《My Husband Will Regret This》 Chapter 0 - Prologue – Requiem Chapter 0 ¨C Prologue ¨C Requiem Beep. Chloe Aslan pressed the play button on the phonograph. [ The Madam¡¯s heart is slowly failing. ] Not too long ago, the doctor broke the sad news to her at the hospital. [ Two years. ] Chloe pressed the button again. Beep. [ I¡¯m very sorry about this, Madam, but I have to let you know that you only have two years left. ] One more time. [ I¡¯m very sorry about this, Madam¡­ ] [ ¡­you only have two years left¡­ ] [ ¡­two years left¡­ ] As the phonograph stopped spinning, the sound of weariness came out from it. Only the small squeaks and scrapes of metal filled the room. Chloe stared blankly at the phonograph. Her blue eyes, which had always been clear, became clouded. It felt as if she could already hear the funeral march. As if she could really hear death coming from the requiem, then experiencing it. She slowly shifted her gaze, which was still murky. She looked at the back of her hand, already deathly thin. ¡®I¡¯m¡­ dying.¡¯ She said the words in her mind, the idea too hard to grasp. People lived their lives never thinking about death, even though it was hovering very close. The same was true for Chloe. She spent every single day of her life as if she would live forever. ¡®¡­Two years.¡¯ But now that she was presented with a certain date, it made her realize that her life was very short. She would leave this world after spring, summer, autumn, winter¡ªand then again, one last time. ¡®Shouldn¡¯t I be crying at a time like this?¡¯ She mulled over it. She tried to feel sad while thinking about her own death. But there were no tears. Her eyes didn¡¯t even feel hot. ¡®Why?¡¯ The answer to the question came quickly. It was inevitable. She didn¡¯t live passionately in the first place. Her life was more akin to dying than living. There was nothing much she felt dismayed about, considering that she would die only a bit earlier than expected. There was nothing else she could ask for. ¡®¡­No.¡¯ Was that really the case? To this question, Chloe gradually raised her head. She saw her husband¡¯s portrait, which was hanging on the wall at a sharp angle. Her husband¡¯s cold eyes, which were visibly striking even through the painting, caused her to shiver. As Chloe trembled, she picked up her fallen shawl. Then, she took a deep breath. The smell of tangy iron filled her lungs. This room was full of rusty machinery. These were all the machines that her husband had abandoned. At one time, her husband breathed life into these machines, but now they were discarded, lifeless. Such machines were emitting a rotten smell. Chloe had a sudden thought. Perhaps¡­ She was no different from these machines. She was also living a hard life after having been thrown away by her husband. ¡®No. That¡¯s not it.¡¯ It was ridiculous to think that she was the same as those machines. They were better than her. This, she was sure of. Those machines must have received even a morsel of her husband¡¯s attention and interest. She was even less than a mirage that was now out of his sight. She was a wife who was forced into a political marriage, meant to be thrown away. That was her position right now. Chloe lifted her gaze again, then stared at her husband¡¯s portrait. [ I¡¯m very sorry about this, Madam, but I have to let you know that you only have two years left. ] What if her husband found out about her imminent death? Would he be surprised? Sad? Regretful? As she pondered over his reaction, Chloe burst into a peal of laughter. Her husband. Her heartless husband. Her husband, who did not love her. He would never feel sorrow. So¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll get a divorce.¡± Chloe vowed to get compensated for the five years she wasted on him. Chapter 1 Chapter 1 The wind in the north was always cold, especially today. However, Chloe didn¡¯t close the window. With her eyes wide open, she leaned forward over the windowpane that was lined with snow. From a distance, through the fluttering snow, she could see airships floating over the bridge. In some cases, they moved in formation, but right now, they were lined up to celebrate today¡¯s opening ceremony. From one airship, a banner was hanging down. ? Thank you for attending the opening ceremony of Eugen¡¯s First Railway -Eric Aslan E.A ¨C ? Marquis Eric Aslan. He was the center of the rise of the bourgeoisie¡ªthe middle class¡ªand the genius inventor who was the trailblazer of the country¡¯s development. And. ¡®My husband.¡¯ Chloe, as she struggled with this thought, slowly inhaled and lowered her eyes. Her hands were clasped together. ¡¯You will marry Baron Aslan.¡¯ That was what her father said five years ago after he secretly called her over. At first, she thought her father was only joking. Chloe was already engaged to the third prince. And Baron Aslan was part of the bourgeoisie. He was originally a commoner, but he earned that title after he graduated from the academy. Her father, who hated the ¡®honor¡¯ that the middle class upheld, would not have arranged her marriage with one. So Chloe thought her father didn¡¯t mean what he said. However¡­ ¡¯Your older brother racked up a lot of debt.¡¯ ¡®What do you mean debt? Just how much¡­¡¯ ¡®Three million pounds.¡¯ ¡®Goodness!¡¯ Chloe almost fainted. Three million pounds was equivalent to the estate¡¯s budget for a year. What did her brother do to owe such a huge amount of money? ¡¯The condition of the marriage is a noble title. I decided to take the money in exchange for the Marquisate. You know what this means, right?¡¯ Chloe knew immediately that her father was selling her to pay off her older brother¡¯s debts. ¡®But Father, I¡¯m already engaged to the prince. You must know that breaking off a promise with the royal family is tantamount to treason¡­¡¯ ¡®You stupid girl! The royal family has already fallen!¡¯ The Duke had shouted in a harsh voice, raising his hand as if to hit Chloe across the cheek. ¡¯Listen well. The world is changing. New forces are emerging, and they¡¯re ruling the world! Baron Aslan is at the heart of that new force! He¡¯s a genius! The light of this country!¡¯ Her father¡¯s face was contorted as he yelled, like a sinner trying to justify his own sins. ¡¯Do you think I¡¯m doing this because of money? Isn¡¯t this marriage for the betterment and prosperity of our country?¡¯ It was obviously an excuse. No matter how much the middle class was taking over, the father she knew would not have stepped down to bestow upon one of them a title of aristocracy. ¡¯So whether you lift your skirt up in front of the Baron, or stick your breasts out, just cling onto him. Understand?¡¯ He was just doing this for money. He was selling her for money. ¡®He¡¯s always been like that.¡¯ Chloe chuckled, recalling her late father who died three years ago. After he passed away, the Duchy immediately collapsed. Her older brother, who had gambled away three million pounds back when his father was still alive, had no one to hold him back when he officially became the household¡¯s head. The Duchy¡¯s dignified honor had evaporated like smoke, and only debts piled up in its wake. ¡®He took money from me again not too long ago.¡¯ Chloe recited from memory as she gazed upon the sky. The money he owed now roughly exceeded four million. No matter how successful her husband was with his business, it was clear that this much would be a burden, even to him. Why should her husband pay off her brother¡¯s debt¡­ Chloe couldn¡¯t stop questioning it. At that moment, the gate, which had been tightly shut, opened. It announced the return of her husband who attended the opening ceremony. Chloe descended the stairs holding the skirt of her layered dress. With haste, but without frivolity. As if she were born with it, she hurried her steps, yet maintained the elegance of a Duke¡¯s daughter. As she reached the ground floor, she straightened her clothes and stood straight. Then, he greeted Eric, her husband. After handing over his suitcase to the butler, he looked up to see Chloe, and with a clear, resounding voice, he called out to her. ¡°Darling.¡± Today, he had his hair pulled back, styled neatly with his forehead visible. Over his white dress shirt and black vest that fit perfectly over his broad shoulders, the dark navy coat which he had also been wearing fell to the ground. The hollow eyes trained on Chloe had always left her breathless. Even when there were shadows under them from fatigue, those eyes still radiated a dignified aura. And his angular nose and jawline gave off a sharp impression, enhancing his well-defined features. Chloe had a small smile on her lips as she looked at his face. Her husband, who was always handsome. She repeated this in her head like a mantra. He has always been handsome. The first time she saw Eric was at the academy more than a decade ago. On the first day of school, she saw him giving a speech as the top scholarship student. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 ¡®But isn¡¯t he a commoner?¡¯ At the time, Chloe didn¡¯t even realize that what she said was incredibly rude. That¡¯s how mesmerized she was by Eric¡¯s appearance. He shone brightly compared to the men she¡¯d seen, even the royal family. She couldn¡¯t think of another man, a noble or otherwise, who could exceed his looks. As her eyes naturally gravitated towards his direction, she¡¯d never been able to take her eyes off him since. She was instantly raptured, so besotted by him. The whole world turned into a wonderful flower bed. At that moment, it felt like she and Eric were the only people in the world. That¡¯s why Chloe thought¡ª ¡®Oh, I fell in love with him at first sight.¡¯ But back then, he was still a commoner. And Chloe was a daughter of a powerful Duke. No matter how high his grades were and how accomplished he became at the Academy, he was still a person from the bourgeoisie, and it was clear that the gap between them would never be bridged. So she could only watch him from afar until she graduated. She forgot about him after that. No¡ªshe had to forget him, so she pushed Eric out of her mind. But in the end, she was going to get married to him. Regardless of the money or noble title involved, Chloe was very happy that she somehow found her way back to him. On their first night, Chloe prepared her frantic heart. However, as soon as Eric arrived, her hopes were shattered. He was in the same room as Chloe, but he didn¡¯t touch her at all. He didn¡¯t even look at her. He ignored her completely. From then on, he just sat at a desk, did some paperwork, put together his machinery that Chloe didn¡¯t even know he brought with him, then worked all night¡­ It wasn¡¯t what she expected at all. ¡¯Are you going to keep working?¡¯ Chloe couldn¡¯t stand the humiliation and finally spoke up and said things like ¡®I¡¯ve never heard of a first night like this¡¯ and ¡®How could you do this to me¡¯ laced with resentment. What was it that Eric replied? Ahh, that¡¯s right. ¡¯Is there anything between us that we need to do?¡¯ With a cold, detached tone, that was the only thing he said. With those words alone, he was saying that he was there only because she was bought along with the noble title bestowed upon him¡ªthat she married for money, and they had nothing to do with each other. And there will never be anything between them. In retrospect, she should have started hating him from then on. She should have. But she was already drunk on the feeling of reuniting with her first love. And she couldn¡¯t escape that feeling. She loved Eric even though he was so heartless. She hoped that, one day, he¡¯d look at her and love her the way she was as long as she continued loving him all throughout their time together¡­ She had those hopes. Then, five years passed by. After a long time¡­ She realized that she was wrong. Because she was wrong, just like right now, ¡°What do you need?¡± It was that cold tone of his again. Chloe smiled bitterly and held her hands together. ¡°I was wondering if you had a good time at the opening ceremony. I apologize, I should have gone with you¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reason for you to be there.¡± As always, his sharp words stabbed into Chloe¡¯s heart. She bit her lower lip. ¡°¡­That¡¯s why I prepared dinner for us. It¡¯s been a long time since we had a meal together, so I was wondering if we could spend a bit of time with each other.¡± Chloe had been dressed up for hours before this, and so when she took a step forward, her shiny silver hair cascaded behind her, and her blue eyes sparkled. ¡°I guess you have too much time on your hands.¡± However, Eric continued to be cold as always. After looking at how Chloe was dressed with an apathetic gaze, he shook his head. ¡°I just dropped by to leave my suitcase. I¡¯m going out again before the snow piles up¡­ and I have to go to the capital.¡± ¡°The capital? You have to go?¡± Instead of answering, Eric looked down on Chloe with his indifferent eyes. Eyes that didn¡¯t look at her. Eyes that hid his thoughts thoroughly. Every time she looked into those eyes, Chloe was always left heartbroken. ¡°Then, will you be coming back next week?¡± Chloe added in a desperate voice. ¡°It¡¯s my birthday next month.¡± Then, Eric just sighed. ¡°Is your birthday important?¡± ¡°It¡¯s important to me.¡± Haa. Eric sighed again. ¡°Brother-in-law visited yesterday, too.¡± As Chloe could guess, in other words, it meant her brother visited to collect money again. How much did he take this time? Ten thousand pounds? A hundred thousand? A million? Chloe was sure that Eric gave it. At this, her heart dropped and her hands trembled. Then, she quickly lifted her gaze, only to see that Eric was walking up the stairs already. ¡°Madam! It¡¯s dangerous, please don¡¯t run!¡± Chloe ran after Eric, who had already reached the second floor. All the windows of the hallway on the second floor were wide open, and cold wind filled the air. Her nose and ears quickly turned red and her eyes teared up because of the coldness. The wind ruffled her silver hair, but because she was brought up with an aristocrat¡¯s demeanor, her expression did not show this at all. Like a warrior fighting against the wind, she showed a more tenacious spirit. ¡°Dar¡­¡± Because she ran so suddenly, she was out of breath. But Chloe quickly composed herself because her high self-esteem wouldn¡¯t allow herself to show any signs of her illness in front of so many people. She raised her chin higher. ¡°Darling.¡± Chloe pulled on Eric¡¯s cuffs. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Her hands were trembling. She quickly retracted her hand, hoping he didn¡¯t see it. ¡°I¡¯ve told you several times. You don¡¯t have to give my family any more money. It¡¯s my brother¡¯s fault anyway, so let him find his own solution. Please?¡± Before she could even finish what she was saying, Eric sighed deeply once more. ¡°If I do what you say, then I¡¯ll be a heartless, commoner husband of a Duke¡¯s daughter who has no money.¡± Eric narrowed his eyes and raised a hand to push back his hair. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the money. It¡¯s not something you have to be involved in as a wife.¡± Not something to be involved in¡­ Wasn¡¯t the household¡¯s finances something that should be managed by the madam of the family? How far was he going to isolate her? Chloe raised her head against the cold air. ¡°Then what should I do to have the right to be involved?¡± Moisture filled Chloe¡¯s blue eyes. ¡°I want to be of help to you, too.¡± Eric looked down insensitively at Chloe. As always, it was painfully clear how much he didn¡¯t love her. ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do for me.¡± The emotion that dominated his voice was boredom. Eric was tired of their conversation now. As soon as Chloe realized this, she laughed in vain. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡­ I¡¯ve done nothing all my life, and now I¡¯m going to die without having done anything.¡± She only had two years left to live at most. She lifted her gaze again to look at Eric squarely. It was an earnest gaze, as if this was the last time. ¡°Darling.¡± There was a hint of grief in her tone. ¡°I¡¯m sick.¡± She slowly opened her lips and put strength into every syllable she spoke. ¡°I¡¯m really, really sick.¡± A gust of the cold winter air surged between them. It was such a strong gust that the airships floating in the sky faltered. Chloe was shaken by the wind, but Eric wasn¡¯t. Chloe was the only one affected. ¡°Can¡¯t you come home more often? That¡¯s all I wish for.¡± Her heart ached more than her body. As long as he¡¯d be by her side, then she could endure all the pain that was plaguing her body. As long as he was there, then this awful loneliness would go away. So she wanted to see him more. ¡°Just because you¡¯ll see me doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll get better.¡± ¡°¡­Darling.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bring a doctor from the capital and send him to you. That would be enough.¡± Chloe looked up. Again, his eyes expressed nothing but lukewarm disinterest. She suddenly felt heat on her cheeks. What the hell was she hoping that this man would say. She dropped her gaze, chewing herself up in indignation. ¡°Go in. The wind is cold.¡± Chloe stared blankly at Eric¡¯s back as he left without another word. She knew. Of course she did. This marriage was without any love from the very beginning. But no, it wasn¡¯t that there was no love, it was only that one side had it and the other didn¡¯t. ¡°¡­I should really¡­ stop here now.¡± Her empty voice was washed away by the cold winter wind. ¡ª¡ª tl/n: I don¡¯t usually leave notes to react to chapters but uuuuuuuugggghhhh this is so painful, I just can¡¯t stand the husband!! But in any case, I¡¯m looking forward to his (currently very punchable) face twist up in pain when he starts to regret everything (and I also want to see more of the novel¡¯s setting because I¡¯m excited this is a steampunk world~) ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 3 Chapter 3 It¡¯s cold. Chloe murmured to herself as she breathed over her freezing hands. Snow was pouring outside the window. White, flawless snowflakes piled up and covered the world like a serene blanket. Chloe, who grew up in the warm South, was delighted when she first saw snow. ¡®So much snow! I can¡¯t believe it!¡¯ She couldn¡¯t believe that the snow she¡¯d only read about in books was right in front of her. ¡¯The other girls from the south won¡¯t get to see this for the rest of their lives, will they? I¡¯m so lucky!¡¯ She used to run around the snowfield saying this. But the joy she felt was extinguished in an instant. Chloe soon suffered from the severe cold of the North. ¡®It¡¯s cold.¡¯ Chloe rushed to her feet and pulled on the shawl on her shoulders. As always, the fourth floor¡¯s hallway was empty. No one at all came and went. The servants didn¡¯t come here except for when they brought her meals or when they served her. So there was no chance for anyone else to see her. For Chloe, who didn¡¯t get along with the other people in the estate, this was the butler¡¯s consideration for her. But now that Chloe saw it, he wasn¡¯t being considerate at all. She was a young woman who came to the North alone with no one beside her. In her head, she thought she¡¯d be able to lead the servants and get close to them as the Marchioness, but she couldn¡¯t do it because she was afraid. In the South, people would come to her on their own even when she didn¡¯t do anything. It wasn¡¯t like that here. In the South, everyone treated her with a friendly smile, yet in this place, everyone was full of contempt. She tried to talk to them a few times, but because they were feeble attempts, their conversations did not continue. There, a clear line of boundaries had been drawn between her and everyone else. Naturally, a distance had been formed between them, and Chloe herself as well detached herself from them. Eric might have been able to help her adapt well here if he had taken care of her, but he was a heartless husband who never returned home for months on end. He never even looked for her. And so, Chloe was completely isolated. It had been five years. ¡®What if I had gotten attached to this place? Even if Eric didn¡¯t love me, the people in the mansion could care for me and love me.¡¯ If that had happened, she might not have made the same decision now. Chloe thought this, but it was really just an idea. She had already made up her mind, and she still had enough drive in her to put her thoughts into action. ¡®I need to find the butler.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t find him on the third floor, so she had to go all the way back to the first floor hall. Huu. She sighed as she rounded the corner. ¡°She¡¯s sick again, isn¡¯t she?¡± At that moment, she heard a familiar voice. It was her personal maid. Chloe reflexively hid herself even though she wasn¡¯t at fault. Gasp. A cold breath came out. ¡°Of course. The Madam is always sick during winter.¡± ¡°Gosh, why is she so weak.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s the appeal to southern women I guess.¡± Sarcasm was evident in her voice. Chloe pursed her lips. ¡°She¡¯s a noble lady. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s having a hard time in this humble place.¡± ¡°Hey! What are you talking about! I did everything she asked me to do! I set up a stove in every room because she felt cold, and every winter, I lugged around all that expensive fur and plastered it all on the walls of her room¡ªbut what? Huh?¡± ¡°Just think of the Madam¡¯s family. Do you think a Duke¡¯s precious youngest daughter would be satisfied with just that?¡± ¡°Ha! Did you mean a Duke drowning in debt? Who do you think is paying back all that money? If it weren¡¯t for the Marquis, they¡¯d have gone bankrupt, bankrupt! That¡¯s all there is to it!¡± She was right. Everything she said was right. But Chloe wanted to defend herself. It really was cold. And it was painful. She couldn¡¯t help it. And the Duke¡¯s debt was¡­ There was no excuse for it. Chloe dropped her gaze despondently. ¡°It would be better for them to just get divorced. They couldn¡¯t even be called a husband and wife, now could they?¡± ¡°Lily, stop it. What will you do if someone hears?¡± ¡°But did I say anything wrong? We¡¯re all thinking the same thing anyway! Milord isn¡¯t even coming back to the estate because of her!¡± She didn¡¯t know that. Chloe froze, forgetting how to breathe. ¡°That¡¯s how bad their relationship is. It¡¯s been five years, and there¡¯s not even a sign of a successor.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a problem, I know¡­¡± ¡°I heard about it. They¡¯ve never slept together.¡± ¡°What?¡± Even the maid who was trying to defend Chloe vaguely had asked back in a clearer voice. ¡°But then¡­ What? Is Milord holding it in? Does that even make sense?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. He might have a lover. Well, anyway. They don¡¯t even hold hands. What kind of husband and wife is that? They¡¯re worse than strangers.¡± ¡°That¡¯s really amazing. I didn¡¯t know it was that bad. Why isn¡¯t she getting close to Milord?¡± ¡°Do you think I could understand how a noblewoman¡¯s brain works? She never even tried to talk to us, did she? Gosh, it¡¯s all so annoying.¡± Their voices grew farther and farther away. It could be that they¡¯re walking away, or it could be that Chloe had fallen deaf to everything around her. Left alone in that cruel silence, Chloe suddenly grabbed her own neck. She squeezed it hard. If she didn¡¯t do this, her lips would utter a cry. ¡°Uuurk¡­¡± They were right. Chloe had never spent the night with Eric. All throughout their five years of marriage. Even their first official night never happened. It¡¯s not as though she never tried. When her father was still alive, he pressured her endlessly, so she swallowed the shame she felt and reached out to Eric first. But Eric refused. What were his eyes like back then? He was so heartless that she didn¡¯t want to remember. ¡®It¡¯s not my fault.¡¯ It was because of Eric¡¯s refusal. Chloe thought so all this time. But¡­ ¡®Is it really my fault?¡¯ She loved him, but he didn¡¯t love her back. Her mother always said that¡­ It was the woman¡¯s fault if her husband did not love her. According to what her mother said, then she was entirely responsible. It was her fault that he did not love her. ¡®What did I do wrong?¡¯ She didn¡¯t know what it was. But ignorance could not be forgiven, at least in this case. She¡¯d been living her life the wrong way. And now, she could only reap what she had sown. Chloe let go of her neck and sorted out her rumpled dress. She quickly left that spot and went down the stairs. As soon as she reached the hall on the first floor, she saw the butler. ¡°Madam?¡± The butler approached her with great surprise, not expecting Chloe to come there. ¡°Why are you out here, Your Excellency? It¡¯s cold.¡± ¡°I have a favor to ask of you.¡± A favor? He was surprised once again. It was very rare for Chloe to ask anything. ¡°Can you call a carriage for me?¡± ¡°A carriage?¡± His eyes narrowed quite a bit, then he looked out the large window of the hall. The snow had slowed for a while, but it was still blowing. ¡°It will be difficult because of the blizzard. May I know where you plan on going, Madam?¡± ¡°Then when can you call for one?¡± ¡°I shall call the horseman as soon as the snow lets up. But where¡­¡± Chloe breathed out heavily once. Then, she raised her chin straight up as her blue eyes sparkled dangerously. ¡°I¡¯m going to see my husband. She recalled the divorce papers in the drawer. It¡¯s time to end this mistaken relationship. Rattle. The locomotive shook. On the icy road, she could hear the horses neighing, and perhaps the wheels had been caught. However, the horseman didn¡¯t mind it all and continued to ignite the engine. Flick, clatter. As the flames ignited, the acrid smoke from the exhaust tank intensified. The locomotive sped up. Chloe hurriedly closed the window, the murky smell of coal unwelcome to her senses. She carefully placed her forehead over the window. Haa. Her breath blew out and the window turned white. The red sunset could be seen over the hazy horizon. ¡®Why don¡¯t you send a telegram instead, Madam? Instead of visiting Milord.¡¯ The butler had recommended this, but Chloe refused. She wanted to meet him right away before her firm heart would sway. However, as the locomotive drove along the long road, she felt as though she wasn¡¯t ready to go down this path. ¡¯I don¡¯t know. He might have a lover.¡¯ Despite the fact that the maid spewed out much sharper words behind her back, this remark wouldn¡¯t leave her ears. So she thought about it. Maybe if he left home this early, he might be with his lover right now. The seed of doubt was clearly embedded deep in her mind. He was a husband who came home only once every few months. Even then, he never stayed for more than a week, and he always refused to sleep with his wife who was only ever home. ¡®There must be a lover. There¡¯s no way there¡¯s none.¡¯ Chloe smiled bitterly. She wondered why she never doubted him before, but the answer came right away. Because of her pride. She didn¡¯t allow herself to be the kind of woman who suspected her husband of having an affair. And due to that pride, everyone but her was convinced that her husband was definitely having an affair. How wretched. How pitiable. She felt so sorry for herself that she couldn¡¯t stand it. Thump, thump. She hit her own chest a few times. However, the dull sorrow filling her heart would not disappear easily. These dense emotions wouldn¡¯t go away just because of this feeble act. Chloe, who was out of breath for a long time, reached into her bag and pulled out the divorce papers. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 ¡°Haa¡­¡± After looking at the documents again, she was able to breathe a little. She would be able to get out of this suffocating life soon. ¡°Divorce¡­¡± Her husband had never brought up divorce to her. Perhaps it was because he felt responsible. Chloe was convinced that this was the only reason. She believed he had a persistent sense of duty, which was why she had been able to endure until this long. So if she was the one who brought out the divorce papers¡­ He might sign them right away. And he might be happy that she raised the topic in the first place. Or he could become angry. After all, how much money had he spent on Chloe so far? Whatever his reaction would be, Chloe would accept it all. Because she was finally making her own decision. She would be tenacious enough to see it through until the end. He, who signed the marriage contract, fulfilled the barest minimum of his obligations as a husband¡ªand she, who signed the same document, stubbornly wished to fulfill her obligations as a wife. And so, the husband placed her wife as the Madam of the household and left her there. And so, the wife loved her husband without her affections ever reciprocated. Such a misguided relationship could only be proven by a single document. It wasn¡¯t enough to bind them together. Chloe laughed at herself. ¡®When I was in the academy¡­ I don¡¯t think I would have done this.¡¯ She never spoke to Eric back then, but rumor went that he wasn¡¯t such an unfeeling man. At the very least, he was known for defending the weak and fighting against the strong wrongdoers. That¡¯s why he was so captivating to her eyes. However, after their marriage, she found that he was far from how the rumors painted him out to be. He didn¡¯t take care of Chloe, despite her being disadvantaged. Rather, only harsh spikes seemed to have jutted out towards her. ¡®Is it my fault?¡¯ Her mother¡¯s words kept ringing behind her ears. It¡¯s the woman¡¯s fault if her husband does not love her¡­ Chloe shook her head. She was already set on getting a divorce. But she was still blaming herself. At that moment, the locomotive slowed down. The horse¡¯s neighing could be heard several times, and soon the locomotive stopped. ¡°Madam, we¡¯ve arrived.¡± The horseman opened the door, and Chloe glanced at him before she stepped out slowly. There was a man running frantically from a distance. It was Daniel, Eric¡¯s aide. ¡°Ma, Madam?¡± His mouth was agape as he gawked at Chloe. ¡°Goodness, it¡¯s really you, Madam. I saw the carriage coming from the north, so I wondered who was arriving. What brings you here, Madam? Ah, no no. It¡¯s not the time for pleasantries. Please, come inside. It¡¯s getting late as well.¡± Daniel was a modest man. He was one of the few who talked to Chloe without clear malice. However, Chloe felt awkward by the kindness he showed. The discomfort she felt was a product of a sense of vigilance that was learned by living in the harsh northern society. At Daniel¡¯s amiable smile, Chloe tucked in her chin and averted her gaze. Then, holding onto his hand for him to guide her, they slowly walked along the stone path. The mansion in the capital was a simple one. There were no knights guarding the gate, the brick walls were low, and the bushes were narrow. Chloe looked up at the three-story building that had worn-out exterior walls. There¡¯s no way. Then this meant he really had no money anymore. Was that why he was living in such a shabby place? Chloe sighed, recalling the four million pounds that went to her family. ¡°I¡¯m here to see my husband. Where is he?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Daniel asked me in bewilderment, but he schooled his features and opened the front door. ¡°His Excellency is currently working on something. He¡¯s in the lab, and he won¡¯t be coming out for a while.¡± Chloe closed her eyes for one prolonged moment, then slowly opened them again. She arrived here without contacting her husband, and she thought that maybe she¡¯d run into the lover he might have. Her assumption might be right. A part of her heart ached. It felt like her heart was being stabbed with endless needles, one at a time. Her face crumpled, but she quickly composed herself. She took in a big breath and straightened her back. ¡°Take me there.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Daniel¡¯s gaze was quivering as he asked again, and at that, Chloe¡¯s eyes narrowed. If it were the usual, she would have said that she¡¯d wait until he was done with his work. No. If it were the usual, she wouldn¡¯t have come here in the first place. But Chloe had changed from the past. Now that she had been declared as good as dead, she was determined to pave her own future, however short it was. She didn¡¯t want to live in silence any longer. ¡°I want you to take me to where my husband is right now.¡± If he truly had a lover, Chloe wanted to see her with her own eyes. And¡­ ¡®That way, we can separate sooner.¡¯ She buried her feelings for her husband, even as her heart became heavier and heavier. ¡°But Madam¡­ It¡¯s not a place fit for you to go.¡± ¡°Are you waiting for me to search every corner of this house myself?¡± Grit. A distinct sound came from Daniel¡¯s clenched teeth. ¡°¡­Please let me guide you there.¡± Daniel started on his way and led her to her destination. While following the aide, Chloe could feel her heart pounding inside her chest. It was beating so erratically that it felt like it would burst through its cage and jump out of her throat. It was the first time she said anything firmly to another person, and the anxiety of seeing her husband¡¯s lover was endlessly nerve-wracking. She took out a handkerchief with a gloved hand and wiped off her sweat. The lab was in the annex, which was connected to the main building by way of a short hallway. They arrived before long, without having to walk far. Daniel had sneaked glances at her on the way, still confused by her behavior, but now he turned to her fully. He held the knob of the door leading to the annex tightly. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a little hot.¡± Then, he opened the door before she could say anything. At the same time, a strong heat fanned into her face. Cough. Chloe coughed slightly. Her cheeks were burning. ¡°The heat of the coal is quite strong. Milord is developing something like a portable stove. Goodness, His Excellency is just¡­ It¡¯s a mess here again.¡± Daniel continued walking forward once more, saying things that Chloe couldn¡¯t understand, and she faltered behind him. The mansion she saw outside was simple and it seemed as though there was nothing special about it. But it was different inside. This place was really strange. The walls were blackened and the floor was covered with spots of mold and moss. Chloe¡¯s chin trembled as she recalled her husband¡¯s usually neat exterior. Then, at that moment¡ª She heard a thump from the other side. Chloe was convinced that this sound couldn¡¯t have possibly come from her husband. Her husband always walked slowly and carefully. But¡­ ¡°Daniel, you f*cking bastard! Why are you so late?!¡± It was Eric, her husband who appeared out of nowhere. And yet Chloe couldn¡¯t recognize him right away. Because he looked nothing like how he usually appeared. Eric was always neat, with his hair combed back. But now, his hair was all over the place, tangled and shooting out in all directions. He usually wore clean shirts and coats. But right now, he was wearing an old shirt that had some buttons missing. His shoes were so worn out that there were large holes in front that revealed his socks. Chloe stared blankly at Eric, not understanding the sight presented to her. ¡°How many times do I have to call you for you to¡­ Wife?¡± Only then did Eric¡¯s eyes turn to her. ¡°¡­Why are you here?¡± His eyes behind those glasses were full of perplexity, mirroring exactly what Chloe was feeling as well. ¡°What are you doing here, Wife?¡± Eric¡¯s tone from when he was shouting disappeared in an instant, and what returned was the usual cold front that he would show Chloe all the time. The glasses over his eyes did not hinder the intensity behind his glare. After being so speechless for a moment, Chloe quickly regained her senses. ¡°¡­I¡¯m here to tell you something.¡± Chloe¡¯s gaze dropped to the ground. She wasn¡¯t confident enough to see Eric¡¯s heartless expression. She had already expected him to look at her like that. She had come here alone for the first time in their five years of marriage, so she was hoping that he would allow her at least this. Apart from that, she didn¡¯t want to succumb to futile hope once more. She had already decided to divorce him, but sometimes, it would spring back up, seeming as though she had yet to fully let go of the string that tied her to hope. And so, she had drowned in sorrow. Yes, just as she did now. ¡°Surely it¡¯s a trivial matter.¡± His cold murmur chilled her to her core. Why was she still clinging onto hope. She already knew that he would answer like this. Eric had always been heartless. And she was always left in misery like this. Taking off her gloves, she let out a low breath and clasped her hands together. ¡°You won¡¯t know if it¡¯s trivial¡­ until you hear it. I¡¯ll be waiting. I need to talk to you.¡± Eric raised an eyebrow. He took off his glasses roughly and pushed back his hair with one hand. Then, he looked down at her with a questioning look. Chloe hesitantly lifted her gaze and made eye contact with him. He was in a different outfit than usual. Even so, he remained the same. Chloe grew calm again. ¡°There¡¯s soot on your face.¡± She reached out to Eric unconsciously. Her handkerchief had been dirtied on the way here, so she used a glove instead. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± But Eric stepped back. Chloe¡¯s hand was left hanging in the air. ¡°Your glove will get dirty.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± He furrowed his brows, ignoring Chloe¡¯s falling hand. Chloe pursed her lips and bowed her head. He didn¡¯t even want her to touch him in any way. Or was it that he loathed to have these expensive gloves smeared? She thought it would be better if it was the latter. It was awful to think that her kindness was cheaper than gloves. ¡ª¡ª tl/n: fun fact¡ª cars weren¡¯t really commonplace back in the victorian era yet, but what chloe rode on the way to eric¡¯s place was a carriage/locomotive hybrid that¡¯s being pulled by horses and being powered by a machine at the same time. i¡¯ll be using ¡®locomotive¡¯ and ¡®carriage¡¯ interchangeably throughout the series, so i hope it won¡¯t be confusing for you guys. (another fun fact ¡ª towards eric, chloe speaks formally with the -? ending, but eric uses the -??? ending with her, which is a loooot more formal than how chloe speaks. Well, anyway, he¡¯s still¡­ a piece of trash~ ) Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Chloe¡¯s eyes watered. She managed to bear the shock of her impending death, but here, she could only clutch her gloves. ¡°Go up to the drawing room. I¡¯ll follow you there.¡± Eric handed her the old shawl that was over his shoulders then walked away. She stared at the limp shawl for a moment before she also walked back the way she had come. The sound of their footsteps was deafening. ¡°Since the Madam is here, His Excellency will come soon. Oh, would you like some tea to warm you up?¡± With a smile on his face, Daniel still treated Chloe the same, as though he hadn¡¯t seen Eric ignore her just like that. It was weighing on her mind. It would have been easier for her if he had just ignored her like the rest of the northerners did, then she wouldn¡¯t need to think about how to respond to this unprompted kindness. ¡°Madam?¡± Chloe shook her head a couple of times. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Instead, I¡¯d like it if you turn up the heat.¡± ¡°I understand. If there¡¯s anything else you need, please feel free to call me.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± David bowed and left the room. As soon as she heard the door close, Chloe collapsed on the sofa. She buried her face in her hands and breathed hard. Then, she consciously placed a handkerchief over her lips. The pain in her chest came immediately. Cough! Cough, cough, cough! Several more followed, leaving blood on the handkerchief. Chloe curled into herself, holding onto her chest where the pain was spreading. Her slim shoulders trembled pitifully. ¡°Haa, ha¡­¡± She covered her eyes with a palm as she leaned back to lie down on the sofa. Her body drooped like a heavily soaked cotton ball. It hurt. It really did. She couldn¡¯t compose herself because it hurt so much. But she couldn¡¯t let anyone know that she was already this sick. She had never told anyone in the first place. A memory from when she was younger suddenly flashed through her mind. Having caught a bad cold, she looked for her mother, but her mother turned a blind eye to her. Instead, her mother went to her older brother¡¯s horseback riding class to accompany him. There was another instance. Chloe had a serious head injury after falling down the stairs after her older brother played a sick joke on her. She cried and went to her parents. Yet instead of scolding her brother, they berated Chloe. It only hurt more when she talked. Complaining about her pain just made people laugh at her. It was a shame to reveal her sorrow. Her anxiety was her own. Her pain was her own. Her thoughts were not to be shared with others. Chloe had learned all of this a long time ago. That¡¯s why she always kept her mouth shut. Even when she heard the truth about her limited time in this world. ¡°Huu¡­¡± Chloe groaned for the last time, pressing harder around her eyes with the back of her hand. Thinking about it, she spent each day of her life as though she¡¯d live forever. She thought her husband would come to love her someday. But now, she had only two years left. She lived as his wife for five years without having ever felt any love. Two years or however long after¡­ It was clear that Eric would not change. Rather than dying in misery, she wasn¡¯t sure whether it was possible to live her own life¡­ but it was better to try anyway. Chloe slowly sat up and opened her eyes. She approached the window and looked outside, where she saw a huge clock, the capital¡¯s landmark. Tick, tock, tick, tock. As the watch¡¯s second hand moved, palace guards crowded around it. Carrying shotguns, they were all wearing prosthetic arms. She heard that prosthetic arms could be manipulated to fire bullets. Chloe doubted it at first, but soon nodded, thinking that it was possible because Eric was the inventor. The genius inventor, Eric Aslan, could invent something like that without even batting an eyelash. ¡®He¡¯s a great man.¡¯ Chloe chuckled under her breath, remembering how he looked in the lab. She was flustered by his unusual appearance, but other than that, he still looked great. Him, soaked with sweat. Him, covered with soot. Him, dressed so sloppily. However, it just seemed to reveal his true character. He was a great man with infinite capabilities. ¡®¡­I don¡¯t belong next to him.¡¯ Chloe laughed again, leaning against the window and tapping her forehead against the glass. Her breath was mixed with sadness and misery. At that moment, when the windows gradually clouded¡ª Ka-chak. The door opened. She could hear footsteps coming closer, and she could tell who it was without even looking back. Eric. He was now completely different from how he was in the lab. It seemed like he took a quick shower. But there was something different from what she usually saw. It was a face overcome with anger. Chloe¡¯s shoulders drooped. ¡°I¡¯ll go in first.¡± Eric strode towards the inner room and opened the door. ¡°Don¡¯t come without an appointment from now on. You¡¯re disturbing me. I lost my momentum on my research because you interrupted.¡± At the ruthless reproach, Chloe bit her lower lip. She struggled to raise her head, putting on a mask of a calm face. ¡°I told you there¡¯s something I need to say.¡± ¡°It would have been better for you to wait until I came back.¡± ¡°After coming to a place like this, you never come back.¡± Brooding over her words, he frowned. ¡°A place like this? What kind of place do you think this is?¡± Instead of answering, Chloe looked at her surroundings. It was an untidy room, and inside¡ªan old sofa, a dirty carpet, a vase with several cracks, window frames layered with dust. Then, she turned back to Eric. ¡°Don¡¯t you have any servants here?¡± ¡°Are you saying my house is filthy?¡± That was how Eric saw her blatant gaze. His expression distorted and he briefly clicked his tongue. ¡°Now you¡¯re nagging me, even when you barged in here without an invitation.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not nagging. I meant that it must be hard for you.¡± Chloe took a step closer to him. ¡°You¡¯re having a hard time paying off the Duke¡¯s debts, aren¡¯t you?¡± This was her only conclusion. Considering the mansion he had here in the north, this was considerably less. Even more pitiful than a stable. Huu. Chloe let out a low sigh. Seeing Eric in front of her like this, her conscience was heavy with guilt. Eric was unable to spend money on himself because he was trying his hardest to pay off the Duke¡¯s debt, which was nearly four million pounds. He was living such a hard life. Now she understood why Eric hated her¡ªwhy he didn¡¯t love her. No wonder he didn¡¯t even like her. ¡°Wife.¡± Eric spoke, but Chloe did not lift her dropped gaze. ¡°How long must you ignore me for you to be satisfied? I¡¯m really curious.¡± She didn¡¯t know why, but there was a hint of futility in his tone. She didn¡¯t know what it meant, but it felt empty and miserable. Chloe lifted her chin slowly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me whether the Duke owes millions more. I¡¯m earning enough money, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Chloe met his gaze, and his eyes shook for an instant. ¡°It¡¯s clear from your eyes that you don¡¯t believe me.¡± Eric glared at her as he swept back his hair roughly. ¡°Are you trying to ask me how it¡¯s possible for me to earn such a fortune? Is that it?¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re wrong. I¡¯m not thinking that.¡± His eyes, in return, looked at her with distrust. Chloe clutched the skirt of her dress tightly. ¡°You as well¡­ Your eyes are saying that you don¡¯t believe me.¡± ¡°I cannot believe you.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you trust me?¡± Her question was almost like a crying plea, but Eric didn¡¯t answer. He always acted this way whenever he refused to talk, so Chloe felt that this conversation was already ending. ¡°I¡¯m telling you again¡ªdon¡¯t come here from now on. Understand?¡± Again. He¡¯s saying the same thing. Chloe¡¯s grip grew tighter. ¡°Is it really because of your inventions?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s not the case, then what could it possibly be?¡± She wasn¡¯t sure. What could it be? I don¡¯t know. He might have a lover.¡¯ Those words were hovering behind her ears again. Trying to steel her quivering voice, she spewed out the thoughts that were plaguing her mind this whole time. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a lover?¡± Chloe swallowed. She didn¡¯t know what she was saying anymore, but she wanted to say it anyway. She thought that she would be able to relieve the anger and frustration piled up in her heart by saying these words. ¡°That¡¯s what the servants say. Since we¡¯re like this as a married couple, then it could only be because you have another woman.¡± That¡¯s why she said it. Her heart felt relieved at the thought of seeing Eric¡¯s aloof expression crack, even for a little bit. ¡°If you have a woman, please tell me. Then¡­¡± ¡°Is that also what you think, Wife?¡± Eric walked closer to her and clutched Chloe¡¯s vulnerable shoulders. ¡°Really, Wife. Is that what you truly believe?¡± Chloe didn¡¯t answer. She just looked up at him with clear, watery eyes. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Eric¡¯s gaze hardened coldly. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s what I think.¡± After Chloe said this, Eric let go of his grip over her shoulders. Once again, he brushed up his hair and gritted his teeth. ¡°That¡¯s what you, my wife, thinks¡­¡± He looked down at her with an unreadable look that she had never seen before. ¡°Even when I don¡¯t do anything, they still say that kind of sh*t.¡± In the end, her husband grew livid. Eric wasn¡¯t the type to be angered easily. It was normal for thorns to rise or the temperature to drop around him, but he never fully expressed his anger through his facial expressions or through his gestures. At this moment, his black eyes were hazy and his cheeks were flushed red. Both of his hands felt weak as they trembled, and there was a stiffness in the back of his neck and on his shoulders that wouldn¡¯t go away. With his anger so visibly palpable like this, Chloe¡¯s shoulders quivered. ¡®I don¡¯t think I should say anything more.¡¯ And so she took a step back, with the intent to keep quiet from now on. But then Eric¡¯s lips opened. ¡°Daniel!¡± He shouted in a loud voice, and the previously shut door immediately opened halfway. ¡°Yes, Your Excellency.¡± Daniel peeked through the open gap. Yet Eric didn¡¯t even glance at him. His eyes were still intensely focused on Chloe with a burning gaze. ¡°Send a telegram to the estate at once with the order to get rid of all the maids serving my wife.¡± ¡°Darling!¡± Chloe cried out as she heard this, then lowered her voice to try and convince him. ¡°They didn¡¯t say it to my face¡ªI only happened to hear it while they were talking. I was the one who overheard it, so¡­ don¡¯t fire them for something as trivial as that.¡± ¡°Trivial? Is that something trivial?¡± She could see him shaking in anger. ¡°Servants have a duty to keep their mouths shut. Whether you overheard it or not isn¡¯t the point.¡± Eric¡¯s words weren¡¯t wrong. Of course, it was the servants who were at fault. But Chloe didn¡¯t want them to suffer because of her. She didn¡¯t want to be burdened any further. She already felt terrible because her marriage was failing, so she didn¡¯t want to think about ruining other people¡¯s lives on top of that. ¡°But¡ª Darling, it¡¯s winter now. You know how difficult it would be if they left the estate on a cold day like this.¡± That¡¯s why Chloe kept dissuading Eric. However¡­ ¡°¡­Darling?¡± Chloe unconsciously reached towards Eric. Because his face suddenly turned white. His eyes were swirling with many different emotions. Those emotions came and went in a flash, so it was hard to guess what they were. But Chloe could see that Eric was definitely shaken at this moment. ¡®Why? Was it something I said?¡¯ Thinking about retracting her outstretched hand, it froze in midair. Feeling embarrassed by the look Chloe had as she stared at him, Eric brushed a hand over his face and pushed back his fringe once more. Then, he raised his chin. ¡°Any husband wouldn¡¯t be able to stay calm after hearing such insulting words. If I could, I¡¯d send those maids to the guillotine for blasphemy against an aristocrat.¡± ¡°But Darling¡­¡± ¡°Thanks to you, I¡¯ll be a merciful nobleman who¡¯ll only fire them. Daniel, take care of this matter.¡± ¡°¡­I understand.¡± Wary of the tense atmosphere between Chloe and Eric, Daniel closed the door without saying anything more. It was just the two of them again. Chloe glanced at Eric, whose shoulders no longer trembled in rage. He was the same as usual again, but there were still traces of strong emotions in his stance. So Chloe focused more on composing herself. She drew in her thoughts and focused on calming her mind. ¡®¡­Let¡¯s try to avoid a fight.¡¯ In any case, their relationship would end soon, so she didn¡¯t want to argue with him anymore. But this was still too much. Not just because Eric was adamant about firing the maids. There was nothing for her to be upset about regarding their dismissal, and the guilt she felt could be pushed to the back of her mind for now. There was only one reason why she felt so incensed at this moment. Because Eric had ignored her opinion yet again. As expected, it was always going to be like this. She at least wanted to be heard. She was still his wife and the Madam of the estate¡ªif she was treated with any respect at all, she would have been able to decide on her own! ¡®But why is he so affected by it?¡¯ Chloe wiped the cold sweat off her chin with the back of her hand. Then, she took a large breath and spoke. ¡°Those maids reached a reasonable conclusion anyway.¡± And at that, Eric¡¯s expression became distorted. ¡°Just what are you¡ª!¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re never by my side in the first place!¡± Chloe raised her voice for the first time. It was disgraceful to do so, but it was even more disgraceful to keep holding it in. Chloe closed her eyes and continued with a determined tone. ¡°We never even shared the same bed, that¡¯s why they talk like that. I must not be good enough¡ªyou must have a lover. They can¡¯t help but think that way.¡± It had been five years. During this entire period, Eric never stood by her side. He never even embraced her warmly. He never held her hand. He never¡­ He never did anything for her. ¡®Why did I ever fall for such a man? Why did I! And why do I still continue to love this man even in a situation like this?!¡¯ Her heart was numb. The misery she felt clogged at her throat, threatening to reduce her to tears every time she opened her lips to speak. But Chloe stood her ground. Even when she had been beaten by her father to the point that her ankle¡¯s bones were fractured, she didn¡¯t let her tears escape. She couldn¡¯t cry over this. She shouldn¡¯t. ¡°So.¡± Eric¡¯s voice was faint, but ironically, it was still crystal clear. His cold voice reached her ears. ¡°So they¡¯re saying that kind of nonsense because I don¡¯t sleep with my wife?¡± Chloe slowly opened her eyes and exhaled slowly. As she lifted her gaze, she saw Eric¡¯s distorted expression. ¡°It¡¯s my fault again. Everything.¡± Frozen stiff in her place, Chloe looked up. And their gazes met. Blue eyes pointing towards her ducal lineage and black eyes revealing his lowborn blood. Chloe stepped back unknowingly. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Eric sighed exasperatedly. ¡°You keep looking at me like I¡¯m a monster.¡± A dry palm swept down his face. ¡°Please go back as soon as daybreak tomorrow morning.¡± Before Chloe realized, Eric had already turned his back on her. So she couldn¡¯t see what kind of expression he had or what kind of emotions flashed through his eyes. If she were to hold him back and look at his face right now, would anything change? Slam! The door closed behind him. No. Nothing would change. Chloe sank to the floor. Slam! Eric, who closed the door loudly, held onto the doorknob¡ªthen, he quietly held his breath, thinking that Chloe might open the door and come out. But the door stayed shut, and he couldn¡¯t hear anything inside the room. Eric rubbed the back of his neck and bit his lower lip. ¡®Don¡¯t you have a lover?¡¯ As soon as he heard those words, it was like he could practically feel steam rising from his ears. He was beyond angry¡ªhe was livid. He rarely ever stepped outside this lab. He was here all day and all night struggling to make more of his inventions so he could find more investors. Just who did she think he was doing this for?! He wanted to yell and let it all out. But that wasn¡¯t something he could do. Chloe Rolph wasn¡¯t the kind of woman who would condone any reprehensible behavior. ¡¯We never even shared the same bed, that¡¯s why they talk like that.¡¯ As she had spoken about a private matter between a married couple, she didn¡¯t hesitate for even a little. All this time, she continued to exude a noble elegance. She was completely different from him. He looked down at his right foot, covered under his pants and thick socks. Even under all those layers, it wouldn¡¯t change the fact that it was a mechanical prosthetic leg. Would he have been able to show this to her? To Chloe Rolph? He could already imagine what kind of gaze she would have. She would be disgusted by the mere sight of his amputated foot. She already looked at him as though he was a monster, but after seeing this, he would be reduced to something even more revolting in her eyes. Recalling Chloe¡¯s pale face, Eric soon shook his head with a bitter sigh leaving his lips. ¡°Have you finished talking, Your Excellency?¡± It was Daniel¡¯s voice. Waiting for Eric and Chloe¡¯s conversation to end, Daniel approached the other man with lighthearted steps. ¡°Goodness, you should stop yelling at the Madam. Isn¡¯t it too much if even I can hear everything from outside?¡± Eric frowned, but Daniel continued. ¡°Madam looked very sick today. What if she collapses? Your Excellency should be nicer to her while she¡¯s here.¡± ¡°What, do you think she¡¯s going to die?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not thinking anything that extreme. Maybe something like divorce since Your Excellency is always angry.¡± ¡°Nonsense.¡± Eric gave it a thought. Divorce? Chloe? Ridiculous. Eric scoffed as he looked around, staring at his surroundings that were so full of dust. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 ¡°F*ck. What does this house look like?¡± Eric kicked the trash at his feet. ¡°You¡¯re my assistant, but why didn¡¯t you keep this place clean?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Daniel asked back, his expression clearly saying that what Eric said was absurd. ¡°But it was Your Excellency who said that you don¡¯t want any maids here?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I want this place to be a trash dump!¡± ¡°Why are you angry all of a sudden?¡± Daniel rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°Yes, well¡­ I¡¯ll call someone over tomorrow.¡± ¡°Bring a lady-in-waiting for my wife.¡± ¡°A lady-in-waiting? Not a maid?¡± But the Madam won¡¯t stay here for long. She would stay here for a day or two at most, but did he just say that a lady-in-waiting who¡¯s difficult to hire must come here at once? Daniel inwardly swore. ¡°Did you forget who my wife is?¡± Eric said this firmly. ¡°She¡¯s an esteemed daughter of a Duke. She¡¯s not someone who¡¯s rolling on the floor like us. If you give her someone incompetent, she¡¯ll be very offended.¡± ¡°No, but¡­ From what I¡¯ve observed of the Madam, I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll be offended¡­¡± Daniel continued to talk even as he tried to gauge Eric¡¯s mood. ¡°I think she¡¯s a good person, unlike what the servants are saying.¡± Eric¡¯s temples were twitching as though he was very displeased. Daniel didn¡¯t know what Eric was upset about, but his face was distorted anyway. The aide backed down cautiously. At times like this, there was a real possibility that Eric¡¯s fuse would explode. ¡°¡­Alright.¡± After being silent for so long, Eric said this. ¡°A good person.¡± Ah yes, Daniel himself was also such a good person to have stayed here this long even though he was going crazy. Eric turned his gaze to the aide and glared at him as though he could read his thoughts. ¡°But Your Excellency, you know how harsh it would be to leave for the estate on this cold day.¡± He knew. Having a life of just rolling over the floor, he knew. His first memory was opening his eyes at a dilapidated orphanage. He had no money and he starved for days on end while suffering from the harsh cold of the north. Because of that, his foot had to be amputated and now he was only wearing a prosthetic leg, so¡­ he knew. But she didn¡¯t know that. There was never a day in her life that she suffered from not having money. She had never lived under such pitiful circumstances. Her lifestyle was an aristocrat¡¯s, so¡­ she would never know. She didn¡¯t know any of it, that¡¯s why she would only be hurt from whatever he said. Damn it. Eric let out a long sigh as he loosened his necktie. He stared towards the direction where Chloe was staying. ¡°Anyway, get a lady-in-waiting today so that someone can serve Chloe as soon as she wakes up tomorrow.¡± ¡°You¡¯re making me do something ridiculous again. How can I get one within the day? ¡­Yes, alright. I¡¯ll do my best. Please stop glaring at me as if you want to rip me to shreds.¡± Daniel immediately backed down again and just accepted it. ¡°Great. Then, the Second Prince is coming tomorrow as well. It¡¯ll be good to have someone take care of the Madam while the Prince is¡­ Your Excellency?¡± After talking to himself for a long time, Daniel turned to Eric, who now had a blank expression on his face. ¡°What is it, sire? Did you forget?¡± Eric covered his mouth with a clenched fist, his eyes visibly quivering as he was lost in thought. Haa. At a loss, Daniel sighed. ¡°No matter how much you despise His Highness, isn¡¯t this too much? He¡¯s still a prince. He¡¯s our biggest customer, sire!¡± ¡°I only forgot because I had a lot of work to do. And since I remembered now, isn¡¯t it fine?¡± Eric loosened his cuffs roughly and rolled up his sleeves, thick veins visible on his muscular arms. ¡°Wake Chloe up early tomorrow morning and ask her to leave.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let her run into the Prince.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Daniel was puzzled, but Eric didn¡¯t explain any further. He passed by Eric and walked away. ¡°No, sire, the Madam is still in an amicable relationship with the Royal family, right? Wouldn¡¯t it be better if the Madam is there, too? Sire? Sire!¡± Daniel chased after Eric¡¯s back as he shouted. ¡°Your Excellency! Please explain at least!¡± Eric had no choice but to stay silent. In fact, he couldn¡¯t explain the strange unpleasantness that he was feeling. ¡®Isn¡¯t it fortunate that at least it¡¯s not the Third Prince?¡¯ The situation wasn¡¯t exactly fortunate, but this was a good thing anyway. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t want them to meet.¡± He¡¯d have to send Chloe back tomorrow right away. Eric was determined to make it so. Chloe opened her eyes in the dark. Was it because the sun would hide for too long during winter? Even though it was already morning, it was still dark outside. ¡°It¡¯s cold.¡± She talked to herself reflexively. As always, only cold air would answer back. That¡¯s what she thought, but¡­ ¡°Hm¡­?¡± She didn¡¯t feel the usual biting chill in the air. Cautiously removing the blanket over her, she stretched out her arms. ¡®It¡¯s not cold.¡¯ The warm air in the room could be felt by both her cheeks. ¡®It¡¯s warm¡­¡¯ How long had it been since she felt any warmth? Chloe smiled right away and took the shawl hanging on a chair, wrapping it around her shoulders. Then, she rose from the bed. There were three stove heaters in the room. They definitely weren¡¯t there yesterday¡­ Did Daniel bring them in? ¡¯It¡¯s my fault again. Everything.¡¯ But she recalled what happened with Eric yesterday. ¡®You keep looking at me like I¡¯m a monster.¡¯ As she saw his sad expression, she wanted to say that it wasn¡¯t true. But she missed the right time to say it. ¡®Should I try to talk to him again today?¡¯ But what should she say? Should she appease him and tell him that she never thought that he was a monster? Or should she be angry and accuse him in turn, saying that it was him who turned a blind eye to her? She had no idea what to say. Chloe wrestled with her thoughts as she reached over to the heater. The warmth gradually spread over to her starting from her fingertips. As her body warmed up, her mind became clearer. Since last night, she slowly organized her cloudy thoughts little by little. As she felt her head aching from exertion, the answer finally came to her. ¡®Whatever happens, I still have to talk to him.¡¯ She had yet to have a chance to talk to him, so they never had the chance to know what one thought of the other. The misunderstandings between them could be resolved. If they talked¡­ ¡®Maybe we can change.¡¯ But what would change? ¡®My relationship with him?¡¯ Even if it did, what¡¯s the point? ¡®I¡¯m going to divorce him anyway.¡¯ As she contemplated, Chloe paused and retracted her hand from the heater. ¡®Do I really want a divorce¡­?¡¯ She closed her eyes slowly. And thought about him. Eric. His face, his expressions, his gestures, everything. ¡®What I really want is¡­¡¯ ¡­Not a marriage that would end with a single document. She wanted warmth. Arms wrapped around her. A sincere love. But¡­ ¡°I¡¯m about to di¡ª¡° Even before she could finish the word, she bent over. Cough! A sharp cough gnawed at her throat, then she felt something warm pooling inside her mouth. Chloe took out her medicine bottle from the bag she brought, taking a handful of it and drinking it without any water to wash it down. Bitterness mixed with the metallic taste. ¡°Haa¡­¡± She tilted her head back with a hand over her forehead. The sharp cough stabbed at her heart. She bit her lips tightly to endure the pain. It was a heart problem, this illness. Because her heart wasn¡¯t functioning properly, every other organ in her body started failing one by one. Her stomach was the first to weaken after her heart, so she couldn¡¯t digest anything properly. Then, her lungs became more inflamed as her coughing grew severe. How much more blood had she shed over her tears? Sometimes, it was dark red blood that came out. She¡¯s going to die anyway. This was an undeniable fact. ¡®Even if I talk to Eric properly and finally have my love reciprocated¡­¡¯ Chloe smiled bitterly. For so long, this had been what she was wishing for, but it wasn¡¯t what she wanted anymore. Now, she didn¡¯t want to be loved by him. ¡®If I¡¯m loved, then I would just want to live more!¡¯ Chloe shut her eyes tightly. Because she had a time limit on her life, she wasn¡¯t allowed to have any greed to live any longer. Even with a time limit, she was still bound like this. She couldn¡¯t even do what she desired. ¡®And Eric will have a hard time, too¡­ If he really starts treating me like his wife¡­¡¯ She didn¡¯t know if it would be better to just divorce him while it was still like this. While he still hated her completely. ¡®It¡¯s the best path for everyone.¡¯ Her life, her feelings, her death. It should all be dealt with by no one but herself, so she had to make this choice. This was the right thing to do. ¡®I need to get a divorce.¡¯ It was the best choice not only for herself, but also for Eric. They would both be at peace. Chloe thought that he would fare better alone than to be stuck with a wife who constantly emptied his pockets. Slowly approaching the window, she saw the white landscape that was outside. ¡®It snowed last night.¡¯ They said it didn¡¯t snow in the capital. But why did it snow like this? The perfect white snowflakes that continued to flutter down from the sky since last night settled down upon the landscape, oblivious to all the turmoil she felt inside. Chloe looked up blankly at the falling snow. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 ¡®Will I be able to bring up the divorce today?¡¯ But would she be able to do that now? She looked outside the window, carefully scanning the dilapidated mansion. Eric was an inventor and entrepreneur who¡¯s famous all throughout the country¡ªand yet, he lived in a place like this, like he¡¯s barely making a living. Chloe was someone who was raised as a noble since she was born. She knew enough about courtesy and propriety. She placed such a huge debt on her husband. She couldn¡¯t possibly run away. ¡®I have to pay back the money before getting divorced.¡¯ But how¡­ She thought about contacting her mother, but this thought soon disappeared. It¡¯s clear that her mother would oppose the divorce. Her mother wouldn¡¯t possibly support Chloe¡¯s decision to divorce the Marquis of Aslan, who continuously gave funds to Chloe¡¯s older brother. ¡°Then¡­¡± Chloe grimaced. No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn¡¯t come up with a good answer. She couldn¡¯t think of a way to make four million pounds. Helpless. Incompetent. That¡¯s all she was¡­ She looked down at the chemise dress she was wearing. These were expensive clothes made of soft silk and fox fur. Whose money was used to buy this? It¡¯s her husband¡¯s. Did she own anything that was bought with her own money? No. Nothing. Chloe bent down to cover her face with both hands. A thorough sense of helplessness wrapped around her whole body. Her heart ached because she felt as though she had become useless trash herself. ¡®I¡¯m going to pay back Eric somehow.¡¯ That¡¯s right. Somehow¡­ At that moment¡ª Knock, knock, knock. Someone was outside her door. Was it Daniel? Chloe hurriedly wrapped a shawl over her shoulders and told the person to come in. But it wasn¡¯t Daniel¡ªit was a middle-aged woman who had a warm expression on her face. ¡°Hello, Madam. I am Andrea Cognac, and I¡¯ll be serving you today.¡± Chloe hesitated for a moment. She didn¡¯t expect a lady-in-waiting to come here. But her hesitation soon disappeared, perhaps because of Andrea¡¯s soft smile or because of the aristocratic habits ingrained in Chloe. Nonetheless, Chloe regained her composure and greeted Andrea calmly. ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°Thank you for your hospitality. Then, please excuse me.¡± Andrea entered the room, and soon, silence befell their surroundings once more. She placed a basin of hot water on the table, steam rising from its warmth. ¡®Here in the north, I was always given cold water for washing.¡¯ From some point on, warmth had become something unfamiliar to her¡ªsomething unnatural. Chloe chuckled bleakly at this realization. ¡°What should I prepare for your breakfast, Madam? If you tell me what you usually eat, I¡¯ll prepare it at once.¡± ¡°Breakfast¡­ No, never mind. Tea is enough for me. Don¡¯t add any sugar.¡± Sugar was expensive, but it was still hard to say that last sentence. ¡°I understand. Then, please let me help you wash your face.¡± Chloe sat quietly on a chair, and soon after, a wet towel touched her cheek. Soft. Warm. Chloe closed her eyes. Wondering how long it had been since she felt this cozy feeling, she felt happy and bitter at the same time. Eric wasted money because of her again. ¡®Of course, it¡¯s not like he brought this lady-in-waiting for himself.¡¯ Chloe slowly opened her eyes again. ¡°Is my husband awake?¡± ¡°Yes. Milord is preparing for a very prominent guest¡¯s visit today.¡± ¡°Prominent?¡± Because only a few could be called that way in this country, Chloe guessed who it was. ¡°Do you mean His Highness is coming to visit?¡± ¡°That is what I heard, Madam.¡± ¡°His Highness the Second Prince or the Third Prince? Who¡¯s coming?¡± ¡°I was not made aware.¡± ¡°Right, of course. Hurry and dress me, then. I need to see my husband.¡± Andrea showed no reaction to Chloe¡¯s sudden bright attitude and simply attended to her. Chloe wore the dress she had been wearing the previous night again. It was an Empire chemise dress. However, since it was chilly, she placed a thick velvet shawl over her shoulder. Again, it was Eric¡¯s. Her coveted silver hair was combed and braided. Andrea tried to adorn her with accessories, but Chloe refused. She wanted to meet the prince as soon as possible. The reason for welcoming the prince wasn¡¯t because she was particularly close with either of the princes, nor was it because she thought they regarded her fondly. ¡®Maybe I can borrow money.¡¯ This was what compelled her. ¡®The princes owe me a lot.¡¯ Chloe thought about them in the past, five years ago. ¡®I¡¯ll be able to borrow money from the Royal Family. I can pay off Eric¡¯s debts with that money.¡¯ Her heart was pounding. The helplessness that had previously taken over her disappeared before she knew it. The pleasant feeling of hope instead embraced her. Chloe opened the bedroom door with an excited heart. But her bright face soon crumbled. Eric was standing outside the door. ¡°¡­Darling?¡± She tried to hide her surprise by raising her chin. Eric only stared at her. ¡°You look happy, Wife.¡± He looked at Chloe with an imploring gaze. ¡°It¡¯s not like you.¡± He said one thing, and then another. However, because Chloe was distracted by the news of a prince¡¯s visit, she didn¡¯t notice his sharp tone. ¡°I heard His Highness is coming, so of course I¡¯d be delighted.¡± Chloe continued to smile in a way that¡¯s ¡®not like her¡¯. ¡°It¡¯s been five years since we met, so there¡¯s a lot to catch up on. Can I greet His Highness?¡± Because of her anticipation, she didn¡¯t see it. Eric¡¯s expression grew stiff. Eric narrowed his eyes. He kept a close eye at Chloe, scrutinizing her face carefully. People usually showed what they were thinking on their faces, but as always, Chloe¡¯s expressions did not reveal anything. Eric continued to stare into her strong gaze, but soon, he exhaled and briefly shook his head. Then, he looked at Andrea. ¡°I¡¯ll have to talk to my wife alone. Leave.¡± Andrea, who had been standing still at the side, bowed and left the room. Ka-chak. After the door was closed, Eric passed by Chloe as he entered. A musky lumber scent passed over the tip of Chloe¡¯s nose. It was a scent that was always around him. Chloe breathed in, as though trying not to forget the scent by taking in as much as she could into her lungs. ¡°Sit down for now.¡± Eric said this as he sat down on the sofa, crossing his legs and placing his interlocked hands over his knees. Was it because he combed his hair back? His wide shoulders stood out to her, along with his large hands. As if he dressed up to politely welcome the prince, he was also wearing slacks that revealed his muscled thighs. Chloe averted her gaze right then. She slowly sat across from him. ¡°First, Wife, tell me why you came to visit.¡± As soon as she sat down, Eric took out a cigarette from his coat pocket and spoke plainly. ¡°It¡¯s been thirty years since it last snowed here in the capital.¡± The fire that was lit on his match was transferred to the cigarette. Then, hazy smoke flowed out of his lips. ¡°It means there¡¯s just that much snow in the region.¡± Chloe, who listened to his words carefully, asked him then. ¡°Is it alright in the north?¡± Eric shook his head. ¡°There was an avalanche.¡± ¡°What?¡± Chloe¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be shocked. Nobody died. The risk prevention went well.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that.¡± ¡°But the roads are completely blocked. They said it¡¯ll take a long time to clear. And thanks to the avalanche, even the railroads that were recently opened have been blocked as well.¡± Damn it. Eric breathed in deeply on his cigarette, swallowing along with it those two short words. His face grew blurry beyond the foggy smoke. ¡°Stay here until the roads are cleared.¡± Indeed, Chloe found out the reason why she hadn¡¯t been woken up early in the morning despite him telling her to leave at daybreak. She nodded silently. ¡°But keep this in mind¡ª you¡¯re not free to wander around as you please.¡± ¡°Pardon? What do you¡­¡± ¡°It means you¡¯re not allowed to meet the prince.¡± Chloe¡¯s eyes widened as she raised her head so quickly that her carefully styled hair was jostled. ¡°Why? Why can¡¯t I meet His Highness?¡± Her tone was agitated, however, Eric did not answer her right away. He just looked at Chloe with a dry, indifferent gaze. A heavy silence stretched between them. Eric didn¡¯t take his eyes off Chloe, and neither did Chloe shy away from his eyes. The conflicting gazes showed each of their respective wills. Huu¡­ Eric once again blew out cigarette smoke, the room instantly filling with the stark smell of tobacco. ¡°The Royal Family will hold you leverage against me, Wife, so that they can get an upper hand with the deal between us.¡± Chloe thought it was a plausible response, but at the same time, it was a cowardly excuse. ¡°It would be better if you don¡¯t meet him. For me.¡± ¡®For you.¡¯ Did he know the weight of those words? He spoke as though he knew for sure. Chloe bit down hard on her lower lip and pulled her sleeves down to hide her clenched fists. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 ¡°I¡¯ll make sure that His Highness won¡¯t take the upper hand in your transaction. I can do that well. Please, I must meet His Highness.¡± It was a desperate plea¡ªand this just made Eric¡¯s mood even more sour. ¡°It¡¯s the Second Prince who¡¯s visiting.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the Third Prince, who you¡¯ve been waiting for, Wife.¡± Chloe couldn¡¯t understand what he meant. ¡°I wasn¡¯t waiting for William. It doesn¡¯t matter which of the princes it is.¡± William. It¡¯s the first name of the Third Prince¡ªthe very one who had once been engaged to her. Were they close enough to call each other¡¯s names casually? Eric unknowingly furrowed his brows deeply. His anxious thoughts piled higher. ¡°Even so, you can¡¯t meet him. No matter how close you were, it¡¯s already in the past. You¡¯re not friends anymore.¡± Eric stood up and extinguished his cigarette against the tea table. ¡°You are to stay in this room until His Highness leaves. After that, I¡¯ll send someone over to you.¡± ¡°Darling.¡± ¡°It¡¯s also better if you have your meals here.¡± ¡°Darling!¡± Chloe stood up as well, then she ran forward to block Eric¡¯s way. ¡°Please let me just once. I must meet His Highness.¡± She begged with all her might¡ªand this only made Eric more uncomfortable. ¡°Why?¡± He spoke in a provocative tone. ¡°Why do you have to meet the prince?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Chloe unconsciously averted her gaze. With her eyes lowered, she bit her lower lip. What should she answer? Should she say that she wanted to meet the prince for her husband¡¯s sake? Tell him that she wanted to meet the prince to pay back the money her family owed? No. She couldn¡¯t do that. ¡°I can¡¯t say the reason for now, but I really must meet¡ª¡° ¡°Stop it.¡± Eric openly showed his displeased expression as he cut off Chloe mid-sentence. ¡°DANIEL!¡± He shouted at the door. Soon after, the door opened slightly. ¡°Yes, you called, sire?¡± Without even a glance at Chloe, he turned to Daniel. However, the only one in Chloe¡¯s eyes was Eric. She was still imploring him to let her meet the prince. ¡°Keep an eye on my wife. Don¡¯t let her leave this room.¡± ¡°Darling!¡± He was going to have her watched?! Chloe raised her voice at the ridiculous command, grabbing Eric¡¯s arm. ¡°Why must you do this¡­ Let¡¯s talk, please¡­¡± ¡°Chloe.¡± And it was only then that Eric met her eyes. His gaze pierced through her. He was so expressionless that¡­ It was like he was looking at an object that meant absolutely nothing to him¡ªunfeeling, heartless. ¡°Just listen to me.¡± His words were succinct, but his tone was heavy. As he passed by the frozen Chloe, he added. ¡°Lock the door.¡± Bang! The door slammed shut. Click. And the knob was locked. There was no time to protest. Eric only said what he needed to say and disregarded Chloe¡¯s words. Just like always¡­ Right. It¡¯s always been like this. He was consistent until the end, just as much as he never loved her. Chloe staggered and barely managed to reach a nearby chair. She shouldn¡¯t have gotten her hopes up. It was a useless delusion. ¡®Even if I talk to Eric¡­¡¯ Nothing would have changed. ¡®Because until the bitter end, you¡¯ll never love me.¡¯ Chloe buried her face into her hands. The room was heavy with desolation. She didn¡¯t want to breathe in this air, but she had no choice. She needed to breathe. ¡°The Madam¡¯s face was completely ashen.¡± Grumbling as he stared at the back of Eric¡¯s head, Daniel muttered this as he walked a half-step behind Eric. ¡°Why did you have to fight today? It was only yesterday that we talked about not fighting with her, sire.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°No, but why did you have to do that? Why did you have to lock the door when it¡¯s not something that normally would have angered you? The Madam will be really upset.¡± ¡°I said shut it.¡± ¡°Haa, what a cold-hearted guy.¡± Daniel shook his head and hit his chest repeatedly. ¡°The Madam did nothing wrong. I can¡¯t believe that her husband is a man without blood or tears.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for that debt, you wouldn¡¯t have gotten married anyway¡ªah, wait.¡± Ah, ah. Daniel covered his mouth. Then, he slowly gauged Eric¡¯s temper. Eric¡¯s expression was already severe as it was, but now, his face was even more distorted. Sh*t, this mouth. He hit his own lips several times. ¡°I apologize. I misspoke.¡± ¡°As long as you know.¡± ¡°Are you angry?¡± Eric stopped in his tracks. Was he angry? He looked back at his thoughts. Was he mad that he was told that he was a ruthless, unfeeling man with no blood or tears? Was he angry that Chloe wouldn¡¯t have married him if it weren¡¯t for her family¡¯s debt? Eric pondered. But it wasn¡¯t long. ¡°No.¡± He wasn¡¯t angry. Because everything Daniel said was true. ¡°I thought you¡¯re right.¡± In a life where he had no way of knowing whether he¡¯d live or he¡¯d die, emotions were more like a luxury to him. So Eric didn¡¯t know what to feel. To be exact, he didn¡¯t know any other emotion other than being angry. Daniel¡¯s first observations were correct. And Eric¡¯s marriage with Chloe¡­ Daniel wasn¡¯t wrong about that either. If it weren¡¯t for the Duke¡¯s debt, Chloe wouldn¡¯t have married Eric. Chloe Rolphe, a true blue noble, wouldn¡¯t have looked in Eric¡¯s direction, being the lowborn that he was. When he first saw her at the academy, she took Eric¡¯s breath away. No man wouldn¡¯t have fallen in love with her. With her silver locks shining beneath the sun, her blue eyes that seemed as though they held the blue ocean itself, her porcelain skin, her elegance. And so Eric constantly tried to stand out in front of her. But what were the words he heard from her? ¡¯But isn¡¯t he a commoner?¡¯ A commoner. That¡¯s right. He was a commoner. And she was the daughter of the only Duke of the country. There was a line between him and Chloe¡ªa line that could never be crossed. No matter how much he tried to excel, he could never uplift himself from being a lowborn¡­ Except, he managed to become a noble through money. Eric suddenly smirked. Was there anything that money couldn¡¯t buy? ¡°Let¡¯s go. Today¡¯s transaction must be closed without a hitch.¡± He strode forward once more. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Marquis.¡± The Second Prince, Harris, brought in Eric in an embrace as though he was greeting a close friend. It¡¯s been eight years since Eric became a noble, so he was versed in proper etiquette. He bowed and greeted the prince politely. ¡°Why are you being so formal? Never mind that. You don¡¯t look comfortable anyway, just speak casually.¡± The prince¡¯s words were full of thorns. It was as if he was saying that no matter how much Eric acted like a noble, he was still a commoner to the core. Harris provoked Eric relentlessly. ¡°Thank you for letting me be at ease, Your Highness.¡± Even so, Eric responded easily without a change in his expression, as if he didn¡¯t hear Harris¡¯ earlier words. The prince¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡®He¡¯s like a kid.¡¯ Eric glanced at Harris and clicked his tongue inwardly. Harris was like this originally anyway. The King, his father, approved of Eric. However, Harris pretended not to know about this fact. He would always boast of his pure-blooded lineage, expressing his pride as a member of the Royal Family without any filters with his words. Harris was, to cut it short, a foolish, arrogant man. Eric was determined to crush Harris¡¯ nose someday, but now wasn¡¯t the time. He lowered himself to the prince and bided his time well. Right now, Harris was a royal, and Eric was a mere commoner. Eric smiled harmlessly at the prince, but Harris looked away, still in a mood. ¡°Hmm. It¡¯s fascinating no matter how many times I see it.¡± Harris turned around and lifted a prosthetic leg on Eric¡¯s desk. ¡°I don¡¯t understand the principles behind it.¡± The hunk of metal shaped like a leg was full of small cogwheels. Harris wanted to know how all these parts moved, but he wasn¡¯t interested enough to study it in earnest. Harris was a trader, not an inventor. ¡°That prosthetic leg of yours is selling so well in the west, almost amounting to 40 million pounds. Of course, this amount was from three months ago¡ªit should be significantly higher now.¡± ¡°The west is a warzone. Of course it would sell a lot.¡± Without responding, Harris lifted his gaze from the prosthetic leg and towards Eric. He scanned Eric¡¯s prideful face. A commoner. Harris scowled ever so slightly, but it was wiped from his features in an instant. Anyway, Eric Aslan was an astounding, talented man who basically revived the Kingdom. The Second Prince was bent on having the man on his side. ¡°The Marquis is truly incredible.¡± Harris smiled brightly and approached Eric. ¡°It¡¯s a blessing from God that such a talent like you is here in our country.¡± ¡°I am also grateful that I am a citizen in a country that has recognized my talents.¡± Eric smiled back casually. It looked like a sincere smile, so Harris¡¯ face noticeably brightened. Eric saw this, and he pointed to the prosthetic leg on the desk. ¡°If we export to the east, we will make more money.¡± ¡°Right. The market is bigger there.¡± ¡°The nomadic war is still ongoing. We can expect more than twice as much profit than the total that we¡¯ve made.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± In their natural conversation that flowed like a river, Eric chuckled low, which the prince couldn¡¯t hear. He opened the whiskey bottle he had ready on the desk. ¡ª¡ª t/n: my blood pressure skyrocketed while I was translating this chapter, haaaaa Chapter 10 Chapter 10 The strong scent of liquor permeated the air as the bottle was opened. Eric took out two glasses and poured whiskey into them. ¡°This time, I¡¯d like to ask you to be more comfortable, Your Highness.¡± ¡°¡­Have I not been comfortable all this time?¡± ¡°Please go ahead and take a sip.¡± Eric handed the glass of whiskey to Harris, who was still puzzled. And slowly but concisely, Eric continued speaking. ¡°In exchange for exporting under the name of the Kingdom, there has been a 20% cut from the sales until now.¡± ¡°Yes, but isn¡¯t that your agreement with my father?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been three years.¡± Holding a glass full of whiskey himself, Eric stared leisurely at Harris. ¡°I¡¯m talking about the fixed rate of the tax. It¡¯s already been a long time since that time has passed.¡± Eric took a sip. Even as a sweet scent entered his nose, a bitter taste spread over his tongue. ¡°Now, well, you¡¯ll have to think carefully about my position. I don¡¯t need the name of the Royal family to help me anymore.¡± On Harris¡¯ careful mask, a crack could be seen. F*cking Eric Aslan. This was an obvious provocation. And he held himself with confidence, like he was actually going to win. Of course, thanks to Eric¡¯s inventions and his railroads, the Kingdom was thriving. The authority of the Royal Family, which had fallen to the ground, was restored to some extent. The commoners¡¯ favor could be attributed to Eric, being of common descent, because he was siding with the Royal Family. But Eric Aslan was trying to step away? To go that far. That¡¯s not possible. With his emotions tempered down, Harris approached Eric calmly. ¡°Whatever the Marquis wants. Of course.¡± Then he went closer and clutched Eric¡¯s shoulder. ¡°But listen to me.¡± His fingers were tense. Eric could feel a sharp pain as though the prince wanted the rip his shoulder off. ¡°My sister wants to see you, Marquis.¡± Harris¡¯ golden eyes flashed dangerously. His eyes held a glimmer of desire for opulence yet a dim sense of helplessness by the fact that he couldn¡¯t achieve this, and these two emotions intertwined closely together. ¡°Marquis¡­¡± Harris whispered in a low voice. ¡°You¡¯ll need a higher status. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Eric glanced down at the hand on his shoulder. It¡¯s been a while since Harris had been secretly pushing for Eric to marry his sister, the Fourth Princess. It started about two years ago. ¡°Your Highness.¡± Eric shook his head, sighing. ¡°I have a wife.¡± It was a firm answer, but it was also something Harris was used to. The prince smiled as he shrugged. ¡°Think carefully, Marquis.¡± He licked his lips and spewed out poisonous words. ¡°Religion has lost its hold over the people.¡± Harris walked behind Eric with his hand still on the other¡¯s shoulder. ¡°People no longer listen to God nor read the Bible. Power is in money. We have to adjust well.¡± In this rapidly changing era, people were divided into two categories. Idealists who spread stories of reaching the heavens, and capitalists who desire to create a new world based on money while living to protect their dignity. Eric was, thoroughly, the latter. ¡°At times like this, isn¡¯t it great that the Marquis is a truly wealthy man? No one could even come close to your wealth.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°But you have no power¡ªno strength.¡± And by this, he meant ¡®status¡¯. In the bloody hierarchy that still remained, Eric was still only a pawn. And Harris was very aware of Eric¡¯s sense of inferiority. ¡°I¡¯m saying that I¡¯ll give you that strength.¡± His words were as desperate and as equally tempting as a snake¡¯s whisper. Eric refilled their glasses. ¡°Once again, I must say that I am married.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I say it earlier? Religion has lost its power. People are no longer shying away from divorce.¡± Wasn¡¯t that the case only for men? Eric tried hard to swallow these words that almost left the tip of his tongue. ¡°Something like divorce is ruled by the Supreme Court, and I¡¯m the one who holds the right to appoint the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. I can easily wrap it up and pass the documents.¡± ¡°Your Highness.¡± ¡°Stop being so stubborn. Isn¡¯t this for Chloe¡¯s sake anyway?¡± Harris finally retracted his hand on Eric¡¯s shoulder. And he faced the other man. The golden eyes that were the mark of a Royal¡ªcontained blatant desire. ¡°Rather than a Marquis¡­¡± Harris grabbed both of Eric¡¯s arms firmly, as though saying that he had no escape. ¡°I think being a Royal would suit you more.¡± Eric had to summon all the patience he had in him to maintain his facial expression. He could barely maintain his indifference. Eric was so livid that he would have cussed and kicked out this man if he was anyone else, but he was a prince. And apart from anger, he felt shame. He was in a position where he needed to listen to ridiculous suggestions like this from such a bastard all because of his status. ¡°Please think about it seriously this time. My sister is getting older, so the matter of marriage needs to be settled as soon as possible.¡± Harris said this with a relaxed smile, thinking that Eric¡¯s silence was something positive. Eric looked away instead of answering. And at that moment. ¡ªKnock, knock. Someone was outside the door. Eric and Harris looked towards that direction at the same time. Didn¡¯t Eric say that no one was to disturb their meeting? In this unexpected situation, Eric strangely felt nervous. He felt anxious without knowing why. ¡°There¡¯s an arrogant person who dares to interfere with a prince¡¯s meeting. Can I kill that person?¡± ¡°You cannot, Your Highness.¡± ¡°I¡¯m kidding. Come in.¡± Wherever he went, Harris would always act like he owned the place. This was something Eric was familiar with, but he couldn¡¯t stand how unpleasant it all was. Managing to suppress the rising anger within him, Eric turned to the person who came in. It was Andrea Cognac, the lady-in-waiting who had been brought in yesterday. She entered awkwardly. Why was this woman¡­ Eric felt his heart pounding in his ribcage. The anxiety he was feeling could be felt by how fast his heartbeat was. ¡°I-I apologise for disturbing you. I tried to look for Your Excellency¡¯s aide, but I couldn¡¯t, so I had no choice but to¡ª¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Eric cut her off. ¡°The Madam collapsed. We must call a doctor, so¡ª¡± ¡ªCrash! Eric stared blankly towards the floor where his whiskey glass fell. Glass shards scattered onto the carpet. But he didn¡¯t move an inch. He just had a white face. Harris¡¯ lips curled up in a smile. ¡°Is Chloe here?¡± At this, Eric finally came to his senses. He put a hand at the edge of the desk and stood up. ¡°My wife is here because there¡¯s something she had to do. But she¡¯s going back soon.¡± ¡°It¡¯s snowing this hard. And they say that there was an avalanche in the northern part of the country.¡± ¡°She¡¯s going back soon.¡± Listening to Eric repeat the same words, Harris burst out into laughter. This insignificant man couldn¡¯t hide his feelings, was what he thought about Eric. It was quite fun to see him like this. ¡°Then let¡¯s do this.¡± Harris proceeded to talk as he filled his glass with more whiskey. ¡°We¡¯re having a banquet at the palace next week.¡± ¡°I heard, but Lord Garnet will be attending in my stead.¡± ¡°No, no.¡± Harris poured the alcohol straight down his throat. At the strong liquor, his esophagus became hot. His heart was also scorching. Harris felt a pleasant buzz. ¡°You¡¯ll attend with Chloe.¡± Harris smiled leisurely. ¡°She might become upset if she was sent back without even being given the capital¡¯s hospitality.¡± ¡°However, Your Highness, you¡¯ve just heard that Chloe is sick.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send my doctor over.¡± Eric gritted his teeth. Now that Harris said this, he couldn¡¯t continue to refuse. ¡°Then let¡¯s go over it in detail when we meet again. The prosthetics deal¡­¡± Harris placed his empty glass on the desk, then winked. ¡°And your remarriage.¡± It hurts. This was Chloe¡¯s only thought as she barely held onto her consciousness over the boiling fever. Why did this happen? She didn¡¯t know how she got to this point. The last thing she remembered was fighting with Eric, leaving the room and breathing heavily as she was holding onto a chair for support. After that¡ªnothing. It was as though blank paint had been poured over her eyes. And when she woke up, she was lying in bed. She realized she had a fever when she exhaled once. ¡®It hurts so much.¡¯ She had to take her medicine. But she had no strength to rise from the bed. It was hard enough to keep her eyes open. She didn¡¯t even have enough strength to lift a single finger. Perhaps she should just stay like this. If she didn¡¯t take her medicine after collapsing like this, would she die from this fever? If she were to die now¡­ ¡°The doctor will come soon.¡± Chloe heard a voice, and she opened her eyes unknowingly. Eric¡¯s face could be seen, but her eyesight was blurry. ¡°Please continue lying down. Don¡¯t get up.¡± Then she felt something cold over her forehead. Eric had placed a wet towel over her. But then her entire face became damp as though the towel hadn¡¯t been squeezed properly. Eric hurriedly lifted the wet towel. ¡°Damn it. If I squeeze it more, it won¡¯t be cold¡ªbut if I squeeze it just enough, the water¡¯s too much. Just what am I supposed to do then.¡± He squeezed the towel again. Then, with a careful touch¡ªat least, it felt that way for Chloe¡ªhe placed the towel over her forehead once more.¡± The cool sensation of the towel pressed against the heat of her skin. Chloe had just been staring at him blankly. It all didn¡¯t feel real. It felt like she was dreaming. How else could this situation be explained unless it was truly a dream? Eric was taking care of her. Why? ¡°Can you breathe comfortably?¡± However, it was vivid, this hand that touched the tip of her nose. It couldn¡¯t be a dream. Chloe quickly regained her senses. No matter how sick she was, she couldn¡¯t show such a disheveled appearance. ¡°I¡¯m al¡­ right¡­¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Chloe¡¯s voice was just as raspy as a towel that was squeezed dry until the very last drop. Eric¡¯s eyes quivered. She looked like she was going to die soon. She¡¯s alright? What? What did she mean she¡¯s alright? ¡°You look like a foolish woman.¡± He sighed as he swept his face with one hand. He was annoyed. When he heard that Chloe collapsed, he lost the lead in the conversation with the Second Prince. He didn¡¯t know why he was so surprised by the news that she was sick, but he got flustered like that, and he eventually failed to close the deal with the prince. That¡¯s why he was annoyed. Being in Chloe¡¯s room instead of the lab and pushing all of his work to the side, only to be told that she was fine¡­ Eric gritted his teeth. No one asked him to take care of Chloe. She didn¡¯t even ask him to come. It was him who chose to stay here and nurse her back to health. It¡¯s like this. That¡¯s why he was more¡ªmore, even more annoyed like crazy. Why on earth was he throwing away his work just to see this woman! This foolish girl! ¡°I¡¯m busy. I don¡¯t have time to worry about your illness, Wife.¡± ¡°¡­I know that you¡¯re busy.¡± ¡°Then you should have taken better care of yourself!¡± Eric unknowingly raised his voice. ¡°What do you expect me to do when you come here on your own and groan like a wet mouse like this? We¡¯re in the north. Why did you come all the way here just to get sick?!¡± Instead of answering, Chloe just looked at Eric. He¡¯s angry again¡­ Why? Because she was sick? She didn¡¯t want this either. She didn¡¯t want to be sick. Even as her fever grew even higher, she became more determined to hide her illness even more. ¡°I really am fine¡­ Please go back. You don¡¯t have to call a doctor.¡± No doctor should come. She might get caught with this illness. But Eric didn¡¯t back down. ¡°You need to see a doctor.¡± ¡°No, I¡­ I have medicine.¡± ¡°Medicine?¡± Eric¡¯s brows furrowed, but Chloe wasn¡¯t too sure. Her vision was still very blurry. She barely raised her hand to point to her bag on the chair. ¡°It¡¯s just something I got from the north. If I drink that medicine¡­ I¡¯ll get better. So please just give that to me.¡± She struggled to speak clearly, but Eric didn¡¯t budge at all. He just stared at Chloe while sitting down. ¡°You.¡± Eric enunciated each word clearly. ¡°Have you been feeling this way for a while?¡± Chloe could hear her heart pounding behind her ears. It was beating so rapidly. Her face became flushed, and the fever rose further. She turned her head slowly. As she moved, the wet towel fell off. Nobody picked it up. ¡°I told you¡­¡± She thought she shouldn¡¯t say this, but as her body got weaker, her mind followed suit. Her lips moved without her consent. ¡°I told you several times that I¡¯m sick.