“He probably didn’t want to worry you. He’s never liked going to the hunting grounds, so he must have been careful.”

“Is that so? Careful, you think?”

“Of course. I’m sure of it.”

At Philip’s assurance, Thea’s face grew cold, devoid of any warmth. Every time she tried to find traces of her husband through someone else’s words, she felt like she was endlessly falling off a cliff.

The reality was bone-chillingly cold. Thea bit her lip, then gave Philip a brief bow—a gesture of farewell.

Her dress hem fluttered lightly as she walked away from Philip and returned to the lakeside where the Viscountess and Countess Yut were. It was clear people had been searching for her for quite some time.

The moment they made eye contact, both women rushed toward Thea.

“Where on earth have you been?”

“We’ve been looking everywhere for you, Countess Winter.”

Thea tilted her head at their agitated reactions.

“What’s wrong?”

At her question, the Viscountess raised her pale hand to her chest and stroked it gently.

“There was a disappearance at the lakeside. Everyone was frantic, thinking you might have been caught up in it too. But seeing you safe and sound puts my mind at ease.”

“Goodness… Something like that happened?”

“Yes, it did. But where were you?”

“Lord Philip came by after such a long time, so I had a brief chat with him. As you know, he’s an important client for the House of Winter.”

Thea casually pointed toward Philip’s sister. There stood the young lady, eyes wide with shock over the disappearance incident, looking utterly flustered.

She looked so pitiful that the surrounding nobles were gently trying to comfort her.

“Viscountess, I’m sorry, but I should go comfort the young lady as well. I think it would be better coming from me, since we’re more familiar with each other than strangers.”

“Of course you should. I’ll contact you again later. I’ve been quite interested in the perfumes coming from the House of Winter lately.”

“Yes, please feel free to contact me anytime, my lady.”

Thea responded kindly to the end, then approached the still-distressed young lady. Even though things weren’t good between her and Acel, she still had her duties to fulfill.

It didn’t take long to reach her side. Thea opened her mouth with a concerned expression.

“Are you alright, my lady?”

“Yes, yes. I was a bit startled, but I think I’m fine.”

“That’s a relief. Lord Philip was very worried about you.”

“My brother was?”

“Yes, so… shall we go over there and talk for a bit?”

* * *

After finishing her schedule and returning to her room, Thea tossed the business contract she’d been holding onto the console chair and fiddled with her fingers.

Honestly, it was a meaningless contract, but she blinked, thinking it was better than nothing.

At least it would serve as proof that she hadn’t been idle in this household.

Even on the verge of separation, there were far too many things to worry about.

This must be why the lives of nobles aren’t exactly happy.

“I wish I’d known nothing at all.”

She could have just played the tragic woman, tears dripping down her face.

But that wasn’t possible.

Thea was too smart to cry while biting on a handkerchief. Acel knew that fact well too.

His expectation that she wouldn’t leave easily was probably due to this very personality.

Feeling trapped in a snare of her own making, her stomach felt heavy. It seemed dinner was out of the question tonight.

Thea decided to skip dinner and prepare for bed instead.

Honestly, “prepare” was just a word—it was obvious she wouldn’t actually be able to sleep.

She still found her room and the Yut household unfamiliar. The drastically changed family home occasionally gave her an eerie feeling.

It never felt this cold before.

“…Maybe it’ll get better after a week or so.”

She let out a deep sigh of frustration and was gently running her fingers through her tangled hair when—

The firmly closed door opened and a young maid entered.

Thea carefully turned her head and met the maid’s eyes.

“What is it?”

“Miss. There’s a letter from the House of Winter.”

“Who sent it? I don’t recall hearing about any letter from Winter.”

“The coachman said it was sent by Count Winter himself.”

“A letter from the Count.”

“Yes. Where should I put the letter?”

The maid asked politely, but Thea didn’t answer right away. She looked around the room. When her eyes finally settled on the area above the headboard, the maid quickly placed it there.

“Will this do?”

“Yes, that should be fine.”

“Is there anything else you need?”

“I’m a bit tired, so could you fill the bathing tub with warm water? I’d like to soak for a bit.”

The Yut household was in a warm climate, but once evening turned to night, it became quite chilly.

If Thea, who came from a cold region, found it chilly, the people here were probably shivering once night fell.

The maid also showed an understanding expression at Thea’s request and left to prepare.

In the silence that returned, Thea headed toward the letter the maid had left.

“To think I’d be receiving letters after getting married.”

She’d received plenty of letters during their courtship, but not a single one after marriage. He’d said there was no point in sending letters when she’d obviously be at home anyway.

Her lips twisted slightly at this unfamiliar emotion she was experiencing after so long, and she tore open the letter.

Inside was his familiar handwriting, and unusually, it started with greetings—which felt remarkably calm.

Sometimes leaving home and wandering like this didn’t seem so bad.

