Chapter 2

Father frowned and looked at me. His eyes were so fierce, it looked like he might raise his hand at any moment. Just like before, Father hadn’t changed. And just like he said—if I had a child with another man… I let out a short, bitter laugh.

“You think this is funny?”

“If I did that, it would be clear right away that the child isn’t Cedric’s.”

“Then no matter what—!”

“Or maybe he just wouldn’t care at all.”

When I muttered to myself, Father shook his head.

“You really are hopeless. What have you even done all this time?”

Now that I thought about it, I hadn’t done much to get Cedric’s attention. I didn’t try to seduce him like a temptress, and whenever he rejected me, I just went back to my room in disappointment.

All I ever did was sit around the mansion, staring at the garden or reading a book while waiting for Cedric to come home.

And yet, I always hoped for his love. I kept thinking, “Maybe today will be different.”

“I really haven’t done anything right.”

I answered blankly, and Father shouted.

“This is why raising someone like you is pointless! You talk like you’ve lost your mind.”

His harsh words didn’t bother me. He had always spoken to me like that.

“No wonder you haven’t had a child yet. How could I trust someone like you with everything?”

Father clicked his tongue while looking at me.

“If you still have any sense, you’d better come to your senses now. That mistress is said to be from a noble family, younger than you, and has a good reputation.”

If it was true that Cedric had a mistress, maybe he wanted a child with her. Just thinking about that helped me understand why he had been avoiding me.

Actually, even at the time of our marriage, his mother didn’t think well of me. The reason was simple—my family had low status. We only had money, no honor. If Cedric already had a mistress and that’s why he never came near me…

I looked at the photo again. It was Cedric’s usual smile. A common smile. A smile that someone like me could easily misunderstand.

“…Keep that in mind.”

Only the last part of Father’s words reached my ears. When I looked up, Father was looking at me with disappointment.

“I brought some medicine. Take it and have a child as soon as possible.”

I looked at the box next to Father. I had wondered what it was, but it seemed to be medicine for me. It was the first time Father had given me anything like that, so I was confused. I was sure it wouldn’t help me at all.

“Well, I’ll be going.”

Father left without even waiting for my goodbye.

I tried to get up but sat down again. Looking ahead, I saw the same garden I always saw. Even the roses looked like they were blooming more fully today.

Just then, a servant approached.

“Ma’am, what should I do with this box?”

I looked at the box Father had given me. The medicine would be useless anyway. Cedric didn’t care about me and never showed any sign that he would. And if he was visiting the mistress’s house…

No matter how much of this medicine I took, it wouldn’t change anything. I turned my head and said,

“Throw it away.”

The servant nodded and took the box. Just then, the butler rushed in.

“Ma’am, the master says he’ll be late because of work.”

“He’s going to be late?”

“Yes, it was unexpected. He was very sorry.”

I couldn’t tell if he was truly sorry since I didn’t see his face. If what Father said was true, Cedric might have gone to see his mistress. On my birthday, no less.

I turned my head toward the photo on my desk. I had always wondered why Cedric didn’t come close to me, but now I was starting to understand. If that was the case, it would hurt less if I asked for a divorce before he did.

Cedric had never cared about me anyway.

I pointed to the photo on the desk.

“Burn this.”

The butler nodded and took the photo. I was about to head to my room when he suddenly held out a box. It was small enough to fit in my palm. It looked like a ring box. I didn’t take it, just stared, so he explained.

“This is a gift from the master. He asked me to tell you happy birthday.”

I even thought this—maybe he was avoiding me on purpose.

‘He used to give me birthday wishes in person, though.’

When I didn’t take the gift and just stared, the butler looked hesitant. I slowly took the small box.

Even without opening it, I could tell it was an expensive brooch. Cedric always gave me a brooch with emeralds every birthday.

I never said I wanted brooches. I only once mentioned that necklaces and earrings were uncomfortable at our wedding. Since then, he always gave brooches.

It wasn’t a bad gift, considering I rarely wore accessories. But I didn’t want it now.

“Ma’am?”

When I looked up, the butler asked carefully,

“Will you be going to the dining hall?”

I didn’t even get birthday wishes in person. I didn’t want to sit in a fancy room and eat alone.

“No. I’ll eat in my room.”

I returned to my room and placed the gift box on the bedside table. I stared at it for a while, then pulled the divorce papers from my pocket.

I had wanted to give them to him directly, but today didn’t feel like the right time. I suddenly felt scared. Was he trying to avoid even seeing me on my birthday?

Then I heard a knock.

“Come in.”

The servant brought a table full of food and left. A greasy pheasant dish stood out. The table was decorated with fancy leaves, making it feel excessive. I sat in front of it but couldn’t eat.

‘I thought it would at least be better than the dining hall.’

Tick, tick. The ticking of the clock sounded unusually loud. It grated on my ears.

I finally got up and pulled the bell rope. A few minutes later, the servants cleared the table.

I stood in front of the bedside table again. The small ring box. Since it was my birthday, I figured I should at least check the gift. It was probably a brooch again.

Without much thought, I opened it. A bright light caught my eye. It was a ring with a large diamond and emeralds. I stared blankly. It was a very familiar ring.

A wedding ring. It was the same one we had exchanged when we got married.

‘Why is this…?’

I had once lost my wedding ring. I never told Cedric. I was searching for a good jeweler to make a replica.

I looked at the ring again. It was definitely the one I had lost. I wondered how Cedric had found it.

If he didn’t find it, maybe he noticed I had lost it and ordered a new one. After all, he was the one who prepared the wedding rings.

I stared at it in silence. Since I had only ever received emerald brooches, today’s gift was unexpected.

‘Why a wedding ring instead of a brooch?’

Was he is giving it back to end this marriage? Or was he saying we should stay married, even if only out of duty?

But Cedric wouldn’t want me.

I closed the ring box, thinking of the photo Father had thrown at me. Father’s words were starting to sound more and more true.

I checked the time. In one hour, my birthday would be over. Thinking back, only Cedric had wished me a happy birthday. Though not in person.

A light flickered outside the window. I stopped reading and looked out. A black carriage was entering the estate.

A servant opened the door, and a man in a black suit stepped out. His hair was neat, and not a single part of him looked messy. He looked so clean, not even dust would stick to him.

I couldn’t see well because it was dark, but it was his usual blank face. Gentle, yet cold and hard to approach.

I turned off the light on the bedside table and lay down. I was tired of pretending to be a loving couple.

He always smiled when I greeted him, but that was it. He never got closer. He always kept a distance. Now it just felt like he was ignoring me in his own way.

Maybe all this time, Cedric only tolerated me out of politeness, even though I was a bother. He probably had a mistress already.

I stared blankly at the ceiling. Before, I would have gone downstairs to greet Cedric. I just wanted to see his smile.

But now, that felt like a pointless effort.

‘Cedric doesn’t care about me anyway.’

Father told me to have Cedric’s child, but that was ridiculous. Now that he had a mistress, he would never want me.

At least Father had gained wealth through Cedric, so even if I got divorced, he wouldn’t say much more.

The fact that he returned the deed to the crystal mine showed that Father had saved a lot of money. He wasn’t someone who spent carelessly.

He might nag, but it would be better than this life.

As I stared at the darkness on the ceiling, the room suddenly dimmed. I turned my head and saw a shadow in the doorway. Someone was standing there.

The door slowly opened. I closed my eyes. For some reason, it felt like I should.

I heard footsteps slowly coming closer.

It smelled like Cedric. A forest-like, cool, dry scent.

For some reason, my heart started to race. Maybe it was because this was the first time he ever came to me first.