¡± On that cold day when she ran out without even a shawl on her, she clung onto his hand and tried to talk to him. ¡°I¡¯ve said it so many times¡­¡± He didn¡¯t even remember. She thought that there was no way that she could fall lower into the abyss, but it felt like gravity was pulling her once more. What she felt right now was endless misery. Chloe closed her eyes tightly. She bit her lips tightly and swallowed the words that she was about to say. Lashing out in resentment at him would solve nothing. ¡°Give me the medicine. I can drink that and rest. Please send the doctor back. You should get back, too.¡± Even then, Eric kept staring at Chloe, but he soon rose to his feet and let out a breath that he kept in. The irritation he felt disappeared. In place of the absence of this emotion, unknown things remained. For some reason, one side of his chest was aching. Eric took out the medicine case out of Chloe¡¯s bag. The heaviness he felt did not abate. ¡°When did you get this? How? Do you know the name of your illness?¡± ¡°¡­Please hand it to me.¡± She didn¡¯t want to answer. Chloe gulped down the medicine that he handed to her without water. Seeing how naturally she did this, Eric furrowed his brows once more. He felt a strange nervousness as he watched Chloe. ¡°What is the name of your illness? Tell me. I need to know, so¡ª¡± Eric had been speaking urgently, but he suddenly stopped mid-sentence. If he knew what it was, then what was he going to do about it? Eric tousled his hair roughly and bit his lower lip. ¡°Please consult a doctor, Chloe.¡± Chloe looked back blankly as she heard him call her name. She didn¡¯t miss this, so she took in a breath for a while. She thought it over and over again, what it is that she would say. ¡°It¡¯s the first time.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The first time you called my name.¡± Eric clenched his hands into fists. He tightened his fists so strongly that his fingernails dug into his palms, but he stood still without saying anything. He stood there and only stared at Chloe. She was lying sick in bed, yet she maintained her dignity even at this moment. Even as she held herself in this way, it just made her look even more pitiful. Chloe spoke first. ¡°But¡­ I hate doctors. So please¡­ Please send him back. I want to rest alone.¡± He could see her blue eyes tearing up. Unlike her dry face, her eyes were brimming with unshed tears. ¡°You¡¯re busy. Please go back.¡± Busy. That¡¯s right. He¡¯s terribly busy. He was so busy that just being here was an incredible waste of time. It was a waste. Eric picked up the forgotten towel and placed it back on her forehead. That¡¯s all. There was nothing else he could do. There¡¯s nothing else that he could say. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll be back tomorrow.¡± So he left the room like that, trying to force himself forward even as his steps were heavy. ¡°I don¡¯t know what that person is thinking.¡± Eric muttered and set down the screwdriver he had in his hand. He couldn¡¯t concentrate on work at all today. What could it be, it was even like he didn¡¯t feel motivated enough to focus on his tasks. Chloe¡¯s face kept surfacing in his mind, her struggling with her fever, her crying. It was on a loop in his head, never going away. What¡¯s wrong with him? Eric wrinkled his forehead and pressed two fingers over his eyebrows. ¡°Pardon? Who? His Highness the Prince?¡± Daniel asked him, his head tilted to the side. Eric hesitated for a moment, but he soon nodded slowly. ¡°Yes. The prince.¡± ¡°What, why would you worry about his thoughts? He¡¯s a simple man who¡¯s confident that His Majesty will give the throne to him if he successfully marries the princess with Your Excellency.¡± Daniel spoke without a single ounce of respect for the royal family. ¡°As if everything could be solved that way. How laughable, right? The royal family can¡¯t be saved at this point anyway.¡± Only then did Eric nod, a smirk on his lips. Thinking about the desolate situation of the royal family made his mood better again. He leaned back with his hands behind his head. He looked up at the ceiling. The downfall of the royal family. This has been true for a long time. The incompetent king, who failed to expand his territory and incurred a huge debt due to the war, lost the people¡¯s trust. The lower nobility were the first to turn away from the king, and half of the upper nobility criticized the king. During this situation, the bourgeoisie that rose to nobility were those who brought with them innovation, and they were the ones who laid the groundwork. The bourgeoisie attracted most of the aristocrats to their side due to their enormous capital and amazing inventions, and thanks to this, they grew in power and overwhelmed the parliament. Everyone thought that the royal family had no chance of lasting any longer because of this. But the royal family was still standing. Ironically, this was due to Eric Aslan, the man at the center of the bourgeoisie. ¡°If Your Excellency had thrown your weight around in parliament, the King would have raised the white flag by now. Then those princes wouldn¡¯t be able to act so carelessly.¡± Daniel continued complaining. And he was right. If Eric wholeheartedly joined forces with the parliament, the royal family would truly be just a toothless lion. But Eric couldn¡¯t do that. He had joined hands with the king. He had saved the king and had given him money. Was it because he was loyal to the king? No. A commoner like him, who lived worse lives than a street dog, had no such notion as loyalty. All Eric wanted was one thing. ¡°Maybe so, but if I did that, wouldn¡¯t it be impossible for me to hold the King by his neck just as I do now?¡± To reign over those on the throne. All the money that goes into the king¡¯s pocket was something that Eric decided. And Eric was someone who confirmed all the policies that the king decides on before they¡¯re passed. He, who once lived in the bottom, was now standing high above the person who supposedly held the highest position in this hierarchy. What else did he need if not this? Eric had no intention of double-crossing the king. ¡®For now.¡¯ ¡°Indeed. The King is the one who¡¯ll rush in the middle of the night if Your Excellency calls him. He has to live a long and healthy life.¡± Tsk. Daniel clicked his tongue. ¡°But I think he¡¯s going to die soon.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Do you have a plan when it happens, sire?¡± In the first place, it wasn¡¯t a question that was asked to get Eric¡¯s answer. Daniel immediately asked another question. ¡°What about marrying the princess? You¡¯ll be able to control the royal family completely like that.¡± Chapter 12 Chapter 12 ¡°What about marrying the princess? You¡¯ll be able to control the royal family completely like that.¡± ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Eric spat back fiercely. ¡°No, well. Why are you so angry? It¡¯s disconcerting.¡± Daniel scratched the back of his head and murmured. ¡°I just think that marrying the princess would produce the best results. I think it¡¯ll be difficult to make the Second Prince into a loyal dog like the King is now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°After marrying into the royal family, you can wield their power. Isn¡¯t that something you¡¯re good at? Hitting the back of the head of the people who trust you.¡± ¡°Watch your mouth.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± He then turned away from Daniel, who had his mouth shut tight, then he glanced up at the ceiling. What Daniel said wasn¡¯t wrong. As he said, it wasn¡¯t a bad idea to marry the princess and have the entire royal family in the palm of his hand. No, Eric admits that this was the best method. However. What would happen to Chloe? If he divorces her, what would happen to her? How would she live? Will her family afford the debts of her older brother? It¡¯s clear that they would be left on the streets. If the noble, dignified Chloe Rolphe would be left begging on the streets¡­ sh*t. Eric grabbed the screwdriver again. He focused on only the machine in front of him and assembled it one screw at a time. ¡°If the Second Prince becomes King, he won¡¯t let you go easy.¡± ¡°I know, Daniel. I¡¯m not an idiot.¡± ¡°Will it be solved if you just know? Shouldn¡¯t you come up with a solution? Just close your eyes and remarry!¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t I said it clearly that I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Ah, seriously. You don¡¯t like this, you don¡¯t like that. If you hate everything, why then? Because I really don¡¯t understand.¡± Daniel strode to Eric¡¯s side. ¡°Why did you marry the Madam when you don¡¯t even love her, huh?¡± Eric scowled. He took off the glasses over his eyes that suddenly felt constricting. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re convincing me to get a divorce? Should I just throw everything away?¡± ¡°Your Excellency will be in danger otherwise!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t. Even if they try to bite, I hold them in my hands.¡± Eric wore his glasses again. He lifted a small cog using a metal tweezer and carefully assembled the machine in front of him. ¡°I have a plan. I¡¯m still considering how I should go about it.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no guarantee that Your Excellency¡¯s plan will be successful. You shouldn¡¯t be complacent.¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll continue listening to your criticism that¡¯s thinly veiled as advice.¡± ¡°Was it obvious?¡± Daniel took a step back and grinned. He knew that he¡¯d push Eric¡¯s buttons if he said anything more. Besides, he already said what he needed to say. Eric assembled the last cogwheel. Then, he shifted his gaze towards Daniel. ¡°If you¡¯re going to say such useless things, you should have gone to Chloe instead.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Daniel widened his eyes in surprise as though this was truly something he didn¡¯t think about. ¡°What? But why?¡± ¡°Go see if her physical condition is fine.¡± ¡°The Madam will feel uncomfortable if I go.¡± Uncomfortable? Eric raised an eyebrow, wondering about this. ¡°Why? Shouldn¡¯t someone be by her side since she¡¯s sick?¡± ¡°Umm¡­¡± Daniel shook his head, his nose scrunched up. ¡°It depends on who the person is. I don¡¯t think the Madam will like it. She¡¯s a noble.¡± Aristocrats never revealed their true feelings. Their thoughts, their condition. Wasn¡¯t there one case where a noblewoman died because she refused to show her skin, even when she was being eaten away by an infectious disease? Eric, who was reminded of this anecdote, suddenly had a thought. Then was it wrong for him to stay by Chloe¡¯s side earlier? That¡¯s why she looked displeased? Eric frowned. ¡°Damn. I just really don¡¯t know how to treat her.¡± Eric said this as he assembled the remaining iron plates of the machine. As he continued to do so, the pieces that were nothing more than scraps of metal earlier began to take shape. It was a small puppy. ¡°A lump of metal could be assembled and brought to life, but Chloe is like soft, tender pudding, not scrap metal. The slightest touch would unravel her.¡± Huh? What did Daniel just hear? He stared blankly at Eric. ¡°¡­The Madam is like¡­ pudding?¡± Daniel repeated this, trying to read Eric¡¯s expression. ¡°She doesn¡¯t seem like that to me¡­¡± The Chloe who Daniel saw was a cool-headed Marchioness who was a perfect match for Eric. She was a person who did not show her emotions, making it hard for anyone to read her. But¡­ soft, tender pudding? Daniel thought there was nothing more opposite than pudding to her. ¡®Perhaps¡­¡¯ Daniel narrowed his eyes in suspicion as he observed Eric¡¯s face. Eric¡¯s eyes were fierce and emotionless as usual, but one corner of his lips was slightly upturned. It was a very, very slight smile. But could a man who had no blood or tears make a face like that? Daniel rubbed his eyes and rubbed his arms as he felt goosebumps rising over his skin. ¡°Wow, okay, I shouldn¡¯t have mentioned Your Excellency remarrying with the princess.¡± ¡°What are you blathering on about now?¡± ¡°Yup. I almost became trash.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°No, never mind. I don¡¯t think Your Excellency has realized it anyway.¡± ¡°What nonsense are you saying¡­¡± ¡°Anyway. Would you like to know how the Madam should be treated?¡± Eric hesitated for a moment, but he soon met Daniel¡¯s eyes. It was a wordless command for him to speak now. Daniel¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°I know the right way.¡± With a serious look as though he was speaking about a national emergency, Daniel spoke. ¡°Please act the opposite of how you¡¯ve been acting thus far.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re not helping at all.¡± Clack! Eric threw the screwdriver towards Daniel. ¡°Why? It¡¯s the truth! If you act just a little sweeter, I¡¯m sure the Madam will like you more. Seriously!¡± ¡°Get out.¡± ¡°Wow, you don¡¯t believe me.¡± ¡°Get out right this second. Don¡¯t make me say it a third time.¡± Huu. Daniel stood up with a pout on his lips, as though thinking, ¡®It couldn¡¯t be helped then.¡¯ But as he stepped out the door, he turned around again. ¡°If you¡¯re going to see the Madam, you should act cuter. And wear better clothes!¡± ¡°Get out!¡± ¡°Haa, that temper of yours.¡± Ka-chak. Daniel closed the door behind him. Even though the door was already shut, Daniel could still hear Eric¡¯s indignant huffs. ¡°He¡¯s not being honest.¡± While muttering, he pursed his lips to the side. ¡°He should show it more.¡± That way, the Madam could stay longer. Daniel hummed and walked cheerfully. Chloe opened her eyes, her gaze blank. How many hours did she sleep? When she looked out the window, the sun was in the middle of the sky. It felt like she slept all day. However, after sleeping like this, she felt lighter. Her fever went down and symptoms of her illness disappeared. ¡®It¡¯s really warm here.¡¯ Basking in the heat of the room, Chloe sat up carefully. Then, she slowly placed her feet on the ground. ¡®Was it a dream?¡¯ Chloe gently closed her eyes, then opened them once more. As her vision became clearer, she saw her medicine on the table. If it weren¡¯t for that, Chloe would have thought that Eric¡¯s visit last night was but a dream. It all felt unreal. ¡°He prepared a wet towel¡­¡± Chloe muttered in a dry voice. Was it sympathy? No, didn¡¯t he hate that she was sick? He was very annoyed. Then, why¡­ As Chloe thought it over, she suddenly grabbed her forehead. She didn¡¯t have it in her to think too deeply about things now because her head was still throbbing. For now, she stored away all her questions in her heart. As she had decided on, she had to recover from this fever quickly. Then no one would be able to notice that her time was limited. ¡°I¡¯m thirsty¡­¡± There was no water left in the kettle. She looked around for the rope to call for a maid, but there wasn¡¯t such a thing in this cottage. ¡®I need to go out.¡¯ Chloe picked up the shawl hanging on the chair and placed it over her shoulders before she went out the door. She would only be more thirsty if she waited for Andrea to come. Tak. She turned the knob to open the door, but¡ªit didn¡¯t open. ¡®Why¡­¡¯ Chloe pushed the door with all the strength left in her. Then, the door finally opened wide. It seemed like the door didn¡¯t open properly because there was something in front of the door. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Chloe looked down at the metal mass that had a strange shape. Ah, is this what they called a machine? ¡°It looks like¡­¡± A puppy. Chloe touched the puppy-shaped machine that moved its legs, yet collapsed every time it moved. ¡°It¡¯s still unfinished. Don¡¯t touch it.¡± Chloe raised her head in surprise as she heard his voice nearby. It was Eric. ¡°What do you mean by unfinished?¡± Chloe hugged the puppy robot that fell. ¡°I think it¡¯s fine as it is now¡­¡± Isn¡¯t it cute? Chloe murmured to herself as she stroked the robot¡¯s smooth back. However, Eric immediately snatched it away from Chloe¡¯s arms. As if it was something that should never be hers. Chloe smiled bitterly, feeling empty in an instant. ¡°How¡¯s your condition?¡± But with this, Chloe was taken by surprise because of his question. The fact that he was worrying about her. She never thought that he would. Even so, didn¡¯t he just place a wet towel over her forehead while she was sick? After coming here to this cottage, Chloe seemed to be experiencing a lot of unexpected things. She looked up at him and smiled. ¡°Thanks to you, I¡¯ve recovered faster.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Eric nodded. ¡°You can go out today.¡± Chloe¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What do you mean¡­¡± ¡°You have to buy clothes. Apparently, you didn¡¯t bring anything with you.¡± ¡°Clothes?¡± Chloe tilted her head to the side as though she couldn¡¯t understand the language they were conversing with. What did he mean he¡¯d buy her clothes, when all this time he¡¯s been yelling at her to go back? As though to remedy her curiosity, Eric sighed and answered. ¡°The royal family will be holding a ball soon. His Highness the Second Prince invited the both of us.¡± Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Even before Eric finished his sentence, Chloe visibly brightened up. She smiled brightly and clasped her hands together as though she was a child given candy. ¡°It¡¯s been so long!¡± Before she was married, she often went to banquets. However, after her marriage when she headed up north, she never attended a single ball in all those five years. One reason was because she was too far from the capital, but truthfully she was reluctant to attend on her own. She also didn¡¯t want to talk to anyone about her married life. This marriage was for the sake of selling her for money, it was a marriage without love¡­ No, that¡¯s not it. Chloe loves her husband. No matter how many times she said this, there was no way anyone would believe her. So Chloe naturally left the social world. Although it was her own choice, it¡¯s true that she sometimes missed going to balls. But then again¡­ What did he mean by royal banquet? Chloe was about to jump up in anticipation. However, this joy was brief. A dark expression soon dawned over her features as she looked up at Eric. ¡°But, darling¡­¡± She carefully opened her lips, trying to gauge the emotions that would flash over Eric¡¯s face. ¡°The dress¡ªit¡¯ll be expensive.¡± ¡°Wife.¡± Eric¡¯s black eyes were lit up with rage. His brows were furrowed and he loosened the tie of his expensive suit that he wore intentionally today. ¡°I wonder why you keep making me angry.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± ¡°I¡¯m always curious about this.¡± Chloe wrung her fingers together and dropped her head. She made a mistake. She did something wrong. She didn¡¯t know what it was, but she was wrong anyhow. With her head down, she couldn¡¯t meet his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll see you by the entrance in two hours.¡± So she didn¡¯t even see what kind of expression her husband had. It was her first time going on an outing with Eric. Over the course of five years. Chloe couldn¡¯t hide her excitement. Cough! But her body did not follow her thoughts. Her heart ached and her lungs were labored. Again. She could feel that she might cough up blood. She took a handful of medicine and gulped it all down, breathing heavily right after. No, please no. ¡®Don¡¯t show how sick you are in front of him.¡¯ If she gets caught being sick like this, he¡¯ll be angry once more. ¡°Haa¡­¡± Chloe leaned back on the armchair she was sitting on, breathing roughly. Then, she slowly looked out the window. She saw a train running despite the blizzard. The train that moved forward blew out black smoke. Chloe stared at it blankly. How helpless it was to think that humans would only be able to get off when the train reaches its destination? In there, people could only get off after enduring one another¡¯s company. Wasn¡¯t life exactly the same? Life was like getting on a train, not being able to leave until it reached the end¡­ With railroads that span for decades. However, her railroad would soon end. Only two years at most. After that, the railroad would be cut off, and the train would collapse. Before that, she wanted to do something that would make her feel alive. But she didn¡¯t know what it was. Whatever it is, anything¡­ ¡°Madam, it¡¯s time to go.¡± At the sound of the other woman¡¯s voice, Chloe slowly rose to her feet. She flattened out the slightly wrinkled dress, then walked out the door with calm steps. But before she exited the room, she turned around and looked out the window once more. Even the black smoke of the train had already disappeared. Would she be able to be alive next to Eric? She wanted to have even a hint of hope that he would continue regarding her with the same warm attitude just as he did yesterday. But Chloe knew well. This hope was like a mirage that would disappear the moment she tried to embrace it. Chloe smiled quietly to herself and shook her head. Today, Eric was wearing a long black coat with a tailored dress shirt, his hair swept back. His narrowed eyes were cold, but captivating. However, his fatigue could still be seen underneath his gaze. It made his atmosphere even more intimidating. Chloe took a step closer to Eric. Then, she reached a hand to him. It was to fix his crooked tie. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Eric faltered, but he accepted her touch. ¡°You look so handsome today.¡± Chloe smiled, however Eric continued to be silent. He just looked at Chloe with a silent gaze. He continued to say nothing as they got onto the locomotive, even as they were nearing the townsquare already. There wasn¡¯t any awkwardness of either of them hesitating because they didn¡¯t know what to say. Rather, the silence between them continued to stretch further because neither of them intended to fill the locomotive with conversation. Chloe was frustrated with the silence. She wasn¡¯t that talkative either, but she¡¯s never been this silent. So she quietly opened her lips to speak to Eric. ¡°Where are we going today?¡± Eric, who was looking out the window, replied. ¡°We¡¯re going to Madam Lizen¡¯s shop.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Chloe¡¯s eyes grew wide. Madam Lizen¡¯s shop was a place that couldn¡¯t be entered even if you try to schedule a visit one year prior. Apart from that, clothes from that boutique were so costly that one dress was the entire cost of an aristocrat¡¯s living for a month. She looked at Eric, her eyes quivering. ¡°That place is¡­¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s a place you frequented while you were still unmarried.¡± However, Eric spoke first. He was still indifferent, but the way he regarded her was¡­ somewhat different. It was making Chloe hope for the better. ¡°How thoughtful of you.¡± Chloe smiled brightly. She murmured with a low voice, her hands clasped together. ¡°I¡¯m happy.¡± She felt hopeful again. Due to the snow that had gotten piled up, the vehicle couldn¡¯t move well. And so they sat in there for quite a while. Chloe was feeling under the weather because of motion sickness, but in comparison, Eric was just fine. Whenever Chloe needed to cough, she crouched into herself and coughed very quietly so that he wouldn¡¯t catch her. She didn¡¯t want Eric to know. Didn¡¯t he get angry at her for having a fever? If he got angry with just a common sickness like that, what would happen if he found out that she was terminally ill¡­ ¡®I might get kicked out before I could even pay you back.¡¯ Chloe held back her coughs and endured the pain. At this time, the locomotive¡¯s engines were turned off, and the horse neighed as they stopped to a halt. They¡¯ve arrived. As soon as the vehicle stopped, Eric got up. And as soon as the horseman opened the door, he went out. It was as if he loathed to be in the same space as Chloe. She stared at his retreating back, a helpless smile tugging at the corners of her lips. He¡¯s always been like this, but why did it hurt her more today? Perhaps¡­ Perhaps she wanted him to notice how ill she truly was. She wanted him to notice, to comfort her¡­ It was greed, this feeling that she had in her. Chloe clenched her fist and pushed down these thoughts. ¡°Wife.¡± As Eric called her, Chloe broke away from her train of thought. She assumed that he would walk away as soon as he got off the carriage, but he stood in front of the door and waited for Chloe to get off as well. Even as the snow was pouring! ¡°Be careful.¡± He reached out to Chloe. He seemed to be trying to be courteous. What¡¯s wrong with her husband? Why did it feel like he was especially kind today? Chloe took Eric¡¯s hand and gulped dryly. ¡°You must be in a good mood.¡± Eric raised an eyebrow instead of answering. ¡°You keep being so kind to me.¡± Eric opened his lips, then closed them once more. He stared back at Chloe, but he soon turned away, his face flushed. And there were no more words between them. He just tilted the umbrella towards Chloe so that the snow would not reach her. Chloe glanced at Eric¡¯s soaked left shoulder, clasped her hands together again as she dropped her gaze. It was still snowing heavily, but somehow, she felt warm. There was a smile on her lips. Madam Lizen¡¯s shop was empty. As she recalled the past, no matter which reservation she had scheduled, there were always other customers there. But it was strange this time. Perhaps it was because of the snow. Chloe watched as the clerks nervously stood at attention. ¡°Welcome, Marquis Aslan, Marchioness Aslan.¡± Madam Lizen greeted them. Chloe couldn¡¯t hide her excitement as it had been a long time since she met her. ¡°Long time no see, Madam.¡± Madam Lizen smiled as she nodded. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Marchioness.¡± Madam Lizen counted on her fingers, then spoke. ¡°It¡¯s been five years.¡± Chloe noticed a hint of reproach in the other woman¡¯s tone, so she smiled awkwardly and looked around to shift the conversation to another topic. ¡°Is there anything that catches your eye?¡± Madam Lizen asked this, she noticed that Chloe¡¯s blue eyes were on a pink dress. Upon realizing what she had looked at, Chloe hurriedly averted her gaze. She knew very well that the main dress on display was incredibly expensive. She gradually shifted her gaze towards one desolate corner of the shop. Madam Lizen frowned slightly. ¡°Those are dresses that are out of season.¡± Lizen spoke in a chiding tone. Why would she look there? Chloe was still Chloe Rolphe, a daughter of the kingdom¡¯s only dukedom. And she married Marquis Aslan. Of course, Lizen knew that there was a difference in peerage, but the Marquis was someone who had a staggering amount of wealth! He¡¯s someone capable enough! But she¡¯s only going to pick those kinds of dresses? Really? If it was the Chloe of the past, she never would have so much as glanced in that direction. Madam Lizen¡¯s expectations began to fall. Chloe, guessing what was in Madam Lizen¡¯s mind, instantly turned red. Shame rushed into her system. But wasn¡¯t this inevitable? This place had only expensive things. She didn¡¯t want to be more indebted to her husband. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 14 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 14 ¡°I¡¯m fine with that one¡­¡± ¡°Do you want this?¡± Eric, who was standing behind her, pointed to the pink dress that caught Chloe¡¯s eye at first. ¡°Or this one?¡± Then he pointed to the red dress next to it. As he looked around the boutique, he was quiet for a moment, then he pointed his finger from here to there. ¡°I¡¯ll buy everything.¡± ¡°Darling!¡± ¡°Everything that my wife looked at.¡± Chloe¡¯s face turned red with astonishment. She grabbed Eric¡¯s sleeve right then. ¡°No, please, you don¡¯t have to do that.¡± Then, she added in haste. ¡°I won¡¯t need to wear those once I go back north anyway. I¡¯ll try on a few. Let¡¯s just get the ones I¡¯ll be comfortable in.¡± Eric stared at Chloe, but with one finger again, he gestured for the clerks who were standing a distance away to come closer. ¡°I want to see my wife in that dress. Madam, get it ready.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Madam Lizen answered delightfully and called the clerks. As she stood awkwardly, Chloe could feel tears in her eyes. If he buys all the clothes here, the total would be well over 500,000 francs! ¡°Darling, please, let¡¯s think it over again¡­¡± ¡°Have her try them on.¡± But Eric ignored Chloe¡¯s words once more. The affectionate appearance she thought she saw in him all throughout the day was replaced by a firm expression, and Chloe had no choice but to follow the clerk without the chance to say anything more. It wouldn¡¯t look good to refuse more here because it would look like a wife ignoring her husband. It would affect her husband¡¯s honor. ¡°Let me help you remove your clothes, Your Excellency.¡± Chloe couldn¡¯t go against the clerk. Her dress was taken off, then her corset was tightened a little more before she was donned with a panier. The dress that caught Chloe¡¯s attention was a robe a la francaise, with large folds and a silhouette in which the skirt was puffed out at the sides. Due to the curved hips, the tightened waist was more emphasized. Usually, such dresses had deep necklines, but Chloe covered her chest up to her neck just like she would with a redingote gown. After wearing new clothes for the first time in a long while, she felt better. To be exact, seeing herself in a mirror improved her mood. Was it because she remembered the past, when she still came by here often to purchase dresses, or was it because this was the first time that her husband had bought her clothes? Perhaps it¡¯s the latter. ¡¯I want to see my wife in that dress.¡¯ Did he mean it when he said that? She hoped that he did. And she hoped that he would tell her that it looked good on her. Chloe left the changing room with excitement, wanting to show Eric how she looked. But then¡­ The reception room was empty. Was he on another floor? Chloe hurriedly looked around. ¡°Um, Your Excellency.¡± Madam Lizen approached her. ¡°The Marquis has left. He mentioned that something urgent came up.¡± ¡°¡­He left?¡± Chloe sighed in despondency, filling the empty reception room with this single sound. He left. Without even telling her. Then why did he say that he wanted to see her in this dress? Why did he make her look forward to it? Why did he give her a sliver of hope? Why¡­ The embers of hope within her, which had fostered flames for a while, were instantly extinguished. And the only thing left behind was black smoke. It felt like her lungs were filled with that dry smoke. It pained her. It suffocated her. ¡°His Excellency has already paid for the clothes. We would just need to send it over to your home here at the capital, correct? Or should we send it to the north?¡± Madam Lizen was unaware of Chloe¡¯s condition, and so she continued to smile happily as she talked to her. ¡°Marchioness?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Send it to our residence in the capital.¡± Chloe, who had regained her senses, replied in a hurry. In fact, she didn¡¯t care whether the clothes would be sent to the residence at the capital or to the north. She was going to be divorced anyway, so these dresses served no purpose. ¡­It was pointless, Husband. She wondered what he would say if she had the payment canceled here. But if she did, her husband would definitely be enraged once more. The right thing to do here was to go back calmly. Chloe breathed heavily with a hand over her chest, feeling the stiff texture of the new dress. ¡°You have the best husband, Marchioness. He just buys everything for you without saying anything about it. What a great husband.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°Of course. My ex-husband nagged at me so much whenever I bought something and asked me so many questions about my purchases. Goodness, I was so sick and tired of it!¡± Madam Lizen burst into laughter as she chatted. Chloe opened her lips, then closed them, then did that once more. There was a word that lingered at the tip of her tongue. She couldn¡¯t bear to say it, nor swallow it down, but eventually, it went down and clotted over her heart. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡­don¡¯t mind living like that. Chloe dropped her head. It hurts. She felt pain deep in her lungs. Eric had left first because something urgent came up. He got a telegram that the clock tower had stopped ticking. It would have been alright to call a repairman for it, but Eric had to go there urgently because it was the clock tower itself. It was the capital¡¯s landmark. When he got there, the problem wasn¡¯t dire. When he checked the battery, he found that the fuse had become faulty and the power just went out. It seemed like it was due to the abundant snow that covered the sun, that¡¯s why it couldn¡¯t be seen right away. This made Eric more determined to craft a battery that had an infinite power supply. If he completed this, it would be the kingdom¡¯s¡ªno, the world¡¯s best invention. Being so lost in thought that he was, he forgot about Chloe. In other words, he couldn¡¯t have thought the emptiness that Chloe had felt when she was left alone at the shop, the bleakness that came upon her as she returned to the locomotive alone, the hopelessness that dawned on her as the lady-in-waiting asked why she returned without her husband. Eric had always been like this. He never thought that his actions caused any troubles. But then again, wasn¡¯t he nice to Chloe today? When Daniel had mentioned something about it to him, he had to suppress his temper as much as he could to adapt to Chloe¡¯s presence. He didn¡¯t even get angry, not once. ¡®You must be in a good mood.¡¯ ¡®You keep being so kind to me.¡¯ Chloe¡¯s expression was completely serene as she said this. It was the most relaxed expression he saw on her ever since she came to see him here at the capital. Would it be okay to do this much from now on? Then, would Chloe slowly warm up to him as well? Eric pondered over it. He felt a small flutter as he thought of the delighted smile that she would have on her lips. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t expect it. That Chloe did not sleep and waited for him until dawn. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Eric was surprised to see Chloe greeting him as soon as he walked through the door. It was so early in the morning that the moon was still in the sky. She should have been asleep at this time. By any chance, did she wait for him to say thank you for bringing her along to the boutique? Eric had such expectations. However, Chloe said differently. ¡°Why did you leave?¡± Eric furrowed his brows. So the moment she saw his face, she was angry. He ruffled his hair roughly. ¡°I had something to do.¡± ¡°You should have at least told me.¡± ¡°You were in the middle of changing clothes.¡± That was the truth. Chloe was in the changing room when he received the telegram, that¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t tell her. ¡°Is that why you¡¯re angry?¡± Honestly, Eric felt that this situation was unfair to him. It felt to him that Chloe was angry with him just because he left first. Wasn¡¯t she disregarding all his other actions throughout the day? He thought he did well today. ¡°It couldn¡¯t be helped. Anyway, didn¡¯t you get to buy the clothes? That¡¯s all that matters.¡± And so he replied to her with a biting tone that was filled with the disappointment he had for Chloe at this moment. ¡°¡­Alright.¡± However, the look in Chloe¡¯s eyes was different this time. She had an empty expression, as though she was exhausted. ¡°It always couldn¡¯t be helped.¡± Chloe put her arms around herself and breathed heavily. She didn¡¯t know how she was able to return here. She was still in the locomotive when she had closed her eyes, but when she opened them once more, she was already inside the house. As she closed her eyes once more, she was in bed. But when she opened them again, she was drinking her medicine. And her fever had risen once more. Her body¡¯s condition was at its worst. ¡¯Two years left.¡¯ The doctor¡¯s words kept ringing behind her ears. She was running out of time. She was going to die soon. Why does she need to live like this? Why does she have to endure it all while living with all this sorrow? Chloe was so, so tired. Her exhaustion couldn¡¯t be expressed with only words. ¡°It couldn¡¯t be helped that you can¡¯t come to the north, it couldn¡¯t be helped that you must neglect me, it couldn¡¯t be helped that you had to leave first¡­¡± She looked down at the floor. As such, she looked terribly lonely¡­ and terribly exhausted. ¡°It couldn¡¯t be helped that you ignore my pain.¡± ¡°When did I ever neglect you? Wife, I¡¯m always worr¡ª¡± ¡°Darling.¡± Chloe sighed heavily and raised her head, making eye contact with Eric. In his eyes was a deep-seated indifference to the person in front of him who he did not love. ¡°I don¡¯t want to live like this anymore.¡± She loved Eric. She still loves Eric. Perhaps, she would continue loving Eric. But these feelings were separate from wanting to be with him. It was so difficult to offer this love that would never be returned. This indifference was something she couldn¡¯t bear any longer. With a bitter smile on her lips, she said it plainly. ¡°Divorce. Let¡¯s get divorced.¡± ¡ª¡ª t/n: The currency used in past chapters was pounds, but francs were mentioned here this time. perhaps because they¡¯re in the capital now? Doesn¡¯t make much sense though since they¡¯re still in the same kingdom. But anyway. Divorce! It¡¯s here! Aaaaa! Chapter 15 Chapter 15 For a moment, Eric was rendered speechless. He turned it over in his head again, Chloe¡¯s words, if he really heard it right. But it was. She said that. Chloe had just asked for a divorce. ¡°What do you mean di¡­vorce.¡± Eric spoke slowly. His expression showed how greatly shaken he was, but Chloe didn¡¯t notice. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve already prepared the documents.¡± And she handed the finely folded divorce papers to Eric. As though the folded papers had been opened and closed several times, the edges of the documents were wrinkled. This was proof enough that she had been holding onto these for a long time. As he noticed this, Eric¡¯s expression became more stiff and his breaths came short. ¡°I¡¯ve already signed them. All that¡¯s needed is your signature, then we can submit these to the Supreme Court.¡± Chloe explained what she had already prepared. Yes, if these documents would be submitted, the divorce would be approved after the ruling. It wouldn¡¯t take long. It was unlikely that he would object to the divorce, just as he left her earlier without any hesitations. She thought that he might even be happy. So there shouldn¡¯t be any complications with the divorce. Chloe thought so. But then¡­ ¡°Wife. You must have gone crazy.¡± Eric gritted his teeth and said this. His grey eyes flashed with an unsettling rage. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t say this if you were in the right mind.¡± Seeing Eric act like this, Chloe gulped dryly. She didn¡¯t expect Eric to react this way. Her hand trembled while she was still holding the divorce papers. ¡°I am of my right mind.¡± Contrary to his claims, her voice was clear. It was the same intelligent, clear voice that he knew, and at this Eric grew more agitated. ¡°If you really are, then how could you possibly bring up divorce in front of me?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I?¡± Chloe¡¯s chest tightened, but she straightened her posture and lifted her chin. She couldn¡¯t understand Eric. Why was he angry? Wasn¡¯t this divorce beneficial to him? But why¡­ Oh, was it perhaps because of the money? Was he mad because he couldn¡¯t get back the money that he had spent on her family once they were divorced? As expected, it was because of the money. Chloe finally understood why he was reacting in this way. ¡°I¡¯ll pay back the money that was borrowed. Somehow.¡± Whether she would borrow that money from the royal family, or if she must steal it from her mother¡¯s safe, she would somehow pay him back in full. Today, Chloe had such a bold thought. That she¡¯d go crazy if she didn¡¯t do this. ¡°If you give me just a little time, I¡¯ll prepare it, so¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the money!¡± On the other hand, Eric felt like he was going crazy, too. He hated it when something as lowly as money matters would come out of Chloe¡¯s noble lips. ¡°How many times do I have to spell it out for you that I don¡¯t need it! It¡¯s not something that you should stick your nose into!¡± ¡°How can I not care?!¡± As she shouted back, Chloe was also surprised at herself for doing so. She took in a deep breath, rubbing her chest. ¡°I continue to live like this because of the money that you say I shouldn¡¯t care about, and I endure it every day, so how could I not care while I¡¯m still alive¡­¡± What Chloe was going to say was that she was always conscious of these money matters, but she was never given the right to do so. ¡°¡­Endure, you say.¡± But Eric didn¡¯t accept it. No, he couldn¡¯t. In the first place, this marriage only happened because of money. Because of that money, Chloe had no choice but to be swept away into this marriage. As such, they faced the other, each standing over their own path, running endlessly and believing that one day they would cross paths. However, as they ran, they found that their paths were parallel. There was no chance for them to intersect. That¡¯s why they could only blame the other person. They each did not understand. They didn¡¯t even want to understand. This may have been their biggest problem. ¡°Wife.¡± Eric took a step closer to Chloe. ¡°Chloe Aslan.¡± And she slowly raised her head, her eyes meeting with Eric¡¯s. He looked into her eyes like that, his reflection shaking. What he saw was a rat trembling in the rain. Did he look human? Was he living like a human? He asked himself, but there was no answer. He didn¡¯t think there would ever be an answer. ¡°You¡¯ll forever have the name Aslan.¡± Eric snatched the documents in Chloe¡¯s hand. ¡°Divorce, or anything like it.¡± And tore the documents in half. ¡°We can¡¯t do that. Never.¡± ¡°F*ck!¡± Eric bit hard on his lower lip as he roughly loosened his tie. After opening a bottle, he poured some liquor into a glass. Chkk. He lit a cigar and sprawled on the sofa. ¡¯Divorce. Let¡¯s get divorced.¡¯ Why? This question echoed in his head. Why? Why did Chloe bring up divorce with him? Did he do something wrong? He scoured his memories, but nothing came up. He had behaved as best as he could towards her. She said she didn¡¯t like staying in the capital, so he let her stay in the north and left her enough servants. She didn¡¯t seem to like being with him, so he tried to stay as far away as he could from her. He helped her household sincerely because she seemed to be worried about their finances. He did everything for her! But why¡­ Divorce¡­ It was frustrating. He felt so terribly betrayed. Chloe¡¯s actions were unfair towards him. He never thought she would do something like this to him. Was it that disgusting to be married to a lowborn like him? Was she tired of him now? These thoughts constantly rushed in. All of them were thoughts that made him feel like he was about to lose his mind. He wanted to go back and ask Chloe. Why does she want to divorce him? However, it was clear that Chloe wouldn¡¯t answer. She was someone who was good at hiding her thoughts, and she always kept her composure so as not to reveal her emotions on her face. It was impossible to even guess. ¡°Huu¡­¡± Eric hunched forward, his face in his hands. His right foot, the prosthetic one, creaked as though it was asking to be greased. It hurt. It hurt so much. He didn¡¯t know why it was hurting so much. Bang! He pulled out the prosthetic leg and threw it to the wall. And what he saw left in its place was a cut-off ankle. But despite that, the pain did not go away. It kept hurting. He didn¡¯t know where it was hurting. The pain did not go away. It might never go away. A few days passed just like that. The house was quiet. As if no one was inside. Andrea, who was there to serve Chloe, did not say anything. And Chloe herself wasn¡¯t talkative in the first place, so the room was silent. The same was true of the hallway. It wasn¡¯t bustling because there were no other servants, so only wind passed by. The only sound that could be heard was the gentle raindrops that drummed over the roof. Chloe despised this silence. It was suffocating. It felt like she was submerged underneath a dark, vast pool of water, barely inhaling oxygen given by sparse air bubbles. Fortunately, today was the day of the ball. Andrea was busy preparing Chloe. Chloe chose the dress she bought with Eric. It was the pink robe la francaise dress with a redingote gown underneath, accompanied by a beige hat. The hat was embellished with purple ribbons and pink carnations. Chloe stared at the carnations attached to the hat in her hands. In flower language, it meant passionate love. It didn¡¯t match the current situation at all¡­ At one time, she thought that she would be able to love passionately. And when it was decided that she was to wed Eric, she was so happy to be reunited with her first love. If she knew that it would turn out this way, if she knew that it would end in vain like this¡­ ¡®If I knew, would anything even have changed?¡¯ Her father would still push her to get married, even if she tried to refuse. It was clear that her words would be ignored. She would still be married either way. And she would live this life once more. The only difference would be that she¡¯d know how miserable of a life it would be. It had always been like this. She was never allowed to live her life properly. She always walked on a path that was dictated by someone else, urged to march forward until her feet would bleed. Then eventually, even if she couldn¡¯t walk anymore, she wasn¡¯t allowed to sit down to rest because she would be punished. What could she do? She couldn¡¯t breathe. Chloe unknowingly broke a fingernail. She couldn¡¯t continue like this. She couldn¡¯t live like this anymore. She didn¡¯t know how to live, but she knew that she couldn¡¯t do this anymore. A few days ago when she brought up the divorce to Eric, she was wondering if she should say that their time as a couple was limited anyway. If she said that she had a terminal illness, would he have signed the papers? However, it was unlikely that this would happen. She knew that he would only get mad again, and Chloe was frightened of his anger. His anger had always been terrifying. Like her father¡¯s. So she hid the truth about her illness. Even if she talked about it anyway¡­ ¡®I¡¯m dying.¡¯ Was it necessary to reveal her condition? It wouldn¡¯t be bad to die alone somewhere else after the divorce, once she had left. So, without her husband knowing whether she was still alive or not¡­ Chloe chuckled bitterly. Then, her eyes turned towards the calendar hanging on the wall. ¡®Birthday¡­¡¯ There wasn¡¯t much time left. After glancing at the calendar, Chloe averted her gaze and smiled. It was so foolish of a thought that, after bringing up divorce with him, she still had some hope that her husband would celebrate her birthday with her. That¡¯s right. It¡¯s always been this way. She would be alone during her birthday. She would go out alone, walk around alone, eat something delicious alone, buy a gift for herself alone¡­ Then she would come back. If she could try doing these things alone this year, perhaps it was something that she could be proud about. Chloe smiled a little as she vowed to do all these. After a very long time, there was a sincere smile in her lips. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Eric was in the same carriage. She brought up the divorce with him a few days ago, so she thought that he would take another carriage, but it was amazing that he had waited for her. Chloe tried not to show her surprise as she sat across from him. Giddy up. The coachman stirred the horses forward, and the locomotive started moving. Black smoke covered the car window, and the screeching sounds of the engine pierced the air. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± However, inside the carriage, it was quiet. Neither of them opened their lips to speak. The silence lasted a long time. Until they eventually saw the Imperial Palace outside the window. ¡°It¡¯s so frustrating. I¡¯m going crazy.¡± And what broke the silence was Eric¡¯s muttering. He unclasped his sleeve cuffs and turned his wrists. Then, he faced Chloe. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come out of your room?¡± Chloe thought for a moment about what answer she should give. ¡°Because¡­ I didn¡¯t have a reason to go out?¡± She answered only with that, nothing more and nothing less. She didn¡¯t go out of her room because she had nothing to do outside. This was the truth, but Eric didn¡¯t look very happy. ¡°Didn¡¯t you think about coming to me?¡± Chloe was perplexed by this. The ribbons tied on her hat were slightly disturbed. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ busy.¡± Eric furrowed his brows. That¡¯s right. He¡¯s busy. He was going crazy because he was so busy. However, despite being so busy, he was also tired of just looking at the door that never opened again. Eric had to admit it, that he was waiting for Chloe. Ha. He let out a sigh and unbuttoned his collar. ¡°It¡¯s your birthday soon.¡± Eric continued to speak, looking into Chloe¡¯s wide eyes. ¡°I made a reservation at the Antoinette Opera. I hope we can go there together on that day.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Chloe blinked her widened eyes several times. ¡°Together?¡± ¡°Then, you¡¯d rather go alone?¡± At Eric¡¯s firm words, Chloe couldn¡¯t stop her mouth from gaping. But she soon tightened her lips together, looking away with discomfort in her eyes. Then, she turned back and met his gaze. ¡°Suddenly? Why?¡± With a sigh and with his Eric clenched his fingers into a fist, but he soon unclenched this and straightened his furrowed brows with his fingers. He let out a sigh. ¡°I believe I¡¯ve been good to you, Wife.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ve done a good job so far.¡± He leaned forward, interlocking his fingers.¡± ¡°But maybe that wasn¡¯t the case for you.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t.¡± Chloe answered immediately. Then, she looked over to Eric. Seeing how his expression didn¡¯t change, Chloe sighed in relief. ¡°So I¡¯m saying I¡¯ll give it a try.¡± Eric straightened his shoulders and raised his chin. ¡°To be a good husband to my wife.¡± Chloe looked blankly at him the whole time she listened to his words. She stared at Eric with eyes that were out of focus, as if she had gotten lost. Then, she slowly raised her head. ¡°Why?¡± Chloe¡¯s question was unexpected. Of course, he thought that Chloe would like what he said, but he didn¡¯t know that he would ask like this. His conversations with Chloe always went beyond his expectations. And he was always left with no choice but to be rendered speechless. ¡°I was going to spend my birthday alone. As always.¡± Chloe could barely speak through her confusion. ¡°But why¡­¡± She grabbed the skirt of her dress unconsciously. ¡°Is it because I brought up divorce? That¡¯s why you¡¯re trying to be nice to me?¡± Eric saw sadness in Chloe¡¯s eyes¡ªdespair. He tried to think of a reason why it was there. So he couldn¡¯t understand even more. Why? Why was she reacting like this? He felt betrayed and unfair again. Chloe seemed to keep brushing off his efforts to do better down the drain. ¡°Then what are you going to do?¡± Eric answered her sharply. Chloe¡¯s expression soon grew distorted. ¡°You¡¯re really too much.¡± And she replied with a voice that was not emotional¡ªit was calm, yet so deflated. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t done that, you¡¯d still treat me the same way.¡± Chloe recalled Eric¡¯s attitude towards her over the past five years. ¡°You ignored me, you were indifferent to me, and you were completely¡­ absent. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Eric¡¯s forehead wrinkled. He shook his head slowly. ¡°I never did that.¡± ¡°Do you really think so?¡± Chloe looked into Eric¡¯s eyes as she asked. Eric chewed the inside of his cheek instead of answering. It felt like he was cornered, as if he had been trapped there with no chance to escape. It¡¯s not something he usually felt. ¡°So what do you want me to do? Do you want me to be with you or not?¡± ¡°Darling.¡± Chloe sighed heavily. She looked at his strong chin, his splendidly shaped lips, his high nose and his two gleaming eyes. This was the man she loved. She wondered if this man¡­ ¡°Do you love me?¡± Did he love her?¡± With Eric verbalizing the words in her mind, Chloe¡¯s eyes shook in all directions. The sound of her gulping dryly filled the carriage. The silence persisted. How much time had passed? Eric turned out the window, withdrawing his gaze from Chloe. ¡°You can¡¯t answer.¡± Chloe smiled helplessly and bowed her head. ¡°You don¡¯t even love me.¡± The ball that the royal family held was the same. It was equally colorful, magnificent and glorious just as it was five years ago. What¡¯s different this time was that she didn¡¯t enter with her brother by her side, but instead with Eric. With Eric, her husband who she fought with just now. ¡°I¡¯ll be over there.¡± Chloe only nodded to answer him. Eric stared at Chloe for a while, then soon walked slowly towards the other side of the banquet hall. Chloe didn¡¯t watch Eric¡¯s back as he left. Hadn¡¯t she seen it far too long? She was tired of that now. She didn¡¯t want to do that anymore. She shouldn¡¯t have to see the back of the person who didn¡¯t love her. Chloe picked up a glass of champagne and took a sip of alcohol. As the prickly alcohol went down her throat, she felt that her heart was more calm now. After she finished her drink, she reached out to pick up another glass. And then¡­ ¡°Who do we have here? Chloe!¡± It was the voice of Harris, the second prince. In fact, Chloe turned her head and welcomed the voice she hadn¡¯t heard in a long time. ¡°Brother!¡± 1 She smiled broadly and greeted Harris. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. Have you been doing well?¡± ¡°How have you been? Goodness, come here. You¡¯ve grown a lot.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a child. It¡¯s already been a long time since I¡¯ve come of age.¡± ¡°In my eyes, you¡¯ll always be a kid.¡± Harris patted Chloe on the shoulder. Feeling this warm touch melted her frozen heart a little. Chloe exhaled somewhat heavily with a gentle smile. ¡°Oh right, did the Marquis come with you?¡± ¡°Yes, he went to the other side because he had something to do.¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk. What a terrible guy to have left you alone like this.¡± Chloe smiled bitterly instead of answering. Then, she turned away and looked around. ¡°Where¡¯s Wiliam?¡± Harris pointed behind Chloe, and at that, she turned around in a hurry. There, the third prince William stood. He was Chloe¡¯s childhood friend and former fianc¨¦. ¡°Chloe.¡± Boasting his bright blond hair, he walked closer to Chloe with a relaxed smile as always. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. How have you been?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been well, of course. And you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same for me.¡± ¡°Doing well, this guy?¡± Harris cut into their conversation. ¡°He¡¯s still not getting married even though he¡¯s gotten so many marriage proposals. He¡¯s a nuisance to the royal family.¡± ¡°Brother, don¡¯t say that,¡± William replied. ¡°Why? Are you being shy in front of Chloe?¡± ¡°Brother.¡± ¡°Okay, okay.¡± Harris chuckled at William, whose face had turned red. Then he shifted his gaze to Chloe. ¡°Well, let¡¯s stop chattering so much.¡± And at that moment, his eyes flashed. ¡°Chloe seems to have something to say.¡± Chloe opened her lips unconsciously. Did she have anything to say? There was. She had a lot to say to them, towards his childhood friends she considered to be older brothers. The most urgent topic to bring up was to borrow money. But¡­ The reason why she needed money was because of her divorce with her husband. But right now, her husband was stubbornly refusing to divorce, so she couldn¡¯t bring up the matter of money so hastily. So instead of speaking about that, Chloe shook her head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t have anything to say.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Harris touched the back of his neck, his lips twisted up into a smile. ¡°Well, I have something to say.¡± He spoke in an undulating tone. ¡°I thought you knew about the marriage talks between Marquis Aslan and my younger sister.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Chloe still had the innocence of a child. Even so, she was a clever woman who knew how aristocratic society worked. That¡¯s why she noticed that Prince Harris said this intentionally to gauge her. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Chloe calmly asked back. Harris¡¯ eyebrows shot up. ¡°I mean exactly what I said. There are marriage talks between my younger sister and the Marquis.¡± ¡°Does my husband know of this?¡± ¡°Just because one person doesn¡¯t know doesn¡¯t mean that it¡¯s not going on.¡± Chloe was deeply immersed in her thoughts. Harris laughed inwardly as he looked at Chloe, but he couldn¡¯t get caught. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been finalized yet, Chloe.¡± He took one step closer to her. ¡°But if the Marquis remarries, we¡¯ll take care of you. You don¡¯t have anything to worry about.¡± He patted Chloe¡¯s shoulder just as he did earlier. ¡°Poor Chloe. If we knew this would happen, you should have married William back then.¡± ¡ª¡ª t/n: 1 they¡¯re not actually blood related, Chloe just calls Harris ¡®Brother¡¯ because it¡¯s a term of endearment between close friends ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 17 Chapter 17 After Harris said this, Chloe could only feel shame as she saw the sympathy in his eyes. Why should she be told this? Why did she have to receive this sympathy? She was the only one who could sympathize with herself. It could be said that this was because of her pride, but Chloe was immensely ashamed at this moment. ¡°Brother.¡± Chloe proudly raised her chin and looked straight into Harris¡¯ eyes. ¡°I love my husband.¡± And Harris tilted his head to the side. He looked alternately between Chloe and Eric, who were standing so far away from each other. The Marquis¡¯ broad back seemed infallible, as though it would never turn behind him. Harris looked back at Chloe. ¡°Then, does the Marquis love you as well?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Chloe didn¡¯t answer. ¡¯Do you love me?¡¯ Just as her husband failed to answer this question, Chloe also failed to answer Harris. Chloe stood against a wall. She was a little dizzy because she already had three glasses of champagne. The doctor told her not to drink, so it was clear that she would cough up blood again when she went back. But it couldn¡¯t be helped. She couldn¡¯t possibly stay sober in this situation. She now knew why her mother was so inclined to alcohol in the past. Her father didn¡¯t love her mother. And yet her mother loved her father. Her mother constantly blamed herself. She believed that it was the woman who was to blame for a man not loving her¡ªthat it was something she did wrong. But what was it that she did wrong? Perhaps it was her existence itself that was wrong. Whatever it might be, she was wrong and the man she loved was never at fault. It¡¯s the woman¡¯s mistake to be so unloved. Her mother said this to Chloe everyday as she drank bottles of wine. And when it was time for her father to come home, her mother would dress up to greet him. However, the stench of alcohol couldn¡¯t be removed, and every time his father would smell this on her, he would hit her mother while saying, ¡®How dare a woman drink so carelessly.¡¯ ¡®Am I lucky that I¡¯m not getting hit?¡¯ Chloe wondered for a moment. At least Eric didn¡¯t hit her. She was grateful for this fact. She wasn¡¯t respected as a wife, but at least she was respected as a fellow human being. After thinking this way, Chloe smiled helplessly. She was grateful already just for this. Will spring come when winter comes to an end? Or will it still continue to snow? Will she be touched by heart enough to make it swell, or will she be thrown into the depths of the cold enough to make her bones ache? The latter was more likely. She didn¡¯t think that it would ever be warm. Spring would never come to her¡­ She felt like she would die in winter, just as she lived through winter for all her life. ¡°Oh my, Marchioness Aslan?¡± At this time, Chloe heard a familiar voice. Chloe slowly peeled herself away from the wall and turned towards where the voice came from. There stood Countess Izent and her circle. They were Chloe¡¯s friends from the past. Chloe smiled softly at them. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. How have you been?¡± They curtsied towards Chloe and bowed slightly, and Chloe curtsied as well in return. ¡°Of course, everyone¡¯s doing well.¡± Countess Izent said this as she approached Chloe. ¡°You should have told us you¡¯ve come to the capital. If we knew, we would have organized a get-together to welcome you, even a small one.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t have the time to contact you since I came in a hurry.¡± ¡°In a hurry?¡± Countess Izent furrowed her brows slightly. ¡°Something must have happened.¡± Countess Izent took Chloe¡¯s hand anxiously. Chloe suddenly thought that her Countess¡¯ body temperature was warm. When was the last time she felt another person¡¯s warmth? Chloe looked down at their hands, where they met. She smiled quietly. Countess Izent and Chloe weren¡¯t close. However, they¡¯d known each other for a long time. They understood each other to a certain extent, knowing each other¡¯s circumstances peripherally. That¡¯s why it was rare for them to ever slight each other. Actually, there was never an occurrence. This was the generous consideration of knowing someone for a long time and staying with them that long. In this context, Chloe¡¯s relationship with Eric¡­ How should she put it. Even though they had been together for five years, they knew nothing about the other. Regardless of whether they truly knew nothing or never had the desire to know the other more, there were many things that were unknown. She had never even ever held his hand. She didn¡¯t know his warmth. ¡°Marchioness?¡± Countess Izent asked Chloe as she was momentarily dazed. At this, Chloe raised her gaze, realizing her mistake. ¡°No, there¡¯s nothing going on.¡± ¡°Truly?¡± Countess Izent¡¯s eyes were wide. ¡°But why¡­¡± Then, she glanced at Chloe¡¯s empty side. ¡°Aren¡¯t you with the Marquis?¡± But how strange. Oddly, it was a question tinged with ridicule. Why? Why was she asking this question? Chloe was faced with this question at that moment, and she soon noticed the malice in their expressions. They were looking down on her. They were showing their disdain because she was an unloved woman, because she didn¡¯t hold any power because her husband did not love her. That¡¯s why they were treating her like this. Chloe trembled, a terrible sense of helplessness washing over her. ¡°Indeed, the Marquis is very busy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. He¡¯s the busiest person in the capital¡ªno, the whole country.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s leaving such a pretty wife alone at home¡­¡± ¡°Have you danced tonight?¡± They perked up one after another. Chloe bit her lower lip tightly, barely being able to endure the humiliation. ¡°It¡¯s not just a day or two that my husband is busy.¡± She tried desperately to keep her smile up. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something that you must concern yourselves with.¡± It was a sharp remark, so everyone shut their mouths at that. All except the Countess. In any case, Chloe was the only daughter of Duke Rolphe, and furthermore, she was a Marchioness. It seemed like they forgot just because of what they pointed out. ¡°But how can I not be concerned?¡± However, Countess Izent didn¡¯t back down. Once again, she held Chloe¡¯s hand and smiled. ¡°We¡¯re close friends. Shouldn¡¯t we share our concerns together?¡± Chloe suddenly felt that the body temperature she felt from the other woman was unsettling. It felt like hard cold ice. This was the temperature she could feel from someone who was hostile to her. It was so cold. ¡°I¡¯m always here to listen. I also know a lot about the matters between a man and a woman, so I¡¯ll be of much help to you.¡± Countess Izent continued to caress Chloe¡¯s hand. ¡°Especially about matters of the night.¡± ¡°Countess.¡± Chloe took a deep breath. She didn¡¯t want to listen to this. She really did not want to stand here and take this. There were times when she remembered how her mother would scold her about what went on with a man and a woman in the evening, and the fact that she had never slept with Eric. It was shameful. It was humiliating. ¡°Let¡¯s stop here.¡± Chloe forcibly retracted her hand from the Countess¡¯ grasp. Countess Izent¡¯s words were filled with so much venom. Why? Chloe thought they were on good terms. Why was the Countess doing this to her? There was a bitter taste in Chloe¡¯s mouth, feeling the change in her attitude. At the same time, she was so angry that she wanted her to stop talking right then. ¡°Oh my. It¡¯s not something I¡¯m not allowed to say. Can¡¯t we talk about this?¡± The Countess asked the other women around her. Then, she focused her attention on Chloe again. ¡°Or is it because the ever so noble Marchioness doesn¡¯t want to join our chat?¡± At that moment, Chloe felt so suffocated. ¡¯She¡¯s a Duke¡¯s daughter. You think she only wants to associate herself with people of the same caliber as her?¡¯ ¡®How stubborn. Just how hapless is she?¡¯ And she recalled what the servants of the north had said. When she came to the capital, she thought that she would no longer hear this since she¡¯d be meeting her past acquaintances. But that wasn¡¯t the case. That¡¯s also how they thought of her. Chloe couldn¡¯t set her mind straight, so full of despairing thoughts. Then at that moment. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Chloe felt a touch on her shoulder, so she lifted her gaze. ¡°What business do you have with my wife?¡± To her surprise, it was Eric. With a red face, he openly showed his displeasure without trying to hide it. ¡°If there isn¡¯t anything else, then wrap up your conversation now. I need my wife back.¡± The women, including the Countess, were startled but they curtsied towards Eric, then they stepped away. As they did, they kept taking glances behind them at Chloe and Eric, and it seemed like they were still talking about the couple. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Left behind, there were no words between the husband and wife. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 ¡°Why did you stay still?¡± On the way home, this was Eric¡¯s answer to Chloe after he had ruminated the fact. ¡°What I mean is why did you allow yourself to be battered like that?¡± He seemed to have heard the conversation she had with the Countess and her group earlier. Chloe stared at Eric as he spoke once more. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see my wife being disregarded.¡± ¡°They weren¡¯t wrong.¡± And this was Chloe¡¯s immediate answer. She was sick of staying silent. In any case, she didn¡¯t need to broach the subject of the divorce again. She spoke in a very sarcastic tone. ¡°I am a noble, elegant Marchioness, and at the same time, I am a frigid woman who is not loved by my husband.¡± ¡°Chloe.¡± ¡°You always speak that way. But did I say anything wrong?¡± Eric shut his mouth. Was that the scent of alcohol lingering around Chloe? He frowned deeply. ¡°Darling.¡± Chloe put her hands together. The locomotive shook, but Chloe remained poised. She never faltered. ¡°Did the Fourth Princess ask you to marry her?¡± Eric¡¯s eyes grew wide, then he closed them slowly. Behind his gaze were worries and concerns that were piling up. He pressed his forehead with his fingertips, frustrated, and he sighed deeply. ¡°It¡¯s none of your concern.¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Chloe thought that this should be pointed out. And she felt again how the small hope she was fostering might not have completely burned down and disappeared. Coming over her entirely, Chloe felt frustrated once more. ¡°Darling.¡± Chloe spoke in a voice that seemed to be fading out, but it was nonetheless a powerful voice that was like a persistent candlelight enduring a gust of wind. ¡°Is that why you¡¯re refusing to divorce me?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°So that you won¡¯t marry the Fourth Princess?¡± Eric was in disbelief. That¡¯s right, the word disbelief was the best fit. He was refusing to divorce so that he wouldn¡¯t get married to the Fourth Princess? Him? Eric Aslan? He could refuse the marriage as much as he wanted. The reason he had left Prince Harris to his own machinations was because Eric had plans for him in the future. But Chloe seemed to have formed a misunderstanding. His pride was shot. So he wanted to say this¡ª I am a great person enough to ignore a prince¡¯s orders. I am a man who holds the king at the palm of my hand. I control the entire kingdom. He wanted to shout it all so loudly that Chloe¡¯s ears would grow tired of these words. But even if he did, Chloe wouldn¡¯t believe any of it. To her, he was someone who merely bought a title to become a Marquis, someone who would never be able to erase his origins as a commoner. And so that was the reason these words came out stiffly. He did not want to tell her the truth. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then what are you going to do?¡± Eric stared at Chloe¡¯s faultless, immaculate face. Chloe closed her eyes for a moment, but she soon lifted her gaze. ¡°Then¡­¡± Chloe thought about it. So far, her husband had poured four million pounds into the Duchy for her. Whether he felt any affection for her or not, it was an undeniable fact that she owed Eric a lot of money. And Chloe never gave anything back. She just received all that money. ¡°Then I won¡¯t be able to insist on divorce.¡± Therefore, Chloe had to fold her resolution halfway. She never did anything for him, but at the very least she knew enough about insisting on what she should and what she shouldn¡¯t. But that didn¡¯t mean she had given up on divorce completely. ¡°I understand that the Fourth Princess receives a lot of marriage proposals. And the royal family is also pushing for her marriage.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Chloe leaned back. ¡°Once the princess wishes to marry someone else, please divorce me.¡± Eric¡¯s expression was stiff. He loosened his tie, took out a small machine and a cigar from his coat pocket, put the cigar between his lips and turned the cogwheel of the machine. Chiiik. A small fire was conjured, and he lit the cigar with it. ¡°Why do you want to divorce me?¡± The sweet smell of the cigar filled the locomotive, cloudy smoke accompanying it. Chloe slowly breathed in. The scent of his cigars was always like this. At first, it was soft and sweet like the fragrance of coffee, but as time went on, it would become a bitter, sour scent. Just like the pitiable love she had for him. When she first married Eric, she thought that they would fall in love together. A soft, steady love. But what was the result? Only love that had the unpleasant stench of old, rotten fish remained. She raised her chin, looking for vestiges of her elapsed love. ¡°Why do you want to stay married?¡± Eric¡¯s eyes trembled. Yes. Why? Why was he trying to maintain his marriage with Chloe? He asked himself as well, but he didn¡¯t have an answer. And so he remained silent. ¡°Answer my question first. I don¡¯t understand you, Wife.¡± Eric asked in a tone that was brimming with betrayal, with resentment. ¡°Is there anything I haven¡¯t done for you?¡± At his question, Chloe laughed. She could do nothing else but laugh. And she laughed for a long time, even though Eric¡¯s gaze continued to harden. In reality, it really was laughable. Because what he said was both completely right. And completely wrong. ¡°Darling, for me¡­¡± Chloe smiled, yet it continued to be a bitter smile. ¡°I wanted love.¡± Her blue eyes like the sea. Such a sea that was overflowing with waves of emotion. ¡°But you don¡¯t love me.¡± And at those words again, Eric couldn¡¯t answer. Because he wasn¡¯t truly in love with her. To be exact, he didn¡¯t know what love was. Cough! As soon as Chloe returned to her room, she coughed blood. Her coughing spell had lasted a long time because she endured it all at the banquet. Cough, cough! Dark red blood flowed between her teeth. On her elbows, Chloe crawled like a dog on the ground. ¡°Haa, ha¡­¡± Chloe¡¯s shoulders trembled as she breathed roughly. Tears squeezed through her tightly closed eyes. It hurts. It hurts so much. It hurts so terribly much. She wanted to tell Eric¡ªI¡¯m sick. Please look my way even just a moment, please love me even just a little. But she couldn¡¯t say this. She should not beg for love in that way, and her faint pride would not allow it. ¡¯I have work tomorrow morning.¡¯ These were Eric¡¯s final words to her that night. Tomorrow was her birthday. ¡¯So I¡¯ll see you at noon at the town square.¡¯ As she continued to cough, Chloe raised her head. Chloe wanted to ask¡ªWhy do you keep making me hope when you don¡¯t love me anyway? And yet she couldn¡¯t ask this either. More than anything else, she was frightened of Eric¡¯s words of rejection. ¡®Let¡¯s get a divorce first.¡¯ That¡¯s right. She was frightened of her husband¡¯s rejection. She was so afraid to hear, with his own voice, his own lips, that he didn¡¯t love her. What kind of person was she, really. What kind of fool was she? With her weak body, Chloe rose from the floor unsteadily. She still hadn¡¯t given up hope. Hope that her husband would love her. Eric didn¡¯t have a good memory. As it was with inventors, he tended to focus only on work once he started working. If there was no important business, if there was no one who came in, he wouldn¡¯t go out of his lab on his own. Even for days to no end, without drinking a sip of water. There were times when all he had with him were machines. And he almost forgot that it was Chloe¡¯s birthday today. Fortunately, it was only almost. He glanced up and looked at the time. There was still some time left until noon, so he thought he could focus on his task a little more. However, progress wasn¡¯t being made with his work. Clank! He threw away the pliers in his hand and tousled his hair. ¡°Sh*t.¡± After cursing, he moistened his lower lip with his tongue. Where did that neat appearance go, the one he always had whenever he was with Chloe? Right now, he was practically drenched in machine oil. He furrowed his brows and removed his glasses with a hand that was blackened by ash. ¡°Just how the hell am I supposed to add fur?¡± What he had in his hands was the machine that looked like a dog that Chloe had seen. Eric retrieved the pliers he had thrown and tightened a cogwheel. This was his birthday present for Chloe. She seemed to like dogs. Wasn¡¯t that why she said that this was cute when she saw it for the first time? It was clear that she would like this if she gave it to him. Yes. If he gave this to her, then¡­ ¡°F*cking hell.¡± Eric threw the pliers once more. Would she even like it? That Chloe ¡®Rolphe¡¯? He didn¡¯t know if she would prefer expensive trinkets more¡ªdresses and accessories. She might not like this lump of metal. Perhaps the word ¡®cute¡¯ was said just so he could save face. ¡°Huu¡­¡± Eric sighed and put the robot away. In the end, he thought that he should go out and buy a gift for Chloe instead. It was troublesome, but he had to. Since it was her birthday. While standing up like that, he suddenly realized¡ªthey had never celebrated Chloe¡¯s birthday in the past five years. He clenched his hands into fists as his forehead wrinkled. For him, his own birthday was nothing more than an ordinary day. Wasn¡¯t it that he didn¡¯t know his birthday in the first place? He was an unknown person who had slept on the streets without knowing the date of his own birth. That was Eric. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 19 Chapter 19 That¡¯s why Eric wasn¡¯t so interested in things like birthdays. Even if someone wanted to celebrate them, he tended to just give formal greetings. The same went for Chloe¡¯s birthday. Being with her on such a day was nothing but annoying for him. But this year was different. He would need to celebrate her birthday. Because he didn¡¯t want to divorce Chloe. Why? The answer was simple. Divorce was not an option. But again, why? ¡¯Do you love me?¡¯ It¡¯s not because of feelings like love. Eric did not love her. No, in the first place, he didn¡¯t know what love was. What was love? Was it the affection between parents and children? Then Eric wouldn¡¯t know that. Was it the bashfulness that men and women felt towards one another? Then Eric also did not know that. He didn¡¯t know what love was. To be exact, he didn¡¯t know what emotions were. Therefore, he couldn¡¯t tell what kind of feelings he had or in which direction they were heading. Perhaps the reason why he refused to divorce Chloe was truly because he wanted to prevent his marriage with the Fourth Princess. In fact, this reasoning came to his mind only after Chloe had said it, but that seemed to be the only plausible thing. If the Fourth Princes would marry another man, then the divorce with Chloe¡­ Eric¡¯s forehead wrinkled again. No. He had no intention to divorce. Eric didn¡¯t want Chloe to leave. It¡¯s not because of a trivial emotion like love. This was because he couldn¡¯t possibly let go of what was already in his hands. If anything like divorce was going to happen between them, Chloe would have to persuade him first. That¡¯s what he thought. Leaving his lab, he took out a pocket watch. The time now was half past nine. It was enough time to dress up and stop by a shop, then he¡¯d meet Chloe after. While thinking this, he went on his way. However, he encountered Daniel, who had been looking for him. ¡°Your Excellency!¡± As soon as Daniel saw Eric, he rejoiced and clasped his hands together. ¡°Oh my god, you¡¯re finally here! Thank goodness. You don¡¯t know how fast I was running to get here!¡± He pulled Eric in a hurry. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Someone from Jiren Guild came!¡± Jiren was the guild that was holding the largest commercial district in the eastern region, however, Eric had yet to secure a deal with them because they had been snobbing him. But someone from that place came here? Eric¡¯s eyes grew wide. ¡°They came here to buy the prosthetic leg you¡¯ve made! No, wait, this isn¡¯t the time. Hurry up and change your clothes and come out to meet them! Wash up first!¡± Daniel pushed Eric back. Eric looked stunned for a moment, but he soon rushed to his feet, his expression truly like a successful businessman. And so he had forgotten about Chloe completely. ¡°Huu¡­¡± The moon had already risen high up the sky. After his meeting with Jiren guild¡¯s representative, Eric loosened his tie and sat back on the sofa as though he was burying himself there. As a button was loosened, a long scar could be seen on his chest. Eric tilted his head back. He was the only one in the room. It was a success. From now on, he would start trading with Jiren Guild. This was an enormous achievement. He¡¯d only been able to reach customers in the west, but now that he could expand to the east, he¡¯d be able to gain wealth from the entire continent. He grinned as he thought about this bright future. Today was a great day for a toast. He took out the 53-year-old Valentino that he¡¯d been saving. At that moment. ¡ªKnock, knock. He heard a knock on the door. He said that no one should come in, so who could this be? Buttoning his loose shirt up once more, Eric answered with a sharp voice. ¡°Excuse me, Your Excellency.¡± It was Andrea, the lady-in-waiting that he had placed beside his wife. Eric raised his head, erasing his earlier delighted expression. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Andrea hesitated, then she carefully spoke. ¡°The Madam hasn¡¯t returned yet, sir.¡± ¡°What?¡± Eric jolted to his feet. Now that he thought about it, he had an appointment with Chloe¡­ that he had forgotten. He completely, utterly forgot. ¡°Sh*t!¡± Eric hurriedly took out his pocket watch to look at the time. It was already nearing midnight. His gaze went out the window. It was snowing heavily. Snow had piled up in the town square. It was not piled up to the knees like it was back at the house, perhaps because there were sweepers here. But it was still high enough that it was freezing. Eric hurriedly looked around. Everything was a blur because there was not a single lamp lit in the square. As his vision adapted to the darkness, he could gradually see clearer. A flowerbed. An empty bench. A towering clock tower¡ªand standing in front of it¡­ was Chloe. ¡°You foolish woman!¡± Running to Chloe¡¯s side, Eric clutched her shoulder hard. Looking at her, she was so deathly pale. Her blue lips were quivering, and it looked like her skin was already chapping. She was out here in this cold weather for twelve hours. It was natural. Eric was livid seeing Chloe like this¡ªit was like she was a living corpse. This stupid girl! ¡°If I didn¡¯t come, then you should have known that I wouldn¡¯t in the end! Why are you still waiting until this hour?!¡± Eric shouted while wiping the snowflakes over Chloe¡¯s eyelashes. He was angry. He was so angry he felt like it was driving him crazy. He didn¡¯t know why he was so mad, but he was so livid that he just wanted to scream. This foolish, absurd, useless woman! Why was she making him angry even on a day like this?! ¡°¡­You¡¯d come.¡± And then, Chloe¡¯s lips slowly opened. ¡°Because you said you¡¯d come.¡± Eric stopped breathing. He stared down at Chloe in a daze, forgetting how to breathe. ¡°And you did.¡± Chloe smiled. She was so happy that Eric was here. This was such a new feeling. And this only made Eric even more angry. He did not know why. ¡°God damn it!¡± Eric was running towards the locomotive through the raging snow. In his arms was Chloe, who had collapsed. Chloe¡¯s body was scorching like a ball of fire. Even though she was wearing a thick fur coat, he could still feel how excessively warm she was! Foolish woman. Stupid woman. F*cking hopelessly kind woman! He cursed Chloe endlessly, but he knew it himself. The fact that she had gotten this way was all because of him. He could have delayed the meeting. He could have kept his promise No, he forgot about it in the first place¡­ He knew it was all his fault, but he didn¡¯t want to admit it¡ªhe didn¡¯t want to accept that the root of all this was because of his flimsy understanding of what a ¡®promise¡¯ was. If he admitted it, then it felt like he had lost. He didn¡¯t know who or what he was losing against, but he didn¡¯t want to feel any hopeless defeat. And so he blamed Chloe. If she had used her head even a smidge, then she should have had the sense to return to the mansion¡­ Why was Chloe so stupid? Eric grimaced, embracing Chloe roughly as she breathed faintly. ¡°Burn more fuel! Run at the fastest speed!¡± Eric shouted as he arrived at where the locomotive was parked. The coachman didn¡¯t know what happened, but he soon followed the order. The silence drawn by the snowfall was interrupted by the frantic sound of the engine and the horses. It didn¡¯t take long until they returned home. ¡°Your Excellency? Where have you¡­ Madam?¡± Daniel ran down as soon as he saw, from out the window, the locomotive arriving, only to see this surprising sight. ¡°Don¡¯t you have eyes? Go and call the doctor right this instant! The best one in the capital!¡± ¡°Ah, y-yes!¡± Daniel hurried out the mansion¡¯s doors. Eric entered and immediately ran up the stairs two steps at a time, which shook off some snow from Chloe¡¯s clothes. Oh my goodness! Andrea covered her mouth, surprised to see them. ¡°Bring warm water and medicine for her fever. No¡ªno, not that. First, bring dry towels and clothes for her to change into.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll prepare them right away.¡± Andrea immediately brought dry towels and a nightgown, then she hurriedly changed Chloe¡¯s clothes. Eric crossed his arms and let out a low sigh. Nervousness was spreading on his face. F*ck. Why wasn¡¯t the doctor coming? Eric looked out the window and chewed his lips. Then, he turned his head and looked towards Chloe. He knew that he shouldn¡¯t look at her while she was changing, so he was about to turn away again in a hurry, but¡­ He looked back at Chloe in surprise. He saw how she looked like a corpse. He saw how she was so thin that it was like she had no flesh. He saw how natural it would be to think that she might not even be breathing anymore. ¡­Why did she look like that? ¡°Does she not eat?¡± Eric spoke out unconsciously. ¡°Pardon?¡± Andrea replied. ¡°My wife¡­ Does she not eat?¡± Eric looked towards Chloe, who was now wearing a nightgown that was as white as snow. ¡°Ah¡­ No, sir. The Madam rarely eats. She only drinks black tea once in a while.¡± ¡°Huu¡­¡± Eric sighed heavily and touched his forehead. Then, he walked to the window and opened it. Then, he took out a cigar from his inner pocket and lit a small fire. The stifling feeling he had was met with cigar smoke in his chest. But no matter how much he took in the smoke and exhaled, it wouldn¡¯t go away¡ªand this frustrated him. ¡°Your Excellency! The doctor is here!¡± By the time he had already smoked two cigars, Daniel shouted as he half-dragged a balding man towards him. Eric put out the cigar against the window frame and blew out the smoke. ¡°Why are you so late?!¡± He was annoyed, frustrated¡ªbut Chloe¡¯s examination must come first. He looked at the doctor. ¡°She was out while it was snowing all day long. Her body was cold as ice. Her fever¡¯s high.¡± ¡°Goodness¡­ Please allow me to examine her first.¡± Chapter 20 Chapter 20 The doctor hurriedly examined Chloe. He took her temperature, checked her breathing, then used a stethoscope over her chest and stomach. After examining her for a long time, the doctor raised his head with a wrinkled forehead. ¡°May I know.¡± The doctor looked straight into Eric¡¯s eyes. ¡°Is there another clinic where the Madam was examined before?¡± ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t be sure because I don¡¯t know enough, but¡­¡± The doctor trailed off. He spoke cautiously, not hiding his nervousness. ¡°I do not think that the Madam is doing well.¡± ¡¯Darling, I¡¯m sick.¡¯ Why? Why were Chloe¡¯s words coming to his mind at this moment? He couldn¡¯t understand. Chloe could barely open her bleary eyes. She couldn¡¯t breathe because of her fever. There was something ringing behind her ears. Thanks to this, she couldn¡¯t keep her balance. Everything was shaking, and in the past, it felt that she herself was the one shaking. Nevertheless, Chloe sat up. She could endure this much pain because she had already gotten used to it. Even when she¡¯s writhing in pain, she needed to know what happened. Chloe looked at the calendar on the desk. The 43rd day. The day of her collapse was the 41st day, so that meant she¡¯d been lying in bed for three days. She realized that her body had really gotten weak, and this was all that she thought. She wanted to rise from bed. However, her body wouldn¡¯t cooperate. It took her so much effort even to just reach for the glass of water on the bedside table and to drink it. As she exhaled, she touched her forehead. She still had a fever. Then at that moment. The door opened, and Eric came in. His eyes widened for a moment, surprised that Chloe had woken up. But soon, his expression returned to how it usually was. Chloe didn¡¯t feel any disappointment when she saw him. In other words, she felt no sadness or resentment for leaving her at that place and breaking his promise. At the back of her mind, she had already acknowledged that Eric would not come. She knew this, and yet hope was sprouting within her once more. Like a fool. How long was it going to be like this? Why wouldn¡¯t her heart listen to her mind? Chloe reflected on herself as Eric entered the room. ¡°What is it.¡± Eric said, one eye squinting into a grimace. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Thud. Chloe felt her heart fall to the ground. Did he call a doctor? He must have. Then did he know what disease she had? No. If he did, he wouldn¡¯t have asked. Then, she would have to pretend that she didn¡¯t know. Eric didn¡¯t like it when she was sick, and at the same time, she didn¡¯t want to say that she was sick either. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°You do.¡± Eric drew a hand to his hair, leaving it disheveled. ¡°What I¡¯m talking about right now¡ªI know that you¡¯re aware of it.¡± Their eyes met, and for just a moment, Eric¡¯s eyes trembled. ¡°So tell me, what illness is it? What¡¯s wrong?¡± It sounded like a pleading tone. Chloe could only wonder. Why? ¡°¡­Why?¡± And so she asked. ¡°If you know, will anything change?¡± ¡°Chloe.¡± ¡°What would be the difference?¡± Chloe gripped the blanket. ¡°You don¡¯t love me anyway.¡± ¡°That dastardly love!¡± Eric shouted, not being able to stand it in the end. He gritted his teeth and stomped one foot on the ground. ¡°I don¡¯t know what something like love is. My entire life, I never knew what love is! But I know this at least¡ªI can¡¯t let my wife stay sick! Now tell me this instant, what¡¯s your illness?!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you!¡± Chloe didn¡¯t back down either. With her eyes closed, she shouted in a broken voice. ¡°I¡¯ve told you dozens of times that I was sick. But what did you say each time? That you¡¯d send a doctor. Then you¡¯d forget about it. No one had ever visited me in the north! I was always alone!¡± The hands gripping the blanket were trembling. Those same hands were so pale that it seemed like they had no blood in them. ¡°I was sick alone, I suffered alone, and I¡­¡± ¡­loved you, alone. Chloe held back those last words and shut her lips. She breathed in deeply. ¡°But now you ask?¡± Eric looked at Chloe again. Still¡ªfor some unknown reason¡ªhis eyes were shaking. ¡°Darling.¡± Chloe gave him a despondent smile. ¡°It¡¯s too late.¡± She placed a hand over her broken heart. ¡°It¡¯s already the end.¡± ¡°God damn it.¡± Eric came out of Chloe¡¯s room, cursing as he messed up his hair. He wanted to talk to Chloe more, but she cut him off while saying that she wanted to rest. She had never done this before. It was the first time that Chloe had blatantly dismissed him. His chest felt suffocated. The more he thought about Chloe, the more annoyed he felt. He was annoyed by her foolishness, her hardheadedness, and if that wasn¡¯t enough, even everything about her illness annoyed him. However, on the other hand, the thing that frustrated him the most was the fact that she had brought up divorce again. Fine. He was angry. He was going crazy in anger! Was their marriage something so cheap that it could just be ended like that? What divorce? How could she say it so easily that she wants to end their relationship? Eric couldn¡¯t tell why he was angry. It could be because of Chloe¡¯s condition, or because she¡¯s hiding her illness, or because she¡¯d been preparing to leave him. Or it could be all these reasons. Why does she want to leave me? What kind of illness does she have? These two questions were swirling in Eric¡¯s confused mind. Having been surrounded by only machines all his life and even becoming wrought with a machine-like mind, it was like a cog within him had gotten clogged by an obstacle called Chloe. So he had to figure it out right away. The reason why she wants a divorce. The reason why she¡¯s sick. ¡°Daniel!¡± Daniel appeared even before Eric¡¯s shout could echo throughout the place. Eric beckoned him closer. ¡°Yes? Why did you call, sir?¡± ¡°Find the doctor in charge of Chloe in the north.¡± Eric took out a cigar as he said this. ¡°I need to know what¡¯s going on.¡± This was his right as a husband. Of course, it could be that he was acting this way because of the guilt from being a cold-hearted husband who had neglected his wife. But it didn¡¯t matter. Whatever it was that he was feeling, Eric was bent on finding out the secrets Chloe was trying to hide. ¡°And¡ª¡± He also needed to know why she wants a divorce. But would Daniel be able to dig up the reason for this? He already knew it was impossible. ¡°No. Never mind. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Eric¡¯s eyebrows furrowed as he drew in deeply on his cigar. ¡¯It¡¯s too late.¡¯ What do you mean, late? ¡¯It¡¯s already the end.¡¯ Nothing has ended. Eric clenched his fist and walked briskly. Chloe blinked slowly. After she had slept while not knowing how much time had passed, her fever had subsided a lot. Fortunately, she could move alone now. So right now, Chloe was thinking about it. If Eric really came to meet her. She wanted to believe that it wasn¡¯t just a dream. At that time, she was so delirious because of her fever¡ªthe conversation she had with him was a blur in her mind. However, it might not be a dream. It didn¡¯t seem like a dream when she could still feel so vividly the heartache, the sadness, the sorrow she felt while she was talking to him. That¡¯s right. It wasn¡¯t a dream. In fact, she had yelled at Eric. Recalling this fact, her cheeks became even more flushed despite her fever. Why did she do that? Just why did she do that? It might be because she was too feverish. That¡¯s why she was out of her mind. This was how Chloe rationalized it. But she soon shook her head and pulled the rope. ¡°Madam!¡± Shortly after, Andrea knocked on the door. Chloe could barely muster a loud enough voice to let her come in. Then, the door suddenly opened. ¡°You finally woke up, Madam! Are you alright? Goodness, this isn¡¯t the time. I¡¯ll call the doctor!¡± Andrea spoke in a noticeably frantic voice. She was usually calm and composed. This was how affected she must be about what happened to Chloe. ¡°Andrea.¡± Chloe called her name carefully. ¡°How long have I been unconscious?¡± ¡°Let me see. It¡¯s been¡­¡± Andrea looked towards the ceiling for a moment, then she answered. ¡°It¡¯s been four days since the Madam woke up for a short while. So in total, it¡¯s been a week.¡± Chloe bit her lower lip. It¡¯s been that long? Her husband already had suspicions about her illness. It was clear that she wouldn¡¯t be able to clear those suspicions by now. ¡°Where is my husband?¡± ¡°Milord went out for a while.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Chloe cleared her sore throat for a moment, then she continued. ¡°Do you know when he¡¯ll be back?¡± ¡°His Excellency mentioned that he would come back this evening, but it¡¯s not certain. He¡¯s a person who¡¯s not very conscious of time.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Chloe was thinking that it was fortunate that Eric wasn¡¯t home right now. She knew that they would only fight again if they saw each other. Why had they become like this? She tried to think of the reason, and the answer came to her quickly. Because he didn¡¯t love her. Because she loved him very much. Love was a terrible emotion. Even if she wanted to throw it away, it wouldn¡¯t get thrown away. And it was the same with the hope that would come alive just because of that love. No matter how hard she tried to let go of him, she couldn¡¯t let go entirely. Chloe spent several years like this. Alone, she loved, she hoped¡ªto no avail. Perhaps her life would only be complete with love. That¡¯s why all her life, she had only wanted love and looked for nothing else that she could want¡ªshe looked only at her husband. With an indistinct smile on her lips, Chloe blamed herself for being so pathetic. Chapter 21 Chapter 21 ¡°Andrea.¡± The lady-in-waiting looked up. ¡°Will you bring me a paper and pen?¡± I want to stop now. I don¡¯t love you anymore. I don¡¯t want to keep hoping anymore. Her cold body, as if there was still snow enveloping her, was telling her that this was the right path. ¡°The letter¡¯s recipient is¡­¡± She clenched her hands into fists. ¡°The third prince.¡± William, the third prince, got on a carriage after being shocked by Chloe¡¯s telegram. Eric Aslan¡¯s residence was in the capital anyway, so he would arrive there in less than 30 minutes. So before he¡¯d get there, his shock should abate. But he couldn¡¯t calm down at all. He¡¯s going to see Chloe! Of course, he saw her at the banquet, but they couldn¡¯t hold a long conversation at that time¡ªHarris, the second prince, was next to him. But now that he thought about it, that was a relief. How much had his heart pounded back then! It¡¯s a shame that Harris was next to him before, but otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to hold onto his rationality. Right, just like right now. Chloe was William¡¯s first love. It¡¯s often that first love was only fresh but short, however over time, this supposition proved wrong for William. His first love was something that had been with him as he grew up¡ªand continues to be with him right now¡ªbut back then, he couldn¡¯t think deeply about the reasons for his feelings and emotions. He realized this love only later out of the blue. He loved Chloe, in the past, in the present, in the future. So when he found out that she was getting married, the sorrow he felt could be compared by no other. He condemned Duke Rolphe, who sold his daughter like a tyrant businessman, but he could only grieve when the royal family collapsed and he couldn¡¯t save her himself. He was left angry with himself, who had no power in the past. He felt both rage and despair at the same time, but there was nothing he could do in that situation. So, at her wedding, he only congratulated her. He wished Chloe a good life. He wanted her to live happier than anyone else. But then¡­ ¡®The Chloe I saw earlier looked emaciated¡­¡¯ It was to the point that she looked as though she was sick. She looked terribly ill. And he heard that she wasn¡¯t on good terms with Eric Aslan, that Aslan didn¡¯t treat Chloe like a true wife and wouldn¡¯t even go back to the north to stay with her¡­ Maybe that¡¯s why it hurts. Wouldn¡¯t something that plagued the mind eventually affect the body? William was endlessly worried. While wondering whether he should send a letter to Chloe, he received her telegram, and without even pausing, he ran out to meet her. The carriage halted to a stop. He tried desperately to calm his pounding heart as he walked towards the mansion, following the person who had come out to greet him. And now, he arrived at the drawing room. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± Chloe smiled brightly as she welcomed William. She was the same as always¡ªas beautiful and as elegant as before. Noble and upright. Nothing has changed. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ been a while, hasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s been a while? Didn¡¯t we see each other not too long ago?¡± Chloe chuckled and led William to the sofa. Chloe asked if he¡¯d like a cigar, but he refused. He couldn¡¯t possibly smoke in front of Chloe¡ªshe looked even thinner than when he saw her at the ball. Heeding Chloe¡¯s orders, a maid poured tea into William¡¯s cup, then eventually left after doing so. Then, Chloe spoke slowly. ¡°It¡¯s not anything big, but I have a favor to ask of you.¡± William nodded immediately. Then, Chloe spoke. ¡°Can you lend me some money?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a small silver mine under my possession. I don¡¯t have money to continue its operations so it¡¯s been at a standstill for a while, but it can start again soon. I¡¯ll give you that mine.¡± Chloe continued. ¡°Please. I¡¯ll pay it back somehow.¡± ¡°Wait, wait¡ª¡± William cut Chloe off there. While touching his forehead, he sighed heavily. ¡°I don¡¯t understand, Chloe. Why do you need money? ¡­Why do you look so nervous?¡± Chloe observed the growing anxiety on William¡¯s expression. Although she hadn¡¯t seen him in such a long time, she missed the endless kindness that he always gave her. ¡°I¡¯m going to get divorced.¡± Even with a helpless tone, Chloe sounded determined. ¡°I¡¯m so, so tired.¡± ¡°Divorce?¡± William was completely taken aback. He didn¡¯t think that Chloe would say anything like this. The Chloe he knew was a woman of principle and propriety. She would never deviate. She lived her life ordinarily. Even as nothing in her world was ordinary, she tried to live ordinarily either way¡ªa path that would never deviate off the tracks. She always pursued such a life. But divorce? It was far from what he believed Chloe would want. It was a path that was completely opposite of what she aspired¡ªsomething completely parallel and out of reach to the life she wanted. William¡¯s heart was racing. He liked and admired Chloe¡¯s upright beliefs, but at the back of mind, it was true that he hoped she would step out of that path one day. The thought of being an accomplice to her deviation made his mouth water. He leaned forward and placed his elbows over his knees. ¡°Have you really thought of it?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve been considering it for a long time now.¡± Truthfully, it was a bit of an exaggeration to say that it was ¡®a long time¡¯. However, Chloe¡¯s remaining life span wasn¡¯t much anymore. That¡¯s why for her, even a few months of time was ¡®a long time¡¯. ¡°Goodness. I¡¯m acting strange, aren¡¯t I?¡± Chloe said with a low chuckle. ¡°Everyone would say that. There¡¯s no better husband than the Marquis.¡± ¡°¡­The Marquis is the future of this country.¡± ¡°Yes, but not my future.¡± She shook her head firmly. At this, William exhaled heavily. ¡°Once the Fourth Princess gets married, I¡¯ll get divorced.¡± ¡°Elizabeth? Why?¡± William asked reflexively, but he soon sighed. Then, he nodded. ¡°The marriage talks between Elizabeth and the Marquis.¡± The second prince was secretly supporting the marriage between the Fourth Princess Elizabeth and Marquis Aslan. Then there came the endorsement of Chloe¡¯s divorce. William already knew this. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. However, my husband doesn¡¯t seem to want it.¡± So just as Chloe said, only when Elizabeth married someone else would Chloe and the marquis divorce. William¡¯s forehead was wrinkled. ¡°But for the time being, it¡¯ll be difficult because there¡¯s no other marriage prospect for Elizabeth. And he smiled helplessly. ¡°Who would want to marry a princess of a fallen royal family?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say things like that. No matter what anyone says, the royal family is still alive.¡± ¡°No. The royal family is already drowning in debt, so even the bank came to urge us to pay.¡± As he said this, he recalled how the bankers raised their voices while clamoring for the overdue bonds. He placed his chin over his interlocked fingers, then, he breathed in and out slowly. ¡°But I still have my territory.¡± He was referring to the inheritance that he received before. ¡°If I sell that, I can give you the money.¡± ¡°¡­Brother.¡± Chloe bit her lower lip. If she were her usual self, she would have told him not to say that. But things were different right now. She couldn¡¯t let go of the rope she¡¯d barely managed to grab. ¡°I know I¡¯m shameless, but I¡¯m grateful for it. Thank you.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± William also nodded, smiling as though he understood Chloe¡¯s feelings. But soon, that smile fell. He looked at Chloe with a stiff expression. ¡°Chloe.¡± He spoke carefully. ¡°What are you going to do after you get divorced?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure.¡± Chloe thought about how her life would be after the divorce. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of going to the west coast.¡± ¡°The coast?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve never seen the ocean.¡± She wanted to see the ocean just once before she died. It might not be too bad to die there, immersed in the atmosphere while looking at the ocean. She imagined herself standing on the shore. Airships would hover in the sky while parasols would scatter throughout the sandy beach. A robot would ask if she¡¯d like to buy some ice cream. Then, she¡¯d watch the waves hit the coast while eating sweet vanilla ice cream. She imagined the vast blue ocean before her, her feet soaking in the waves. ¡°I think it¡¯ll be fun.¡± Chloe smiled sincerely for the first time in a long while. And for a moment, William¡¯s breath stopped short. He was dazzled by Chloe¡¯s smile, but he soon managed to return to his senses. He leaned forward again. ¡°Will you be alone?¡± Chloe didn¡¯t quite understand what he meant by that question. She tilted her head to the side. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°That is¡­¡± William continued speaking with a rather nervous expression. ¡°I¡¯d like to ask if you have any thoughts about remarrying.¡± He loosened his interlocked fingers, wiping his sweaty palms on his pants. ¡°If you do¡­¡± ¡ªKnock, knock. But his words were cut off. ¡°May I come in?¡± Because Eric was outside the room. While William looked over towards Chloe, trying to read her countenance, there was no choice but to let Eric in. The door opened wide. ¡°I apologize for not being able to greet you, Your Highness. I was out because of work.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m here at Chloe¡¯s invitation.¡± ¡°My wife¡¯s invitation?¡± Eric¡¯s brows were raised. He stared at Chloe for a moment, and he turned to William. ¡°Then is your conversation over?¡± Chapter 22 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 22 William still had a lot to say to Chloe. However, these weren¡¯t words that he could say in front of her husband, Eric. Realizing this, William just nodded. ¡°Then, please return.¡± Eric pointed to the door in a polite, yet firm manner. ¡°I also have a lot to discuss with my wife.¡± William wanted to say something about Eric¡¯s cheeky attitude, but he couldn¡¯t get angry in front of Chloe. And Eric was about to become a divorced man anyway. The woman who William loved would abandon Eric. What could be more pleasant than this? William gladly cheered himself up. Then, he turned to Chloe. ¡°I¡¯ll contact you soon.¡± Chloe smiled softly. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± As she said this to William, she didn¡¯t notice it¡ªwhat kind of expression Eric had as he watched them. After William left, Eric sat opposite Chloe. Perhaps he came in a hurry because his clothes were a bit messy. Chloe had a passing thought. She wanted to straighten out his crooked tie for him, but she immediately gave up that idea. He wouldn¡¯t appreciate the gesture anyway. Chloe sat there calmly and stared back at Eric. Then, Eric spoke. ¡°I guess you¡¯re all better now.¡± With his legs crossed, he linked his arms together as well. ¡°You even have another man here at home.¡± Chloe frowned unconsciously. How could Eric think like that about Chloe and William? ¡°William is like an older brother to me. There¡¯s no reason for you to say that.¡± ¡°You must really be recovered now.¡± Eric said this with irritation. ¡°No. Even when you¡¯re sick, you must have had a lot to talk about.¡± ¡°What is it that you want to say to me?¡± Chloe couldn¡¯t figure out what he was thinking. Eric raised his head, sneering at her. ¡°What did you talk about with him?¡± It was a question that was even more incomprehensible for Chloe. Why was he persistently questioning Chloe and William? She sighed quietly. ¡°He asked me about what I¡¯d do after the divorce, and I said I¡¯d go to the west coast. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°That divorce. Until when are you going to be so fixated on it?¡± Eric¡¯s tone was laced with venom. Chloe¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°You said that we can get a divorce after the Fourth Princess gets married. Didn¡¯t you agree to that?¡± Eric remained silent. Instead of answering, he just stared at Chloe. His gaze was so relentless that Chloe unknowingly cowered and crouched her shoulders. But knowing that he wouldn¡¯t harm her¡ªEric wasn¡¯t that kind of man, fortunately¡ªshe lifted her chin more confidently. But then Eric¡¯s lips opened. ¡°The reason you want to divorce me,¡± He looked at Chloe with a cold gaze. ¡°Is it only because I don¡¯t love you?¡± ¡°¡¯Only,¡¯ you say.¡± Chloe frowned and lowered her eyes. Only. How could love be just that? For her, love was¡­ ¡°Love is everything to me.¡± It was her life. This was all she had. How could he speak of it so insignificantly? ¡°You took all of that away.¡± She clenched her teeth as she said this. On the other hand, Eric¡¯s expression was indifferent. He stared back at her without any emotion. ¡°I¡¯m so sick and tired of it.¡± He muttered under his breath. ¡°How long are you going to be so delusional about love?¡± At the word ¡®delusion¡¯, Chloe became furious. She raised her voice to a degree. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything. ¡°Do I have to know?¡± ¡°Even this attitude of yours is something I do not like.¡± Chloe clenched her fist. ¡°You don¡¯t want to know anything about me. Why do you want me by your side when you¡¯re just treating me like a doll? I¡¯d rather you divorce me.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m telling you that I don¡¯t want a divorce!¡± A resounding shout filled the room. Chloe widened her eyes, but she soon closed them slowly. She held her hands together tightly. ¡°Why?¡± Chloe spoke with her eyes closed. ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to divorce me?¡± Eric loosened his tie, frustrated. ¡°I already told you. There¡¯s no reason for it.¡± ¡°And I keep telling you the reason clearly. Countless times.¡± She had said it over and over. She wanted a divorce because he did not love her. But why was he saying that there¡¯s no reason? And, Chloe thought, he was disregarding her feelings. ¡°You really don¡¯t listen to me at all.¡± She continued to talk with her eyes closed. Because she didn¡¯t want to see Eric¡¯s cold expression. If she saw his indifferent gaze here¡­ She might go mad. Avoid it. She just wanted to avoid it. Silence stretched before them. Eric didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, he clenched and unclenched his fists, breathing heavily. ¡°Fine.¡± After a long silence, a single word was finally uttered. Chloe opened her eyes and looked at Eric. ¡°I¡¯ll do it for you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Divorce.¡± Eric said so as he stood up. ¡°I promise you. The moment the Fourth Princess marries, we will divorce.¡± His gaze was firm. It was much colder than Chloe had thought. And she had a fleeting thought. Rather than loving her¡­ It was much easier for this man to divorce her. ¡°Satisfied?¡± ¡­Yes. That¡¯s all that mattered. Chloe swallowed those words and nodded. Her heart was hurting. Her mouth was dry. He finally said that they would get a divorce. Her husband said so. Of course, she would still have to wait until the Fourth Princess would be wedded to someone, but at the end of the day, he agreed to divorce her. Chloe sat on the sofa, alone in the empty room as she looked blankly into space. Her eyes were as empty as the room, as lonesome as the cold weather. It was something she didn¡¯t want to do. She came here to the capital to get a divorce and eventually gave the documents to her husband. She should be happy with the current situation. But Chloe couldn¡¯t feel that way. Strangely, her heart ached. She couldn¡¯t breathe properly. Was it because of her illness? But it was much too painful. She didn¡¯t have a fever and she wasn¡¯t coughing, but her heart was throbbing with too much pain. It felt as though her heart was ripped open. ¡®Is it because of the divorce?¡¯ Yes. It was because of that. She didn¡¯t know that it would hurt this much. The consent to divorce finally came out of her husband¡¯s mouth, but she didn¡¯t know that she would be left so forlorn. Did she want him to oppose until the end? Did she want him to tell her that he wouldn¡¯t divorce her until the very end? No. She came all the way here for a divorce. She had to get a divorce. She had to separate from him. But why did it hurt so much¡­ ¡°Hicc¡­¡± Chloe sobbed as she crouched down. Maybe she didn¡¯t want to get divorced. She had also wanted to give up hope when she was waiting outside for him to come even as the blizzard blew fiercely, but just as she had waited for him until the bitter end¡­ She was weak. She couldn¡¯t do anything on her own. She always had to get help from someone else. That¡¯s how she had lived all this time. That¡¯s why she wanted her husband to have a momentary weakness as well. She wanted him to ask her for help. She wanted him to be someone who couldn¡¯t live without her. She was terribly selfish. ¡°How stupid.¡± She was a foolish woman. The word fit her perfectly at this moment. But there was no turning back. Now that she had lost both hope and love, there was nothing else she could do. The next day¡ª Chloe didn¡¯t want to leave her room. She just wanted to lie down like this. She didn¡¯t want to think about anything. As it was, she was already weighed down by her thoughts. But she couldn¡¯t stay that way. Because today was the day a banquet was being held at the Duke of Antre¡¯s estate. It was absurd that Eric told her about it on the same day, sending the notice through Daniel, but she couldn¡¯t say no. It was already publicly known that she was in the capital, so if she let her husband go to the banquet alone, rumors would spread as a result. So Chloe said that she would attend. She didn¡¯t know how much she would be caught up in it. They were going to get divorced anyway, so she thought that she should avoid rumors with her husband until then. Even now, she was still thinking about Eric¡¯s reputation. She was going to die and disappear from this world in a couple of years, but Eric would remain. He would continue living even after she died, so even if they¡¯d be divorced, she couldn¡¯t hurt him. And so Andrea greeted Chloe and prepared in a hurry. She wore the dress that Eric bought for her, the accessories, the shoes. Everything was given by Eric. Chloe looked at her reflection and laughed snidely. It was quiet in the locomotive. After she met Eric the next day, he said nothing to her, not even saying hello. It was something Chloe already expected. Either way, she also didn¡¯t talk to him because she had nothing to say. They were silent, and the atmosphere was reminiscent of a storm¡¯s eve. Chloe sighed, feeling how clammy her hands were inside her gloves. Then at that moment. Outside the window, she saw another locomotive that had come to a halt. Smoke was coming from its engine, which seemed to have broken down. Looking at the insignia on the locomotive, Chloe realized that it was Count Jassen¡¯s vehicle. The Count had recently established a cotton factory and achieved great wealth. Chloe looked out the window and spoke carefully. ¡°I believe we¡¯re going to the same place. Shouldn¡¯t we help?¡± ¡°Never mind that.¡± Eric refused resolutely. ¡°Let them deal with it on their own. It would be fine even if they don¡¯t attend.¡± ¡°What?¡± While she wondered what he was talking about¡­ Screech! The locomotive stopped suddenly along with the loud sound. The horses whinnied as well. Someone suddenly jumped in front of the locomotive! Chloe barely held a hand to her pounding chest. Who was it? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 23 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 23 The answer came immediately. ¡°Hey, friend! It¡¯s me! Theo!¡± It was Count Theo Jassen. What did he mean by ¡®friend¡¯? Chloe was surprised by the fact that her husband and Count Jassen were friends, and was once again surprised that it was a nobleman who boldly jumped in front of their locomotive. Come to think of it, Count Jassen was the son of a duke. And he was also the topic of some unsavory rumors, that he would often show his face at parties where drugs and women flowed freely¡­ Chloe coughed in vain, recalling what she saw at the headline of a gossip tabloid paper that the maids in the north frequently read. ¡°Can¡¯t you open your door? As you can see, my ride broke down. I think you¡¯re also going to the duke¡¯s estate. Let¡¯s go together.¡± Count Jassen, who approached the window of the halted locomotive, shook the door and waved. Eric frowned. ¡°I¡¯ll ignore you and just leave.¡± ¡°Eyy, seriously! Don¡¯t do that! It¡¯s been a while since I saw you. Why are you being so cold, huh? Ohhh, and your wife is here, too! Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Theo Jassen.¡± He greeted Chloe in a casual way, so Chloe smiled and greeted back. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Count.¡± ¡°Gosh, such a title is burdensome. Please call me comfortably. You can call me by my name.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± She sighed without realizing it. This kind of familiarity was something she wasn¡¯t used to. Of course, this was because she had been trapped in the northern estate for a long time. ¡°Thank you for your consideration, Count.¡± So she answered neatly. Theo¡¯s eyes briefly turned to Eric, and it felt like their eyes met. Ahem! Theo spat out a dry cough and talked to Eric again. ¡°What, are you not going to open the door for me? If you leave me like this, I might freeze to death here.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t say that. There won¡¯t be anyone who¡¯d be sad if you freeze to death here.¡± ¡°Are you still going to talk like that?¡± Theo shook his shoulders and shuddered, then he turned to Chloe. ¡°Madam, listen to me. No, this guy was going to invest in my factory. That¡¯s what he told me. But at that time, the Gozir Kingdom also proposed an investment. Which one should I choose? Of course, it¡¯s the kingdom. If you ask anyone who¡¯s passing by the street who they¡¯d choose, it¡¯ll be the same answer! So I asked for his understanding. Why is he still so upset?¡± ¡°Who says I¡¯m upset!¡± Eric shouted. Annoyed, he ruffled his styled hair and muttered a curse word under his breath. Sh*t. He kicked the door of the carriage. ¡°Get in. I¡¯ll take you there on the condition that you shut your mouth.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯ll need something to cover my mouth.¡± ¡°Do you want to freeze to death?¡± ¡°I got it, I got it. Your temper¡¯s really something else.¡± Theo climbed into the carriage with an amiable smile on his lips. He patted off the snow on his shoulders and wiped his hands with a handkerchief. Then, he offered to shake hands with Chloe. ¡°Hello again. I¡¯m Theo.¡± Chloe glanced at the hand that was being offered to her and soon took only the fingertips. ¡°I¡¯m Chloe Aslan.¡± Theo tried very hard not to let the corners of his lips shoot up. He talked to Chloe, rambling again. ¡°The Madam is as beautiful as I heard. There¡¯s a reason why this guy hid his wife so meticulously that you couldn¡¯t be seen.¡± ¡°Theo Jassen.¡± ¡°Ah, you know. Whenever he talks about you, Madam¡ª¡± ¡°Count!¡± Eventually, Eric shouted and butted into the conversation¡ªwhich couldn¡¯t be called a conversation anyway¡ªand ended it. With his elbow on the vehicle¡¯s window and his forehead in his hand, Eric said quietly. ¡°Shut up.¡± It was such a threatening tone that anyone could hear his malice. But Theo wasn¡¯t discouraged. He whispered to Chloe while peeking at her husband. ¡°It must be hard living together, hahaha!¡± An awkward smile could be seen on Chloe. At this, she was sure that this ride would be uncomfortable all the way until their destination. They arrived at the Duke of Antre¡¯s estate. Theo got off first, and then Eric. Now it was Chloe¡¯s turn, but she hesitated for a moment. This was because there was a bit of a distance between the vehicle and the carpet. If she alighted like this, there would be mud on her shoes. Chloe agonized over what to do. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you getting off?¡± Eric asked her. Then, he noticed what Chloe was worrying about. He looked down at the floor and saw the three handspans¡¯ distance from the carpet. ¡°I can¡¯t believe a mistake was made like this in such a basic thing.¡± He glanced at the coach driver who was soothing the horses, but he soon sighed as if it couldn¡¯t be helped. Then, he came close to Chloe. ¡°Please embrace me.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± Chloe, who didn¡¯t understand what Eric was saying, widened her eyes. Eric spoke with somewhat of a nervous expression. ¡°I can¡¯t kneel down in front of you and give you my knee to step on, can I? So please hold onto me.¡± The moment Eric¡¯s arm wrapped around Chloe¡¯s waist, the only thing she could say was, ¡®Uhh.¡¯ Then, he picked her up and put her down on the carpet. It happened in an instant. And so, Chloe was stunned. However, Eric didn¡¯t seem to be alright. ¡°I¡¯ll go with the Count. So Wife, you should greet the others, too.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, I understand. Thank you.¡± Grounded to her spot, Chloe stared at Eric¡¯s back that was becoming distant. Her waist that he had touched felt exceedingly warm for no reason. ¡°I believe you¡¯ve forgotten that my wife is a duke¡¯s daughter.¡± Eric said this as he scowled at Theo, who was flirting with many women. With a glass of champagne in one hand, he replied. ¡°Are you saying that I was rude earlier?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°In that sense, your wife was rude to me, too.¡± He recalled how Chloe continued to speak stiffly even though he asked her to call him casually by his name. And she also held only his fingertips as if refusing to shake hands. Clicking his tongue, Eric also replied to see if he was bothered by it. ¡°It¡¯s because she hadn¡¯t met a lot of people. It¡¯s her own way of expressing herself.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, why are you so nice to your wife?¡± Theo¡¯s eyes were wide, as though he was truly shocked. ¡°But it¡¯s like that death glare of yours softens when you look at your wife. Am I wrong?¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± Eric roared. ¡°I¡¯m so sick and tired of the same thing.¡± He unwound his tie and drank champagne. ¡°It¡¯s been like that since I first saw her. What a terrible woman.¡± Eric ruffled his hair and said this. When he first saw her¡­ Theo narrowed his eyes. ¡°Are you talking about the academy days?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Eric nodded. ¡°She¡¯s driven me crazy ever since I saw her at the academy. And she always looked at me with those eyes.¡± The way she looked at him, With pure eyes, as if they could never imagine anything impure, enough to pierce him. The southern academy was always sunny, and she stood tall under such sunlight. She didn¡¯t even shield herself from its heat with a hand. She didn¡¯t even frown¡ªas if there was no other light that shone brighter than her. She looked at him with eyes brighter than the sunlight. It was still like that now. Her gaze was as clear as the snow that fell. Clean. Pure. That¡¯s why it drives him even crazier. ¡±You don¡¯t love me.¡± How could he love her? A noblewoman like her, How could a filthy commoner like him¡­ F*ck. Eric took out a cigar and cleared his mind of this. ¡°If you don¡¯t like her that much, why don¡¯t you get divorced?¡± Theo gauged Eric¡¯s mood and said this. He lit Eric¡¯s cigar for him. ¡°I heard that your wife came to the capital for a reason¡­ and that¡¯s divorce.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Eric was furious. Theo was shocked and grabbed the other man by the shoulder. ¡°Hey hey, calm down. You¡¯re at a duke¡¯s estate.¡± ¡°Do I look like I can stay calm!¡± Eric raised his voice. Without even thinking about the cigar anymore, he glared at Theo. ¡°Are you going to believe that nonsense gossip? Then I should say that I really don¡¯t have an eye for friends. To have such a idiotic dunce next to me.¡± ¡°Why are you being so aggressive? It¡¯s just something I heard, you know¡­¡± Theo was discouraged and trailed off. Eric finally took a drag on his cigar. The dry smoke filled his lungs deeply, then he let out the smoke with his forehead wrinkled. ¡°But really, is it not that?¡± Theo looked over to Eric and tried to read his facial expressions. Eric averted his eyes from Theo. Last night, Eric accepted Chloe¡¯s request to divorce. It wasn¡¯t something that¡¯s said in the heat of the moment. He already intended to say he would accept the divorce from the moment Chloe said, ¡®It¡¯s already the end.¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t talk bullsh*t.¡± Because he truly didn¡¯t think of getting divorced. ¡°That will never happen.¡± Gaaasp. Chloe breathed heavily. Leaning on a wall, she placed a hand over her chest. The anxiety that she felt when her mother was cleaning the bookshelf where her diary was hidden, that kind of tension wracked her body. She hurriedly looked around her. No one was looking at her. But at the same time, everyone seemed to be looking at her. Everyone seemed to know what kind of unprincipled conduct she had done just now. So she quickly went towards a balcony. Click. As soon as she stepped out of the balcony and turned the latch on the door, Chloe collapsed. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 24 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 24 She looked for Eric because she thought she¡¯d have to greet the Duchess by his side. It would be better if she and Eric went together because she personally knew the Duchess. And she found him, tilting his champagne glass as he was talking to Theo. Chloe approached from behind them, but the moment she tried to reach out to Eric¡ª ¡®So sick and tired.¡¯ ¡®A terrible woman.¡¯ She heard something she couldn¡¯t wrap her head around. Without realizing it, Chloe faltered. She listened more, thinking that the next words would clear this up. ¡®She¡¯s driven me crazy ever since I saw her at the academy.¡¯ Chloe ran away as soon as she heard this. If she were to listen to more, her heart would shatter entirely. She already knew that Eric didn¡¯t like her. But she didn¡¯t know that he hated her. She just thought that she was being treated as though she wasn¡¯t there. ¡®So sick and tired.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t believe he thought of her like this. ¡¯Horrible¡¯ She couldn¡¯t believe he thought of her as a horrible woman. Chloe was so heartbroken that she couldn¡¯t even shed tears. Instead, she laughed in vain. What sin did she commit for her to hear this? She wished to love someone. So she loved him. Was this love so wrong? ¡°Why¡­¡± Then why did he embrace her? Why was he being so considerate of her? He shouldn¡¯t have done anything at all. Chloe crouched down, her face between her knees. She didn¡¯t want to think about anything. Forever. People were gathered in the long gallery. This was to see the world-famous painter Monte¡¯s paintings, which Duke Antre had bought a while ago. As a surrealist1 painter, Monte enjoyed painting subjects that couldn¡¯t be seen in this world. That was also something he somewhat had in common with Eric, who was continuously inventing things that previously did not exist in the world. That¡¯s why Eric, in his own way, liked Monte¡¯s paintings. He wasn¡¯t very interested in the art itself, however, it was necessary to be versed in cultural arts so he could talk to people in high society, so he refined himself. Of course, Chloe must know more than he did. He thought that would be good if Chloe could talk to the Duke, so he looked around to find her. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Finally finding Chloe, Eric stood next to her naturally. Then, he whispered into her ear. ¡°Do greet the Duke soon.¡± Since it was Chloe, she would have understood what he was saying even if he said only this much. Because she was a smart woman. But today¡­ she was being odd. Chloe kept staring at a painting. Without paying attention to Eric. ¡°Chloe?¡± Eric placed a hand over Chloe¡¯s shoulder, but she soon shook him off and stood up straight. The lace on her waist fluttered. ¡°¡­This painting.¡± She slowly opened her lips. ¡°It¡¯s nice.¡± In the painting, a man who had a rose for a face was standing over a pile of machines, trampling them. To Chloe, it seemed like the rose was crying. No¡ªwas it that the rose was crying and laughing at the same time? She pondered over it. ¡°Yeah, of course. Any of Monte¡¯s paintings would cost the same as a decently sized mansion.¡± ¡°¡­Money again.¡± Ah. Eric shut his mouth. He shouldn¡¯t have brought up money in front of Chloe. It was clear that this would only place him under a bad light. He was ashamed of himself. He must look lowly. ¡°Why, is it too vulgar for you?¡± And so he answered sarcastically because he felt defensive. ¡°No. That¡¯s not what I think.¡± Chloe calmly intertwined her fingers and responded. But Eric did not believe her words. He looked at Chloe, his gaze carrying suspicion. If she had met his eyes, Chloe would have stayed silent. But she didn¡¯t look back at him. ¡°If I pay back all the money that my household borrowed, you can buy one of Monte¡¯s paintings, right?¡± That¡¯s why she could say this. Because she didn¡¯t see the frustration and helplessness in Eric¡¯s expression. ¡°¡­You.¡± With his gaze distorted by anger, he scowled at Chloe. ¡°How long will you look at me as though I¡¯m a beggar?¡± However, Chloe only stared back at him. Eric looked straight into her blue eyes. ¡°If I talk to you about money, you say I treat you like a vulgar man. If I don¡¯t talk to you about money, you say I treat you like a poor man.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong. I¡¯ve never done that.¡± ¡°Then I wonder what you¡¯re doing right now.¡± Eric managed to rein in his voice. There were a lot of people around them, so he couldn¡¯t make a commotion. Huu. He exhaled heavily. Shame flooded over his entire being. He swept down a palm over his face. ¡°What should I do for you to believe2 me, Wife?¡± Chloe stared at Eric, her expression blank. She didn¡¯t think that there would be such ¡®trust¡¯ between them, and it wasn¡¯t an apt word to describe their relationship. Would such a day come when they would believe and trust each other? She pondered this, yet she eventually decided that this day would never come. Raising her chin, she stared back at Eric. ¡°Act as though you¡¯re trustworthy, then.¡± Eric¡¯s eyes shook. Despite his clear agitation, Chloe turned away. ¡°Because I can¡¯t believe anything you say or anything about you right now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Eric stared at Chloe¡¯s back. She was now talking to the other noblewomen. From the side, it seemed like there was a small smile gracing her lips. However, Eric noticed that she wasn¡¯t focusing on the conversation. Chattering on about gossip didn¡¯t suit her noble predisposition. He recalled his past as he tried to better himself in terms of culture in the hopes of striking a conversation with her. But he never got the chance to use that knowledge¡ªhe never talked to Chloe He didn¡¯t want to talk to Chloe. To be exact, he didn¡¯t want her to talk to him. If they ever conversed, in the back of his mind, he would only think about how inferior he was to her, and this negative complex was deeply rooted in him. It was the same today. They had a conversation about art for a very brief moment, but his temper flared up twice. Eric loathed himself whenever he was like this. But the person he disliked the most was Chloe¡ªhe hated how noble she was. But this was also what made him like her. Because he hated something, he liked it all the same. This ridiculous conclusion was something that pretty much summed him up. ¡°Oy, my friend.¡± A drunken Theo approached him. There were several younger noblemen around him, and at the incoming stench of alcohol, Eric frowned. ¡°If you¡¯re so drunk, why don¡¯t you go home and sleep.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m going to party later. Wanna join me?¡± ¡°Never.¡± ¡°Suit yourself.¡± Theo wiped the alcohol over his mouth with the back of his hand, then poured another glass of champagne. ¡°It looked like you were having a pretty serious conversation with your wife.¡± The person who said that was Gatsby, the young lord of the Leon County. There¡¯s been some talk about him taking over the peerage soon. Eric glanced over to Gatsby, recalling his cordial relationship with the Leon County. ¡°So the young lord is interested in other people¡¯s marital relationships.¡± The sarcasm directly thrown back at him made Gatsby¡¯s expression harden. But Eric was already trying his best¡ªhe was currently being as kind as he could to these young men. ¡°What can I do? Since ¡®that¡¯ Madam came to the capital, everyone¡¯s interested.¡± ¡®That¡¯ madam. Various meanings could be derived from only one word, but it all came down to one connotation. ¡°Isn¡¯t she Chloe Rolphe? That Chloe Rolphe, the youngest daughter of the most dignified Rolphe Duchy.¡± A woman who you couldn¡¯t help but look up to. A woman who no one could dare touch. Chloe was such a woman. ¡°She is not a Rolphe.¡± Eric spoke in a rather hesitant voice. ¡°Her last name is Aslan.¡± ¡°Oh, yes yes. That¡¯s right.¡± Gatsby muttered sarcastically, and this frustrated Eric, but he held back his temper. What was he doing, arguing with a drunk man. His current attitude must have made others look at him as though he was easy. ¡°I heard from His Highness the Second Prince, but it seems like you¡¯ll be marrying the Fourth Princess, Marquis.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible. You shouldn¡¯t be so careless about your rumors regarding the royal family.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t it too specific to be a rumor.¡± Gatsby shrugged. The stench of alcohol was stirred once more. ¡°If I had known how to make a bunch of machines, the Duke would have given me his daughter and you could have married Her Highness.¡± He continued speaking as he picked up a glass of champagne from a tray one attendant was carrying. Eric felt uneasy. He slowly got the sense of what they were trying to say. He had to leave. Eric turned around. But at that moment. ¡°I¡¯m curious. How could her noble grace Lady Rolphe cry while crouched on the floor, going waa waa, boo hoo?¡± Crash! Gatsby¡¯s champagne glass crashed to the floor. This was because Eric punched him squarely in the face. ¡°Ugh¡ª!¡± ¡°Eric!¡± Despite Theo trying to stop him, Eric went on to grab Gatsby by the collar. ¡°What a wide mouth. Why don¡¯t you spit out more nonsense?¡± Gatsby was still dazed, but when he gained his senses and realized that he was just hit, he raised his voice in anger. ¡°Y-You¡¯re going to pay for this! Once my father finds out¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯ll pay for this.¡± Eric tightened his hold over the other man¡¯s collar, gritting his teeth. ¡°Do you know how cheaply I sell those pumps that your family needs for your mines? What if I raise the price? I can strangle you by changing it as early as tomorrow.¡± ¡ª¡ª 1the surrealist movement at its height was around the early 20th century, so it¡¯s safe to say that this novel is set perhaps in the 1920s or 1930s. also, the painter¡¯s name is really ¡®mont¡¯ or ¡®monte¡¯, not ¡®monet¡¯ (this guy¡¯s an impressionist painter) 2 the word here for ¡®believe¡¯ can also mean ¡®faith¡¯ and ¡®trust¡¯, which is why there are many layers to their conversation in this part. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 25 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 25 Gastby¡¯s eyes trembled. He was trying to make his brain work. Eric¡¯s words weren¡¯t wrong. Raising prices tomorrow would mean next month¡¯s funding would be blocked off. Calculating this, Gatsby regretted his mistake, but at the same time he felt pathetic. To be humiliated by a commoner! He couldn¡¯t believe it. Along with the influence of alcohol, rationality was nowhere to be found. ¡°Shallow prick who cares only about money!¡± So, Gatsby shouted. Eric¡¯s hand came to a halt. ¡°This is why commoners shouldn¡¯t receive peerage. It becomes like this! You don¡¯t know how to repay the grace given to you!¡± ¡°Was it you who gave me my peerage? What does it matter to you what I do with what I rightly earned¡ª¡± ¡°And that half-witted Chloe Rolphe! So blind to money that she married a commoner. She should be ashamed!¡± ¡°This bastard wants to get beaten up¡­!¡± Eric lifted Gatsby high up by his collar. Then, as his fist headed towards Gatsby, at that moment¡ª ¡°Please stop!¡± A clear, high-pitched voice emerged between them. It was Chloe. ¡°Just what are you¡­¡± Her hand trembled as it gripped her fan. She looked at Eric¡¯s hand next to Gatsby¡¯s face. Right then, Eric felt as though his head was doused with cold water. Did you hear that? I¡¯m sure you heard it. What will you think? Will you think that I¡¯m a commoner who doesn¡¯t know any grace? ¡°¡­¡­¡± Eric huffed out loudly, letting go. He rearranged his disheveled vest and proudly straightened his shoulders. Then, he smiled brightly. ¡°Excuse my actions.¡± He was back to his usual self. Relaxed, polite. He left that place and walked through the gaps between the chattering onlookers. Chloe looked towards Eric¡¯s retreating figure and Gatsby, who had collapsed on the floor. She then approached Gatsby. As the marquisate¡¯s lady of the house, she had to. At this, Eric felt bitter. He exhaled in despair, feeling Chloe¡¯s absence as she didn¡¯t follow after him. Chloe placed a hand over her pounding chest. She was mostly a listener to other people¡¯s conversations. Ha ha, ho ho. It was difficult to listen to these conversations when people were so loud around them, but she didn¡¯t miss it. It¡¯s always been like this. Chloe could always hear Eric¡¯s voice any time, anywhere. She never overlooked it. That¡¯s why, Chloe was able to hear that exchange as well. Anger. Treating her like an easy woman. When Eric raised his fist, she felt grateful. However, the part that made Chloe herself angry was what the man said next. ¡®Shallow prick who cares only about money!¡¯ ¡®This is why commoners shouldn¡¯t receive peerage.¡¯ And Eric¡¯s expression after he heard this¡ªhe looked so empty, as if he lost something. He hesitated to look at Chloe, and it was so sad and miserable that Chloe¡¯s anger towards him had melted away. Her heart ached. ¡°Excuse me, Madam.¡± At this time, Theo, who looked more sober, approached her with a serious look. ¡°All I can say is that I¡¯m sorry. I apologize deeply. Those guys were drunk, so¡­¡± ¡°I am not going to accept your apology.¡± Chloe cut off Theo mid-sentence and said this firmly. Her clear, transparent gaze turned to Theo and his associates. ¡°It was dangerous and caused enough of a problem that a lawsuit could be filed.¡± ¡°I understand, Madam. I¡¯m really sorry.¡± ¡°I apologize.¡± ¡°However.¡± Chloe held her hands together. Her calm expression seemed to show that she could forgive anything. Everyone¡¯s eyes glinted with hope. ¡°Everyone would only be deemed to be drunk, so I won¡¯t file the lawsuit for nothing.¡± ¡°Thank you, Madam. We won¡¯t forget this grace¡­¡± ¡°But my husband might think differently.¡± Chloe smiled and lifted her chin as though to laugh at their vain hopes. ¡°Eric Aslan is more tenacious than you think.¡± Her husband would never stay still. Even if Gatsby would file charges against Eric for assault, Gatsby would just pay this back double. Knowing this well, Theo and his associates hardened their expressions. Chloe curtsied lightly towards them. ¡°Then, goodbye.¡± She left that place in a slight hurry, but nervousness could not be seen in her gait. Eric was inside the carriage now. Naturally, Chloe thought that her husband had already gone ahead without her, so she was somewhat surprised. But, this didn¡¯t show in her face. She sat on the other side, face-to-face with him. ¡°Are you alright?¡± She spoke carefully towards Eric, who was just looking out the window. He turned halfway. There seemed to be a terrible sense of helplessness in his gray eyes. ¡°Have you come to mock me, too.¡± He smelled like alcohol. Chloe was surprised this time. Her husband was originally someone who wouldn¡¯t even touch liquor! How hard it must have been for him that he had to have a drink. Chloe was now completely here for her husband, forgetting that she had been hurt by his words earlier. To the point of foolishness. ¡°Mock? What do you mean, I¡¯ve never done that.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie¡­¡± Eric frowned. He swept a hand over his face, his sighs mixed with the scent of alcohol. ¡°There¡¯s no way you won¡¯t laugh at me. Because I¡¯m a commoner who has detestably dirty blood in the first place.¡± ¡°Why are you saying that?¡± Chloe was sincerely worried about Eric. She leaned forward. ¡°Darling.¡± Eric¡¯s gaze was gradually raised and headed towards Chloe. As their eyes met, Chloe opened her lips to speak. ¡°Nobody thinks of you in that way. You¡¯re respected. You¡¯ve constantly brought development through your inventions.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Eric opened his mouth as though to say something, but he closed it at once. Damn it. He swore under his breath as he ruffled his fringe. He looked at Chloe, his eyes half-closed. ¡°You said you don¡¯t believe in me.¡± She didn¡¯t know that he would say this here, so Chloe was flustered. Eric closed his eyes and chose his words. ¡°You say I did something like that, but you don¡¯t believe in me.¡± He leaned over, resting his forehead on Chloe¡¯s shoulder as he muttered. ¡°I never did anything. I never did anything for you¡­¡± Chloe stopped breathing for a moment due to the scent. Along with the strong scent of alcohol, the pungent cigar smoke clinging to him mixed with the musk cologne he was wearing lingered at the tip of her nose. One moment felt like eternity. Eric leaned a little more on Chloe. ¡°But why, why don¡¯t you believe in me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± She wanted to say it. The fact that she heard him call her a terrible woman. That¡¯s why she didn¡¯t believe anything he said. But what would be the difference if she did say it? Chloe smiled helplessly and slowly reached up. She placed a hand over Eric¡¯s hair at the back of his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She stroked Eric¡¯s hair slowly. Eric¡¯s shoulders were tense, but he soon relaxed and closed his eyes. Chloe continued to caress his hair like that. ¡°¡­That¡¯s right. I¡¯m sorry.¡± This continued until Eric fell asleep. Chloe said sorry to him over and over again. She didn¡¯t know what she was apologizing for, but she was sorry for everything anyway. The biggest thing she was sorry about was that she married him. 02. Nobile Dreams are said to be something of a regression. Like going back to the past and living the same life again. Eric had such a dream. This was a long time ago. How old was he here? He couldn¡¯t even remember this place. He was born on the streets and raised on the streets. He didn¡¯t know his parents¡¯ faces, and the people around him were always new and they always died, so he couldn¡¯t remember their faces anyhow. Bread always came in crumbs, milk was never not spoilt. It was such a hard life that he had to wonder whether he was living at all. There was no future, there was no present. There was no such thing as everything, only nothing. All he had was a pathetic life. It was natural that he would teeter from life and death as he was living in the slums. It was also cold in the north. And that day, it was especially colder. Later, he heard that it was one of the coldest days that had ever come. He was huddled under an old blanket that he managed to pick up from somewhere, and he had planks by his sides as his shelter. As long as he wouldn¡¯t fall asleep, he¡¯d be able to withstand the cold. That¡¯s what he thought. Until a small girl came to approach him. The girl without a name was very small. She was so small that it didn¡¯t seem like she¡¯d even reach his waist. The little child crouched down without a plank or a blanket, simply rubbing her hands together to ward off the cold. He couldn¡¯t turn a blind eye to the girl. He couldn¡¯t pretend not to know that the child would die if he left her alone. So he gave her his blanket. This sympathy was considered expensive. He got frostbite and his flesh rotted away. It started with his big toe until it eventually reached his ankle, so he had to amputate his foot in the end. It was sympathy so expensive that he had to give up his right foot. He regretted it, but it was already in the past. And the girl died. She couldn¡¯t overcome her hunger and eventually died from starvation. Wretched. Until when would he have to live this wretched life? He climbed up to the Pierre Bridge, limping. The river below was high and had a fast current. If he fell from this high, he would die. He heard from somewhere that before one¡¯s death, their past¡ªtheir whole life¡ªwould flash before their eyes. He asked himself if he had such a life to look back on. No. He did not. He was always hungry, always in a desperate situation, always just waiting for death. ¡ª¡ª ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 26 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 26 It¡¯s cold. To feel warmth at least once, that¡¯s what he wanted. But it seemed impossible, even for an entire lifetime. Children of the slums would not be able to receive any warmth throughout their whole lives. He swayed on the heels of his feet and his body tilted forward. Now, he was on the verge of falling under the bridge. Just then, something caught his eye. Under the bridge, there was a group of nobles laughing and enjoying their teatime¡­ They were all wrapped up with thick fur coats made from wrenching away the pelt of animals. They were enjoying the warmth of a bonfire that their servants had lit for them. Even so, it was impossible. They were aristocrats, but those people were so deplorable that they couldn¡¯t possibly be human. How could they be warm when he was cold. The contrast between them was so harsh that it felt like his bones were ice cold. What the hell made them so different? He thought about it. What was the difference between him and them, when they were in such a warm place when he had decided to die in the bitter cold? What was the difference? Their birth, that¡¯s what was different. They were nobles and he was a lowborn. That was what made the temperature they felt between them different. Would he be able to reach that place? No. He wouldn¡¯t be able to, not even if he tried to climb up his entire life. Because from the start, his birthright was insufficient. He was a lowborn commoner who couldn¡¯t even work. But if he could reach it, if he could just go there! For the first time, he dreamed of living a noble¡¯s life. But a dream was only that¡ªa dream. He knew all too well that it was nothing but a dream because it would never come true. So he only imagined. A vague picture of him becoming a noble, of a future that would never come to fruition. But one of the nobles, who was having a pleasant conversation, spotted him right then. As soon as the woman found him, she screamed and pointed at him. It was not a cordial greeting. He tried to get away, but because he could only limp, the servants who followed him soon caught him and hit him recklessly. This was because he dared set his eyes towards the place where the nobles were enjoying their time. As he was being beaten, he thought. What was the problem. What mistake had he done. Maybe it was his fault for being born¡­ It hurts. It hurts so much. But the part of him that hurt the most was his heart. If he was to be born again, he must be born a noble¡­ He would trample on all those who looked down on him. So, he closed his eyes. He thought he was going to die. He wanted to die. However, he survived. Even as he was thrown away under the bridge, it was all thanks to the old inventor who picked him up that Eric survived. The old inventor introduced himself as Ed, and he treated the child sincerely. He said that it felt like looking at himself from the past. He still didn¡¯t know what this meant. In any case, after Ed took him under his wing, the old inventor thus named him Eric. After that, Eric became his adopted son and apprentice. In itself, the life he had with Ed was a happy one. Help was given to him, he didn¡¯t need to be hungry anymore, didn¡¯t have to quiver in the harsh, cold weather. However, despite this change in environment, Eric was still always hungry, still always cold. The memories of his childhood haunted him. Having an acute talent in inventing, Eric built himself up and made himself known as an inventor and even gained a noble peerage for it, however even as he faced success, it was directly proportional to his desperate sense of helplessness. The higher his status became, the more he was encased in fear. Because he didn¡¯t know when and how he¡¯d be brought back down. He was afraid about the nobles who had once beaten him, if they would recognize him. He was afraid that his prosthetic leg would be revealed. Everything terrified him. No, what terrified him the most was himself. From some point on, he became afraid of himself. That¡¯s why he started wearing a mask. He covered himself with a mask called pride and recklessness. He thought that this was enough that he wouldn¡¯t be looked down upon. He was foolish enough that he stopped feeling any love or affection towards others. And for that reason, he had become extremely arrogant. His proud, arrogant temperament was notorious across the capital! Eric knew all this, but he never thought of fixing it. He liked how it was in the present. He didn¡¯t want to go back to the past, and neither did he dream of the future. He always lived only in the present. And so, he hated that he was dreaming about this right now. In this trip down memory lane, there was only one thing that Eric realized. The fact that his existence was wrong from the beginning¡ªfrom the moment of his birth. The moment he came to this realization, he woke up from this dream. As he breathed out, he could still feel the taste of alcohol in his mouth. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Then, he suddenly froze. Because he saw the woman lying over his arm. ¡°Chloe.¡± He murmured in a hushed voice. He didn¡¯t know why Chloe was sleeping next to him. He couldn¡¯t remember anything. Ah. He hurriedly looked down at his right leg. His pants were still down. Chloe shouldn¡¯t have seen it unless she deliberately looked at it. It was a relief. Chloe was also dressed the same as she was yesterday, perhaps because she didn¡¯t change. Unlike Eric, who was a mess because his tie had been pulled out and his shirt was untucked, Chloe still looked immaculately neat. Or was the back of her dress loosened? He tried to search his memories. He attended the banquet last night and punched the man who looked down on Chloe. Then, on his way out, he drank glass after glass of champagne. No matter how much he drank, he didn¡¯t know he¡¯d be drunk to this extent. He showed such a disgraceful appearance in front of Chloe. His face was burning. He wasn¡¯t someone who lacked self-control to the point that he¡¯d lose his memories from drinking liquor. That¡¯s why he eventually recalled what he had said to Chloe. And he also remembered what Chloe said in return. ¡®Nobody thinks of you in that way. You¡¯re respected. You¡¯ve constantly brought development through your inventions.¡¯ At the voice that still rang in his ears, Eric slightly bit his red lips. ¡®I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ Why did she apologize? What exactly did he hear? Even if she were to become so terribly unruly, there was nothing about her that¡¯s lacking. ¡®¡­That¡¯s right. I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ What a foolish woman. Eric glanced down at Chloe, who still had her eyes closed the whole time. Whenever Eric looked at Chloe, he sometimes remembered that day he went up the Pierre Bridge and was beaten up so much even after he¡¯d already made up his mind to end his life. There was a bitter taste in his mouth. Eric shook Chloe carefully, moving his arm. ¡°If you¡¯re awake, open your eyes.¡± ¡°You knew?¡± There was a small smile on Chloe¡¯s lips as she slowly opened her eyes. As clear as the summer sky, her bright blue eyes sparkled like jewels. ¡°How can I not when you¡¯re wriggling like that? Get up now.¡± ¡°Are you thirsty?¡± ¡°A maid can be called for that.¡± Eric pulled the rope before Chloe could even move. With nothing to do, Chloe smiled awkwardly and sat up. ¡°What happened?¡± Eric asked. ¡°Nothing happened,¡± Chloe answered. Chloe pointed to her own neat clothes as she said this. Eric frowned. ¡°I can guess that at least. I¡¯m asking why we slept together.¡± Chloe recalled how Eric clung to her last night, rejecting Daniel¡¯s assistance. When she barely brought him to this room and tried to change his clothes, he suddenly embraced her and lied down like that, subsequently falling asleep. That¡¯s why Chloe had no choice but to sleep next to him. Chloe could still feel on her chest Eric¡¯s warmth and even breathing. ¡°Would you believe me if I told you that you were clinging to me?¡± Chloe burst into a peal of laughter. It was a childlike laugh, and Eric liked the sound of it. There was a small smile as well on his lips as he tousled his hair. Then, he glanced in the mirror. He should really straighten out his unkempt appearance right away. ¡°It would be better for you to return to your room now, Wife.¡± ¡°Are you kicking me out?¡± Did it sound like that? Eric had a serious expression. Chloe shook her head in a hurry. ¡°I¡¯m joking. You don¡¯t have to take it so seriously¡­ I don¡¯t get hurt by those kinds of words.¡± ¡°What did you hear being said behind your back?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing like that.¡± Chloe smiled brightly as she went to the other side of the room. Eric looked away for a second, towards the disorganized bed, then looked back at Chloe as she was walking away. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of that matter with Gatsby.¡± With her perfect posture, Chloe stopped walking. Eric continued to talk. ¡°And, I apologize. Because of me, you heard something you shouldn¡¯t have heard.¡± She turned towards Eric. With clear, translucent eyes, she stared at him. And for a moment, Eric felt suffocated. He quickly avoided her gaze. ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Really. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± Chloe spoke with all her heart. ¡°The people who are wrong are those who live their lives with those thoughts.¡± Eric breathed out roughly. His chest was tight. He remained silent for a while, one hand pressing against his eyelids because of his hangover. ¡°Would¡ª¡± He took a step closer to Chloe and continued. ¡°¡ªyou like to eat breakfast together?¡± Chloe held her hands together, shaking her head. ¡°No thank you.¡± She replied with a hard smile. ¡°You mentioned before that it¡¯s uncomfortable for you to eat with me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°And I¡¯m a little tired. I need to rest.¡± Eric hesitated for a moment, but he soon replied. ¡°I see.¡± Chloe left the room rather hurriedly. The room she left then felt empty. Even though the heater was warm, the cold seeped into him. Eric led his legs back to the bed, not knowing why his right one was throbbing. Then, he placed a hand over the spot where Chloe had been lying before. The bedroom, which had felt warm until just now, felt terribly cold. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 27 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 27 After returning to her room, Chloe changed her clothes and wiped off the sweat on her forehead with a towel. It was snowing heavily outside. She had heard that it didn¡¯t snow at the capital, but Chloe knew that it was especially cold this year. When she changed into a comfortable nightgown and sat down on an armchair, she could finally relax. Still, Chloe still pulled her seat closer to the heater because she still felt chilly. Looking at the heater reminded her of the portable heater that Eric was making. It was going to be very useful. Once it¡¯s successfully completed, many people would definitely want to buy it, and because of this, Eric¡¯s reputation would soar once more. Chloe likes Eric. Apart from loving him, she likes him. She likes him just for himself. He was an admirable man who made great inventions with his hands as though he¡¯s breathing life into them. That¡¯s partly why she was so happy to have married him back then, and she promised that she would respect him for all of her life. But what was the result of this? The only time they slept together on the same bed for all five years of their marriage was last night, while he was drunk. And throughout the night, nothing happened. Nevertheless, Chloe loved that Eric sought her out, and the fact that he refused to let her go somehow proved that he needed her. Chloe couldn¡¯t help but be happy. She was so ecstatic that she could consider this being happy. ¡®Chloe¡­¡¯ When he called her in a low voice, it felt as though an angel was beckoning her and leading her to heaven. But there was no heaven. And God is a mere illusion. The moment Eric woke up in the morning, he was as indifferent as he always was. Rather than a benevolent angel, he looked more like a disinterested devil. This realization made Chloe¡¯s chest hurt once more. Cough! Chloe spat out a cough mixed with blood. Trickles of dark red liquid poured out, and she hurriedly covered her lips with a handkerchief, but that wasn¡¯t enough to stop it. As she coughed and spat out, blood was still there. Cough, cough! Kugh! Chloe curled up into herself and coughed again. Her body was shaking. Collapsing to the floor, Chloe placed her head between her knees. It hurts. It hurts so much. There¡¯s nothing she could do because she¡¯s sick¡­ She couldn¡¯t tell her husband. He already hated it whenever she was lying down sick in bed, but it was clear that he would say more hurtful things the moment he would find out she had a time limit. Chloe thought to herself that she wouldn¡¯t be hurt by such words anymore, but that wasn¡¯t true. It hurts. It¡¯s difficult. Whenever she heard those things from her husband, it felt like the barriers around her heart were collapsing one after another. What would happen once all these walls would go down? Would she die? Chloe thought about it. Yes. She would. Suddenly, Chloe laughed. She had to make sure that the barriers around her heart wouldn¡¯t collapse. She had to strengthen her resolve a little more. She should no longer be hurt by every word, every glare. ¡®We¡¯re going to get divorced anyway.¡¯ Chloe rose to her feet. She had to wash off the blood on the handkerchief. If she left this task to Andrea, that in itself would be enough to turn this entire house upside down. ¡°Is Chloe going out today?¡± Eric asked Daniel. At his question, Daniel nodded as he handed him some documents. ¡°I heard that she is. Andrea said so.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure of the reason.¡± Daniel shrugged. ¡°I guess the Madam¡¯s fleeing for a bit because Your Excellency said so many things.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± Eric furrowed his brows. ¡°I think.¡± Daniel smiled as though he already knew. There¡¯s no way that he didn¡¯t say anything. Eric just saying anything towards the Marchioness was enough to offend. Daniel was sure. ¡°What happened to Gatsby?¡± ¡°He¡¯s protesting and using his family¡¯s name while doing so. But I said that we¡¯d take this to court, and he shut up just like that. He said that he¡¯d bring the settlement money.¡± ¡°Give that money to Chloe.¡± Shocked, Daniel widened his eyes. ¡°But¡­¡± Though he soon spoke anyway. ¡°Will the Madam take it?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°No, I mean, the Madam I know wouldn¡¯t take it.¡± ¡°Then leave it in a bank. Tell her that she can use it if she needs to later.¡± Eric had answered this, but paused for a moment. He soon added. ¡°Sure. It¡¯s not needed anyway. I can do everything. There¡¯s nothing to worry about when it comes to money.¡± That¡¯s right. No one in the capital had as much wealth as Eric. The only one who didn¡¯t know this was Chloe. She was the only one who denied this fact. No, it wasn¡¯t to the extent of denial, but Chloe seemed to have the misconception that Eric was poor. He recalled how she had said, ¡®If I pay back all the money that my household borrowed, you can buy one of Monte¡¯s paintings, right?¡¯ His expression became distorted with unpleasantness. At first glance, it was clear how his deep, empty gaze was now colored with anger. Daniel watched Eric¡¯s changes. ¡°You need to stop having that attitude.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I believe you should abandon that kind of thinking, that everything could be solved with money. Especially towards your wife. The Madam¡ªno, women in general value time spent with them more than money.¡± ¡°Absolutely not.¡± Eric denied it. ¡°Women who see me only for money can fill more than ten carriages.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t just generalize everyone like that! Have you ever tried your best to calmly express your feelings towards the Madam? That¡¯s the most important thing. It really is.¡± Eric didn¡¯t say anything back. Daniel and Chloe seemed to be saying the same things. How exactly did she want him to express himself? Eric really, absolutely couldn¡¯t understand what it meant to show his own feelings. Did she want him to say nice things? If so, then that was something that he characteristically wouldn¡¯t do. He was a crooked person from the beginning¡ªthat is, from birth¡ªso he didn¡¯t have the capacity to say things nicely. And no matter how nicely he¡¯d put it, it was evident that this would just be a futile act of veiling reality with an illusion. Wasn¡¯t it better now that, even if he couldn¡¯t speak nicely, he still managed to achieve great heights? If he had to choose one or the other, then Eric would still prioritize gaining wealth. ¡°In the first place,¡± Eric spoke as he lit up a cigar. ¡°If I didn¡¯t have money, do you think Chloe would have married me?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say for certain.¡± Daniel was still sure about this. ¡°But I¡¯d like you to know that your money would not have such a big part in the future of your marriage.¡± ¡°Did you hear the conversation I had with Chloe?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, yes.¡± He seemed to have overheard Chloe mentioning the divorce. Eric flicked the end of his cigar. ¡°I don¡¯t intend to divorce her.¡± ¡°But the Madam wants it.¡± ¡°Even so. I won¡¯t let it happen.¡± A blur of smoke flowed out of his lips. He smoothed over his already neat collar and inhaled another puff on the cigar. ¡°No matter what she says, I won¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Daniel asked. ¡°Your Excellency, have you even asked her first? If you don¡¯t want the Madam to divorce you?¡± Eric didn¡¯t answer right away. No, he couldn¡¯t. He had so many questions for Chloe. But what did Eric say instead every time? The only explanation he gave whenever turning down the divorce was that there¡¯s no reason for it. But he knew well enough that this wasn¡¯t enough of an excuse. Was it because he didn¡¯t want to marry the fourth princess? Well, that was a dubious reason. So he had to ask himself. Why was he so against the divorce? ¡°Is it because you have feelings for the Madam? Is that why you don¡¯t want to get divorced?¡± Eric raised an eyebrow, then he extinguished the cigar, which he hadn¡¯t even smoked more than a few times, on the ashtray. A sharp gaze headed towards Daniel. ¡°The most important thing now is that none of the achievements I¡¯ve made thus far would be ruined.¡± That¡¯s why he kept striving for more. He was someone who hated the thought of his own failure. ¡°My marriage, in its own way, is also an achievement. There¡¯s no way I don¡¯t know that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°So, it wouldn¡¯t be good to get divorced.¡± Eric lit another cigar. The dream he had last night kept him thinking. He remembered. The one who had laughed the loudest while he was being beaten as a kid¡ªit was Duchess Rolphe. ¡­Damn it. He swept a hand over his forehead. ¡°I can¡¯t afford to be a failure.¡± For the first time in a while, Chloe went out on her own. Chloe had been stuck indoors with the excuse of wanting to be alone. But in fact, she didn¡¯t want to be alone. It¡¯s just that she had to be. She was terribly sick. Perhaps what happened at the banquet had come to her as a great shock, or perhaps it was her own body failing her, but she began to suffer even more since that day. She had yet to regain her strength and be well again. Every single night, she would fall asleep with her body going through a high fever. She¡¯d wake up a few times during the night, and every time, she would force herself to stop coughing and hide the sounds by biting her tongue. She desperately wanted to call the doctor, but she couldn¡¯t. Her husband wouldn¡¯t like it. She didn¡¯t want to do anything that her husband would hate. So, she held it all in. All the pain, all these hardships. Everything. After a few days like that, Chloe finally felt refreshed once more. That¡¯s why she went out immediately. Daniel asked where she was going, but she only said that she was going downtown for a while. She didn¡¯t reveal her real destination. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 28 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 28 Chloe arrived at the bank. There were armed security robots on patrol. After they gave her a simple body search, Chloe went inside. The process wasn¡¯t difficult because she wasn¡¯t carrying a gun. Guns had become common ever since Eric¡¯s factory started manufacturing them. Mass production had become possible¡ªthe proletariat each bought one gun each to protect themselves, and aristocrats each bought several guns for their luxury. Thanks to this, gun-related incidents went rampant. There were many from the working class and the aristocratic class who suffered damage. Eric and his factory were the only ones who benefited from the guns. Chloe knew how Eric was being called¡ªa dog who¡¯s crazy about capitalism. She agreed to some extent. After he became prominent and his factories began to be built, the gap between classes widened. Furthermore, his factory gave low wages. There were times when left-wing individuals protested for their right to survive, but Eric did not even blink at this. That¡¯s right. He was a dog. A dog of capitalism. However, Chloe had no intention of criticizing Eric. He made his own choices under his own reasons. And living like that didn¡¯t mean he had a lot of money¡­ Chloe didn¡¯t know how the factory was running, and more than that, she didn¡¯t know how much profit capitalists made. So, she naturally thought that Eric was poor. Anyone who¡¯d see his old mansion would think that! Anyway, Chloe had to pay off the debt she owed to Eric. Only then will she be able to revitalize his scarce life. She sat face to face with the banker according to the instructions. Surprisingly, however, the banker was a woman she knew. It was Anne, a maid who attended to Chloe while she was still unmarried. ¡°Anne?¡± ¡°Milady?¡± Anne also called to Chloe, her eyes wide open in surprise. ¡°Oh my goodness, I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m meeting you here, Milady! But you know, a few days ago, Milady appeared in my dream. I think it¡¯s because I heard that you came to the capital. You gave me some cookies just like before in my dream. It was really good¡­ No matter how many cookies I eat now, it doesn¡¯t taste like how it did then! I think it¡¯s because of Milady¡¯s love, right?¡± Anne began to talk in her uniquely easy-going manner. ¡°By the way, I really missed you, Milady. Oh, right! It¡¯s not Milady anymore. I have to call you Madam now, right? Madam, my Madam. How have you been?¡± With the unexpected encounter and the unexpectedly friendly words, Chloe could feel her warmth spreading in her heart. Chloe smiled softly and placed her hand over Anne¡¯s. ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯ve been well. How about you? Are you still seeing that womanizer?¡± ¡°Ahh! Please don¡¯t even mention him! It¡¯s been a while since we broke up, but you¡¯re still mentioning him!¡± ¡°Do remember that the last time we saw each other was five years ago.¡± ¡°It ended more than three years ago. What a terrible man he was. How long did it take me to get rid of him? But it¡¯s over now.¡± Anne sighed. ¡°Hmph. It¡¯s goodbye to him now. But really, Madam, it¡¯s been five years since we saw each other! Time really flies. But you really haven¡¯t changed at all. You look the same then and now. Oh, this isn¡¯t the time. If we keep talking like this, the general manager will scold me. I¡¯ll be sending a letter to your residence later.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± ¡°Yes! But what brings you here?¡± Anne schooled her features back to a banker¡¯s expression and showed a businesslike attitude. With a small smile, Chloe took a piece of paper out of her bag. ¡°I came because I wanted to sell this mine.¡± ¡°Milady¡ªI mean, Madam, is this the Wesitt Mine you have here?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Anne didn¡¯t quite understand. The Wesitt Mine was not very profitable, but if it had a good location, then its price would definitely rise. There¡¯s no way that the Madam didn¡¯t know this, but why was she trying to sell it now? Even if she were to sell it now, it wouldn¡¯t even sell for two million pounds. Anne muttered inwardly, but that didn¡¯t mean she could say it openly. She rummaged through the documents and pulled out a sales contract. ¡°You¡¯ll need a guarantee before you can buy it. Would you allow me to check your bank balance?¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± She was a little worried that Anne would know she had no money, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. Seeing Chloe give her consent after she nodded, Anne left her seat for a moment. After fiddling on an abacus-like machine several times, Anne soon printed a document. She walked back to Chloe with a rather bright expression. ¡°You have 800,000 pounds. I believe the Madam can sell it right away after receiving a guarantee.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Chloe was surprised. 800,000 pounds! Such a large amount of money couldn¡¯t possibly be in her account. Chloe shook her head. ¡°I checked not long ago while I was in the north, and the account was empty. Please check it again.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Perplexed, Anne held out the documents to Chloe. ¡°The deposit was made under the name of Marquis Aslan. Here, please take a look.¡± Anne underlined her husband¡¯s name on the document, where also the details of the deposit as of yesterday afternoon were written. Chloe gently bit her lower lip. A sigh of anxiety came out. ¡°I think I should come back again another time.¡± As she organized her bag, Chloe stood up. Her actions made her look like she was in a hurry, but this didn¡¯t mean that she was clumsy. If it was possible to still be elegant despite being in such a hurry, then that was Chloe. In awe of Chloe¡¯s graceful appearance, Anne brought her hands together. ¡°It was nice to see you again, Anne.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam. Please be careful on your way.¡± After receiving Anne¡¯s greeting, Chloe left the bank, and while she was on her way to the exit, the security robots searched her once again. Until then, Chloe was still dazed. Why do I have money, because my husband deposited the money, why did my husband give me money, what is he thinking, what on earth¡­ Like fragments, her thoughts were terribly scattered. They couldn¡¯t be linked together properly. Right then, Chloe thought that she should return home as soon as possible to meet Eric. She hurried into the carriage. After returning home, Chloe immediately went to Eric. When she heard from Daniel that he was in the lab, her steps led her to that place. Looking at the spider webs and moss in the hallway the whole way, Chloe was thrown into a state of distress once again. Chloe vowed to bring in a housekeeper to clean this place one day. Eric certainly wouldn¡¯t like it, but as the lady of the house, she couldn¡¯t just let this happen. What would others say when they see this? Just thinking about it made her nauseous. Chloe pushed the visible trash with her feet and briskly strode forward. ¡°May I come in?¡± Soon after, she heard Eric¡¯s answer. Chloe pushed open the lab¡¯s creaking iron door. As soon as she did, the pungent smell of gunpowder overpowered her senses. Chloe went inside and covered the lower half of her face with a handkerchief. Eric had a neat appearance. The disorganized countenance she first saw before was nowhere to be seen. While glancing at his clean vest, Chloe walked closer to Eric. ¡°What is it?¡± Eric said this without hiding how he felt bothered and displeased by her. ¡°I told you to refrain from meeting me while I¡¯m in the lab.¡± ¡°I have something to say. I don¡¯t think it can wait until dinnertime.¡± ¡°Is it urgent?¡± ¡°To me,¡± Chloe cleared her throat. ¡°Did you transfer some money to me?¡± Eric didn¡¯t answer. And to Chloe, this silence was enough of an answer. She took in a breath, recalling the details of the deposit that Anne had underlined. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± ¡°Is there a reason why I shouldn¡¯t do that?¡± Eric asked back. Chloe¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°You always do this. Whenever I try to talk to you about anything, you always turn around my words and answer with another question. Isn¡¯t your attitude the same as avoiding the matter?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be helped if that¡¯s what you think. But you should know that I¡¯ve always had this manner of speech. It can¡¯t be changed now.¡± ¡°Darling!¡± Chloe raised her voice. ¡°I¡¯m serious. I¡¯m telling you that I can¡¯t receive this money. I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why? It¡¯s not against the law for a husband to give his wife money. Just the same as inheritance tax.¡± ¡°Because we¡¯ll soon be divorced.¡± At Chloe¡¯s determined words, Eric scowled. Chloe didn¡¯t stop. ¡°We¡¯re going to divorce anyway. What will I do with that money?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you just have to spend all that money until we get divorced?¡± ¡°Then the burden I carry in my heart will only grow bigger. I can¡¯t take this money. I¡¯m not going to use any of it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a burden that you carry in your heart,¡± Eric let out a sigh as he swept back his fringe. ¡°Isn¡¯t it because you don¡¯t want to owe anything to someone like me?¡± ¡°What are you talking about!¡± ¡°Correction. Even if it isn¡¯t a bastard like me, you don¡¯t like being indebted to anyone at all. Isn¡¯t that because you¡¯re the youngest daughter of a duke? Isn¡¯t that the vanity of acting superior over others?¡± Eric glared persistently at Chloe as he said this. ¡°Did I say anything wrong?¡± Chloe bit her lower lip. Eric wasn¡¯t wrong. Chloe hated to be indebted to others, and she had been like that since birth. However, she couldn¡¯t agree with what he said about vanity¡ªthat she thought she¡¯s superior to others. This thought never crossed Chloe¡¯s mind, and she knew for a fact that she would never act like that, even unconsciously. But of course, even if she had this conviction, uncertainty still lay underneath. Because she didn¡¯t trust herself. So, instead of answering, Chloe avoided Eric¡¯s gaze and looked away. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 29 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 29 As Chloe avoided his eyes, she touched her forehead. ¡°My head hurts, a lot.¡± She staggered and caught herself by holding onto a nearby chair. ¡°My head hurts whenever I try to talk to you.¡± Eric couldn¡¯t say anything back because he knew that he had spoken badly. Chloe glowered at him. ¡°Why must you scold me whenever I don¡¯t agree with you? Why must you be so cruel to me? Why can¡¯t you respect what I want?¡± Eric sighed. Their conversations continued to repeat like a mobius strip. He limited what he was saying here. ¡°I¡¯ve always respected you.¡± He meant it. He couldn¡¯t believe that Chloe thought he didn¡¯t. No matter what happened, he would always do so. ¡°That¡¯s why I gave you that money.¡± Didn¡¯t he give her that money as proof? Eric valued money more than anything else, and what he gave her was a tremendous amount. But Chloe didn¡¯t seem to agree. No, she didn¡¯t seem to know what kind of value money had for Eric. ¡°Is money everything to you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. At least, it is for me.¡± ¡°Not for me.¡± Chloe shook her head. She buried her face into her hands. ¡°I didn¡¯t want your money or anything like that.¡± Was she crying? Surprised, Eric looked at Chloe. Fortunately, however, Chloe¡¯s shoulders were only trembling¡ªshe wasn¡¯t crying. Certainly, there was no way that the noble Chloe would shed any tears, was what Eric thought. ¡°Please, respect me as a person. Don¡¯t judge my existence by such a definite value.¡± Chloe said this as she quietly raised her head. Eric hesitated. He didn¡¯t know what to answer. ¡°Everyone¡¯s been saying that.¡± He frowned, recalling what Daniel had said to him. ¡°But I don¡¯t know what I should do. I don¡¯t know what I must say to make you happy, I don¡¯t know what actions I must take in order to keep pace with you. All I know is that the best expression of my appreciation is to give you money.¡± Eric stared at Chloe¡¯s face as he was talking. Her face was certainly dry¡ªit was smooth, devoid of tears. But somehow, it seemed as though she was crying. Was what he said such a huge hit to her? Eric couldn¡¯t understand. However, if he hurt her, then he would have to apologize. ¡±Please take good care of the Madam!¡± It wasn¡¯t only because Daniel¡¯s voice came to mind. There was a bigger reason why he didn¡¯t want to fight with Chloe anymore. ¡°In any case, I apologize. If I¡¯ve caused you any trouble.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even know what you¡¯re apologizing about.¡± ¡°If I get to know in just a few words, that would be even more disgraceful.¡± At that, Chloe finally burst into laughter. Eric wondered what about his words she found funny. She didn¡¯t think it was funny, but she couldn¡¯t stop laughing. Chloe first thought that perhaps she was just misunderstanding Eric, that conversations with him went nowhere because they were of different wavelengths, and that their morals did not intersect, and she came to understand that. Chloe thought that, perhaps, her husband might have tried to express his feelings for her in his own way by spending his most precious money on her. She couldn¡¯t stop laughing. She was going crazy. Truthfully, the fact that Eric might not be a bad person gave her joy. ¡°Let¡¯s go on an outing.¡± ¡°Outing?¡± ¡°Yes. One where you won¡¯t go back first, or where you won¡¯t make me wait that long. That kind of outing.¡± Chloe held her hands together. ¡°Can you do that for me?¡± Eric said yes. And the next day, they left the mansion together.¡± It was obvious where they were going even if it wasn¡¯t explicitly said. They were going to the Antoinette Opera. Eric, who stood up Chloe on her birthday last time, naturally bought tickets again, and Chloe followed him. They acted as though they had agreed on this date before. People often say that couples could be on the same page without saying a word between them, and in this case, it seemed to be right. Snowflakes fluttered outside. Sleet had formed, melting without growing higher. Chloe stared blankly at the white sky, then she turned to Eric, who was sitting at the opposite side of the locomotive. Eric was reading the newspaper. The circular frames of his glasses perched upon his nose made him look handsome. While looking at Eric¡¯s fine features, Chloe thought that, as always, he looked great. ¡°There¡¯s a story about us in the paper.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± At the sudden remark, Chloe asked back in surprise. ¡°What kind of article is it?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you read it?¡± Eric handed the newspaper to Chloe. This was what¡¯s written¡ª ¡¸ Eric Aslan, an actual ruffian who wields violence. ¡¹ This was the headline. Chloe gently bit her lower lip and read what came next. ¡¸ The day before, Duke Antre held a small banquet. A total of 34 people attended. [¡­] Among them, Marquis Eric Aslan was one of the attendees, along with Chloe Aslan. Having appeared once more in high society after such a long time, she got along with the others without difficulties. [¡­] Then, an argument broke out between Count Leon¡¯s oldest son, Young Lord Gatsby, and the Marquis. The one next to him, Oliver, testified that the Marquis was the one who first instigated the argument, and that his voice grew louder after hearing Young Lord Gatsby¡¯s response. [¡­] The Marquis punched Young Lord Gatsby, and in the process, Duke Antre¡¯s property was damaged. [¡­] As a result of this incident, it¡¯s evident that the Marquis has a terrible temper, and it, too, is evident that he is shameless and reckless. [¡­] ¡¹ ¡°These are all lies.¡± Chloe clutched the newspaper as she said this. Eric raised his eyebrows. ¡°There is some truth to the article.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s all lies!¡± Chloe heard the conversation between him and Gatsby. How unfair. The perpetrator here was Gatsby, not Eric. Their side was unilaterally the victim¡¯s side! She pounded her chest with a fist several times, feeling frustrated. ¡°Are you going to just leave this be?¡± ¡°It would be laughable to publish a rebuttal. And I¡¯m not close to any other news press for that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Chloe murmured, trailing off as she felt resentful. ¡°A person who falsely wields a pen is more dangerous than swinging a blade. This man doesn¡¯t deserve to be a reporter. If it were me, I wouldn¡¯t have done that.¡± Eric didn¡¯t answer, but he seemed to agree. Chloe huffed out heavily, folding the newspaper finely and setting it down next to her. She stopped looking at it. She grumbled, expressing her frustrations about the many problems that news presses had these days, especially pointing out how they were trying to attract more subscribers only with outrageous, provocative content. Eric didn¡¯t fully agree with everything she said, but he also thought that her arguments made sense to some extent. At the same time, he felt quite satisfied enough that he could have this conversation with Chloe, so he listened to her quietly. After she talked for a long time, they soon arrived at the theater. Eric got off the vehicle first, followed by Chloe. Even though it was snowing, there were still many people out and about in the city. Not all of them were entering the theater, but she could see that quite a few people were holding the opera¡¯s pamphlets. There were as many people as it was, waiting for a chance to watch the famous opera. Chloe thought if they should line up as well, but thanks to Eric, who was guided by someone, she didn¡¯t have to pursue that idea. ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°I had special seats reserved.¡± ¡°Special seats?¡± Chloe was surprised. Special seats were very expensive and difficult to buy tickets for. How could he get two special seats when he made a reservation only a day before? ¡°It¡¯s amazing that we get to have amazing seats. Thank you.¡± However, Chloe decided not to express her doubts. If she did, Eric might become angry again, saying how she was looking down on him. A small smile tugged up on her lips. After seeing her like that, Eric raised his chin. ¡°I had the seats urgently reserved because I want to make up for breaking my promise during your birthday. Please forgive me.¡± Though she didn¡¯t show it, Chloe was very surprised at how determined Eric seemed. She replied with her thanks. She carefully linked arms with Eric, who then shifted his arm so that she could tuck her hand on it. Then, they slowly walked forward together. Chloe had quietly thought to herself that it seemed as though they were a real couple. It felt like a long time ago that they screamed and fought with each other. And being disappointed in him was also like an old memory. At this rate, she thought that she might feel hopeful once more. Chloe was wary, but inevitably, she still felt like that. If they were going to get a divorce anyway, she wanted to enjoy this small happiness until that time. So, she held onto Eric¡¯s arm, feeling as though she was on cloud nine. But it was at that moment. ¡°Oh my, who¡¯s this!¡± She heard a familiar voice. Eric and Chloe turned their heads at the same time, and there stood Harris with his arms wide open. ¡°Chloe, is that you? And the Marquis as well!¡± Chloe and Eric made eye contact with each other, then soon greeted Harris. ¡°How do you do, Your Highness.¡± ¡°How have you been.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve been very well. Oh, where are my manners. I came here with my younger siblings. They went away for a moment, ah! They¡¯re coming over here!¡± Harris pointed behind Chloe. As she turned around, she saw Elizabeth, the fourth princess. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 30 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 30 Chloe curtsied and held one hand over her chest. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Your Highness.¡± Elizabeth and Chloe finally met after such a long time. However, Elizabeth ignored Chloe¡¯s greeting and passed right by her. She approached Eric. ¡°Marquis!¡± With a smile that¡¯s in full bloom as though she was really happy, she held Eric¡¯s arm. ¡°Marquis, you¡¯re as dashing as always. How have you been? You never replied to my letters even once.¡± Harris didn¡¯t know that his sister had sent letters to the marquis. And, he had no idea that the marquis was ignoring those letters. Shame washed over him as his sister continued to cling onto the marquis so brazenly. Besides the shame he was feeling, what he felt more vividly was anger towards Eric for ignoring his sister. In fact, Harris knew logically in his mind that it was right for Eric, who was married, to have ignored his sister¡¯s letters, but as he was driven by his emotions at this moment, he couldn¡¯t accept this. Harris shot Eric a scathing glare. ¡°Did that happen?¡± Eric briefly clicked his tongue, then he nodded. ¡°I couldn¡¯t check any of them because I was busy.¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s possible,¡± Elizabeth chirped. ¡°However, you¡¯ll have to reply to her letter next time. There¡¯s something written there that I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll like very much, Marquis.¡± Not knowing how Eric was feeling, Elizabeth burst into a peal of laughter as she said this. Harris¡¯ brows furrowed even more. Still, it would be a good thing for his younger sister and Eric to stay close. Eric¡¯s rejection was a blow to his pride, but this way, it would be beneficial for Elizabeth and Eric¡¯s relationship to grow more. ¡°So, did you come here to see the opera?¡± Harris asked. Eric glanced down at Chloe and nodded. ¡°Then why don¡¯t we sit together? Even so, I was thinking about whether to watch the opera or not. Isn¡¯t that right, William?¡± William tipped his hat as a greeting towards Edward and Chloe. Chloe¡¯s cheeks reddened slightly as she recalled that the last thing she spoke to William about was her divorce, yet here she was, linking arms and acting like a couple with Eric. Eric saw Chloe like that. ¡°Sure,¡± he replied. ¡°It¡¯s awkward for us to go in alone. It would be better to watch it together.¡± ¡°Oh my! Really?¡± Elizabeth clapped her hands once. ¡°Then, Marquis, please sit next to me. I can chat with you so that it wouldn¡¯t be awkward.¡± Eric didn¡¯t answer, but he didn¡¯t reject her. Elizabeth seemed to take this as his consent. She showed Eric a lovely smile, her chest puffing up. Chloe stared blankly at them. She didn¡¯t want to admit it, but Eric and Elizabeth looked so good together. Being as lively and adorable as she was, Elizabeth looked the opposite of a dying person. If Chloe were to compare herself with the other woman, what would she look like? Chloe criticized herself for even thinking that she herself and Eric looked good together earlier. Shame poured into her, heat flooding her face. ¡°Chloe,¡± William said, reaching out to her. ¡°Come here.¡± Hesitating, Chloe saw that Eric had turned his back on her, and so she stepped towards William as though she couldn¡¯t help it. It felt like a rift was growing between them once more. This was only right, perhaps. The opera was marvelous. It depicted the life story of Queen Antoire, who had been beheaded during the revolution, so the plot points of the opera were very good. Twinkling gold and blindingly colorful jewels! Chloe was not interested in any luxury, however perhaps because it¡¯s been a while since she¡¯s been to the theater, her eyes gravitated towards them one or two times. Next to her, Harris sarcastically noted, ¡°You¡¯re inevitably a woman, too, aren¡¯t you.¡± Chloe didn¡¯t respond. She was more concerned about what Eric thought. Did he notice as well? However, Eric seemed to be entirely focused on the opera. No matter what Elizabeth said next to him, he only answered with a yes or no and nothing else. This gave Chloe some sense of relief. At the same time, she felt pathetic for even being relieved by this. Happy one moment, despairing the next. She felt useless. This made her feel depressed. ¡°Chloe,¡± William called her with a low voice. He was sitting next to her. ¡°Do you still want the divorce?¡± Chloe hesitated for a moment, but she eventually answered yes. The divorce was akin to her life¡¯s purpose. William exhaled a sigh of relief. ¡°Right. I was worried that you might have changed your mind. I¡¯ve sold the land and converted it to money.¡± ¡°Thank you very much. I¡¯m going to sell the mine as well. It¡¯s not much money, but I¡¯ll try to pay you back first.¡± ¡°You can take your time in paying me back.¡± William leaned towards Chloe and said in a hushed voice. ¡°Is the divorce still only possible when Elizabeth has gotten married?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long way to go.¡± He glanced towards Elizabeth, who was practically glued to Eric¡¯s side. She hadn¡¯t even paid any attention to the man who came earlier and greeted her. Seeing her like this, it seemed like a speedy marriage wouldn¡¯t be possible unless Eric was the groom. Before that, he should try to introduce someone else to Elizabeth. Sighing long and hard, William was thinking the opposite thoughts as Harris. ¡°I¡¯ll transfer the amount to you first. Just in case.¡± ¡°Thank you again.¡± Chloe smiled quietly, thanking William for his generosity. He returned her gentle smile. ¡°What do you think about the opera?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Chloe looked over at the stage as she trailed off. On the stage, sword-wielding actors were running towards the actress playing Antoire. ¡°I think Antoire wasn¡¯t at fault. It¡¯s just¡­ Perhaps her fault was not knowing about things other than herself. As a queen herself, she should have had more academic enthusiasm or at least any exploratory curiosity about her land, but there was no such thing. I can¡¯t say for sure, though, and I might be wrong. However, if ignorance is a sin, don¡¯t you think that all those who had not learned are sinners? It couldn¡¯t exactly be said that not being educated is a crime.¡± The Antoire actress was now being dragged towards the center of the stage. The song titled, ¡®Spring, Come¡¯, was sung in such desperation that it touched Chloe¡¯s heart. ¡°But isn¡¯t it also wrong of her to have been so extravagant?¡± William recalled the excessive luxury that Antoire had basked in. ¡°It could have been an act of rebellion.¡± Chloe smiled quietly. ¡°Perhaps it was a mixture of revenge towards her husband who abandoned her. After hearing news after news of pregnancies and childbirths of her husband¡¯s children when he had never spent the night with her before¡­ She must have been drowning in such a flood of shame. Perhaps her being extravagant was one way to cope. At least, that¡¯s how I interpret it.¡± She clasped her hands together tightly over her lap. ¡°I understand her.¡± If she had been a little more brazen, if this wasn¡¯t a marriage that had started with debt and her being sold to her husband in the first place, she might have acted like Antoire. To get her husband¡¯s attention¡­ To receive even just one glance from him¡­ That¡¯s why Chloe understood Antoire¡¯s side. She stared at Antoire on the stage, whose neck was now being cut off in a guillotine. Seeing Antoire die, it felt like Chloe herself was dying. Just as Antoire¡¯s beheading was a punishment for her sins, was her illness a punishment for her own sins? If asked what her crime was, she would say that she dared to love her husband. That she pretended to be so dignified and noble despite who she was. No, perhaps her very crime was her existence itself¡­ ¡°Chloe.¡± At Eric¡¯s call, Chloe was startled. She straightened her back and hurriedly turned around to face Eric. ¡°It¡¯s over. You can get up now.¡± While she was lost in thought, the opera had come to its end. The theater was now lit up brightly. A flying box of metal was broadcasting to people to exit through the back now. Chloe finally rose to her feet slowly. ¡°I must have zoned out for a moment. I enjoyed watching it very much. It¡¯s all thanks to you, Darling.¡± Instead of answering, Eric shrugged his shoulders. It might have been difficult for him to answer because they were in public, but Chloe saw a small hint of abashment spreading over his features. In any case, the opera was over and everyone would return to their respective homes. Chloe would come back home with Eric, and Harris and his siblings would go back to the palace. If they were to part ways like that, the current awkward atmosphere would disappear. Chloe struggled to suppress the heaviness she was feeling at the thought of having to endure this a little longer. However. ¡°Why don¡¯t we have dinner together?¡± Harris turned to her. Chloe momentarily held Eric¡¯s arm. Eric glanced down at the arm she was holding. Then, he looked into Chloe¡¯s eyes. He noticed how flustered she was. Reading the room, Eric shook his head. ¡°I have some urgent business to attend to this evening, so it would be difficult to have dinner together. Unfortunately, I¡¯ll have to take a rain check on that.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Harris raised one eyebrow. ¡°What about you, Chloe?¡± Chloe was taken aback. She didn¡¯t know he would ask her personally like this. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be able to help the Marquis with his work anyway. It would be nice if you could have dinner with us.¡± ¡°Yes, Chloe. Let¡¯s have dinner together.¡± William agreed with his brother. Chloe hesitated, then glanced up at Eric. He was still looking at Chloe right now, expressionless. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 31 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 31 After going ahead to say that he didn¡¯t want to hold Eric back instead of her, it was laughable to even just hear his proposal that she should stay, of all people. However, Chloe had no justification to reject Harris¡¯ invitation to dinner. After she had been told that there was nothing she could do for Eric during his work, she herself also knew that there was nothing that could be done. Chloe looked down, feeling helpless once more. ¡°¡­Yes, I understand.¡± Harris smiled, hitting William with his elbow. With an indescribable smile, William led Chloe. ¡°I¡¯ll be escorting Chloe back home later. There¡¯s nothing for you to worry, Marquis.