Divorce Begins with Remarriage - Chapter 30

Thus, with such cute behavior, the atmosphere at the dinner table was warm and friendly throughout.

“It seems so. Here, Terenzio. Would you like to try this?”

Berenice also fed Terenzio, joining in. Terenzio opened his mouth like a baby bird. His legs, still not reaching the floor, swung as he chewed and swallowed the food cutely.

Berenice unknowingly kept offering food continuously.

And in this warm atmosphere, unfortunately, there was someone who felt out of place, alone.

It was Roberto.

Of course, Roberto wished for Berenice and Terenzio to get along well. But he did not wish for them to exclude him and become close only with each other. Since Terenzio’s arrival, Berenice hasn’t even looked at Roberto.

He felt an inexplicable sense of alienation.

Roberto wet his drying throat, unknowingly pouting his lips.

“Ahem, ahem.”

“Roberto? What’s wrong?”

Berenice and Terenzio both looked at Roberto with wide eyes. How could he reveal his true feelings when their faces were looking at him?

“It’s nothing. I must have swallowed the water wrong.”

With that excuse, Berenice and Terenzio went back to their own world. They did not notice Roberto’s gradually weakening grip on his utensils as he ate.

***

Fortunately, Roberto’s difficult dinner was quickly over.

Gail moved Berenice’s gifts to Terenzio’s bedroom. They also thought that opening it together in a place where Terenzio felt most emotionally secure would be more helpful.

The owners of the mansion were unaware of the long debate among the servants about where to place it.

Gail led them and perfectly set them up to Terenzio’s room.

“Wow, wow!!”

Terenzio, who had been trying to act grown-up, let go of Berenice’s hand and ran inside. Colorful wrapping papers that would catch any child’s eye were quickly torn off and strewn across the floor.

Seeing this, Berenice said to Roberto,

“Seeing him so happy makes me really happy too. I’m glad I bought it.”

“Thank you, Berenice. I’m also grateful for the time you spent with Terenzio. Seeing Terenzio happy made me happy too.”

There was a slight, nagging feeling, but overall, it was a good experience.

Berenice smiled brightly at Roberto’s words.

“I’m grateful to hear you say that. Terenzio is really cute and affectionate, which makes it easy to get close to him. How can he speak so sweetly?”

That was…

Roberto rolled his eyes.

Perhaps…

Roberto hid his difficult words and chose a suitable one. The easiest truth among truths.

“Since you treated him well, Terenzio must have opened his heart easily to you, Berenice. They say young children recognize people who treat them well more easily, don’t they? Plus, being born into his clan with sensitive senses must have played a part.”

“That’s a relief.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m glad I seem to have won Terenzio’s heart. That’s what you said, right?”

Berenice smiled a pure smile.

In fact, she had never once held a child in her arms during her marriage.

No one would know how heartwarming this moment was for Berenice, who had been called all sorts of things by her mother-in-law for not being able to have a child.

Memories of the humiliations Berenice often suffered in the Cornell family flashed through her mind. Despite maintaining a harmonious marriage life before discovering Livio’s infidelity, they had not had a child.

And the mother-in-law blamed it all on Berenice. Although she couldn’t expel her or openly mistreat her because of how helpful the wealth of the Viscount of Dante was, she did give her a hard time.

‘Tsk. I heard the house next door is never short of the sound of children crying. Some brought in a daughter-in-law only to end this family’s lineage.’

Those words were full of thorns.

The memories of the past, which she had forgotten because she had been tormented by Livio flooded back. Berenice thought there was something wrong with her. But after being examined by a doctor, she was told there was no issue with her and that it’s common for healthy couples to have children later, advising her to relax.

Of course, Berenice’s mother-in-law did not create such an environment for her.

And fearing her father’s heartbreak, she never spoke of it outside. Her mother-in-law’s unfair treatment was a secret between Berenice and Selpine alone.

But then.

Berenice blinked.

‘To become a mother.’