“Did you feel the same emotions I felt?”

Of course, he wouldn’t have sent a letter otherwise.

Believing he must have felt the same way, she sat on the plush bed to read the rest of the letter she hadn’t finished yet.

She began to savor the words slowly.

When she reached the end of the letter—

Thea realized she’d been mistaken. Right, what kind of man was he anyway.

“There’s no way he felt the same.”

She let out a self-deprecating laugh, wondering what she’d been hoping for, when the firmly closed door opened and the maid came in, struggling with her load.

Her already small frame looked even smaller as she carried the water-filled tub. Thea thought she was working hard, but quickly erased the sympathy from her mind.

Who was pitying whom?

The most pitiful person here right now was herself.

Soon enough, she’d be branded a divorcée.

She swallowed a deep breath at that fact, then exhaled and spoke to the maid.

“I don’t need a maid to help me bathe. Don’t let anyone in.”

“Are you sure you’ll be alright?”

“Yes, I want to enjoy this time alone and quietly. Absolutely no one is to enter this room.”

At Thea’s appearance, speaking so forcefully it could be seen as threatening, the maid just kept nodding before fleeing the spot.

Satisfied with how things turned out, Thea finally wore a pleased expression as she looked at the tub with steam rising from it.

“She brought it quite hot.”

Without getting in right away, she knelt down and put one hand into the tub, swirling it around. The water was hot enough to make her skin flush red.

Normally they didn’t bring it this hot, but since she came from a cold region, they must have thought ordinary temperatures wouldn’t satisfy her.

Not a bad situation. Thea continued swirling the water while mulling over the letter Acel had sent.

‘Did he say to stop fooling around and come back now?’

She’d only been gone a week, and yet it seemed like such a big deal.

“Without me… that household doesn’t function, I guess.”

He was acting like someone with a fire at their feet. But the one in need wasn’t her—it was him.

She’d clearly told him before that she wanted a divorce.

“Why can’t he understand?”

He must know she wouldn’t casually say they should separate. Because their time together hadn’t been short, just as she knew him well, he knew her well too.

“The letter…”

Concluding it would be better not to reply, Thea stripped off her clothes and dipped her toes into the tub that still held its heat. The warmth that felt like it might scald her seemed to remind her she was alive.

A groan escaped at the heat that invaded in an instant. She bit down hard on her lower lip at the water overflowing onto the floor.

It was merely heated water, yet she thought of Acel, who would breathe beneath her with sharply honed eyes.

Had the heat from that man, cold like ice, transferred to her?

“I’m crazy.”

She must be insane. To be shaken by a single letter she’d just read.

A scoff escaped. They say physical desire is frightening, and it really was true.

The faint sensation rising from her toes climbed past her ankles, up to the back of her knees, and pooled heavily in her lower abdomen.

“I’m really crazy.”

To think she’d escaped only to want to return there again.

Thea shook her head and raised her pale hand to gently stroke her perky br*asts. On her white body, the pink-tinged n*pples caught her eye more than usual today.

He’d always looked at those moderately raised buds with gleaming eyes and sucked on them.

Had he said they were perfectly shaped to roll around in his mouth?

‘I don’t think so.’

She slowly swallowed her breath against her skin, moisture clinging to it.

She was sure Acel had gently rolled her n*pples between his thumb and forefinger.

“Mmm…”

She touched herself with clumsy hands, but couldn’t dispel the heat that clung to her.

She furrowed her brow at her twitching lower half and hid her body deeper in the tub.

No matter how much she squirmed pathetically, his thing wasn’t there to fill the emptiness inside.

* * *

A week had passed since coming to the Yut household. For having bickered with the House of Winter on the second day, she’d spent a not-so-bad week.

Since it was her family home from before marriage, she’d thought she wouldn’t be able to move around comfortably, but that wasn’t the case either.

She’d been able to live exactly the same as before she left.

Thanks to that, even now she’d just finished work from the House of Winter that she hadn’t been able to handle.

“Thank you, Margaret.”

“You’re too kind, Countess Winter. Is there anything else you need?”

“I think this is enough for now. If I think I need more supplies later, I’ll send you a letter then.”

“Yes, understood, my lady.”

Margaret, who answered obediently, was a mid-level manager at the trading company Thea ran.

Margaret was twenty-eight, but she was still unmarried.

She was smart, beautiful, and perceptive, but her status as an illegitimate child from a lower noble family had prevented her from advancing. Thea had recognized her potential and recruited her.

She never could have imagined she’d be such a gem that she’d become Countess Winter’s right hand.

‘I’m lucky to have Margaret.’

At first she’d struggled because the work was unfamiliar, but now she was capable of easily handling the work of ten adults.

Currently she was conducting diplomacy everywhere on behalf of Thea, who couldn’t easily go out. She also practically ran the House of Winter’s trading company.

Margaret would come running whenever Thea called.