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± Eric glanced at Harris, and then at Chloe. He soon turned around. ¡°Have a nice dinner, Wife.¡± Chloe replied that she would, and just like that, they went their separate ways. The dinner was much more uncomfortable than she had expected. Elizabeth constantly talked about Eric, and Harris surreptitiously encouraged her. It was even mentioned that once Eric would have a divorce, he might want to marry Elizabeth. Chloe tried to refute it, but there was nothing substantial she could really say because it was true that their divorce had already been decided. William was the only one who was on Chloe¡¯s side, but since he was inevitably still part of the royal family, he still had that characteristic arrogance in the way he held himself. Chloe set down her fork, an evident sign that she was done eating. Nevertheless, the people around her did not stop chatting. They were royalty, but they were still family, so they could easily see each other anytime. Even so, they would not stop talking for hours. Chloe listened to their words, which flowed into one ear and out the other. She had a rather tired expression on her face. ¡°¡­So Chloe, until when will you be staying in the capital?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Chloe replied in a hurry as the question registered in her mind. ¡°Oh, the capital.¡± She wiped her lips with a table napkin. ¡°I don¡¯t intend to return to the North for a while. I think I¡¯ll be staying here for a bit more.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the mansion you¡¯re staying in too small for you both? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s as good as the castle you¡¯ve been staying in until now.¡± ¡°Right! The castle in the north is so beautiful. I really want to go there, too!¡± And underlying that statement was the desire to become the madam of that castle one day. Chloe observed how evident Elizabeth¡¯s expression showed her yearning, and the eventual jealousy that Chloe felt because of this. The inside of her mouth tasted bitter. ¡°Come and visit next time. After the snowstorms in the capital have subsided.¡± ¡°I know. The weather is unusual these days.¡± Elizabeth puffed up her cheeks in a lovely manner, then let out a huff. ¡°It¡¯ll be better once spring comes. This year¡¯s winter is just a fluke.¡± As Harris said this, he glanced towards Chloe. ¡°It seems uncomfortable to stay at such a small place. And the castle in the north can¡¯t be empty for a long time. Don¡¯t you think it would be better if you returned right away?¡± His coercion went beyond subtle. He kept forcing the idea that she should get out of the capital so that Elizabeth and Eric could grow closer in the meantime. Chloe suddenly felt displeased. She treated Harris like her real older brother, that¡¯s why she could understand his languid behavior. Whether he was purposely mentioning the relationship between Elizabeth and Eric, or when he would subtly urge her to push through with the divorce. From an outsider¡¯s perspective, everything he said was like the advice that an older brother would give her younger sister. But that wasn¡¯t it. Harris¡¯ biological sister was Elizabeth, and Chloe was just a foolish woman that he could use as a chess piece. Chloe tightened her grip over the table napkin. ¡°Of course, I would have wanted to go back.¡± She tried hard to smile. ¡°However, my husband told me not to.¡± ¡°¡­The Marquis did?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Chloe continued. ¡°It seems like he wants me to stay by his side. That¡¯s why it¡¯s difficult for me to return to the North.¡± At this, silence weighed down heavily on that dinner table. Harris and Elizabeth shared a silent look at each other, and William just looked bitterly towards Chloe. No one said anything. The silence continued until she rode the locomotive back to the mansion. ¡°I¡¯ll be off. Thank you for today.¡± Chloe alighted the vehicle and said goodbye to those who were left inside. As the door was about to be closed, Elizabeth spoke up. ¡°Ah, right. I was invited not long ago to a tea party the Duchess will be holding. Would you like to come with me?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Taken aback, Chloe¡¯s response was a question as well. ¡°Oh¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°Right, right. Let¡¯s go together. It would be nice for you to meet other people again after such a long time. It¡¯ll be fun! Then, I¡¯ll send a carriage for you at that time! Bye bye!¡± Elizabeth had always been this way. Chloe took offense to her attitude, but the locomotive had already left, so she couldn¡¯t say anything back. Chloe was forced to walk into the house right then. As she went over the day¡¯s events, she realized just how difficult of a day it was. It was great that she had gone to watch the opera with her husband. The conversation they had on the way to the theater house was good as well, and they also linked arms closely as they were entering. However, it became a sour experience because they had to come across the royal family there. Chloe pondered why she was in a terrible mood. Was it because of Harris¡¯ subtle digs? Was it because of Elizabeth¡¯s covetous nature? Or was it because of William¡¯s feelings that were difficult to read? No. None of this could be the reason. It¡¯s just that Chloe disliked Elizabeth. She hated the other woman for talking about a remarriage with her husband so blatantly. Jealousy, or something close to it, was perhaps what she was feeling. That¡¯s right. Because of this jealousy, Chloe disliked Elizabeth. But what she disliked the most was her own self for feeling this way towards the princess. The royal family had already fallen. But that didn¡¯t mean that their honor had hit the ground. Chloe believed that they still had a firm position in society because the people continued to respect them. And she could think this way only because she had no idea that the royal family¡¯s reputation had already hit rock bottom at this point. In any case, as a citizen of this kingdom, Chloe still needed to regard Princess Elizabeth with respect. So she shouldn¡¯t dwell on this jealousy that was festering inside her. But nevertheless, she truly disliked Elizabeth¡­ Blaming herself for how pathetic she was, Chloe bowed her head. She walked into the gates of her home with slow steps, opening the door to find Andrea and the other maid, Roseanne. They said that Eric was waiting for her inside. She thought that he¡¯d be in the lab, but he was waiting for her personally? Chloe took rather measured steps towards the drawing room. As soon as she opened the door, she saw Eric standing there. Chloe announced her presence. ¡°It¡¯s late.¡± Eric glanced at the clock as he said this. He still looked the same, wearing the same clothes he went out in. What happened to that neat husband she knew, Chloe wondered. ¡°Did you enjoy your meal?¡± ¡°Yes, it was a delicious dinner.¡± She couldn¡¯t say that she enjoyed it. Chloe smiled. ¡°You look happy.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°You look happy being with them, I mean.¡± Not at all. She had a terrible dinner, and she was filled with only frustration. She was also planning to ask Andrea for some digestive medicine later before going to bed. However, Chloe knew that Eric also held a close relationship with the royal family, so she couldn¡¯t easily confide in him and tell him anything negative about them. ¡°It was fun. They¡¯re like family to me.¡± So, Chloe decided to protect them. Eric¡¯s forehead crumpled, though he still looked handsome. ¡°You,¡± He stepped closer towards her. ¡°Will you remarry Prince William after you¡¯ve divorced me?¡± Chloe¡¯s mind went blank for a moment. Because she couldn¡¯t comprehend the question he asked her right then. But as soon as she came back to her senses, she realized just how rude he was being, that he said what he shouldn¡¯t have said. Soon, anger rose within her. ¡°What are you talking about.¡± She raised her voice. ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you over and over again? There¡¯s nothing between me and William!¡± ¡°Despite that, you looked like you have a rather close relationship.¡± Eric recalled what kind of look William had as he gazed upon Chloe earlier, starting from the very moment they met at the front of the theater. Then, there was the way they whispered to each other, and the way that man escorted Chloe away towards their dinner. Everything made him feel terrible. ¡°Which part of it? No, rather than just a close relationship, are you saying that it¡¯s a relationship between a man and a woman? William and I have known each other since we were children. There¡¯s nothing like that between us.¡± ¡°So,¡± Eric spat out, his eyebrows furrowed. ¡°Can you say that Prince William completely has no interest in you?¡± Chloe opened her lips, and then closed them. She knew. She knew that William still had feelings for her. She was even more sure of it now after spending time with him again. However, she herself had no feelings for him. She considered him an older brother who she was close to, nothing more than that. This was why Eric¡¯s words sounded so unpleasant and demeaning. She clutched the hem of her dress. ¡°Then what about you, don¡¯t you know that Princess Elizabeth likes you?¡± Elizabeth continued to speak. ¡°Even if it¡¯s like that, I don¡¯t do anything about it. She¡¯s the one who constantly clings to you as though she wants to throw herself at you!¡± Haa. Eric sighed, then walked towards the sofa, leaning down on its backrest while holding it with both hands. ¡°She¡¯s the one willingly giving herself to me, so are you saying that I can¡¯t receive that?¡± ¡°Of course not. It would mean that you¡¯re only using someone else¡¯s feelings!¡± Chloe shouted as she faced Eric squarely. ¡°You really can¡¯t do that. It¡¯s such a disgraceful conduct!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 32 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 32 Eric clenched his fist, but soon slowly unfolded it. ¡°Wife.¡± He spoke in a quieter voice than the usual tone. ¡°It seems like you see me as a machine that¡¯s incapable of getting hurt.¡± And here, Chloe realized that she was wrong. Her words were harsh. She shook her head in a hurry. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I made a slip of the tongue. I don¡¯t think that you¡¯re a disgraceful person.¡± She spoke in such a small voice, and Eric looked at Chloe with a relaxed expression. She clasped her hands together and slowly spoke once more. ¡°But I¡¯ve told you time and again. I don¡¯t have anything to do with William. Alright¡ªI admit it. I know William has feelings for me. But I do not have such feelings in return. Even if he and I would be left alone in the world, I wouldn¡¯t come to love him. I¡¯m sure of it.¡± There was nothing more than this that made him angry. Eric didn¡¯t want to be a disgraceful man who would show such jealousy because of his wife. He was already angry with her now, but he didn¡¯t want to go further and plunge himself into a deeper pit. He took his hand off the sofa¡¯s backrest and breathed heavily. ¡°The same goes for me. The Princess is nothing more than a nuisance to me. If you¡¯ve watched my behavior carefully today, you should know that what I¡¯m saying is true.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re right.¡± Chloe answered, recalling the brief answers Eric would give in response to Elizabeth¡¯s long-winded chatter. Chloe felt calmer now. With her anger now soothed, she rose to her feet. Then, she walked towards Eric. ¡°The two of us. We¡¯re not supposed to fight over something like this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we be happy in our marriage that¡¯s about to end soon? That¡¯s what I¡¯d like, if you please. I want to pass¡­ the time happily.¡± ¡°Do you mean that you were never happy during this marriage?¡± Eric twisted her words, clenching his fist in the air. ¡°Damn it. Why is it like this. I can never go beyond every word you say.¡± He loathed himself. He couldn¡¯t help but cling onto every word that Chloe uttered, and he was disgusted by himself. Taking a deep breath, he turned his eyes towards Chloe. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°I accept your apology.¡± Chloe was somewhat taken aback. She didn¡¯t expect Eric to say something like this. Was this a step forward? Despite the shame she felt in bursting out in frustration, she thought that it might have been a good thing that she expressed her anger. ¡°Then, what do you want to do?¡± Chloe immediately replied to his question. ¡°I want us to continue as we did today.¡± ¡°Today?¡± ¡°Like a married couple, I mean. Walking arm in arm, asking each other¡¯s opinions, having a lot of conversations¡­ I just want us to be a normal couple.¡± Considering the time that they did not even talk properly for the past five years, they were leaps and bounds above that now. So, Chloe wanted to live as though they were a normal married couple¡ªtalking to each other, bickering from time to time, but eventually reconciling just as normally. If they could live like this for even a few months, she would have no regrets once she would die. Chloe waited for Eric¡¯s answer, yet he only stared at her for a long time. Chloe could see her own reflection in the depths of his dark irises, not knowing what he was thinking. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s do that.¡± Eric sight as he swept his hair back. ¡°Then will you have breakfast with me tomorrow?¡± He added hastily. ¡°I would be happy to eat together with you.¡± Chloe was dumbfounded. Wasn¡¯t it him who said that he felt frustrated whenever he was with her? But to say that he¡¯d be happy¡­ Chloe felt a sharp pang in her chest. ¡°Alright. It¡¯s always a pleasure to eat something delicious together.¡± ¡°Then, is that enough?¡± Eric asked. ¡°That is to say, is our conversation over?¡± As a matter of fact, their exchange could hardly be called a conversation, but Chloe did not point this out. She nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take you to your room then.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Eric opened the drawing room¡¯s door and Chloe followed him out to the hallway. Silence greeted them. As far as they were concerned, the only other people here were two maids¡ªRoseanne and Andrea¡ªso naturally, there was no one else coming and going through the halls. The silence was awkward as Chloe walked after Eric, half a step behind him. Then suddenly, she spoke with a careful tone, perhaps thinking of what to do. ¡°Prince Harris asked me when I¡¯m planning to return to the north.¡± Instead of answering, Eric turned to look at Chloe. Still with a cautious voice, she asked, ¡°Just a little longer, can I stay a while more?¡± There was a small tremor in her voice. She knew that Eric could tell her to leave any time. As though to answer her expectations, Eric gave Chloe an answer that was just like him. ¡°This is beyond your stature, this house.¡± So, I should just go back? Chloe hated the fact that Eric treated her as if she was still just the daughter of an esteemed duke. She became a member of the Aslan family the moment she got married to him, yet he still continued to treat her as though her last name was still Rolphe. This was entirely indicative of the distance that was yawning between them. Slowly, she dropped her gaze. ¡°Then are you saying that I should go back¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to move.¡± ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± Chloe was stunned. ¡°No, we don¡¯t have to. I¡¯ll only be here for a few months at most.¡± A few months. Eric grimaced at this phrase which had been mentioned for a second time now. This meant to say that she was still thinking of pushing forward with the divorce and that there were only a few months left in their marriage. ¡°I¡¯ve already started looking for a new manor. We¡¯ll be able to move once the blizzard has calmed down.¡± ¡°Darling.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the kind of man who doesn¡¯t go back on my decisions. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re well aware of that.¡± Of course. Eric Aslan always held himself accountable for his own choices. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t divorce her. He¡¯s a man whose legitimacy was proven along with the papers that were signed between them. Chloe admitted that she could never win against Eric. She relented, and Eric chuckled under his breath as though he was satisfied. ¡°We¡¯re moving to a place where you can plant your favorite flowers as much as you like. That much would be enough.¡± Then Eric opened Chloe¡¯s bedroom door. As she walked into the room, she hesitated for a moment because there¡¯s something she wanted to tell him, but she couldn¡¯t find the words. In the meantime, Eric had already closed the door. Staring blankly at the closed door, Chloe wondered if she had ever told Eric that she liked flowers. As she thought about it, she recalled that she said it around the beginning of their marriage. She said that she was sad about flowers not being able to grow in the cold north¡­ Did he still remember what she said five years ago? In the end, laughter leaked through her lips, where a smile graced her features. ¡°Will you be having dinner with Milord tonight again, Madam?¡± Andrea asked. Chloe answered positively as she sat down on a chair in front of the vanity table. Andrea began to brush her hair. When Eric first asked them to have meals together, she thought that it would only last a day or two, but it¡¯s now been almost a week since he said that. During this period, Eric called Chloe regularly and ate together with her. He often would say that he¡¯d only let her go once she¡¯s finished everything on her plate, but when she¡¯d respond that she would be forced to vomit it all later, that¡¯s the only time he¡¯d let her go. Every time, he¡¯d say, ¡®You eat like a baby bird,¡¯ and at this, Chloe would burst into a peal of laughter. How could he say words as cute as ¡®baby bird¡¯ with such a serious face! And when Eric would say that he couldn¡¯t understand why she was laughing, Chloe would laugh once more. It¡¯s been a week since this started. Chloe was happy these days. Just as she had implored him, they seemed to have become a normal couple. Was this what ordinary happiness was like? She pondered as she reflected on the past. ¡°Chloe, are you awake?¡± Eric¡¯s voice could be heard from outside the door. She glanced at the clock¡ªit was still just seven in the morning. It¡¯s not time for him to come yet. Was there something wrong? Chloe spoke up and allowed Eric into the room. Then, as the door opened, Eric walked in, neatly dressed. ¡°Is there something the matter?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to tell you that something urgent came up. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to join you for breakfast this morning.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± If that¡¯s the case, he would usually just let Daniel handle it. Chloe was somewhat surprised, but she did not show this. After turning in her chair, her back now to the mirror, she faced Eric. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I was told that one of the cruise airships has a defect. A mechanic should be enough, but I received a telegram and they¡¯re asking me to come personally. Damn it. What a bother.¡± Eric loosened his tie abrasively and grimaced with one eye narrower than the other. It was a habit of his whenever he was annoyed. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to skip breakfast with you this morning. Perhaps tomorrow as well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright with me.¡± It¡¯s alright? Eric stared at Chloe. She had a neutral expression. As if she already expected such a thing! This fact made Eric feel uncomfortable. This made him bark out a sudden remark. ¡°That airship is something that I¡ªsomething that your husband built. Do you not want to ride it? Why have you never asked?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Chloe asked back as though she was truly shocked by Eric¡¯s questions. ¡°But I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be of any help¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to help me. I¡¯m just asking whether you want to ride it or not.¡± Chloe thought about it. She had only heard of it and saw some from afar, but she never actually had the chance to ride one. When she was still a member of a ducal household, the airships¡¯ safety was still not ensured, so she couldn¡¯t ride it then. And when she became a member of the Aslan household, she couldn¡¯t ride it because they didn¡¯t have money. Those airships were indeed built by Eric, but she didn¡¯t have the courage to tell him that she wanted to ride it. That¡¯s why she didn¡¯t even have any thoughts of wanting to go, even until now. But it was Eric who spoke up about it first. She shouldn¡¯t let go of this opportunity. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 33 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 33 ¡°I¡¯d like to go. I¡¯ve never been on an airship before.¡± Chloe spoke in a rather urgent tone. Eric¡¯s lips curved up. ¡°Fine.¡± He spoke in a strict voice, as if he couldn¡¯t bother to continue the conversation. ¡°The maintenance will take less than an hour. If you just rest alone, I¡¯ll come back right away. It¡¯s a cruise airship, so there are plenty of things you can occupy yourself with.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it already.¡± Chloe placed a hand over her racing heart. She was blooming with anticipation, but at the same time, she was still worried. So, she asked carefully. ¡°Is it really alright for me to come with you?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just, I don¡¯t deserve to go¡­¡± ¡°Chloe.¡± Eric¡¯s brows knitted together. ¡°This airship is something that I personally built. No one would dare bar you from entering.¡± Chloe let out a relieved sigh. Then, she gave him a small smile. ¡°Thank you. Then, I¡¯ll get ready.¡± She beckoned Andrea, who was standing at one corner of the room. She also added, ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to ride one, too.¡± This much was a satisfactory answer for Eric, so he ended the conversation also with a smile. Seeing an airship from up close, Chloe realized how massive it actually was. In the past, when she heard that a single airship could accommodate hundreds of people, she only laughed and told them not to lie. But in reality, it really seemed like hundreds or even more than a thousand people could fit. It was a bit of an exaggeration for the most part, but really, it was that great. That¡¯s why after Eric had built something like this, he gained a lot of respect from other people. Chloe looked at Eric with a deeply proud gaze. ¡°You¡¯re truly amazing.¡± Chloe¡¯s gaze full of admiration made Eric feel a bit flattered. He¡¯s heard this phrase many times, but it felt like it took on a different meaning when Chloe said it. He felt more elated. ¡°It¡¯s more amazing inside. Be sure to visit the pool and the banquet hall.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Chloe replied with a definite answer. Eric continued with a grin. ¡°I¡¯ll be in the engine room. If anything happens, you can come there.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure nothing will happen. Don¡¯t worry, and stay safe over there.¡± Chloe answered and entered the room that Eric escorted her to. Since it was a cruise airship, the room was large and luxurious. It was very much like a hotel room. With art deco wallpaper behind it, the bed was big enough that three people could easily fit in it, and the lace over its canopy was wonderful as well. At the side, the desk and chair, and also the sofa had an antique feel to them. It¡¯s said that Eric chose all this personally, and it was part of his taste in design. As the airship took off, Chloe felt its weightlessness. She brought a chair near the window and sat down. The airship slowly rose higher into the sky. When she glanced down, the town below already looked so small. She could see the clouds. They were so close that she could touch them if only she¡¯d reach out. Chloe was very tempted to open the window, but she managed to suppress this urge because she knew that everything in the room would be swept into a frenzy. Instead, she rose from her seat and went outside. She walked through the hall and went to the deck. Whooosh! Strong gusts of wind swept by her. ¡°Madam! It¡¯s dangerous! Please come back inside!¡± Someone shouted at Chloe, who was staggering. But Chloe couldn¡¯t hear that voice clearly¡ªthe wind was so loud. ¡°I can¡¯t hear you! I¡¯ll just be out for a little while! I¡¯ll come back right away!¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous, Madam! If you¡¯d like to stay outside, please tie that rope around your waist! Yes! Like that!¡± This time, Chloe heard what the other person was saying. Following the instructions, she tied the rope around her waist. The other end of it was secured to the railing. Though if she really would fall out, would it be possible for her to hang onto this rope and stay alive? Chloe leaned over the railing, believing that the chance was slim. The strong wind blew and wracked her entire body. Her hair fluttered. Chloe tied her hair roughly with the hair tie on her wrist, then she looked outward again. The newly arisen sun was breathtaking. The bright red sun slowly rose from the horizon, emitting an unimaginably bright light. The illuminated clouds shimmered and hovered in the air, and the airship continued to fly past them. Chloe reached for the passing clouds. She liked the cold feeling on her hands. And she smiled. It was a view that made her smile wholeheartedly. It would be nice to die here. She slowly let go of her hand¡¯s grip on the railing. And closed her eyes. The air, rising around her like a whirlwind, enveloped her. She felt her body drift upward from the floor. ¡°Chloe!¡± But then, an arm hastily wrapped around her waist and tethered her back to the ground. Chloe opened her eyes. Eric was here. He was breathless¡ªit seemed like he rushed to come here. Chloe looked up at him with somewhat astonished eyes. As Eric stared back at her, there was a disbelieving look in his eyes. ¡°I heard that a crazy woman came running up the deck and to her death¡ªbut I didn¡¯t know it was you. Are you out of your mind?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t come here to die.¡± It was different. She didn¡¯t come here with the intention to die, but she also thought that it might be alright for her to die here. If she came here with the intention to die, then it meant that her mind was already set to ending her life. But with the latter, feeling that it¡¯s alright to die only meant that her will to live had stopped right then. The two ideas were completely different to her. Chloe, therefore, felt somehow wronged. ¡°I¡¯m just here to get some fresh air. There¡¯s nothing for you to be worried about.¡± ¡°How can I not be worried?¡± With Chloe in his arms, he untied the rope around her waist. ¡°You already have such a frail body, and it looks exactly like you could be swept away with a single gust of wind. How can you say that I shouldn¡¯t be concerned? I had to rush all the way here!¡± He soon became visibly angry. So, Chloe flinched a little. Even so, he gently took her hand and led her back inside. ¡°I should have just told you to stay in your room. If it was like that, I wouldn¡¯t have needed to come here in such a hurry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°If you know, then never mind.¡± Eric answered curtly. He still seemed to be very angry. Chloe became curious. Why was he angry now? Why was he worried about her? She thought about it over and over again, but she couldn¡¯t find the right answer. If she were to be asked what the most difficult task was in the whole world, then for her, it was to understand Eric¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Why,¡± So, she decided to ask directly. ¡°Why are you worried about me?¡± They had returned to the room now, and only the two of them were there. She raised the volume of her voice a little. ¡°It¡¯s strange. It¡¯s just, I did what you asked me to do. What about that worries you so much¡­¡± ¡°Then do you mean it¡¯s wrong for me to worry about you?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not that. Something like this, maybe it¡¯s just your good intentions, or maybe it¡¯s sympathy. I can understand that. But what I¡¯m curious about is why it seems like you¡¯re patching things up between us. We¡¯re going to be divorced anyway, and we¡¯ll soon be strangers. Why then?¡± ¡°This damn talk about divorce. Again. Really driving me crazy.¡± Eric tousled his hair messily. Then, the middle of his forehead crumpled. Chloe was always like this. Whenever he tried to do something good, she would always pry for a reason behind it. Why was she acting like this? What¡¯s wrong? Eric truly couldn¡¯t understand. For some reason, he just liked spending time with Chloe. That¡¯s all. It was unexpectedly pleasant to have meals together with her, and it was nice to go out sometimes together. And it was quite satisfying to see a child-like, refreshingly innocent smile on her face. He didn¡¯t know when he started having thoughts like this. Even so, with what she was asking here, he was certain that he liked spending time with Chloe. That¡¯s all that¡¯s there to it. But why did Chloe keep questioning him? ¡°I¡¯m not doing it for your sake.¡± Eric further tousled his hair. ¡°It¡¯s just that I think I need to take responsibility for what happened between us, and I¡¯m trying to make reparations to restore our relationship.¡± ¡°When we¡¯re going to divorce anyway?¡± ¡°God damn it.¡± This talk about divorce again. Eric gritted his teeth. He breathed deeply enough that his chest swelled. He had no intention of letting her go. How could he? He had never let anything slip through his fingers. So you, too, Chloe Rolphe. I will never let you go. However, it was difficult to express these thoughts that would have surely painted joy over Chloe¡¯s features. Eric swept his hair back, thinking that he should just brush off this talk of divorce this time. He was convinced that he could change Chloe¡¯s mind any time in the future. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m trying to get along with you just until the divorce. So.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Just stay still when you can. Don¡¯t let anything like earlier ever happen again.¡± ¡°I understand. I apologize.¡± Chloe answered as she clasped her hands together calmly. There was a small smile on her lips as she spoke, and Eric wanted to know just what exactly that small smile meant. ¡°Why are you smiling?¡± So Eric asked. And Chloe looked up, answering him. ¡°You always do the best that you can, whatever it is.¡± Chloe continued. ¡°So it makes me happy, seeing that you¡¯re doing your best for us.¡± With her hands still clasped together, she raised them to the side of her face as she tilted her head to one side. A bright smile tugged up on the corners of her lips. ¡°You¡¯ve never done so before.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 34 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 34 At Chloe¡¯s words, Eric¡¯s mood plummeted. But if he were to tell her that what she said made his mood turn sour, then that in itself was him admitting to the fact that he had not been upholding his responsibilities as a husband¡ªthat he never cared about Chloe. So, he did not show any signs of being affected. He soon erased all expression from his face. ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner now.¡± Instead of getting angry, he reached out to Chloe. ¡°Dinner here at the airship will be wonderful.¡± Chloe took his hand lightly. Just as he said, dinner here on the airship was quite nice. The view of the clouds beyond the large windows was divine, and the sunset glow was marvelous to look at. Chloe stared blankly at the scenery, forgetting that she had to eat. It was a wonderful sight enough that she was mesmerized. ¡°The food is getting cold.¡± Eric pointed towards the plate as he said this. At this, Chloe came to her senses and took her silverware quickly. ¡°I¡¯ll cut it for you.¡± Eric took Chloe¡¯s plate and cut the steak for her. She was bewildered. She had never seen Eric be so kind before. Was this the beginning of what Eric said about trying? If her husband would continue treating her like this for the days to come, then Chloe hoped that they could continue their marriage life like this until its end. Right. It was that again, the hope that she tried to throw away before. It was back once more. What a foolish woman she was. Chloe already knew how ridiculous it was, but she couldn¡¯t let go of this lingering hope, which continued to grow at one corner of her heart. ¡°How do you like your meal?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s delicious.¡± Chloe nodded as she wiped the corner of her mouth. Eric¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Andrea said that you hardly ever eat.¡± ¡°Is that why you¡¯ve been eating breakfast with me regularly?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When Eric replied, his voice was gentle. ¡°Eat as much as you like. So that you won¡¯t fall sick again.¡± Suddenly, Chloe¡¯s hand that was holding the fork trembled. Won¡¯t fall sick? Who knows. If such a day were to come, that would be the day she¡¯d die. Since Eric didn¡¯t know about her illness, he could at least say something like this. Chloe then thought about what on earth she was doing with something like hope. Even if she hoped for love to blossom between her and her husband, she would die anyway. She wouldn¡¯t be able to survive¡­ Though she felt melancholic, Chloe didn¡¯t show this and instead smiled and nodded with a gentle expression. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll eat a lot.¡± Her answer made Eric smile subtly, as though he was satisfied enough by this¡ªwithout a clue of how much she was burning inside. He thought that Chloe would soon change her mind if he showed his efforts like this. Asking for a divorce was nothing but a passing phase¡­ He¡¯d be able to keep Chloe by his side as long as he could be gentler with her. Besides that, he surprisingly didn¡¯t hate doing this for her. Somewhere inside him, he felt somewhat ticklish along with a strange sense of pride. Whatever that was, it didn¡¯t feel bad. Therefore, Eric decided to try a little harder from now on. ¡°You¡¯re here!¡± But at that moment, someone exclaimed with a jovial voice. A middle-aged man with a warm expression approached their table. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you for a while, Your Excellency. I am Alfredo, the captain of this airship.¡± He reached a hand towards Eric as he said this, and in turn Eric shook the captain¡¯s hand lightly. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you. This is my wife. I¡¯m sure you know.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Alfredo¡¯s eyes widened as he looked towards Chloe. ¡°So the Madam is the one who went up to the deck earlier. I didn¡¯t know it was you.¡± The way he said it felt callous. Chloe bowed her head in shame. ¡°I¡¯ve encountered some other people doing that, too. Even if it¡¯s unsafe, they just wouldn¡¯t listen. Madam, what you did earlier was clearly dangerous and you could¡¯ve gotten into such big trouble. If you fall, you¡¯ll die! Die, I say!¡± Alfredo said this as if to scold Chloe. Chloe was more than timid already, but she had to say what was on her mind. So, she replied carefully. ¡°But I tied the rope to my waist. I was safe.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still a problem, Madam. Do you know what happens to someone who¡¯d fall?¡± ¡°What will happen?¡± ¡°They¡¯d get sucked right into the engine¡ªwe wouldn¡¯t even be able to find your body. You¡¯ll be all split up!¡± ¡°Captain. That¡¯s enough.¡± Right then, Eric stopped Alfredo, who had a grim look on his face. At this, Alfredo coughed out once, perhaps realizing that the words he uttered had been too insensitive. ¡°In any case, that¡¯s what I¡¯m trying to say. So please don¡¯t go up there again, Madam. You understand, yes?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you to stop?¡± Eric rebuked the captain again in a rather irritated voice. The captain was practically scolding Chloe, who was someone who probably had never been scolded in her life. Chloe might be feeling offended, too, so Eric stopped him, but¡­ ¡°I see. I apologize.¡± But Chloe was fine with it. Contrary to Eric¡¯s thoughts, she even apologized. Eric looked at Chloe, his eyes tinged with astonishment. Of course, Chloe was also taken aback. It was her first time she was being scolded by someone who wasn¡¯t a family member. But because it was for a sensible reason, Chloe accepted it. ¡°It won¡¯t happen again. No matter how good the sight is, I¡¯ll just watch from inside. That¡¯s fine, right?¡± ¡°Oh, of course, of course, Madam. I¡¯m only saying this for your safety, so please don¡¯t be too angry.¡± ¡°What do you mean by angry? It¡¯s alright. You were only concerned for my safety.¡± Alfredo seemed to feel comforted by these words. With a hand over his chest, he bowed towards her. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be leaving now. I¡¯ll ask the chef to bring out a good bottle of wine.¡± ¡°I would appreciate that. Go ahead inside.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± After Alfredo left, Eric turned to Chloe, still baffled. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Eric added. ¡°I mean, are you alright after the captain spoke so presumptuously towards you?¡± ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m fine.¡± Chloe waved her hand as she replied. ¡°He only pointed out my mistake. There¡¯s no reason why I shouldn¡¯t be fine.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Eric couldn¡¯t say anything back. Chloe seemed to be lost in thought now, but she couldn¡¯t guess what he meant when he asked that, so she also remained silent. Clatter, clatter. The only that could be heard between them was their silverware hitting against their plates. Then, suddenly, Eric spoke. ¡°It¡¯s shocking.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Chloe asked back, not knowing what he¡¯s talking about. Eric continued speaking. ¡°I thought you¡¯d have been a little more uppity.¡± ¡°Uppity?¡± Chloe knitted her eyebrows together for a moment before she let out a peal of laughter at the unexpected word. How could he continue to say such cute words while maintaining the same cold expression? She couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you think of me, but I do believe I¡¯ve got a good personality. Darling, I wouldn¡¯t get angry or upset about something like this.¡± ¡°It seems so. That must also be why you chose to ignore the nonsense that the servants up north had been saying.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still holding onto that?¡± He was talking about the servants who said, ¡®Isn¡¯t it that your husband has a mistress?¡¯ and were fired as a result. As Chloe thought about that time, a wave of emotion passed through her face again, and it was the same look that Eric saw as ¡®uppity¡¯. ¡°You were at fault back then. I¡¯m the lady of the house and yet you fired them without my permission.¡± Eric clenched one hand into a fist beneath the table. As soon as those servants were mentioned, he could feel his anger rising. The back of his neck gradually grew stiff. However, he couldn¡¯t show this anger to Chloe. It¡¯s obvious that whatever good atmosphere they had between them would disappear the moment he did, no matter how hard he¡¯d try. He accepted those words meekly. ¡°That¡¯s one way to think of it.¡± As Eric pressed down the urge to let out his anger, he continued speaking in a calm manner. ¡°But it was a good thing that I fired them. You know that, too, don¡¯t you?¡± He looked straight into Chloe¡¯s eyes. ¡°They deliberately ostracized you.¡± Chloe¡¯s pupils trembled. She lowered her hands from the table and clasped them together on her lap. ¡°You knew?¡± ¡°I came to know about it. That¡¯s why I fired all the servants in the northern estate and hired new ones. Even the butler. He knew what was happening, and apart from that, he had been siphoning a considerable amount of assets. All the newly hired employees know this. So, the same thing is not going to happen when you return to the north.¡± Eric let out a long-drawn sigh. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me? If you had, I would have solved it all right away.¡± Chloe bit her bottom lip. She wiped the cold sweat from her hands over her lap as she raised her head to meet his gaze, as if she¡¯d made up her mind. ¡°I wanted to tell you.¡± She spoke sincerely, from the bottom of her heart. ¡°But you did not have time to talk to me.¡± ¡°That¡ª¡± ¡°You always said you were busy, and you brushed me aside¡­¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 35 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 35 Chloe looked as though she was about to cry. But that couldn¡¯t be the case. Eric denied the fact. Chloe wasn¡¯t someone who cried. There was no way she was going to burst into tears. Eric let out a deeper sigh, sweeping up the fallen fringe over his forehead. ¡°For that, I apologize. But I have to say that it couldn¡¯t be helped. I was busy, and I didn¡¯t have the time to take better care of you. However, like I said, I¡¯m trying. I¡¯m trying to be better to you now.¡± He spoke with an air of determination. ¡°Do you not like this?¡± Chloe shook her head in a hurry. ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that. It¡¯s just¡­¡± She slowly raised her clammy hands and placed them on the table. She looked down and seemed to be lost in thought. What should she say? Eric was curious about her next words, and so he waited. ¡°Thank you.¡± These simple words were absolutely not what he expected. Thank you? What did he do? Eric was so flustered that he couldn¡¯t answer. He didn¡¯t know how to react, so all he could do was show an awkward reaction. Meanwhile, Chloe smiled brightly at Eric. ¡°Really. Thank you, Darling.¡± She was grateful for everything. Eric worked hard for Chloe¡¯s sake, and now Eric said that he was going to do better. She was thankful for all this¡­ What if she wasn¡¯t about to die? Then, she could have felt even happier. Chloe continued to smile even as she suppressed the heaviness weighing down her chest. Before she knew it, it was already evening. The night¡¯s landscape on the airship was beautiful as well. The glittering starlight all across the night sky shone brilliantly as if warding off the sky¡¯s darkness. Watching the clear lights, Chloe was unable to take her eyes off the window. Eric watched Chloe as she smiled softly. This day was quite peaceful. They had a small fight earlier in the day, but it ended on a lighter note, and they finished eating dinner without any disturbances. Eric thought that it was all very enjoyable. He had a better time today because he also saw an unexpected side from Chloe, but regardless. The day passed by peacefully because Eric himself made himself relax and be at ease. Chloe wasn¡¯t the problem¡ªit was him. So, Eric decided to be a little gentler and kinder towards Chloe. ¡°It¡¯s already time to retire. It¡¯s deep into the night.¡± He gestured towards the clock, which showed how it was already nearing midnight, unbeknownst to them. Chloe inadvertently looked away from the window. ¡°I know. It¡¯s way past bedtime.¡± Chloe replied, feeling a little tired. ¡°If I had known that it was so enjoyable to ride an airship, I would have gone more. Can you bring me again with you next time?¡± Eric gazed into Chloe¡¯s sparkling eyes and broke out into a low chuckle. ¡°As long as I can see your face.¡± ¡°My face? Why?¡± Chloe looked at her reflection in a hand mirror. As usual, she looked haggard and sickly. What was Eric talking about now? Chloe couldn¡¯t quite understand. Eric didn¡¯t mean it that way. How could he say that she looked as innocent as a child right now, with the way her face glittered like a star? He¡¯d never, in his life, said anything so embarrassing before. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s retire now. It¡¯s very late.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Chloe sat quietly on the bed. Then, she looked around slowly. It was a spacious room. There was a sofa set, a desk, and some paintings on the wall, too. But there was only one bed. Did this mean that she was going to sleep with her husband? Her heart pounded. Chloe looked up slightly and glanced at Eric. ¡°How about you? Aren¡¯t you sleeping?¡± ¡°I still have some work to do.¡± Chloe looked over to see the machines on his desk. She furrowed her brows. ¡°Daniel told me that you hardly ever sleep.¡± ¡°He seems to have a hobby of talking nonsense. I told him to watch his mouth, but it¡¯s like he deliberately blocks me out.¡± ¡°Of course, since it concerns your health. And I¡¯m your wife, so it¡¯s only natural that he told me.¡± Eric didn¡¯t contradict her because she was right. Chloe beckoned to Eric. ¡°Come here and get some shut-eye. I¡¯ll be right beside you.¡± Eric faltered. Then, he looked down at his right leg. As he was wearing long pants, perhaps his prosthetic leg wouldn¡¯t be revealed. So, he nodded and approached the bed. ¡°Lie down.¡± At Chloe¡¯s words, Eric wordlessly lay in bed. Naturally, Chloe also lay down next to him. She swept back Eric¡¯s bangs. It was a cold touch, but it felt nice. With a low smile, Eric held her hand, like a purring cat. ¡°That doesn¡¯t feel bad.¡± Chloe was so surprised that he held her hand. She truly didn¡¯t expect him to accept her touch! Thump, thump. Her heart started beating fast again. Was tonight the night they¡¯d do that? Her heart was being so terribly noisy, even in her head. Slowly, carefully, she traced Eric¡¯s forehead. Eric slowly closed his eyes and took a deep breath. How long has it been. It was only half a cycle that the minute hand turned before Eric opened his eyes again. ¡°I can¡¯t sleep. I have work to do.¡± Chloe sighed briefly as if she didn¡¯t want to let Eric go as he escaped from her touch. But it couldn¡¯t be helped. He said he had something to do, so it was only right for her to back down here. She felt that it was a shame, but she tried to hide this feeling from her eyes. Then, she turned towards the desk. ¡°What are you making?¡± There were different kinds of machinery on the desk¡ªthings that Chloe didn¡¯t know the names of even when she looked at them closely. Eric answered lightly. ¡°A supplement for a prosthetic leg.¡± ¡°A prosthetic leg?¡± ¡°Would you like to see?¡± ¡°Yes, I want to.¡± Eric got out of bed and brought back the prosthetic leg from his desk. As a prosthetic, it really looked sophisticated. It had an iron plate outside, but it was filled with so many gears inside. Some were so small that they were barely visible. How did he make something like this? ¡°Wow¡­¡± Since it was the first time she was seeing a prosthetic limb up close, Chloe expressed her admiration. ¡°This is amazing.¡± Hearing Chloe¡¯s awe, Eric could feel his own shoulders going up. It¡¯s amazing, she said. He was the only one around the entire world who could make something like this, so it¡¯s not enough to just say, ¡®amazing¡¯. He knew this for sure, however. ¡°But if you wear something like this on your leg¡­¡± Chloe¡¯s subsequent thoughts pulled Eric back down from his hubris. ¡°It must feel uncomfortable. I think it might even hurt.¡± His right leg started to hurt. It would never hurt normally, but strangely, it felt like it was throbbing now. Eric took a deep breath. His hand trembled as it held the prosthetic. ¡°Does it disgust you?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Surprised, Chloe shook her head. ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I think. It¡¯s just¡­¡± With a forlorn smile on her lips, she explained. ¡°It¡¯s just, I feel sorry for them.¡± Chloe clasped her hands together. ¡°For someone to lose a limb¡­ It¡¯s sad because they must have suffered an unimaginable pain. That¡¯s why you¡¯re amazing, Darling. You gave hope to those people. The hope that they¡¯ll be able to walk on both legs again.¡± As she looked up at Eric, Chloe¡¯s eyes were glistening with tears. Even though he knew that she wasn¡¯t letting those tears trickle down, Eric still thought that she must be crying out of sympathy. Sympathy. Right. Like compassion one could feel for a mere dog. He bit his lower lip tightly. Eric¡¯s deep-seated inferiority complex started to burn anew. If she knew that one of his legs was a fake, then she would pity him. Instead of admiring him and telling him he was amazing just as she was now, she would just feel sorry for him. It made him feel pathetic, small, inferior¡­ Damn it. ¡°Darling, you¡¯re such a good person.¡± Eric shook his head and muttered. ¡°Go to sleep first. I¡¯ll go back to work.¡± Chloe didn¡¯t know why his mood suddenly shifted, and she had no choice but to nod in response. Chloe thought to herself. It¡¯s no wonder that her husband was angry. She thought that the reason why he was angry was because she said the wrong thing. Again, she made him angry. She buried her face in her pillow, blaming herself for such stupidity. It was a suffocating night. The starlight was no longer beautiful. The next day, they left the airship. Not one word of conversation was exchanged between them, until they got back home. The carriage was entirely silent. It was so uncomfortable. Chloe kept glancing towards Eric the whole time. However, he just read through the stack of telegrams he received the moment they left the airship. Not once did he look at her. So, Chloe thought again. That it was her fault. She was convinced that the good atmosphere soured and became awkward because of her. It was her fault. Such a sweet time like that was merely a dream. Eric would soon be back to his old self. If she had known that it would disappear just like a mirage, she would have savored the moment more¡­ Chloe smiled bitterly to herself and bowed her head. ¡ª¡ª t/n: hello there, this is yonnee~ i¡¯ve unfortunately decided to drop this novel because i¡¯ve lost interest in it. still tho, thank you all so much for supporting my translations thus far, it¡¯s truly been a great experience ???? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 36 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 36 ¡°Chloe.¡± Just then, Eric called her. Chloe quickly raised her head. ¡°A letter arrived yesterday.¡± ¡°Letter?¡± Chloe could not guess and asked back. Eric brought over the letter and spoke. ¡°It is a letter from your mother.¡± ¡°¡­My mother.¡± Chloe unconsciously bit down on her lip. It had been a whole year since there was a letter from her mother. The natural response would be of joy but not so for Chloe. Her mother had always contacted her only when something bad happened. What would it be again this time. She felt her heart jump up to her throat as she took in a deep breath. The letter was handed over to her. She slowly scanned through the contents of the letter. [I heard you are in the capital?] As always, there were no greetings of formality or whatsoever. Chloe read the next line. [That¡¯s great. As a matter of fact, there was something I wanted to ask of your husband. So I will visit you tomorrow. Be properly prepared.] Chloe¡¯s eyes grew wide open. The dispatchment date of the letter was just yesterday. Which means that ¡®tomorrow¡¯ would actually refer to today! ¡°M, mother says that she will be coming.¡± ¡°I read that as well.¡± ¡°She says that she will arrive today,¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright. Let¡¯s go get ready.¡± ¡°She may have already arrived.¡± ¡°Then we can¡¯t help but would have to seek her understanding. Say that we were away and only just saw the letter.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think mother would understand.¡± Chloe¡¯s mother is, to put it nicely, the very embodiment of an aristocratic lady, and to put it badly, a woman different on the inside and out. She always smiled gently but inside she held a knife between her lips, and she knew how to brandish it. And it was only Chloe who knew the real side of her mother. Therefore she started to feel a heavy pressure weighing down on her chest. She pressed her hand to her forehead and let out a long sigh. Her heart was palpitating quickly. She felt borderline dizzy. A cough was climbing up but with effort, she smoothed down her chest and stuffed it down. ¡°Does it worry you that much?¡± Eric asked. Naturally, as Eric has not the slightest idea of the person that is Chloe¡¯s mother, he would not know why she would react in such a way. Chloe did a double take as she realised she revealed too much of her emotions and swiftly shook her head. ¡°No. It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°You say you are fine all the time. When in fact you are not.¡± Eric said as he questioningly looked at Chloe. ¡°We have Andrea so she would have received her without problem. And there is Daniel who would provide a companion to converse with.¡± That part was not at all what Chloe was worried about. Her head was starting to ache over the very fact that her mother was coming to begin with, and knowing very well what she was expectant of. However, this could not be revealed to Eric. Chloe attempted to pull up the corners of her lips as she nodded. ¡°¡­Alright. I won¡¯t be worried.¡± Eric stared at Chloe with an uncertain expression on his face. This time Chloe avoided his gaze. She turned her eyes to a far off place outside the window and clasped her hands. The weight on her mind could not be relieved. It would probably last the whole day¡­ no it would be like this until her mother would go back, to be exact. Chloe bustled past Eric the moment they returned home. Eric was quite surprised as he had never seen her like this before, but understood it to be that she was going to welcome the duchess. He hastily assumed that she must be glad to meet her mother in a long time. Of course Chloe was not at all glad. She was merely afraid. What will she say again, what words will she use to torment me again¡­¡­. She was anxious. And when the gate opened, it was all as expected. ¡°I was hoping that since you are the maid of the marquess you would be alright, but no. You are entirely useless.¡± She was scolding Andrea. ¡°Look at you sitting there and calling yourself a maid when you do not even know how to set the proper temperature for tea. You, why don¡¯t you get educated from the beginning again?¡± Andrea was in fact a very decent maid. She was gentle and kind. Chloe was very satisfied with that by itself. But her mother found fault with the smallest thing and was losing her temper over it. The temperature for tea! Since when did she care about that? She was merely venting her anger as always. Chloe walked over taking quick and short paces and approached her. ¡°Mother.¡± The Duchess turned her head only as Chloe called her. ¡°Why, you¡¯re here.¡± The Duchess received Chloe as usual. ¡°Though I may have sent the letter at the last minute, is that the cause for such treatment?¡± ¡°We were out.¡± ¡°Even so, you must always pay attention to letters. You are not doing anything right as the lady of the house. Really, the same as the past, you are still dumb as ever.¡± Chloe bit hard on her lower lip. It is really you who still is as rude as always. She wanted to snap but restrained herself. Putting up with everything again. ¡°You are here, madam.¡± Just then, Eric entered the house. The duchess rejoiced and approached Eric. ¡°Lord Eric is as handsome as ever. So, is everything going alright?¡± ¡°Things are according to plan, thanks to your concern.¡± ¡°What concern, I did nothing.¡± The duchess faced Eric and laughed indulgently as if she had never acted so sharply. It was something she always saw but it felt more sickening to look at today. Though it may not be appropriate to have this sickening feeling towards her own mother, she could not help it. Because she could guess the reason her mother had come. ¡°Please take a seat. Andrea, prepare the tea.¡± ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡± Andrea hurriedly left, her face still red with embarrassment. Eric led the duchess to the table at the side of the central living room, and took a seat opposite her. Chloe sat next to him. Their hands slid down under the table and met. Their hands, clasped, trembled. ¡°So, what brings you here. It would not have been a forgiving ride due to the heavy snow.¡± Eric said politely. The Duchess gave an exaggerated laugh as she waved her fan. ¡°Well, Joseph did something again.¡± Joseph. It was her brother¡¯s name. Chloe felt her heart beating quickly the moment his name showed up. Her palms felt clammy. She took in a deep breath, trying her best to calm down. ¡°By something, what does that mean?¡± Eric asked lightly. The Duchess immediately jumped at that and quickly answered. ¡°He said he is going to start a business. Seems like he finally came around. It is incredible that he is working hard to look after himself! Ah, you would not know. How agonising I felt every day because of Joseph! I even prayed to sell my soul to the devil if only that child would come back to his senses! But will you expect it, he finally woke up and found himself something to do! Which is why I rushed over to you in a heartbeat. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± Eric stared at the duchess. There would be no way Eric did not know the meaning that her words entailed. He turned his gaze from the duchess and looked at Chloe. Chloe had her head lowered as she chewed on her lips. It was expected that she showed such a response as she disliked pouring money into her family. Eric was at a crossroads. To respect Chloe¡¯s position would mean that not giving the duchess the money would be the right thing. Yet at the same time this act would be no different from disregarding the duchess. And if he did not give the money it would be certain that the Rolphe family would crumble and go bankrupt. Therefore Eric had to choose. Would he respect Chloe¡¯s position, or would he follow her mother¡¯s and save the Family of Rolphe. The answer was clear. ¡°If you could tell Daniel how much you need I will let him know to proceed as is.¡± ¡°My goodness, Lord Eric!¡± The duchess grabbed Eric¡¯s arm as she reacted in an overly exaggerated manner. ¡°Joseph will definitely repay this debt. No, no. That can¡¯t be called a debt. Is that not right? Since you took my one and only daughter. Correct?¡± Instead of answering, Eric laughed in a low voice. He took the stance of not wanting to talk further but the duchess seemed not to have taken notice. Or perhaps she may have, but merely was acting as if she had not. Whatever it was, she opened her mouth again. ¡°By the way I heard a very strange rumour.¡± She continued. ¡°A rumour about Lord Eric and Chloe going to divorce. I thought it was rubbish gossip yet there seems to be quite a few who believe in it. Then, is that true?¡± Eric¡¯s eyes crumpled in an unsightly manner. He opened his lips. ¡°There¡¯s no way¡­¡­¡± ¡°Mother.¡± It was Chloe who cut off Eric¡¯s words. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 37 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 37 Chloe spoke as she leaned her body forward. ¡°This is between me and my husband. This is not for you to worry about, mother.¡± ¡°Chloe!¡± The duchess shouted with an outraged look on her face. ¡°Where did you learn this bad behaviour of interrupting the middle of a conversation? It seems you have forgotten all your manners while living elsewhere. That is very uncultured of you. How are you so rude?¡± Chloe hastily took in a breath. She felt her embarrassment surge as she herself realised that she did wrong. But that did not mean that she was going to sit still and listen obediently to whatever her mother was going to say. Because they were going to get divorced anyway. ¡°It is also not manners for you to intrude into this problem between me and my husband. There is no issue in our marriage life. Only it does not mean that we are not going to divorce.¡± ¡°So, are you saying that you are preparing to split?¡± The duchess lost her patience and sprang up. ¡°My Goodness! This is absurd! That cannot happen!¡± She shook her finger at Chloe, her face red. ¡°That there be a divorced woman from the House of Rolphe? And a divorce with the likes of a marquess, of all people? Chloe! Are you out of your mind!¡± The duchess sputtered out phrases like ¡®the likes of¡¯, and ¡®of all people¡¯ as she belittled Eric as if she had forgotten that she was right in front of him. But Eric was unscathed even after hearing such abusive language. There was no reason for him to be offended now after having been brushed off so frequently by the duchess so far. However, he was now starting to think that he had to step in. For the duchess¡¯ words were starting to become harsher. ¡°How can it be that there is not one thing that you can do right! You¡¯re absolutely determined to block your brother¡¯s way, aren¡¯t you! You foolish and ugly child! I shouldn¡¯t have given birth to something like you!¡± ¡°Madam.¡± Eric got up and held the duchess¡¯ shoulders. ¡°You are very worked up. Please calm down.¡± ¡°Lord Eric. Is this something to calm down about? My daughter is declaring to me that she is going to get divorced! How can she make such a decision without consulting her mother once! No, no. She did that because she knew that I would most definitely object if she were to consult me! Wicked girl! Going to run off by herself after splitting up, and without a single word to me!¡± The duchess grit her teeth and shouted as if she was going to fly at Chloe any moment. She seemed to have lost all reason. Eric let out a low sigh and diverted the duchess¡¯ attention. ¡°I will let you know, that I have not agreed to the divorce.¡± ¡°Dear?¡± Eric heard but ignored Chloe¡¯s surprised voice. He decided that first and foremost, he had to calm the duchess in front of him down. ¡°The divorce that Chloe mentioned is no more than a complaint. It is merely because I have been negligent towards Chloe these days. A divorce is ridiculous. The gossip that is floating around is not true as well.¡± ¡°Is, is that so?¡± As she listened to Eric, it appeared as if the duchess was suddenly embarrassed at the fact that she had exploded with anger and had thrown such a huge fit. She fanned herself to cool her red face. She attempted to bring down the heat but it did not go her way. A sense of shame surged forth. The duchess immediately found someone to blame for her own embarrassment. This was all Chloe¡¯s fault. Chloe¡¯s nonsense led to all this! The duchess glared at Chloe fiercely. Chloe rolled up her shoulder and pulled her chin in. Why did her husband say that they were not going to divorce? He had plainly agreed to it before, and yet why suddenly now? She questioned, and they were answered shortly afterwards. Upon having a moment to think, she decided that the reason her husband acted so was to calm her mother down. He was lying to soothe down her mother¡¯s anger first, hence she thought she too should go along with it. ¡°Chloe! You say it. Is Lord Eric correct?¡± The duchess pressed. Chloe heaved out a sigh as if having no other choice and nodded her head. ¡°Yes. There have been talks but nothing is for sure yet. It will be ensured there will not be anything for you to worry about.¡± ¡°Really?¡± The duchess¡¯ eyes narrowed. She looked at Chloe as if she was searching her. It seemed as if she was searching for whether Chloe was lying or not. So Chloe plastered on her usual smile on purpose and looked back at the duchess. The duchess became satisfied only upon seeming to have found nothing. She spoke towards Eric. ¡°It seems I have not shown a good appearance of myself. Please do understand. It is difficult to control my emotions as I grow older.¡± ¡°Of course. And divorce is of a serious matter, so it was inevitable that you get worked up.¡± ¡°Lord Eric reads me so well.¡± The duchess stroked Eric¡¯s arm once and looked at Chloe. ¡°Then I would like to talk to my daughter, could we be excused?¡± ¡°As you would like.¡± Eric spoke as he pointed towards the second floor. ¡°Andrea will show you the way to your room. It is not much but rest assured that you will be well taken care of during your stay.¡± ¡°I look forward to it.¡± The duchess smacked Chloe after answering him. It meant to follow her. Though Chloe did not want to get up, as it would also be awkward to refuse her here as well, she was obligated to heave herself up and took heavy steps. All the while she turned her head to glance at Eric. He was talking to Daniel as if it did not matter to him whether she followed the duchess or not, and she felt rather disappointed at that. Though his attitude actually was due to the fact that he knew absolutely nothing at all. What would happen if, perhaps, Eric knows about my relationship with my mother? Would it be any different from now? ¡®¡­Well.¡¯ Chloe mockingly laughed at herself. Even if anything were to change, it did not matter. Whatever it was, she was never going to reveal to him about her relationship with her mother. Till the day she dies. Smack! The sound of a thin cane lashing out on bare skin rang in the air. Chloe stifled in a groan as she bit down hard on her lip. The next pain soon found its way even before the initial one had subsided. Slap! Chloe shut her eyes tight. ¡°Did I not tell you clearly? That you are not to thoughtlessly talk back to your mother!¡± Slash! One more time. The duchess wielded the cane without pause. Chloe¡¯s white calves were coloured red. It had even started to drip blood. However, Chloe endured the pain without a single sound. The duchess¡¯ face glowered as if this maddened her even further. ¡°Spiteful girl.¡± The duchess flung the cane away and pressed her forehead. Only then did Chloe bring down the dress that she was holding up. It ached to a point that it was difficult to even move yet she stood upright instead of revealing it. The duchess glared at this whole process with contempt. She opened the bottle of Cognac that she had ordered from Andrea without hesitation. She then poured it in a glass and drank it in one go. She was just that. A person who could not live without alcohol. A person who would walk all over and flourish violence upon her daughter. And of course no one knew of this side of the duchess other than Chloe and Joseph. Because she always wore a mask outside. A mask that made her a noble duchess. Was that why? Was that why she all the more despised Chloe who never lost her refinement? Was that why she tormented her as she was ever so upright even after being beaten up? Chloe did not know the duchess¡¯ inner thoughts and the reason behind it. The duchess fiercely yelled at Chloe. ¡°Why are you watching me with those eyes!¡± Chloe reflexively dropped her gaze. ¡°You¡¯ve been like that since a long time ago. Always having that condescending look on your face and watching me as if I was nothing. Impudent girl!¡± Crash! The broken splinters of the glass narrowly grazed Chloe¡¯s face as it flew past her. Chloe assumed that the duchess was drunk again and quietly clasped her hands. It was natural, the same as it had always been. ¡°Divorce? Ha! You spoke of divorce? Do you think that makes sense? If you were in your right mind you would not do that. Of course! You are not in your right mind! You are utterly mad!¡± Usually Chloe would not have said anything to the duchess when she was drunk. Because when drunk, she spoke more roughly and acted more violently. However, Chloe now was not the same as before. Facing death, she was a little changed and was now a woman who had come to a determination, and therefore she had enough courage to push back against her mother who had control over her whole life. ¡°Mother.¡± Chloe said. ¡°You do not even ask why I decided on the divorce.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 38 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 38 Upon hearing Chloe, who had never once talked back her whole life, the duchess¡¯ piercing gaze became ever more sharper. ¡°Would something like you have a reason? It probably was just an attempt to capture the marquess¡¯ heart! You really are pathetic. You have been married for 5 years already and yet you still go around doing that!¡± ¡°No.¡± Chloe shook her head. She grabbed onto her skirt with clammy hands. ¡°You were the reason I decided on the divorce.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°To be more exact, you and brother were the reasons. Do you not take my husband¡¯s money almost every day? How much have you taken for yourselves? And how much more will you take? Do you have any idea how miserable that makes me?¡± Chloe asked without pausing. These questions were not only for her mother but for Eric as well. What is the reason you do not cast away my family who treat you like scum, why are you so kind with mother, why do you not just chase her away¡­¡­. Chloe asked such questions. Though Eric was not here, she wished to at least hear from her mother a proper answer. While in her head she knew that there was nothing more to expect from her family, her heart still hoped. However. ¡°Is it important whether it makes you miserable? Your husband is our source of money! You cannot let that go!¡± Her hopes were shattered to pieces yet again. The duchess was still the same as ever, as expected. As she always was. ¡°Do you want to obstruct your brother¡¯s future that much? When you very well know how Joseph will live without the marquess!¡± Joseph, again. Joseph. Joseph. Joseph. She had no idea why the duchess was shielding him to this extent. Chloe made a disgusted expression and spoke, emphasising each and every word. ¡°He is also an adult. He has to be able to look after himself. Start working.¡± ¡°Work? Did you just say work?¡± The duchess became even more outraged as soon as Chloe¡¯s words left her mouth. For it was extremely disgraceful for an aristocrat to work. It was an option that the duchess had never considered even once. An aristocrat should never work their whole life. They should do nothing other than collect taxes from their land and become cultured. But work? Make him work? My very own son? The duchess lost her temper. ¡°Joseph is the Duke of Rolphe! He should be treated properly and with respect wherever he is. He should not be doing something trivial and unimportant like work!¡± ¡°Then what about my husband?¡± Chloe gripped onto her skirt harder as she spoke. ¡°Is my husband one who can work?¡± ¡°Well of course! Is your husband not some commoner or something? Though he may have received the title of Marquess, there is no change to his origins! He has to work with that dirty blood of his! Is that not how it should be?¡± ¡°We really do not speak the same language.¡± Chloe pressed her forehead. It felt as if their dialogue continued on like parallel lines that would never meet. While she thought that she had to bring the conversation to a close, at the same time felt the desire to push back against her mother. She felt a sort of liberation while talking back to her mother, and it was probably this which stirred her up. Whatever it was Chloe chose to provoke the duchess¡¯ anger instead of ending the conversation. ¡°My husband is a marquess. He is not a commoner.¡± ¡°He earned that title from your marriage.¡± ¡°He already had a title even before our marriage.¡± ¡°That was what the king personally bestowed upon him. But does that change his blood? He will forever be a commoner! One who can never be on par with us!¡± ¡°Then you are a person who begs from a mere commoner for money.¡± ¡°Wh, what?¡± ¡°Is that not true? You came running over to borrow money today as well. From my husband who is a mere commoner!¡± ¡°You, you, you blasted girl!¡± Slap! Chloe¡¯s face turned. Her mind went blank for a moment as she could not believe the fact that she had been slapped, but she felt her cheek sting and eventually came back to reality. Her mother had slapped her. Though she may have caned her, she had never raised her hand on her. Chloe wrapped her cheek and stared at the duchess. The duchess had a small look of surprise as well. For she had slapped Chloe before she even knew it. However, she quickly justified her own actions with that rationalising attitude of hers. There is no difference between a cane and her hand if she had to educate her arrogant daughter. If she were to place the focus on educating her child, there seemed to be no problem with slapping her now. But whatever it was, the duchess quickly came to her senses as raising her hand was an uncultured act. ¡°It seems you have forgotten many things while living outside, Chloe. Do wake up.¡± The duchess continued. ¡°The reason your father arranged the marriage was solely because of money. You do know that, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°He said that he was investing in the future.¡± It is of course also true that her father had sold her off. But she did not want to acknowledge that here. She wanted to refute her mother even if she had to use superficial words. So while Chloe grit her teeth and spoke, it instead seemed to appear as a sign of weakness to the duchess. The duchess put on a nasty sneer on her face as she looked at Chloe. ¡°It is just an illusion. Our future in the hands of a commoner? I really do hope that that future does not come. I do not want that. If that future comes I¡¯ll just bite on my own tongue and die on the spot.¡± ¡°Mother!¡± ¡°So, Chloe. Just do what you ought to do. Alright?¡± What she ought to do. Chloe took in a deep breath. She slowly brought down her hand which wrapped her cheek and met the duchess¡¯ eyes. ¡°What is it that I ought to do?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± The duchess folded her eyes. She covered Chloe¡¯s right hand with both of hers and spoke. ¡°Take the money.¡± She grabbed onto Chloe¡¯s hands hard, as if not letting her break free. ¡°There is no other reason that you married your husband aside from that, is there?¡± She broke into a laughter. Chloe took in a deep breath. No. No, mother. I married him because of love. ¡®That money¡­¡­¡¯ I never wanted to take it. Chloe tried her best to hold in her tears and lowered her head. Her cheek hurt. Her calves hurt. But it was her heart that hurt the most. The next day, Chloe dragged her aching body and woke up from the bed. She pulled up her dress and examined her calves. The blood had not even dried to form a crust as she had not treated it properly. There were still drops of blood. Chloe agonised for a moment. Should she just leave it, or should she ask Andrea to bring some medication. If she were to choose the latter it would be no different from exposing her weakness to Andrea. But¡­¡­. ¡®Ouch.¡¯ It hurt. It hurt so bad. It hurt not from her physical pain. It hurt as her heart ached. Chloe self-mockingly thought that it was because her heart was sick therefore her body hurt too. Whatever it was, she could not leave both in pain. As she decided to treat the wound on her calves, she also decided to cool down her swollen cheek from her mother¡¯s slap yesterday. She pulled on the bell rope. Not long after, Andrea showed up. ¡°Is there anything you need, mistress?¡± ¡°Bring me some salve that is good for wounds. As well as some tools to help with applying an ice pack.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± Andrea raised her head in shock. She immediately saw Chloe¡¯s swollen cheek. Her eyes trembled. For, that amount of swelling undoubtedly meant that she must have gotten hit by someone! ¡°Mistress, are you alright?¡± Andrea worriedly asked. Chloe turned her cheek the opposite side and shook her head. ¡°I am fine. So bring me the things I told you to bring.¡± ¡°Ah! Okay.¡± ¡°And this is a secret from my husband.¡± Chloe made a ssh sound and said. ¡°That means to never tell my husband. I would have to fire you if my husband knows about this.¡± As it was generally Andrea¡¯s job to inform the master about the condition of the lady of the house, she hesitated for a while. However, as Chloe was that adamant it was difficult to speak so flippantly. Therefore she had no other choice but to nod. ¡°Alright. I will keep that in mind.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Andrea hurriedly left the room after saying that she would bring the medication and ice. Chloe sat down and watched out the window. The carriage that she guessed her mother had taken here was still there. Which would mean that she had not yet left. How much longer was she planning to stay here? As mother had noticed that Chloe was not like before, she may have decided to stay for an extended time. Though Chloe did not wish for it, she was resigned as she knew that there was no suitable excuse to send her mother back. She turned her gaze and this time picked up the newspaper on the table. The first page was an article about the labourers on a strike. Chloe read the article more carefully. As expected, there was mention of Eric¡¯s name. The labourers at Eric¡¯s factory were also part of the protest. Eric was probably suffering a headache over this issue. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 39 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 39 Chloe wondered if she should console him, though she gave up soon after, feeling that there was nothing she could do. It would be a competent assistant like Daniel whom he needed by his side and not herself. Which, at the same time, made her even angrier toward her mother, as it was obvious that she was desperate to get her hands on her husband¡¯s money without any consideration of his difficult situation. Should she go stop him now¡­? Chloe covered her face and thought. No, no. Mother had already talked to her husband yesterday. As the Duchess was a cultured woman, she would not rush her husband within a day. At least, she would give it a few days before she would speak of it again. This meant that her mother would be staying here for a few more days¡­ Chloe made a grimace. She could not leave her room. It was due to her very swollen cheek, leave alone the fact that she did not want to see her mother. This was something that should never be caught by her husband as she did not want to expose any sort of weakness to Eric. It was not just because of aristocratic self-pride. She wanted to be a perfect woman for Eric always. Although it was true that she could not become that perfect woman because of her family problems, she wanted to be flawless, excluding that. That was how Chloe herself sought to prove the legitimacy of their marriage. It was fair for her to have this attitude as he was always one who looked for relationships that were rational. She, therefore, wished that Eric would never discover that her relationship with mother was bad, and that she was, furthermore, being caned and slapped by her mother. Staring into the mirror, while she saw the swollen cheek, it seemed that it would take one or two days to cool down as there was no other wound such as nail scratch marks. Till then, she could not leave the room¡­ She would not leave. Chloe resolved to herself once again. She decided that when Andrea returned, she would send a word to Eric that she would skip breakfast. Then, Chloe flipped to the next page of the newspaper in the meantime. She scanned past the unimportant contents. Chloe briefly browsed the newspaper as she speed read. Suddenly, her gaze stopped at a particular corner. It was because her name was mentioned. [ Chloe Aslan, Suicide Uproar?! ] Her hands, which were holding onto the newspaper, trembled. Chloe quickly read through the article. To put it together, the contents were as such¡ª The Aslan couple was on an airship, where she seized the chance when the marquess was not there and threatened to commit suicide, and this was caught by a reporter who was on the same airship at the right moment. The reporter had examined Chloe with hawk eyes, but luckily she did not die, and given that she proceeded to have dinner without any problem, it seemed that her threat of suicide was merely a happening. It could be assumed from this that Chloe Aslan was experiencing extreme emotional change, and the article concluded with making a guess that it was symptoms of depression. Chloe breathed out dejectedly. She had no idea there was a reporter on the airship. And no, she had never gotten onto the deck thinking to commit suicide in the first place. She had merely climbed onto it because she liked it and she was more than ecstatic then¡­! Thinking that, she bit down hard on her lower lip. It was always like this. Yes, this was one of the reasons why she had left the capital¡­ Because she felt as if she was being scrutinised wherever she was¡ªher every action was observed by everyone and behavior was distorted and recorded down in print. As a result, even those who have not met her before took in a skewed understanding of her actions. Chloe recalled that this was exactly why she had gotten sick of everything and left the capital. It was five years after that when she returned, and yet they do this again! ¡®¡­Ah, what to do now?¡¯ Chloe buried her face in her hands, and her shoulders trembled. She liked the capital, for over here people did not ostracise or hate on her like in the North. However, instead¡­ there were too many people who smiled on the outside but wielded a pen and had their eye on her here. Then, where do I have to go? Where should I go, where I could lie down and be at peace. ¡®That sort of place¡­¡¯ ¡­It appeared to not exist at all. She could only arrive at such a world at death, it seemed. She had rather she die earlier. Death came too late. ¡°Strange.¡± Eric recalled that Chloe had not left her room for the past few days, and muttered. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t see Chloe at all these days.¡± ¡°I did ask Andrea, as a matter of fact, and she said there was no problem. She merely said that she seemed to be very tired.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Even so, her mother was here, and yet she had not shown her face for three whole days. Was there not a problem with that¡­? Furthermore, the Duchess did not look for Chloe as well. She seemed not to have any interest in her daughter¡¯s whereabouts and only hung out with the other noblewomen in the capital. If that was the case, it was a big problem. For it was very clear that the reason of their dispute was money, which meant that it was obvious that she did not wish for and was reacting strongly against her mother taking Eric¡¯s money. In reality, Eric was all right with it. The amount he was giving to the Duke of Rolphe out of his pocket was to him the same level as a drop in the ocean. Nevertheless, Chloe was of the judgement that he was poor, and that he was wringing money out from nothing. He had to admit that he disliked this notion awfully, although there was no sign of this misunderstanding being cleared up because she was one who was proud and obstinate and did not, could not have the idea itself that her judgment may be in fact wrong. Whatever it was, Eric decided that he had to step in and mediate the situation if that was the reason Chloe and the Duchess had gotten into an argument. This was naturally the role of a husband. In addition, he had to carry out his resolution to play the part of a husband properly. ¡°Is the Duchess still here?¡± ¡°She is enjoying her tea time, at her leisure.¡± Daniel spoke, with a sarcastic tone in his voice, but Eric ignored it. ¡°Then, show her to the parlor¡­ No, no. I will go.¡± Eric was actually not at all excited about having to face the Duchess. It was not because the Duchess talked about money whenever they met. It was because she had that underlying disdainful attitude towards him. Whether it was her actual intention or not-it probably was-she always looked down on him. She would spit out phrases like ¡®the likes of,¡¯ ¡®of all people¡¯ so easily. ¡®The likes of a marquess, of all people.¡¯ She had said this before as well. Eric was of course not at all bothered as he had heard this from many people other than the Duchess, yet the fact that she was Chloe¡¯s mother made it extremely disagreeable with him. It felt as if Chloe was belittling him herself whenever he heard the Duchess looking down on him. It was a sort of inferiority complex, refractive anger that he had been having for a long time. That was why he redirected his anger towards Chloe, as she was an easier target, and he could never blow up against the Duchess. Regardless, Eric did not consider to that extent regarding the manner of how he expressed his emotions. He merely dimly assumed that he was angry because Chloe was always in his way. ¡°Oh, dear. What brings you here, Marquess?¡± The Duchess, who was leisurely drinking tea, greeted Eric. Eric laughed softly for an answer. At the same time, he glanced at the table and saw a teacup that he had not seen before. A teacup from the Royal Amberwood brand. The price of a single teacup was worth a month of salary of an average commoner. Seeing that, he laughed even more in a low voice. She had bought a teacup the first thing when she arrived here. It properly revealed the vanity and impudence of the duchess. ¡°Nothing much, though I wanted to talk to you, Madam, after a long time.¡± ¡°Really?¡± The Duchess lifted up her eyebrows at those words. ¡°Then, you should have sent a maid to let me know before you came here. It goes against etiquette for you to barge in here like this. Still, since I am a very understanding person, as you know, I can forgive your rudeness with a smile. Well, take a seat. Have some tea. Today¡¯s tea is rosemary. It is very good to relax the mind and body.¡± Eric wavered a moment as he heard the underlying hint of disdain again, but he eventually put on a smile like normal and sat down as the duchess had said. He, as always, let go of the Duchess¡¯ truly rude attitude like so. ¡°I will send Daniel and contact you next time onwards. To give an excuse, I had thought that you would let it slide as we are in the same house and because we have been family for a long time. I judged that you would have that much of a tolerance, madam.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± The Duchess answered. ¡°I am a very generous person. Yes, no doubt. I am not saying that I was offended by your actions. I am just giving advice, for I am worried you might act the same way to people other than myself.¡± ¡°I will take in your valuable advice.¡± Eric leaned his body forward after answering. Now that the cursory greetings were gotten over with, it was time for him to reveal the real reason he had come to find the Duchess. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 40 Chapter 40 ¡°By the way, I have not been seeing much of Chloe, would you know the reason?¡± ¡°Well.¡± The Duchess sank into thought after a short answer. She seemed to have some idea. Eric encouraged her on. ¡°Chloe is sick now and then. No, I should say that she is sick every day. I thought she was not coming out because she was sick, but I heard that was not the case. So I was wondering why. As her husband, I naturally ought to console her, but I cannot figure it out.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand. Because Chloe is a child who always hides her feelings from others.¡± The Duchess began by asking if he was truly worried for Chloe. Eric started to have some faith at the thought that he might be able to find out the reason Chloe was not leaving her room, and if his assumption ¡ª that Chloe and the Duchess had an argument ¡ª was correct, he could then also mediate the situation. Oh, could there be a better husband? He was really trying his very best for her! ¡°You seem to be sparing your words, though please do be comfortable with me, Madam. For I would do anything if it concerns my wife.¡± ¡°Yes. That is true as well.¡± The Duchess nodded her head at his words. She maintained her silence for a moment, and eventually slowly opened her mouth. ¡°It may sound like I am crying stinking fish to say this, but I will tell you since I think it is necessary. Because it is something you should definitely keep in mind. Chloe is a very cunning child.¡± Without pausing for breath, the Duchess continued spitting out sharp words, ¡°Do not believe in everything Chloe says. She has been habitually telling lies, and even lies to herself most of the time. There is not a single truth in whatever she says. Everything is falsehood!¡± Eric was taken aback. There was no other appropriate reaction he could take. For he could not believe that a person calling herself mother ¡ª one who should be in a position to love their daughter more than anything in the world ¡ª was criticising her own daughter to this extent! He calmly assumed that Chloe and the Duchess¡¯ relationship was probably much worse than he had expected. The Duchess opened her mouth again. She started to drone on as if a flood had burst out. ¡°She was always full of lies. Never once had she revealed her true feelings. And, she only says stuff like ¡®I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m all right,¡¯ to literally anything. When in reality, she was never so! No one knows what thoughts she may have been really having on the inside. She is very wicked. Cunning, too. Oh! To think that I had given birth to that sort of child¡­! I cannot believe it. Truly, I cannot!¡± The Duchess expressed her sorrow as if confessing one¡¯s sins and buried her face in both hands. Even though Eric was confused beyond measure, he sincerely consoled the Duchess while trying not to reveal it. At the same time, he started thinking. It was of the presumption that Chloe might not have been pampered with love and over-sheltered as he had thought and in fact, may not have been treated well within the family. From her aloofness and lofty self-pride, it could not at all be seen that she was not brought up with love within the family, which meant that she truly was something if this was her natural disposition. Still, nothing could be said for sure at the present moment. With that thought, he made himself keep his silence, for he did not know which side it was ¡ª if Chloe was born that way or if it was because she had received attention from a loving father. ¡°Which was why I opposed the marriage with you in the first place! Because I knew you were going to overcome such hardship! And, what¡¯s the result? My prediction is right on¡­! You have gotten hurt and troubled because of Chloe¡¯s immature talks of divorce, have you not?¡± The Duchess spoke resolutely as though she had utter confidence in whatever she was saying. In reality, even Eric knew her reason for opposing the marriage was due to their difference in status, but he did not wish to incur her displeasure by disagreeing. She was Chloe¡¯s mother in any case, and he was Chloe¡¯s family. He eventually answered her with a yes, and the Duchess immediately started to get worked up and yelled out. ¡°Wicked girl! Her not leaving the room also originates from her wicked mentality of ignoring me! As if I would be affected? No! I will never bend down!¡± The Duchess spoke, having forgotten ¡ª no, acting as if she had forgotten ¡ª the fact that she had slapped Chloe. As for Eric, he had no idea of the occurrence and could only trust her words, which were that there was an argument between Chloe and the Duchess, and that Chloe was not coming out of her room out of defiance towards her mother. If this was true then Chloe was in the wrong. Eric decided that he had to get Chloe out of the room. He felt that it was right to reconcile both persons to each other as gently as possible. ¡°I will try to speak to Chloe.¡± ¡°Yes! But you won¡¯t get much out of it! Chloe was always like that as a child!¡± Eventually, Eric left the room after saying again that he would try his best to talk to her. Seeing the Duchess was still huffing in anger, he decided that she was much more short-tempered than he initially thought. Therefore, he did not believe in everything that she had said. Chloe was a liar? Ridiculous! Inwardly, there was some sort of defiance against the Duchess as well. However, because he was human, something called distrust sprouted up in his heart from whatever he had heard, and it was not something that could be easily rooted out. * * * Eric knocked on Chloe¡¯s door. ¡°Can I enter?¡± Not long after, he received the answer that he could. Eric slowly opened the door. Chloe was standing near the window with her back to the door, and it appeared that she was looking out the window while sipping tea. As he sat down opposite the seat that he assumed she had taken, she did not turn her head even then. So, he began speaking while staring at her back. ¡°I met the Duchess just now.¡± Chloe¡¯s shoulders jerked a little. From her response, it seemed that they did indeed have a quarrel. Nevertheless, how could she leave her mother alone for days because of something as trifle as a quarrel! At that moment he thought that Chloe was not quite a tolerant nor a very understanding person. If it was Eric, ¡ª who did not even know either of his mother or father ¡ª that is, if his parents were to be there, he would never have acted like such. He himself did not realise that his inferiority complex regarding his birth was being expressed as anger towards Chloe. ¡­Which was why he could speak to Chloe like so¡ª ¡°She is your mother, who had given birth to you.¡± Eric put more force into his words as he spoke. ¡°I think that she should not be walked all over.¡± ¡°¡­Walked all over?¡± Only then did Chloe turn her head halfway. Her slightly swollen face came into view, and Eric presumed that it was due to fatigue. He nodded his head. ¡°I heard things about you that were not so great. It seems as if the Duchess was that angry because she is not one to usually say things like that to me¡­¡± ¡°Mother said bad things about me?¡± She became utterly speechless. To speak ill in front of her was not enough, she had to go and spit out slander to her husband as well! Chloe bit her lips and thought that her mother really was not in her right mind. She could guess to a certain extent what her mother might have said. Since whatever her mother would say to herself never changed and was of similar context. ¡°She must have said that I was a liar, and that I am a hypocrite. That is how my mother views me all the time.¡± Eric confirmed her words by staying silent. Chloe pressed her hands to her forehead and wrapped her still throbbing cheek. He opened his mouth again. ¡°Have you not done so at least once?¡± Chloe furrowed her brows. ¡°What does that mean¡­?¡± ¡°I mean, if you have never lied to the Duchess at least once. I don¡¯t see how the Duchess can get so furious to this extent otherwise.¡± ¡°Are you saying that you believe in what my mother said to you?¡± She shouted as she cut him off. ¡°If that is the case, then I am very disappointed in you! How could you denounce me by merely trusting whatever she said? I have never once lied to you, and never practiced hypocrisy as well! This remark is disregarding all the truths that I have shown you all along!¡± Eric was taken aback as he did not expect Chloe to lose her temper this much. At the same time, he, too, became angry. It was because of the aforementioned absence of his parents, with the conviction that he would never have acted as such towards his own parents if he were in that position¡ªthe jealousy towards Chloe for having parents and still rebelling against them. Consequently, he could not understand Chloe at all. ¡°I do not know what sort of argument you had with the Duchess. But for her to say that to me, and seeing your reaction, I think that you do have some responsibility in this. Is it not because you treated the Duchess in this manner that she acted roughly towards you as well?¡± ¡°How, how can you say that? When you know nothing!¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Oh, what had I expected from my husband¡­? Chloe buried her face in both hands, a sigh breaking out from her lips. When Eric had come to find her, she thought that it was because he was concerned for her because he was worried that she had not come out of her room for days. This was the reason why she had let him into her room even though the swelling of her cheek had not yet subsided. She had anticipated that he would, somehow, offer her kind words. But, what was the result? Eric was actually protecting her mother! All while believing in whatever nonsense of hers¡­! ¡°Don¡¯t you have to be on my side?¡± She barely could squeeze out her voice. While her hoarse voice clearly revealed how shocked she was, Eric did not notice. For he was always inattentive and unreactive to changes in others. ¡°I am not taking sides with the Duchess. I simply think that it is right for the child to compromise with their parents in a parent-child relationship.¡± Chloe opened her mouth, then closed it shut. He had already come to the judgement that she had committed a wrongdoing towards her mother and that she had to ask for forgiveness. Assuming from his tendency to not withdraw a decision once made, it seemed that she could not change it. So, she was exhausted. She was completely worn out and stumbled as she gripped onto the windowsill. ¡°Please, go back for now.¡± ¡°Chloe.¡± ¡°It seems that it will be good for mother to return home earlier. As I will not take a step out of the room before she leaves.¡± Eric was about to say that she ought not to, though he noticed her adamant determination and eventually closed his mouth. Meanwhile, he looked at her face ¡ª her slightly swollen face contained deep sorrow and worry. Looking as if he was the one who had made a mistake! ¡­Did I make a mistake? Eric questioned himself. From Chloe¡¯s attitude, he had thought that there could be a deep-rooted problem between mother and daughter. However, there was nothing he knew about at present. For, as always in these situations, she was a woman who kept her mouth shut. Yes. Eric once again found her at fault. He thought that this problem had blown up because she did not admit her mistake, and she never spoke up. ¡°I think I know why the Duchess dislikes you.¡± He purposefully answered back sharply. ¡°Because you are a woman who, even when treated warmly, does not accept it.