Chapter 6 (Part 6)

Just when she couldn’t endure it any longer, the carriage stopped. Brienne hurriedly got off the carriage, belatedly realizing she hadn’t even bid farewell.

Brienne quickly turned and spoke.

“I’ll be going now.”

Hernes silently looked down at her. She felt no emotion. It was almost frightening. Brienne turned her head and quickly walked toward the mansion.

Just as she was about to open the door, the atmosphere inside the mansion felt unusually cold. Wondering what was going on, she looked around, and Melin hurriedly approached.

“Madam! You’re back!”

She glanced behind her, looking cautious. Just then, a familiar person emerged from the drawing room. He seemed to have just arrived, wearing a black suit.

“You’re finally here.”

Cardin smiled, but his voice was unusually cool as if a chill lingered. His gaze toward her wasn’t pleasant, as if he was suppressing anger. Cardin came closer.

“You met my mother, didn’t you?”

His abrupt words were unusually harsh. She spoke without meeting his eyes.

“She said she’d help me choose a dress for the Gelleride ball.”

“Is that a reason to meet?”

His voice grew a bit louder. When she looked up, Cardin frowned slightly, seemingly annoyed. She spoke, thinking about the fact he hadn’t told her before.

“Your mother told me about the rumors I didn’t know about.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

She let out a laugh in disbelief.

“So you knew too.”

For a moment, she felt bitter, thinking she was the only one who didn’t know.

“Those kinds of rumors always circulate. When I first returned, there were rumors I had caught a strange disease.”

“That’s different. At least you’re from this family; how can someone born into such a family be the same as someone born twisted?”

Cardin’s gaze hardened.

“What are you trying to say?”

“They say you released my father from prison.”

Cardin’s brow furrowed.

“Did Mother tell you?”

“Why did you hide it?”

Cardin exhaled briefly. His face was tense, as if holding back anger. He looked at her for a long time before speaking.

“I didn’t hide it. I just thought you’d feel unnecessarily guilty if you found out….”

“I’m already sorry enough to you. Your mother said Roquek is plotting to take over the family. He’s even registered his child as an heir.”

Cardin frowned.

“I told you not to meet my mother. She provokes you like this….”

“It’s the reality.”

“…….”

“It’s natural that I can’t conceive, and it’s natural that my family is insignificant, and even my father….”

It felt like there was nothing good in her situation. Brienne should be helping Cardin, but she was only being a hindrance.

Even this marriage was like that.

Then Cardin embraced her. His arm wrapped around her waist with considerable strength. For a moment, it was suffocating.

“I told you everything’s okay. You’re fine, so don’t overthink it.”

Her heart wavered for a moment. His words were so warm, but it wasn’t reality. They couldn’t maintain this marriage for long.

Her heart shrank infinitely. Sensing her mood, Cardin embraced her tighter. He whispered softly near her neck.

“I didn’t tell you about Roquek or your father because I’ll handle it anyway. It was obvious you’d be worried and confused if you found out.”

“But you could have told me about my father. You went to Devok because of that.”

“…….”

“You said you’d deal with him. I don’t care if my father dies.”

She was sincere. If her father wasn’t going to repent and live, it was better for him to die out of her sight.

“You don’t have to go that far thinking about me. The trip was ruined because of my father anyway.”

She hadn’t intended to say the trip was ruined, but it slipped out in her emotional state. Cardin held her without a word.

The heat and solid presence of his body were palpable. While she liked being in his arms, she wasn’t sure if she could handle all this reality.

She stepped back. But Cardin pulled her waist, not letting go.

“I want to rest.”

Even as she sighed and spoke, he remained silent. Eventually, she pleaded.

“Cardin.”

His breath scattered warmly on her neck.

“Don’t you want to receive an apology for all the hurt your father caused you?”

Brienne had thought about it before. When her father left her with debts and was supposed to be dead, if he had sincerely apologized, she wouldn’t have felt so wronged.

But the father she had seen before wasn’t someone who would apologize. He was someone who would shout, asking why he should apologize.

