d.u.c.h.ess Li felt her heart ache in pain at Xueyue's statement.

How horrible!

A young girl her age shouldn't experience such painful thoughts. If this was what she thought about her death, then how did she view herself...?

Duke Li pitied the tiny girl sitting on the bed. The more he stared at her, the weaker and helpless she seemed.

Her shoulders were tiny, her arm was so thin, there was barely any meat on her. Her collarbone was so evident, it looked as if you could balance gold coins on top of it.

Duke Li saw Xueyue in a different light. To hear the truth from her mouth and not the mouth of gossiping servants, he started to slowly but surely like the girl.

Instead of seeing a girl that slightly resembled his deceased daughter, Duke Li saw a lonely and pitiful and unwanted child that was desperately in need of love and affection.

d.u.c.h.ess Li also shared the same thoughts as him. Her heart reached out for Xueyue. She wanted to shower Xueyue with the love and affection she could no longer give to her daughter...

"Do you have any grandparents or relatives that could take you in-" Duke Li's voice died down when he saw the horrified expression on Xueyue's face. Her ghostly-white skin turned incredibly paler and she was breaking out in a nervous, cold sweat.

"N-no! Anyone but them!" Xueyue nearly shrieked.

Her eyes grew as wide as the moon and her shoulders were beginning to shake with fear.

Xueyue tightly hugged her body in a very protective manner, as if she was scared at the very mention of "grandparents" and "relatives."

"I-I'd rather kill myself than go back home..." Xueyue sobbed out.

She thought about the monsters that dared to call themselves aunts and uncles, grandpa and grandma.

If her father hated her, then her relatives despised the very air Xueyue breathed. If her father's beating and abuse was harsh, then her relatives' were Masters in the art of torture. The things that her grandparents had done to Xueyue were so incredibly harsh, it couldn't be described by words.

d.u.c.h.ess Li gasped at Xueyue's statement and immediately pulled her closer for a hug.

To experience such a loving gesture after sixteen years of never experiencing a parent's love, Xueyue broke down further until big fat tears rolled down her cheeks and her throat was choked with hiccups and sobs.

Xueyue had never met her mother's side of the family, and she was only acquainted with her father's side.

Marquess Bai always preached to the girl that her maternal grandparents and relatives hated her because she killed her mother during childbirth.

The innocent and naive Xueyue had no reason to doubt her father. Why would he lie about that?

She had killed her mother in order to crawl into this cruel and horrible world. Xueyue had heard rumors that her mother was greatly loved by her sisters and brothers, especially Xueyue's maternal grandparents.

To find out your precious daughter was killed by her own child, how else would they react? Xueyue accepted the idea that her maternal family despised her presence.

"I-I only wanted to live..." Xueyue didn't know what she was saying. It felt as if her heart was speaking instead of her tongue.

d.u.c.h.ess Li hugged the Xueyue tighter.

To experience such a kind gesture after thirteen years of never experiencing a parent's love, Xueyue cried harder.

Her cheeks were stained with tears, and her throat was choked with sobs and hiccups.

Duke Li was surprised by Xueyue's break down, but seeing her violent cries, he knew her tears were real.

Taking a few steps back, he gave them s.p.a.ce. But as he watched the pair, Duke Li felt a painful tug in his heart.

He saw how much of a great mother d.u.c.h.ess Li truly was. Not that she wasn't one, but this emotional scene made him further realize how much of a loving and amazing woman his wife was.

"Don't send me back to my relatives and grandparents...please..." Xueyue cried into d.u.c.h.ess Li's shoulders.

Out of irrationality, d.u.c.h.ess Li said, "You will never be sent back to them. As long as you're under my care and protection, I promise you will be safe and sound within the Li Manor."

d.u.c.h.ess Li was surprised when the words left her mouth, but she brushed the shock aside. Her mouth had spoke what her heart and brain was screaming for.

She wanted to keep this frail girl within the Li Manor and never let her experience the unsaid hards.h.i.+ps ever again.

Duke Li felt conflicted at his wife's words. At first he had thought it was only words of comfort, but then he saw the fierce stubbornness in her eyes and he knew she had meant every word she said.

He stared at his wife for the longest time, watching her slowly sooth and comfort the girl.

His eyes then trailed to the head of long black hair. Xueyue seemed relatively harmless and the entire time they exchanged conversations, there wasn't a hint of maliciousness within her eyes.

He felt himself going crazy when he came to a startling conclusion that if his wife requested it, he would allow the girl to stay in the Li Manor.