¡± He saw Chloe catch her breath for a moment. At that moment, Eric momentarily felt sorry at the cracks in her otherwise smooth expression. He felt that something was going utterly wrong. Was it what he said¡­? Pondering back on his words and actions towards Chloe again, he had said the right thing. For, as he had said, she was a woman who did not accept kindness at face value! He denied her again and again, and a strange uncomfortable sensation lay deep at the bottom of his heart from that, but he ignored it with effort. ¡­Because he was not a delicate person to be able to search his own feelings, as mentioned. * * * The day had come for the Duchess to return back. Chloe never came out till the very end, and Eric called for Andrea to tell her to come down. She should see her mother off. It was not long after when she sent word that she would be down. His pride swelled up a little, as he himself thought that he was a considerate and caring husband, from the fact that he had helped reconcile mother and daughter who were not on good terms. Eric was sure that he was trying his best in his own marriage. Because most of the time, normal husbands cared nothing about the relationship between his wife and her mother ¡ª unable to form any notion of it at all, to be more accurate! It was this thought process that made the argument with Chloe a few days ago something he had not expected. He thought that he had been looking out for her a considerable amount, and yet she did not take it that way at all. Therefore, after a few days of thinking, Eric made the conclusion that Chloe was much more narrow-minded and stubborn than he had thought. On the other hand, days where he felt somewhere doubtful about himself or felt uncomfortable, passed. The thought that he was making the wrong judgement was continuously creeping its way up his mind, which was why he felt awkward facing Chloe. Nevertheless, he had resolved to become a good husband, hence had no other choice but to greet Chloe, who was coming down the stairs, albeit with some effort. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in a long time, my wife.¡± She stared at her instead of answering. Her face was thinner compared to before. Eric assumed that her sunken complexion was due to her staying in her room without any sunlight. ¡°You¡­¡± Chloe slowly opened her lips. ¡°Never seem to respect my views.¡± Eric¡¯s eyes crumpled. What was this, out of a sudden¡­? ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I have already told you very clearly, that I shall not take a step out of my room until mother leaves. Yet, you did not listen to my wish by sending Andrea so many times and making me feel uncomfortable¡­!¡± ¡°We do not know when you will be seeing the Duchess again if you part now. We should send her off.¡± Eric said calmly. He decided that there was nothing that was wrong regarding his thoughts. It was because of his belief that, however deep the misunderstanding between both mother and daughter was, this relationship could not be broken easily. ¡°I do not have any intention of meeting my mother again.¡± Still, that was not so for Chloe. For her, her relationship with her mother was like glass that could shatter at any time, and she decided that there was already a crack that could not be mended. Moreover, she was to die soon. There was no occasion for her to meet her mother again before that¡­ There had to be none. But, Eric, her husband, kept bringing up the subject of love towards family. This made Chloe insane as she had never properly been loved by her own family! How could she love them when she had never received any from them¡­? ¡­One had to receive something to give back in return. Chloe wanted Eric to just not do anything. However¡ª ¡°You are very selfish.¡± Eric furrowed his brows and spoke. ¡°I have no family.¡± At his words, her eyes wavered. Eric continued, ¡°That is why I dearly respect love within the family. Yes, I am also envious. Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like if I had a family myself. Though, I gave up as that itself made me miserable.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You complain while having what I wish for the most.¡± He stared at Chloe, squarely in both eyes and spoke. ¡°Do you know how much your actions hurt me?¡± Her eyes widened. She staggered, unable to keep her balance. She gasped for breath as she grabbed onto the handrail. ¡°I did not think that far.¡± Chloe spoke after a while, once she had caught her breath. With all her heart, she sincerely felt apologetic towards Eric. She never knew that he had such beliefs regarding family. This was something she was not considerate about. Eric knows not even his parents¡¯ faces. He does not even know who had given birth to him. And, to think that she had declared not to see her mother again after a dispute, right in front of him! Would he have felt very hurt by that¡­? Chloe could not bear the embarrassment. Because of that, she felt a sense of guilt towards him and was no longer able to stay angry at him because of that. ¡°I am sorry. I will be more careful from now on.¡± She answered meekly. Though she acted this way to calm Eric¡¯s anger down, she felt that he was put in a worse mood instead. The fact that he had managed to give up on her wishes should have made him feel superior, yet he felt strangely displeased. ¡­This was not what we wanted, this was not why he had said that. He only wanted to help reconcile the relationship between Chloe and her mother. In the process, he wanted to be a good husband who also paid attention to trivial details of his wife¡¯s family matters. However, Chloe looked like she was hurt, and this fact pricked Eric¡¯s heart painfully. Chloe, who had no idea of what he was thinking, apologised to him again. As he no longer wanted to talk of this subject, he concluded the conversation by answering that he accepted it. An uncomfortable silence settled between both of them. Not long after, the Duchess came walking down from the second floor. She had a look of surprise when she saw Chloe. ¡°I did not know you would show up.¡± And, she really did not. It was because she did not think that stubborn Chloe would have bent her own will and show up. From the looks of it, it appeared that it was the Marquess who had brought her out. It could also be assumed that she had said something to say about it. Therefore, the Duchess¡¯ feelings became slightly softened from how it had been most disagreeable throughout her stay here. She proudly spread her shoulders wide and pointed at Chloe with her chin. ¡°You must have reflected upon yourself. Is that not why you have come to see me off like this?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 42 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 42 ¡°I¡­¡± Chloe bit her lower lip. Reflected upon herself, she said¡­ How could she do such a thing when she didn¡¯t do anything wrong in the first place! Nevertheless, she was forced to nod because she didn¡¯t want to show that she wasn¡¯t on good terms with her mother in front of Eric. ¡°Yes, I think I have to see mother off.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you have reflected upon yourself. I thought you were still an ungrateful child.¡± Chloe pulled her chin down and lowered her gaze. It was a gesture that meant that she didn¡¯t want to talk to the Duchess any more. Still, she wouldn¡¯t leave Chloe like that. ¡°The next time I see you, I want you to be more mature, not being a silly and stubborn child like now.¡± Even though she didn¡¯t reply to that, Eric¡¯s gaze forced her to answer again. Because of that, she once again apologized for her wrongdoing. As the Duchess left the mansion contentedly, Chloe suffered a fever from that day on. The reason for her sickness was simple. It was because she was constantly on the lookout for the entire week her mother stayed at the mansion. Her mother¡¯s existence was like a tunnel full of thorns to her. Although countless thorns made her so sick, she was forced to walk through the tunnel, enduring the pain over and over again. Chloe suffered many injuries while going through this tunnel. No one saved her¡­ Not to mention her husband. ¡­Her husband was not on her side. This caused Chloe helpless frustration and a wound that didn¡¯t heal easily. She spent her days in pain, suffering fever from her wound. It was like that for several days. Eric was so frustrated. Clink! The next moment, he threw the nipper he was holding and swept his hair. ¡°Is Chloe still sick?¡± ¡°The Madam¡­?¡± Daniel continued his answer, ¡°The madam is still sick. According to the doctor, he said she wouldn¡¯t be able to get up easily.¡± ¡°What on earth is the problem?¡± Hearing that, he asked back angrily. ¡°What¡¯s the problem that makes her sick like that? Everyone has been nice while she¡¯s here, so what¡¯s bothering her?¡± He didn¡¯t ask, hoping to get an answer. Throwing off his glasses and pressing down his brows, his eyes were sore, and he had a throbbing headache. ¡°And, it was also strange that Chloe prevented me from seeing her. Why stop me from visiting her?¡± ¡°She was afraid that you might get sick. You shouldn¡¯t be sick.¡± ¡°Is it right to leave my sick wife alone?¡± ¡°You¡¯re sending a doctor. That¡¯s enough.¡± As he glared at Daniel after hearing his answer, he soon moved his gaze away and shook his head several times. ¡°I¡¯ve got to go.¡± He muttered and got up. He couldn¡¯t help but worry about Chloe. She had always been a frail woman, and she was faltering as if she were about to die. Still, Eric had never thought of her dying. For him, she was a person who would always live, a person who would always exist in the world. ¡­She was dying? That was not going to happen, and he wouldn¡¯t let it. ¡°Oh, and¡­¡± As he was about to leave the lab, Eric turned his head and spoke to Daniel. ¡°Have you found the doctor in charge of Chloe in the North yet?¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to find him, but it¡¯s not easy. She was secretly meeting him.¡± ¡°It was a secret meeting¡­¡± Even though he was only a doctor, it was said that Chloe secretly met him and he never showed his face to anyone¡­ Why did she do that? Although he wanted to ask Chloe, he knew she wouldn¡¯t tell him anyway. After all, she wasn¡¯t the type who told him everything, and she was a hypocrite as the Duchess said. ¡°Find out more. Find out what Chloe is hiding.¡± In his mind, there was already a seed of distrust planted by the Duchess, and the buds that had already burst were not easily uprooted ¡ª that was why he thought Chloe was deceiving him about something. ¡°I¡¯m going to go see Chloe for now. Make sure you finish that by then.¡± Saying so, he pointed to the prosthetic arm he had been making the whole time. Daniel shook his head in surprise. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°Your Excellency seems to think I am you. I¡¯m stupid, and I wouldn¡¯t even be able to make half of it even if I fiddled with it all day, let alone complete it.¡± ¡°Still, you have to study it carefully and learn. I can¡¯t draw blueprints forever.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try, though I really don¡¯t know. However, are you sure you¡¯re going to visit your wife? The Madam doesn¡¯t want to show you she is sick so wouldn¡¯t it be better not to go?¡± Daniel¡¯s words were right. Nonetheless, he had already made up his mind to see Chloe and had no intention of withdrawing so Eric ignored his words and left the lab. He ran into Andrea as soon as he left the lab and entered the main building. Noticing that she was holding a tray, Eric approached her just as she was about to go to Chloe. ¡°Are you going to Chloe?¡± ¡°Ah, My Lord!¡± Andrea hurriedly bowed her head and greeted him. Eric glanced at the vials on the tray as she greeted him. ¡°An analgesic and antipyretic. And, that is¡­ an ointment?¡± Eric furrowed. That ointment was used for a wounded area¡­ Did it mean she got hurt? Where? He remembered when he saw Chloe a few days ago. Although her face was slightly swollen, there were no visible injuries other than that. Then, why did she need an ointment? ¡°Why are you taking the ointment?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­¡± She muffled her words. How could she tell it that it was an ointment for Chloe¡¯s calf, which was beaten by the Duchess¡­? This was something Chloe asked never to tell. Because of that, she might be furious and fire her if she told Eric the truth. Still, the actual employer was also Eric. Andrea was at a loss as to what to do. ¡°I¡¯m taking it just in case¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re taking ointment for no reason? Do you think that makes sense¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth. It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t nothing as a reason in my house. You¡¯ll be kicked out if you don¡¯t tell me what it is.¡± Andrea was in agony again. Any maid had to obey her mistress, but it was the master who hired her. In the end, she was forced to tell the truth. ¡°Actually, the Madam was hurt¡­¡± ¡°¡­She got hurt? Where?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± Taking a deep breath, she replied. ¡°She hurt her calf.¡± ¡°You said she hurt her calves? Why?¡± ¡°It seemed that the Duchess was caning her.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°And, it seemed she was also slapped in the cheek¡­ that was why she didn¡¯t come out of the room the whole time.¡± Eric was shocked as if he had been hit in the head with a hammer¡­ The Duchess hit Chloe? He couldn¡¯t believe those words at all. He grabbed Andrea by the shoulders. ¡°Is that absolutely true? Are you not lying to me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve no reason to lie to you, My Lord, especially if it¡¯s something related to the Madam. To be honest, it¡­ it seems more surprising that you didn¡¯t notice. Did you notice anything strange about the Madam¡¯s gait? How about her swollen face? You would¡¯ve known right away that she wasn¡¯t in good health if you¡¯d observed a little¡­¡± Eric opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something but closed it again. He couldn¡¯t say anything. He couldn¡¯t¡­ He blamed her for being beaten by her mother. He protected the Duchess who beat her. He trusted the Duchess and even doubted Chloe! Damn it¡­! Nothing could be so humiliating! No, it might not be¡­ Could this also be a lie? After all, it was said that Chloe was a liar, so this could have been a lie to make him feel guilty¡­ Yes, he had to check it with his own eyes! Despite Andrea¡¯s dissuasion, Eric jumped up the stairs and entered Chloe¡¯s room. The next moment, Chloe, who was asleep, woke up in surprise at his presence. At the same time, the damped towel on her forehead fell helplessly. ¡°What brings you here?¡± She asked quietly. Her figure looked so thin, like someone who was perishing¡­ As Eric ran to her, he then lifted the blanket as if kicking it. ¡°Honey¡­!¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Chloe¡¯s cry was heard though he rolled up her skirt without minding it. What he saw were bright red and blue bloodstained bruises on her calves. In addition, the wounds were rather extensive. Eric squeezed his eyes shut. __ Thank you so much for always supporting the novels I work on, even if you don¡¯t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot. ?? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 43 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 43 ¡°What are you doing? Why did you lift my skirt thoughtlessly¡ª!¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Eric¡¯s voice trembled. He took a deep breath and gazed at her. Not only that she feel terribly ashamed of the fact that everything was found out, but how her husband found this out was not equitable either. Chloe lowered her eyes before parting her lips. ¡°¡­Because it¡¯s my weakness.¡± ¡°Your weakness?¡± He gritted his teeth at her words. ¡­Weakness, weakness. What was so good about that! ¡°You should have told me!¡± He raised his voice. ¡°I¡¯ve been nice to the Duchess all the time. I never even dreamed she would hit you like this! Had I known, I would have kicked her out right away! How dare she, how dare she put her hand on my wife, I¡­I was kind to her! How far are you going to turn me into an idiot¡­.!¡± ¡°But, you wouldn¡¯t have believed it anyway!¡± Chloe¡¯s scream filled the room. At that, Eric¡¯s eyes widened because she had never yelled at him like this before. It was only at that moment that he noticed that she was furious. ¡°Even now, you have heard it from Andrea, haven¡¯t you? Nevertheless, you pulled up my skirt with the thought that you should check my wound yourself because you suspect me as a liar!¡± He couldn¡¯t even refute that in the slightest because everything she said was true. Shuddered in shame, he let out a deep sigh as his hand swept down his withered face. ¡°¡­I know. I know that you don¡¯t have a family, that¡¯s why you try to be nicer to my mother. In that regard, it only seemed I was not on good terms with my mother in your eyes and that you know everything.¡± Chloe tried to hold back her tears and uttered with strength, one word after another. ¡°Though honey¡­ There¡¯s definitely a lot you don¡¯t know about me.¡± He felt completely helpless at her remark. As he bent his head back with his eyes shut tightly, blood rushed to his head and his mind raced. Eric lowered his head again and exhaled a shaky breath. ¡°Did you always¡­¡± He asked Chloe. ¡°¡­Did you always get hit like this?¡± She did not answer. However, he knew that her silence meant affirmation. Eric clenched his fist tightly. ¡°Why¡­ didn¡¯t you tell me.¡± Although he wanted to say something more, he gave up. It was right¡­ As Chloe said, he wouldn¡¯t have believed her even if she had told him the truth. Oh, how could he be so foolish? He didn¡¯t trust his wife but only believed what her vicious and wicked mother said with his wife hurt like this at that! Even an apology wasn¡¯t enough. Still, he didn¡¯t seem to thought to apologize in the first place. ¡°Chloe.¡± Eric grabbed her bruised hand. ¡°Please, let me know if something like this happens next time. I¡¯ll believe anything you say.¡± Even though it was ridiculous to do that now, he had to say it. That way, he would get a chance to make up for it so he would feel less guilty. Chloe stared blankly at Eric. Because of the fever, she was unable to think properly. Furthermore, everything felt like it wasn¡¯t real ¡ª the fact that he lifted her skirt to check the wounds and got furious about it while she had all her secrets uncovered. So, she brought up what she really wanted to say to him. ¡°It hurts.¡± Saying that, she wasn¡¯t even looking at him. Chloe said that as she stared still at something beyond him, something he didn¡¯t know. ¡°It was so painful¡­ It hurt so much, but no one noticed. I always had to endure it, and the result of patience was always a pain. I thought someone would know though no one noticed¡­ That¡¯s right, just like you are now.¡± She turned her gaze to Eric. Although tears welled up, her eyes were still cold as they stared at Eric. ¡°I thought you would be on my side.¡± ¡°Chloe.¡± ¡°I thought you would understand and didn¡¯t doubt me¡­ I thought you would accept me¡­ You would have noticed my change if you had cared a little bit about me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. I-I was unable to be thoughtful. I just¡­¡± ¡°Honey.¡± Eric could feel his heart sink in an instant the moment she called him. No, don¡¯t¡­ ¡­Please, don¡¯t say more. ¡°Please.¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks While he wanted to deny it, Eric couldn¡¯t stop Chloe. ¡°¡­Please, divorce me.¡± Tears streamed down her cheeks. ¡°I don¡¯t want to live like this anymore¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t give any answer. There was nothing he could do¡­ He couldn¡¯t even wipe her tears. Chloe didn¡¯t say anything since then. In addition, she had prevented Eric from entering her room and almost refused Andrea to attend her. The only person who could enter was the doctor, but even the doctor didn¡¯t tell him about her condition. Eric wandered, restless the whole time. He thought something, while most of it was about cursing his arrogant prejudices, it was as if he was possessed by something¡­ Had he been possessed by the Duchess? Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have suspected Chloe like that! No, it wasn¡¯t like that. It was all his fault. The Duchess¡¯ word only amplified his distrust towards Chloe that had been planted within him. It was his fault for not trusting her in the first place. Why didn¡¯t he trust her¡­? It was only now that he accepted her sincere heart that she had shown him as he spent his time with repentance and reflection. He had to admit the fact he secretly hoped that Chloe¡¯s confidence would break and she would obey him. ¡­That was right. He had a desire to vanquish her. He regretted his words that hurt her, all to satisfy his desire for recognition and alleviate his inferiority complex because of her incomparable nobleness. That must be why he pushed her without realizing it. Oh, how terrible was that! Despite the fact that he was now reflecting on himself, it was already too late. He had hurt Chloe so much that it was irremediable. However, that didn¡¯t mean he would let her go. He wanted to change her heart. Of course, this feeling was not in the least comparable to the true love she was talking about. Because of his greed, Eric couldn¡¯t lose what he had and was unable to accept failure. He already said this, but he didn¡¯t know love. He didn¡¯t want to know and thought he would never know it. Whatever it was, he wanted to overshadow Chloe¡¯s resolve. He wanted her to repudiate her decision to divorce and kept her by his side like this. So, he knocked on her door again. ¡°Chloe.¡± Eric uttered as he grabbed the doorknob. ¡°Please, open the door. I have something to say.¡± There was no answer, it had been like this for a few days. Sighing deeply, he put his forehead to the door. ¡°I¡­¡± Words came out of his mouth slowly. ¡°¡­wanted to be a good husband.¡± He meant it. He tried to improve his relationship with Chloe in his way. ¡°So, I wanted to resolve the relationship between the mother and daughter who didn¡¯t get along well. I thought you would be happy if I did that. This was because I didn¡¯t know how much you were hurt. It was my arrogance. So, Chloe¡­¡± He grabbed the doorknob again. ¡°Please, open the door. I want to talk to you.¡± After a while, the doorknob snapped. Chloe finally opened the door! Eric smiled broadly as the door opened, and he was about to see her. But soon, the smile vanished from his face. It was because Chloe¡¯s complexion wasn¡¯t too good. Her lips were white and blotched. In addition, her eyes were hollow, and her face looked lifeless. It was as if a dead body were standing in front of him. His eyes widened with bewilderment, and he grabbed Chloe by the shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to bed first.¡± Embracing Chloe, he quickly approached her bed with her in his arms as he laid her down carefully. Meanwhile, although she was surprised that he hugged her, she was too weak to reveal that. Chloe held the blanket that Eric pulled. Thirsty, she searched for a glass of water, took a sip, and then glanced at him. ¡°What¡­do you want to talk? I thought we had already said everything.¡± As she spoke in an overly cold tone, Eric was startled because it was the side she had never shown to him before. He was the one who let her down. Thinking that, he thought he had to appease her first. ¡°I haven¡¯t finished it yet. There are many things I want to apologize to you.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t take it.¡± ¡°Chloe.¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°When I talk to you¡­ I feel so tired. I don¡¯t want to care about anything right now. The doctor also told me that I must take a rest.¡± Eric was silent. Feeling a bitter taste lingered in his throat, he also felt thirsty. __ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 44 Chapter 44 It was true that he did something wrong to her. It was also true that it was an unforgivable mistake. Nevertheless, didn¡¯t he apologize several times? Still, she seemed unwilling to accept it. This treatment was not fair. ¡­If he bent his pride and apologized to this extent, shouldn¡¯t she pretend to accept it at the very least? Eric couldn¡¯t get over his impatience and had another selfish thought. ¡°You must take a rest. That¡¯s great.¡± Eric couldn¡¯t contain his emotions of the moment and was sarcastic. ¡°Do you want me to follow the advice on a disease you didn¡¯t even tell me its name?¡± ¡°Honey.¡± ¡°I mean, you can at least tell me a little bit about where the pain is and how to make you feel better, right? Thuogh why do you keep hiding it? It was as if you never intended to ever let me know!¡± ¡°Because you don¡¯t like it when I¡¯m sick.¡± Chloe replied calmly to him, who was agitated. Eric¡¯s eyes trembled. ¡°I don¡¯t like it. I never did¡­ I¡¯m just worried.¡± ¡°You¡¯re always busy, and you don¡¯t want to worry about me being sick. Aren¡¯t you annoyed because I¡¯m sick while you¡¯re still busy? It must be too troublesome for you to pay attention to me.¡± ¡°How could you say that¡­¡± Eric tilted his head back with a pale complexion before he thought about it. ¡­Was he like that? Was it true that he didn¡¯t like Chloe being sick? He couldn¡¯t completely deny that remark because deep in his heart, he was annoyed by her illness. He didn¡¯t like seeing Chloe sick. While the reason for his dislike wasn¡¯t clear, he didn¡¯t like it anyway and was annoyed. He didn¡¯t want her to get sick. So, he couldn¡¯t deny Chloe¡¯s words. Instead, he turned his head and swept his face down with his hand. ¡°You seem very sensitive. Any further conversation will be useless.¡± Eric got up. It was a fruitless conversation though he thought it was fortunate they didn¡¯t fight, and he tried to yield. However, it was Chloe¡¯s thin voice that caught him. ¡°I want to ask you something.¡± Chloe said while clutching the blanket tightly. ¡°¡­Why did you tell my mother that our divorce will not happen?¡± At first, she thought Eric was simply saying that to cover up the situation. Yet, he seemed serious when he said he wouldn¡¯t divorce her after she thought about it again even though he was already agreed on it! ¡°Are you not going to divorce me? Did you lie to me¡­?¡± Eric hesitated to answer but soon nodded in affirmation. ¡°That¡¯s right. I do not intend to divorce you.¡± ¡°¡­Why?¡± Chloe asked and clenched the blanket even more tightly. ¡°For what reason¡­ why are you doing this when you don¡¯t even love me? Why you don¡¯t let me go? Why¡­? Why won¡¯t you divorce me?¡± ¡°Do I have to be honest?¡± ¡°You should be honest, as much as you accused me of being a liar. Because I didn¡¯t lie to you.¡± While he hesitated for a moment, Chloe thought as she looked at Eric, who hesitated like that, how nice it would be if he confessed his love at this moment. If so, all her angry feelings towards him until now would melt like snow, and a new love for him would bloom like a spring haze¡­ Chloe was filled with the hope she had been longing for. Even though she had hoped, her hopes never came true as always. ¡°I can¡¯t lose what I have.¡± The words that returned were instead his possessive desire that was completely different from her expectation and something she had never imagined. ¡°I never intend to let go of what¡¯s in my hand. That¡¯s all.¡± Chloe¡¯s jaw trembled. Although she didn¡¯t want to¡­ she truly didn¡¯t mean to do this, she stared at Eric with a contempt-filled gaze. ¡°¡­Is that why you don¡¯t want to divorce me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°So, there¡¯s no love for me among them.¡± Eric had gotten to the point where he was exhausted with Chloe, who kept talking about love. He gazed at Chloe as if he was saying, ¡®there you go again,¡¯ and she noticed it at once. That was right. He was tired of her. Looking down at her scrawny hand, she was so skinny that she couldn¡¯t find any flesh. Chloe bit her lower lip tightly. ¡°Even if I¡¯m dying in your grasp¡­ Will you still not let me go?¡± Eric paused for a moment and took a deep breath. He was so bewildered by her bad complexion and the corresponding words, and he went closer and held her arm. Her arm was so thin that he could hold it with one hand. ¡°Why did you¡­ say that?¡± He asked while loosening the hand that was holding her arm. ¡°Chloe, tell me. Where and how it hurts.¡± She suddenly remembered her doctor¡¯s words in the North. ¡°The Madam¡¯s heart is slowly failing.¡± ¡°Two years.¡± ¡°I¡¯m very sorry about this, Madam, but I have to let you know that you only have two years left.¡± Excluding the time she spent here, she could survive for a year and a half more. Chloe wanted to spend the rest of her time in happiness and joy. She didn¡¯t want to spend each day full of pain and sorrow like now. Making a firm resolution once again, she was determined to divorce Eric. ¡°It¡¯s because of you¡­¡± So, she opened her mouth in a shaper and colder voice. ¡°You¡¯re hurting me.¡± Eric¡¯s eyes shook and lost their focus. He gazed at her with empty eyes. Seeing that, Chloe could feel her chest throb and hurt. Nonetheless, she couldn¡¯t weaken her resolute. It was because if she stepped back from here, everything would be repeated from the beginning again. She clenched her teeth and continued. ¡°So, we have to divorce.¡± ¡°Chloe.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to divorce me, I¡¯ll leave the house.¡± ¡°Are you going to go through this snow?¡± ¡°I think there must be a place where I can take care of myself.¡± ¡°It sounds naive.¡± As Eric replied firmly, she was also adamant about her choice. He soon thought of something as he looked at Chloe¡¯s blue eyes, the only thing that still shined on her emaciated face. ¡®¡­Ah, it¡¯s irreversible.¡¯ He was angry when she made this decision. Why? Why was Chloe doing this¡­? ¡°I tried.¡± Eric spoke and gave strength to each word. ¡°I tried my best to be a kind husband to you, I tried to be a considerate husband who tried to resolve the misunderstanding between you and the Duchess, and I tried to be a good husband who reflects on his mistakes¡­¡± He sighed deeply and wiped his face with his palm. ¡°Still, you¡¯re not satisfied with anything.¡± That was right. She wasn¡¯t satisfied with any of his efforts. Chloe had many wishes, and he was unable to satisfy them. Perhaps, they were not the right person for each other, or maybe, their lives were different in the first place. After all, they were living different lives that they didn¡¯t understand or know each other at all¡­ Eric closed his eyes tightly and let out another deep sigh. ¡°¡­Okay. All right.¡± She spoke with sincerity this time. ¡°If you say so.¡± Slowly lifting his eyelids, he stared into her eyes again. The emotions in Chloe¡¯s eyes were hard to guess, although the only thing certain was the fact that she wanted to divorce him. He was tired now. Eric didn¡¯t want to argue with her anymore. ¡°I will divorce you.¡± Thus, he said something that ended their relationship. Afterward, Chloe suffered from fever again, but Eric didn¡¯t visit her. 03. Sospirando Only after Chloe recovered her body and could walk around the room did she recollect her conversation with Eric. A week had passed. She slowly closed her eyes as she recalled her vague memories. Eric said he would divorce her¡­ This time, it didn¡¯t seem like he was lying. He was truly sincere when he said that. She could be so sure of this because he had never visited her again, even though he would have already known that she had recovered from the doctor. Chloe thought she could end her relationship with him this time. It was lamentable, but it was also the right thing to do. In the first place, the relationship between her and Eric was already irrevocably distant. She also had a similar idea with Eric ¡ª she thought they were totally incompatible and different, and that they didn¡¯t coincide at all. Therefore, it would be formidable to get back into a normal relationship with him no matter how hard she tried. Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Her love for him was unchanging. However, she was exhausted, and now that her body was getting worse, she didn¡¯t want to have anything else to worry about. Meanwhile, she received a letter from Princess Elizabeth. The letter invited her to the tea time she talked about earlier. Chloe didn¡¯t want to go, but refusing the princess¡¯s invitation meant she was going to rebel against the Royal Family. Of course, as she has been close with the royal family, she could have refused if there was a justifiable reason though there was no good excuse, so she had to attend. ¡°Then shouldn¡¯t we make the dress?¡± As Andrea suggested, Chloe shook her head. ¡°There are dresses from when I went to Madame Lizen¡¯s shop the other day and had them made. You can choose the right one among them. There is no need to spend money on useless things.¡± ¡°What do you mean useless?¡± Andrea asked in surprise. ¡°A lot of Madams will be there. Of course, the thing that should shine the most among them is the princess, but the next thing that should shine has to be Madam. Because Madam is the Marchioness. What is useless for Madam? There is no one in the kingdom as great as Madam, right? So you have to be prepared accordingly. As your one and only handmaid, I think so.¡± Chloe felt her head throb and hurt. There was nothing wrong with Andrea¡¯s words. The tea time she was invited to would not be a place. It would be a place where carefully selected wives gather and brag. So, considering her husband¡¯s status, Chloe had to go out with appropriate care. However¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t want to be indebted to my husband anymore.¡± With the divorce already decided, she didn¡¯t want to spend a single penny of Eric¡¯s money. She then shook her head. ¡°I have a lot of dresses I have never worn before. So, how about that beige dress over there? It seems appropriate.¡± ¡°Still, it¡¯s too modest!¡± ¡°There is a saying that modesty is a virtue. Well, I¡¯ll do that. I don¡¯t want to talk anymore about this. I¡¯m already paying attention to a lot of things, and I think my headaches will get worse if I put this thing in my head.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do!¡± Andrea was startled at the thought that Chloe might get sick again, so she shut her mouth. Although her face still looked like she had a lot to say, she swallowed it well like a handmaid who served the mistress well. Chloe was delighted with this silence. She took a sip of the bitter tea, feeling the stillness. She quietly glanced at the door. This was a habit that came after waking up, and it came from the desire that Eric would come to visit, but she had not yet been able to figure out what her feelings were. She only thought that the closed door looked pretty heavy. Meanwhile, Eric, who was holding the nipper and tightening the screw, narrowed his brow and lifted his head. ¡°Chloe is going out?¡± ¡°Yes, Andrea delivered that.¡± At those words, he put down the nipper nervously and wiped his sweaty face with a towel. His face behind the rolled-up towel was wrinkled. Daniel took a step back, realizing that Eric was in a bad mood. ¡°Where is she going?¡± ¡°I heard that she was invited to Princess Elizabeth¡¯s tea time. I think she can¡¯t afford to decline the invitation, so she accepted it.¡± Daniel guessed. It seems that Eric also thought the same, so he didn¡¯t refute his words. ¡°She didn¡¯t come out of the room for about a fortnight, and now she¡¯s going to the Royal Palace? Ha, unbelievable.¡± As he muttered in annoyance, Daniel easily found the reason for his annoyance. ¡°Are you worried about the Third Prince?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°No, you are getting annoyed by the expectation that the Third Prince and Madam will meet.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Eric was furious. ¡°Chloe and I are getting a divorce anyway. Isn¡¯t there any reason to be concerned about that?¡± He spoke in a firm tone as if speaking to himself. Daniel¡¯s eyes narrowed. He took a step closer to Eric and asked. ¡°Are you really going to divorce Madam?¡± ¡°So what?¡± Eric replied instantly. ¡°No matter how hard I try, Chloe doesn¡¯t recognize me. Even if I do a hundred good things, when I don¡¯t do it once, everything is my fault¡­ I¡¯m tired. I don¡¯t want to match Chloe¡¯s rhythm anymore!¡± As he said so, he felt that the efforts he had done were his best, so consequently, he was greatly hurt by Chloe. She didn¡¯t seem to appreciate his efforts at all ¡ª no, she seemed to call him the bad guy who didn¡¯t even try in the first place¡­ Eric could feel a tingling pain in the corner of his chest. It¡¯s a pain he has often felt after announcing his divorce from Chloe. At times like this, he had to concentrate and he grabbed his thrown nipper again. Nevertheless, Daniel didn¡¯t seem to want to end the conversation. ¡°But didn¡¯t you still love Madam?¡± ¡°Love?!¡± Eric finally couldn¡¯t stand it and shouted. ¡°I don¡¯t know what love is. I can¡¯t even imagine what that feeling is¡­ I¡¯m not doing this because I don¡¯t know what it is! If I really loved Chloe, I¡¯d be sad she left! But now I¡¯m not sad! I¡¯m just mad! The very fact that she dared to leave me!¡± His face swelled up. He gritted his teeth as he replayed the conversation with Chloe. ¡°How can she leave me? How, how can she say such a thing?¡± Saying that, Eric looked really sad. Tears should have come out, but he was not sad. He was shedding his own sorrow. At that moment, he suddenly remembered the tears Chloe had shed as she begged him to divorce her. In fact, it wasn¡¯t something that suddenly came to mind though her crying face was an afterimage that had been etched in his mind the whole time. A woman who never cried, a woman who was arrogant enough to cry profusely and demand a divorce from him¡­ Eric could assert that there had never been a more terrible time than that. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. I really can¡¯t believe it.¡± Squeezing his eyes shut, he muttered. Nonetheless, he had to believe¡­ Chloe had abandoned him, and he knew that he must separate from her. Chloe stared intently at the door Andrea had opened. It¡¯s been a whole month since she went out. While the doctor said that regular walks were helpful, the bad weather prevented her from even imagining going for a walk. But luckily, the snow had stopped today, and the weather was perfect for Elizabeth¡¯s tea time. She stepped slowly outside the door. Andrea mentioned that she had hired three more maids. For some reason, the mansion was clean in its own way. The dust that had been rolling had disappeared, and the musty smell had also disappeared. Chloe noticed that these were Eric¡¯s considerations, so she could feel her heart pound even more. The first thing she saw as soon as she left the room was Eric. He was supposed to be in the laboratory in the annex, but for some reason, he was in the main building. Startled, she still tried not to make it obvious and approached him. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were in the main building.¡± Eric slowly turned his eyes to look at her. His gaze was very cold, as frozen as before, or perhaps even more frozen than before. Chloe clasped her hands. ¡°I have something to do, so I came out for a while. Then you came out after a long time.¡± The tone was also surprisingly cold. She felt her heart pound again and tried to answer casually. ¡°I was invited by the princess. I want to go to the Royal Palace.¡± Eric nodded his head lightly before glancing out the window. He didn¡¯t look delighted, as his brows were narrowed. ¡°It¡¯s a good day.¡± ¡°What?¡± Chloe followed his gaze and turned her head out the window. What was not good? The sun was shining brightly after a long time. As she was puzzled, she soon realized that Eric didn¡¯t like her going to the palace. Why¡­ The question didn¡¯t last long. It was probably because of William. Eric had always doubted her relationship with him. Still, wasn¡¯t the divorce already finalized? Even if there was something between William and her¡ªwhich was none¡ªit shouldn¡¯t matter to him anyway. Chloe decided that Eric¡¯s desire was to control her, the greed he talked about before, ¡®did not want to miss,¡¯ solidified her choice for the future. She didn¡¯t like this. Because she was a human being, she was never meant to be controlled by anyone. She had already gone through control countless times through her parents, so she was sick of it. __ Chapter 46 Chapter 46 ¡°It looks fine now. I think the weather is just right for going out.¡± So, Chloe expresses opposition to Eric¡¯s words. His eyes widened even more. ¡°It¡¯s snowy weather.¡± ¡°The sun is shining now.¡± ¡°You never know when a blizzard will come.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t agree with that, but I don¡¯t think it would be a problem if it were. The Royal Palace will give a carriage, and if you can¡¯t ride a carriage, you can stay at the palace for a day and come back.¡± ¡°Are you saying you¡¯re going to stay overnight outside and come back?¡± Eric asked, puzzled. He was really angry. For him, there was nothing more disrespectful to a husband than having the wife stay overnight outside! Nonetheless, Chloe, who actually said those words, seemed calm. Seeing that, he was even more embarrassed, and at the same time, he could feel a sense of helplessness that their relationship was now completely over. ¡°Do as you please.¡± He said, turning completely away from her. ¡°Stay in the palace or outside, it has nothing to do with me.¡± Chloe felt relieved that she was out of Eric¡¯s control, but also saddened by the fact that he was about to give up on her completely and that their relationship would never be tied again. It was a double-edged feeling, thinking that they should break up, but on the other hand, still wanting him to hold on to her. A carriage sent from the Royal Family stands in front of the gate. Chloe got into the carriage, guided by the attendant. It didn¡¯t take long from the mansion to the royal family, only about thirty minutes. Chloe vowed to calm her feelings during this time as she reflected on her and Eric¡¯s conversations. Though the moment she got into the carriage, her resolve was shattered. It was because William was in the carriage¡­! ¡°Brother? What are you doing?¡± As Chloe asked in surprise, William grinned and scratched the back of his head. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just get on, Chloe? If you keep getting hit by the cold wind, I think you will catch a cold.¡± ¡°Oh, I will.¡± She sat across from him. Shortly after the door closed, the carriage began to depart. William¡¯s lips were also opened by this time. ¡°I was standing in front of the main gate when I heard that you were coming today. I thought that I would be the first person to greet you, but Elizabeth saw me. If that¡¯s the case, she said I should go pick you up. I thought it was a good idea, so I grabbed the carriage and came right away. Are you surprised by any chance?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± Chloe shook her head. It was true that William¡¯s sudden visit had hindered her thoughts, but it was acceptable as it was an act of his kindness. She looked at him with a pleasant smile on her lips. ¡°How are you?¡± ¡°That, I¡¯ve been well. How are you? As far as I know, the Duchess visited recently.¡± ¡­Another story about mother. Chloe hardened her eyes. It was not William who won¡¯t notice the subtle change. ¡°Did you fight with mother again?¡± Again, he had been with her since childhood, so he knew the family history thoroughly. Seeing her gloomy reaction, he guessed the Duchess must have left with something terrible. William gazed at Chloe with a worried look. ¡°What happened this time? Can you tell me?¡± Chloe hesitated. What should she say? Was it because Mother asked for money, or was it because she ignored her intention and objected to the divorce blindly? She was tired, and she didn¡¯t want to say more. To be precise, she didn¡¯t want to think about the matter any further. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to talk right now. It¡¯s not a good story, so I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a conversation we should have after a long time.¡± ¡°Ah! Yes, it is. You can think like that. I asked you something I shouldn¡¯t have.¡± William nodded quickly and rested his chin. Chloe felt grateful for his consideration, but at the same time felt burdened by the fact that this care was due to his deep-rooted affection for her, that was, love. Because she didn¡¯t love William, she couldn¡¯t love him and she didn¡¯t want to love him. Some would say there was no man as good as William, so why didn¡¯t she accept him? She wondered if William, who showed that he loved her more than a guy like Eric who talked bitter words all the time, was a truly good husband? Chloe could answer that¡­ The love that William showed was not true love. William had often shown his feelings for her from a very long time ago. When Chloe and he had attained some adult appearance, each time, she thought that William didn¡¯t really love her. He didn¡¯t have the mindset to give his all for Chloe. He just wanted to have her¡ªlike a person filling out a collection. For example, he was now worried about Chloe and happy at the same time. As the Duchess¡¯ persecution grew, he knew that she wanted to find someone and leaned on him. He wanted her to be isolated, and he wanted her to lean on him as a result. ..It was possessiveness. Not love. Chloe smiled bitterly, observing the strange sense of superiority and anticipation that spread across William¡¯s face. ¡°How is it going with the Marquis?¡± William asked. ¡°What part are you talking about?¡± ¡°Divorce, yes. About the divorce.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing much about it. It¡¯s the same.¡± Of course, there was a big fight a few days ago. However, she didn¡¯t want to talk about such a private thing, so Chloe turned her back. Noticing that, William didn¡¯t ask her anymore. They chatted about the improved weather, expressed their regret for the workers¡¯ strike, and spent the remaining time before arriving at the Royal Palace discussing the changed world time. Elizabeth, surprisingly, welcomed Chloe enthusiastically. As soon as she arrived, she kindly asked if there was any discomfort on her way, and she made sure she had eaten. When she replied that she had only had black tea, she had the maid bring a cake to Chloe. She then watched her eat, Chloe judged Elizabeth¡¯s extravagant tenderness because the other wives were watching. It was actually quite different from the way she usually behaved when no one else was around, and Elizabeth always kept Chloe in check and looked at her badly. Still, she wasn¡¯t stupid enough to ignore Chloe even at such a formal occasion, so that was probably why she¡¯d show kindness to her like this. Saying her gratitude, Chloe accepted Elizabeth¡¯s kindness. ¡°It¡¯s been a while! Marchioness!¡± At this time, someone spoke to her. She hurriedly straightened her lips and looked at the person that was talking to her, it was an acquaintance. Lily Smith. She was the wife of Count Smith, who invested heavily in Eric¡¯s railroad business. She was married at an immature age, so maybe she was still like a girl. Chloe knew her talkative personality, so she wasn¡¯t much of a person with whom she wanted to chat though she couldn¡¯t not ignore Lily Smith, whose eyes were twinkling towards her. In the end, Chloe said her greetings to her and then pointed to the other side. Lily Smith told her stories as soon as she sat down as if she had been waiting. The conversation started with the story that it was going to snow. She had never seen snow in the South where she lived, and it was very sad that she could not see snow even when she came to the capital. That was why she cried as she expressed how upset she was that she couldn¡¯t show her happily seeing the snow. After she even told that she was so heartbroken that her husband ¡ª Count Smith ¡ª was lying sick and he would be very happy if she would visit him once with the Marquis in the future. It ended with that. ¡°So, when the snow stops, can you come visit me? Then I think my husband will be able to get up!¡± Chloe hesitated. If it was time when the snow stopped, it meant spring. There were concerns that her marriage with Eric would still be until then. However, as Lily Smith pleaded again, she had no choice but to accept. ¡°If the two of you came and sat in front of the fireplace for a while, my husband would be delighted. He will be impressed by Madam and His Excellency¡¯s generosity! I will, too.¡± Lily Smith continued, clapping her hands. She insistently asked the date of the visit, and Chloe ended the conversation by saying that she would send a letter after returning to the mansion and discussing it with her husband. Eventually, she left the place after giving a satisfied smile, and Chloe was finally able to catch her breath. ¡°Isn¡¯t she a really great woman?¡± __ Chapter 47 Chapter 47 ¡°Isn¡¯t she a really great woman?¡± At that moment, Elizabeth¡¯s voice came from behind. Instead of turning her head, she waited for Elizabeth to come to her side. She put her hand on Chloe¡¯s shoulder and whispered. ¡°She was constantly chattering. She talked so much that my ears hurt. Besides, it¡¯s better if she¡¯s saying the right thing, it¡¯s not. Are there people who say that it suddenly smells like snow and that it will snow? Oh my gosh¡­! It¡¯s such a bright day. It only increases people¡¯s anxiety. I can¡¯t. Next time, I won¡¯t invite her.¡± Elizabeth clicked her tongue and continued. She seemed to be very angry. ¡°Is that all? She doesn¡¯t even have a face. She goes wherever she goes, asking for the exact same thing? She was begging people to come. Inviting people because the Count¡¯s sick, but in fact, I know that¡¯s an excuse! The Count is not sick at all. It¡¯s just snowing, so he was just lying lazy. I¡¯ve heard it from the Count¡¯s doctor. I really doubt the Count¡¯s eyes. No, it¡¯s not. Haha, since they were married with a 16-year age gap, he had no choice but to accept the shortcomings¡­ Even so, isn¡¯t that level of difference too much? Do you think so too, Chloe?¡± Eric said it would snow as well. Was it really going to snow? At the thought, she glanced out of the window and saw that the sun was still shining, declaring that it couldn¡¯t be. Even after that, Elizabeth¡¯s complaints did not stop. She finally found fault with all the wives, one by one, and began to gossip. Chloe was very tired just from listening to her though she couldn¡¯t just ignore Elizabeth, the host¡¯s words, so she continued the conversation by giving rough answers. ¡°Right, and I heard that Mrs. Beverly Corzan was preparing for divorce. Marquis Cozan cheated on her or something. Beverly decides to divorce him for that reason. Men¡¯s flirting is literally a perforce, so just leave it alone, it will pass!¡± Elizabeth giggled. However, Chloe couldn¡¯t bear to agree. Cheating?! How could he have cheated on his one and only wife? That shouldn¡¯t have happened. Thinking so, she vowed to refute it. ¡°That,¡± Chloe cleared her muffled voice and spoke again. ¡°I think cheating is something that shouldn¡¯t happen. Marriage is the result of mutual love, so how do you turn your eyes away from the one you love? I think that is morally deserving of condemnation.¡± ¡°Love?¡± Elizabeth burst out laughing. ¡°Chloe. Are you talking about love now?¡± She spoke in a louder voice, and the eyes of the people in the hall focused on Chloe and Elizabeth. ¡°Aren¡¯t you in a marriage far from true love? Look¡­ You married the Marquis for money, and the Marquis married you for the title. It is well known that there is no marital relationship between the two! But, you say love? Chloe, isn¡¯t that hypocritical?¡± She could feel the heat rising on her face, something that the other wives would easily notice. Meanwhile, each of the wives spread their fans and were busy covering their smiling lips. As she was shocked to the point where her breath stopped, Chloe unable to capture her expression. Elizabeth lifted her chin with a face full of superiority. ¡°After all, marriage is just a transaction between each other, that is, a business. How many of them are married for love? None! There won¡¯t be! Chloe, so why don¡¯t you face reality? I feel so sorry for you.¡± Her words said she felt sorry for Chloe, but her face had a terrible sense of superiority. She seemed to be thinking that Chloe was thinking of taking her place. Chloe felt helpless defeat, but she couldn¡¯t show it in a place like this. Instead of expressing embarrassment, she decided to take on a confident attitude. ¡°My husband and I made a reasonable deal. My husband and I both benefited from that. Still, when I say love, I mean a feeling that is based on a certain amount of care and respect. In this regard, it is true that my husband and I love each other¡­ My husband respects me, and I care for him.¡± Of course, this is a lie¨Cthe divorce was finalized just a few days ago¨Cno one here knew what happened that day, so her words seemed to be facts. This time Elizabeth¡¯s face was red. Chloe added her words to nail her point. ¡°In addition, my husband and I are far from ever cheating. As you all know, my husband is only focusing on research, and I am busy supervising the employees. There is no such thing as free time. I think cheating is a kind of entertainment enjoyed by those who are bored with nothing to do, so I want to tell you that my husband and I will never do that. Would this be enough to answer the Princess¡¯ question?¡± Elizabeth suddenly interrupted the conversation by saying that she had a headache, and she left. Chloe felt herself triumph over defeat, but at the same time, she could sense disappointment. It was because everything she said was a lie. She was a liar. ¡­Yes. She was a hypocrite, as her mother said. She told lies to avoid immediate embarrassment. This was a very shameful thing, and it was also an immoral one. Therefore, Chloe felt ashamed of herself, so she thought that she did not want to be in this place any longer. At that, she rose up from her seat. After she went to the terrace to get some air, she was about to show a nuance that she would go back. ¡°Chloe!¡± However, Elizabeth, who had disappeared, returned. She had a somewhat triumphant face, so Chloe wondered why. The reason soon came to light. ¡°Come on, say hello. This is Mrs. Abigail Leon.¡± If it was Leon, it was the family of Gatsby, who had a fistfight with Eric the other day. ¡®I wonder. Does that noble Rolpf cry when she¡¯s underneath?¡¯ She remembered the vile words Gatsby uttered. Chloe frowned unknowingly. Because of that, Gatsby Leon was asked to pay a large sum of money as a penalty. Furthermore, he was criticized by people, so she never imagined that Gatsby¡¯s wife, Abigail Leon, would be present. However, Abigail was here and greeted her! Surprisingly! ¡°Hello, my name is Abigail Leon, Madam.¡± Abigail smiled and walked over to Chloe. She then asked for a handshake, which Chloe refused because she didn¡¯t have an empty hand. It was bound to be. A handshake was something that could only be done between close friends though she and Abigail were not friends at all, and they were not even friendly. Actually, she didn¡¯t even want to be friends. Abigail didn¡¯t even complain about Chloe¡¯s rejection because she felt it was an obvious thing to do. Instead, she exchanged glances with Elizabeth, who looked a little cryptic. Chloe focused on them. ¡°Come to think of it¡­¡± Elizabeth began to rush. ¡°There is a child who commutes to Abigail¡¯s mansion and works as a maid or something.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Though I found out that the child was also in charge of another mansion.¡± ¡°I heard that it was Marquisate Aslan?¡± Saying so, Abigail and Elizabeth looked into each other¡¯s eyes before Elizabeth¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°Chloe, you¡¯re really a cunning one, aren¡¯t you?¡± Chloe swallowed a breath. Noticing her surprise, Elizabeth uttered, raising her voice loudly. ¡°How can you be so tight-lipped about divorce with the Marquis? Are you not on good terms? She said they only hear sounds of fighting every day!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. She said there is not a single day without a fight. When I heard about it, my heart ached. I didn¡¯t know they¡¯d get along so badly.¡± Her eyelids trembled. She was terrified. It was not just because of the fact that there was a rat in the house that communicated what was happening inside to the outside. All she had to do was go back to the mansion, punish the maid and drive her out. The bigger reason she was terrified was the fact that her own lie was exposed to all the world! She had publicly stated that she and Eric were on good terms and had no quarrels, so she received the envy of many wives¡­ Nonetheless, what could be more disgraceful than this when it soon turned out to be a lie! Chloe¡¯s shoulders trembled, and Elizabeth and Abigail began to ridicule her. __ Chapter 48 Chapter 48 ¡°Why did you lie? Did you think we were stupid and would really believe your lies?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a lie. We wouldn¡¯t have found out if the maid in my mansion had not worked for Madam¡¯s mansion.¡± ¡°No! That can¡¯t be true. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be caught one day. A lie is like a seed that has not yet germinated, and it will sprout one day. Then, it would be clear¡­ Just like right now!¡± Elizabeth lifted her chin and waved her fan. Chloe turned her back and glanced around. She saw the wives giggling as they surrounded her. Her head was spinning. At the same time, her hands and her body were all trembling. ¡°Are you going to get a divorce? When are you going to do it? Huh? How are you preparing for it?¡± Even though she knew her condition, Elizabeth jokingly spoke with a delighted look. Chloe stumbled, but she soon managed to prevent herself from collapsing, leaning her body against the wall. Taking a deep breath, her heart wanted to run away from here though she shouldn¡¯t. She was a noble Rolph and a great Aslan. As much as she wanted to hide her words and back away, she could never show it. ¡°Like I said, my husband and I made a reasonable deal.¡± She continued her words, holding her breath so it won¡¯t quiver. ¡°But now, the losses are greater than the gains from marriage. So, getting a divorce is the right decision. Again, our divorce is not because we don¡¯t get along, it¡¯s a rational decision made in consideration of our interests. I hope you are not misunderstood.¡± ¡°Though I heard you are fighting every day!¡± ¡°That would be the maid¡¯s conclusion. We didn¡¯t fight, we just talked. I admit that my voice has risen a bit in the process. However, we never fought. I swear.¡± As Chloe put the word ¡®swear¡¯ on her lips, they could no longer claim that she was lying. While Elizabeth ground her teeth in anger, Abigail had already taken a step back. ¡°I¡¯m curious. Your thoughts of believing what the maid said as the truth and driving me to be a liar¡­ Did the Princess and Mrs. Leon intend to push me for victory?¡± Her figure, which had been trembling, disappeared, and Chloe was asking a question with twinkling blue eyes. The question was staggeringly outrageous, so Elizabeth was caught off guard as she had not expected her to be so daring. She fluttered her fan to cool her sweat. ¡°No, it couldn¡¯t be. I said it all because I was worried about you, Chloe. I want you to know my heart.¡± ¡°Of, of course. I¡¯ll have to keep a tight grip on the maid¡¯s mouth too. I can¡¯t let her go anywhere and say things like that!¡± Abigail added her words, too, but Chloe didn¡¯t even look at her, just staring at Elizabeth. ¡°Yes, Your Highness. I just want to thank you for always taking care of me.¡± This was an act of complete disregard for Abigail, so she engraved the anger deep in her bones. She had to bury her anger here. Marquis Aslan, the man who even beat her own husband and extorted money, and Mrs. Aslan was the one who made herself engulfed in shame! Abigail promised as she stepped back, saying that she would take revenge on the Aslan couple. An empty silence came. The wives were whispering to each other, talking about the relationship between Chloe and Elizabeth, and the relationship between the Aslan couple. Still, it was a subject that no one could dare speak loudly, so it was very quiet inside the hall. Elizabeth, who started the quarrel with Chloe and ruined the mood first, was rolling her eyes, looking for a way out of the situation. It was a disgrace to step back from now on, and if she did that, she would lose to Chloe again. At this time, to her surprise¡ªfortunately¡ªsomeone looked out the window and shouted. ¡°It¡¯s snowing!¡± It was Lily Smith, who was yawning with no interest in the subject at all. She opened the window wide. A cold, snowy wind blew in and filled the hall. ¡°What did I say? I said it was going to snow, right? Oh, as expected¡­! I¡¯ve never been wrong about the weather! As soon as I woke up this morning, I intuitively knew it was going to snow! How did I know¡­? The smell! The smell in the air¡­ it smells like snow! The same goes for when it rains. Ladies, come to me if you are going to travel a long way or if you set a date. I¡¯ll be sure to match the weather!¡± No one answered the excited Lily Smith. They weren¡¯t ignorant because it was nonsense though it was because everyone had to figure out a way to get back. While those who brought their carriages were fine, those who had borrowed carriages, like Chloe, didn¡¯t have a way to go back right away. There was only one way, borrowing the royal carriage. The wives who had judged thus far asked if Elizabeth could lend her carriage, and she replied that she would do so with all her heart. However, Chloe didn¡¯t want to ask her. She was extremely reluctant to owe her to ask Elizabeth something of hers. It was a habit that had come naturally from childhood, and Chloe tangled her head to find another way. But, she had no way to return home. It was a thirty-minute carriage ride to the house, so she couldn¡¯t walk 10 miles. Not just the weather but the act of walking itself was lowly, and it did not fit Chloe, a noble at all. Chloe glanced at her. Elizabeth was already looking at her, and their eyes met. ¡°Oh my gosh, Chloe. Did you also borrow a carriage?¡± As she asked, Chloe replied yes, and Elizabeth responded with a clap. ¡°Then, you should borrow the royal carriage. Though what to do? I just gave Abigail the last carriage. So no more carriage. What would be good¡­?¡± Elizabeth stretched her words, and her face looked like she had a plan. At that, Chloe narrowed her brows. What was she thinking? She wondered what Elizabeth was thinking, pondering upon her words. Then, Chloe took one step closer to her. ¡°What do you want to say, Your Grace?¡± ¡°I was thinking about sleeping in the Royal Palace because there is no carriage. How about that, Chloe?¡± At first glance, it seemed that Elizabeth¡¯s proposal was full of kindness and gentleness in consideration for her, but Chloe knew. That Elizabeth was not a kind woman to her, and that she must have other motives. She moved closer to Elizabeth. ¡°Then, of course, will you give me a guest room? I hope so.¡± ¡°No!¡± Elizabeth shook her head. ¡°Aren¡¯t we close friends since childhood? I can¡¯t just let you sleep in a guest room like that. So, I would like to have you sleep in my palace.¡± ¡°Yes, that would be appreciated.¡± ¡°Still, there is no room that has been properly cleaned. You know, I¡¯m a little lazy, right? I guess the maids look just like me, too.¡± Chloe¡¯s eyes narrowed. Pound. Her heart was beating fast. ¡°I think Third Brother¡¯s palace would be good. Any room there would be clean and tidy, and much more comfortable and nicer than my palace. I think it will suit you even better.¡± I knew it. Elizabeth meant to put her together with the Third Prince, William! Before that, she had made several gestures to connect William and Chloe, but it wasn¡¯t as blatant as she is now. Presumably, Elizabeth was doing this because she had heard that she was getting a divorce. She seemed to think that she would be able to marry Eric, too, if Chloe got married to William¡­ Chloe could feel her head spinning. It was one of two things she had to choose from. Either she walked away and got fingers pointing at her from here, or slept here and got caught up in immoral rumors¡­ Whichever way she chose, it would be harmful to her. Nothing was beneficial. Chloe regretted that she should have refused the invitation in the first place and should not have gone out. However, the water had been spilled¡­ It was irreversible. She touched her forehead. __ Chapter 49 Chapter 49 ¡°Huh, Chloe? Why are you silent?¡± Elizabeth whispered. It was better for Chloe to risk being embarrassed than to be caught up in an immoral scandal¡­ Right. As she thought so to herself, she decided to walk ten miles. ¡°I¡¯m fi¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, my goodness! Look over there!¡± It was Lily Smith¡¯s cry that cut her words first. ¡®Does she still have something to say?¡¯ Chloe glanced at her, slightly offended. It seemed that Lily Smith was pointing to a place, the front door facing the hall. ¡°Over there, I saw someone! Perhaps, he came to pick up some of the wives?¡± At those words, all the wives turned their heads. As Lily Smith said, there was a carriage at the front door, and a man stood tall in the snow. The man who had been standing in the distance turned his body to face the hall, apparently feeling the gaze pouring on him through the window. It became clear who he was¡­ none other than Eric Aslan! ¡°Oh, dear God!¡± ¡°Oh, my gosh! Mrs. Aslan! The Marquis has arrived!¡± Despite the shouts of the crowd, and even seeing with her own eyes, Chloe couldn¡¯t believe it. Eric was here! Conceivably, there was another reason? Yes¡­ This was a reasonable conclusion. He only came here to do business with the Royal Family, not to pick up Chloe¡­ If it was Eric, that could be right. Still, as if betraying Chloe¡¯s thoughts, Eric raised his long legs and began to walk. Before long, the door to the hall opened. After wiping the snow off his coat, Eric stepped into the hall. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I have disturbed the ladies¡¯ fun. I¡¯m Eric Aslan.¡± The wives were delighted with his gracious greeting and welcomed him, and so was Elizabeth. She made a servant add more firewood in the hearth. ¡°Hurry! Add more firewood. It¡¯s snowing like this, and he had walked all the way here! Marquis, are you cold?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. However, I think it¡¯s a good idea to make more fire. Looking at it, it seems that the other wives are very cold.¡± It was true that several of the wives had their shawls wrapped around them as the cold wind had come in because Lily Smith had previously opened the window. However, they didn¡¯t know that Eric would care for their well-being¡ªeven Chloe! Because of that, the wives warmly welcomed his kindness and began to welcome him more fiercely. ¡°By the way, what¡¯s going on? Did anything happen at the Royal Palace?¡± After a long greeting, Elizabeth asked Eric a question. He then glanced at Chloe and nodded his head slowly. ¡°It snows a lot.¡± He made eye contact with her. ¡°I have come to pick up my wife.¡± Everyone was surprised at once. Didn¡¯t they just talk about the Aslan couple¡¯s bad relationship? But now, the husband comes to pick up his wife because it was snowing?! Naturally, this only happened to couples who had good marital relationships. As everyone was not hiding their surprise, Eric added an excuse. ¡°She seemed to have borrowed the carriage and went out with it, perhaps of the wife¡¯s consideration of me. On a bad day like this, I can¡¯t even call a separate carriage, so I thought it would make sense for me to come to pick her up.¡± ¡°However, the royal family can lend her a carriage!¡± Elizabeth said. Eric shook his head. ¡°As the wife who has always tended to be considerate of others, I thought that she would have yielded the carriage to everyone. How is it, Madam? Am I right?¡± He turned to Chloe. Up until this point, she was showing her embarrassment unfiltered, and she decided that she couldn¡¯t let the light focus on her any longer. She soon agreed with Eric. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. You always know me.¡± Perhaps, it was a satisfactory answer, Eric laughed lowly. Chloe was very embarrassed as she did not know how to respond to her husband¡¯s behavior but decided to match his rhythm for the time being. She smiled similarly to Eric. ¡°Well, if we had known that you two would get along so well, the story like before wouldn¡¯t have come out!¡± Lily Smith intervened. Everyone frowned at her words because it was the unwritten rule not to talk to other men about the conversations between wives. Although he must have been well aware of this, Eric asked her with an innocent face as if he knew nothing. ¡°The story like before, what are you talking about?¡± At this point, Lily Smith should have noticed and shut her mouth, but she responded with a nonchalant face. ¡°They said that the two of you fight every day. Mrs. Abigail Leon over there. Her maid worked on the two houses or something though I didn¡¯t really listen to it because I wasn¡¯t very interested. By the way, are there any frictionless couples in the world? Everyone has some friction, and I didn¡¯t say anything because I thought it was a kind of quarrel that only married couples know. However, the other wives and the Princess were different, so Mrs. Aslan was quite troubled.¡± ¡°¡­Did you?¡± After listening carefully to Lily Smith¡¯s words, Eric turned his gaze to her. Chloe didn¡¯t want to talk anymore on this topic, so she tried to end the conversation with a closing tone in a hurry. ¡°I¡¯ve already explained that matter, so it¡¯s okay. Because they all found out that wasn¡¯t true. Right?¡± The wives said yes, and this resulted in Abigail and Elizabeth¡¯s faces being ripped off. ¡°But¡­!¡± Elizabeth raised her voice in a scream. ¡°Isn¡¯t it true that you two are discussing divorce? I know so! Chloe agreed with this, too!¡± At those words, he stared at her and Chloe pulled her chin back before stepping back. It was a sign that Elizabeth was right. Seeing that, Eric narrowed his brow and stroked his chin. After a long silence, he slowly opened his mouth. ¡°I would like to quote Mrs. Lily Smith. There¡¯s not a single couple in the world who has never discussed divorce. Everyone has a certain amount of friction.¡± This was an indication that Eric wasn¡¯t going to divorce Chloe, so people came to the conclusion that the Aslans were simply arguing and that the divorce was mentioned, but not a big deal. At the same time, they thought that Elizabeth and Abigail¡¯s behavior, who had been blaming Chloe the whole time, was not right. On the other hand, many wives have come to the conclusion that Lily Smith, who had not listened to gossip, was truly the right person. Oh, how easily swayed public opinion is this? In any case, public opinion changed drastically, and Elizabeth and Abigail were forced to back away without saying a word. Seeing them, Eric naturally stretched out his hand toward Chloe. ¡°Wife.¡± Chloe stared at his extended hand. Why, why? She didn¡¯t know the reason for Eric¡¯s kindness, the act of braving the snow and coming to pick her up. They had just been screaming and fighting a few days ago! He even finalized the divorce, but he was changing his mind again. Chloe was confused and bewildered, but now, Eric was like a savior when she thought of walking the ten-mile road alone! Chloe grabbed his hand. ¡°I¡¯m going back now.¡± Eric escorted Chloe in a gentlemanly manner, and the wives, except for Elizabeth, Abigail, and Lily Smith, sent them off enthusiastically. Eric was extremely annoyed. Suppose he was asked why he would answer dozens of reasons. The most representative of it was that things were not in line with his conscience, and he shuddered at having to flatter the ladies! And, the most annoying was the unexpected situation: Chloe was being humiliated by Elizabeth and Abigail Leon. ¡­That stupid woman. She wouldn¡¯t have met them if she hadn¡¯t come here in the first place! Didn¡¯t Chloe really know that there were a lot of scavenger hunts after her? No, knowingly she came here knowing full well. To provoke him?! Bad woman¡­ Cunning woman. Eric really hated Chloe, but at the same time, he couldn¡¯t bear to see her come home with that much snow, so he hated himself, who came to pick her up. As soon as he got into the carriage, he uttered to her. ¡°Did I not tell you clearly? It will snow.¡± The words were mixed with a rebuke. Chloe felt embarrassed and bowed his face. ¡°Until morning, the sun was so strong so I didn¡¯t expect it to snow.¡± It was just an excuse. Eric ruffled his hair and crossed his legs. ¡°If you had any respect for my words, you would have pulled out the mansion¡¯s carriage instead of borrowing it. But you didn¡¯t.¡± Feeling his blaming tone, Chloe bit her lip. __ Chapter 50 Chapter 50 ¡°Now,¡± Chloe raised her head. ¡°Are you saying that I did not respect you?¡± ¡°If not, then what else would you call it?¡± Their eyes met. The kindness he showed in the hall became volatile, and his gaze was so fierce that it chilled. But this time, Chloe did do something wrong. So she meekly accepted it. ¡°I admit it. This time, I didn¡¯t respect your words. I apologize.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to get your apology. I¡¯m just saying this because I want you to follow my will at least once.¡± ¡°Have I never followed your will?¡± Chloe placed a hand on her chest, stunned. She raised her voice. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t followed your will, would I have been locked up in the North all five years? Would I have stayed still, giving you all the power to decide the big things in the family? I have always followed your will!¡± ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you follow my will until the end! The same thing won¡¯t happen today!¡± Eric¡¯s shouts filled the carriage. Maybe louder than the engine¡¯s ignition sound. Chloe was startled, so she leaned back. Confusion spread across Eric¡¯s face. He untied his tie and touched his forehead. ¡°Shit! I didn¡¯t come to fight you.¡± He mumbled. ¡°I was worried because it was snowing. You wouldn¡¯t even have brought a proper umbrella. How absurd to hear that you even borrowed a carriage! I thought you would want to borrow a carriage from the royal family to go home, but considering Elizabeth¡¯s usual temper, I knew she would never allow it. She must have tried to have you stay the night in the royal palace. In the third prince¡¯s palace. Am I wrong?¡± Eric got everything right, as if he had seen the situation firsthand. Chloe nodded her head, yet at the same time thoughts headed in a different direction. She replayed the conversation she had with Eric that morning, and it turned out that Eric was extremely reluctant to have Chloe spend the night out. In addition to that, there was the third prince, William, that he terribly disliked. So maybe that¡¯s why he came? Not because he was worried, but because he was worried about her getting embroiled in a scandal¡­¡­. ¡°So you mean you came because you¡¯re afraid I¡¯m going to spend the night outside.¡± ¡°Wrong.¡± But Eric replied sternly, as if sneering at Chloe¡¯s thoughts. ¡°As I said before, no matter where you sleep, it¡¯s not my area to interfere.¡± He continued. ¡°I came here because I was worried about you. Because you¡¯re a woman who would rather walk a ten-mile road alone than sleep in the third prince¡¯s Palace. How long has it been since you were lying on a sick bed after feeling the cold wind?¡± Chloe¡¯s eyes widened. She was truly amazed that Eric had predicted her behavior so accurately. She was also surprised once again by his genuine concern for her health. He was full of surprises¡­¡­. That¡¯s what this conversation was about. ¡°So, I came here for you. For you, I chatted with the disgusting wives. Don¡¯t you recognize this kind of effort?¡± Eric gritted his teeth. Presumably, he was very offended by the conversation he had with the wives earlier. Chloe pulled at her chin. ¡°I want to say thank you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t just say it,¡± Eric said, staring intently at Chloe. ¡°Go back, wash in warm water, put on thick clothes, and go to bed right away. Will you be able to accommodate such a request?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Chloe couldn¡¯t understand why Eric was acting like this. Why would he want to look like a sweet husband now? Was it part of what he said? No, he declared that he would no longer try. Then why? Was he trying to make the divorce story disappear again? She didn¡¯t like it. Chloe didn¡¯t want to go through any more pain hoping for Eric again. It had been futile and she didn¡¯t want to be fooled by his false kindness anymore. She didn¡¯t like it even now. Chloe was an adamantly stubborn woman, and Eric didn¡¯t change enough to break her will. ¡°I don¡¯t want our divorce decision to be withdrawn.¡± She stared intently into Eric¡¯s eyes. ¡°I want you to refrain from spreading the idea that we won¡¯t get a divorce like before.¡± It was a surprisingly cold tone. Eric never imagined he would hear Chloe say something like that. He had come this far because of his kindness! But how can she say that? How can she ignore his kindness! Eric felt suffocated for a moment, and his neck tensed. ¡°That was because I didn¡¯t want us to be in people¡¯s gossip.¡± Eric added as if he was making excuses. ¡°We¡¯re going to get a divorce anyway, but I didn¡¯t want to tell people until then. Divorce is a big deal, and it can affect investors who want to invest in my business.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Chloe answered calmly, as if she understood now. ¡°I was afraid that you would say again that there was no divorce. Thank you for not doing that.¡± Thank you? Thank you? Eric was so agitated that he was about to burst out laughing. Anyway, five years. They have been living as a married couple for five years, but she was thankful for the divorce? Eric felt terribly helpless, and at the same time, he could feel his anger rising. Cruel woman. Bad Woman. A woman who thinks nothing of him! Eric was angry, and he acted out part of it. He didn¡¯t talk to Chloe until they returned to the mansion. And Chloe didn¡¯t speak to him. It seemed that the end of the relationship was in sight. * * * It was cold inside the house. Chloe didn¡¯t leave the room except for once a day, when she went for a walk, and Eric was locked in the lab and didn¡¯t emerge from it. But nevertheless, there was a subtle conflict between them, which contributed greatly to the quiet atmosphere of the mansion. Daniel said it was like walking on thin ice; Andrea said she had no idea what was going on, and the remaining maids¡ªthe maid who leaked information to Abigail was fired¡ªspent every day fearing when they would be kicked out of this place. Meanwhile, a welcome visitor arrived. It was Theo Jassen, Eric¡¯s friend. He hadn¡¯t been around since the Leon Gatsby incident. He was locked in his house and never went out. That booze-loving gambler! Eric was well aware that this was Theo¡¯s own way of apologizing. So, he warmly welcomed Theo¡¯s visit. He, too, did not like to spend a long time in his home surrounded by such terrible silence. ¡°Friend! Long time no see! How have you been?¡± Theo said as he stood in the hallway, wiping off the snow. Eric sat in front of the warm fireplace, crossed his legs and shook his head. ¡°Yes. How have you been? I just thought you¡¯d have a little more time for self-reflection. I didn¡¯t know it would be this brief.¡± ¡°I was about to turn crazy just by staying in the house for three weeks. What else? Are you going to go crazy and kill me?¡± ¡°If that is possible, I would like to do it. Is it possible?¡± ¡°You make mean jokes.¡± Theo came closer to Eric with a complaint. ¡°Like you said, I thought I should self-reflect a little more. However, I had no choice but to leave after a period of self-reflection because I heard an interesting story. I came to you right away!¡± ¡°Interesting story?¡± Eric¡¯s eyebrows rose. Theo was excited and continued. ¡°Something big happened to Mrs. Leon?¡± Eric frowned. Eric didn¡¯t know exactly what happened at the royal teatime or what kind of conversation was going on, but he did know one thing. That Chloe was neurotic and sensitive due to the day¡¯s events. So he tried not to relive that day, but his friend, who came after a long time, was reminding him of that day again. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk much on that subject.¡± ¡°Is that really true? But it¡¯s too interesting a story to pass up!¡± Theo continued before Eric could say no once more. ¡°On that day, Mrs. Abigail Leon seemed prepared to attend. She must have said what her maid said. What was she so determined to do? Of course, she was prepared to nettle Chloe Aslan¡¯s pride! Why did she make that face? Was that what she had been expecting since Gatsby Leon¡¯s face was smashed? Oh, of course, I don¡¯t communicate with Lord Gatsby Leon at all now. I¡¯m telling you in case you misunderstood. I¡¯m trash, but I¡¯m not that kind of trash.¡± He took a sip of the water Andrea had brought him and opened his mouth again. ¡°Anyway, it looks like she wanted to spread the word that you and your wife are not on good terms. That¡¯s why she deliberately provoked Princess Elizabeth.¡± ¡°Do you know how that was introduced into the conversation, how it happened?¡± __ Chapter 51 Chapter 51 His appearance of refusing to talk at first vanished, and Eric now leaned forward curiously. Theo smiled and shrugged her shoulders, expecting it. ¡°If anyone remembers all the conversations that day and can speak of it, I will praise him as a genius! It¡¯s just the words of mine whose memory got cut off in the middle. Would you still listen to me?¡± ¡°Yes. Tell me.¡± ¡°At first, there was talk of Marquis Corzan¡¯s affair. Then Mrs. Aslan said that a man¡¯s lust is unacceptable and that it is a violation of mutual respect between lovers and morally condemnable.¡± Theo continued excitedly. ¡°Then, I don¡¯t know if the princess got angry or not, but she pointed out the hypocrisy of her talking about a moral relationship when the Aslan couple was just a contractual relationship in the first place, and there is no such thing as love.¡± Eric narrowed his brow. Did she even go there and talk about love? Eric was now tired of the love stories being mentioned in Chloe¡¯s mouth, and he didn¡¯t want to hear anymore. However, on the other hand, he felt strangely confirmed that she still loved him. ¡°But, Mrs. Aslan immediately rebutted it. She says that respect and consideration are the foundation of it.¡± ¡°That.¡± Eric rubbed his forehead. ¡­Respect? Consideration? If there was something missing between him and Chloe, she could mention that. They have no respect or consideration for each other. How did Chloe feel when she said something that didn¡¯t exist and exhibited it? Presumably, it didn¡¯t seem like it would have been that good¡­ No, perhaps she was ashamed and embarrassed by herself. Eric was starting to get annoyed. It¡¯s not that he is annoyed that Chloe lied to him, it was the circumstances that made her lie to him. Abigail Leone and Elizabeth¡­ Eric thought he should not forget them. Of course, this would have been possible if he had always respected and cared for Chloe, but¡­ Eric hadn¡¯t even thought about it this far because Eric he was still a very selfish and stupid man. ¡°Still, Abigail knew about your divorce from the maid who worked here. You know that the maid you hired acted as a spy, right? If you didn¡¯t know this, I¡¯d be really disappointed.¡± ¡°I know. So, I fired her as soon as we got back that day.¡± ¡°Just get fired? What a merciful master. If it were me, I would have beaten her and kicked her out.¡± Theo chuckled and spoke. ¡°Anyway, Mrs. Aslan did not deny the story of the divorce, and the ladies in it were preparing to go home and tell the story of the divorce of the Aslan couple. Then you arrived. And after that, you will understand without me telling you, right?¡± Eric nodded his head. The news of the Aslan couple¡¯s divorce happening as he entered the hall became a mere coincidence. While Eric felt fortunate, he also wondered why he felt relieved, on the other hand, as he questioned himself. Probably because he, too, was in favor of the divorce and pushed Chloe! Then, rather than feeling relieved, there should be a sense of unease, so why did he feel so relieved that other people won¡¯t argue with them in their relationship? Eric had a really hard time grasping his own mind. In this way, people who did not look at themselves and did not consider their emotions tended to be bothered by the act itself. Sometimes, he thought it was useless. For this reason, Eric stopped thinking about his own mind and listened only to Theo¡¯s words. ¡°From here on, an interesting story unfolds.¡± Leaning forward, Theo uttered. ¡°Well, after you and the Madam are gone, Abigail Leone and Princess Elizabeth!¡± He mixed a chuckle. ¡°They are betting on a divorce between you and your wife within three months.¡± Eric closed his eyes. Raising her eyes, he ordered Andrea to bring a bottle of wine. He wasn¡¯t a drinker, but this time he couldn¡¯t help but look for alcohol because it was such an unbelievable situation! ¡°They are really crazy.¡± Eric said as he poured the wine into the glass. ¡°Really. They are crazy. Otherwise, how could they make such a shallow bet? I must lament that the capital level has fallen that far.¡± He took a sip of wine. Theo also took the glass and poured the wine into his throat. Then he shrugged his shoulders with a more sullen look. ¡°I want to tell you that they aren¡¯t the only ones who agreed.¡± ¡°Is it possible that the other wives also agreed?¡± ¡°Would you believe me if I said it was on the husband¡¯s side instead of the wife?¡± ¡°Damn it.¡± Eric clenched his fists tightly. His eyes were full of agitation, indicating that he harbored quite a bit of anger. ¡°Everyone is consuming us like gossip. They flashed their eyes, thinking when we¡¯ll divorce. I think I want to divorce the most!¡± ¡°Because there were many men who had their wives in their hearts, and there were also many cases of the opposite.¡± However, Theo was busy scratching Eirc¡¯s inside with his calm voice. His eyes sharpened. ¡°So, are you saying that after Chloe divorced me, she would even remarry?¡± Theo shrugged his shoulders again. ¡°The Third Prince already knew that.¡± ¡­Damn William. He knew William was aiming for Chloe, but he didn¡¯t know that he would reveal his desires so openly that everyone knew. What the hell was he going to do with him? How can he make him completely give up on Chloe¡­ No, no¡­ It didn¡¯t matter whom she remarried after they got divorced. Whomever she marries again should not be his problem. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Eric ruffled his hair nervously. He frowns, pouring the wine down his throat again. ¡°Where did you bet?¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes. Since you¡¯re not the one who gets involved in this kind of game normally, you must have bet your money. Where did you bet it?¡± ¡°To be honest, I bet on getting a divorce. I don¡¯t think the noble Chloe Aslan will bear with you anymore.¡± Eric felt the urge to smack Theo in the face. But he couldn¡¯t, because Theo¡¯s words were right. It would also be strange if ¡®that¡¯ Chloe looked after her husband, that had such a vicious temper. ¡­Yes. He would admit it. Chloe¡¯s divorce declaration was all his fault. So, wouldn¡¯t it change her mind if he changed his temper? Perhaps, if he made an effort in a different direction than the kind of effort he¡¯d been doing now? The reason he thought this way was that he had no intention of participating in the nobles¡¯ games. He was sick of being in their gossip. He had always used to chew on Eric as a snack. It was sure to be the same this time around. Eric didn¡¯t want to be their toy anymore, so he wanted to press down on their pride. ¡°I will make you regret that choice.¡± He spoke in a solemn voice, making a declaration. ¡°I¡¯m never going to divorce Chloe.¡± This gave him a reason to stay married to Chloe. Eric thought this was better though he did not know why he had such a happy feeling, and, as he said, he was not a person who looked at his feelings. In the end, he dismissed these feelings as insignificant. Chloe was sick all the time. It was also due to the noisy incident at tea time, but the biggest reason she was sick was that she ran out of medicine. After coming here and thinking that she shouldn¡¯t be caught ill by Eric, whenever her heart hurt a little, she immediately took her pills, so the three months¡¯ worth of pills had run out. So, she was only taking fever reducer to relieve the rising fever and cough medicines to calm her cough, although it didn¡¯t fundamentally subside the fever in her heart. So, instead of getting better, it only got worse. Even so, it was impossible to call a new doctor and reveal the name of the disease because when it happened, Eric would know everything about her ¡ª that she was time-limited. No, was there any reason for him not to know? Chloe thought. Even though Eric said he hated her being ill, they would get a divorce anyway. In the past, she hid the truth because of fear of his anger or because of her deep-seated desire to continue the marriage with him a little longer, but now it was not like that. Chloe sincerely wished for a divorce and now was not afraid of him getting angry, so it didn¡¯t matter if he found out that she was time-limited. Still, the reason she couldn¡¯t tell him¡­ __ Chapter 52 Chapter 52 ¡®¡­I don¡¯t want to let him know that I am dying.¡¯ She didn¡¯t want him to guess that her life after the divorce would be miserable. This may be her last remaining pride, a wretched arrogance. But in any case, Chloe didn¡¯t want to show Eric her bottom, and the bottom meant the life of a woman who was dying of an illness¡­ In the end, she was planning to keep Eric out of her death news forever. ¡®I can¡¯t call a doctor.¡¯ Chloe swallowed several tablets of fever reducer in one mouthful and said to herself. A few days. It would only hurt for a few more days. Usually, if she got sick for a few days, she would usually get better¡­ If it didn¡¯t get better after a few more days, she would go back to the north, go back and see the doctor. In fact, she had no reason to stay in the Capital any longer. When she thought about why she came here in the first place, there was an answer. She came to declare her divorce from Eric, and she demanded the divorce twice. He finally agreed, so they were going to get a divorce as soon as Princess Elizabeth got married. ¡­Yes, divorce. Now, there would be nothing left between them. There wouldn¡¯t be a single document left. How could five years go by like this¡­? This fact was both bittersweet and saddened, so Chloe blinked her eyes slowly. Still, nothing would change. She would divorce Eric, and she would die¡­ Yes. This would remain unchanged no matter how sad she was. Chloe glanced out the window. Outside of it, the snow spread out. The heavy snow was making the whole world white. If the Capital was like this, what would the North be like? She wondered if she could ever return to the North. Should she ask Daniel? Her worries continued. At that time, there was a knock on the door. Was it Andrea? Chloe turned her gaze away from the window and looked towards the door. ¡°Chloe. Are you awake?¡± However, to her surprise, the voice belonged to Eric. Chloe quickly tidied her clothes and then told him to come in. The door opened slowly. Today¡¯s Eric was a little more disorganized than usual. He had a faint smell of alcohol, and it seemed that there must be a great reason for him to drink, assuming his dislike of alcohol. She greeted him a little nervously. ¡°Are you okay for a moment? I have something to say.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m okay.¡± Chloe nodded, relieved that she had just taken the medicine and she was no longer coughing. Eric dragged a chair towards her bed and sat down. He unbuttoned his shirt and tugged at his tie in frustration. ¡°How is your body?¡± ¡°It has improved a lot.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look good even though you said something like that.¡± Eric replied, squinting his eyes. ¡°Are you taking any medications?¡± ¡°As you can see, I just took it.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Silence fell again. Eric just stared at her, and Chloe just stayed still with her eyes lowered. Cold air passed between them. ¡°As long as your body gets better, we will move next month as planned.¡± ¡°¡­Move?¡± ¡°Yes. Moving the house.¡± Eric continued. ¡°The interior of the mansion has already been completed, and the furniture has been placed. So, it seems like you only need to carry light luggage. Well, you don¡¯t have to pack anything. You didn¡¯t bring anything in the first place.¡± Chloe was stunned for a moment. Of course, she remembered him mentioning moving. However, she thought it was just a passing word¡­because their relationship had grown cold since then! Moreover, Chloe was thinking of returning to the North, so what was this about moving houses? This was such a big deal. Chloe shook her head. ¡°I was thinking of going back to the North.¡± She quickly intercepted Eric¡¯s words before his lips could open. ¡°You said that if Princess Elizabeth gets married, we will divorce, so I was going to stay in the North until then.¡± The moment Chloe mentioned the divorce, Eric could feel the discomfort in the corner of his heart again. His chest was throbbing and aching. He had not yet figured out what the source of this pain was though he assumed it was simply irritation. In addition to the anger was Chloe¡¯s disobedience. After judging this, Eric answered in a slightly sharp tone. ¡°When did you not say you wanted to be here? You really do change your mind from time to time.¡± Chloe raised her head and met his gaze. As the blue eyes showed a hint of emptiness, Eric came to his senses. ¡°No, no. I didn¡¯t come here to say this.¡± As he had promised, he was ready to fix his bad temper because he wanted to change Chloe¡¯s resolve. And, in order to do so, he had to make her feel good. ¡°This is a home for you.¡± He spoke in a slightly friendly tone. ¡°I have found a home that is suitable for you, so please come with me and enjoy it together.¡± ¡°Why¡­¡± She was rather puzzled. This was the divorce that he also agreed to. However, to move meant he was giving her a more prosperous and affluent life? Did he need to do that? As Chloe mentioned, she could just go back to the North. Chloe shook her head. ¡°I can go back to the North. You don¡¯t even need to move. You like this house.¡± Eric rubbed his temple. How stubborn was this woman? He frowned, remembering that Chloe had never bowed before him. Saying no, she always did what she wanted to do. Even though Eric had vowed to be a kind husband, he didn¡¯t want to be a husband who was stupid enough to put up with what she was doing now. He spoke in a slightly powerful voice. ¡°Chloe. Didn¡¯t you agree to the move too? But now you¡¯re saying you¡¯re going back. It¡¯s a very frustrating situation for me. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Chloe paused for a moment. ¡°At the time, I had no idea that the relationship between you and me would get this bad. At least, there was hope that things could get better, so I agreed¡­ It seems it¡¯s not the same now. So, it is right for me to go back.¡± Saying so, Eric slowly closed his eyes and opened them back up. ¡°Was I that wrong to you?¡± Eric was a little upset¡­ No, he was agitated. Didn¡¯t he do his best for Chloe as much as he could?! Of course, misunderstandings and frictions arose in the process, and his efforts went up in smoke. Still, he could be proud that he did his best for her. But Chloe always, always blamed him for everything. There seemed to be no end to her greed! Noticing the bitterness that spread across Eric¡¯s face, Chloe let out a smirk. Right¡­ Eric did his best. It was just that the results of those efforts were not in the direction she had hoped for. This was not actually a blame. ¡°I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s right or wrong. Just me and you¡­¡± Chloe took a deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s not right. I can¡¯t even fit in.¡± Eric¡¯s brow narrowed. Chloe¡¯s face, speaking as if it had already been confirmed, was covered with utter helplessness. The moment he saw that, he could feel his heart pounding and aching, and from the pain, he was barely able to contain the rage that had risen from him. Nonetheless, he had to put up with it. If he got angry here again, the conversations they¡¯d had so far would be in vain. ¡°How¡­¡± He took a deep breath and continued his words., ¡°¡­How would you feel if I put in a little more effort?¡± Before Chloe could answer, Eric went on. ¡°As I said, I can divorce you only if Princess Elizabeth is married. Not before then. I don¡¯t want her getting involved with anything. Do you agree with this?¡± ¡°Yes, I agree.¡± ¡°Then, before that, if Princess Elizabeth gets married and our relationship gets back on track before we get the divorce papers stamped, if we can become a normal couple, then you might not be thinking about getting a divorce anymore, are you?¡± Chloe¡¯s eyes widened. She gazed straight at Eric, clasping her hand that had been placed on her blanket. ¡°¡­Are you saying you don¡¯t want to divorce me?¡± ¡°I hope so.¡± Chloe sighed unknowingly. ¡°Again, why?¡± She said, clenching her chin. ¡°It¡¯s just a never-ending story. I¡¯ll ask for a divorce, you pretend to listen, then you¡¯re against it again, and I¡¯ll ask, you are against¡­ What is the real reason this time? For what reason are you against it?