Divorce Begins with Remarriage - Chapter 58

“Emmett?”
  
“Oh. Isn’t it the young master?”
  
Emmett, holding hands with his younger sibling on an errand, tilted his head.
  
“Hello!”
  
Then he ran up confidently and greeted Berenice and Roberto. At that moment, the young sibling who came with him also nodded politely.
  
“Hello!”
  
“Nice to meet you, I’m Berenice.”
  
“I’m Emmett, and this is Julia.”
  
“Julia!”
  
The small child, unable to pronounce properly, spoke cheerfully. Roberto also warmly received the children’s greetings. Terenzio, who was holding Berenice’s hand, pursed his lips. She was one of the siblings whom Emmett boasted about.

‘I can take care of them well too.’

Terenzio’s jealousy flared up. If he only had a sibling, he could do better than Emmett, so why wouldn’t his parents give him a sibling?

He was stomping his foot in frustration.

And Emmett was boasting like that.

“What brings you here?”

“I was running an errand. And you?”

“I came to have lunch with Mom and Dad.”

“Oh. Actually, I went to Blair’s house on the way back because I heard a puppy was born there.”

“What? Blair didn’t invite me!”

Terenzio grumbled as he stomped his foot.

Berenice and Roberto locked eyes. It was a face asking who Blair was.

‘A girlfriend…?’

Berenice murmured under her breath. Then Roberto’s eyes widened. He alternated between Terenzio and Emmett, wearing a serious expression.

‘…Are two boys fighting over a girl?’

‘Why are you taking it so seriously? It’s nothing.’

Berenice and Roberto whispered to each other so the two children couldn’t hear.

“Well, Blair likes me more, that’s why.”

Oh my, goodness.

Berenice covered her mouth with a smile. Emmett and Terenzio’s argument seemed quite serious, but to the adults, it looked cute.

“No!! Blair liked me more!”

But of course, Terenzio retorted confidently.

“No! Blair liked me more because I’m cooler than you!”

Then Julia stepped in.

This became the spark for Terenzio, who was already frustrated by wanting a younger sibling.

“Don’t you wish you had a sibling like this? Ha! That’s why Blair likes me more!”

It was an unreasonable argument, but in the world of seven-year-olds, it seemed to be taken very seriously. Terenzio’s mouth popped open. The fight between the two was only subdued after Roberto and Berenice intervened.

However.

The argument with Emmett turned back towards Roberto and Berenice like an arrow.

“Mom, when will my sibling be born?”

“Huh? A, a sibling?”

Berenice unknowingly stumbled over her words. A blush spread across her perplexed face.

Suddenly, a sibling?

Although Terenzio, who was an only child, often expressed envy towards his friends who had siblings, this was the first time he had openly mentioned it to her.

“Emmett and Veros also have siblings. I want a sibling too…”

For some reason, Terenzio’s eyes reddened with tears, and his cheeks puffed up. His expression seemed to be torn between distress and a tantrum. Seeing him act differently than usual, Berenice looked around with a puzzled expression.

Not knowing what to say, she sought a way to avoid the situation.

Terenzio’s lips trembled. His face seemed on the verge of tears, frustrated.

On the other hand, Roberto observed Berenice’s expression, seemingly worried.

Since their marriage was contractual, he was reflexively concerned that she might be uncomfortable. Even if she wasn’t uncomfortable, her flushed face and awkward demeanor were easily noticeable. Roberto bent down to meet Terenzio’s eyes.

“Terenzio, a sibling doesn’t come that easily. If you keep acting like this, won’t it make Mom uncomfortable?”

He said in a soothing voice, trying to calm down the excited Terenzio. Roberto carefully observed Berenice’s face.

“I’m sorry. I was just a little upset because Emmtet teased me. Actually, I’m fine even without a sibling. I have Mom!”

Although he tried to appear cheerful, he couldn’t hide the sadness in his eyes. Seeing this, Berenice felt a pang in her heart.

‘What can I say when he says he just wants a sibling?’

If Berenice and Roberto truly loved each other and got married, having a child wouldn’t be strange. It would be natural. It wasn’t wrong for a lonely boy to yearn for a sibling.

But her small confession made her feel as if she had done something wrong. She felt like she was being judged for wanting something so small.

“No, it’s okay. Terenzio, do you want a sibling?”

At that moment, an image of a child resembling her and Roberto appeared in Berenice’s mind.

Whether they were blonde or silver-haired, if the child had their personality, they would surely be affectionate and diligent. Sharing the same bloodline, they would resemble Terenzio as well. Whether a boy or a girl, they would undoubtedly be very lovable.

“Yes.”

Terenzio replied softly. Then hastily added, in case she felt burdened,

“But it’s okay if I don’t have one! I have Mom and Dad!”

His sparkling eyes held transparent sincerity. Though somewhat disappointed and sad, Terenzio truly believed it was okay. If his desire for a sibling made his Mom uncomfortable, he could endure his own selfishness.

“As long as Mom doesn’t hate me.”

“I don’t hate you. How could I hate someone so lovable?”

“I love you, Mom.”

“Yeah, I love you too.”

Berenice embraced Terenzio gently in response to his shy confession. While his face overflowed with lingering regret about not having a sibling, she felt both sorry and proud of his willingness to suppress his own desires for her sake.

“Children are gifts from above. I can’t promise you a sibling, but I promise this much: I will always love you.”

Berenice’s words made Terenzio tighten his embrace on her.

“I love you too, Mom. I will always love you.”

***

By the time they returned home, Berenice had completely forgotten about the afternoon events. Spending the afternoon soothing Terenzio’s mood and wandering around the market had made it a hectic day.

Although it was said to be a public opinion survey regarding the formation of a new commercial area due to the expansion of Valencia Merchantry, she put off other schedules and visited dessert shops and accessory stores for no apparent reason.

Later on, she realized that she enjoyed exploring the market not only to cheer up Terenzio but also sincerely for herself.

Anyway, after such a hectic day, as soon as she entered her room, the memory of the afternoon unexpectedly came back to Berenice’s mind.

And precisely at that moment, when she was about to wash up and enter the bedroom.

“Mom, when will my sibling be born?”

Why did those words have to be said?

For Berenice, who was sharing a room with Roberto, it was indeed an awkward situation.

Roberto, who had entered the room first and was reading a book, looked up. Their eyes met. Both of them hesitated.

Berenice realized that Roberto was thinking the same thing.

Moreover, at that moment, Berenice suddenly realized one thing.

When Terenzio expressed his desire for a sibling, she felt no resistance at all. The child was like a switch for Berenice. A switch that brought unhappiness.

Even though she wanted it, a child didn’t come, and that became solely Berenice’s fault.

Even when the family gathered, the people of Cornell would criticize Berenice with each word, and in that situation, Livio never once stood up for her.

As if it were natural.

Berenice’s lips parted, dumbfounded.

Berenice thought she was the problem. It was a time when she felt more at ease thinking that way. This was despite the fact that the doctors she had deliberately invited, including her attending physician, had told her that there was no problem with her.

Especially when the criticisms from Mrs. Cornell went too far, she even vomited without having eaten anything.

The stress was so severe that she even had imaginary pregnancies at times.

But…

Berenice’s trembling gaze turned towards Roberto. Whenever she thought about having a child with Roberto, she never felt any resistance. She naturally accepted it to the point of being bewilderingly embarrassed.