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—which she wouldn’t now—wouldn’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.
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