At the End of the Shattered Remains of Pure Love - Chapter 15

 “I understand. Let’s pretend what just happened didn’t happen.”

The emperor winked at Jeanne in Elaine’s arms. Elaine trembled in disbelief. What kind of guy…! Her body holding the child shook slightly. 

 Khalil left Isabeau in charge of attending to the emperor and took Elaine away. Elaine, holding her daughter, struggled not to be dragged by him. 

 “Let go!”

She shouted while twisting to pull out her grabbed arm. Khalil dragged her to the bedroom as if he couldn’t hear anything. Elaine burst into tears. Only then did he feel the woman’s pain. He let go of her with self-loathing.

“Honey.”

“I’ll die. By dying, I’ll……”

His wife chanted a terrible curse with a flushed face. It wasn’t anything new. Since she collapsed at the hands of the Empress Dowager, she had said she would punish ‘them’ with her death. And ‘them’ included him as well.

Khalil looked down at his wife who naturally separated him from herself. To his wife, he was no longer a husband. Like the Empress Dowager whom she hated, he was merely an enemy who deserved revenge. That gap always felt immeasurable to him. The more he tried to trace it, the more painfully it stung. Elaine no longer loved him.

“Stop it.”

He tried to pull away his wife who had buried her face in their child’s shoulder. Elaine raised her head and convulsively struck his hand away. Khalil saw his daughter looking back at him with a face that seemed about to cry. Her frightened face was pale.

“It’s in front of the child, honey.”

He barely parted his lips to soothe the sobbing Elaine. The woman who had been crying while holding the child looked up. When Jeanne’s eyes met her mother’s, she immediately burst into the tears she had been holding back. Khalil lifted his daughter, who was red as an apple.

Elaine stared with empty eyes at the man who was once her husband and their daughter. The little girl buried her head in her father’s arms and wailed, then struggled to return to her mother. Khalil didn’t detain the child and set her down on the floor.

“Mama, don’t cry. You shouldn’t cry……”

Small hands reached out and touched her wet cheeks. Her vision blurred hazily, and her young daughter became indistinct. Elaine bit her lips and swallowed her tears. Jeanne sniffled as she burrowed into her chest. Khalil lifted his daughter, feeling as if his knees might give way.

The Emperor was waiting. Elaine was already disliked enough. She repeatedly tried to confront the Empress Dowager over their daughter and even attempted to insult the imperial family. The only reason Elaine hadn’t been executed was because he was protecting her. However, if she continued to act this way……

“His Majesty is still young. He must be curious about how his fiancée is doing. Elaine, you’ve seen it too. His Majesty cherishes our daughter. Since he has no other sisters.”

Khalil moved his lips calmly. It wasn’t that he didn’t understand Elaine speaking unspeakable words about the Emperor. Even at fourteen, the Emperor was broad-shouldered and tall, not looking like a boy his age. Moreover, the emotions he showed toward young Jeanne were particularly uncomfortable and awkward feelings.

Possession. Obsession. Monopoly…… Things too intense to be directed at an eight-year-old child flickered like flames in those purple eyes. Elaine must have known this too.

In fact, anyone who had seen the Emperor alone with Jeanne would know that his gaze toward his young fiancée was not ordinary. So he needed to be more careful, but right now, Elaine was the priority.

“How dare you say such……”

Just as Elaine opened her lips full of indignation, the thick bedroom door resonated. Khalil turned around. A voice called out ‘Your Grace.’ He ordered them to enter with a hardened expression.

“What is it?”

“Um…… His Majesty requests your presence at dinner, saying he has a gift to bestow upon your wife.”

The servant’s face was cautious as he delivered the Emperor’s message. Khalil stared at him blankly before turning to his wife. The woman with fierce eyes stood up, straightening her knees. Though her sharp amber eyes were wild as if ready to draw a sword, to Khalil she only looked precarious.

“You don’t have to attend.”

Khalil parted his lips. Knowing how Elaine would react, he couldn’t take her out. If she hadn’t caused such disturbances like this, he might have tried to arrange a private meeting. Even if they couldn’t forgive each other, they would remain connected because of Jeanne. After all, the Emperor would become her son-in-law. However, Elaine……

“Honey.”

“……I’ll behave.”

