After Declaring Divorce, My Husband Became Lewd

When evening arrived, Mrs. Mason served dinner. Despite having no appetite, Isabelle forced herself to eat. The gentle stew felt grainy like sand in her mouth as she mechanically took a few bites before standing up from her seat.

Before going upstairs, she approached Mrs. Mason to ask for tea and found her busily preparing something.

A tray was filled with yellow leaves, and as she got closer, a distinctive fragrance wafted into her nose. It smelled similar to rosemary, but it was an entirely different plant.

“What is that?”

Observing the yellow-stained fingertips of Mrs. Mason, Isabelle inquired.

“It’s a plant called pennyroyal, and if you dry the leaves and drink it as a tea, it helps you sleep.”

“You can’t sleep?”

“Not me, but the Duke.”

Isabelle let out a small sigh, a barely audible “Ah.”, remembering Fabian’s words from earlier in the day, causing a subtle constriction in her chest. She grasped the hem of her dress, and the paper tucked into her pocket rustled.

“Mr. Fabian asked for this earlier.”

“I see.”

“He suffers from insomnia.”

“Since when?”

“As far as I know, he’s always had it, but it seems to have gotten worse recently.”

He had insomnia all along?

She hadn’t heard that before. They made love every day while they were in Dranselle, fell asleep in the same bed, and she never noticed any signs.

Why didn’t I know?

Come to think of it, she never saw Richt sleeping. She would always be the first to fall asleep, and when she woke up, he was never there. Isabelle looked at the yellow pile on the tray prepared by Mrs. Mason, containing the dried leaves of pennyroyal, and was engulfed in an inexplicable emotion.

“Are you drying these leaves one by one like this?”

“Yes. It will take some time to dry them in winter.”

“If you brew this and drink it, does it help?”

“It’s not a sleeping pill, so it only helps with mental stability. I’ll prepare some for you later. The flavor and aroma will be milder after drying, so you shouldn’t mind drinking it.”

“I suppose the effect is slight.”

Mrs. Mason, who had prepared it with care, probably wouldn’t be able to get Richt to drink it. It might be better for him to go to the hospital and see a doctor.

Why was he avoiding coming home and enduring it in vain?

“Can I help you with anything, my lady?”

Mrs. Mason, who was busy with her work, asked belatedly about Isabelle’s visit.

“Oh, no, I think I’ll just go upstairs and rest.”

Isabelle turned away in frustration.

As she turned to go into her room and lie down, she stopped dead in her tracks on the third floor, in front of Richt’s bedroom on the right instead of the left. Snapping out of her reverie, Isabelle stared at the doorknob, which was engraved with a luxurious pattern, for a moment, then stepped inside.

She’d opened the door a few times to check on Richt’s return, but inspecting the inside like this was a first. She’d never wondered about his room since coming to the mansion, but today she found herself strangely drawn to it.

The neatly arranged room showed no traces of daily life. Unlike Isabelle’s room, adorned with flowers and decorations, Richt’s room was filled only with basic furniture—a bed, table, and a few decorative pieces. It was an interior that matched the owner’s personality.

In the dim light of the lamp, Isabelle cautiously surveyed her surroundings. Her footsteps, guided by the lamp’s glow, came to a sudden halt. Her eyes, passing over the cold fireplace, stopped right next to an object.

It was a crib.

When did he…….

Isabelle approached her hand gently touching the crib. The bottom part had wheels, and the top had a cover that could shield the sunlight. It could be folded in the middle, and a small mobile hung in the center.

Did Richt want a child?

She didn’t know if Richt wanted children because she never asked, but she couldn’t believe he bought a crib, thinking about the baby to be born. She couldn’t imagine him picking baby items in a store.

She touched the lace-trimmed crib with her hands and stepped back. As she did, her back touched the other side, and she found several crumpled sheets of paper on the dresser where she had inadvertently placed her hand. Carefully unfolding them, she saw that they were letters written by Richt. She picked up the one on the top.

***

Dear Isabelle,

I’ve done so much wrong, I don’t know where to begin. I brought you here under the guise of helping you get back on your feet, but I just wanted to buy some time.

I know you feel deceived, but I had no choice. I wanted to repair our relationship somehow, but you were always thinking of leaving, and there was nothing I could do but watch as your contempt for me was unmistakable.

Isabelle, is there no hope left for us?

Please tell me not. Please. I-I can’t live without you……. You have no idea what you mean to me.

You say I’m unworthy as a father or a husband? Yes, you’re right. I was never raised by a proper father. Would you believe me if I told you that I was hurt by my father, just as you were hurt by your brother?

Even in this moment of confessing a past, I’ve never spoken of, I’m hiding a selfish greed.

I pray that you, the one with the warmest heart of all, will take pity on me. And give me even the tiniest bit of your sympathy.

If you give me a chance, even out of pity or compassion, I will gladly accept it and fall at your feet.

I am that desperate.

Your touch, your love, your existence.

I won’t ask for anything more. Just let me be by your side. I’ll quietly breathe next to you. I can’t live without you…….

The thought of not being with you makes me want to die.

Can’t you do it? Please, Isabelle…….

***

The sight of the ink scrawled across the page made her mind churn. She’d always thought she was the one with the emotional weaknesses, but a letter like this, with such a long-windedness, stirred her heart.

She hated to admit it, but she’d been thinking about him more and more since he’d been out of sight. Especially today, perhaps due to Fabian’s update, the feeling was stronger.

Now that she thought about it, the situation was the same as it was before. The place had changed from Barsk to Vechilin, Diana was gone, but other than that, it was the same as before.

Alone in a vast house.

Alone, feeling lonely.

Always waiting…

Then Isabelle gasped in surprise.

…Waiting?

The realization hit her like a dizzying wave.

‘You don’t want to admit it, do you?’

Mia’s voice rang in her ears again. The sharp edge of Mia’s words felt like a blade against her throat, making it hard to breathe. Isabelle slumped down on the bed, overcome by the loneliness and emptiness that suddenly coursed through her.

The room was dark, cold, and deserted.

Richt had not come in that night either.