her hands were sweating, and she was constantly wiping them on her skirt.

She felt sweet light dizziness overwhelm her, and pictures of happiness with Stefan paraded in front of her eyes; from their future life, they would spend together!

Pictures like having her in his arms, kissing her with dizzying passion, making her finally his own with unbridled desire. Happy children were running around them, and their laughter filled their hearts and their beautiful home. And those children grow up and start their own family.

In the end, the two of them are elderly, sitting on their comfortable chairs and having their grandchildren in their arms.

Happiness! Happiness was everywhere, and Adela couldn't wait to make all these beautiful pictures realities.

Stefan emptied the glass and gave it back to her.

"Thank you," he told her in a cold voice.

Adela looked at him longingly; in some way, she had to keep his eyes on hers as the witch advised her.

So she began speaking to him. "So, would you like…."

And then a female voice was heard behind them. "STEFAN!"

Stefan, surprised, turned his head to look who was calling him.

"No, Stefan, look at me," Adela desperately grabbed him by the arm, forcing him to look at her again.

"Stefan help! Run," the other woman shouted in despair while she was running towards him. He saw her fall to the ground. "Help!" the woman called one more time.

"No, Stefan, look at me" Adela was desperately trying to make him look at her. She pulled him on her. She got in his path, but Stefan pushed her aside, and without giving her a single glance, he ran towards the fallen woman with dark hair.

"STEFAN, NO" was Adela's heartbreaking voice.

Stefan ignoring her, reached the fallen woman and leaned over her. "Are you okay?" he asked her, out of breath.

Francesca then grabbed him and forced him to look at her. Exact that moment, Stefan's eyes changed color. They turned purple and then, almost immediately, returned to their natural color.

"Francesca?"

"Yes, Stefan?" she told him sweetly.

"Oh, Francesca!" he said again, struck by thunderous love. He bent down and joined their lips in an endless kiss full of passion and intensity. Their lips fought with each other with intense ardor and unbridled lust.

Behind them was Adela watching them on her knees from the unbearable weight of the pain, screaming "NOOOOOOOOOO."

She felt dissolved. Her heart to become millions of pieces.

Her head was heavy from the witch's words, "There is no antidote to the potion. Whatever happens, it cannot be solved. The effect of it lasts forever… forever… forever….

After that, everything turned black in her mind...

Meanwhile, Stefan and Francesca were in their world. In the world that Adela was dreaming of a few minutes ago.

Francesca hugged Stefan tightly when they parted from their kiss, and over his shoulder, she looked with a sardonic smile at the fallen Adela lying unconscious on the ground.

"He is mine now. Thank you, Adela," she whispered, and her green eyes sparkled.

"Did you say something?" Stefan asked her tenderly.

"That I love you."

"I love you too," he told her and kissed her again with a burning flame of love.

After a while, Francesca pushed Stefan slightly.

"Stop Stefan, we must harry up."

"What is it?" he asked her, leaning again to her lips, but Francesca avoided him.

"We have to get out of here."

Stefan looked at her in astonishment. "What do you mean?"

"We need to leave from the house."

"From the house? But why?"

"Look behind you." She told him, and Stefan obeyed.

"They will believe that we hurt her. They will drag us to jail; and maybe they convict us and send us to gibbet," Francesca informed him.

Stefan looked surprised at Adela lying on the ground without giving attention to Francesca's words.

"But what happened? Why is she on the ground? "

What could Francesca answer him? Could she tell him the truth? No way.

"I do not know and I do not care. All I care about is escaping from here. Stand up." She told him, and Stefan got up from the ground.

"Stefan, we have to leave soon. I have a little nest egg. With this money we will start a new life away from here. Will you come with me?"

Francesca played her role well. She could not stay because everything would be revealed when Adela recovered. That is, if she was not dead, and such a thing would be even worse.

She knew that Stefan could no longer live without her, so he would follow her.

"I recommend to stay and explain to them that we are not to blame for anything. Lord Augustine is a good and a just man."

Francesca began to despair. How could she tell him that the girl who was unconscious on the ground and might be dead was the daughter of Lord Augustine?

In fear saw that there was a movement in the house. In a little while, everyone would come out.

She had to leave now. She had no intention of wasting her youth with or without Stefan.

"I'm not going to risk it, Stefan. I do not want to waste my life in prison or even worse to be sent for hanging. I'm leaving. I hope I make it in time. Goodbye Stefan. Good luck," she told him and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

Then she started running towards the maids' dormitories, taking the road behind the stables.

Stefan felt like he was losing the ground under his feet.

How would he live without Francesca? He quickly made his decision and ran after her.

"Wait, Francesca," he shouted, but not very loudly. He was afraid that no one but Francesca would hear him.

Francesca stopped. She smiled contentedly, and then taking her grave look, she turned and looked at him.

"What do you want, Stefan?" she told him sharply. "I have to hurry. I do not have time…."

"I will come with you," he told her impatiently, interrupting her, and Francesca smiled happily.

"Oh! Stefan ".

"I also have a little amount of money. So, go get your things, I'll go get mine, and we'll meet there at the orchard," he told her, pointing to the small orchard that had recently been planted, and the trees were still small. "There is a piece of fence that is broken. We will leave from there ", Stefan continued, and Francesca nodded.

"Okay now, run for your things," Stefan told her, and he ran to get his things.

Two minutes later, they met at the orchard loaded with their bundles.

"Follow me, down there is the broken point of the fence," Stefan told her, and Francesca followed him.

They reached the fence's broken spot, and at that moment, they heard someone calling him.

"Hey, Stefan. Where are you going?"

The couple looked at each other frightened.

"Quick, let's go," Francesca pulled him, and Stefan obeyed.

In the following minutes, they had abandoned the property of the honorable lord Augustine.