¡± __ Chapter 53 Chapter 53 ¡°Do I appear to be a person who moves only if there is a reason and a relationship of interest?¡± Even though Chloe didn¡¯t answer, he knew that her silence was in agreement with his question. Eric ruffled his bangs wildly. He admitted it¡­ the reason he refused the divorce the first time was because he did not want to lose what he had. What if he told her the truth? Would she accept it, or would she get angry like last time? Even without thinking deeply, Eric seemed to know the answer. So, he decided to hide his reasons. Instead of giving reasons, he chose to lie. ¡°It¡¯s about trying to do what you call love.¡± Chloe stopped breathing. She unconsciously shook her head, she couldn¡¯t believe what she heard though Eric didn¡¯t back down. ¡°Like I said, I don¡¯t know what love feels like. If you hadn¡¯t mentioned it all the time by my side, love might have been a feeling that had nothing to do with my life. But now it¡¯s different. Thanks to you, I know what love feels like.¡± He took a calm breath. ¡°It means that I will try to love you even now.¡± As soon as he said these words, Eric could feel the pain in his chest getting better. He took Chloe¡¯s hand with a lighter face. ¡°Are you going to reject this effort?¡± She gazed down at the hand held by Eric. ¡®¡­I don¡¯t believe it. I don¡¯t believe it.¡¯ When she looked at all the many actions Eric had shown her so far¡­ She couldn¡¯t believe it. Chloe didn¡¯t believe it. As she slowly raised her gaze, she peeked into the sincerity in Eric¡¯s hollow eyes, staring into his unshakable eyes. Could she really be loved, Eric? This was something she¡¯d been waiting for for a long time¡­ For a really, really long time. For a long time, she had longed for his love, yet the result was always the same¡­ A tragic abandonment and crushing hope. In the process, Chloe gradually learned to give up. Giving up, giving up, giving up again¡­ She had now reached a point where she could no longer hold hope. ¡­But, love? Eric, and her? It didn¡¯t feel real. Everything Eric said seemed to be a lie, and she even thought he had other plans. Oh, what kind of ugly prejudice was this? As a wife, it was only natural that she should trust her husband, but still, Chloe did not trust him. Placing her hand on the back of Eric¡¯s, she could feel his warm body temperature. What if this body temperature were the temperature of the heart? Then, she could trust everything he said. Nonetheless, Chloe knew that she shouldn¡¯t take everything he said as the truth. If she took everything he says to her heart, she would end up hurting herself¡­ Moreover, she would die soon. It was extremely painful to have a new hope of love in the face of self-evident death¡­ Love was useless in the face of death. She didn¡¯t want to be loved, and she didn¡¯t want to love. Chloe smiled blankly and grabbed Eric¡¯s hand a little tighter. ¡°I¡­¡± She spoke hesitantly between sighs. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Eric¡¯s eyes twinkled. Observing the clear agitation, she slowly shook her head. ¡°You don¡¯t have to love me.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± He spread his hands wide, then curled them. ¡­Why? Wasn¡¯t she the one who wanted his love? So, he said he would give her that love. So, even though he says that, why the hell? Eric was embarrassed and angry at the same time because he never expected Chloe to act like this. It felt like his own heart had been completely ignored. At first, he didn¡¯t even know what his heart was. ¡°You asked me to love you.¡± Eric closed his eyes as if trying to contain his anger and muttered. ¡°Now that I say I¡¯ll love you, you don¡¯t want it.¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± As he slowly opened his eyes, Chloe stared intently into his gray eyes before retracing her inner desires. She was soon able to draw a conclusion. ¡°I don¡¯t want anything.¡± She uttered with a lighter smile on her lips. ¡°Really. Now, there is nothing I want.¡± If it was in the past, she might have said that she wanted to get Eric¡¯s love. However, she was now tired. The rest of her life was too short for her to hold onto an unchanging love, which she never knew how to change, and she no longer wanted to be swayed by insecurities. Perhaps, she had become detached, unlike Eric, who actually started to burn with fire. ¡°You really¡­!¡± Eric exhaled a frustrated breath, but when he saw Chloe being ill, he could barely contain his anger. How many times has he held back his anger just today? Eric really had the thought that, as she said, they were not in a relationship, and it was a relationship that should not be continued. Still, that wasn¡¯t the case with them. He had no intention of divorcing her. First, he had no intention of letting her go once it had been in his hands, and secondly, he had no intention of getting involved in the betting game of the nobles. Therefore, the Aslan couple¡¯s relationship had to be healthy¡­ whether it was right or not. ¡°For now, focus on recovering your body. No matter what I say right now, I don¡¯t think it will be a conversation.¡± ¡°I have said enough.¡± ¡°Are you saying you want to separate from me?¡± When Chloe nodded his head without thinking, he got to the point where he couldn¡¯t stand his anger any longer, so he jumped up. He was annoyed. At the same time, his heart ached as something came up and irritated his throat. What this feeling was, Eric had no idea what it was, so he was even more upset. As he was engulfed in his emotions and suffered, he suddenly wondered about Chloe¡¯s heart. Did she still love him? Or was she acting this way because she didn¡¯t love him anymore¡­? He was torn between the desire to ask her and the resignation not to ask. But, as always, he was ahead of his desires, and he wasn¡¯t mature enough to capture his rising emotions. ¡°You¡­¡± He stood up and looked down at Chloe. ¡°Do you love me?¡± Her parched lips twisted for a moment. Chloe bit her lower lip as if in deep thought and lowered her gaze. How long has it passed? She grabbed her chin, clasping her hands as if she was making a vow. ¡°Yes.¡± Eric let out a breath of relief unknowingly. Relief? Yes. He was reassured about Chloe¡¯s love for him! Eric didn¡¯t know what kind of feeling this relief was coming from, but he knew one thing¡­ The fact that his frozen heart was melting with just one word from Chloe! He took a deep breath and ruffled his hair. It was Chloe¡¯s following words that made his hand stop. ¡°I loved you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Eric could not have known that her words were in the past tense. The moment he listened to it, he felt his world freeze. His heart, which had been warm, became cold again. At the same time, a corner of his chest tightened as if it had been pierced. Not knowing what more to say here and didn¡¯t want to know, Eric ran out of the room. Anguish enveloped him. Eric summarized his thoughts. He was deeply hurt when Chloe said she didn¡¯t love him anymore, but he never knew why he was hurt. So, he was immersed in thought for several days and was not able to say anything. Still, it was frustrating because he found no answer. ¡°What is love, Daniel?¡± He muttered his words. Daniel, who was rummaging through the papers next to him, replied strangely. ¡°Does anyone know that?¡± Eric looked at him as if he was wondering what that meant. Daniel continued to speak, still keeping his eyes fixed on the papers. ¡°Love is a feeling that no one knows in the first place. How many people know love? You fall in love just because you vaguely feel that you love that person.¡± ¡°So, what does that vague feeling mean?¡± ¡°It varies from person to person.¡± Saying so, Daniel shrugged his shoulders. ¡°For me, the feeling came at first sight. The only one I could see among many people. The moment our eyes met, I could get the feeling that I had it all.¡± He continued, recalling a feeling that had already faded after a long time. Then, as if he was about to get immersed in nostalgia, he hurriedly turned the topic to Eric. ¡°How was it, Your Excellency?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The first time you saw Madam, how was it?¡± __ Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Eric thought carefully when he first saw her. It was the academy entrance ceremony¡­ Yes. How was it? Since this was also an old memory, there were some vague parts. Nevertheless, one sense was clear¡­ ¡°It was terrible.¡± Eric groaned and clenched his teeth. ¡°It was terrible, to the point where I don¡¯t want to look back.¡± At that time, he was just starting to make a name for himself as an inventor. The inventions he made were groundbreaking and great enough to advance the times, but people did not want to buy items made by the hands of the poor. So, Eric was forced to enter the academy. It was a decision that he chose to accept even the title of Viscount. That was why he wanted to rise to a higher position and, at the same time, despised those in high positions. It was not only because of his life where he was persecuted by the nobles in the past. He hated the hypocrisy of the nobles, he was fed up with pretense, and he hated the world that didn¡¯t recognize him. At that time, he met Chloe. She had a noble appearance that could be called a role model. Like a dashing peacock, her eyes, every gesture, everything was elegant and beautiful. However, what about him? He was just a clumsy man who had just lost ¡ª was about to lose ¡ª his vulgar commoner appearance. At that moment, Eric realized that no matter how hard he tried, he would become a lowly being who would have to kneel under that noble nobility. Oh, what was the great status that makes him so helpless? Eric hated this world. Yes. So he didn¡¯t like Chloe. He hated that woman who was so upright, as if she was representing the noble society. Really, he doesn¡¯t want to see her again¡­ Still, his gaze was always on her. As Daniel said, he could find Chloe in the midst of the many people, and the moment his eyes met her, he felt as though her world was getting brighter. Upon graduating from the academy, Eric was very happy to be freed from the filthy noble but also regretted not seeing Chloe anymore. What were his feelings at that time? Was it love? ¡­No, no. Eric shook his head. The feelings he had for Chloe were just a mixture of admiration and jealousy, but not a grand feeling like love. He could be sure. Even this moment¡ªeven this moment, when he was on the verge of separating with her and being completely alienated from her¡ªhe didn¡¯t love Chloe because he couldn¡¯t be completely sure that he loved her. Right¡­ The hurt he received when Chloe said she didn¡¯t love him anymore¡­ It was born out of a sense of betrayal. Feeling betrayed by Chloe, who had nailed the ¡®I love you¡¯ chant for all five years, to change her mind so easily¡­ Eric couldn¡¯t forgive her. However, that didn¡¯t mean he wanted to divorce her, and that was not the case. As mentioned, he did not want to be a toy for the nobles, and furthermore, he wanted to press their noses down¡­ To curry favor with Chloe, it was necessary to force her to withdraw her decision to divorce. What would be good for that? He was determined to throw away his ideas of clich¨¦d love games and made realistic judgments. ¡°Yes. That would be nice.¡± Eric mumbled and beckoned to Daniel. ¡°Bring a quill.¡± Daniel tilted his head. ¡°Not the typewriter?¡± ¡°Yes. The noble Duchess doesn¡¯t like letters written on such a lowly object as a typewriter.¡± ¡°Yes? Are you going to write a letter to the Duchess?¡± Daniel said, terrified. Sure enough, he knew that the Duchess and Chloe¡¯s relationship was terribly bad! In addition, Eric must know that, but he wanted to write a letter to the Duchess? Daniel couldn¡¯t understand him at all. ¡°Her Excellency will hate you.¡± ¡°No.¡± Nonetheless, Eric firmly shook his head. ¡°She will love it this time.¡± He replied as he gripped the quill that Daniel had brought him. ¡°Because Chloe will do whatever she wants.¡± A few days later, Chloe greeted the morning with a little bit of refreshment. As she expected, after a few days of pain, she felt much better. She didn¡¯t think she had to push through the snow and go back to the North to see a doctor. Still, her desire to return to her North was rising because of the conversation she had with Eric a few days ago. ¡°I¡¯m trying to do what you call love.¡± ¡°It means that I will try my best to love you even now.¡± Oh, how unbelievable was that? Chloe pondered for days and days about Eric¡¯s words, the reason why he said these things, but in the end, she couldn¡¯t come up with an answer. The only thing she could guess was that there must be some kind of change of heart in him. Regardless, there was no way for her to know what the cause of the change was, so her frustration remained the same. Andrea said he had been visited by Count Theo Jassen a few days ago. Did he learn something from a conversation with his close friend? So, that was why he said that to her? However, based on Eric¡¯s honest disposition, she was sure he wasn¡¯t the one who fell for someone else¡¯s fanning. There must be other reasons. Another reason¡­ But, did the reason matter? She had already declared that she would not accept his love anyway. Chloe refused Eric. She had no choice but to refuse. She didn¡¯t believe him, and she was living a time-limited life, unable to accept his heart, even if she believed him in the slightest. Chloe remembered clearly the expression on Eric¡¯s face when she rejected him, the empty and sullen face. She was worried the whole time because it was the first time she had ever seen such hot emotion engraved on his face, which used to be as cold as a machine. Still, there was no way to do anything because she couldn¡¯t and wouldn¡¯t accept him. ¡°Madam, are you awake?¡± Andrea came in with the wash water and interrupted the flow of her thoughts. Chloe welcomed her, now fully accustomed to her. ¡°Oh, come to think of it, there were several letters addressed to Madam. I snatched it before it went to the Master! I did well, right?¡± Andrea said with a sarcastic smile. Chloe received the letter while praising her for a job well done. All mail coming into the mansion was managed by Eric, so she used to receive invitations from the ladies through him. Chloe always wanted to enjoy social gatherings after a long absence, but she always knew how much money she spent at those meetings, so she would always turn down invitations because of Eric. Nevertheless, she could go without Eric¡¯s permission when the invitation didn¡¯t come through him. Because of that, she praised Andrea over and over again, and she looked at the letter addressed to her. However¡­ ¡°¡­Mother?¡± Chloe was surprised. It was because it was none other than her mother, the Duchess! Her mother was not the usual sender of letters. She was the kind of woman who, if she had something to say, she preferred to come herself. Wasn¡¯t that how she came the last time? But, a letter¡­? Chloe felt her heart beating fast and opened the envelope. The contents were as follows. [ ¡°You impudent b*tch.¡± ] Chloe was instantly dazzled by the intense anger felt from the first sentence and closed her eyes tightly. What was going on? Why was she trying to torment her again? She bit her lips and read the following: [ ¡°I don¡¯t know how you persuaded your husband, but I can tell you about this one thing. I will curse you for the rest of my life! How can you end the support at your own discretion? This time, Joseph seems to be getting all right, but he¡¯s so depressed he doesn¡¯t even come out of the room! Ah! Everything is messed up because of you! It¡¯s all because of you¡­! If you don¡¯t appeal for support to the Marquis again, your relationship with me ends here! I will never see you again!¡± ] She was stunned. What did this mean? It wasn¡¯t until she re-read the letter over and over again that she could understand what it meant; Eric had cut off his support to the Duchy! He didn¡¯t listen to her even if she asked him, so why all of a sudden? Could it be that there was a problem with his finances? So, he had to cut off support? Was the move financially burdening? Chloe knew she was being rude, but she couldn¡¯t stop thinking about it. ¡°I have to go.¡± Eventually, she straightened her back and muttered. ¡°Andrea. Get ready. I have to go see my husband.¡± Andrea said she would be happy to do so, and shortly Chloe arrived at Eric¡¯s lab. Whoa. Then, she took a deep breath in her. It had been a long time since she had visited Eric in person. It was because they ran into each other or Eric came to visit. Chloe could feel her heart beating fast. It was because she was afraid she would fight him again¡­ ¡®Please, don¡¯t fight this time!¡¯ Chloe put her hands together and prayed. __ Chapter 55 Chapter 55 ¡°Can I come in?¡± After a while, the doorknob turned. It was Eric who opened the door for Chloe himself. Chloe moved her chin lightly as a thank you and walked inside. ¡°It is not organized. Sit where it¡¯s empty.¡± Contrary to his words, the inside of the lab was pretty neat. Compared to the past when it was dusty and covered with moss. As she sat down on the sofa, he handed her a teacup and sat across from her. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I think you know.¡± Chloe lifted the still-warm kettle, poured the tea, and took a slow breath. ¡°I got a contact from my mother¡­ She said you cut off all support to the Duchy.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be contacted so quickly.¡± Eric grinned bitterly. He took a sip of the cold tea. ¡°I think the Duchess was in a lot more hurry than I thought.¡± Although he was speaking casually, Eric was in a very uncomfortable state right now. It was because he thought the Duchess must have spoken harsh words to Chloe again. He should¡¯ve written that she should not contact Chloe in the first place. Even though he just thought about it now, it was already too late. ¡°Really¡­¡± Chloe, completely unaware of his thoughts, opened her mouth carefully. ¡°Did you cut off all support to the Duchy?¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Her eyes shook. ¡­So, that was what happened. Chloe lowered her head, feeling that everything was out of order. She was not feeling sad or disliked. Rather, she was glad again because she was finally able to get away from her family. However, she was not happy with the fact that this was not because of her choice but by Eric¡¯s hand, and that was because he ¡®made it.¡¯ She swore she wouldn¡¯t depend on Eric, and yet it felt like she was depending on him again. Still, she didn¡¯t want to hide her happy feelings even though she did. Chloe curled her lips and lifted her chin. ¡°I won¡¯t ask why. It¡¯s something I¡¯ve always asked for.¡± ¡°I would have been disappointed if you asked why, because I did your request.¡± Eric let out a low laugh and joked. The tense atmosphere was released in an instant. Chloe took a sip of tea. Then, with a click, she put down her teacup and opened her lips once more. ¡°Why would you be angry if I asked you, ¡®Why?¡¯¡± His brow narrowed. ¡°You seem to always think of me as a person who gets angry.¡± The next moment, he clicked his tongue and crossed his legs. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s wrong. It is true that I have been angry with you a lot.¡± ¡°Thank you for noticing.¡± ¡°Are you being sarcastic?¡± Eric burst out laughing. He didn¡¯t look like he was in a bad mood at all. Seeing him like that, Chloe sighed in relief and fiddled with the teacup¡¯s handle. ¡°Even now, I want to respect your will.¡± She took a deep breath. It was because she thought these words of Eric were an extension of what he said a few days ago when he declared that he would love her. Ah! What kind of foolish hope was this? Nonetheless, as soon as she had this thought, the hope that had only existed as a hazy fog in her heart began to gather little by little¡­ Again and again. She had made up her mind that she shouldn¡¯t do this. How many times did she lose hope like this? She doesn¡¯t want to play anymore. Chloe jokingly took a breath she had been holding back and tried to distract him. ¡°Are you acknowledging that you have not respected my will?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t want to say that much, but if the wife wants it.¡± Eric shrugged. There was a soft and peaceful atmosphere. ¡°Four days later, I decided to hold an opening ceremony for the Capital train.¡± Come to think of it, the train opening ceremony was held only in the north but not yet in the Capital. When Chloe looked out the lab window, the snow-covered snow was telling her that the weather was not easy. ¡°While it is snowing like this?¡± ¡°I decided this was okay, so I decided to proceed.¡± He replied still, showing it was okay. Then, Eric asked a question that Chloe would never have thought of. ¡°Would you like to go with me?¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± She shrunk in surprise. Chloe remembered Eric, who left her at the opening ceremony held in the North. She said many times that she wanted to go with him, but Eric never listened¡­ But this time, he offered to go with her. It was clear that something was different from before though Chloe smiled bitterly and lowered her gaze. ¡°Ah¡­ no. I¡¯m fine.¡± She firmly shook her head. ¡°I won¡¯t go.¡± Eric groaned and wrinkled one of his eyes. ¡°Do you not like me, or do you not like the opening ceremony?¡± ¡°¡­I will not answer.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like you. Just¡­¡± Chloe added, clasping her hands together. ¡°It¡¯s uncomfortable. There would be nothing I could do even if I went anyway.¡± This was correct. There was nothing she could do for the opening ceremony. But nevertheless, Eric wanted to attend the opening ceremony with her¡­ Yes. He wanted to let everyone know that he and Chloe were still in a good relationship. Therefore, he had to convince her. ¡°There will be many things you will like.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°There will be fireworks you¡¯ve been wanting to see so much, and maybe even get on the train.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You still don¡¯t like it?¡± Chloe, slightly shaken, hesitated. Thinking she was half-way over, he carefully placed his hand on her hand. ¡°Chloe.¡± Chloe and Eric¡¯s eyes met. Their gazes were entangled with each other¡¯s different thoughts. At this very moment, she thought¡­ ¡°I will be by your side.¡± ¡­Maybe, Eric was being serious. She had a strong feeling that she shouldn¡¯t do this. ¡­She couldn¡¯t do this. Returning to her room, Chloe muttered, wrapping her arms around herself. Before she knew it, she seemed to have hope again. Foolish! She remembered the time when she collapsed so many times that she couldn¡¯t even shed tears and mourned with her whole body. The memories still remain in her body, so she couldn¡¯t trust Eric. For her to believe in him, she had proven that she was a foolish woman. But, but¡­ This time with what happened to her mother and the invitation to the opening ceremony, Eric had changed a little¡­ No, he changed a lot. He really seemed to respect her, unlike before. ¡®One more time¡­¡¯ Would it be okay if she trusted him? Suddenly, a strong wind appeared in my head as if someone was whispering. Chloe shuddered, startled and terrified at the inadvertent thought. No, no! This wouldn¡¯t do¡­! How could she not properly control even her own minds? Her mind wanted to flow freely. Chloe was so pathetic about herself. At the same time, she was pitiful. How she was not loved so much that she was so moved and shaken by this insignificant thing! She once again had the idea that she shouldn¡¯t do this, and she renewed her resolve to never waver. ¡°Excuse me, Madam.¡± At this time, Andrea knocked on the door. When Chloe told her to come in, Andrea hurried into her room. ¡°The Master has asked you to have dinner together.¡± ¡°¡­Dinner?¡± She was a bit surprised. It was because Eric showed her that he didn¡¯t even care about her while she was in her room all the time. But now, to come and have dinner together? ¡°It means that I will try to love you even now.¡± ¡°Are you going to reject these efforts?¡± The words he had said reverberated in his ears. ¡­To love, to try. Was this part of that effort? Having dinner and going out together¡­ was the everyday relationship of a married couple the effort he was talking about? Chloe smiled unknowingly. But soon, the smile evaporated. It was because she felt chest pain and gasped for breath. ¡°I¡­¡± She touched the table and spat her words out. ¡°Tell him I won¡¯t have dinner.¡± ¡°But, Madam¡ª¡± ¡°And, tell him that I will be eating in my room from now on.¡± Chloe said with a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t think we will ever have dinner together.¡± This was the right thing to do. She had to do this. However, contrary to Chloe¡¯s promise, Eric did not give up. He had delivered his words through Andrea every morning. Let¡¯s have breakfast together, have tea time, let¡¯s talk¡­ Even though Chloe refused each time, on the other hand, she was hoping that Eric would talk to her again. She hated herself so much. Even though she hated it, she wanted to accept it¡­ Yes, she was wavering again. ¡°It means that I will try to love you even now.¡± His words never leave her mind. Chloe pondered these words every day, and her frozen heart was melting little by little thanks to Eric¡¯s persistent attitude, which had changed from the past. Still, if it had melted her heart so easily, he could have just paid attention right away¡­ Sweet and bitter emotions ran through her. Chloe thought as she looked at Andrea, who had come. This time, she even wondered what the excuse was. Did Andrea read that expression? Andrea delivered Eric¡¯s message. ¡°He said he made a new invention, and he wanted you to come.¡± ¡°¡­A new invention?¡± This time for a slightly different reason. Chloe tilted her head. ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t know the details either. I guess you¡¯ll have to go see it¡­¡± Andrea frowned and glanced into Chloe¡¯s eyes. This time as well, she was so worried that the Madam would refuse again. Chloe thought for a moment. However, the worries didn¡¯t last long. As much as Eric put so much effort, Chloe should show some degree of reaction. This was because of the feeling of love that remained in her heart and also because of the hope that was revived again. ¡°Alright.¡± She smiled and nodded her head. ¡°Tell him that I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± At those words, Andrea¡¯s face lit up and she left the room, saying that she would deliver it to the master immediately. Chloe unexpectedly glanced out the window. The snow stopped before she knew it. __ Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Dressed up, Chloe cautiously left the room. Through the window leading to the corridor, she could see the clear sky. Indeed, it was a clear sky that she hadn¡¯t seen in a long time, so Chloe could feel her heart beating little by little. It was because she was expecting that her future would be clear, like the clear sky. ¡°¡­.¡± But soon, the hope disappeared. She recognized the situation again¡­ that she would die. She would die anyway. She couldn¡¯t live. In the midst of this, even if she had hope, it would be her who ended up pitiful. Therefore, she should no longer have hopes or imagine a pleasant future because she was going to die anyway. As she thought so, Chloe slowly looked back the way she had come. She wanted to go back to her room. She had come too far for that. Still, maybe she should go back. Anyway, she¡­ ¡°Chloe!¡± As she was at a loss, she heard Eric¡¯s voice. He grabbed her arm. ¡°You said you were coming, but you didn¡¯t come, so I came to find you. Though what were you doing standing here?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Chloe regained her composure for a moment, then turned her body toward Eric. ¡°I was thinking.¡± ¡°Thinking?¡± Eric opened his eyes lightly. ¡°Were you trying to go back to your room?¡± She didn¡¯t answer. It was an unspoken yes. Eric sighed and grabbed Chloe¡¯s arm. ¡°How long will you not come out of your room? Come on, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ve created something you¡¯ll love. I also prepared snacks.¡± Chloe responded by staring up at Eric. She didn¡¯t know why he was acting like this or why he had declared that he loved her. Could this be because of his possessiveness? Or was it his sincerity? Should she go back, or should she take his hand and go¡­? Chloe was in deep trouble. ¡°Chloe.¡± At this time, he called her and she could see her figure in his gray eyes ¡ª Chloe, looking up at him with confused thoughts. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Eric led her. Since she did not return, Chloe had no choice but to hold his hand and move. Even so, she kept looking back because she wanted to go back. However, Eric was holding her hand, she couldn¡¯t go back. His hands were really big and hot. It was different from usual. Tak. Eric put the teacup in front of her and poured her tea with his own hands. Chloe stared down at the steaming tea. As his kindness made her feel awkward, she just sat there, not knowing what to do. Yes. Everything was awkward. Eric¡¯s mention of divorce again, him saying he loves her, and now living together like this¡­ It was awkward and bizarre. It was definitely something she had hoped for, so why was her heart so uncomfortable? Aah, this was probably because of the uneasiness that rose inside her. She was expecting things again though there was an anxiety that her hope might crumble. However, she didn¡¯t have the courage to say these words to Eric. It seemed that he would get angry again. In the end, she shut her mouth as Eric, unaware of her feelings, sat across from her. ¡°Try some tea. I brought it in because it was said to be good for your health, but it tasted pretty good.¡± Chloe nodded her head and took a sip of the tea. A bittersweet scent travels down her throat. Like she said, the taste wasn¡¯t bad. Then, she opened her mouth cautiously, feeling the scent lingering in her mouth. ¡°You said you had something to show me.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Eric smiled and nodded his head. Soon, he got up and went to the back of the sofa. Chloe took a sip of the tea, thinking once again of how kind he was today. Actually, Eric had never been angry and had always been kind lately, but since it had been a while since they met, it seemed more touching. As she put the teacup down, he put something on the table. ¡°What is this?¡± Chloe asked. ¡°It is a portable hearth.¡± Eric answered. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that sound good for people like you who are sensitive to the cold?¡± Her eyes twinkled. She looked at him with disbelief. ¡°Did you make it¡­ for me?¡± Half right, half wrong. When Chloe was in the North, he started to make it to keep her from getting too cold, but the reason why the development was successful in the end was because he recognized the marketability of this stove. However, looking at her eyes, he should not tell the truth. Eric responded by nodding his chin. ¡°Yes.¡± He responded, observing the overwhelming emotion that spread across Chloe¡¯s face. ¡°I started developing it because I thought it might be useful to you. It is now perfect enough to be commercialized.¡± Chloe clasped her hands tightly. Cold sweat dripped from her palms and wet her gloves. She was nervous that much, and at the same time, she felt her heart pounding. Eric did something for her! A machine she would cherish and love the most¡­! She couldn¡¯t believe it. Nonetheless, the hearth in front of her eyes was indisputable evidence of the pillar of her faith. Needless to say, she was deeply moved and could feel one side of her chest slightly warming. ¡°Thank you.¡± She spoke in a short but sincere voice. ¡°Really. Thank you.¡± Seeing Chloe like that, Eric felt a little bit of remorse. If this hearth had no commercial value, it would have been destroyed right away. But in any case, the hearth was made as a result, and she must have been moved by it. He thought that this was it. Eric dismissed the remorse as something insignificant and moved on. ¡°Then, will you go to the opening ceremony tomorrow?¡± Her eyes twinkled. She took off her gloves and wiped her sweaty palms on her skirt, catching her breath. ¡°You¡­¡± The next moment, Chloe slowly raised her head. She met Eric¡¯s eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you are doing this to me.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t find a reason for my feelings.¡± He replied, expecting it. ¡°Does the voice of the heart, called emotion, necessarily have a causal relationship?¡± That was right. Emotions always have no cause, only consequences. The result of loving that person, the result of hating that person¡­ The cause was not so important. Chloe also only had the result of loving Eric though she didn¡¯t even know the reason why she came to love him. Eric could be the same, too, she thought. ¡°You are not wrong.¡± She laughed softly and clenched her chin. ¡°I see. I will go with you this time.¡± <8i>¡­This time. She stressed these words. ¡°But after that, I don¡¯t know.¡± As Eric was silent for a moment, he smiled and nodded his head. ¡°This time is enough.¡± An outing to show off to nobles since there was no better event than the opening ceremony. He smiled at Chloe again and raised the teacup. It felt good. Cough! Chloe coughed up blood as soon as she returned to the room. When she spat it out, dark red blood came out. She smiled bitterly and wiped her mouth with her handkerchief, but she coughed again right away. Cough! And again. Her heart felt like it would break. Eventually, Chloe sat down and curled up her body as the cough broke out incessantly. Her body was not good. Let alone going out tomorrow, recuperation for a while was not going to be enough. However, Chloe endured this pain and agreed to go out because it was Eric¡¯s request. Yes¡­ She dared not refuse his repeated requests. She felt that if she refused, she would hear derogatory words again. She was afraid, she was scared. Chloe wondered if it was right to be so afraid of her husband, but when she thought of her mother, it seemed plausible, so she made a decision anyway in the unknown situation. Enduring the pain, she agreed to accept his request. Did Eric know about this situation? No. Surely he would not know. There was no way he would know. Cough! Chloe coughed blood again and ran her hand across the floor. It felt like her throat was burning, and her mind was giddy. Groaning, she approached the place where the medicine cabinet was. The medicine she received from the north had long since run out. However, she was able to survive to some extent with a fever reducer and stabilizers. Chloe chewed the pills without water and squeezed her eyes shut. She had to hold it in. Hold on¡­ She should never be caught sick by him until she got a divorce and separated from her husband. Chloe even thought she¡¯d rather tell Eric everything and get a clean divorce. She said that if she revealed that she was terminally ill, he couldn¡¯t help either, but she thought he¡¯d give her a divorce. However, there was only one reason that stopped her. ¡­It was because of her pride. Chloe didn¡¯t want anyone to find out that she was dying. She didn¡¯t want to be found out about being sick or about to crumble and disappear. She wanted to keep it to herself, and she wanted to keep it her secret for all eternity. This was due to her unwillingness to accept cheap sympathy, and this was partly due to the noble habit she still couldn¡¯t abandon. Whatever it was, she never intended to tell Eric anything about her being ill. ¡­Yes. So far. As Chloe crawled back into bed, the medicine turned her mind numb. Beyond her blurry mind, the portable hearth that Eric showed her today came to mind. That was really good. She smiled and slowly closed her eyes. When she woke up, the pain would get better¡­ Then, she could go out with her husband. That was what she thought. __ Chapter 57 Chapter 57 The day dawned. Chloe greeted the morning in an improved condition. It seemed that the large amount of medicine she poured yesterday worked. As she tugged at the rope, not long after, Andrea came in and spoke to her kindly. ¡°I heard you are going out today. Shall we prepare for it?¡± ¡°Please do so.¡± ¡°Yes, madam.¡± Andrea answered and took her purple dress from the dress hanger. It was a dress that emphasized the shape of the waist by inflating the skirt with crinoline. Chloe was worried for a moment that the dress was too flashy, but since she was going to wear the Redin coat anyway, it seemed okay. Moreover, was it not the opening ceremony? She had to dress appropriately so she wouldn¡¯t be a bother to Eric. ¡°Is this all right?¡± When Andrea asked, she nodded her head. ¡°Yes. I will wear it.¡± ¡°How about wearing a hat as well? Maybe it¡¯s because it stopped snowing today, but the sunlight is pretty strong. I¡¯m worried that the Madam¡¯s beautiful flesh might get burned.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± Saying so, Andrea skillfully took care of her clothes. Chloe slowly closed her eyes, feeling the soft feel of the towel she was wiping off. Many people would be coming to the opening ceremony today. Among them, there must be people who did not like her. In addition, reporters would come, too, and they would run at her like a pack of dogs¡­ Thinking that far, Chloe bit her lip. She would have to go nonetheless¡­ What she promised to do with her husband, she would do it. Chloe slowly lifted her eyelids and looked out the window. The snow stopped, and she could see a brighter world. ¡®Please stay bright all day. Please let nothing happen.¡¯ She hoped and hoped so. ¡°The Master is going to the opening ceremony first. He has been busy since morning.¡± Said Daniel. Chloe nodded and followed the path he directed toward the carriage. The garden was small, so the distance to the carriage was not too far, and she soon reached the carriage. As Daniel opened the door, she took his hand and got into the carriage. At this time, he opened his mouth. ¡°The master has high expectations for the opening ceremony today.¡± Chloe stared at Daniel. She didn¡¯t know why he suddenly said this. ¡°What do you want to say?¡± ¡°As usual¡­¡± Daniel hesitated for a moment, then continued. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to argue or anything.¡± Chloe let out a small sigh. ¡°You seem to be saying that I take full responsibility for the fights with my husband.¡± At those words, Daniel glanced around for a moment before nodding his head and answering. ¡°I cannot deny it.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Chloe thought again. ¡­Was it like that? Did the quarrel between Eric and her really come from her? In fact, in the past, she could say no, but not in the current situation. Perhaps, it was true that the recent quarrel stemmed from her. She kept asking for the divorce, and Eric was against it, causing friction. ¡°Yes.¡± Thinking this far, Chloe nodded meekly. ¡°I understand everything you say.¡± Daniel¡¯s eyes sparkled, contrary to hers. ¡°Still, if you don¡¯t want a quarrel, I can get a divorce as I wish. Don¡¯t you think so, too?¡± ¡°Madam, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°After the divorce, there will be no quarreling.¡± Daniel bit his lip at her remarks. There was nothing wrong with Chloe¡¯s words though it was hard for him to accept as he was against their divorce. So, he asked. ¡°Why did you decide to divorce?¡± He looked at Chloe and went on. ¡°Have you lived like that all along? Still, why all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Just because I lived like that so far, do I have to live like that for the rest of my life?¡± Chloe let out a low laugh. She seemed to know all too well why Daniel was Eric¡¯s aide. It was clear that the terribly selfish people were holding each other¡¯s hands, so they had become unaware of each other¡¯s selfishness. Chloe smirked and continued speaking resolutely. ¡°I don¡¯t want to live like that.¡± ¡°Madam.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to live the way I used to anymore.¡± Daniel opened his mouth, then slowly closed it. It was because Chloe spoke so strongly. What more could he add here? As he thought silence was the wise answer in this situation, this thought was the correct answer. She said to Daniel, clearing his somewhat stern face. ¡°You know better that today¡¯s conversation was presumptuous enough.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Daniel readily admitted. ¡°I won¡¯t tell my husband. So you, too¡­¡± Chloe let out a sigh. ¡°Please stop encouraging my husband anymore.¡± She really meant it. Chloe thought that Daniel might be one of the reasons Eric kept reversing the divorce. Anyway, the reason Daniel whispered to Eric was because he didn¡¯t want his master¡¯s name to be blemished. Perhaps that judgment was correct, Daniel¡¯s face hardened. As she chuckled, she grabbed the door of the carriage. ¡°Because I really want to divorce him.¡± Shut. Eventually, the carriage door closed. Soon there was the sound of the engine firing, and the carriage began to pull away slowly. Until then, Daniel had been watching Chloe¡¯s carriage with a blank stare. She tried to ignore him and just looked ahead. The rattling, swaying carriage and the smell of oil flowing in were not very welcome. The opening ceremony would be held on Paisan Hill, above the Pierre Bridge because that was the starting point of the capital train. Chloe leaned sideways against the window and looked up at the distant sky. She could see floating airships. Meanwhile, everyone was hanging from the curtains, wanting to see it. The world¡¯s first unmanned railway. The only railroad that runs 100,000 miles It was embarrassing to have so many compliments on it, but Chloe thought it was worth it. It was because the Paisan Railway was a great invention that Eric made with all his heart and put all his effort and passion into it. The Paisan Railway was operated unmanned. In addition, it extracted the maximum output with the minimum amount of coal. As a result, the weight of the railway itself was reduced, and more people could be accommodated. It was great just to hear it. It would be a clear innovation if these railroads were opened nationwide. Therefore, Chloe had to acknowledge Eric¡¯s greatness. ¡­He was such a great person. It felt even strange to have someone like him by her side. ¡®Hasn¡¯t that been the case all along?¡¯ Chloe recalled what Daniel had said. When he said ¡®that,¡¯ he meant that despite Eric¡¯s cold treatment and his numerous ignorance, she had firmly occupied a comfortable position. Hearing Daniel¡¯s words, she responded by pretending to be indifferent and insignificant, but that was not the case. Now that everyone knew that she lived ¡®like that¡¯ all along, Chloe was so ashamed. She wouldn¡¯t live ¡®that way¡¯ anymore¡­ Chloe took her breath once more, holding her promise. With a rattle, the carriage rocked once, and the engine slowly started to shut down. She had arrived before she knew it. Straightening her back, she tidied the hem of her crumpled dress. If the coachman opened the door right away, then she could leave. She wouldn¡¯t make eye contact with anyone and headed to fill the right spot in the right place¡­ Chloe reflected on her thoughts. Suddenly, the door opened. Her blue eyes, which had fallen down, slowly lifted up. She raised her body without even looking out. At that moment¡­ ¡°I hope the way here was comfortable, wife.¡± It was a familiar voice. Chloe turned her head in surprise and saw Eric standing through the open carriage door. Why was her husband here¡­? She was so shocked that she couldn¡¯t speak properly. ¡°Why do you look so surprised? Can¡¯t I even come out to meet my wife?¡± Eric laughed softly and stretched out his hand towards her. Chloe got out of the carriage, unknowingly grabbing his arm. As soon as she did, she felt the stinging eyes. Everyone seemed to be staring at her and Eric. She bit her lower lip lightly and leaned closer to him as Eric wrapped his arms around her shoulders. ¡°Everyone has been waiting for you.¡± ¡°¡­Me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Eric uttered with a grin. ¡°Because I gave a speech about you being the one who helped me the most in my invention.¡± ¡®Why would he say that!¡¯ Chloe wanted to scream it, but she couldn¡¯t because there were many eyes watching her. Instead, she whispered softly. ¡°¡­What made you say that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I want more people to recognize my wife¡¯s virtues.¡± She could smell the alcohol in Eric¡¯s voice. ¡°Have you had a drink?¡± ¡°Today is a happy day.¡± At her words, he nodded his head. Upon closer inspection, he appeared to be slightly intoxicated. Chloe distanced herself from him, but Eric refused to let her go. He clasped her shoulders tighter and whispered in her ear. ¡°There are many people I would like to introduce to you.¡± Introduce¡­ She had never had anything like this happen before. As she thought about it, Chloe got hesitant as Eric led her arm. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± She followed after him. This was partly because of Daniel¡¯s earlier request, ¡®Don¡¯t argue today,¡¯ and partly because Eric had never shown anything like this before, so she was deeply moved by how he was willing to work hard. Whatever it was, Chloe was a little shaken in her mind. ¡­No, she was shaken a lot. __ Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Chloe was introduced to a lot of people. Of course, there were none among them that she did not know. No matter how much her prestige has faded and she has become poor, she was still the daughter of a high-ranking duke. There was no one who didn¡¯t know her and no one she didn¡¯t know. Because of that, Chloe passed the time comfortably conversing with the people Eric guided her around. Surprisingly, this time passed fine. She thought that everyone would hate her until she realized she was obsessed with a terrible sense of victimization. However, after meeting people, she realized that his thoughts were literally just a sense of victimization and that other people had no special thoughts about her. Therefore, Chloe suffered from untimely shame. Perhaps the sense of victimization she harbored was the pride that everyone was thinking of her, it was her deep-rooted self-consciousness! ¡®I shouldn¡¯t think too much.¡¯ When she judged that her self-consciousness was caused by her thoughts, she made another promise not to think more deeply than this. Nonetheless, this was also just a thought, so she got confused for a moment though it was none other than Eric who calmed the confusion. ¡°There are reporters over there.¡± Eric approached and whispered in Chloe¡¯s ear. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They are all people who will write favorable articles for us.¡± ¡°How sure are you?¡± She couldn¡¯t trust the reporters. After the recent airship incident, she had become even more distrustful of reporters. Reports were originally just beings who reveal the truth with a pen, but recent reporters seem to be driven by money. ¡­Right, just like now. ¡°Isn¡¯t there anything that money can¡¯t do?¡± She flinched at Eric¡¯s words, and her shoulders trembled. What he meant was that he bribed reporters with money¡­ Should she say that it was fortunate that there were no bad news articles, or should she criticize the reporters who have abandoned their sense of ethics? Chloe laughed bitterly. ¡°Shall we go and say hello?¡± ¡°No, I am fine.¡± At the question, she flatly refused. ¡°I also had a few drinks.¡± Eric¡¯s eyes widened slightly. ¡°The sun will rise in the west if you drink.¡± He smiled and took a sip of champagne. Chloe felt the smile spread across Eric¡¯s face and the gaze directed at her at the same time and took a slight step back. Because if she stayed close to him, she would fall into his deep eyes again. Thinking that it shouldn¡¯t be like this, she held onto her heart again, although it was useless in front of Eric. ¡°Are you doing fine with the sickness?¡± ¡°¡­Thanks to you, it has improved a lot.¡± Then, his eyes scanned her body. What was improving? She looked worse than when he saw her a few days ago. As he thought so, he snatched the champagne glass from her hand and opened his mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t get sick.¡± After drinking all the champagne left in her glass, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we be together for a long, long time?¡± Chloe stared at him instead of answering. Eric seemed to have no intention of divorcing her. However, it didn¡¯t look like it was because he couldn¡¯t overcome his temper like before. It felt like he really wanted to cherish her and keep her by his side. Yes. Like he said, he loved her¡­ Thump. Her heart raced. Even though she thought it shouldn¡¯t be like this, compared to that, the voice in her heart was honest. ¡°I¡¯ll just go over there.¡± Eric said, tilting his face back to her. ¡°If anything happens, come find me.¡± The skin that his wet voice touched heated up. Chloe tucked her chin and nodded at him. ¡°¡­Yes, darling.¡± As Eric left with a satisfied smile, Chloe was able to lift her head and gazed at him back. Her heartbeat was so fast that it hurt. This was a phenomenon stemming from the hope that Eric loved her, and it was not going to subside easily. ¡®¡­Foolish woman.¡¯ Chloe defined herself this way. If she wasn¡¯t foolish, how could she have such a heart again? ¡­Loving Eric. She had to admit that she still loved him and that she had hoped for him again. Nonetheless, Chloe thought again that this time, it seemed different than before. Eric felt different from before. He suppressed his selfish stubbornness as best he could and somehow tried to say something kind to her. Chloe was quick to notice this effort, and as a result, she felt her heart beating again, just like today. ¡®He can change.¡¯ If he kept being like this, and if he loved her, it seemed that their relationship would be completely different from before. They could have the close couple relationship that Chloe has longed for. She smiled softly, thinking of such a future, but soon bit her lip in regret. If so, what would be the difference¡­? ¡®I¡¯m going to die, anyway.¡¯ One and a half years left¡­ It would only be about a year to be able to move freely like now. In the face of an already self-evident death, she had to reflect on Eric¡¯s love once again. If he ever truly came to love her¡ªwhich she wouldn¡¯t now¡ªwouldn¡¯t her death hurt him deeply? So, if she loved Eric deeply, wouldn¡¯t it be right for her to leave before she hurt him even more? Chloe was confused by the ambivalence. In her heart, she hoped to be loved by him, yet in her head, she said she shouldn¡¯t. The thoughts made her shut her eyes gently. Eric, should I talk to you? Should she tell him that she was sick, that she had only a few days left to live, that there was no cure? And, if she made him choose¡­ What would he do? Chloe bit her lip very hardly. She was not sure which was the smarter way. However, it was fortunate that there was something to be sure of¡­ that Eric had sworn to love her deeply. That was it. Still, this alone gave her hope and kept her in a good mood. She smiled lowly as she gazed at Eric¡¯s back. At that moment¡­ ¡°Hello, madam.¡± A familiar voice came. Chloe turned around and saw Count Theo Jassen. As she bowed briefly to him, she immediately turned her head away, expressing that she did not want to talk to him. Still, Theo didn¡¯t back down. He took a step closer to her and spoke to her with a friendly smile. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. I heard that you¡¯ve been unwell for a while, are you okay?¡± Having said that, she couldn¡¯t just ignore him. Chloe had to turn her gaze to him. ¡°I have improved a lot. Thank you for your concern.¡± ¡°Thank you, what? Of course, I have to ask.¡± Theo shuddered. Then, he leaned over to Chloe as if he really wanted to ask something. ¡°How is that punk Eric doing these days?¡± Chloe narrowed her brows. No matter how close the two are to each other, the Count called the Marquis ¡®a punk.¡¯ It was something that could have been unpleasant, so she asked in a rather sharp voice. ¡°What did you call my husband?¡± Theo groaned and admitted his mistake. ¡°Ah. Madam, I¡¯m sorry. Actually, I shouldn¡¯t have called His Excellency so carelessly.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s okay.¡± As she replied with a smile, Theo, who was deeply moved by her thoughtful words, placed a hand on his chest. ¡°Thank you for accepting my apology. I do not know how to thank you for your generosity.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Chloe felt a little relieved and was able to accept Theo¡¯s joke with a smile before she asked him. ¡°You asked if my husband was okay. What do you mean?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­¡± Theo continued. ¡°I meant if he was doing well with Madam these days. Recently, when I met Eric¡­ No, His Excellency, I saw him swear to do his best for Madam.¡± ¡°Are you saying he said that to the Count?¡± ¡°Yes. It was as solemn as taking an oath in front of the Bible.¡± Chloe could feel her mood improve dramatically. He said that to his closest friend, Theo! It seemed that she shouldn¡¯t doubt his heart any longer. The ¡®I will try to love¡¯ thing he said was truly sincere! Upon learning Eric¡¯s sincerity, she could feel a sharp pain in one side of her chest, which came from the guilt of having suspected and judged Eric on her own. Chloe declared to herself that she would now fully trust him¡­ that was until she heard Theo¡¯s following words. ¡°Perhaps he doesn¡¯t want to lose in the nobles¡¯ bet.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Chloe asked, slightly narrowing her brows. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Theo realized that he had made a really big mistake. He hurriedly shook his hands and turned his head. ¡°Oh, no. I made a mistake.¡± ¡°Count.¡± Chloe walked over to Theo. At the same time, anxiety overtook her. ¡®¡­Bet, what was he talking about?¡¯ Her heart beat so fast that it hurt. ¡°Tell me, please. What do you mean?¡± Theo was hesitant, but he couldn¡¯t keep pretending he didn¡¯t know it when Chloe came out so strong. Still, he would get in big trouble with Eric later. He thought so and clicked his tongue. ¡°On the day Madam returned from the palace, the other madams made a bet with each other.¡± ¡°A bet¡­¡± ¡°Yes. So, the content of the bet¡­¡± Theo ran his hand through his bangs and continued softly. ¡°It is about when Madam and the Marquis will be divorced. The Madams did, so their spouses also participated.¡± As she listened to his words, Chloe felt her heart throbbing and she took a deep breath. ¡°You mean my husband knows about it.¡± ¡°Yes, he does.¡± ¡°So, that¡¯s why my husband¡­¡± She pursed her lips. Even though she wanted to speak, she lost her words. Chloe managed to put her thoughts on the tip of her tongue and form it into words. ¡°¡­started to be nice to me.¡± Crack, crash. The sound of something breaking came. It looked like someone had dropped a glass somewhere. However, Chloe thought it was from her heart. It was the sound of the hopes she had that were ravaging and disappearing. At the same time, the sound of the last remaining love for Eric was shattered and gone as well. She thought so. __ Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Eric was in a good mood. Not only that the opening ceremony ended successfully, but he also had friendly conversations with nobles. Furthermore, it seemed that he showed a much more affectionate side to Chloe than expected. Having done this much, she must have been satisfied to some extent. As he saw the people off, Eric thought that the day wasn¡¯t bad overall. Everyone welcomed him with great hospitality, and they went away rejoicing. He felt better. After seeing everyone off, he finally went to find Chloe¡­ only to hear surprising words. Chloe went back first! He obviously asked her to go with him, but why did she go back first? What went wrong? Eric was worried and held his heart throughout the carriage ride. At that moment, he thought, quite astonishedly, that Chloe had grown so prominent in his heart. Her existence had taken so much weight, and yet he felt a good feeling¡­ he felt good about this feeling again. He was surprised. He obviously was annoyed and disliked Chloe¡¯s past self. No, did he¡­? He must have been honest with his feelings after drinking a little. He felt good, so there was no bad feeling that sunk into his heart. Eric began to think about his own feelings. He remembered the first time he met Chloe. He first saw her at the academy entrance ceremony. At the time, he gave a speech as a senior student. Standing alone in front of so many people to express one¡¯s opinion was a formidable task, and Eric was rather exhausted. At that time, he saw Chloe. She was standing in the middle of the crowd, and he could think of her as a lily standing tall in a field overgrown with weeds. That was because Chloe was noble and upright¡ªshe seemed to harbor the pure white truth. So, he naturally took notice of her. But the words she gave back was¡­ ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were a commoner?¡± The words were like a dagger in his chest. Eric may have hated Chloe since then. So after that, he kept looking at her, looking for her, and maybe that was it. He was trying to somehow catch her and return the dagger she had put in him¡­ Still, Chloe was a woman without even the slightest crack. Because of that, he hated her¡­ he hated her terribly¡­ But not now. He had come to like Chloe to some extent, given the considerable weight she was carrying in his heart now. Was this the love Chloe was talking about? He didn¡¯t know that though somehow he came to think deeply about her. This was a feeling that gave Eric a kind of pride, and he felt the desire to show it openly to Chloe, to tell her how he felt when he got home. She would like it. She was swayed even now, so maybe she wouldn¡¯t bring up the topic of divorce anymore. Chloe would always be by his side. Everything was perfect in his plan. Eric got off the carriage and entered the house, thinking that the day would end beautifully. The house was tranquil, with only Daniel and Andrea as the servants. When they moved, Eric planned to hire a few more servants. Since they would have many servants, he would ask Chloe to manage them. She would surely like it, too. She would become the Madam. Eric thought as he crossed the hall. She would be even more proud of himself if she could do something in the capital that she couldn¡¯t do in the North. For now, he thought it would be better to stop by his room to change first and meet Chloe. Since he had been outside for a long time now, there was a lot of dust, and it was also a bit stuffy. Eric loosened his tie and grabbed the doorknob. At that time. ¡°Darling.¡± Hearing Chloe¡¯s voice, he turned around and saw her standing at the end of the hallway and walking towards him. ¡°You are late.¡± ¡°It took a little while to see everyone off. Is that why you went back first?¡± Eric looked into Chloe¡¯s face. Fortunately, she didn¡¯t look sick. It meant that the sickness was not as bad as it was a while ago. ¡°I thought you were sick, so you went back first. Though I¡¯m glad, it doesn¡¯t look like that.¡± As he uttered with a little relief, Chloe replied. ¡°Can I speak to you for a moment?¡± Eric narrowed his brows slightly. ¡°What happened?¡± He then rolled up his sleeves and spoke again. ¡°Actually, I want to wash. Being outside for a long time makes me feel stuffy.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t take long.¡± Chloe cut Eric off. Then, she smiled a bit self-pitifully. This was a rather bizarre mockery, so Eric couldn¡¯t help but wonder. She raised her eyes to look directly at him before speaking again. ¡°So, please give me a minute.¡± Eric then agreed, and Chloe started walking towards the parlor. Even though he felt a bit dazed, he followed her. Arriving at the parlor, Eric first showed her to the seat, then reached out his hand toward the cupboard. He was thinking of drinking a glass of wine to celebrate the good day. As his fingertips touched the wine bottle, Chloe suddenly opened her lips. ¡°Darling.¡± Chloe said while showing only his back to Eric. ¡°We¡¯re getting a divorce.¡± Eric put his hand away from the wine and grabbed the whiskey. The mention of that damned divorce¡­ It was really disgusting. Today, he did nothing wrong. He was proud that he had created a good atmosphere and made Chloe very comfortable. But why was she saying this again¡­? Damn it. Grabbing the bottle of whiskey, Eric turned around and walked toward her with rather rough steps. He should say something to her today. He couldn¡¯t tolerate any more fooling around. ¡°What else bothers you today?¡± He sat down across from Chloe and said. ¡°If you¡¯re going to talk about divorce every time you¡¯re bothered like that, why did you marry me in the first place? Now, I even doubt the sincerity of the love you speak of.¡± Hearing Eric¡¯s outspoken words, Chloe¡¯s eyes widened a little before she slowly lowered her gaze. ¡°I heard the story from Count Jassen.¡± ¡­What story? Eric could feel his heart skip a beat for a moment. He licked his trembling lips and took a deep breath. Meanwhile, Chloe gazed at him and continued talking slowly. ¡°That the nobles made a bet on us. Because of that, you declared that you would not divorce me and even talked about your love for me.¡± Eric¡¯s eyelids fluttered at those words because it felt like he was being caught. He clenched his fists desperately, hiding his expression. ¡°Do you believe what that punk says?¡± Chloe stared at him instead of answering. The moment she saw the fake version of him in her eyes, Eric thought he couldn¡¯t fool her any longer, and he was forced to tell her the truth. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll admit it. At first, it was for that reason. But not now¡­ Now, I want to get along with you more.¡± ¡°Are you saying that I should believe that again?¡± Chloe let out a laugh. ¡°How long must I believe you? I don¡¯t even know how many times it is now. I am so tired now.¡± As she stared at the whiskey glass in front of Eric, she slowly raised her gaze to look at Eric¡¯s chin, his lips, the tip of his nose, and his eyes. She stared into his dull gray eyes. In his eyes, there was her. Though was that really Chloe herself¡­? Perhaps, it contained a different Chloe that he thought of. She questioned herself. ¡°I¡­¡± Chloe opened her mouth slowly. ¡°I only wanted one thing from you.¡± She let out a low laugh. ¡°I only wanted you to love me.¡± A sigh escaped Eric¡¯s teeth. Chloe¡¯s words continued, directly witnessing his sigh, ¡°That must have been really difficult for you. So, you keep making me feel this way. Hard, tired, sad¡­¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I will give up now. To be loved by you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why¡­!¡± Eric finally couldn¡¯t stand it and shouted. ¡°I said I¡¯ll give you that love now!¡± ¡°Honey.¡± Chloe gave him a sad smile. ¡°Love is not something you give. It¡¯s something you do.¡± At those words, Eric bit his lower lip. She was right. Love was not what he gave, it was what he did. Still, why did he think he would give Chloe that love until now? This was his own big mistake. Nonetheless, Eric was not one to admit his mistakes and apologize because he was terribly arrogant and selfish. ¡°Not as much as a divorce.¡± ¡°Is it because of honor?¡± ¡°Yes. You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Even if I die?¡± Eric¡¯s breath stopped. Chloe grabbed her skirt and lifted her chin. ¡°Darling.¡± She didn¡¯t want to talk this much. She didn¡¯t want to receive cheap sympathy from Eric, and moreover, she wanted to make her death a secret that only she knew. However, as the situation turned out to be this, now she had to confess to him. ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± Eric had a strong hunch that he shouldn¡¯t listen to Chloe¡¯s following words. He shuddered and tried to interrupt her words. ¡°Stop talking¡­¡± ¡°Dying.¡± But, Chloe didn¡¯t wait for him. ¡°I¡¯m now dying.¡± __ Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Eric had to ponder what he had just heard. The worry didn¡¯t last long, and he was soon astonished. Dying, Chloe? What was she talking about?! ¡°Are you planning on divorcing me by telling such a lie? You are really out of your mind!¡± So, he thought she was lying. Yes. It was a lie. It had to be a lie. Chloe¡¯s dying¡­ It was a terrible thing that he could never have imagined! Chloe, however, shook her head calmly. ¡°I am not lying.¡± She expected this reaction from Eric. When someone suddenly came forward saying that they were dying, would anyone really believe that? Because of that, she took out the note she had prepared and pushed it to Eric. ¡°You will know when you go to the northern doctor.¡± Eric hurriedly picked up the note. There was an address written on it, but he guessed it was the place where the northern doctor he had been looking for so much lived. He grabbed the note and bit his lip at the same time. ¡­Chloe was dying? She was going to disappear from the world forever? Eric couldn¡¯t believe it, and he didn¡¯t want to believe it. Nonetheless, Chloe didn¡¯t wait for his denial either. ¡°Darling.¡± She gazed at him with the eyes of a dead person. ¡°I¡¯m not lying.¡± Eric pursed his lips and gasped for breath. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t believe it.¡± After that, the only words he could barely spit out were these. ¡°You are such a mean woman to lie to me just because you want to divorce me! How can you lie with your life?!¡± Eric shouted in a boiling voice, but Chloe, who heard the cry, was surprisingly calm. Could it be because she expected Eric¡¯s reaction¡­? She shook her head slowly. ¡°Then, you can go to the doctor at this address and confirm for yourself.¡± ¡°It will happen even if you don¡¯t tell me. So, until then, you can never leave the mansion. Never!¡± ¡°Darling.¡± Chloe hesitated for a moment. ¡°No, Marquis.¡± Eric¡¯s eyes widened as words that he thought would never come out of Chloe¡¯s lips flowed out. Why did he always think that she would treat him as her husband? Even though he was shocked, Chloe delivered a firm word to him, like driving her point. ¡°Please, let me go now.¡± Chloe uttered, placing her hand on his chest. ¡°How much more do you intend to make it difficult for me?¡± Eric clenched his fists tightly. I¡¯ve never been hard on you I mean¡­ I never intended to. I was trying to be nice to you. I tried to be really good this time, but how could you lie like this?! The sound of his heart clamored and rose to the top of his throat. However, at the same time, a terrible imagination dominated his mind that Chloe¡¯s words might be true¡­ that she might really die and disappear from the world¡­ Eric shook his head. ¡°Let¡¯s assume what you say is true. Alright. Let¡¯s say you have a fatal disease. So, is there no way? No, how sick are you?¡± Eric poured out his words. ¡°Isn¡¯t it something that needs to be treated? First of all, you have to see a capital doctor and get a proper diagnosis¡­! No, why didn¡¯t you tell me in the first place!¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t I tell you?¡± Chloe let out an empty laugh. ¡°I told you, all the time. I told you many times that it hurts.¡± She slowly closed her eyes. Chloe remembered those moments when she said she was sick countless times in front of Eric¡­ Still, he never listened to her. He always turned away and never looked back. For that man to ask why she never told him. She found his hypocrisy so hard now. ¡°You were the one who ignored it. You were the one who pretended not to know I was sick, and you were the one who didn¡¯t pay any attention to me.¡± ¡°Chloe, that¡­¡± ¡°So, darling.¡± Chloe took a deep breath and straightened her back. ¡°I want to live my life according to my will at least once before I die.¡± Before this body wore out any further, she had to act. In order to do that, the first priority was to get out of this cramped, difficult and exhausting situation. ¡°So, please let me go.¡± Eric couldn¡¯t hold onto Chloe. He didn¡¯t deserve to hold onto her. Chloe stared blankly at the luggage she had packed in advance. The bag wasn¡¯t big. She left behind everything Eric had bought for her, and only the bag she had brought with her when she first came to the Capital was taken. As she glanced around the room slowly, she was carrying her bag. It was a little old and shabby, but compared to the room she had been living in the North for several years, it was strangely affectionate. Chloe slowly ran her finger across the edge of the fireplace. Then, she looked around the room once again, and the portable hearth came into her view. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that sound good for people like you who are sensitive to the cold?¡± ¡°I started developing it because I thought it might be useful to you.¡± Eric¡¯s words rang in her ears. She no longer thought what he had said was the whole truth. But nonetheless, when she made the assumption that his words were true¡­ If he made the hearth for her¡­ She felt so much sadness that she couldn¡¯t even express it. Chloe¡¯s eyes trembled. The tip of her nose grew hot, and before she could stop it, the tears flowed and wet her cheeks. She sat down and began to let her sorrow flow. I trusted you. I wanted to believe until the end. Even when you said you would love me, I hoped that your arrogant words would come true. I did¡­ ¡®It was only because of the bet.¡¯ Chloe felt as if the castle she had painstakingly built was collapsing. Her castle was not a castle built bit by bit with stones. It was a castle made of sand that would break if held, so it was a weak and precarious castle that would disappear at once from angry waves. Cough! Chloe coughed and curled up. Cough, cough. Blood poured out. The drippings of her blood on the carpet seemed to speak to her. She doesn¡¯t have much time left to live. So, she had to leave. She had to stop playing with love anymore, and now she had to shake off everything and leave. Eric was a man who could never love her. He did not even know what love was. He was terribly selfish and arrogant¡­ He was a bad person. She thought he¡¯d love her if he knew she was dying¡­ but, he didn¡¯t even believe that she was dying¡­ ¡®He doesn¡¯t deserve to love.¡¯ Chloe left the room slowly, never letting go of her bag. It was snowing outside. Eric leaned his face against the window and glanced out. A snowy world¡­ there was a person who was walking on top of the white snow. It was Chloe, clutching the tiny luggage bag. They¡¯d been together for about three months, and that was the only thing she brought. She seemed to be leaving behind everything he had done for her, the gifts he had given her. Watching her leave in the same outfit as she first came¡­ he couldn¡¯t help but feel a rage. Eric clenched his fists. ¡°Darling.¡± With such a beautiful voice¡­ ¡°I am now dying.¡± What a terrible thing to say! Ahh, I can¡¯t believe it. I can¡¯t believe it! He still couldn¡¯t believe it. Chloe was dying. She would disappear from the world. What kind of nonsense! He wanted to believe she had lied to him. She really wanted to separate with him, that was why she lied¡­ Eric hit the window with a thud. Still, Chloe didn¡¯t look back as she just walked out of the mansion with her characteristic lofty, upright gait. ¡°Daniel!¡± As Eric hurriedly called, Daniel, who was standing outside the door, came into the room. ¡°What¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Put someone to Chloe.¡± He interrupted Daniel¡¯s words and spoke in a shout. ¡°Where she goes, who she meets, how she lives, report everything to me.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°Then, go to the address listed here and bring someone with you.¡± The next moment, he handed him the note Chloe had left. Daniel, who received the note in a daze, looked at Eric, revealing his bewilderment openly ¡°Please tell me what is going on. Then, I will think and go.¡± You want me to tell you what¡¯s going on? Eric let out a laugh. It was difficult to tell Daniel everything that happened today¡­ No, it would be more accurate to say that even though he had a mouth, he had nothing to say. To think that his lies were discovered and that she declared divorce again. It was something he didn¡¯t want anyone to know about. Whoo. Eric drew in a breath. ¡°Chloe says she has a fatal disease.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± Daniel¡¯s eyes shook. ¡°That, that¡­¡± ¡°It must be a lie.¡± Eric replied firmly. ¡°A lie she told because she wanted to separate from me.¡± He had to think like this¡­ he had to believe this. Without that, Eric couldn¡¯t stand it. ¡°Then, bring the one who lives at that address before my eyes.¡± Eric looked out the window again. Before he knew it, Chloe had disappeared without a trace. __ Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Chloe walked in the snow. She didn¡¯t even know where to go. To know the way she should go was to have a clear destination and a clear reason for going there, but she had no destination and no reason to go. The only thing certain was that she had to leave this place, that was all. So, her steps naturally headed toward the airfield. It was late in the evening, so the airfield was empty, and the only remaining airship was a passenger airship that was just preparing to depart. Chloe spoke to the crewman standing at the ticket gate. ¡°Where is this airship going?¡± The crewman tilted his head. Usually, the person who asked such a question was either a person who was lost due to a lack of sense, or a person who was lost because of a lack of destination. Though judging from the woman in front of him, it seemed to be the latter. Even though the woman¡¯s complexion was as bad and pale as that of a dead person, her eyes were bright, her tightly pursed lips were twisted stubbornly, and her behavior was noble enough to compare with any lady. He didn¡¯t think of her as a stupid person who didn¡¯t have a sense. ¡°It¡¯s heading to Heath. It goes straight without stopping in the middle.¡± Chloe slowly lowered her eyes. Heath¡­ It was famous for its sparkling beaches, forest roads, and wild cliffs. It was a scenery she had never seen before though she was able to picture it in her head enough. Imagining Heath¡¯s splendor, she decided it was a suitable place to lay her own body. ¡°I¡¯ll buy one way.¡± The price of the airship ticket was more expensive than expected. Chloe thought that it was fortunate that she got the money from the bank through Andrea a few days ago. At the same time, she realized that this money came from Eric. She could feel the bitterness, like a bug that eats his money until she leaves him. Soon, she slowly boarded the airship. The airship shuts as soon as she boards, perhaps Chloe was the last guest. The sound of engines preparing for departure pierced her ears. She sat down in the third-class seat. It was a ticket she had bought in a hurry, and she couldn¡¯t pay a higher price, so she was seated in a lower-class seat. Chloe sat down and looked around. She saw people who were well-dressed to some extent but lacked dignity. They were making a lot of noise to and fro and drinking even though it wasn¡¯t in the dining car! She looked at them with contempt, then lowered her eyes apologetically. Now that she was divorced from Eric Aslan, she herself had ceased to be the Marchioness. She could not take the family name of Duchy Rolfe because she changed her surname when she got married. So, she could never become someone of Duchy Rolfe again. She couldn¡¯t be Mrs. Aslan, and she couldn¡¯t be Lady Rolfe. Therefore, she was just Chloe¡­ The only name left was Chloe. It was a life no different from that of a commoner. How terrible! Even in her dreams, she didn¡¯t expect that her life would be ruined like this. A long time ago, what was the past like? Was it a childhood full of happy imaginations and delusions? Chloe recalled her past before the marriage, herself in the South. ¡­At that time, she was really naive. She hoped for an accidental love and romance like in the novel and a marriage filled with affection and respect. She was sure that it would happen because Chloe then was the youngest daughter of an unenviable Duchy, with pretty looks and a bright mind. But, what about reality? It was not enough that she got married for trade, she was betrayed by her husband while seeking love, abandoned by her family, and ran away while being pursued with a fatal disease! Chloe looked like she was about to burst into tears. It was not because this situation was so unbearably disgusting and terrible. It was because she realized that she was too stupid. What if she had not wished for love from Eric from the beginning and had lived a moderately contented life as the Madam of Marquisate Aslan? Had it been so, her body would not have been so weak as it was now, and her heart would not have been torn apart and hurt¡­ It might have been better that way. She had regrets, but, as always, regrets were just words of fools who couldn¡¯t accept the past. The Chloe of the past was too smart, but the Chloe of today was just too stupid. She turned her head and peered out of the window. Looking down at the earth, which now seemed small, at the dotted lights, at the snowflakes and snow clouds filling the pitch-black sky, Chloe reaffirmed that she would live a life with no more regrets. Even if only for the rest of her time. &nb sp; Eric wandered around the office nervously. He hadn¡¯t slept a wink last night. Even though his body was very tired, his mind was very clear. It was inevitable. How could he sleep in peace when Chloe had left him like that? He had stayed up all night with his eyes open, and he walked around the room in such a nervous state, waiting for the news that Daniel would bring him. ¡°Damn it.¡± It was displeasing, Eric swore and brushed his hair roughly. He uncapped the bottle of whiskey and poured it into the glass. Drinking from early in the morning was not the right thing to do, but he had to do it. If he didn¡¯t do this, he wouldn¡¯t be able to keep his mind. As he gulped down the drink, his esophagus and stomach wall became hot in turn. His mind was wide awake. Bang! He set the glass down hard and buried himself on the sofa. Covering his eyes with his palms, he let out a breath. He thought about it all night. Were Chloe¡¯s words true or false? And, he wondered if he had really done something wrong to her¡­ The answer to the first question was something he could find out if Daniel brought the doctor with him today. However, the answer to the second question was still unknown. Did I really do anything wrong? He couldn¡¯t give a proper answer to this question. After he made up his mind to improve his relationship with Chloe, he could say that he did his best. The results weren¡¯t always good, but anyway, Chloe was happy a few times. Therefore, Eric shouldn¡¯t have made such a big mistake. He thought that he had been very kind to Chloe, and he even came to think that Chloe, who did not appreciate this kind of kindness, was just a mean woman. Yes. Chloe was a mean woman. The kind of mean woman who didn¡¯t know his heart and didn¡¯t even try to know it. ¡°Whoo¡­¡± Eric swept his face with the palm of his hand. He knew. That no matter how much he hated Chloe in his heart, he couldn¡¯t easily abandon the thoughts about her. Even though it was as simple as brushing her off and getting the divorce papers stamped, he didn¡¯t. Eric didn¡¯t want to¡­ He didn¡¯t want his relationship with Chloe to end on a piece of paper. He didn¡¯t know why he was acting with these thoughts. He didn¡¯t know why he was so angry and irritable and nervous and anxious that he was going crazy. He only vaguely assumed that he was doing this out of anger at the feeling that someone had taken something of his. Which was to say, he felt robbed. He was, as always, a man who did not know how to understand his feelings, and he was a fool who did not even know how to understand them. It was at this time. ¡ªKnock, knock. There was a knock on the door, and soon Daniel appeared. ¡°You¡¯re here!¡± Eric jumped up and hurriedly approached Daniel. ¡°What about Chloe?¡± ¡°Madam is on an airship.¡± Daniel said, raising his glasses. ¡°She went to Heath.¡± ¡°Health?¡± Fortunately, Heath was not too far away. It took about three hours by airship. Furthermore, next month, the railroad would open in the Heath area as well, so that would bring her much closer. Eric¡¯s eyes twinkled. ¡°Yes. However¡­¡± However, Daniel¡¯s face darkened. He lowered his head to Eric and continued. ¡°We couldn¡¯t get on the airship together. The airship was already full, so I didn¡¯t find out where she was in Heath.¡± ¡°Such nonsense!¡± Eric ran wild. ¡®To miss Chloe!¡¯ His eyes were red and bloody. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you have paid more for the ride!¡± Daniel shook his head again. ¡°I thought so, too, but I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s my fault for not thinking that the Madam would board the airship.¡± He couldn¡¯t have been more angry with Daniel reporting like this. Eric threw his body backwards, punching the air with his fists clenched. As he caught his breath and tried his best to calm his simmering heart, he cupped his forehead with the palm of his hand and narrowed his brows. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Heath is a small area, so I can find out where Chloe is and what she¡¯s doing if I want to. I can find her.¡± He muttered to himself. Meanwhile, Daniel noticed Eric¡¯s attitude and responded by keeping his mouth shut. After taking a few more breaths, Eric asked what he was most curious about. ¡°The doctor?¡± That was the doctor¡¯s whereabouts. Daniel answered with his shoulders wide open as he could answer this with confidence. ¡°He is in the parlor.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Daniel led the way, and Eric followed. He wished this doctor was something Chloe had made up. In fact, even if they were a real doctor, he hoped that Chloe¡¯s illness was false. The source of this wish was his deep-rooted love for Chloe, though Eric wasn¡¯t the smartest man to ever think of that. __ Chapter 62 Chapter 62 The doctor was older than he thought. He was an old man with white hair and wrinkles. An old man like that examined Chloe? Eric thought that the doctor¡¯s credibility was low, and he even speculated that she might have been misdiagnosed, that Chloe was not mortally ill, and that the doctor was talking nonsense. However, soon after, these thoughts collapsed with the doctor¡¯s words. ¡°My name is Robert, I¡¯m a professor at the Royal Academy. Are you Marquis Aslan?¡± If he was a professor at the Royal Academy, he was a prominent figure. There was no way he would misdiagnose. Such hopeful speculation was shattered. Eric sighed and sat down opposite Robert. ¡°I am Marquis Aslan. Pleasure to meet you like this.¡± ¡°What pleasure!¡± As soon as he spoke, Robert got angry. ¡°I was doing important research! You ruined that research¡­! Do you know how valuable my time is?¡± Eric seemed to understand now why he hadn¡¯t been able to find the northern doctor for a long time. Professors were usually like this. When they fell into research, they wouldn¡¯t even look back at other things. Eric was the same, so he could understand Robert¡¯s feelings. He bowed his head and apologized. ¡°Sorry. Because it was urgent, I had no choice but to hurry and find the Professor.¡± ¡°Ha! I wouldn¡¯t be here if it wasn¡¯t for Chloe! So, speak quickly! Hurry up and finish the conversation so I can go back!¡± Seeing Chloe¡¯s name called, it seemed that the two were quite close. He suddenly thought that he had no idea how Chloe had been in the North, what her relationships were like, or what she was thinking about life. In fact, he knew nothing about her¡­ Eric stroked his chin. ¡°I want to know the name of Chloe¡¯s illness.¡± Robert¡¯s white eyebrows furrowed. ¡°I told her to tell her husband when she was diagnosed, but that headstrong child didn¡¯t talk until the end.¡± Eric pulled his chin in agreement. Robert slowly opened his mouth, observing the worry, anxiety and even sympathy that spread across his face. ¡°It¡¯s cardiac hypertrophy.¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Eric narrowed his brows slightly. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a disease that can be cured?¡± ¡°No.¡± Contrary to Eric¡¯s hopeful voice, Robert was determined. ¡°Cure is impossible.¡± Robert remembered a long time ago, when Chloe came to visit him. Chloe, at that time, looked so weak that she looked like she would die right away. Her pale face showed no signs of life, and her parched body looked ready to collapse at any moment. But even so, her eyes were shining. Her eyes, embracing her intelligence, seemed full of her will to live. What a miserable feeling it was when she was sentenced to death! Robert shook his head a couple of times and sighed at the terrifying memory. ¡°By the time she came to see me, it was already too late. She even had angina, and I couldn¡¯t help it.¡± Robert said to Eric exactly what she had told Chloe. ¡°Her heart is completely broken and is not functioning. With no blood supply, her entire body aches. Didn¡¯t you see Chloe coughing up blood? The lack of oxygen in her lungs, she would always complain of tightness. Her chest pain must have been significant.¡± Eric bit his lip. Was it? Was she really that sick? The Chloe he saw just looked like she wasn¡¯t feeling well. She `was a normal person who was naturally weak and got sick a lot¡­ But, he wondered if Chloe had ever been so sick at the academy? Looking back, he thought no. The Chloe he saw at the academy always had a good complexion. She looked healthy, and shiny. As he remembered, she seemed to have lost that light since she married him¡­ since she came to the North. Whose fault was this? Was it his fault¡­? He suddenly felt as if his breath was choked. Eric tried to keep his quivering eyes closed and clenched his fists. ¡°Is there any way to cure it?¡± ¡°If there was, wouldn¡¯t I have treated it right away?¡± Robert sighed through his old teeth. ¡°Chloe¡¯s lifespan is two years at the most. The shortest is only one year.¡± Eric raised his head. ¡°You mean she is¡­dying?¡± He hoped the answer was no though Robert was a competent doctor, and as such, he knew very well what to do with the patient¡¯s families. ¡°Right.¡± Robert answered firmly. ¡°Chloe will die.¡± Aahh! Eric let out a sigh and buried his face in his hands. Indescribable emotions rushed in and covered his mind and body. What kind of feeling was this?! In the whirlpool of emotions, he was shaking from side to side without being able to properly control his body. ¡°So, where is Chloe? I wanted to see her face while I¡¯m here.¡± Robert said this even though he clearly witnessed Eric¡¯s shaking. This was because he knew what Chloe had been struggling with over the past time, namely how she had turned into a withered winter twig after marrying Eric Aslan, so he had no sympathy for him. ¡°Please, call Chloe. I¡¯ll say my greetings to her and leave.¡± Eric slowly shook his head. ¡°She is not here.¡± He chewed his sorrow and said it. ¡°She is gone.¡± Chloe arrived in Heath. Perhaps because she had been sitting in the third class for a long time, her whole body ached. Still, her heart was lighter than ever. Maybe it was because she finally realized that she was completely alone, this feeling of being alone in body and mind. Chloe smiled and came out into the street. The salty landscape of the Heath, where the sound of waves seemed to be heard from somewhere, was so beautiful that it was difficult to describe in words. Simple brick houses built in clusters, poplar trees draped densely in each district, children running around under it, and people with laughter¡­! This place was completely different from the Capital. It was so bright and lively that she did not dare compare it to the place where it snowed all the time. Chloe stepped slowly between them. The people looked at her and naturally greeted her with the eye, and the children greeted her with mischievous smiles¡­ Such warm hospitality made Chloe feel deeply attracted to the area. As she immediately asked a woman nearby for the location of a nearby inn, the woman told her the location of the inn. She even told her where the nearby walking trails were good and when the sound of the waves was the most beautiful, and that the morning sunlight was the most beautiful. Not only that, but she even recommended a cafeteria. Chloe thanked the woman again for her kindness and then moved towards the inn. The tree-lined path leading to the inn was truly heavenly. The densely drooping leaves intermittently blocked the sunlight and allowed the light to come in here and there though the light reflected on the uneven ground was so beautiful that it could be called a painting! Oh, was there such a perfect place? Chloe thought it was right here¡­ where she would live, where she would spend the rest of her life. When she entered the inn the woman had told her about, immediately, a middle-aged woman with a warm impression greeted her. ¡°Hello, this is the space where the sun and moon stay. My name is Sophia.¡± Sophia guided Chloe, who was a little taken aback by the unfamiliar kindness, but she didn¡¯t reveal it and followed the woman. The inn she looked around after following Sophia was fine in its own way. Although it was a bit old and shabby, she could tolerate it at this level. And it seemed like Chloe would do well enough with the money she had. ¡°How long are you planning to stay?¡± Answering Sophia¡¯s question, Chloe said what she had in mind. ¡°I intend to stay until I find a house. I don¡¯t know when the due date will be. I¡¯ll talk to you when it¡¯s time to leave, so I¡¯d like you to give me a room until then.¡± Sophia was slightly taken aback. It was not because of Chloe¡¯s words. The woman in front of her was a rare sight in this area of Heath, in other words, she had a completely different look from the people of Heath. She did look rather skinny and sick, but that didn¡¯t overshadow her feminine beauty¡ªlike she had never seen the sunlight in her entire life, the smooth and clean skin without any freckles, sparkling blue eyes, and coveted silver hair showed off her beauty without hesitation. On top of that, the dress and accessories that looked expensive even at a glance, plus a straight line that seemed like it would never get wrinkled, a confident attitude, a light gait, and the natural way of speaking towards others! From this point of view, there was only one conclusion that could be drawn. She was a noble. Sophia was a little nervous. It was not that nobles didn¡¯t come to Heath at all. However, they all went to expensive hotels, and Sophia had never dealt with nobles, as they had little to do with her. That was why she had a great fear of the nobles because she had heard rumors that the nobles were so tyrannical, heartless, selfish, and selfish. Would the woman in front of her do the same? No, but why would a noble come to a shabby place like hers¡­? Sophia was full of questions, but she couldn¡¯t keep thinking. So, she tried to pull her lips together and smiled, and nodded her head. ¡°All right. I will guide you to a room with a nice view.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Sophia, who was rummaging through the keys, raised her sly eyes and looked at Chloe. ¡°By the way, why did you come to Heath?¡± It seemed that Sophia had forgotten the fears that had engulfed her before she knew it, and her eyes were shining with curiosity. As she liked to talk, she couldn¡¯t miss out on the latest news. ¡°If you are here for sightseeing, I can recommend a suitable spot for you, and if you are here to rest, I can tell you a good place to bathe. Which one is Madam?¡± Chloe hesitated for a moment. ¡°I¡­¡± What should she say? Should she say that she ran away from her husband for a divorce, or should she say that she came all the way here to die comfortably because she was waiting for the day she would die? Eventually, Chloe let out an empty laugh and shook her head. She didn¡¯t have to reveal the details of each one. ¡°Yes. I am here to rest.¡± ¡°Then, there is a good place to bathe nearby!¡± Sophia, completely unaware of Chloe¡¯s feelings, put her hands together and began to chatter about. Chloe listened to her and was able to identify every angle of the area. __ Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Chloe was at the beach. While Sophia strongly recommended bathing in the sea, it seemed like it would be too much to soak in the water, so she just went out for a walk. Roar, splash! White waves came crashing in. The seawater, which had approached her feet, hurriedly returned to its place. And came again, splash! As the waves came and went constantly, Chloe stared blankly at the water as it approached and receded from her. Seeing the sea for the first time, she couldn¡¯t stop herself from the enormous pressure brought by the wonderful nature. What emotion was this? For some reason, she felt as if she could feel at ease just by looking at it, and she even felt as if her tired inner self was being healed. Sitting down on the sandy beach, she didn¡¯t mind that her dress got dirty. While the sea breeze blew, the salty wind caressed Chloe¡¯s cheek softly. With each breath she took, she felt the ocean enter her lungs, and it caused waves in her lungs. Roar, crash! With each inhalation and exhalation, it seemed like a wave was blowing in her chest as well. It was much more beautiful than she had imagined, even more beautiful than the scenery of the sea she had vaguely drawn in her head. How could the water be so clear? And how can it be so blue? Chloe brought her legs together and rested her cheek on her lap. In fact, the sea was a place that Eric and she had always wanted to visit. Since he was a person who was always busy with work, it could be nice if he could ventilate even a little while looking at the sea. Since she had never seen the sea herself, there was the sense of being together with him in the sea for the first time. However, this wish was no longer possible. Her relationship with him was irrevocably over. ¡®¡­How is Eric now?¡¯ Looking back at it, he must have been angry about her departure. After all, he was the kind of person who wanted to hold her in his grasp and who would never allow her to leave. Chloe didn¡¯t want him to have regrets, to repent his mistakes, or to reflect on what he said in the past. Desiring such feelings was greed, and greed was vaguely wanting something you couldn¡¯t have. At this moment, Chloe wanted only one thing¡­ She wanted him to forget about her. Nonetheless, even though she sincerely thought so, the thought of it made her heart tingle and ache. What did it feel like to disappear from his life, to disappear from his side and heart? It hurt. Yes. Her heart hurt so much more than her body hurt right now. However, despite this, she still wanted him to forget her. After all, she would die and disappear, so it was better to be forgotten while alive than to be forgotten in death. Only then, in his heart, would she forever be a living being¡­ she would become a person who would not die¡­ Cough! Chloe curled up, feeling a seething chest pain. Lately, she has had frequent pains and coughs. Since when? When did she start to get sick like this? Perhaps it was after she fully realized that she couldn¡¯t get love out of him as there was no more hope in her relationship with Eric. Ah, she always lived in his shadow. She got sick because of it, she got healed because of it, and she died because of it again¡­ She was so sick and tired of this life. Now that life had no more happiness, joy, or desire, she wondered if she could just die now. Chloe glanced out over the distant sea and tried to compose her thoughts. No, no. She had too much pain in the past to end her life on her own now. She didn¡¯t want to commit suicide even if the pain was too much. In addition, she didn¡¯t have the courage to do that. Chloe lacked both the weakness and courage as others. Dying inevitably and dying by choice were completely different stories. She just wished she had died sooner so she could get out of this horrible life. Without courage, she only wished and hoped. Eric was having a busy day. He hadn¡¯t been able to do anything for days so he had to pull himself up and get to work. Because of that, he came into the lab and focused on the delayed development. Daniel, who kept pace with him, glanced at Eric. Today¡¯s Eric, no, these days¡¯ Eric was really strange. He seemed to have been like that since the Madam left. From then on, Eric was moving like a machine with a missing part. He had no trouble moving though the process of him moving was not so smooth. In other words, he was not centered and looked like he would break down at any moment¡­ Daniel was worried. He had already noticed Eric¡¯s feelings for Madam. He also understood better than anyone else how much Madam¡¯s departure had shocked Eric and hurt him. That was why he wanted to comfort him, but Eric himself didn¡¯t want to admit that he¡¯d been hurt, didn¡¯t face his heart while kept looking only at the outer part of his heart. He could have looked into himself a little more¡­ Daniel assisted Eric with a sorry heart. ¡°Bring cog number 2.¡± As Eric uttered, Daniel hurriedly delivered the goods to him, and Eric raised his glasses and tightened the nippers. At that time¡­ ¡°Be careful!¡± Daniel hurriedly tugged Eric¡¯s arm. Whiiir. There was a sound, and the belt moved mercilessly. His hand could have been sucked in! Eric held his breath as he stared blankly at the belt. ¡°Are you all right, Your Excellency?¡± Even at the question, he squeezed and opened his hand, which was about to be cut off just now. ¡°How can someone who never makes mistakes like this¡­ Your Excellency, shouldn¡¯t you rest?