It wasn’t monsoon season, yet the rain had been pouring continuously since Isabelle’s return to Dranselle. However, as noon approached, the rain finally stopped.

Isabelle pulled back the curtains and opened the window. The refreshing air after the rain permeated her nostrils. The clouds had cleared and the sky was bright with sunlight. It was the sunniest day she’d ever seen.

Feeling confined inside her room all day, Isabelle decided to go for a walk. Passing through the hall towards the garden, she heard footsteps behind her. The footsteps came at a steady, measured pace.

Even without turning around, Isabelle intuited that it was Eden following her. If it were Timogere, he would have rushed forward, grabbed her by the hair, and unleashed the pent-up anger from last time. But Eden, who had observed the entire situation, was not hastily approaching.

Isabelle stopped walking and turned around. Similarly, Eden, who had also stopped, sent a curious gaze her way.

“The sneaky little stray following me turned out to be Eden, as expected.”

“I didn’t mean to disturb your walk.”

“It wouldn’t have been a disturbance.”

“If you say so, I’m relieved.”

“After not seeing each other for a long time, are you going to keep your distance like this?”

Eden lightly smiled and approached beside her. The two of them walked through the flower-filled garden in a somewhat awkward silence. The scent of fragrant flowers wafted from all directions.

Eden seemed to have a lot to say, but he didn’t rush to ask. Isabelle spoke first.

“The roses are blooming exceptionally well this year.”

“They smell good. And nice to look at.”

“My late mother loved roses, and every summer she would cut fresh ones and decorate the house with them.”

“I remember. When I came to visit with Father, the house always smelled of roses.”

“Indeed.”

The fully blossomed petals sparkled in the sunlight. Eden, who had been admiring the vivid red roses, shifted his gaze to Isabelle.

“What happened?”

Isabelle instantly understood what Eden was trying to say. She knew he would ask eventually, but, if possible, she wanted to avoid it. She couldn’t tell him everything, and she couldn’t lie either.

“I told you everything last time. I decided to divorce him, and it happened because I wanted it to.”

“You said you left willingly, so why do you have that look on your face?”

She couldn’t help but get emotional at the thought of Richt. Isabelle belatedly composed her expression, but it was too late; her inner feelings had already been revealed. Eden was a perceptive and sharp man.

“What are you going to do about it?”

“What do you mean?”

“Timogere’s not going to leave you alone.”

“Well, he probably won’t, now that he’s cut off from the money.”

“He might go to the Calitheon House and explain the situation. If that doesn’t work, he might find you another match and remarry you off like he’s selling you.”

“As a divorced woman, I may not be an entirely desirable. Perhaps it’s a divorced man with a troublesome child. Or maybe I’ll be married off to an old noble family.”

Isabelle laughed wryly. The bitterness on her face broke Eden’s heart. He’d always liked her as a woman.

There was no specific moment or reason. Initially, he just wanted someone like Isabelle as a younger sister, but as he saw her suffering from Timogere’s harassment, he wanted to protect her. And when he became aware of his feelings for her as a woman, he wished to embrace her and kiss her.

As the years passed and he grew older, Eden’s desires changed, but he never revealed his true feelings. This was because Isabelle saw him only as an elder brother, and during a crucial period when he contemplated confessing, she showed affection for another man.

Isabelle’s eyes shone so brightly when she spoke of him.

“When you told me you were marrying Lord Calitheon, I genuinely hoped you’d be happier.”

Eden, who had been slightly lowering his gaze, spoke up.

“I know.”

“Perhaps even more than your so-called real brother, Timogere.”

“In my own way, I was ……happily married to him.”

“Is that so?”

The gaze that questioned her sincerity stared intently at Isabelle. They were the same black eyes as Richt’s, but the vibe was different. Where Richt’s eyes held a raw coldness, Eden’s held a more refined goodness.

“Yes.”

“And now?”

