Chapter 0
It has been five years since I ran away from Cedric.
I started a new life with my son, Vincent, in an old temple in Yurhen, far from the capital.
It was very hard at first, but now I have no lingering feelings for my ex-husband, Cedric. Not needing to rely on him anymore or beg for his affection—that was my greatest joy.
It was around the time when Cedric’s presence in my heart was starting to fade.
“There you are.”
A sharp face with a particularly low voice.
The sound was so unexpected that I dropped the broom I was holding. Why is he here? I couldn’t believe it, and the words slipped out before I realized.
“…Cedric?”
He gave a faint smile.
“I searched every corner of the country, and you were in this rundown temple?”
His voice was gentle, but the sarcasm was clear. At that moment, Vincent came running.
“Mom!”
Cedric looked at Vincent, then turned his gaze to me. When his sharp eyes fell on us, I instinctively pulled Vincent closer. A nearby priest cautiously asked,
“Duke, do you know this woman?”
Cedric smiled at me.
“I know her well. She was my wife.”
“I-I should be going…”
I barely held myself together and tried to take Vincent to our room.
“Labril.”
His voice was so familiar that I froze. When I slowly turned my head, he asked calmly,
“Where are you going now?”
“T-The room.”
“A room, in a place like this?”
His cold voice carried a mocking laugh. I bit my lips and held Vincent’s hand tightly.
“This is my home.”
Cedric frowned slightly. His assistant and the priest nearby looked nervous, watching his reaction.
Just as the priest was about to speak again, Cedric walked up to me with big strides.
Vincent looked up at Cedric curiously, as if seeing a stranger for the first time. Cedric slowly knelt to meet Vincent’s eyes.
“What are you doing?”
Startled, I pulled Vincent back. Cedric looked at me again.
“He looks a lot like you. But he also seems to resemble me.”
“He’s not your child.”
Cedric gave a crooked smile.
“Really?”
He asked as if it were obvious, his tone relaxed. But his eyes were cold enough to burn everything down. I stepped in front of Vincent, and Cedric calmly stood up.
“If he’s not mine, is it that lawyer’s?”
He was actually doubting that I had a child with another man. Cedric clearly couldn’t see things straight right now. Then he stepped forward again with a frightening look in his eyes.
“Even if he’s that guy’s child, I don’t care.”
“……”
“I’ll just register the child under my name.”
The unexpected words made my eyes go wide. Cedric smiled and said to the priest,
“The plan has changed. We won’t stay here tonight. We’ll go back now.”
The priest looked a bit relieved. Then Cedric turned to me.
“You’re coming with me.”
“I-I’m staying here.”
As soon as I said that, Cedric’s eyes turned sharp. He didn’t take his eyes off me and asked,
“Do you mean it?”
“Yes.”
“If you don’t come with me, this place won’t stay safe.”
“What do you mean?”
“It bothers me. That you’ve been living in a place like this.”
Cedric gave a small smile and whispered coldly,
“I’ll give you two choices. Come quietly with me, or watch this temple burn.”
His cruel words left me speechless. I couldn’t believe this man threatening me was really the Cedric I knew.
“You shouldn’t keep me waiting too long.”
His icy blue eyes looked darker than ever.