¡± Instead of answering, Eric threw off his glove and lit a cigarette. Whoo, he inhaled deeply, narrowing his brows. He knew, too. He knew he was not in a position to work right now. In addition to his lack of concentration, there was his nervousness, and even his hands were shaking. Still, he had to work¡­ he would have to work to get rid of all these damn thoughts that filled his head! Eric didn¡¯t know why he was doing this. Why he was so nervous and choking, why his chest hurt so badly, why he was so dazed and unable to grasp anything¡­ He had no idea! All he knew was that he had to work to get out of this situation. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can take a little break and then work again.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Daniel stood in front of Eric. ¡°Not now.¡± ¡°Move.¡± ¡°Your Excellency doesn¡¯t look like your usual self right now!¡± When Daniel shouted, Eric finally put out the cigarette in the ashtray and turned his head to look at him. ¡°I am different from usual?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Daniel said while observing the anxiety, nervousness, and inferiority that spread across Eric¡¯s face as he went on. ¡°Your Excellency is in danger now, so go back and rest. This is my earnest advice as your aide.¡± Eric drew in a breath. ¡°I am not weird.¡± He muttered. ¡°I¡¯m the same as usual. I¡¯m different!¡± However, while he was talking, emotions came up. Eric rubbed his forehead and tilted his head back. ¡°Damn it! I¡¯m going crazy.¡± He knew very well why Daniel was talking to him like that and why he was looking at him with such concerned eyes. It all started after Chloe left. From the time she disappeared, everyone in his mansion, including Daniel, was looking at him that way, so he was choked. ¡°I¡¯m going up right now.¡± He said, slicing the air with his clenched fist. Daniel let out a sigh of relief after hearing that and nodded his head. ¡°Yes. Please go up and rest.¡± Eric passed him without answering. He knew that his behavior was childish. He knew¡­ Nonetheless, he had no choice but to do this. He couldn¡¯t restrain or suppress anything anymore. He had restrained and suppressed his accumulated emotions even now. It felt like it would explode if he applied a little more force, whatever it was. After leaving the annex and returning to the main building, Eric strode up the stairs, leaving behind Andrea, who smiled bitterly upon seeing him. He brought in handmaids and maids, so the number of people increased in the house where it was just Daniel and him. Still, somehow, he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that the house was empty. Why? Why did he feel this way? As he couldn¡¯t figure out the answer, he was just frustrated. Eric went upstairs and tried to go straight to his room, although something caught his eye. It was Chloe¡¯s room, the door to the room where she stayed. It reminded him of the past days when he knocked on that door countless times. Chloe, are you in, are you feeling very unwell, come see me, I want to talk to you¡­ As he recalled those past days, he suddenly felt a sense of resentment. He did his best¡­ he was going to take care of her the best he could! ¡­But, why did she leave him? Eric stared blankly at Chloe¡¯s door¡ªthe place where Chloe had stayed¡ªand then slowly turned his foot towards it. And he slowly turned the doorknob. __ Chapter 64 Chapter 64 There was a creak as the door opened, and Eric slowly entered the room. This place was the same as before Chloe left. He didn¡¯t tell anyone to tidy up this place, and no one else tried to tidy up this place. He then took a quick look at the dust-free room, which Andrea tended to every day. Chloe had been around for a few months. What did she leave behind during that time¡­? He stared at the bed where her warmth had already left, then at the bedside table where she would have touched, then at the armchair where she would have sat, at the desk where she would have stayed, and at the bookshelf where she would have been standing beside. There was nothing. There was absolutely nothing¡­ Chloe left nothing behind. She left without leaving a trace. She was gone. While thinking that she was truly a heartless woman, at the same time, he wondered if she had to go this far. No matter how much she was terminally ill, did she has to take and leave like this? Yes, he was upset. But even so, one side of his heart told him that his feelings were not right. What he should do now was not to cry out of resentment but to have deep compassion and go further than that. That was why he was swimming with his bare body, with no one to rely on in the sea of confusing emotions. Eric walked over to Chloe¡¯s desk¡ªwas¡ªand sat down on it. Tap, tap. As he hits the desk with his fingers and inhales slowly, he suddenly recalls the words he had with the doctor. ¡°Cure is impossible.¡± ¡°It was already too late when she came to see me.¡± He wanted to shout that it was a lie¡­ That the two of them made up their words together and lied to him. He would never tolerate pranks like this, Eric wanted to shout like that. Still, he couldn¡¯t. It wasn¡¯t because the doctor in front of him, Robert, was a highly sought-after scholar. Perhaps, it was because he had vaguely guessed all this situation himself that he doubted it. Chloe was always sick. Both in the North and in the capital. However, he only saw her sick with his eyes and nursed her only once. Since then, Chloe had not been sick in front of him. She never showed any signs of getting sick to him, it was because she was confined to her room, chewing on pills and collapsing. ¡­It was the result of Chloe¡¯s efforts for Eric, who hated her being sick. His mind was dizzy. Chloe had been thoroughly hiding it from him. Enduring, enduring, enduring the pain until her body broke¡­ Did he never know this? When talking to Robert, Eric questioned himself. Did he really not know that she was sick? No, no. He knew the fact that Chloe was sick¡­that she was tired, and that she was crumbling¡­ Everyone knew. It was Eric who coldly pretended not to know. What a cruel thing to do! If he thought about it carefully, there were signs everywhere. Eric thought back and wondered why he did that. The answer was simple. This was because he was a selfish person who only valued his own pain, in other words¡ªhis own work and future. The more he thought about Chloe, the more he realized how terribly selfish he was. That was why he could not contain his anger¡­ anger against himself. Bang! As he tried to cool his anger by banging his fist on the desk, Eric buried his face in his hands and let out a deep sigh. His chest was tight. To be precise, it hurt like a needle pricked in the middle of his chest. ¡°Chloe¡¯s lifespan is two years at the most. Shortest is one year.¡± ¡°Chloe will die.¡± If she died, if she disappeared from the world¡­ where would the times she spent with him go? Would it disappear, or would it remain? ¡­If it disappeared, where would it disappear, and if it remained, where would it remain? Eric felt strongly that he shouldn¡¯t be like this. He didn¡¯t know what was wrong, but he thought it shouldn¡¯t be like this anyway, so he jumped up. He had to go find Chloe. Right now. He heard the engine blazing. Eric repeatedly told the coachman to go a little faster, then sat down again. As he told the car ran with all its might, he frowned as he watched the fleeting scenery. Damn it. What the hell am I doing? He took out a cigarette and asked himself. Chloe arrived in Heath, and she was staying at an inn with the corny name of ¡®The Space Where the Sun and Moon Stay.¡¯ This was what Daniel found out by asking an information dealer in the Heath area. Fortunately, finding her wasn¡¯t too difficult. The reason was simple. It was because Chloe was a woman who would stand out anywhere. When she got to Heath, everyone watched her. Eric was sure she had an unfamiliarity in her. He terribly disliked Chloe¡¯s unfamiliarity, so he terribly disliked her unique aura and arrogant demeanor that only she had. That was why when there was something that bothered him even more, he didn¡¯t want to admit it. In any case, Eric hated her unfamiliarity, but at this moment, he missed her unfamiliarity terribly. ¡­Missed? Yes. He missed it. He missed Chloe¡­ It had only been a week since she left. Compared to when she left for the North for months, a week was short and fleeting. However, he could clearly feel her absence during this week. If he knew this would happen, he would spend a little more time with her. Thinking this, Eric was startled and dropped the cigarette ash. ¡­What the hell was he thinking? The reason for his actions in pursuing her was simple. Chloe was his, and shouldn¡¯t be taken away. Since he had never missed anything that came into his grasp in the first place, it was natural for him to think and act like this. However, in his mind, deep in his heart, the feeling that he missed Chloe and regretted that he had been mean to her was starting to swell. Eric was surprised. Regret?! Who the hell feels regret for possessions! He didn¡¯t want to admit it, and the complex emotions that had been in his heart due to his endless denial lifted their head again. Eric finally calmed down and rubbed his chest in satisfaction. ¡°Do you love me?¡± Suddenly, Chloe¡¯s words suddenly came to mind, and he tried hard to look away. He was going to Chloe just because he couldn¡¯t accept that she had left him. There are no other emotions¡­ Eric repeated those words. ¡°Welcome, to the space where the sun and moon stay.¡± Sophia opened the door and greeted the burly man as he entered. While doing so, she held her hands tight because seeing the man¡¯s big eyes and frightened expression made her nervous. The man looked all over the inn with a searching gaze. Sophia crunched her shoulders and looked at the man with a frightened squirrel-like appearance. He seemed to have a similar vibe to the female customer who came a few days ago. Sophia muttered, thinking of Chloe, and to her surprise, her name popped out of the man¡¯s mouth. ¡°Is Chloe Aslan here?¡± Sophia widened her eyes wide. ¡­Chloe Aslan? ¡®That¡¯ Marquis Aslan¡¯s wife? But¡­ Sophia shook her head. ¡°There is a woman named Chloe, but Mrs. Aslan is not there.¡± ¡°Ha?¡± Eric let out a blank laugh. ¡®¡­Has she abandoned her last name?¡¯ When he realized that he and Chloe had really divorced and that the existence of Aslan was erased from her mind, that made him even more angry. Eric gnawed his teeth and approached Sophia. ¡°Is Chloe in the room?¡± ¡°Ah¡­no. She went out.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I recommended swimming in the sea, but she said she didn¡¯t like it. She left right away without saying where she was going.¡± Eric frowned. Come to think of it, this place, Heath, was a tourist attraction that boasted a beautiful beach. Suddenly, he remembered what Chloe had said. When talking about life after divorce, she said that she would go see the sea¡­ Eric immediately left the inn without looking back. With quick steps, he made his way towards the beach. Chloe. Chloe. He kept repeating her name. Chloe was Aslan. She was from the Aslan family¡­ She would never escape Aslan. Eric felt his breathing quicken and clenched his fists. Chloe, mean Chloe, bad Chloe! How could she throw him away? How could she leave him?! He gazed at Chloe, who was sitting on the sandy beach in the distance, glancing out to the distant sea. __ Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Sitting on an old mat that didn¡¯t go well with this brilliant sea, Chloe felt like a person who existed only to see the sea. Hunching her knees together, she thought she must have been sitting here a long time, judging by the redness of her earlobes. That was why Eric was so furious. All she did after coming to this nice tourist spot was to watch the sea. Since she was not in good shape, she should take a bath in the sea or take a walk in the sun. Why was she sitting there stupidly like that?! Eric could feel his anger rising as he approached Chloe and tried to talk her out. However, the moment he saw the shadow on Chloe¡¯s profile, he stopped. Eric remembered the past, when Ed, the researcher he had taken care of, died. Ed lay on an old bed and burned the last flame of his life fiercely! As Eric was holding his hand, he didn¡¯t miss the hot words he spouted endlessly and put them all together. Then, with a bang, it was over. Ed died with a literal pop and a feeling of disconnection. Tap, tap, tap. Eric thought that the thumping sensation he felt at that time was the soul leaving the body, in other words, the last sensation given by the disappearance of the soul contained in the body. He could feel that feeling in Chloe now. She looked dangerous as if she was about to break off¡­ ¡­No, maybe she had already been cut off. Eric thought that the Chloe he saw right now might not be the real Chloe. It seemed that her soul had disappeared, and she had become something other than a human, with only a shell remaining. It shouldn¡¯t be like this. Eric ran towards Chloe, remembering Ed¡¯s death at his hands. ¡°Chloe!¡± Only then did Chloe move her body, which was stiff like a plaster statue. She turned her head slowly, very slowly. Her stiff face was cracked when Eric came into her view. She had been thinking of Eric until just now. She hated him, not because of longing or affection for him. Still, just thinking about the times, she had spent with him, feeling a new sense of resentment and feeling a strange sense of betrayal. ¡­But, Eric appeared in front of her. Chloe couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°¡­Darling?¡± She sighed and closed her mouth shut. Darling¡­ this title was not right among already divorced people. Chloe shook her head a couple of times and looked back at him. Eric, who ran right in front of her, looked down at her with heavy breaths. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Crouching down a bit more, she then slightly turned her gaze to the sea before glancing at him again. Since her stream of gaze, instead of replying that she had been looking at the sea, Eric let out a low sigh and bit his lower lip. Chloe asked. ¡°Then, why are you here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to find you.¡± ¡°How do you know I am here?¡± At those words, Chloe narrowed her brows slightly and rolled her shoulders. ¡°Did you send someone to me?¡± Eric didn¡¯t answer, but there was no way she didn¡¯t know that this silence was affirmation. Chloe couldn¡¯t believe it all. The fact that he was right in front of her, that he came to look for her, and that he sent someone to follow her, everything. ¡°Why?¡± She asked. ¡°Why did you send someone to me, and why did you come looking for me?¡± Eric still didn¡¯t answer¡­ No, he couldn¡¯t. It was because he also didn¡¯t know why. Why did he put someone to find out about her whereabouts? Besides, why did he come looking for Chloe¡­? Why? Why? It felt like something was wriggling in the depths of his heart, something he had been ignoring and suppressing. Was it because he really missed her, or was it because of his usual thoughts, that Chloe was his own and should not escape his grasp? If it was the latter, he shouldn¡¯t have been so happy to see Chloe now. As soon as he saw her face, his anger melted away like snow in his heart, and he wanted to hug her. ¡­Did he really miss her? Was that why he followed her like this? If so, why? Why did he miss Chloe? Despite the fact that he has no feelings for her¡­ No, did he really have no feelings emotionless? Eric staggered back as if he had just realized something. If he loved her, all these irrational behaviors made sense. He endlessly denies the divorce, worries about her, tries to hold onto her somehow, and when she leaves, even places someone to chase after her¡­ All of this was not a rational act. Nonetheless, if it were right that he loved Chloe¡­ if it were love, then all these actions would be rational actions born out of true feelings. ¡­No, no. Nonsense. ¡®I love Chloe¡­¡¯ How could that be? Even though Eric denied it over and over again, the denial never came to pass because the emotion that was in his heart had already swelled. In other words, he clearly realized that he loved Chloe. Though even at this moment, he couldn¡¯t confess to her. ¡­Not realizing it until everything was messed up like this! As he covered his face with his hands, blaming his own arrogant stupidity¡­ ¡°Eric.¡± ¡­It was Chloe¡¯s low voice that called him. ¡°If you want to say that there is no divorce, all I can say is go back. I have already made up my mind, and I have enough willpower not to respect your wishes.¡± Eric opened his mouth blankly. He never expected his name to come out of her mouth. He himself had always been her husband, and she was the woman who never got his title wrong. But now, she called him by name¡­ Just as she became Chloe instead of Chloe Aslan, now she called him Eric, not her husband. The moment Eric realized this, he felt as if the ground was collapsing. The feeling that the ground he was stepping on was collapsing, and he was falling into the endless darkness. Eric stumbled. ¡°Eric¡­?¡± Feeling that he was strange, Chloe narrowed her eyes and slowly stood up. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you sick?¡± Roar, crash! The sound of waves hitting his ears awakened Eric¡¯s spirit. Eric shook his head and took a breath. As he stared at Chloe, who was standing in front of him, he gazed at her eyebrows, eyes, nose, lips, cheeks, ears, hair, shoulders, and hands. He was in love. He missed her. Even though his legs gave out, Eric didn¡¯t give up. He just grabbed Chloe¡¯s shoulder tightly. ¡°Come back with me.¡± Eric uttered with a firm voice. ¡°No, you have to go back.¡± Chloe bit her lip softly. The moment he arrived, the moment she saw his face again, Chloe felt a strong urge to run over to him and hug him. This made her realize once again that the feelings of resentment and betrayal she had just felt were fleeting and that the true feelings she had for Eric were deep love, even though she was so desperate and hurt. Yes. She loved Eric. She was in love. Nevertheless, she was too tired to stand by him. It was difficult now to live without being able to do anything, being nothing and not being anything. She didn¡¯t want to live like that anymore, and she wasn¡¯t going to listen to Eric if he asked for another chance. After countless hopes and failures, she had no more hope left. ¡°I just told you.¡± So, she said in a firm voice. ¡°Eric.¡± She removed Eric¡¯s hand from her shoulder. ¡°We are finished.¡± Eric stared at his hand that had fallen into the air, then clenched his fist and bit his teeth tightly. ¡°You are sick.¡± He continued, ¡°Heart disease. Yes, fine. I will find a medicine that will cure you no matter what. I¡¯ll come find you. I won¡¯t let you die. So¡­¡± Eric grabbed Chloe¡¯s hand. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go back. Together.¡± His hands were shaking so much that she could see it with her own eyes. Why was this man shaking like this? Chloe put her hand on his back. ¡°Eric.¡± She spoke slowly but in a clear voice. ¡°I don¡¯t mind dying now.¡± ¡°Chloe!¡± Eric screamed unknowingly. ¡­It was okay to die? Why would she say that?! A person must be greedy for life. No, of course, they want to live and struggle to survive. Humans were like that. However, it was okay to die? An incident ran through his mind. ¡°No way, on the airship¡­ Did you really want to die?¡± Eric said, recalling the sight of her on the airship, with her wings spread wide like a bird in flight, relying only on a single thin cord. Chloe also averted her gaze for a moment, probably remembering that time. ¡°At that time¡­¡± __ Chapter 66 Chapter 66 ¡°I just thought it would be okay to die.¡± ¡°Chloe!¡± Eric shouted again. His head seemed to circle in place as he didn¡¯t understand everything. The fact that she had no regrets in life and that she thought it was okay to die, everything! As he said, everyone had a desire for life though Chloe didn¡¯t seem too greedy for life. To have no desire for life meant to have no sense of purpose, and to have no sense of purpose meant that life was not worth living¡­ Why was she like this? Eric captured her in his eyes, and at that moment, he realized. ¡­Chloe, in the past, wasn¡¯t like this. The old Chloe wasn¡¯t like this. Her blue eyes always sparkled, her cheeks were full of life, and her voice was always powerful. But now, she was thin, old, and exhausted. All the sparkle was gone, the vitality was gone, the power was volatilized¡­ Everything was different Chloe was like a light bulb with a broken filament¡­ A broken light bulb that would not light up no matter how much electricity was flowing in. Eric had the idea to connect the broken filament. Otherwise, it seemed that she would die in an instant. ¡°You¡­¡± What should he say? He rolled the words in his mouth for a long time. As he continued to think deeply, he came to the idea that he had to prioritize what he had to say. What would he say¡­ what he had to say to Chloe, who was as faint as if she was about to crumble at any moment? ¡°¡­You have to live.¡± He noticed that his voice was shaking uncontrollably, but he couldn¡¯t stop talking. ¡°You have to live somehow. You must not die. You surely must survive.¡± He seemed to have lost his mind somewhere as he spoke in gibberish. Chloe, who always saw Eric¡¯s rational side and cold attitude, wondered why he had changed like this. ¡°Why?¡± So, she asked a little more sharply. ¡°Why do I have to live?¡± Eric opened his mouth unconsciously. Why should she live? ¡°Because living is a matter of course¡­¡± He blurred out the end even as he spoke. As he just judged, Chloe didn¡¯t seem to have a purpose in her life. What use was it to say that she had to live when life had no purpose?! ¡­Still, Chloe had to live. Eric¡¯s beloved Chloe had to live. Couldn¡¯t bear to think that even such a thought was terribly selfish, he grabbed her wrist. ¡°Chloe.¡± Eric uttered in a pleading tone. ¡°Let¡¯s go back together. I will treat you somehow.¡± ¡°I told you.¡± Chloe cut off his words. ¡°I don¡¯t want to live.¡± She said with all her strength, she didn¡¯t have the strength right now, so that strength might not look like much. Nonetheless, Chloe squeezed out all her remaining strength anyway. ¡°I have no intention of going back with you ever.¡± Eric¡¯s eyes shook slightly. He didn¡¯t understand her¡­ no, everyone couldn¡¯t understand why she had changed like this, how she had lost her will to live, and why she didn¡¯t waver even though he had come this far to hold on to her. Why did this happen? And why didn¡¯t she want to change¡­? He grabbed Chloe by the shoulders. ¡°Why?¡± Eric asked with genuine doubt. ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to go back with me? Why?¡± Hearing the innocence that was conveyed in his question, which had no consideration for the other person, Chloe could feel her mind go numb for a moment. Why? He should know better. The reason I had this thought, the reason why I let go of your hand, the reason why I gave up on you is all because of you! Chloe¡¯s lip trembled. Tugging her chin, she caught her quickening breath before lowering her gaze. ¡°You¡­¡± She had many words in her mouth. What should she say? What should she say to make that selfish man realize his mistake and feel ashamed? Chloe made the decision that she should be selfish as much as this moment, and this judgment came out right away. ¡°¡­You really are a terrible person.¡± She raised her lowered eyes as she stared straight at the frozen Eric, shocked by her words. Chloe gazed at his two empty eyes. ¡°So terrible.¡± Eric opened his mouth again, then he closed it. He clenched his fists instead of answering. ¡°Please, go back. Please.¡± Eric closed his eyes tightly. What else should he do here? Because he loved her, just because he loved her¡­ Should he put up with everything? ¡­No, he couldn¡¯t do that. He couldn¡¯t. Eric Aslan couldn¡¯t. He immediately turned around. As he left the place, he pretended not to hear the sound of Chloe slumping and pretending not to know her still watery eyes. He didn¡¯t know what thought went into him, Eric thought. Unlike the way he came, which was hard all the time, the way back felt shorter than he thought. Perhaps it was because his impatient mind had changed. He tried to figure out what emotions he was feeling right now. It was a great development for him, who did not listen to his own thoughts and feelings though he did not notice this, and only thought that all his senses had become more sensitive after meeting Chloe. Anyway, Eric quietly listened to his heart. Then, suddenly, an emotion popped up. It was anger. Yes, he was filled with anger. He hated Chloe, and he didn¡¯t understand why she rejected him, why she didn¡¯t want to live, why, why, why¡­ He was full of questions about everything he didn¡¯t understand, and therefore he hated Chloe. Not suited to Eric¡¯s own understanding, she was the wrong one. He was in love with the wrong person. He didn¡¯t understand this either. Why he loved her? He had never experienced or received anything called love, so he had no idea what great love was. Why he felt this way, or what should he do next? All he knew was that he loved Chloe, that was all¡­ Eric was going crazy. Everything must have a causal relationship. If there was a result, there must be a cause, but the feeling of love he felt had no cause. Emotions without cause¡­ this was enough to confuse his mind and made it so stuffy that he couldn¡¯t breathe well. Eric breathed heavily, loosened his tie, and unfastened a couple of buttons that were clamping down on his neck. Glancing out his window, he saw the mansion nearing. He had been thinking the same thing for hours. Eric thought that he really hated himself, and he felt angry again. This time, too, anger toward Chloe. He hated and hated her. ¡­However, what he hated the most was that he loved her. He was fed up with everything. Eric threw his head back. He felt the car slowly stop. As he finally arrived at the mansion, he glanced back and stared at the mansion. As soon as Chloe came, she nagged him about how did he live in a place like this. So, he did the cleaning for her, put someone for her, and eventually tried to move their home. But, she left him¡­ Why? Why? He couldn¡¯t understand her at all. Anxiety ran up to his throat. ¡°Your Excellency!¡± At this time, Daniel ran and opened the car door. ¡°What happened? What about Madam?¡± Daniel has received it warmly ever since Eric said he was going to meet Chloe, and he told Eric to go and get the Madam right away. As he observed the empty car, Eric opened his mouth immediately. ¡°She didn¡¯t come.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± When Daniel asked with a surprised face, he answered. ¡°She said she wouldn¡¯t come. From now on, always, forever.¡± He was the one who said so, but he doesn¡¯t know why he got hurt himself. Conceivably the source of this anger was himself. Eric thought about it for a moment, yet he didn¡¯t come to an answer so he tried hard not to pay attention to it. ¡°But¡­ but still, if Madam left without treatment, she will surely die!¡± Daniel protested. This was true. Without treatment, Chloe would eventually die of heart disease. Eric knew this better than anyone. Nonetheless¡­ ¡°Live and die like that.¡± He replied in a cold voice. ¡°¡­I¡¯m not interested anymore.¡± It was true that he loved Chloe, but he had no intention of holding on to her until she threw all of herself. If you want to leave, leave. If you¡¯re going to die, die. It¡¯s over. I¡¯ve done enough. Eric thought so and left. __ Chapter 67 Chapter 67 A few days have passed since Eric visited Chloe. It was like walking on thin ice all these days, Daniel and Andrea recalled, because Eric was so sensitive. While he never got angry or scolded them, his behavior was so different from usual that they naturally had no choice but to keep their eyes open at him. At the same time, they were very worried because, at some point, Eric stopped stepping out of the lab. He did everything from eating to sleeping in his lab, in addition to concentrating on his studies like someone who was really crazy when they went in every once in a while and checked on him. Eric was constantly turning screws, constantly touching nippers, constantly drawing blueprints¡­ Even though Daniel was worried about him, he thought it was time for him to work, so he left Eric alone. But, Andrea was different. Andrea, who was serving the meal, noticed that Eric hadn¡¯t touched the meal and told Daniel. Feeling the situation getting serious, Daniel eventually knocked on the door of the lab. ¡°Your Excellency, may I come in?¡± Although there was no answer, he opened the door and went in. The lab where he had opened the door and looked inside was the worst. It was a complete mess as though it hadn¡¯t been cleaned up at all. As if all the machines had been taken out, the floor was full of scrap metal. Daniel rubbed his forehead and sighed. ¡°Your Excellency.¡± Eric still didn¡¯t answer. He was just raising his glasses and turning the nippers. ¡°Your Highness!¡± As Daniel shouted as he approached him like that, it was only then did Eric slowly raised his head. Daniel could feel his breath suffocate for a moment. At the same time, he could see Eric¡¯s eyes were really dead, completely different from when he saw them a few days ago. ¡°Are you alright¡­ No, why are you doing this!¡± He exclaimed. Daniel shouted again, snatching the nipper from Eric¡¯s hand. ¡°A week. You haven¡¯t stepped out of the lab for a week!¡± ¡°¡­Already.¡± He didn¡¯t speak for a long time and answered in a deep voice. ¡°That¡¯s what happened?¡± Eric wondered if Chloe would be alive during this week. Thinking so, he then shook his head, repeating that he shouldn¡¯t think about her and that he shouldn¡¯t worry about her or think of her. ¡°It is because of the research on the newly developed prosthetic limb. You know, when I start researching, it¡¯s usually like this.¡± ¡°¡­But this time, it¡¯s too much.¡± Daniel pulled his arm. ¡°Get out. Go out and wash, eat, and sleep. Live properly!¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°What¡¯s alright?!¡± Daniel was now on the verge of breaking loose. He almost clung to Eric and held on to him. ¡°If you are going to do this, bring Madam, okay?¡± He, of course, thought that Chloe was the reason Eric had come this far. Because of that, his life had been completely messed up, and he was so out of his mind. Wasn¡¯t it? After Chloe left, Eric was literally living a life of exhaustion. That was why he said that. However, Eric¡¯s expression mysteriously changed as the tips of his eyebrows dropped. ¡°¡­Do you want me to bring Chloe?¡± ¡°Yes. Go, hang on to her, or even kneel down and bring her back.¡± As Daniel uttered in a completely stubborn tone, Eric was even more puzzled. Why, why? The questions didn¡¯t stop. ¡°Why¡­ should I?¡± ¡°Only then will Your Excellency be set right!¡± Not understanding Daniel¡¯s cry, he wiped his face with one hand and took a deep breath. ¡°I am still living well. Enough for now. You don¡¯t have to do anything more here. But why¡­¡± He paused, then opened his mouth again. ¡°Why¡­ should I?¡± Hearing that, Daniel was completely bewildered. This stupid man. Stupid, pathetic man! He shouted loudly at Eric. ¡°Because Your Excellency loves Madam¡­!¡± Loud shouts filled the laboratory. Eric listened blankly to the echo of the sound, then pulled his chin and lowered his eyes. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°I know that I love her.¡± Daniel opened his mouth. ¡­Eric Aslan of the world admitted love? That he realized that he was in love? At that moment, Daniel stared at him in disbelief, still pouting, but Eric¡¯s face didn¡¯t change. He was still gazing at him with an expression stained with various emotions. Suddenly, Eric¡¯s lips opened halfway. ¡°Still, that¡¯s no reason for me to kneel in front of Chloe.¡± He mumbled. ¡°Yes. I can¡¯t do that. I can¡¯t¡­ because I am Eric Aslan.¡± Daniel touched his forehead. Was he still like this even after realizing he loved her? What happened to Eric¡¯s temper?! How come, at a moment like this, he could only worry about his pride and only think about himself? He was such a damn selfish man¡­! Daniel was angry. Even he was this angry, then what about Chloe? As he thought, he clapped in awe at Chloe, who had been accepting Eric¡¯s attitude so far, and felt sorry for her at the same time. When she returned, he would treat her with all his heart and sincerity. Thinking so, he glared at Eric. ¡°How long will you keep your pride? Even if the madam dies, will you still keep up your pride like that?¡± At those words, Eric was silent, but Daniel continued his words. ¡°You will regret it. You will definitely regret it! You¡¯re still regretting it!¡± His downcast gaze lifted and Eric open eyes, which were filled with emptiness. He was truly empty. ¡°What am I¡­ regretting?¡± Oh, my God. Daniel touched his forehead again. This foolish man in front of him doesn¡¯t even realize what he regrets. How stupid! ¡°What you couldn¡¯t do for her!¡± So, he cried out in a loud voice. ¡°You¡¯re regretting all the things: when you didn¡¯t care about her, left her alone, and hurt her! That¡¯s why you live so stupidly! Damn it! If I had known this was going to happen, I should have stopped Madam as well!¡± Eric stared blankly at Daniel, then slowly looked away before glancing out the window full of sunset light. It was already evening again. The time he separated from Chloe, that time has returned. As he thought of Chloe, it reminded him of the moment he realized he loved her. He had to admit it now¡­ the moment he saw Chloe, the moment he looked at her from under the podium, he knew that he had fallen in love with her at first sight. Yes¡­ it was from then. From then on, Eric loved her, and he had always loved Chloe. Still, he didn¡¯t want to admit it. He judged her lofty pride, which he loved, as arrogance. He only thought of her uprightness as a stubborn personality. So, he criticized her down again and again. In the end, Chloe became nothing because she was brought down like that. ¡­In other words, everything he loved was gone. He felt like he was going crazy every time he thought of that moment. ¡°Maybe¡­¡± Eric put his hands on the desk and let out a long sigh. ¡°¡­Maybe I turned around in front of her because I knew I couldn¡¯t.¡± Daniel narrowed his brows. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Eric stammered. ¡°I thought the filament broke.¡± The Chloe he saw a week ago looked like a light bulb with a broken filament¡­ a light bulb that had lost its light. ¡°So, I thought I would just connect it. I¡¯m a renowned scientist, so I figured there wouldn¡¯t be a problem with that.¡± Eric really thought so. He thought so stupidly simple. ¡°Still, it wasn¡¯t. The light bulb was totally out of order, and I found out about it too late.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Even if I try to fix it, I can¡¯t fix it.¡± The more he thought about it in retrospect, the more he pictured her, and the more he couldn¡¯t get rid of the feeling that she was broken. That was why he had to fix her, but he had to return her to the original Chloe¡­ ¡°There is nothing I cannot fix. There¡¯s nothing that can¡¯t be fixed once it¡¯s in my hands. But¡­¡± Eric sat down. He sat down and rested his forehead on the edge of his desk. ¡°¡­Why is this relationship not fixing?¡± It didn¡¯t seem like it would be fixed. It seemed that Chloe was going to die after living in a completely broken state. Maybe that¡¯s why Eric ran away. Actually, it was not because of his great pride though because he subconsciously realized that Chloe really wouldn¡¯t be fixed¡­ so¡­ ¡°Daniel.¡± Eric grabbed the desk and gazed at Daniel. ¡°¡­What can I do?¡± He asked. __ Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Eric poured whiskey into the glass. He didn¡¯t know how many cups he already had, but he had to drink. He couldn¡¯t fall asleep without drinking. Now that Daniel had banned his entry to the lab, he was going through the day without doing anything. How many days had passed? Eric counted the days on his fingers, then gave up. Why would the date matter? His time still hadn¡¯t flowed since the day he met Chloe. As he gulped his whiskey and tilted his head back, he could feel the spicy and hot alcohol going down his throat. His mind becomes hazy, and his eyes become blurred. Through his blurred vision, he remembered the first time he saw Chloe. In other words, the moment he fell in love with her at first sight¡­ He was standing on the podium in the academy, and she was watching him from under the podium. The nervous Eric had to give a speech looking up at the sky as the chairman advised, but he couldn¡¯t because Chloe kept catching his eyes. Out of hundreds of people, only Chloe could be seen. In his eyes, the sunlight was only pouring down on her. ¡­Only on her was a candle placed and glowing. That was how much she sparkled and looked noble. So, Eric wondered if he could really exchange words with that person? He did exchange some words. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were a commoner?¡± Those cruel, most hated words, those words that were terribly horrible. He closed his heart towards Chloe from then on¡­ no, he tried to close, but she was always everywhere in his sights, always and everywhere intruding on his thoughts. Eric tried to shake off Chloe, but still, he couldn¡¯t during those two years of attending the academy. Nonetheless, they weren¡¯t talking to each other or having casual conversations. He didn¡¯t approach her, and Chloe wasn¡¯t kind enough to talk her way out towards him, a mere commoner. Eric was just watching Chloe from a distance. Looking back, he was always following her with his eyes. Wherever she went, wherever she was, he always found her. Chloe did stand out, although¡­ it was right that he was following her because he loved her. Ah, why didn¡¯t he admit love back then? Would it have changed if he had admitted it? Would they not have gone through this worst situation as now? He had to accept it even now¡­ he should admit. He felt a terrible inferiority complex to Chloe, who had something he did not have, and that inferiority complex covered the love. What a stupid, stupid mind! Eric poured another glass of whiskey and gulped it down as his thoughts deepen. He remembered Chloe back then. She always shone, she never lost her lofty pride, she was full of vitality, and her loveliness reached its peak¡­ Still, she wasn¡¯t like that now¡­ everything disappeared as if she had really died. He recalled the last time he saw her. She looked like sand flowing between his fingers. No matter how much he tried to hold it, it flowed through the gaps and disappeared¡­ She crumbled like that kind of sand. The light that always shone was gone, there was no life, and there was no smile. Everything was missing, like she had nothing left of her. Why did she become like that? Why did she change so much? ¡°You¡¯re such a terrible person.¡± Chloe¡¯s words come to mind. Why did she say that? Eric had doubts the whole time. He never did anything to her. In actuality, he tried to do everything he could for her¡ªhe gave money, gave time, and gave kindness¡­ but why? ¡°You¡¯re regretting all the things: when you didn¡¯t care about her, left her alone, and hurt her!¡± Drinking his whiskey again, Eric was now drunk and had come to the point where he couldn¡¯t see very well. ¡®I am¡­ regretting it.¡¯ He shut his eyes. He had to admit this, too. Like Daniel said, he didn¡¯t care about Chloe, left her alone, and hurt her¡­ and because of that, she turned into dead sand¡­ Everyone admitted that. F*ck¡­! It was because of him. Everything he loved was gone because of him. His love¡­ he ruined it. ¡®What should I do? How can I get her back?¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re such a terrible person.¡± How could he hold on to her when everything about her was ruined enough for her to say such a thing?! BANG! Eric slammed the whiskey glass down. Crash! Broken fragments dug painfully into his hands, and bright red blood dripped, but he didn¡¯t care at all. It was more important that Chloe was breaking down than the hand that was most needed for a scientist. He dropped his head. Beyond his blurry vision, he could see Chloe¡¯s afterimage behind his bleeding hand. Even though he stretched out his hand towards her, nothing was caught. She could no longer be caught. ¡®¡­Chloe, I missed you so much.¡¯ Swoosh, crash! Chloe was gazing at the sea. She didn¡¯t know how many days this had been. These days she was mesmerized by watching the sea. In fact, the idea of dates didn¡¯t matter too much to her. If she counted the days, she would naturally calculate the date she would die¡­ her remaining life span. Then, she would become helpless that she wouldn¡¯t want to move. In the end, she stopped counting the days and went to the beach as soon as she woke up every day, just spending her days staring at the sea. Even though she looked at the sea so much, she never got tired of it. The waves rushing in and the waves turning, the day passed just by looking at this. She tried to send back the thoughts that came like a surging wave, and her efforts were successful. Now, Chloe just sat still, not really thinking about anything. This was good¡­ the fact that she could sit here without thinking about anything and that she didn¡¯t have to do anything and she didn¡¯t have to show her hard-made appearance. Everything was good. She even thought she might end her life here. At that moment, words ran through her mind. ¡°You must live.¡± ¡°You have to live somehow. You must not die. We must survive.¡± Begging, clinging to her, he spoke so pitifully. Seeing him like that, Chloe thought¡­ Ah, has this man finally realized his mistake? However, hearing his words that followed, the wind shattered her thoughts, and they disappeared. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to go back with me? Why?¡± She laughed at the fact that he had cheated on her again, and was saddened by Eric, who still felt no remorse or remorse. Tears of ridicule and sorrow. Chloe felt both of these things at once. It seemed that he hadn¡¯t changed a bit¡­ he just couldn¡¯t seem to bear the fact that she would die, that she would disappear from his grasp. Because of that, she was sad again. ¡­Why was she not loved by anyone? She has lived her whole life loving. Still, no one loved her¡ªher parents, her brother, her husband¡­ anyone. This was very saddening. Even though she had been giving her whole life to love, she didn¡¯t get anything back. It was no different from a business that didn¡¯t pay off. On top of it all, she had been in the business for decades. ¡®¡­What an idiot.¡¯ Chloe smiled self-deprecatingly and pulled the two legs she was holding onto closer to herself. She laid her cheek on her lap and peered out at the distant sea. It was at this time. ¡°Madam!¡± She could hear Sophia¡¯s voice. Soon, Sophia jumped up and stood in front of her, chatting with her. ¡°It¡¯s not summer yet, so the days are cold. You¡¯ll catch a cold if you stay like that.¡± Chloe slowly raised her head. Sophia. The owner of the inn where she was staying. She was the one who tried to take care of her. Because of that, Chloe was quite appreciative of this kindness, and she was trying to do a similar kind of kindness. She answered Sofia with a slight smile. ¡°I think I¡¯ll be fine with the blanket you brought.¡± ¡°How did you know I was giving this blanket to you?¡± Laughing, she wrapped a blanket around Chloe¡¯s shoulders. As she said thank you, Sophia sat down next to her and looked out at the sea together. ¡°Don¡¯t you get sick of it?¡± Hearing that question, Chloe slowly blinked her big eyes. ¡°You see the same thing every day. If it were me, I would have gotten tired of it and would have done something else.¡± ¡°Every day is the same.¡± She said again. Chloe shook her head. ¡°Every day is different. The amount of sunlight coming in is different, and the depth of the water is different. The fish swimming is different, and the clouds you see are different¡­ Everything is different, how can it be the same?¡± ¡°You say that so it seems so again, but I think I¡¯ll get sick of it. Come on and go for a walk. You have to be healthy.¡± Sophia uttered, observing the pervasive sickness across her face, but Chloe shook her head again. ¡°Not yet. I¡¯m fine.¡± This was always the answer. As if Sophia had expected it, she licked her lips and soon brought out the direct reason she had come. ¡°There is a town meeting today.¡± She spoke with a twinkle in her eyes. ¡°Would you like to join us?¡± __ Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Sophia has always been like this. She always tried to take care of her like this. Even though Chloe was so grateful for this kindness, at times, it was burdensome. She would die anyway, so if they stayed close like this, wouldn¡¯t it be sad for Sophia, who would remain after she died? Because of that, she didn¡¯t want to give her heart to Sophia in the first place. Eventually, Chloe shook her head. ¡°I am fine.¡± Hearing her reply, Sophia¡¯s shoulders droop, showing a visibly disappointed attitude. ¡°But¡­¡± Still, she didn¡¯t stop trying to convince her. ¡°You will soon become a resident of this town, Madam, so you might as well go to the town meeting and hear the opinions. What do you think?¡± True to her word, Chloe had found a house in this area. She rented the best house she could get with the assets she had ¡ª the money Eric had given her. The contract was for two years. However, she was certain that she would not be able to make up all of these two years, and this certainty constrained her behavior. She would die and disappear anyway¡­ why would she do that? Chloe thought so and shrugged her body more and more passively. ¡°I guess so, but I am leaving soon.¡± Sophia widened her eyes. ¡°Are you leaving? Where?¡± Chloe didn¡¯t answer. Instead, she curled her lips up and looked out over the distant sea, over the horizon. ¡°I will be leaving.¡± ¡®¡­After I die, I want to go beyond the sea. I want to cross the sea, cross the continent, and roam the world.¡¯ Perhaps, what would happen after her death was more exciting than life now, so Chloe spoke in a small but clear voice. ¡°So, I¡¯m fine.¡± She was fine, even though there was nothing really fine about it. She had to be fine. Eric staggers down the hallway of the mansion. It was because he poured strong alcohol from the morning again while the alcohol she had drunk last night hadn¡¯t even dissipated. He was not the kind of guy who liked to drink. Because alcohol dulled the mind and made the hands unnatural, it was the worst entertainment for scientists and developers who had to use their brains and do elaborate work. Because of that, he was the one who usually lived far away from alcohol, but it was different this time. However, now he couldn¡¯t last a day without alcohol. He felt that if he did not live in a hazy mind, he would choke on his breath and die. Die. Yeah he was going to die, but he didn¡¯t die. Instead, Chloe would die. Eric leaned against the wall of the hallway and closed his eyes. He wanted to scream loudly, destroy everything, and mess up everything he could get his hands on¡­ And he wanted to bring Chloe with him like before. He wanted to hold her and make her unable to escape. ¡­Was this love? Seriously, was this love? Eric held on to the reason that flowed down beyond his blurry mind. This was not love¡­ it couldn¡¯t be love. He had to come to his senses as he knew better than anyone that his feelings were not right. He learned that he must let go of Chloe, forget her and live his life¡­ he should know better than anyone. ¡­Still, he couldn¡¯t. He missed her, and instead of seeing her, he got drunk. Turning around, he said that he would have another drink. In fact, he had no intention of going anywhere, so he had no problem going back. He walked the path he had walked and walked again, staring blankly into space. Was this kind of possessiveness, love? It was not love. But¡­ he loved her. He loved her dearly. Therefore, he wanted to be with her, yet Chloe rejected him, saying she wouldn¡¯t be with him anymore. Then, what should he do? How could he make her happy with him? He found no answer. Nothing made sense. Even though he should organize and finish everything, including the research he had opened and the business that was in progress, he didn¡¯t even have the desire to do anything¡­ ¡®D*mn it.¡¯ He knew he needed to keep his head up. It was enough to think that it was just a breakup, that it was just a parting process that always appeared in third-rate romance novels and brushed it off. Now that he had separated from her, all he had to do was completely erase her existence, but Eric could never erase Chloe. Instead of erasing her, he was being dragged by her shadow. ¡®¡­I think I¡¯m going crazy.¡¯ Even though he tried to get himself all together in his mind that was fading from the alcohol, it didn¡¯t go as well as he did in the past few days. Eric stopped walking and leaned against the wall again, trying to suppress the rising alcohol. At that moment, someone approached him. Feeling the presence, Eric managed to raise his unblinking eyes, and he was able to see a surprising person through his blurry vision. It was Chloe! ¡°Master, are you okay?¡± Of course, it was Andrea, not Chloe, but it didn¡¯t seem that way to Eric. He looked like Chloe to him. Chloe, Chloe¡­ Chloe, whom he missed dearly and longed to see so much. Eric reached out his hand towards her. ¡°Why¡­¡± Eric grabbed Andrea¡¯s arm. ¡°Are you here now?¡± His voice was wet, sounding as if he was crying though his face was dry. Well, there was no way Eric could cry. Eric Aslan never cried. ¡°Master?¡± However, his attitude was enough to embarrass Andrea. Although he staggered back, Eric held her arm tighter because he looked like Chloe to him. Chloe, the Chloe he missed, the Chloe he must never let go of again¡­. That was why he moved his feet to embrace her. At the same time, Andrea¡¯s face went white. At that moment¡­ ¡°Your Excellency¡­!¡± Daniel ran out from across the hallway and pulled Eric by the shoulder, pulling him away from Andrea. ¡°What are you doing!¡± While Eric hit the wall, Daniel didn¡¯t even look at him but spoke to Andrea instead. ¡°Andrea, go back. I will take care of the Master!¡± ¡°Ye, yes!¡± Andrea, as the chief maid, was obliged to take care of the master, but she was forced to leave because the incident had just taken her by surprise. As Daniel watched her back, he then grabbed Eric¡¯s shoulder as soon as she had disappeared. ¡°Wake up!¡± Eric was still staggering, clutching his forehead before he mumbled. ¡°¡­There was Chloe.¡± What nonsense?! Daniel was stunned and raised his voice. ¡°There is not. Madam is not here!¡± ¡°No, there was. She was there!¡± ¡°Your Excellency¡­!¡± Daniel grabbed both of Eric¡¯s arms, who still couldn¡¯t come to his senses. ¡°Look clearly, Madam is not here. She was never here!¡± Eric closed his eyes tightly and shook his head. No, no¡­ clearly, Chloe was right in front of him. She was within reach if he stretched out his hand¡­ ¡­No, was she really there? As he slowly raised his eyes and opened them, an empty hallway comes into view. Seeing Andrea running away, he now realized what he had done. ¡°Damn it!¡± Stomping his feet, Eric buried his face in his hands. His rough breath escaped his teeth as hot heat filled his palms. Eric let out a few more breaths and sat down. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me?¡± He muttered. Then, he raised his head and looked at Daniel. ¡°Daniel. Tell me. What is wrong with me?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Daniel wanted to tell him that this was love fever. At the same time, he wanted to tell Eric that it was the aftermath of the breakup. He wanted to shout that this would last a very long time and that it could become the remnants of emotions that dragged on for a long time. Nonetheless, Eric was just a stupid, selfish young man who couldn¡¯t understand all this, so Daniel shut his mouth. Choosing the words from his mouth shut as tight as a seashell, he slowly opened his lips as he reached out to Eric. ¡°Your Excellency.¡± He grabbed Eric¡¯s hand. ¡°Go north.¡± Daniel hinted at what he had been thinking all along. Eric¡¯s life has been ruined since Chloe left. Although it was quiet in the mansion, it was gradually becoming known to the public due to reporters who persistently dug into it. If things go on like this, there might even be talk that he was crazy. Right now, the workers¡¯ backlash in the factory was getting stronger. It was not enough to let the investors know about his madness. At times like this, even though it was true that Eric was half mad, they had to hide it. This had to stop. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is the time to be in the Capital. So, go north for now.¡± However, Eric was not a man who would obey Daniel¡¯s words. He shook his head. ¡°I understand why you want to let me go, but I don¡¯t have to go. I¡¯m fine, and I¡¯ll be fine again tomorrow. So,¡± ¡°It¡¯s already been a week since you said that!¡± He shouted. Eric, who had been drinking all week, said that he would be fine. Daniel was tired now of it. ¡°This is where the madam stayed until just before, so it doesn¡¯t seem to have a good influence on Your Excellency. Go somewhere far away and rest a little, just a little.¡± ¡°Still, the North is where Chloe used to live.¡± ¡°But there won¡¯t be any trace of Madam.¡± The servants in the North had never taken good care of Chloe. As Eric¡¯s eyes widened, Daniel tried to ignore them. ¡°Please, please, Your Excellency¡­¡± He said in a desperate voice as if begging. ¡°Please, leave for our business.¡± Even though he wanted to object, Daniel¡¯s strong will forced Eric to back down. So later that evening, he was forced to put himself in a carriage to the north. __ Chapter 70 Chapter 70 The snow flurries. The carriage carrying Eric was going through the blizzard. Eric, finally waking up from the haze of alcohol, leaned back on the backrest with his eyes closed. ¡®Wake up.¡¯ Daniel¡¯s words ring in my ears. ¡®Madam is not here!¡¯ Still, why did he see Chloe¡¯s hallucination? Looking at Andrea, whose physique, age, appearance, and everything were different from Chloe, why did he mistake her for Chloe? Eric felt sorry for himself and was miserable at the same time. If he knew he loved Chloe this much, he wouldn¡¯t be so mean to her, he¡¯d admit her right away and love her unconditionally, and he wouldn¡¯t hurt her by saying things he didn¡¯t mean to her¡­. He realized that this was the ¡®regret¡¯ Daniel was talking about as he was going crazy. Because regret was originally a feeling felt when one beats their chest over an irreversible situation. Irreversible situation. Yes. He couldn¡¯t turn back. It meant that Chloe, who has become a light bulb that no longer lights up, couldn¡¯t be made to go back to the past. Why? Why would¡­he? As he continued his self-deprecating thoughts, the carriage rattled and pulled forward. Eric grabbed the edge of the chair and managed to keep himself from falling though he couldn¡¯t stop his legs from bending. It split on which his prosthetic leg was attached. Eric frowned and pulled up his pants. He could see the slightly cracked surface, perhaps the previous shock had been strong. Leaving it like this, it wouldn¡¯t be long before it broke, so he thought that he would have to fix his prosthetic leg after he went back, so he put down the pants he had rolled up before throwing his head back and leaning against it. Disgusting piece of metal. He muttered. The source of his intention for treating Chloe badly was simple. It came from the fact that he was a person with a disability and that the source of this disability came from hunger, and therefore the two words, disability and poverty, would never be separated from his, in other words, inferiority. ¡­Inferiority. Eric had an inferiority complex¡­ to Chloe, to the people, to the world. No matter how good he was, he was a commoner. No matter how much money he had, he was only a man with one of his legs cut off. No matter how much he aimed to change the world¡­ he couldn¡¯t erase the fact that he was once a street child who roamed the streets. The past was always a red mark through his life, and for this reason, he harbored an inferiority complex in everything because he saw everything in the world as better than himself. It was Chloe who made this inferiority complex explode. Chloe, who was always a noble person. Chloe, who was a woman with an unbreakable loftiness¡­ She was a perfect woman born into a perfect family. Eric judged her like that, and that judgment was enough to make him misunderstand her, and he put up a wall in his heart that he shouldn¡¯t love her. The walls were so solid that they couldn¡¯t accept Chloe¡¯s existence. So, he misunderstood the relationship between her and the Duchess. By doing so, he hurt her again and revealed that he didn¡¯t trust her¡­ Oh, why would I do that?! Eric regretted it once again, but he couldn¡¯t turn back. He had so many things to do. Why did she ever love him like this? He thought her love was holy and sublime, while his own love was insignificant. Chloe has always been self-sacrificing, but he himself has always been terribly selfish¡­ What should he do? What should he do to change his mind, and what should he do to save her? No, how could he make her have the will to live? Eric thought this was the homework he had to solve, yet he had no idea how to solve it. He sighed repeatedly at the hopeless situation and suddenly cast his eyes out the window. Perhaps he had arrived in the north before he knew it, he saw the castle not far away. Eric loosened his tie, feeling frustrated at the thought that he was back here again. Tilting his head back and clenching his fists, he held back the urge to scream. The North was a place full of bad memories for him. He was born in the North, grew up in the North, and had his leg cut off in the North. Most of what occupied his life were done in the North. So, he hated the North. He hated this place so much that even turning his head to the north gave him goosebumps. But even so, the reason he came to the North was because of Chloe. To see her, to have a brief conversation with her. In retrospect, it was all because he loved her. However, Eric didn¡¯t know this at the time, so whenever he saw Chloe, he couldn¡¯t overcome the sudden feelings of inferiority, and he only said mean things about her to her. ¡°Darling.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sick.¡± ¡°It hurts so much. So¡­¡± If only he had listened to her properly¡­ If he only asked where and how it hurts¡­! If so, wouldn¡¯t Chloe have answered him? Would she have said that her life was short and that she was waiting to die? Would she have changed if he had? Things like this could not have happened! Eric buried his face in his hands, holding a heart full of remorse, regret, and self-blame for his own actions. The breath that came out of the teeth was so sorrowful. Nevertheless, despite this, nothing changed. Chloe left him, and he couldn¡¯t hold her any longer. That was all of the current situations. ¡°Are you here, Master!¡± As soon as Eric arrived at the castle, employees came out ahead to greet him. Among them, the butler was the most passionate though it seemed that it came from a sense of crisis because he changed most of the servants at once. Because of that, the butler greeted him wholeheartedly, and Eric lifted his chin as he took off his coat. He looked around. The castle hadn¡¯t changed at all from when he left. The quiet stillness flowed, and even the subtle iron smell was the same. Because of that, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a little weird. It had been several months since Chloe, the mistress of the castle, had been away, although it was strange that nothing had changed in the meantime. Was it that there was no presence of Chloe in the first place? So, how did she live in the castle? ¡°Chloe¡¯s¡­¡± Eric opened his mouth slowly. ¡°Show me to her room.¡± He didn¡¯t even know where her room was. Realizing this stabbing fact again, he took a deep breath and looked at the butler. ¡°This way, Master.¡± The butler guided Eric in a neat manner. They walked a long way. Climbing one floor, and another, and one more, and when he reached the fourth floor, the butler started walking down the long hallway again. With each step, Eric could feel his breath choking in his throat. ¡­Has it been this far away? How many years had she been stuck in a corner room on the fourth floor where there was no heating? Eric wondered why Chloe, the mistress of the castle, had been confined to a room like this, but he soon remembered that the castle¡¯s employees had not treated her as a proper mistress, and he felt deep sadness at her unfortunate situation. He should¡¯ve paid a little more attention. Even though he regretted it now, it was already too late. Chloe had suffered from this cold for several years and had become ill. ¡°This is it.¡± Soon, the butler pointed to the old door and said. Eric could feel his mind go numb again, still, he struggled to catch his breath and spoke to the butler. ¡°Yes. You can go back.¡± ¡°Are you going in alone?¡± ¡°Yes, and don¡¯t come up until I call you. Don¡¯t let come up.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The butler obediently listened to Eric. After seeing the butler turn his back and disappear, Eric finally put his hand on the doorknob. To enter or not¡­ After thinking about it several times, he thought again about why he should be worrying. This may have been because he had a hunch that if he opened this door, he would regret it irrevocably. So Eric hesitated, but he couldn¡¯t go back when he had already come this far. In the end, he turned the doorknob. There was a creak, and the door opened. Eric slowly entered the room. __ Chapter 71 Chapter 71 04. Morendo (As If Dying) The room was simple and didn¡¯t have a good meaning. It meant that it was too shabby to be called a room where the mistress of the marquisate lived. It seemed that it had not been maintained at all, and the furniture was full of dust. Eric clicked his tongue briefly, brushing the dust with the tips of his fingers. Even if he changed the servants, Chloe was treated the same. Even though he thought so, he couldn¡¯t blame them¡­ because it was clear whose fault it was. It was his fault. His fault for not treating Chloe as a mistress, his fault for leaving her alone¡­ What if he had been with her from the beginning? Even if he didn¡¯t love her but if he had at least shown her that he cared for her, would Chloe¡¯s treatment have been different? As he thought that he took it for granted that it would have been the case, Eric¡¯s heart broke even more. Chloe was not a woman to be treated like this. Even more as she was a woman who should have lived happily under the brilliant lights¡­ As he fumbled across the dusty desk, Eric suddenly opened a drawer. It didn¡¯t make any sense whatsoever, and he just opened it because there was a drawer within reach. The unlocked drawers were stiff, but they opened easily. Inside was a small notebook. He casually picked up the note and turned the pages slowly. [ April 12, 421 I¡¯m tired. ] Eric¡¯s hand as he turned the paper trembled. Until now, he had never heard ¡®tired¡¯ directly from Chloe. Therefore, it was his first time seeing these raw emotions, and because of that, the shock he received was just as enormous. It wasn¡¯t a big deal, it was just a phrase written as if thrown out¡­ but it dug into his heart. As he staggered and landed on the desk, dark gray dust clung to his palms. Eric caught his breath slowly. He closed his eyes and then slowly raised them before turning the page again. [ May 9th I didn¡¯t say a word today. No one talks to me. Even if I stopped someone and talk to them, they wouldn¡¯t even make eye contact with me, so there wasn¡¯t even a reason for me to speak. My mouth is stuffy. Drinking water does not make it feel quenched. How long should I be like this? Will it change when my husband returns? If only he would come and take care of me a little more¡­ ] The diary ended without a proper ending. Chloe knew it, too, the fact that even if he returned, nothing would change. As Eric closed his eyes, remembering what he had done to her, the cold attitude he displayed when he returned to the mansion once a quarter to greet her. ¡°Darling, can we have dinner together tonight?¡± ¡°Darling, how about going for a walk together?¡± ¡°Darling, today I¡­¡± ¡°Darling¡­¡± Eric buried himself in the chair and covered his face with his hands. What if he had dinner with her¡­ what if he walked together? If he had listened to her day or if he had listened to her a little more¡­ If so, wouldn¡¯t it have been possible not to regret looking back at the past like now? Eric now realized how painful it was to reminisce about the past, and how terrible the irreversible past could lead to. Still, even though he regretted it endlessly, nothing changed now. He couldn¡¯t have dinner with Chloe anymore, he couldn¡¯t go for a walk with Chloe, he couldn¡¯t hear her call him husband. He slowly let go of his hands covering his face, and again, he held the diary. With his trembling hands, he turned the next page. [ December 2 Today, I was ruled to be terminally ill. Two years at the longest. At the shortest, I will not live even a year and a half. ] Thump. His heart dropped. Eric read the following text, trying to hold on to his dizzying spirit. [ I was taken aback when I first heard it. After that, I denied the reality and thought it couldn¡¯t be¡­ it¡¯s different now. I humbly accept it now. Just because I¡¯m in denial over and over again doesn¡¯t mean the reality will change¡­ so I had to admit that I am going to die. ] Unlike the elegant handwriting, the contents were cruel. [ Anyway, even now that I am alive, it is a life that is no different from being dead. Even if I die, nothing will change. Rather¡­ wouldn¡¯t it be better to die early? ] Eric bit his lower lip. She was at the point where she thought it was better to die¡­ As he thought that the loneliness Chloe felt was beyond his ability to fathom, that made him bitterly lonely, and he finally dropped his head. It shouldn¡¯t be like this¡­ He shouldn¡¯t let Chloe die, feeling terribly lonely. It was truly selfish not to allow her to die, but he decided to choose selfishness one last time. He couldn¡¯t let Chloe die, he had to keep her alive somehow. ¡­If so, how? ¡°Heart¡­¡± Eric muttered as he tapped the desk with his fingertips, and he glanced down at his feet at the same time. To be precise, he was staring at his prosthetic foot. The machine-made prosthetic leg was incomparably sophisticated. How much effort had been put into making this prosthetic leg for years? He recalled the past and, at the same time, wondered if he could make such a machine as a heart. ¡®¡­Mechanical heart.¡¯ If he transplanted it to Chloe, wouldn¡¯t she be able to live? Eric raised his eyes and opened them. He had decided what he had to do. He was a man of drive, and he was also a man of a stubbornness who would not change a decision once he had made it. Cough! Sitting on a shabby bed in a simple inn room, Chloe coughed and curled her body. As blood was dripping, she covered her mouth with a handkerchief and closed her eyes tightly. It hurt. It was so painful¡­ but nothing could be done. The only thing she could do was to take pain-relieving medicine and wait until the medicine wore off. ¡°Haa¡­¡± ¡­Just time to swallow the pain. She finally calmed down, and Chloe let out a breath and leaned forward before burying her face between her legs and holding her cheeks in her hands. How long would she live like this? In fact, Chloe couldn¡¯t find a reason to live anymore. She had no hopes for life, so she did not feel it was worth living. A life worth dying for¡­ this would be the sentence that represented her current mind. Could this be depression? She thought a little about her own condition. Although it was very likely, even if she said yes, she had no intention of going to therapy. As she said, she would die. She wanted to make her dying life better because she did not want to do anything. Chloe calmly raised her body and lowered her eyes. Today, she had to start her day again. Still, she had nothing to do during the day, so Chloe pondered for a moment and got up, thinking she should go to the beach again. When she left the room and went downstairs, she saw Sophia moving around busily. She seemed to be preparing breakfast for his guests. Seeing that, Chloe cautiously left the inn since she did not want to eat breakfast. Nonetheless, she knew that if Sophia caught sight of her, she would have no choice but to eat breakfast. Regardless, she couldn¡¯t escape the hawk eyes that Sophia had on her. ¡°Madam¡­!¡± Sophia shouted behind her back. Even though she didn¡¯t want to, Chloe was forced to turn her body towards Sophia. ¡°Are you awake? You came out a little late today!¡± Chloe, who couldn¡¯t bear to say that she was late because she was coughing up blood, replied that she had overslept. She then directed her to a spot and told her that she would serve breakfast. ¡°But, I don¡¯t have to eat breakfast.¡± She refused. ¡°That won¡¯t do. You¡¯re still skinny like this now, but if you lose more weight here, it¡¯ll be bad. It¡¯s not good for your health either. I¡¯ll serve you very little, so try it, alright?¡± Her words made Chloe decide that she couldn¡¯t beat her, so she couldn¡¯t help but nod her head. Seeing her like that, Sophia said she was happy and went into the kitchen. Chloe was always, always, burdened with these kindnesses because she herself could not reciprocate Sophia¡¯s kindness. While she knew she had to give back what she got, since she¡¯d never received anything right in her life, she didn¡¯t know how to give it back either. She wanted to do something commensurate with this sincerity, but she couldn¡¯t figure out what it was. Even if she knew, she couldn¡¯t afford to do it¡­ So, she always felt burdened by Sophia and felt sorry for her. Contrary to her words, Chloe said to Sophia, who had brought a plate full of food. ¡°This is too much. I wish we could eat together.¡± ¡°Oh, can I?¡± Perhaps Sophia had been waiting for these words, she quickly sat down across from Chloe. ¡°Today is an omelet and toast made with a special sauce. It should suit your taste.¡± ¡°Your food always melts in my mouth. It¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°Thank you for saying that.¡± Sophia, who smiled embarrassedly, put her hands together and glanced at her. As if she had something to say, Chloe waited for Sophia¡¯s next words without lifting her fork. ¡°By the way, Madam.¡± It had been a long time since she had observed Chloe¡¯s noble way of speaking, her noble demeanor, and her eyes full of intelligence. In addition, a man who came to visit a while ago referred to her as ¡®Mrs. Aslan¡¯. If he was Marquis Aslan, then Chloe was indeed a great person¡­! So, Sophia showed a little more friendliness to Chloe because she had a favor to ask. ¡°Can you write something?¡± Hearing her sudden question, Chloe tilted her head. ¡°Yes, but why do you ask?¡± ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Sophia clapped her hands and shouted. ¡°Then, can you please do me one favor?¡± __ Chapter 72 Chapter 72 Favor¡­? In this case, it was usually difficult to refuse, and there was a high probability that the favor would be difficult to accept. Still, Chloe couldn¡¯t refuse her. As she said before, she was always obliged to be kind to Sophia, and she was obsessed with repaying her. ¡°Tell me.¡± In the end, she pretended to be okay and answered. Sophia¡¯s eyes twinkled. ¡°Because spring is over now, more people are visiting Heath. Thanks to that, our inn is too full with people. It¡¯s such a great thing, but on the other hand, it¡¯s hard for me to manage all of this by myself.¡± Why was her introduction so long? What was she asking her to do with such a detailed explanation? Chloe felt a setback of discomfort. ¡°So, I want to use someone for a couple of months. I mean, I want to put out an announcement looking for people who can work only short hours. However, in a way, this is no different from taking only the good parts, so I was worried.¡± She was probably saying this because it was common to hire an employee for more than half a year. Chloe nodded her head, understanding roughly what Sophia was feeling. ¡°Will Madam write this announcement for me? If it¡¯s Madam, I think you will be able to express it well enough!¡± The main point was this. Sophia entrusted everything to her, and even if there were a problem later due to the announcement, she would blame it on Chloe and allow herself to wash her hand clean off it. The trick was so obvious that she laughed lightly. Sophia was not as good a person as Chloe thought, and somehow, this fact gave her strange comfort. After all, she was more comfortable receiving feigned kindnesses with scheming than receiving unrewarded favors. Chloe nodded lightly. ¡°I will.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Sophia, who answered with a small shout, hurriedly brought her paper and pen, and Chloe skillfully grabbed the pen she handed her and began to write down in her signature delicate handwriting. It was not difficult for her to write advertisements for job openings. As she wrote without interruption, Sophia looked at her and opened her mouth halfway. ¡°Madam really is wonderful.¡± Seeing the finished advertising text, she was impressed. ¡°The handwriting is good, but the content is really good. It¡¯s not a good condition, but you packaged it well. It¡¯s so clear that I can even see it at a glance¡­!¡± Sophia repeatedly praised her. ¡°Have you ever worked in this field?¡± When she asked, Chloe narrowed her brow slightly. It would be impolite for her to ask if a nobleman had ever worked. Originally, nobles were laid-back and pitiful people who did not work all their lives and lived off taxes from their estates. Of course, asking such a question to a nobleman was intended to offend her. It seemed, however, that Sophia¡¯s words were not meant to offend her. While she had some tricks, she didn¡¯t have the guts to do them. Chloe recognized that it was just pure admiration, so she straightened her expression and shook her head. ¡°No. I¡¯ve never done anything like this before.¡± ¡°You are really good at that. Someone like Madam should have been a journalist, you know! How stupid and stupid reporters are these days!¡± Sophia cheered her up and pointed to the newspaper on the table. ¡°Read it. It¡¯s not enough to just write every single sentence with just trivial content, and they don¡¯t even have a basic sense of ethics. Today, the private life of Hans next door has been revealed! Do you know what they said when Hans protested? To do a good job guarding his lower body, what is that? It¡¯s really mean!¡± Sophia, who had been getting angry for a while, said she was sorry and lowered her voice. ¡°Anyway, I just want to tell Madam that you are amazing. Thank you. I will post the advertisement as it is.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Chloe answered briefly, and Sophia left the place with a satisfied smile. Feeling a bit nervous, she thought while staring at Sophia¡¯s back as she walked away before glancing at the newspaper on her table. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she picked up the newspaper. Since it was a local newspaper, there were no noticeable articles. Just like Sophia said, there were only articles dealing with such gossip. Chloe read the articles without thinking. In the meantime, she stopped her eyes on a job posting in the corner. The content was simple. The newspaper was looking for a reporter for a job. Chloe traced the writing with her fingers as warm energy touched her fingertips. She thought back to a long time ago when she was constantly bullied by reporters. The time when she had just married Eric. At that time, no matter what she did, people paid attention. The spotlight seemed to fall on her alone. She paid attention to what she ate and what she wore. So, Chloe¡¯s breath was choked. Even the slightest glimpse of her was bit on by the herd of hounds. Every day, reporters wield their pens carelessly and write articles harshly criticizing her, making her smaller, smaller and smaller¡­ Besides, that happened recently. On the airship, she just went up on the deck to get some air, but then they published an article making a commotion of her suicide, and didn¡¯t she belittle her again? At the same time as she thought that she couldn¡¯t be more humiliated, Chloe also had arrogant thoughts that if she were a reporter, she wouldn¡¯t have done it. Yes. If it were her, she wouldn¡¯t be. She would write a slightly more valuable article and include something that can be helpful to everyone. She would write articles with respect, not accusations against anyone, articles that convey the facts, not frame them. ¡­If it were her, it would be like that. As she traced the letters again, it even felt somehow warm. Nobles were people who did not work. However, if she was as she was now, and if she was the woman who abandoned the Aslan and Rolf name¡­ would it be okay? ¡®No, no¡­¡¯ Chloe shook her head. She would die soon. She had less than a year left in her life, and there was nothing more to be done here¡­ ¡®Why?¡¯ When in her mind, a voice vaguely asked why, Chloe slowly closed her eyes. The reason she couldn¡¯t do anything was simple. ¡­It was because she wanted to live longer. When she did what she wanted to do, when she had something to do, she would have a desire to live longer and lament over herself for not being able to live longer. And she would have no choice but to end her life in sorrow without properly closing her eyes. Chloe didn¡¯t want that. She wanted to die without being greedy for her life as she was now, and she did not want to engrave anything in her heart especially if it has bright hope, coziness, and warmth. So she put it to one side, folding the open newspaper. ¡®¡­No.¡¯ She mumbled that to herself. Still, Chloe couldn¡¯t stop it because it was so natural that her eyes glanced toward the newspaper. Eric, who hurriedly returned from the north, had been stuck in the lab ever since. ¡°Damn it!¡± Eric swore as he threw down the screwing nippers. A bunch of machines the size of his fists were scattered around him. All of these were failed attempts to create a mechanical heart. He banged his fist on his desk. ¡°Why do you keep¡­!¡± As he slumped back in his chair and threw his head back, the spinning chair was just annoying. He closed his eyes tightly. There was nothing working¡­ nothing went the way he wanted. At the same time as feeling frustrated that his ability was only limited to this, Eric hated Chloe terribly for creating this situation, yet still wanted to see her¡­ No, in fact, the longing was indescribably greater than the hatred. Yes. He wanted to see her. What was she doing now? Could she be looking at the sea again, just like a dead person? Would she not do anything, feel nothing, not think anything, just sit? Now, he couldn¡¯t remember much of her lively appearance. In his memory, only Chloe¡¯s look when the last time they met was stuck with him then. ¡°Damn it.¡± Spitting out a swore again, he took out a cigarette. Eric narrowed his brow deeply and let out the smoke from his cigarette. ¡°Your Excellency, are you inside?¡± Hearing Daniel¡¯s voice, he replied that he was inside and soon, Daniel opened the door and came in. ¡°What is all this about? You made a lot of mess. How to clean it.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Hearing his scolding, Eric took a deep breath in his cigarette and frowned as Daniel approached him. ¡°Still, it¡¯s nice to see that you¡¯re trying to do something for the madam.¡± He curled up his lips and said. ¡°Shall I contact Madam?¡± This must be the essence of his visit to him. Noticing this, Eric narrowed his eyes and stared at Daniel for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Then, after extinguishing the cigarette, Eric got up. ¡°I will go myself.¡± Daniel¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°¡­Now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± He glanced at Eric¡¯s leg. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t the prosthetic be fixed first? It still looks a bit dangerous.¡± His gaze also turned downward, following him. The prosthetic leg that was accidentally bumped into and cracked on the way to the north a while ago. Eric showed a slightly flustered look but soon answered while looking at the sky with the sun rising in the middle of the sky. ¡°I don¡¯t have time.¡± It was quite a while to Heath, so he had to leave right away to avoid arriving in the middle of the night. Thinking that, Eric brushed his leg and took a deep breath. ¡°It will be fine.¡± Eric gave a short reply and left the lab. Your Excellency, at least change your clothes. Ignoring Daniel, who said that, he continued to walk¡­ to see the Chloe, whom he wanted to see. To keep her alive. __ Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Thanks to the coachman going all night, they arrived at Heath before nightfall. Eric went straight to the sea without stopping at the inn where Chloe was staying. Since today was a good day when the stars were visible, she must have been at sea. As he expected, she was at the beach. As she was sitting on the beach, she was facing the rushing waves and the gusting wind. He paused for a moment, gazing at her back. The wind blew too strong, and the night flowed in faster than expected. He stared at Chloe, who was sitting on the boundary between night and evening, and sunset and starlight. Her face was emaciated and was extinguishing like a dying candle. Soon, he made the decision that he couldn¡¯t leave her swaying in the sea breeze any longer, and this judgment set him in motion. He ran over and grabbed her by the shoulder. ¡°Chloe.¡± Did she sense Eric¡¯s presence? Chloe turned her head away, not showing the slightest hint of surprise. She glanced at him. ¡°Why¡­¡± She opened her chapped lips slowly. ¡°¡­are you here?¡± It was a calm voice, a voice without any emotion. Eric felt momentarily choked. At the same time, his heart was throbbing and hurting. He gasped and looked down at Chloe. ¡°I came because I missed you.¡± Eric spoke the words that stayed in his mouth the whole time. ¡°I missed you so much that I couldn¡¯t bear it, so I came.¡± When she finally met his eyes, he could see her blue eyes tremble slightly. Eric clenched his fists. ¡°You¡­¡± He spoke sparsely. ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t you miss me?¡± Chloe¡¯s eyes widened again. However, this did not seem to be due to any agitation or change of heart. The extinguished candle dipped in her eyes. Looking at her glow, Eric bit his lip. ¡°Now you¡¯re here, then what?¡± As expected, what came back were just cold words. Feeling that she didn¡¯t really want to see him, he closed his eyes, realizing that she didn¡¯t think of him at all. ¡°Chloe.¡± He opened his eyes again and grabbed Chloe by the shoulder. ¡°How long are you going to stay like this?¡± She gazed at Eric with a grave look. ¡°Until I die.¡± Eric let out a pitiful sigh. To die¡­ Chloe was dying. Every time he imagined this terrifying future, he felt his breath choke. It shouldn¡¯t be. She should never die. There was no way he could just sit still and watch her soul volatilize like this. ¡°You will not die.¡± He continued. ¡°Because I will save you.¡± Observing the steadfastness on his face, his will to save her, Chloe gave a short laugh. He was a man who wouldn¡¯t listen no matter how many times she spoke¡­ a man who never tolerated her opinions. Why did she love this man? And why was she still in love¡­ Chloe lamented her own stupidity but, at the same time, admired herself for being truly unchanging. She shook her head slowly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to live.¡± Eric took a deep breath and sat next to her. ¡°That.¡± The next moment, he grabbed her hand. Not the sleek and lean hands like in the past, but bruised and withered hands. ¡°Because you have accepted the day you will die. Because you know you¡¯re going to die soon, you don¡¯t want to live. Still, if you can live, if you can not die¡­ you will definitely want to live. I¡¯m sure.¡± Chloe, who listened to Eric¡¯s words, wanted to laugh out loud. ¡­How could he be sure of her life? How could he prevent her death? By what right and by what qualification? Even though she tried not to think so, she was forced to think again that Eric was responsible for more than half of her body condition, that was, this body that wanted to die. If Eric had taken care of her a little more carefully, if he had been interested in her, if he had sent a real doctor from the Capital, if he had looked at her a little more properly¡­ had it been so, this situation could have been avoided. Chloe came to have a grudge against Eric, and it was soon embodied in words. ¡°I don¡¯t think you have any idea how great my helplessness is.¡± ¡°Chloe, that¡­¡± ¡°Still, you wouldn¡¯t even think about it.¡± She stared at Eric with a calmer tone than ever, showing off enough voice, expression, and gestures to hurt Eric. ¡°I wanted to live better than anyone else. Reading romance novels, I lived with the imagination that I could be the main character. Looking back, it was such a stupid imagination, but I was as happy as I was when I imagined it because I was sure I could. I¡¯m using the conviction you speak of here¡­ I am sure.¡± As he bit his lip at her excessively cold words, Chloe looked at Eric and continued. ¡°Even until I married you, that imagination was valid. Since you were the person I fell in love with at first sight, I thought that my married life with you would be as sweet and romantic as in many romance novels¡­ but that wasn¡¯t it.¡± ¡°¡­What did you say?¡± Eric slowly opened his eyes. His wide-open eyes are full of surprise and wonder. ¡°You fell in love¡­ at first sight?¡± Chloe breathed in and recalled the past. The first time she saw Eric. It was the time when she was in a hurry to hide her heart while looking at him, who was shining anytime and anywhere, and the time when she regretted not seeing Eric any more than leaving this beloved academy at graduation¡­ Recalling those long but short years, Chloe nodded her head. ¡°Yes. I have loved you ever since.¡± ¡°Oh, my God!¡± Eric shouted with a white face. He ran his hand over his face and closed his eyes tightly. ¡­Chloe loved him, too. She said she loved him from the beginning, too. Upon realizing this fact, he experienced a dizzying experience as if his feet were collapsing. What if they knew each other¡¯s feelings from the beginning? What would it have been like if they had let go of their inferiority complex, let go of Chloe¡¯s pride, and held hands while acknowledging that they loved each other¡­ to be sure, something so heartbreaking would never have happened. Eric opened his mouth, feeling his heart tearing. ¡°I was like that, too. Yes. I know that admitting it now is really foolish and stupid! I, too, have loved you since then. Looking back, it was love. There is nothing more precious than that, that kind of feeling.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Even now, I don¡¯t want to let go of this love I have realized. So Chloe¡­ come back now, please.¡± Chloe couldn¡¯t believe the reality of a man with great pride bowing down in front of her. She sighed, trying to catch her breath, avoiding Eric¡¯s gaze. To be honest, she had to admit it. She was shaking. She had to admit that she had a little bit of a desire to go back holding Eric¡¯s hand, clinging on like this. Still, admitting it or shaking her heart wouldn¡¯t change anything. She was a woman with some stubbornness, and she didn¡¯t even seem so eager for Eric to defeat this stubbornness. She shook her head. ¡°If you really loved me, why did you make me this way?¡± ¡°That¡­!¡± Eric reflexively shouted but could not find the words. It was because he could not justify the actions he had done to her. He clearly did wrong to Chloe, and although he was now in remorse¡­ there was no turning back. Seeing his quivering eyes, Chloe continued. ¡°Free cheese is only in a mousetrap. I was bitten by a mousetrap once. I don¡¯t want to get hurt again.¡± Eric clenched his teeth hard. ¡°So!¡± He shouted once again with earnestness. ¡°Are you saying you¡¯re just going to die? There must be a way to save you!¡± She trembled again, but it was just a moment. Chloe was too old and tired to revive the will to live with this short conversation. She shook her head slowly again. ¡°If you wanted me to live, you should have done a little better. You, who made me lose all will to live, can¡¯t act like this now.¡± Even though Eric opened his mouth, he was still speechless. Chloe laughed briefly as she witnessed the shame, embarrassment, and anger spreading across his face. ¡°Am I too cold? Do I look too emotional?¡± ¡°¡­Chloe.¡± ¡°What can I do? Now I have nowhere to retreat.¡± As she slowly raised her body, she gave Eric a quick glance as she folded the blanket she was wrapped around. ¡°Just go back. It¡¯s cold.¡± Soon, Chloe left the place and Eric stared blankly at her as she left. How could she be so cold-hearted? He was very surprised to see the changed Chloe, but he had to stop her first. After ending the conversation here, he couldn¡¯t go back, giving up. ¡°Chloe¡­!¡± __ Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Eric chased after Chloe. The sand wasn¡¯t a good place to run and his legs were telling him not to run, but he had to catch her anyway. ¡°Chloe!¡± As he ran, Chloe quickened her pace. ¡°Stop, Chloe!¡± Still, he continued his steps. Even though it became difficult to run because his feet were stuck in the sand, he didn¡¯t stop. Only the thought of capturing Chloe remained. However, it didn¡¯t feel like his body. There was a problem with his leg, or prosthetic leg to be exact, and he ended up collapsing. ¡°Ugh!¡± Eric just rolled on the sandy beach, feeling the sharp edges of the cracked machine piercing his flesh. Although he bit his lip and tried to hold back a moan, he couldn¡¯t stop the pain from flowing out. ¡°¡­Eric?¡± Chloe looked back in surprise at the unexpected situation. She immediately turned around and ran straight to Eric when she had only wanted to leave. Looking at the blood dripping onto the sand, she widened her eyes. ¡­Eric was hurt? Why? ¡°What is this¡­¡± Her jaw trembled. She hurriedly took out her handkerchief and moved towards his leg because she seemed to have to stop the bleeding first. ¡°Don¡¯t come!¡± Eric groaned. His voice was desperate, showing that he really didn¡¯t want her to come close, so Chloe couldn¡¯t reach him, and she stopped. Grabbing his leg, he turned around. ¡°But, Eric¡­ you¡¯re hurt right now. You need treatment. At least stop the bleeding¡­¡± After catching her breath for a moment, Chloe slowly approached him and opened her mouth but Eric shouted again. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to come!¡± He was so ashamed of this situation right now. ¡­Falling, hurting, and showing dirty blood in front of Chloe because of this goddamn prosthetic leg! His desire to hold on to her disappeared, and all he could do was wish that she would disappear. ¡°Go back. Right now!¡± As he shouted loudly, he felt like a wary beast with its fur raised. Chloe was taken aback by the high-pitched voice, but she couldn¡¯t back down. How could she turn away from a bleeding person?! ¡°No.¡± She uttered firmly and moved closer to him. ¡°You need treatment. I can¡¯t leave you like this. Come on. I¡¯ll help you¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I say I was okay!¡± Eric shook her outstretched hand, but maybe it was because it was too strong? Chloe stumbled and fell. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Chloe!¡± Eric hurriedly helped Chloe. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to push you.¡± He first checked that Chloe was not hurt. Even though his action just made the metal core stuck in his leg, he held back the pain and spoke to her in a calm voice. ¡°But please go back¡­ Please.¡± However, she looked strange. To be precise, she had a strange look in her eyes. Seeing that, Eric turned his head to where Chloe¡¯s gaze was. ¡°Eric.¡± What she was looking at was his leg, a prosthetic leg. ¡°What is that?¡± Chloe let out a gasping breath. ¡°You¡­¡± Then, he said something Eric really didn¡¯t want to hear¡­ something he never wanted to ever hear. ¡°Were you wearing a prosthetic leg?¡± The prosthetic leg, in other words, his severed foot, was Eric¡¯s biggest complex. Every time he saw his legs missing below his ankles, he remembered the past, his past self, and his poor past. The day he lost his feet was bitterly cold. Eric remembered giving a blanket to a child who was shivering with cold next to him, losing his leg because of it and remembering that the child he covered with the blanket died. That was why, to him, having his leg cut off was both a disgrace and a piece of the past that he didn¡¯t want to recall at the same time¡­ It was because it was proof of poverty and proof of a terribly cruel past. That was also why he never wanted to be found out by Chloe¡­ especially Chloe! ¡°Wh-what happened? Since when did you start using prosthetic limbs? Is it since you lived with me? Or before that?¡± Gazing at his leg, Chloe asked in a trembling voice. ¡°Why¡­ didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Her harmless words, yet full of sympathy and pity, choked his breath. Eric tried to avoid her gaze, but he followed her eyes and raised his head involuntarily. Seeing the sigh in her eyes, Eric closed his eyes tightly. ¡°¡­I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll look at me like that!¡± He shouted. ¡°I was afraid that you would look at me with such compassionate eyes, you would look at me pitifully, so I didn¡¯t say anything¡­ I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll act like you are now!¡± Chloe hesitated. She clasped and opened her fists, panting for breath. What should she say? What can she say to comfort him? She hadn¡¯t realized that the very thought of having to say something comforting came from sympathy and pity. That was why she couldn¡¯t properly accept Eric¡¯s inferiority complex and shame. ¡°I¡­¡± She spoke slowly. ¡°I do not sympathize with you. I don¡¯t even feel pity. I just¡­¡± ¡®¡­I, what¡¯s next?¡¯ She didn¡¯t know what to say. She didn¡¯t sympathize with him, she just¡­ just what? Even though Chloe tried to get several words out of her mouth, the right one couldn¡¯t come. Everything seemed to hurt him. Eric laughed at her. ¡°Look at this. You are unable to talk.¡± ¡°No, no, Eric. I just¡­¡± She felt that she shouldn¡¯t be like this. As she slurred her words and pursed her lips, she turned her head away, trying not to keep her eyes on Eric¡¯s bloody prosthetic. Then, suddenly, she remembered a conversation she had had while looking at his prosthetic leg on the airship. ¡°It must be uncomfortable to have something like this on your leg. It looks like it might hurt.¡± Ah¡­ Chloe closed her eyes. How did he respond to that? He asked in a really flat voice as if he was talking about someone else, but with a certain emotion. ¡°Is this gross?¡± She should have said no. She should have said that she had never thought of it, that prosthetic limbs were just amazing. Still, Chloe didn¡¯t respond. ¡°It¡¯s just a pity.¡± ¡°Losing a leg¡­ it just meant that they went through unimaginable pain, and that¡¯s really a pity.¡± ¡­Pity. It was sympathy. Yes. Chloe now had to admit that she sympathized with Eric. She had to admit that she was giving him the sympathetic glances and voices she didn¡¯t want to receive! Why did she not want to be found out that she was sick¡­? Was it not because she did not want to receive cheap sympathy? Yet she, too, sympathized with him! ¡­She pitied someone while she herself didn¡¯t want pity! Ah, Chloe buried her face in her hands. She realized that her benevolent attitude and that Eric had kept his prosthetic leg hidden for years because of her attitude led to a secret between them and a misunderstanding. It was all their own fault. If only they had been a little more rational! If it were, he wouldn¡¯t have tried to hide it to the end! ¡°Now I¡­¡± Chloe raised her face, looking like she was about to cry. ¡°I¡¯m regretting what I said in front of you.¡± She uttered with all her heart. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t understand you.¡± Eric¡¯s eyes hardened. He also seemed to recall the conversation they had on the airship. As he clenched his fists tightly and turned his head, he gave a brief swear word. He had long forgotten the pain of the cracked prosthetic leg digging into his flesh, as the shame and humiliation he was experiencing were greater than the pain. ¡°You¡­¡± Eric opened his mouth. ¡°Why are you so damn nice?¡± He seemed somehow angry. While Chloe looked at Eric in a slightly frightened state, he stared at her as the tips of his eyebrows dropped before glancing down at his legs. ¡°Being foolishly kind, stupidly kind, trying to embrace even these disgusting legs.¡± He gritted his teeth. ¡°¡­This is why I hate you. You¡¯re so goddamn nice¡­ you¡¯re so gentle that I don¡¯t dare to belittle you!¡± This was why he rejected Chloe. This was the reason why he couldn¡¯t accept her with his heart. ¡­Because she was so kind, because she was the kindest person he had ever known. From Eric¡¯s point of view, she was a very burdensome person. It felt as though he had to always reciprocate her kindness and goodwill, or else he would be miserably mean. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t like Chloe. He hated her. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s rather bad¡­ Be mean so I can hate you! To hate nobles like you! Behave so that even you can be treated with contempt, so as expected, nobles are all equally filthy!¡± However, Chloe wasn¡¯t that kind of woman, and that was why he¡­ ¡°¡­Why didn¡¯t you do that, why did you make me love you?