“Father isn’t that kind of person.”

“He said he would apologize to you. That he’d repay everything.”

She pushed his shoulder. Cardin stepped back and looked at her. She felt tears welling up but held them back as she spoke.

“He’s just acting. I told you before. Father was in a situation where he could die, so I had to do everything to ask for a private trial. That’s why he’s saying that. He doesn’t mean it at all.”

“I know.”

She was too shocked to speak.

‘He knows and still lets Father be?’

Unable to understand, she spoke.

“Then why keep Father alive? He doesn’t mean it, and he’s only causing you harm.”

“I want him to repay the debt to you, even if it’s forced.”

“…….”

“I want to repay all the hardships you went through that summer.”

She lowered her head without looking at him. She had nothing more to say.

“And for the fraud he committed against innocent people, he should somehow pay for it with that body.”

“…….”

“If I just let him die, it would only benefit your father. If he dies in an instant, there won’t be any pain afterward.”

She looked at the floor, exhaling. Her heart, filled with resentment, slowly calmed. Yet, she still felt some resentment toward Cardin.

“But you could have told me in advance.”

She looked up at him. His eyes were hardened, as if something was bothering him.

She spoke what she had kept inside.

“If I had heard it from you first, rather than from your mother or someone else, I wouldn’t have felt so down.”

“…….”

“In fact, I felt pathetic. You’re so busy and struggling because of me, and I’m no help to you. I can’t even have a child.”

“Don’t say that.”

“But it’s true.”

“…….”

“In fact, even now….”

Before she could finish, Cardin kissed her. Without time to retreat from the sudden breath, he wrapped his arm around her waist. In an instant, their bodies pressed together, and his tongue slipped into her mouth.

As his deep breath spread, his tongue wrapped around the root of her tongue. She tried to pull back, but he pressed his body closer, as if determined.

She felt increasingly breathless. Even when Cardin’s lips slightly parted, it was only brief. His tongue wrapped around her breath, as if swallowing it deeper. Her head tilted back, and his arm supporting her waist tightened. A peculiar sensation rose as she touched his firm thigh.

She still had more to say. She barely gathered her senses and pushed against Cardin’s chest. He released her lips, exhaling heavily.

His intense gaze still showed signs of excitement. She quickly stepped back and spoke the words she hadn’t finished.

“I won’t be any help to you.”

So she wished Cardin would give up on her now. She hoped he would marry another woman and live without further hardship.

“I told you not to say that.”

His gaze toward her was rough.

“Stop blaming yourself.”

She stepped back as she spoke.

“What can I do when I only see it as my fault?”

Cardin frowned and took a step closer. When she hesitated and backed away, he exhaled in frustration. His eyes, hardened with anger, were exceptionally sharp.

“Can’t you believe me when I say everything will be okay?”

“…….”

“I’m trying to achieve everything for you.”

“I’m sorry.”

He swept his hair roughly and looked at her.

“I didn’t want to hear an apology from you….”

Cardin continued sharply.

“Don’t apologize to me. You say you’re no help to me, but you’re someone worth meeting, even if I have to sacrifice and struggle. Understand?”

“…….”

“You’re the only one I can communicate with, the only one my body responds to, the only one I want to be with, and I can’t see anyone else but you. So why do you….”

His unfinished words conveyed frustration. He frowned and exhaled before looking at her.

“This happened because we didn’t communicate properly, so don’t worry about it anymore. And don’t meet my mother again.”

When she remained silent, Cardin approached.

“Okay? Don’t think about anything.”

Cardin gently cupped her cheek. His face, now devoid of anger, was warm and filled with a gentle gaze.

Something weighed on her heart. She was still deceiving Cardin. This marriage, for example.

“Cardin.”

He waited for her words, looking at her. She hesitated before speaking.

“Even if your feelings for me change later, my feelings won’t change.”

He chuckled softly and cupped her cheek.

“What are you talking about?”

“Just… saying I like you.”