Elaine raised her head. Though her eyes remained as fierce and ominous as before, they were still wet like earlier. Khalil couldn’t refuse her anymore. 

 * * *

 Isabeau glanced at the direction where her husband had disappeared, then came to her senses when she felt the Emperor’s steady gaze. In truth, even she might not have noticed if Antonia hadn’t nudged her side. Though young, he was still the Emperor.

Though she hadn’t met him up close many times, she knew he was no ordinary person. He had been born on a different trajectory from people like her. So……

“I wonder if my decision makes you uncomfortable.”

“How could that be? Elaine is the birth mother of Your Majesty’s intended. It’s right to treat her according to her status.”

Isabeau bowed her head with a proper smile. The young emperor with unreadable eyes smiled elegantly.

Isabeau hid her bewilderment and maintained the image of a proper noble lady. From the way his lips curved to his broad shoulders and upright posture — his appearance was too dignified to be described merely as precocious.

“I’m grateful you think so.”

He smiled. His white, even teeth showed slightly between his red lips. Only then did he seem somewhat like his age. Suddenly, she thought she heard soft footsteps approaching from afar. She raised her eyes to look at her husband.

His attire had changed significantly, perhaps having changed into a frock coat. Isabeau narrowed her eyes slightly. Though the pointed laurel leaf gold embroidery decorating the sleeves and collar suited him well, she was curious about the circumstances that led to the change of frock coat.

“I apologize for taking Your Majesty’s precious time.”

He bowed his head after setting down his preciously held daughter on the floor. The Emperor didn’t respond and looked at Jeanne. Khalil, conversely, looked at his daughter who had turned pale.

His daughter, who had applied the white powder that Elaine used to hide her red eyes, looked paler and smaller than usual. He extended his hand to his daughter who was looking back and forth between him and her mother.

The little girl, stiff as if frightened, carefully took his hand. The long dining table was decorated with elaborate silver candlesticks and seasonal peonies and roses in full bloom. Khalil seated his daughter next to the Emperor and sat beside Isabeau.

“Thank you for letting me meet your beloved daughter despite this sudden visit.”

The Emperor opened his lips after dropping his smile. Fortunately, as the Emperor grew older, he learned to hide his arrogant nature. Should we say he became socialized? Looking back on the times when he would call Elaine, whose belly was swollen like a gourd, ‘my hen,’ it was a change worth tears.

At least it meant he had learned the language of society. Khalil, reminiscing about the bewilderment of those days, looked at Elaine. Elaine was seated far away from him. She seemed not to be angry about this, her beautiful face merely pale.

“No, Your Majesty. Thank you for inviting my concubine to dinner.”

Khalil, who had been watching Elaine, murmured heavily. Elaine, who had been staring only at her daughter, turned to look at him with emotionless eyes. The man who was once her husband… now another woman’s husband, was sitting next to that woman, playing the role of parents.

It was utterly disgusting. She suppressed her desire to twist her lips and spit out curses. She had promised to behave. To not cause trouble.

Because she didn’t want things to become difficult for Jeanne when she couldn’t control her emotions and caused trouble……

Khalil was a man who accomplished everything he set his mind to. He had said so himself, and she had learned it through others as well. Therefore, he would truly offer Jeanne to the imperial family. She bit her lip. She felt like she might cry. Instead of her nose burning, her heart ached. Like being caught in a noose……

‘How could you do this.’

Jeanne too was a slave. No matter how elaborately and beautifully her hair was decorated with ribbons, Jeanne’s essence was no different from hers. So……

“Madam seems to have much to say to me.”

The young emperor asked, sliding his lips. Though she couldn’t hide her wet eyes and turned away her gaze, attention was inevitably focused on her.

Elaine bit her lip. She simply couldn’t bear it. It was none other than the Emperor.

The thought of breathing the same air as that woman’s son who had ruined her life…… was harder than enduring Isabeau.

She would rather be ordered around by Isabeau. Though disgustingly nauseating to the point of vomiting, at least that woman’s twisted mindset was within her realm of understanding. But Alisandra’s son……

“I apologize.”

The tears that had welled up fell with a plop. Jeanne, who had been watching only her since sitting at the table, whimpered and then suddenly jumped up from her seat and ran to her mother. Elaine received her running daughter while biting her lip. Then she lifted her lightly and held her in her arms.