¡± He fell in love. Eric grabbed her shoulder, then buried his face in the nape of her neck and let out a groan. ¡°Why¡­¡± At the same time, Chloe couldn¡¯t answer anything, and he didn¡¯t say anything more either. Only the sound of the waves of the sea filled the space. __ Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Chloe and Eric returned to the inn without a word. Even though she said she would help him, Eric refused and inevitably they returned to the inn apart. Glancing around the musty room he saw as soon as he opened the old door, he sighed softly. Why was Chloe in a place like this? She shouldn¡¯t be in a place like this. He clenched his fists and narrowed his brows. ¡°Sit down on the bed for now. I¡¯ll ask Sophia to bring a chair. The desk chair has broken legs.¡± After Eric affirmed it, he sat down on the shabby bed and Chloe left immediately. It was only then did he let out a breath he had been saving and lifted his trousers. ¡°Ugh¡­ His leg was literally covered in blood. Because the prosthetic leg was dislocated and broken, it was digging into his flesh. Eric pondered for a moment whether he should remove his prosthetic leg altogether. Still, if he did, he would show Chloe his broken leg. In other words, he had to show the empty legs underneath. Just thinking about it, he decided it was better not to and thought he would endure the pain and go back to the mansion. Eric threw his head back after roughly stopping the bleeding with a cloth. He looked around. As seen from the outside, the shabby room clearly showed Chloe¡¯s bad life. He thought of giving her money, but he decided she would never accept it, given her lofty pride, so he got up and went over to the desk and opened the drawer. After blowing at the dusty drawer, he pulled his wallet out of his inside pocket. If he knew this would happen, he would have stopped by the bank to withdraw cash. He tutted his tongue and put all the cash in his wallet into a drawer. Then, he picked up the pen on the desk and scribbled briefly on the paper before placing it on top of the money. After finishing this and sitting on the bed again, Chloe returned. Chloe, who had come in with an innkeeper named Sophia, was hanging out near Eric. Sophia, who was holding a chair, came in front of him and said. ¡°Can I put it here?¡± Eric couldn¡¯t get rid of the thought that she deliberately made him talk. Even though she could just put the chair down and go without ever exchanging words, she had to talk to him. He soon nodded his head with a stoic yet cool expression. As she observed the contempt in his eyes, Sophia blushed and left hastily. ¡°Is that woman the innkeeper?¡± Eric asked after Sophia left. Chloe nodded and replied. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°But why¡­¡± He got the idea that the woman, Sophia, might be a bad person, for he could not shake the feeling that she had entered the room on purpose to observe him. Even if Chloe stayed here and became acquainted with that person, it was over the limit so Eric loosened his tie, slightly upset. ¡°Are your legs okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± It wasn¡¯t really okay at all, but he had to say this, that way, Chloe would be less worried. Eric was surprised that he cared for her to this extent. If it were normal, the original Eric, he wouldn¡¯t have chosen his words considering the other person¡¯s feelings, and he wouldn¡¯t have done anything to anyone. He thought self-deprecatingly that he seemed to think and accept Chloe more than he thought. ¡°I think you need to treat it first¡­ Shall I call the doctor?¡± ¡°This is not for the doctor to see. I just have to go back to the mansion and fix it.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Chloe didn¡¯t know what to say here, so she put her hands together and put her head down. Seeing that, Eric gazed at her and opened his mouth. ¡°Are you grossed out?¡± Chloe picked the words out of her mouth. ¡°If I say no, I don¡¯t think you will believe me, and if I say yes, I¡¯m fooling myself, so I don¡¯t know what to answer.¡± Eric let out a laugh. ¡°You seem to be feeling a bit relaxed to make jokes like this.¡± She laughed similarly, but the laughter soon evaporated. She asked him with a supposedly serious face. ¡°Since when did you wear a prosthetic leg?¡± What does that have to do with it? Eric wanted to ask, but he kept his mouth shut, thinking that getting angry at such a question would clearly show his inferiority. For a moment, silence fell around the two of them. He took a deep breath and slowly opened his mouth. ¡°It was when I was young. Frostbite cut off my feet.¡± Ah. Chloe let out a sigh unknowingly but hastily covered her mouth. She didn¡¯t want to reveal that she sympathized with him. However, Eric, who was quick to notice this, let out a dejected laugh. Compassion was something she couldn¡¯t hide even if she tried. He sighed briefly as he observed the pity, the sympathy, that filled her face. ¡°So I wanted to die¡­ but I didn¡¯t die. No, I¡¯m not dead. I wanted to somehow survive and change this damned world. So, look¡­ has everything not changed?¡± He twisted his lips proudly. ¡°I became a noble and a promising researcher. No one can treat me carelessly¡­ My wish has come true.¡± Chloe didn¡¯t answer. She thought that if his only grand wish was to receive a noble title and make money, then maybe Eric¡¯s goal was distorted somewhere with the thought that he might have had a better target. However, she soon realized that this thought itself was proof that she was looking at Eric favorably and that she was trying to teach him somehow, not understanding him as an equal. This attitude while seeing Eric¡¯s prosthetic leg, seeing his pain, and hearing about his past¡­ Chloe thought about how much she had hurt him in the past, and her head hurt. ¡°¡­If that was your wish, I¡¯m glad it came true. I¡¯m so glad.¡± So, as Chloe uttered with sincerity, Eric stared at her and opened his mouth again. ¡°In the process, I lost a lot.¡± He let out a sigh. ¡°If you ask me what is the biggest loss among it all, it would be emotion. For me, emotions were luxury and unnecessary.¡± Hearing his calm voice, she clasped her hand on her thigh. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± ¡°I had to succeed.¡± Eric replied as if he had been waiting. ¡°To be successful, you have to let go of all emotions¡­ joy, excitement, sadness, regret, difficulty, all of them must be thrown away. You have to be in a state where you don¡¯t feel anything, so you can make a rational decision.¡± Chloe ess now beginning to understand why Eric had become this way, why he had been cold and without feeling towards everyone in the past, like a man made of machines to the core. He abandoned many things with one single thought of success. Just like an eye covering was put on to make a racehorse run in a straight line, he was also wearing an eye covering¡­ That was how he just looked ahead and ran, without even knowing what he was missing. ¡°That is too cruel.¡± She shook her head and said. ¡°It is a cruel act. You are abusing yourself!¡± Chloe wondered what Eric had missed, and she felt sorry for him. ¡°I have been living like that. There is no turning back now.¡± Still, as he spoke so calmly, like it wasn¡¯t his matter, she could feel her heart throbbing. ¡°You can turn around. You can change even now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Eric meekly agreed. He leaned his body forward before meeting Chloe¡¯s eyes a little closer. ¡°After you left, I realized that the feelings I thought I had abandoned still remained in me. As you said, it has changed. I was able to go back.¡± He spoke in a desperate voice, expressing his emotions as much as possible. ¡°¡­Really. I was in love with you.¡± The words approached her straight ahead, and Chloe¡¯s eyes trembled without her realizing it. ¡­Was he serious this time? Maybe there was a difference inside? No, no¡­ it was really foolish to think like this! She may learn a lot about Eric today and she may have come to understand him, but she still couldn¡¯t believe him. To believe him? It was something she shouldn¡¯t have done! ¡°No. I don¡¯t believe you.¡± So Chloe said firmly. ¡°How many times have I been hurt by the love you speak of? How much have I been crumbled by that false love? How can I trust you now? How can I believe in it?¡± She remembered the past. That time when she couldn¡¯t even shed tears as she held onto the love that never came back to her. She could never go back to Eric¡¯s side. ¡°Go back, Eric. I have nothing more to say.¡± ¡°¡­Chloe.¡± As she raised her body, Eric stood up as well. He reached out his hand for her, but Chloe backed away from him and she rejected his touch. ¡°Today¡¯s events may have made me understand you, and you have come to understand me to some extent. It made us get to know ourselves better. But that¡¯s it. We have already come a long way.¡± She took two steps back and opened her mouth. ¡°No, Eric.¡± Then, she spoke more firmly than ever and with more emotion than ever before. ¡°Go back.¡± __ Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Eric could feel his mind dizzy at Chloe¡¯s resolute words. It shouldn¡¯t be like this¡­ he couldn¡¯t go back this time, leaving her behind again. Eric had the idea that he had to get hold of Chloe somehow because he couldn¡¯t bear a life without her anymore, and the thought of going back this far alone made him devastated. He didn¡¯t want to go back with this sadness and devastation and regret it anymore, so he held onto her once more. ¡°Chloe. Please think again.¡± He reached out to Chloe and grabbed her arm. ¡°Please come with me.¡± ¡°No, Eric.¡± However, she was still adamant. Chloe shook her head and shook his arm. ¡°I can¡¯t go back.¡± At this moment, Chloe noticed that one side of her chest was beginning to ache. This was clearly a sign of the start of another coughing blood episode. She couldn¡¯t be seen coughing up blood in front of Eric, so she spoke again in a somewhat trembling voice. ¡°Can you please go back now? I¡¯ve been outside for a long time today, so it¡¯s a little tiring.¡± ¡°Chloe¡­¡± ¡°Please go back.¡± She soon wrapped her body and turned her head away. At the same time, Eric decided he couldn¡¯t convince her any longer, so he had no choice but to back off. ¡°I will come again.¡± He said as he got up from the bed. ¡°My answer will remain the same.¡± ¡°Still.¡± He stared at her profile. ¡°I will come again.¡± Even though Chloe didn¡¯t answer, Eric judged that he had some success just by not stubbornly refusing. He took her hand and kissed lightly on the back of her hand. It was ridiculous to greet her like this when he couldn¡¯t even stand properly on two legs, someone with bad feet, but it didn¡¯t matter. He eventually turned around and left, while Chloe watched the door close and sat down on the floor. Cough! She coughed up what had been held back and curled herself up. As the blood dripped in a patter, like the blood that flowed from Eric¡¯s leg earlier¡­ it was bright red blood. Cough, cough! Eric would still be outside, so she shouldn¡¯t be this loud. Although she wanted to stop coughing, she couldn¡¯t. The aura of death was constantly flowing. Chloe fumbled her hand and opened the drawer because she had to get the medicine bottle. However, what was caught in her instead of a bottle was paper. ¡®This¡­¡¯ She read the writing on the paper, trying to hold on to her fading mind. Short words, but words that contain many things. When Chloe saw this, she burst into laughter. Blood trickled down her teeth and her coughing didn¡¯t stop, her chest aching, but she laughed. She couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡®If this is the case¡­¡¯ Why did he do that? Chloe laughed again, recalling the past, and the present Eric who made it possible for her to understand the past. Nevertheless she made up her mind, feeling the miserable reality of not being able to meet him again. ?? Whoo. Eric sighed and put the nipper down. Returning to his mansion, he went straight to his lab, removed the broken prosthetic leg, and replaced it with a new prosthetic leg. Every time he did this, the shame that came to him was indescribable. Still, since he couldn¡¯t live with his crippled leg, he had no choice but to replace his prosthetic leg. Eric sighed again. As he traced the unsightly side of himself that he showed Chloe today, he couldn¡¯t stand the shame! ¡°Damn it!¡± He hit his forehead with his fist and closed his eyes tightly. In fact, he wanted to beg her more and hold onto her. But today he revealed himself¡­ he fell in front of Chloe, causing his prosthetic leg to be exposed and dirty blood dripping. Because of that, he was so ashamed that he couldn¡¯t stay by her side any longer. No matter how calm he pretended to be, he couldn¡¯t even keep his heart calm. Every time Eric saw Chloe¡¯s face, he wanted to dig a hole and hide himself, and as a result, he returned without any result. He was desperate. If only his legs were intact. If he hadn¡¯t fallen in front of Chloe. If only he hadn¡¯t shown her his prosthetic leg! If he had, he would have tried to convince her a little more and he would have managed to change her mind somehow¡­! Ah, Eric buried his face in his hands in frustration. It was a really damned upsetting situation. ¡°Today¡¯s events may have made me understand you, and you have come to understand me to some extent. It made us get to know ourselves better.¡± He agreed with Chloe¡¯s words a hundred times. In the first place, he came to understand her a little more during the period of his separation from Chloe. It seemed that she experienced the same. What happened that day made her understand him, and it entertained the hopes that maybe the end would be good. But then Eric could feel his hopes crumbling. ¡°But, that¡¯s it¡­ we have already come a long way.¡± ¡­A long way. He wasn¡¯t sure exactly what she was talking about. He was vaguely guessing that it means the road they had walked together, in other words, the past five years. Then, it made sense for her to say that they had come a long way. During their five years of existence, he had worn her out and made it difficult. However, it was difficult for him to understand when the path she was talking about was the path of their relationship. Relationships can be improved at any time, because he thought that even if there are hardships and adversity right now, he can choose a slightly better path. This was probably the biggest difference between Chloe and him¡­ he thought so No matter what, Eric had to bring her. He had to put her in his arms and take care of her. He had to somehow keep her alive¡­ Eric promised again, and he made up his mind to go see her again sooner or later. At that time¡­ ¡°Excuse me, Your Excellency.¡± The door to the lab opened and Daniel appeared. Eric raised an eyebrow and looked at him. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Well, that.¡± Daniel hesitantly replied. ¡°The Second Prince came to visit.¡± Eric¡¯s face crumpled. ¡°What is with that punk again? And at such a late hour?¡± ¡°Maybe it is because of the strike that is taking place at the factory. It seemed that he was terrified that he might not be able to recover his investment.¡± ¡°How annoying. What kind of investment does he make with such a tiny gut?!¡± The workers at Eric¡¯s current factory were on strike. They demanded a guarantee of minimum welfare or something. He thought that such workers were being too over their heads. Going out into the streets, they¡¯d find plenty of people begging about what they¡¯d do for a single pound, though the workers were taking hundreds of pounds and claiming some other rights. Workers were greedy, not being grateful for what they had. So, Eric did not listen to the workers. He had no intention of negotiating with them, and because of that, the strike was getting longer, and the factory operations were suspended. Although investors were anxious about this, it was the first time that the Second Prince, Haras, came directly. Eric clicked his tongue briefly and ran his hair through it. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Tell him to wait, I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Daniel nodded and left. No, he was about to leave. As he was about to open the door, he suddenly turned and looked at Eric. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He was the one who knew that he had been to Chloe and even returned with a bloody leg, that was why he would ask. Eric laughed briefly. He was sympathized with by all. He lamented why his life had changed this way, but at the same time, he decided that it shouldn¡¯t be like this anymore. He soon answered with a twitch in his eyes. ¡°Nothing to worry about.¡± Eric lifted his chin, straightening his untied tie. ¡°¡­Because everything is fine.¡± In fact, nothing was okay, but he had to be okay¡­ because that was the only way he could keep this damn pride. ?? ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re here!¡± Eric greeted the Second Prince with a soft voice like never before. Haras hesitated for a moment, then shook his hand with a smile on his lips. ¡°Long time no see. How are you?¡± ¡°Thanks to you, I was doing well. Sorry for the long wait. I was having something in development recently.¡± Something in development? Haras¡¯ eyes sparkled. A pioneer of the times, Eric¡¯s inventions have never failed. Of course, they were currently in trouble because of the strike at the factory, but this was probably a dying fire anyway. Haras quickly took an interest in the things he was making. ¡°What fun things are you making this time?¡± Eric smiled and sat down on the sofa, laughing inwardly at Haras, who said something with clearly ulterior motives. ¡°It is a portable stove.¡± __ Chapter 77 Chapter 77 ¡°Portable stove¡­?¡± Haras asked again, raising his eyes. He was considering the usefulness and convenience that a portable stove would bring. After thinking about it for a moment, the answer came. This was definitely an invention that would build great wealth. He listened to Eric¡¯s next words, completely forgetting the purpose of coming to discuss the workers¡¯ strike. ¡°Yes. It has already been completed, and I am waiting for a patent application for commercialization.¡± ¡°Waiting?!¡± Haras exclaimed, looking visibly surprised. The gesture was exaggerated, like an actor on stage. ¡°If you had told me, it would have been approved that day! Why didn¡¯t you contact me?¡± Eric was expecting something like this to come out. He looked at Haras with a puzzled face. ¡°Because I can¡¯t bother you.¡± ¡°Bothering me? Never¡­! You don¡¯t seem to know how much I care for you!¡± Checking Eric for his seemingly distrustful attitude towards himself, Haras frowned at him and raised his voice. ¡°I¡¯ll get the patent approved as soon as I get back. If that happens, will we be able to commercialize it right away?¡± While Eric laughed and nodded his head, Haras¡¯ face immediately brightened. ¡°Then, are you thinking of expanding the factory further?¡± ¡°No.¡± Eric shook his head. ¡°I am thinking of firing all the workers who are currently protesting. And we¡¯re going to hire new ones. People who are a little more obedient, more compliant, and won¡¯t rebel if you ask them to do more.¡± He completely forgot that he had lived a life of being a worker in the past, or not even a worker. Even though he may be living his life trying to forget it, that was the only way he could live. For him, erasing his past and living as a capitalist was the same as surviving. ¡°Good idea. A very good idea!¡± As Haras was also a human similar to him, Eric¡¯s words were so obvious to him. The workers were the ones who could be rehired at a cheap price anyway. ¡°If that happens, this strike will also subside. You have to hurry. Before the reporters smell it.¡± ¡°You just have to give them money anyway. If you give them money, what can we not use?¡± ¡°Haha! That, too!¡± Haras cheered Eric in applause. ¡°I will help you with that as well. I will do my best not to worry.¡± ¡°Thank you for always.¡± At those words, Eric bowed his head and expressed his gratitude, and Haras could feel that his compliant attitude made him feel better. ¡°I was really worried because the money invested in your factory is not a penny or two, though to come with something new like this! It¡¯s a product that seems to be flocking with orders from all over the place once it¡¯s released! You really are a genius, Marquis. Genius!¡± He praised him so much that Eric¡¯s face grew hot. Eric chuckled and tugged at his chin. ¡°Thank you.¡± Haras, reminding himself that he had summoned Eric from the lab and that he would have to step aside for the launch of the portable stove, made the decision to get up. ¡°Yes. Looks like I¡¯ve been holding onto you for too long. I¡¯ll just go back.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have a drink and go.¡± ¡°No, no. Aren¡¯t you the one who has to work? What do you mean by having a drink?¡± Haras smiled and patted Eric on the shoulder. ¡°I want to say something before I go back.¡± And he puts on a meaningful smile. Eric¡¯s eyebrows narrowed slightly. ¡°Women are always coming and going. Today you feel good while tomorrow you feel bad, happy in the morning, unhappy in the evening. It¡¯s a race that rational people like us don¡¯t understand the most. I mean, I don¡¯t take it too seriously. You have enough women, right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Sure enough, Haras talked about Chloe. Eric licked his lips and sighed. ¡°I was wrong.¡± He shook his head. ¡°My fault led me to live a life of being unhappy in the morning and unhappy in the evening.¡± That was right. Since it was he who made Chloe unhappy, he couldn¡¯t blame her. He was not even to blame. ¡°Perhaps Chloe is more rational than I am.¡± Normally, Eric would never have shown his true feelings to Haras. Although he uttered this without thinking like a confession, Haras only looked at him in a pitiful way. ¡°Even if I comfort you, you won¡¯t understand.¡± He had heard right away that Eric had gone half mad since Chloe left. Soon, a question arose, why the hell would someone like the Marquis hang himself on something like her? Wasn¡¯t Chloe just such a woman? She was the son of the Ducal family, but the Ducal family was also ruined by debt. What was the Marquis regretting? From Haras¡¯ point of view, it was completely incomprehensible. It was a natural thought for Haras, who had no idea that a cold and unfeeling man like Eric could love or that he had finally realized true love. He, of course, had no real love interest, and he was never going to be interested. ¡°If you keep your eyes on a woman like Chloe, your value could be diminished. This is an advice from the bottom of my heart.¡± ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± ¡°Chloe, yes. She¡¯s suitable for a guy like William.¡± At those words, Eric¡¯s eyebrows twitched. He wanted to put his fist in the face of the Second Prince right now, but despite being so angry, he couldn¡¯t. D*mn it, d*mn it! He clenched his fists and tucked his chin. ¡°Anyway, the patent application will get approved today. And, you know what¡­¡± Haras slightly raised his eyes. Eric, who managed to hold back his anger and maintain a rational attitude, answered with a low sigh. ¡°I will give you the right to sell first.¡± ¡°I knew it!¡± He swiftly spread his arms around Eric¡¯s shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone as rational as you.¡± Eric closed his eyes tightly and swallowed a gulp. If he didn¡¯t do that, he couldn¡¯t contain the anger that welled up. ¡°Cheer up.¡± Today was a really terrible day. Eric thought so. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone as rational as you.¡± Pouring whiskey into a glass, Eric pondered over the words Haras had left behind. Rational, what? He put down his ice tongs and cupped his face with one hand. If he had been really rational or if he had been like the past, nothing like today would have happened¡­ no, to be precise, he would never hold onto Chloe and try to get her back. Still, he had to admit it. He knew that he was not a rational person but an emotional person. That was why he fell in love with Chloe¡­ changed because of her love¡­ and wanting to try to save her somehow¡­ ¡­Why doesn¡¯t Chloe want to live? Eric suddenly realized that it was more important for him to instill in her the will to live than to keep Chloe alive. The will to live. What was it? He pondered what was holding up his life. ¡­It was money. Money and honor. He was able to live his life with just these two things. That was in the past, however, after he met Chloe, in other words, after recognizing that he loved her, he felt deeply that he had put love ahead of money and honor. But on the other hand, he came to think that if true love took precedence, he should have devoted himself to her rather than selling the portable stove he had developed for Chloe. Nonetheless, he didn¡¯t want to give up on this. Filled with money and honor to the core, there were still many things he couldn¡¯t give up so Eric hated himself terribly. ¡°Whoo.¡± He let out a deep sigh and lifted his head. The will to live. The will to live¡­ what was the driving force that allowed Chloe to live her life? Eric was really curious about that. Swoosh, crash! Chloe was gazing out to sea. It was early in the morning, but after tossing and turning all night, she couldn¡¯t fall asleep, so she came out at dawn and had no choice but to sit on the beach. She felt like if she stayed in her room, she would be consumed by her true thoughts. She had many thoughts. No, it would be more accurate to say that it has increased. It was the aftermath of Eric visiting her. Chloe thought there was a lot going on this time, and it gave her so much realization and so much sadness. Even though his prosthetic leg didn¡¯t give her as much shock, it was because of what he said. ¡°It¡¯s rather bad. Be mean so I can hate you!¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you do that, why did you make me love you? Chloe closed her eyes tightly, but Eric¡¯s voice still lingered in his head. ¡°I, too, have loved you since then. Looking back, it was love.¡± ¡°Even now, I don¡¯t want to let go of this love I have realized.¡± She scratched her arms with her fingernails and dropped her head between her knees. ¡°So Chloe. Come back now, please.¡± She didn¡¯t fully believe that Eric loved her, that he had loved her before¡­ she didn¡¯t believe it. How could she believe it? There were actions and words that he had shown himself so far. Still, she couldn¡¯t deny that she was shaken¡­ even the fact that she still loved him. Yes, she admitted it. Chloe was shaken by Eric. ¡®But¡­¡¯ It could not be denied that this made her even more convinced that she should not go back. Eric only realized his feelings after Chloe left, and that was why he said he loved her. ¡­What if she went back in this situation? Wouldn¡¯t it be like the past again? __ Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Chloe couldn¡¯t erase this anxiety, for she felt that Eric¡¯s demeanor had changed too suddenly! In addition, even if he said he loved her now, there was no guarantee that when she went back, she wouldn¡¯t be a fish caught by him and not go through the same experience. She was uneasy about this. As she thought that this insecurity was due to her inability to trust Eric and doubting his heart, she glanced out blankly at the ocean. Waves always come in easily and recede easily. Wouldn¡¯t it be nice if the relationship was like this? How nice it would be if everything could be easily solved¡­ Chloe thought about this, but at the same time, she had a pessimistic thought about what her love had to do with her death anyway. She would die. Where more words could she say that made everything in her life powerless as much as this? She pondered for a while about the direction of life that made her doubt that she had lost the will to live, and maybe even had. What goals did she live her life with? ¡­Simply put, it was love. Yes. Chloe has lived for love¡­ to be loved and to love. Still, what about the results? Not only that she has no love left, but she had run out of love for herself. Even though she had lived her whole life hoping only for love, she ended up not being loved. Oh, what a poor life! Chloe reflected on her own stupidity and mistakes and, at the same time, came to think that it shouldn¡¯t be like this. A purpose of life¡­ could she try to rebuild it? ¡®One year.¡¯ One year remaining¡­ maybe less than that because her body was getting worse. As for the original Chloe, she did nothing during this time of the year, she didn¡¯t give any thought, and she was just about to die slowly. As a person who was prepared for death, as a person who was predicted to die, this was the least she could do. But¡­ ¡°You will not die.¡± ¡°Because I¡¯ll save you.¡± The moment she heard Eric say that, of course, she was angry that he didn¡¯t listen to her opinion, but what bloomed after that feeling was the hope of ¡®maybe.¡¯ The hope that he, the best scientist in the kingdom, no, on the continent, might be able to fix her broken heart. ¡®¡­It¡¯s stupid.¡¯ It was only a few days ago that she thought it would be okay to die. It was a few days ago that the longing for death became strong. However, how could she change your mind, like flipping her palms like this?! It seemed that she was human, too. As a human being, she has a strong desire to live, in other words, a strong desire to live properly¡­ just like a human. To live properly, she must have a purpose in life, but the question was whether she could find it. Because she had nothing to do¡­ Chloe closed her eyes tightly. The sound of the waves crashing into her ears was not as pleasant as it was. Her heart swayed to and fro like a flame before the wind. It was at this time. ¡°Madam!¡± A familiar voice came. It was Sophia. Sophia, who had run up in a hurry, gasped in front of her. As she watched her catch her breath and waited for her next words, it seemed difficult for Sophia to say right away. ¡°You are so wonderful, Madam!¡± But after a while, the words that came out were unexpected shouts. Hearing that, Chloe tilted her head as she couldn¡¯t guess what made Sophia react like this. ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s thanks to the job posting Madam wrote for me, so many people came to apply today! Thanks to that, I was able to find a good person. Thank you. Thank you so much¡­!¡± It was a thank you for the job posting that she wrote insignificantly. As Sophia thanked her repeatedly enough that her cheeks turned red, Chloe shook her head. ¡°What did I do? It¡¯s all because your store is good.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so humble. If you hadn¡¯t written for me, there would have been no applicants.¡± When she responded with a small smile, Sophia looked into her eyes and then quietly spoke. ¡°Come to think of it. The newspaper was recruiting reporters¡­¡± Chloe raised her eyes at a glance. Observing the flimsy wish in Chloe¡¯s eyes, Sophia opened her mouth in a slightly more confident voice, ¡°What do you think? The pay was pretty good, too. I think it will be generous for the cost of living for a month.¡± When Chloe hesitated for a moment, not knowing what to say, Sophia took advantage of that opportunity and continued talking. ¡°Madam, you have to move anyway. That would cost more money, so wouldn¡¯t it be nice to get a job?¡± If there was no word more insulting than asking a nobleman to find a job, it seemed Sophia hadn¡¯t thought about that yet. Well, how would commoners know the lives of nobles? Chloe understood her, of course, and took her word for it. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it, but it¡¯s hard to give a definite answer.¡± It was a short answer, but Sophia seemed satisfied. ¡°My friend is a newspaper employee. I¡¯ll tell them to sneak peek. If you want!¡± It was unlikely that the words of a single employee would do much good, but Chloe accepted that Sophia was expressing her feelings to her anyway, and she expressed her gratitude for this. ¡°Thank you.¡± Sophia smiled and nodded her head, and perhaps she had said what she wanted to say, she left with the words that she needed to train the newly hired staff. After she left, Chloe looked out at the distant sea again, thinking. ¡®The purpose of life¡­¡¯ At the same time as she chanted, the job advertisement from the newspaper came to mind and occupied her mind. She imagined herself holding the pen. It wasn¡¯t bad. Eric wandered nervously around the room. It was not because of anything in particular, it was a new habit after Chloe left. ¡­A glass of whiskey was in his hand, his tie was loose, and his hair was disheveled. He was the one who kept it tidy after Chloe came into the mansion, but now that she was gone, he was the one who had been messed up because he didn¡¯t feel the need to. He lifted his whiskey glass with his trembling hands and took a sip. As the sharp alcohol went down his throat, his clouded mind seemed to clear up a little¡­ but he knew the fact that this clarity would be blurred again soon. He had to stop drinking and go back to his original life. Still, he didn¡¯t do that well. If he didn¡¯t drink, he would have to live with his sanity, but it¡¯s so hard and exhausting to look at the world in that state. So, Eric kept drinking because he couldn¡¯t have survived without it. ¡°Whoo¡­¡± He kept sighing for no reason. He stopped wandering around his room and went over to the couch, and lay down on his body before throwing his head back and seeing the world upside down. Perhaps because he drank too much, everything looked dizzy. It was only yesterday that he met Chloe¡­ but he wanted to see her again. He wanted to run to Heath to find her and meet her. He wanted to hug her, hold her hand, kiss her¡­ Eric wanted to feel her warmth for the first time, for the first time ever! ¡®I¡¯m going crazy.¡¯ He hated himself for feeling this way now. If this were the case, he would love her as soon as she was by his side! Even if he held on to the person who had already left and regrets it, nothing would change¡­ As he recalled Chloe¡¯s determined attitude and the sincerity in her words telling him to go back, Eric¡¯s heart ached as it felt like his heart was being torn apart. Still, compared to the illness she was going through, this was nothing. Yes¡­ he had to make Chloe live. He had to put her out of pain. This wasn¡¯t the time for this. As he thought so, Eric jumped up. After slapping himself a couple of times, he left the room to go to the lab. Since he was still drunk, he was unable to do elaborate work. That was why Eric awakened his spirit by drawing. True, he must have a blueprint, but since he can make anything, it was more efficient for him to hold a pen than to hold a nipper. Eric constantly drew lines in front of the drawing paper. The only way to revive Chloe¡¯s heart was to implant a mechanical heart. A mechanical heart¡­ Transplanting this would require a tremendous level of neurosurgery skill. Not just that, it had to be an engine capable of constantly pumping blood. He was studying infinite power just in time, and he decided that the endpoint of this research was a mechanical heart. Perhaps he studied infinite power in preparation for this situation? Eric praised his past self for the first time in a while and did not let go of the pen. He painted constantly. For several hours, he did not sleep or eat¡­ ¡°Your Excellency¡­!¡± Daniel burst through the lab door. But Eric didn¡¯t even look at him. He just rolled his eyeballs endlessly with his nose buried in the drawing paper. ¡°Do you know how many days it is?! Get yourself together!¡± He shouted, pulling Eric¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You should take a break! Why are you acting so ignorant?!¡± Eric, who had been pulled back against his will, glanced back at Daniel with a frown. ¡°The more days I have off, the shorter Chloe¡¯s lifespan so I have to do this. Don¡¯t even think about stopping me.¡± Daniel¡¯s face crumpled before Eric could finish his sentence as he drew in and out of his breath, exercising the utmost patience. ¡°The construction of the house I mentioned before is finished.¡± ¡°¡­House?¡± Eric asked again, slightly furrowing his eyebrows. It was because he couldn¡¯t remember for a moment which house he was talking about. House¡­ Ah, come to think of it, after looking at the house for the moving, he entrusted Daniel with interior work. Perhaps he had just remembered, Eric responded by tucking his chin. ¡°There was something like that, but what¡¯s the matter?¡± __ If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Daniel was shocked by Eric¡¯s strange reply. He looked around with all his energy, saying that he needed to find the best house! Just because the madam left, he was now leaving everything behind. Then, Daniel ruffled his bangs and clicked his tongue briefly. ¡°Why? I guess you should go and see for yourself. You have to see it and approve it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy. You take my place.¡± ¡°Your Excellency¡­¡± Daniel pulled Eric¡¯s arm. ¡°Please come out for a moment. Please wash while you¡¯re at it.¡± Even though Eric wanted to refuse, it was true that he hadn¡¯t been out of the lab for days, so he¡¯d better go out if he wanted to keep his human appearance to a minimum. In the end, he had no choice but to leave the lab. As soon as Eric got into the carriage to go to the mansion he had purchased, he took out his cigarette. As he lit it up and took a deep breath, feeling his body languish, he leaned back on the backrest. He could see the snowy landscape outside the window. The snow that had been pouring down for months now shows no signs of stopping. The first heavy snowfall in decades. Eric was not happy that the weather seemed to be blocking his path. He threw his head back, feeling the carriage moving through the snow. The mansion they were going to now was the one he originally saved for Chloe. The place they were staying at now did not suit her, nor was it suitable for her to manage. Because of that, he wondered how she could spend days and days in such a small place after living in the northern castle. That was why he found a truly noble and great mansion that matched her dignity. At the same time, what Eric thought at that time was a simple logic that Chloe would like this was the only way to prevent the divorce. In fact, even that thought came about because he loved her, but Eric, who was stupid at the time, didn¡¯t even think about that and just brainwashed himself that the reason he didn¡¯t want to divorce her was just possessiveness¡­ He acted this way because of it. ¡­What if he knew that the feeling at that time was love? Getting a house, decorating it properly, filling it with extravagantly expensive furniture¡­ what if he realized right away that everything he compulsively did was to please Chloe? ¡®It must have changed.¡¯ A lot of things would have been different. Still, he was late. Eric was too late, and it was now irreversible. ¡®¡­No.¡¯ It could be turned around. He would be able to turn it around. He had to turn it around. As he put his right fist on his forehead. He thought that he had to make her a mechanical heart that could keep Chloe alive and gave her the transplant. That way, he could postpone finding out her will to live until later. Right now, he had to somehow manage to keep Chloe alive and beg her. Eric judged that this was a terribly selfish, self-indulgent thought, but nevertheless, he had to save Chloe and hang onto her¡­ because only then did he think he would live. Whoo. When he sighed once again and took a long puff of his burnt cigarette, he could see the carriage stopped little by little. They seemed to have arrived at some point. It was the same capital anyway, only in different districts, so it was not too far from his original mansion. Eric put his foot through the door that the coachman opened. ¡°Good job. Wait a moment, I¡¯ll be out soon.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The coachman backed away after receiving the bill he handed him. Eric left him behind and glanced up at the magnificent mansion. It was not as big as the northern castle, but it was a mansion that could be counted as great in the capital. While he couldn¡¯t feel the beauty right now because the snow was piled up when spring came as the flowers would bloom, and the scent would spread all over the place. They¡¯ll have to hire a couple of gardeners. Eric thought so and walked slowly across the large garden. The mansion had a total of five floors, and the number of rooms was too many to count. What he liked most was the hall, which could be said to be the face of the mansion. The hall, gracefully greeted by a huge chandelier, had marble floors and gilded wallpaper on the walls. Carefully examining each spot and slowly stroking the art wall, he thought he could hang Monte¡¯s picture here. As he thought so, Eric suddenly remembered a conversation he had had with Chloe in the past. ¡°If you pay off all the money borrowed from my house, you can buy one of Monte¡¯s paintings, right?¡± Even thinking about it again made him cry. How much did he see her as a beggar, thinking as someone who couldn¡¯t even buy a single painting?! One of the biggest reasons he bought this huge mansion, apart from Chloe¡¯s sake, of course, was his desire to show off his wealth. Eric wanted to show her that he was not poor, that he had a lot of money, and that he had enough power to buy a mansion like this. ¡­Why didn¡¯t he know that he had done this because he wanted to look good to her? He wanted to appeal to her that he was a man with good expectations and would not give her financial worries. Eric let out a long sigh and pressed against the wall. What would it be like if Chloe was by his side at this moment? If she had been by his side, she would probably have loved this place like a child. How to decorate this place, how to decorate that, how many people to employ, how to manage them¡­ she must have done it all, and she would get a sense of achievement. The will to live¡­ That would have given her back the d*mn will to live. Eric took a look around the spacious mansion. ¡­It was too wide. That being alone makes him so lonely. ¡®Chloe¡­¡¯ He had to bring her in. Running out of the mansion quickly, he called out to the coachman who was standing in front of the garden. ¡°Heath, go to Heath.¡± ¡°¡­So, are you saying you have no experience at all?¡± It was the first time that an inexperienced applicant came for an interview, no matter how small this newspaper was and how it was located far from the capital. Of course, the experience he was talking about here was not the experience of working for a newspaper, per se, but the experience of writing. At least, it meant book-related experience. Experiences of working at a bookstore, ghostwriting, or transcribing¡­ However, the applicant in front of him had never done such a job, and in fact, she said that it was the first time that she has even ¡®work¡¯! DeHaan could feel his mind going giddy. ¡°Then, how can I trust you? How do I judge that you will be able to do this job well?¡± ¡°That.¡± Chloe took a deep breath. Although she thought she would be asked this question, she became nervous when it was actually asked. She made the decision only yesterday that he would try to apply to the newspaper. ¡­This was a decision that stemmed from the determination to regain the will to live and to live well for the remaining year. She was a woman with enough will to move right away when she made a decision, and that was why she ran to the newspaper office in one step. She caught her breath and stared at DeHaan. ¡°If you let me start with small tasks, you will see that I can do them well. I learned to write professionally, I have no problems with reading and writing, and I can write in a more elegant style than others.¡± DeHaan moistened his lips as he frowned slightly. Originally, this inexperienced applicant would have been dismissed at once. Since no matter how insignificant they were, it just makes no sense. But the woman in front of him, Chloe¡­ something was different about this person. Upright posture, graceful voice and intelligent eyes, even though the sickly color was evident, smooth skin and smooth hands¡­ ¡®Is she a noble?¡¯ Still, why would a noble come to their newspaper? DeHaan quickly dismissed this idea and decided that she might be the ignorant daughter of a wealthy commoner family, and that was why she applied to their newspaper to try something called work. He thought for a moment. If she was the daughter of a wealthy commoner family, then, as she said, it was highly likely that she learned to write professionally and her writing may also be better than others¡­ Maybe. Nonetheless, just because of a ¡®maybe,¡¯ it was very elusive to drop another applicant. The person who came to the interview right before this was pretty decent. Then, what should he do¡­ After thinking about it, he made a decision. ¡°Fine.¡± He couldn¡¯t quite give up hope that maybe she was a gemstone, so he decided to recruit Chloe. After thinking this far, DeHaan finally thought about whether Chloe would be a little displeased or just say she wouldn¡¯t take the job. However, her expression was a little mysterious. ¡°Can I write?¡± She asked a strange question. DeHaan tilted his head slightly and squinted one eye at her. ¡°If you are capable, you can.¡± Chloe¡¯s face brightened. ¡°Great!¡± She shouted, putting her hands together. ¡°As long as I can write, it¡¯s fine.¡± __ If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Why did Chloe want to become a journalist? Wasn¡¯t it because she wanted to change the world with her pen? In other words, she wanted to reveal the truth with her writing. Writing was a very monumental thing for her because she was the one who had never written anything but letters in her life. But now, she was writing to convey information! Everyone can read and learn from her writing¡­! It was good just imagining it. Chloe couldn¡¯t bear her laughter from coming out again and again. If she knew it would be this good, she would have moved on right away. Rather than waiting for the day to die and spending endless hours waiting for that day, she would try to live a little more worthwhile. Even though she thought that she had found the bluebird belatedly, she also thought that she was glad she was able to find it now. Chloe looked at DeHaan, feeling breathless now. ¡°The pay will be low.¡± Said DeHaan. ¡°It does not matter.¡± ¡°The time will be inconsistent.¡± ¡°It does not matter.¡± Chloe shook her head. ¡°Because it means a lot to be able to work.¡± DeHaan¡¯s eyes widened slightly. It seems he never expected her to come this far. While he thought she was an immature woman from a wealthy family, she did really want to work¡­ Realizing he was wrong, he became polite towards Chloe. ¡°Then, would you like to work from today? ¡°Good. I can¡¯t wait to work.¡± ¡°Jeffrey, come this way. This is Chloe, this is Jeffrey. Say hello to each other.¡± The next moment, he then called a man who was sitting there and made him come closer. Chloe casually said hello to him. He was a very attractive boyish man with orange hair and freckles on his face. ¡°Wow, hello! My successor is finally here!¡± Jeffrey was a nice young man. Showing he was not shy at all, as he shook hands with her without hesitation, Chloe hesitated for a moment as she glanced at the outstretched hand. The act of holding a stranger¡¯s hand was awkward for her. Nevertheless, she was no longer Chloe Aslan or Chloe Rolfe¡­ she was just Chloe, and she had to get used to this life now. Soon, Chloe took Jeffrey¡¯s outstretched hand and shook it lightly. ¡°My name is Chloe. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Great!¡± As Jeffrey made an exaggerated gesture and smiled broadly at her, Chloe looked awkward at his attitude and just laughed lowly, avoiding his gaze. ¡°Then, can I teach her from now on?¡± ¡°She can write basic text, and looking at her application documents, her grammar is perfect. So I guess you just need to teach her how to write articles and how to do research, teach her while taking her around.¡± ¡°Okay, Boss!¡± Jeffrey gave a short cry and stretched out his hand towards Chloe. ¡°Should we go?¡± Taking a deep breath, now that she finally found the bluebird, all she has to do is do what she has to do and work hard. Chloe thought so and followed Jeffrey. Her heart was filled with excitement. It was quite late when Chloe got off work. To have her do such a high-intensity job from the first day, was a bit too much though she was okay. Indeed, for the first time in a long time, maybe for the first time, she was completely absorbed in something! Not only that she learn how to write an article today, but she also learned how to write a headline, how to read the overall context of an article, and so on. Chloe learned the job faster than any new employee, and she surprised DeHaan as well as Jeffrey. ¡°Can I write an article right away?¡± ¡°This is enough! Let¡¯s start covering tomorrow.¡± DeHaan said that as if he had never thought about hiring her. Feeling, Chloe had no doubt that tomorrow she, too, would be able to write her first article. The wind was good. As she could feel the warm air of Heath, which was completely different from the north and the capital, where it had been snowing all the time, she felt even better. If she knew it would be like this, if she knew that she would feel better and be happy like this, she would have gone out and looked for the blue bird¡­ Chloe left the newspaper building with a small smile. She was sure there would never be a better day in her life because today was a significant day. Striding down the empty street with light steps, she thought that she could walk on this road tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, or even the day after tomorrow made her feel even better. ¡­But, could she do that? Happiness and pain were proportional. ¡°Arghh!¡± As she couldn¡¯t overcome the sudden chest pain and sat down, Chloe¡¯s heart ached as if it would break, and she felt like someone was holding a knife and chopping it up. Uh, it shouldn¡¯t be like this. The moment it happened again¡­ Kuh! Cough! Blood dripped blood down her teeth. Chloe crawled on the floor, her shoulders shaking. She needed to take medicine¡­ She¡¯d get better with some medicine. At the thought, she rummaged through her bag and pulled out the pills with trembling hands. However, before she could put it in her mouth and chew it, she coughed up blood again. Cough! Aahh, Chloe closed her eyes tightly. Bright red blood dripped down and stained her dress. It was as if ashes had been sprinkled on a proud day. When she was so sickly, what did she do? ¡­She was going to die soon, yet she went to find some hope. Chloe felt that her mind was fading away. No, she couldn¡¯t collapse here like this, at least, going back to the inn¡­ She was far off, but he didn¡¯t have the strength to lift even a finger. Cough, cough. As she coughed again, her heart ached and Chloe he wondered if she was going to die like this. The pain felt like her entire body was being torn apart. Even though she wasn¡¯t afraid to die, she didn¡¯t want to die like this. On such a fine day, she didn¡¯t want to die in such a horrible way! Chloe tried to move her body, crawling, but her body didn¡¯t move the way she wanted. It hurt¡­ it was so painful. She closed her eyes tightly. At that time¡­ ¡°¡­Chloe?¡± A familiar voice came. A husky, low voice, like Eric¡¯s¡­ Was it Eric? However, Chloe couldn¡¯t lift her head as she didn¡¯t even have that much strength left. ¡°Is it Chloe?¡± Eric, who had just arrived in Heath and had been looking for her everywhere, from the beach to the inn, found Chloe lying in the middle of the street. At first, he thought it wasn¡¯t Chloe. Though when she saw the characteristic silver hair and the way she dressed, it was even more strange if it wasn¡¯t Chloe. Having judged this far, he ran to her in surprise. ¡°Oh, my god! No¡­!¡± He lifted the sprawled Chloe up. ¡°Chloe, wake up. Chloe!¡± Still, Chloe didn¡¯t budge. Eric shouted at the coachman who followed, relieved that she was at least breathing. ¡°Doctor, call the doctor! Right Now!¡± The coachman said he would do it right away and ran away, and he hugged her again and put his ear to her heart. Thank god. Her heart was beating properly¡­ it was still running. As he thought so, Eric wrapped his arms around Chloe¡¯s shoulders. ¡°What have you done until this point?! You can¡¯t even leave the house in this condition!¡± With his cry, Chloe slowly raised her closed eyes. It was the real Eric. ¡­The one in front of her was really Eric. Chloe let out a mischievous laugh. ¡°Why are you¡­ here?¡± At the question, his eyes shook slightly before he shouted with a reddened face. ¡°I came to see you, but what kind of nonsense is this?! Why are you doing this?! If you had left me, at least try to live a good life, but what is this¡­!¡± Even though he couldn¡¯t hold back his anger, it was a cry that was tantamount to venting his anger, so he caught his breath and put his hand on Chloe¡¯s shoulder, and made her lean against him. ¡°I called the doctor. Let¡¯s go back to the inn and get treatment. Hold on to me, you¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°But your clothes¡­¡± Chloe slightly opened her mouth. ¡°It gets dirty.¡± At this moment, he could feel that something in him was disconnected. It could be that his reason was cut off, or it could be that his patience was cut off. Whatever it was, something seemed to be disconnected. Eric bit his lip hard and murmured briefly. ¡°Foolish woman.¡± Chloe¡¯s eyes widened this time, but Eric tried to ignore the sadness that spread across her face, and he hugged her tighter. ¡°Keep your eyes closed.¡± He buried his face in her nape as if suggesting to himself. ¡°When you wake up from your sleep, everything will be fine.¡± Chloe became hopeful that maybe Eric¡¯s words were really true, so she unknowingly slowly closed her eyes. Yes. Leaning on Eric¡¯s arms. __ [note: if you have time to spare, please consider answering this ! thank you!] __ If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Chloe hadn¡¯t woken up for days. According to the doctor, she was unable to gain consciousness due to lack of energy. What made her suffer so much? Eric thought once again that he must be to blame for her becoming like this, so it hurt even more. Why did she have to be so tough? When He knelt beside her small bed and put his hands together, for the second time in his life, he prayed to God. /Please help save this woman. As long as she¡¯s spared, I¡¯ll do anything.¡¯ She can¡¯t die like this. I can¡¯t let her die like this¡­¡­. He didn¡¯t believe in God. It was because if there were a God, God wouldn¡¯t have given him such a terrible reality. Nevertheless, the reason he prayed to God was because of hope. He wondered if there was someone who would listen to his words, in case there was someone who would listen to his wishes¡­ So he prayed endlessly, but as always, God did not answer. Eric closed his eyes tightly. A heavy sigh escaped his teeth. ¡°Chloe.¡± He slowly raised his eyes and spoke to her, but Chloe didn¡¯t wake up. ¡°Chloe.¡± He called for her once again, but as always, she did not respond. Eric let out a deep sigh and buried his face in his hands. When he saw her collapse, he felt as if time had stopped. Even though he tried to move, he couldn¡¯t move. He ran, but it didn¡¯t feel like he was running. It was as if he was running in water, and Chloe looked like a buoyant corpse. He shook his head, trying not to recall the horrible feelings he felt at that moment. When he glanced looked at Chloe again, she didn¡¯t move at all, but at least he could feel her breathing. It was fortunate. Then, he slowly withdrew his gaze from her and looked around. How many square meters was it? The cramped room was stuffy like it was suffocating. He thought that once Chloe had stabilized to some extent, he would have to change their place of residence. If they took the first class in an airship, they would be able to move without difficulty, even if she was asleep. Eric thought he¡¯d have to ask the doctor when he came in today, and he grabbed Chloe¡¯s sprawling, weak hand. At that time, a knock came on the door. Eric, wondering if it was the innkeeper, replied, ¡°Come in,¡± and the next moment, two strangers entered the room. ¡°Oh, my God!¡± ¡°Chloe!¡± As soon as they saw Chloe, they screamed in astonishment. Raising their voice in front of a patient, Eric was annoyed, but he held it in and stood up. ¡°Who are you to call Chloe carelessly?¡± However, of course, the words couldn¡¯t come out nicely. There was also an atmosphere of disapproval. Then the two men, DeHaan and Jeffrey, flinched slightly and looked at Eric. At first glance, he seemed like a man with a formidable temper. In addition, looking at the clothes, the watch, and the shoes he was wearing, it seemed that he was at least a nobleman more than a Baron, so DeHaan and Jeffrey hurried to be polite. ¡°I am Chloe¡¯s senior at work.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°What?¡± DeHaan and Jeffrey were puzzled by Eric¡¯s question at the same time. Seeing that he was taking care of Chloe, it seemed like he was a family member or friend of hers. Still, seeing that he didn¡¯t know what she was doing, they treated Eric with a little wariness. ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard that Chloe has a new place to work?¡± ¡°Work?¡± Eric could feel his mind dizzy. ¡°Is Chloe working?¡± Chloe was a noble. A noble didn¡¯t work all their life, they had to live on taxes and have fun! ¡­But to work? Work? ¡°Ha! I¡¯m going crazy!¡± Eric wondered what the hell Chloe was thinking. However, since she wasn¡¯t getting up, he could only vaguely guess. He touched his forehead and looked at DeHaan and Jeffrey. ¡°Alright. What¡¯s going on? What the hell is Chloe doing?¡± ¡°She was hired as a reporter. Here is the business card of our newspaper.¡± Receiving the business card, Eric narrowed his brows even more. That would be because it was a small newspaper publisher whose name he had never even heard. Well, of course, he wouldn¡¯t have heard of a newspaper in this narrow Heath. Though Chloe worked in a useless place like that¡­? Eric bit his lip. ¡°Reporter¡­ reporter. Right. A reporter.¡± As he remembered her struggle with reporters, he remembered her being choked by the reporters observing and reporting on her every move. Still, Chloe became a reporter? What was she thinking?! ¡°I¡¯m going crazy.¡± He tried hard to make sense of it, but he still couldn¡¯t figure out what she was thinking. Eric wished that Chloe would open her eyes at this moment, but of course, she never did. It must take a long time for her to wake up, Eric thought with a sigh. ¡°So, why did you guys come?¡± Eric asked, turning to the reporters. DeHaan and Jeffrey were nervous again, as the voice was somewhat sharp. ¡°Chloe didn¡¯t come after her first day at work, so I asked around and asked Sophia. She said Chloe was sick and passed out, so we came here because we were worried.¡± ¡°Yes. Here are some flowers.¡± Saying so, Jeffrey handed the flowers he had brought to him. Eric looked down at the yellow freesia indifferently and then set it down as if tossing it on the bedside table. ¡°Actually, she was pretty good, no, she¡¯s really good. Chloe did a lot better than I thought, so I was thinking of putting her into coverage right away from the next day, but it turned out like this. It¡¯s too bad.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I thought a good new recruit came in for the first time in a while.¡± Eric¡¯s eyes narrowed. In fact, he assumed that Chloe wouldn¡¯t be able to do her job properly, but that wasn¡¯t true. She was actually good. At that moment, he suddenly realized that he had never seen her outside her realm. When Chloe woke up, he had more questions to ask. Yes, if only she would get up. ¡°By the way¡­¡± At this time, DeHaan glanced at Eric and asked cautiously. ¡°Who are you? Are you a family or a friend?¡± It was a question that he had because Eric had treated them carelessly. Eric ran his hand through his hair and picked the words out of his mouth. There was no long delay. ¡°I am Chloe¡¯s husband.¡± There was a moment of silence. DeHaan asked again, tilting his head as if he couldn¡¯t understand more. ¡°But Chloe didn¡¯t have a last name¡­¡± I¡¯m going crazy. Eric took a deep breath and ran a rough swipe through his hair. Chloe had now abandoned all surnames¡ªRolfe, Aslan¡ªwith nothing left behin, and she chose a life like a commoner. Did she hate to be by his side enough to choose such a terrible life? He didn¡¯t even want to have a castle? He hated Chloe, and at the same time, he hated himself for making her chose that choice. Eric let out a long sigh. ¡°Chloe is the mistress of Aslan family, so make sure you remember her.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Her name is Aslan?¡± DeHaan and Jeffrey¡¯s eyes widened. While they vaguely guessed that the man in front of them would be a fairly respected man, it was none other than Marquis Aslan! They were so amazed that they dropped their jaws. Soon, they hurriedly lowered their eyes when they met his eyes. Eric Aslan¡¯s temper was very famous for being bad. ¡°Yes, so be courteous to Chloe from now on. Don¡¯t call her by her name recklessly.¡± Eric said and waved his hand at DeHaan and Jeffrey. It meant for them to leave now. However, at this time, Jeffrey raised his hand and shouted. ¡°Ex, excuse me!¡± Eric¡¯s eyebrows lifted. ¡°What is going on?¡± Jeffrey took a half step forward and swallowed a dry gulp. Then he cried out loud. ¡°Can we do an interview? Only once! Briefly¡­!¡± ¡°Jeffrey!¡± DeHaan tried to stop him but to no avail. ¡°But, this is Marquis Aslan! You shouldn¡¯t miss this opportunity! Your Excellency, just once! Please have mercy¡­!¡± Hearing Jeffrey¡¯s cry, Eric let out a laugh. So far, he had refused all personal interviews, so there were only articles in the newspapers that contained vague speculation about him. Eric planned not to give interviews anywhere other than for articles that would reveal his work. However¡­ If Chloe was a reporter, if she wanted to continue her journalistic career¡­ Eric untied his tie loosely and clicked his tongue briefly. ¡°When Chloe wakes up,¡± Then, he gazed down at her and uttered. ¡°I¡¯ll do it for Chloe.¡± This was the maximum tolerance Eric could give, and in other words, it meant acknowledging Chloe. __ If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 82 Chapter 82 ¡°I don¡¯t think it would be too much trouble to move by airship. However, there are times when they come to their senses on the way, so it might be a bit of a problem¡­¡± The doctor was speechless before taking the medicine out of his bag. ¡°I¡¯ll prescribe a sedative, and I think it would be good to take the proper medicine after you leave.¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you.¡± Eric gave the doctor a few taps on the shoulder and let him go. Then, he slumped back in his chair and buried his face in his hands. It¡¯d been a week since Chloe didn¡¯t open her eyes. His heart was burning, but he couldn¡¯t wait like this. He thought at the same time that he couldn¡¯t keep her in a place like this anymore, that she should get a proper diagnosis from the capital¡¯s famous doctor, and that he should move Chloe to the mansion so that she could be with him. After thinking, he jumped up. Like Chloe, he was a person who never backed down on a decision once he had made it, and he was someone with excellent execution power. The next moment, he ordered Sophia to get tickets for the airship right away. He was able to move Chloe to the mansion after spending an incredible amount of time, three hours by airship and thirty minutes by carriage. The mansion referred to the mansion where he has recently moved. Eric had chosen the largest and most splendid room among them as Chloe¡¯s room. He brought all of her belongings from the northern castle and recreated them in the same way, even in the direction where books were placed. The only difference was the size, splendor, and warmth of the room, and he thought she would like this warm air the most. Chloe was lying alone on a bed big enough for three adults to sleep on while Eric sat on the head and looked down at her, whose eyes were still closed until now. When would Chloe wake up? When could she wake up and get up? And when would she be able to live properly¡­ Eric recalled what the doctor said as soon as he arrived in the Capital. ¡°The Madam¡¯s heart is slowly stopping.¡± ¡°It is not running well. At this rate, it will probably be paralyzed after half a year.¡± ¡°If so¡­ she will die.¡± Eric¡¯s breathing became irregular as he felt sentenced again. It was too harsh a sentence to pay for the many selfish acts he had committed over the years. He was confident that if only Chloe would get up, if only he would just give her the will to live, and if he would just keep her alive¡­ then he would do anything. The amount of pain she had already suffered was too great for him to assert his insignificant pride. Chloe¡¯s absence reminded him of many things, so he was sure that if he lost her, he would lose himself, too. ¡°Chloe.¡± He gazed at Chloe, who was lying motionless, and slowly opened his mouth. ¡°¡­What if I had been sick instead of you?¡± If it had been in the past, this would have been unimaginable for the past Eric. To want to feel the pain of others as his own! It was a great development, and it was also a belated regret. Eric placed his hand on the back of Chloe¡¯s bare hand. ¡°Would I have been able to bear it?¡± He smiled mischievously¡­ no, he himself would never have been able to bear it. Before this pain came, he would have gone to the doctor, grabbed the doctor by the collar, and yelled at him to find a way to save him. However, Chloe didn¡¯t. She endured the pain, and even though she was sentenced to death, she humbly resignedly and accepted everything. Eric was respectful of this much. ¡°You are a great person¡­¡± He said, holding Chloe¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°¡­That I dare not look up to you.¡± This was his honest feelings, too, and that made him felt even stronger about needing to save her. ¡­Because Chloe shouldn¡¯t have died like this. She had an old dream. As a child, when she was about six or seven years old. When she was playing with the handmaid in the backyard of the mansion. At the time, Chloe firmly believed that the prince on a white horse would come for her, and that belief did not change because she was the daughter of a famous Duchy, and she was beautiful and kind! Even if she compared herself with the princess in the fairy tale, she was not lacking. So, Chloe always had a princess doll, and she used to do a puppet show marrying a prince. It was the same that day. Chloe asked the handmaid. ¡°There¡¯s nothing better than marriage, is it?¡± The handmaid answered. ¡°Of course, Miss.¡± She firmly believed the handmaid¡¯s words, and thought that marriage was the grandest dream and aspiration she should have. It was at such a time. All of a sudden, a scream came from somewhere. From a very close distance, it was slowly moving toward her. She was so frightened that she froze, dropping her doll. As the handmaid protected her, Chloe burst into tears in the handmaid¡¯s arms. It was none other than her mother who came running screaming. The Duchess, Chloe¡¯s mother. She was also severely beaten by the duke for drinking, and she could not run away from the Duke and fled to the garden. Chloe could be sure that she had never seen such a terrible sight in her life. The image of the Duchess, who always maintained elegant attire, disappeared without a trace. Her hair was disheveled, her forehead was dripping with blood, her cheeks were red, and her lips were all chapped. In addition, her dress was disheveled and messed up, and the lace was all ripped. As she screamed, the Duchess slapped her on the cheek, saying that because of her that she had found out her position. There was no such mess. Clank! Broken and crushed teacups, desserts, plates, and dolls¡­ Chloe tried to protect her doll from being kicked by her mother, but it was to no avail. Her doll was in tatters from being stepped on by the Duchess¡¯ shoe¡¯s heels. Then, the Duke came running and dragged the Duchess by the hair, and Chloe was finally able to escape the beating. While Chloe stared blankly at the Duchess as she wept while being dragged away, she suddenly asked. ¡°Betty. Is there really nothing better than marriage?¡± Chloe raised her eyes and opened them before she jumped up. It was a violent movement for someone who had been asleep for a long time. She recalled the dream she had just had. The past that was really on the other side of her memory. Such terrible memories that she would never have recalled normally¡­ why did that suddenly come to mind? Her handmaid at the time, Betty, did not answer her questions. She just cried together and brushed Chloe¡¯s messy hair. ¡®Is there really nothing better than marriage?¡¯ Chloe groaned and closed her eyes. To think that she thought that married life would be fun and happy, but it was different! Stupid and arrogant woman! Chloe beat her chest and lamented her own mistakes. If she had this dream a little longer ago when she was first married to Eric, if she had this dream, she might have let go of all her expectations for him¡­ Still, Chloe forgot everything, and as a result, she wished for love in Eric and she clung to him. Oh, what a fool! Thinking so, she hit herself in the chest once more. There were many things in the world that were as good as marriage. Didn¡¯t she realize it during her brief job at the newspaper? She could get as much pleasure out of doing what she wanted to do. Though why did she think marriage was the only good chain to save her life? In fact, Eric paid off all the Duchy¡¯s debts, so it was a kind of gold chain, but Chloe didn¡¯t think he would save her life. Rather than saving her, it was tantamount to hanging her. Chloe dropped her head. ¡­Stupid woman. ¡­Idiot woman. She sneered at herself. Then, she suddenly thought. ¡®Where is this¡­?¡¯ As she thought so, she lifted her head in her flash. Her last memory, right before she collapsed, was of Eric running up to her and supporting her. Then, this would be Heath¡¯s old inn, although this place was not like an inn. The dazzlingly gorgeous furniture, a large chandelier, and even a large bed¡­ It was a space she had never seen before. Where was she? When she looked around with slightly quivering eyes, Chloe slowly lifted her leg and placed it on the floor before she raised her body. Upon closer inspection, there were items she used in her room in the North¡ªbooks, pens, and even stationery. Chloe couldn¡¯t figure out the reason. She looked around for a while longer, then slowly opened the door and went out. As soon as she opened the door, what she saw was a large, open window. It was snowing outside but bright. Sunlight filled the sky. She slowly approached the window as the sunlight flooded through the window. The cold marble floor touches the soles of her feet. Still, the sun was warmer, so she went over to the window and touched the window sill, ignoring it. And after she unlocked the latch, she opened the window wide. As a cold wind blew, it was wind mixed with snow, the snowflakes she hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. At that moment, Chloe recognized right away that this was the Capital¡­ Yes, she returned to the capital from which she fled. There was only one person who would bring her here. ¡°¡­Chloe?¡± Eric. Chloe slowly turned her head to the voice. The sunlight was pouring down on her, and the hallway and the other side were full of darkness. It was Eric who ran through the darkness. ¡°Chloe!¡± He greeted her with a bright smile like never before. __ If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Chloe stood blankly for a moment, staring at Eric. He had a face full of joy, an expression that could not hide his joy at the thought that she had finally woken up, while Chloe was expressionless. She didn¡¯t know how long she had been lying unconscious, what had changed, what condition her own body was in¡ªnothing. Maybe it was because she didn¡¯t know those things that she was showing this attitude. Such a cold attitude. ¡°Why did you bring me here?¡± A surprisingly calm voice came out, and Eric involuntarily drew in a breath. It was such a cold attitude that he paused momentarily though he shook his head a couple of times before coming to his senses. ¡°Heath didn¡¯t have the right doctor to treat you, and it was a rural area that was not good for patients who needed immediate treatment, so I had no choice.¡± ¡°Treatment?¡± Chloe laughed mischievously. She had a dry smile, not a single hint of sincerity. ¡°Can I be treated?¡± She uttered, placing her hand on her heart. The patient must have been Chloe, but on the contrary, Eric felt a throbbing pain in his chest. He let out a sigh. ¡°Chloe. Those words¡­¡± ¡°I am already dying, and I will die no matter what treatment is given, so is the presence of a doctor that important? I¡¯m fine, I want to go back.¡± Eric clenched his fists. ¡­Go back? Where? Heath? Back to that heath where she could only last a couple of months? He pursed his lips. ¡°This is the only place you will go back to.¡± Saying that, he grabbed her bony wrist. However, contrary to his rough movements, his grasp is soft. ¡°There is no going back, just here.¡± The wind blew through the open window again. The wind, mixed with snowflakes, sharply brushed her cheeks, causing a gap between Eric and Chloe. After staring at him for a moment, she shook his hand. ¡°I have work to do there.¡± Perhaps she was talking about the newspaper. What was so important about that?! Eric tried to hold back the screams that were about to jump out of him, but he gathered his breath and calmed his mind. ¡°Even if you have work to do, you cannot go there.¡± ¡°Why? Why are you stopping me?¡± ¡°Because I need to save you!¡± Eric finally couldn¡¯t stand it and screamed. D*mn it! Even though he could clearly see Chloe¡¯s frightened eyes, he couldn¡¯t swallow back the words he had already said. He raised his voice more. Because I had to save this stupid woman! ¡°I cannot send you back. To save you, you can never go back! Until you live¡­!¡± ¡°I am dying!¡± Chloe didn¡¯t lose, either. She cried out, closing her eyes tightly. ¡°I can¡¯t live! There is no way to live, so how the hell are you going to save me!¡± She hated that Eric kept speaking as if there was hope. Even though she was going to die anyway, she didn¡¯t like it when he whispered that he would let her live even though death was still imminent. It was because she knew better than anyone that she had no other way. ¡°I was prepared to die for a long time, so it¡¯s fine now. It¡¯s okay to die.¡± ¡°Where is there a person who would be fine even if they died?!¡± Eric screamed in shock. What a stupid, foolish woman she was! He punched the wall with his fist and stamped his foot. He was angry. He was so angry that he couldn¡¯t stand it! He thought that Chloe¡¯s acceptance of her death so calmly was what he had been doing all along, not instilling in her the will to live and not finding her bluebird. That made him feel even more heartbroken. If he had done it right, Chloe wouldn¡¯t have been waiting for death like she was now. Whoo. He caught his breath and lifted his chin. ¡°I will make a mechanical heart.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Chloe slowly opened her eyes. Their eyes meet. ¡°I have all the blueprints. Now all I have to do is create it. Just make it and transplant it to you,¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re saying I¡¯m going to be a person who lives with a lump of scrap metal in my heart?¡± ¡°Chloe.¡± She couldn¡¯t stop the spontaneous laugh that flowed out of her mouth. A mechanical heart¡­ did that make sense? In the first place, a heart was a thing with a soul, but he wants to put that soul in a lump of scrap metal¡­? No, no. Chloe shook her head. She couldn¡¯t accept this. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense. It¡¯s not the right thing to do.¡± Eric¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Then, is it not right to live with a chunk of scrap metal attached to a broken leg?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± She lost her words. Taking advantage of that, Eric continued, ¡°Leg or heart, it¡¯s the same. It¡¯s broken, so you fill it up with something else. That¡¯s possible. I can do it.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It means I can save you.¡± Chloe took a deep breath. ¡­She could live. If she transplanted a mechanical heart, she could live¡­ Chloe thought she¡¯d rather die than to live like that. She thought that dying living according to the laws of nature was the way to get closer to God than living the rest of her life with a heart that had no soul. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want it.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I want to go back.¡± Saying that, she turned her body towards the door as she wanted no further conversation, so Eric became impatient. He looked at her back and shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a dream, too!¡± He exclaimed as he recalled what the people at the newspaper had said, how hard she had worked, how well she had done, and how much potential she had for improvement. ¡°I will help you make that dream come true so that you can survive and do everything!¡± Chloe¡¯s shoulders twitched. She was the one who had finally found her bluebird. She was the one who had finally decided that she would try what she did. However, it was a shame that she would die without even enjoying it for a year. She was torn between life and death, dreams and resignation. Turning slowly, she opened her mouth to Eric, who had a white face. ¡°After that¡­¡± She paused for a moment. What should she say? What could she say not to hurt this man? Even at this moment, she kept considering him. She was such a fool herself. She laughed sadly. ¡°After that, will you break up with me?¡± In the end, Chloe uttered those words even though she knew that he would be hurt. Eric¡¯s face grew whiter. His eyes trembled, and his lips became dry. She stared blankly at his changing face. ¡°¡­Would you want that?¡± Eric asked, slowly, very slowly, approaching her. ¡°Do you really want to leave me?¡± Chloe blinked slowly at the approaching question. Did she? Did she really want to leave him behind? Could she leave this man whom she had loved with all her might and wanted to be loved? ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± Chloe spoke her mind. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything anymore.¡± She lowered her head and buried her face in her hands. Eric went up to her and tried to touch her shoulder before withdrawing his hand and trying to stroke her back instead. Still, he withdrew his hand again and walked around her. What should he say to change her heart¡­? After thinking about it several times, he spoke to her in a serious voice. ¡°Just know that I love you.¡± Chloe slowly raised her head and gazed at Eric, witnessing the sincerity and sadness in his eyes. ¡°I love you so much. Please understand my efforts to save you somehow.¡± ¡­Why now? The thought did not stop. If he was going to be like this, love her right away¡­ he shouldn¡¯t drive her to death. Resentment welled up. However, the tip of the arrow of this resentment was not directed at Eric, but at Chloe herself¡­ to her stupid, foolish self. ¡°I thought marriage was the most perfect and beautiful thing.¡± ¡®Betty¡­ Is there really nothing better than marriage?¡¯ She thought so. Even seeing what had happened between her mother and father, she thought that only marriage could save her life. ¡°But it wasn¡¯t.¡± ¡­But, it wasn¡¯t. ¡°It was the most horrific and painful thing.¡± Throughout her married life, Chloe has never been happy. This time, the arrow of resentment flies towards Eric. Chloe looked up at Eric with sad eyes. ¡°But how can I trust you?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°How can I rely on you?¡± Eric pursed his lips. He knew. While he didn¡¯t know everything about her, he did know what he had done wrong to Chloe, what he had done, and how he had hurt her. Therefore, he could not back down from here. He had to keep her by his side anyway. ¡°I will make it reliable.¡± Eric slowly reached out his hand towards Chloe, and he hugged her. ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to trust me. You can hate me endlessly, and you don¡¯t have to accept me.¡± Thump, thump. He could feel her heart beating slowly. He closed his eyes, feeling her irregular heartbeat. Gradually, the hand that was holding Chloe was getting stronger. ¡°¡­Still, you must live.¡± So, he decided again. He would definitely save Chloe. __ If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 84 Chapter 84 She must live. Chloe entered the room and sat down with the door locked. ¡­Why? Why must she live? Even if she did what she wanted to do now and got a sense of accomplishment and confidence from doing it, this was not necessarily a reason for her not to die. The sense of helplessness and depression that dominated her were not so small that all of them could be resolved with just a day¡¯s work at the newspaper. Then, why must she live? Chloe asked herself. There was no suitable answer, so it seemed like there would be nothing wrong with dying. Nonetheless, the conclusion that it was okay to die just because there was no reason to live was rather incorrect, wrong reasoning. If so, what should she do? Should she live, or should she die? Should she trust Eric or not? It seemed that no matter how much she thought about it, she could not get a clear answer to that question. She couldn¡¯t choose anything. Maybe she just didn¡¯t want to choose because the choice was like a heavy, frightening shackle that required her to take full responsibility for the future. And so, Chloe avoided a choice, and as a result, she had to live anyway. She didn¡¯t choose to die, so she must live. She had to. As she thought so, Chloe slowly raised her body from the slump. She then looked around the room once more. There were two desks. The old one she used when she was in the northern castle, and the overly flashy and great one. Seeing the two of them next to each other made her laugh. In addition, there was an expensive bookshelf studded with jewels and an inexpensive bookcase with dents next to it. The same went for the stand, the same for the chair, the same for the sofa¡­ Chloe burst out laughing. Perhaps Eric, who couldn¡¯t throw away what she was using, did this ridiculous thing. While she laughed, she could feel a part of her heart go blank. ¡­My now regretful husband. My husband who misses everything and holds onto me only after I leave¡­ Some might say that if ¡®that¡¯ Eric Aslan has gone this far, she should just accept it. However, Chloe was hurt too much by ¡®that¡¯ Eric Aslan, and the scars from the wounds she had suffered over the past five years could not be easily erased. Chloe thought as she placed her hand on the new furniture. I want to go back. Eric was stuck in a new lab. The lab was located in the basement of the new mansion and was not exposed to sunlight. For that reason, the sense of time faded if he stayed for a long time in that lab. Just as he had told Chloe, he had the blueprints ready, so all he had to do was make them. He was endlessly touching lumps of scrap metal until his hands were swollen, and he was welding endlessly until his eyes were exhausted. Until a few suns rise and a few moons set¡­ for such a long time. ¡°Your Excellency!¡± Again, Daniel came in. Though Eric only grabbed the nipper, ignoring him, but Daniel snatched his hand. ¡°Get some rest now.¡± ¡°No.¡± Eric answered, still keeping his eyes on the scrap metal. ¡°I told you. Even now, Chloe¡¯s lifespan is being cut day by day. So I have to finish this quickly. I have to complete it somehow and save her.¡± ¡°That, too¡­!¡± Daniel shouted. ¡°Isn¡¯t Madam always alone?¡± Eric¡¯s rolling eyes stopped abruptly. He slowly turned his head to look at Daniel. ¡°Yesterday, she held onto Andrea and begged to be let go. She said she wanted to go back.¡± ¡°What?¡± His face crumpled. She was saying that again?! He thought they had talked clearly! Eric thought Chloe could only go back here, and she couldn¡¯t let her go somewhere like Heath. Even the people were rude and irritating there. It was not helping her at all, except for the beautiful scenery! However, seeing Chloe¡¯s behavior, it felt like he had kidnapped her and imprisoned her. Of course, she has people arranged in case she ran away again, but wasn¡¯t it unreasonable to say that he confined her with that alone¡­ D*mn it. Confinement. Eric threw the nipper away and messed up his hair. ¡°This is the only place Chloe will return. I can¡¯t let her go somewhere like Heath.¡± ¡°So, that¡¯s what I¡¯m going to say.¡± Daniel hastily replied. ¡°You brought her to the Capital, but what if you leave her like this? You should show yourself reflecting on your past mistakes while having a meal or taking a walk together!¡± ¡°¡­But I have to build the machine.¡± ¡°It¡¯s important for the future, but why don¡¯t you know that Madam¡¯s current heart is also important?¡± His eyes widened slightly at Daniel¡¯s words. ¡­Chloe¡¯s heart. Eric was missing it again. What Chloe was thinking right now, what kind of heart she had, and what kind of hatred she was building up in herself¡­ He wasn¡¯t thinking about it at all. This was also due to his highly focused personality, forgetting everything else when he was focused on one thing. ¡°I told them to prepare lunch. Be with Madam.¡± Eric replied that, of course, he would, and he immediately stepped on the stairs of the lab, two at a time, and ran out because he had to greet Chloe after washing up in a hurry. Chloe sat idly. How many months was it? How many months had it been snowing? She clutched at the knitting thread as she stared at the snowy landscape that she was now tired of and terribly bored of. Chloe, a girl from the South, really liked snow. The first time she went to the North and looked at the snow, she was as delighted as a child. Still, it disappeared without a trace. Now the snow no longer felt cozy, nothing more or less than the rubbish blocking her path. She lamented that she had changed like this, but at the same time, she thought that these changes weren¡¯t bad. A change in her thoughts was no different from development, so she was making progress in her own way. Right. While she was locked in her room like this. Eric seemed to have no intention of ever letting her go. If that were the case, he should¡¯ve come and shown even a little bit of his face, yet he did not even show his hair for several days, making Chloe¡¯s heart a little more closed. If this was the case¡­ wasn¡¯t t it the same as before? As before, she was left alone and he was absorbed in his work. As before, she grieved alone, and Eric was on the rise¡­ she had something she wanted to do, too. Chloe dropped her head, clutching her shawl unconsciously. At that time. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and Eric¡¯s voice came. ¡°Chloe. May I come in?¡± Chloe reflexively turned her head, and she felt happy. ¡­Happy? She put her hand on her heart. She thought of herself as a dog waiting for food. The kind of dog that wags its tail when she hears Eric¡¯s voice and is happy to be touched by him¡­ As she thought so, Chloe shook her head a couple of times before she answered in a somewhat cold voice. ¡°Come in.¡± Eric opened the door and came in as she said that. Today, he was much more sophisticated than before¡ªa tidy three-piece suit with his hair neatly brushed. Although his eyes are puffy, his handsome face remained the same. She stared at his strong chin, tall nose, sunken eyes and gray eyes within them, then turned her head away. Eric approached her. ¡°I came to have lunch with you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She responded coldly, but Eric didn¡¯t back down. ¡°I heard you skipped breakfast.¡± He moved closer to her before kneeling down on one knee and glancing up at her. ¡°Have you not heard what the doctor said? You have to eat all three meals and take your medicines at the right time. Otherwise, your body will be more damaged.¡± He took the yarn in her hand. ¡°Chloe. Please eat for me.¡± Chloe could feel his hands shaking, sensing that Eric was desperate. She assumed that he hadn¡¯t come to see her for the same reasons as before. She thought that maybe it was for her. As he said, he wanted to make a mechanical heart, so he¡¯d be spending a lot of time on it. Thinking of this, her frozen heart melted a little. Chloe answered in a much warmer voice than before. ¡°Is it for you that I have to hold a fork?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Eric smiled and nodded his head. ¡°It¡¯s also for me that you have to go out for a walk and bask in the sun.¡± Chloe glanced up and looked out the window. Even though it was broad daylight, the dark sky welcomed her. She shook her head. ¡°It snows a lot. There is no sunlight, only dark clouds.¡± Eric chuckled as if he knew her answer and held her hand a little tighter. ¡°I have an establishment prepared for you.¡± ¡­A place he prepared? Chloe was puzzled. ¡°I¡¯m sure you will like it.¡± Saying so, he slowly got up and stretched out his hand towards her. ¡°So Chloe, please come with me.¡± Chloe gazed down at the hand stretched out to her. Should she take it or not? She was worried that even trivial actions would have meaning. However, Chloe finished her thoughts that holding this hand was not necessarily proof that she trusted Eric again. And she left the room with Eric. __ If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 85 Chapter 85 In the dining room, they could hear the sound of rattling dishes. It was dark outside, so all the lights in the dining room were brightly on, even though it was still daylight. How many lights were there in this room alone? Chloe held her fork and raised her head toward the ceiling. A light fixture was a precious object that, even if there was only one in a mansion, revealed that the house had great wealth. So, ordinary people would put a light in the middle of the hall to reveal their wealth. But here, in the dining room alone, there are a total of eight lights. It must be because Eric was the one who developed the light. As she turned her gaze to the appetizing array of food under the bright lights, she blinked slowly while looking at the plates that were filling the table far away. ¡°It¡¯s just one meal.¡± Chloe opened her mouth slowly. ¡°Was it necessary to prepare so much food?¡± She said this because she knew Eric¡¯s bad finances. Although it seemed like he was overdoing it because she was back, it was too much pressure. Chloe then looked into Eric¡¯s eyes and spoke cautiously. ¡°And this mansion is too big for the two of us. How long have you rented it? I want to go back to where we used to be.¡± ¡°Chloe.¡± Putting the tableware down, Eric wiped his mouth with a napkin and inhaled slowly. He knew she would say something like this. He expected her to say this because she considered him poor, though when he actually heard it, the shock was greater than expected. Still, he couldn¡¯t be angry, so he caught his breath and stared at Chloe. ¡°I bought this.¡± Chloe¡¯s eyes trembled slightly. ¡­Eric bought this mansion with dozens of rooms himself? With what money? She wondered if he had discovered a gold mine without her knowledge. Eric laughed at her. ¡°You look like you asked how much money I used to buy this.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that.¡± ¡°Chloe. Think carefully.¡± Eric said, leaning his body forward a little. ¡°There are more than ten factories built in my name in the Kingdom alone. Including those built overseas, there are over twenty of them. I am a capitalist with over 30 factories, but would I really be poor?¡± Her eyes were filled with agitation. ¡°I am rich enough to buy ten, no, one hundred of Mont¡¯s paintings. So don¡¯t worry.¡± She was shocked, as if she had been beaten on her head with a hammer. Eric was right. He was a capitalist with dozens of factories¡­ despite that, why did she think he was poor? Why did she think he had no money in the family? The first was because he borrowed a lot of money from her parents, and the second was¡­ she, too, was subtly ignoring Eric! She had guessed that he, being a commoner, wouldn¡¯t have that much wealth! Oh, what a shameful accident! It was something she didn¡¯t even want to think about. Chloe¡¯s face was hot as she was overcome by the urge to leave immediately. At the same time, she came to think that Eric had put up with her all this time. At the same time, when she remembered how Eric must have been hurt by what she had said, a side of her heart ached. She had been really mean to him. Chloe dropped her head. ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t even think about it. Sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing to be sorry about.¡± Eric responded kindly. ¡°It¡¯s because I didn¡¯t give you the right figures. It¡¯s my fault. I¡¯m sorry.¡± This conversation gave her hope that he might have really changed. If it were Eric in the past, he would have poured out harsh words instead of saying sorry to her! ¡®Perhaps¡­¡¯ Could it really be that Eric has become a different person? Chloe gulped, feeling hope welling up again. However, words soon followed that shattered Chloe¡¯s hopes. ¡°And as soon as your body gets better, I plan to have you take on the role of the Madam. Lead the servants and manage the mansion.¡± Chloe could feel the blow to her head again. What was the Madam¡¯s role? Hadn¡¯t she told Eric that she would be leaving this place and that she would do her job?! But again, Eric was ignoring her opinion. Again¡­! ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to.¡± She replied in a firm voice. ¡°I told you I had a job to do.¡± Eric¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°If you are thinking of working for the small newspaper company, I will oppose it.¡± ¡°Eric. Didn¡¯t you say you were rooting for me?¡± His name. Even though Eric resented Chloe for not referring to him as her husband, he tried to calm himself down again and again and said something he had been preparing for. At those words, Chloe was silent for a moment. She was trying to understand Eric¡¯s words. ¡°What do you mean¡­ a newspaper?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true. I already got permission. I bought the building and hired the staff. Perhaps next month we will be able to publish a newspaper.¡± ¡°Eric¡­!¡¯ Chloe screamed, covering her mouth, but he didn¡¯t stop. ¡°You can go there and work as soon as you feel better. I will make this newspaper the number one in the Kingdom.¡± He smiled obliquely. ¡°If you are going to work, shouldn¡¯t you be working in the best position?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Eric finished his words with a proud heart. He had no choice but to do so because he thought Chloe was doing a really good job with all her heart! So, he built a newspaper for his only wife. Could there be a better husband than this? He wanted to become a wonderful husband who would support Chloe¡¯s dream even now, that was why he came up with this plan. ¡°You are¡­¡± Noticing that Chloe¡¯s eyes were strange, Eric narrowed his brows slightly. ¡°You are really selfish.¡± He didn¡¯t expect this kind of reaction, so Eric answered in a gibberish manner. ¡°¡­Selfish? I did it for you, but how could you say that?¡± ¡°Please do not ignore my choice!¡± Chloe shouted and closed her eyes. ¡°Heath¡¯s newspaper, I chose it. It¡¯s a place I volunteered with my own two feet because I wanted to do it. However, to oppose it just because it is small? To work for the newspaper you founded? Then, how much more are you going to spy on me!¡± ¡°Spy?!¡± Eric touched his forehead and jumped up. It was nonsense. He had no such intentions. Ah, there was something he overlooked. He completely forgot that Chloe didn¡¯t trust her! ¡°It will never happen. I swear. I¡¯m just¡ª¡± He uttered in a desperate voice as if pleading. ¡°I just wanted you to be in a good place, be treated well, and live a good life.¡± Chloe opened her eyes and bit her lower lip. She knew he didn¡¯t do this because he meant it badly. It would be done for her. But, but¡­ ¡°¡­¡­ I choose that too.¡± She couldn¡¯t let go of the fact that her choice had been denied. She made a choice for the first time in her life, she was trying to pioneer her life for the first time, yet he completely ignored such a precious choice! Shaking her head, she had no intention of letting Eric go like this. ¡°I mean, there¡¯s nothing you can do for me.¡± Eric walked around feeling miserable. As he put his fisted hand to his forehead before loosening his hand and touching the back of his neck, he stroked the air as he put his hands on the back of the chair and gazed at Chloe. ¡°Then, what can I do?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°What should I do for you?¡± He was asking with all his heart. ¡°I am ready to give my soul for you. So Chloe, tell me. What can and should I do for you?¡± He wanted to know. He wanted to know what he had to do for her, what he had to do to change her mind, even now. Because of that, he clung to her, begging. ¡°Nothing¡­¡± But, what he heard was¡­ ¡°Please don¡¯t do anything.¡± ¡­It was a cold, impassioned voice. Eric¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hold out any more hope here, Eric.¡± ¡°Chloe.¡± ¡°Just let me die.¡± ¡°Chloe!¡± Eric stomped his feet and buried his face in his hands. The talk about dying, the talk about not wanting to live, he was really sick of it! He didn¡¯t want to hear anymore! ¡°I will never listen to that!¡± ¡°Eric.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s my greed! I will save you. I will listen to your resentment after being saved later¡­ So, you¡¯re going to live somehow. You must live!¡± As Chloe raised her gaze and looked at Eric, observing the sadness, regret, and anger that filled his face, she slowly lowered her eyes. She uttered something that he really didn¡¯t want to hear and that would hurt him terribly. ¡°Even if I leave you after I live?¡± __ If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.