No one could know how much that phrase moved Berenice’s heart.

She worried if she could do well, and what if Terenzio couldn’t accept Berenice.

Thanks to everyone’s effort, it seemed Terenzio had smoothly accepted Berenice.

She was happy.

In some way, Cyrilov was undoubtedly a gift to Berenice.

Seeing Berenice’s pure happiness, Roberto bit his lip.

‘What am I thinking. I’m being so immature.’

He was slightly upset that Berenice and Terenzio seemed too close. Even he knew such feelings were wrong…

‘Reflect, Roberto.’

But seeing Berenice’s face made him feel a deep guilt inside.

Roberto composed himself and nodded.

“Yes, you’re right. All this was possible because you are a good person, Berenice. I’m really grateful. For being good to Terenzio.”

Berenice nodded, looking overwhelmed.

“I will do well. To make sure Terenzio doesn’t get hurt.”

What started out as a contractual relationship can really change a person’s heart like this.

It was only now that she realized.

She wondered if avoiding Livio alone was worth such drastic actions.

But she didn’t want to reverse those drastic actions at all. She was thankful for the reckless courage back then. If she hadn’t made that decision under Livio’s pressure, she wouldn’t have formed the relationship with Roberto she has now.

“I will also be good to you, Berenice. I’ll make sure you don’t get hurt.”

Roberto echoed Berenice’s words and added one more thing.

“Thank you for being good to me too.”

Who else could say that?

Berenice bit her lip and covered her face. Wiping away a tear she had unknowingly shed.

***

Mrs Cornell deeply sighed.

She hated how Livio was chasing after Berenice instead of attending to his duties, but there were bigger problems at hand.

“Livio! Now is not the time for this!”

Mrs Cornell shook Livio awake.

“What’s the matter?”

Livio mumbled with a voice hoarse from too much drinking the night before. Watching Livio rise, reeking of alcohol and holding his head, Mrs Cornell clicked her tongue.

“I’m embarrassed, really. Originally, you bought goods under the name of Valencia Merchantry, right? But that audacious Berenice even blocked that. Is she saying she wants nothing to do with Cornell at all… What will we do, soon we need to tailor dresses for the new season.”

Until now, she lived without knowing the difficulties of money, relying on the wealth of the Valencia Merchantry.

She’s completely cutting off ties because of the divorce, as if their three years of marriage never existed.

‘How hateful.’

Mrs Cornell did not consider for a moment that Berenice had not stopped them from purchasing out of the last courtesy to the Count of Cornell family.

“Haah… Is there no money at home? Mother, did you wake me up for such a matter?”

“Oh, this child!”

Mrs Cornell pouted her lips.

She was already upset with her talented son behaving like this, and hearing them being criticized made her hate Berenice even more.

“You should get up quickly and come out too. Shouldn’t we also come up with a plan? Are you just going to sit there while Berenice makes us look like fools?”

“I’m also thinking. So leave me alone.”

Livio said irritably and then covered himself with the blanket.

Mrs Cornell turned her body around with a look of disbelief.

‘That’s what the child learned from seeing…’

Mrs Cornell bit her lip hard.

The previous Count of Cornel was a born troublemaker. He roamed outside, leaving behind Mrs Cornell who was pregnant with his child. What could Livio have learned from seeing such things?

It was all because of that man who carelessly played around.

Mrs Cornell slammed the door loudly.

She only have Livio to rely on, but… she hoped Livio would come to his senses and live properly if Berenice had gotten pregnant, but the marriage fell apart before that.

There was not a single joy in this difficult life. She felt like she was being trapped in an endless cycle with no answer.

***

Berenice had been visiting Roberto’s house countless times for the formal wedding preparations, which also made her relationship with Terenzio grow stronger.

She also heard that Livio was squandering his days buried in the embrace of the courtesans. That’s just like him. Anyway, Berenice’s life was more peaceful than ever, and it was mostly so today.

“Which wedding dress will you choose?”