“Right now, I’m just accepting it, because everything comes to an end, and things between people don’t always work out the way they want them to.”

“It sounds like you didn’t want the divorce.”

When Isabelle didn’t answer further, Eden fell silent for a moment as well. The evenly mowed grass rustled with each step they took. Soon they were in the center of the garden.

Inside a large fountain, a few fish with brilliant orange tails swam gracefully. Isabelle leaned against the edge of the fountain, reaching out to feel the water. Even under the summer sun, the water was refreshing.

“Do you remember? When we were little, you used to catch a lot of fish for me.”

“I do. I thought you’d like it, but you pitied the dead fish, because you were such a tender-hearted child that you burst into tears.”

“After that, you didn’t catch any more fish. I didn’t cry anymore. Instead, you picked all kinds of flowers and wove them together.”

“I did.”

“You gathered mostly thorny wildflowers, and your hands were always scarred, but you were willing to go deep into the mountains and fields for me.”

That wasn’t all. When Isabelle was upset, Eden would console her. When she cried, he would comfort her. Eden was always there when she needed him.

“Now that I think about it, there are many memories of being loved by you.”

Bitter memories from the past resurfaced. There was such a time. Reflecting on her three years spent at Calitheon Manor, Isabelle thought about the times when her husband wouldn’t come even if she waited. Her mother-in-law, who didn’t like her. All those things made her feel crushed. There was no one she could confide in, let alone seek comfort.

She wanted to confide in someone. Mia, the only person Isabelle was close to, but she couldn’t tell her about her inner thoughts. As the lady of Calitheon Manor, she had to maintain her dignity. Richt was always busy, so she had no one to share her loneliness with.

Even when she returned home, she had no one to turn to. Her parents were dead, and her brother was a bastard who saw her as nothing more than a cash cow. There was nothing to soothe her rotting insides, but seeing Eden brought back memories of her childhood and the comfort she had received from him.

“In truth, I feel a bit disappointed.”

Eden listened quietly.

“I wanted to do well. I wanted to be a good wife and a suitable lady for Calitheon House, but…”

Isabelle’s words trailed off.

Eden could easily deduce the unsaid words. Her loneliness was palpable, and it pained his heart.

“Why haven’t you been in touch?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve been writing to you constantly, and you’ve never replied.”

“You didn’t get ……?”

“Yeah. I was kind of disappointed, because you distanced yourself right after I got married.”

Eden’s face crumpled in disbelief. It couldn’t be. It was Eden who had sent letters and not gotten any reply.

He’d assumed Isabelle was distancing herself because even if they were like family, others might not see it that way. But she’d sent letters—none of which had arrived to him. And none of Eden’s letters had been received either.

A face flashed in Eden’s mind—the Duke of Calitheon, Isabelle’s husband. There was no concrete evidence, but he could infer with suspicion. He must have intercepted them. What a childish thing to do.

However, Eden didn’t show any reaction. Digging into the past and stirring things up would only distress Isabelle more.

“It was nice to have a conversation with you after a long time.”

Her face looked a bit more relieved than before. Thinking that his presence brought her comfort, a resigned feeling kept surfacing. At least he could make her smile more than the Duke of Calitheon could.

“We should get back.”

“Okay.”

The sun had already set in the sky. By the time they reached a corridor of white, rounded cobblestones, when…

“Oops!”

Isabelle yelped as she stepped wrong, her body tilting, but thankfully Eden caught her arm and kept her from falling. Isabelle steadied herself and sighed in relief.

“Are you okay?”

Eden bent down to lift the hem of Isabelle’s dress and checked her ankle. His gaze was gentle as he carefully examined her slender ankle.

“Are you sure it’s not twisted?”

“Not that badly. I think my foot slipped through a gap.”

“I’m glad you’re not hurt.”

Isabelle walked a few steps to show she was fine. Eden, reassured, stood up. As they began moving back towards the mansion, the sight of a familiar shadow froze her in her tracks.