“Guol, wait a moment…!”

“It’s perfect. Let’s go with this,” Caleb interrupted.

“No, Caleb!”

“Then, should we ensure the size fits Your Grace?” Guol asked, turning to Astrid. “Would this length be appropriate?”

“It suits her well,” Caleb confirmed.

It was no wonder that both Sharon and Guol, unaware of the full context, assumed all the items were gifts for Astrid.

‘The intended recipient is someone else, though.’

Astrid couldn’t fathom Caleb’s intentions. However, the fact that he chose everything based on her preferences meant these gifts weren’t for Elena.

As soon as she realized this, she felt an inexplicable knot in her chest melt away.

‘…How childish.’

She was curious about who would receive these valuable gifts, but she found herself relieved as long as it wasn’t Elena. Though she felt ridiculous, a small part of her couldn’t suppress the sense of relief.

‘But what about the anklet?’

That thought lingered only briefly. The moment she considered the anklet Caleb had personally selected and carefully tucked away, her barely calmed emotions were once again in disarray.

No matter how she looked at it, the anklet seemed meant for Elena. Caleb, who had simply accepted Guol’s recommendations for everything else, had specifically chosen this piece. Moreover, instead of entrusting it with the other items, he kept it close to him.

Seeing this with her own eyes, a dark, creeping emotion clawed its way up from the depths of her heart.

‘It must be for Elena, right?’

She wanted to rid herself of this futile jealousy. Yet, like an inescapable shackle, it gripped her and refused to let go.

***

The two spent more time than expected at the shop and eventually made their way to a famous restaurant in Cliff for a late lunch.

The place was less of a formal restaurant and more of a cozy steakhouse, but its reputation was unparalleled. “Hal’s Kitchen” was known for its premium, well-aged meat, slow-cooked overnight at a low temperature. People lined up early just for a chance to dine there.

Astrid, exhausted both physically and emotionally, felt no appetite. Dining alone with Caleb without any attendants—something she had once wished for—now only felt burdensome.

‘…Should I just suggest we go back?’

She couldn’t muster the will to wait in line for a meal.

‘I’d rather return, change into something comfortable, and fall asleep without a single thought…’

That was all she wanted.

Fortunately, they didn’t have to wait in line. Caleb and Astrid were seated as soon as they arrived, skipping the crowd entirely.

Caleb, moving with the confidence of a long-time regular, ordered without hesitation. By the time Astrid gathered her thoughts, the table was already overflowing with food.

“What is this? It’s way too much.”

Just looking at the spread made her feel full.

No matter what she ate, she couldn’t taste it. It felt like chewing on tree roots instead of meat. Slowly, she worked through a single piece of steak before setting her fork down with a heavy sigh.

Caleb’s eyebrows twitched slightly as he noticed her action, but Astrid feigned ignorance, steering the conversation elsewhere.

“Edith said waiting two hours in line is standard here. Why is it so empty today?”

“Who knows? There are days like this.”

“Strange. I heard they never have a slow day, not even on holidays. If I’d known it would be this quiet, I would’ve brought Edith and Matilda along…”

Clatter!

The sound of Caleb slamming his fork and knife onto the table cut her off mid-sentence.

His handsome brow was deeply furrowed.

“What’s wrong…?”

Astrid had no idea what part of her words had upset him. Hesitantly, she reached out, but Caleb simply downed his wine as if it were water, making it clear he had no intention of responding.

‘Why is he the one getting angry? Who do you think has the right to be upset?’

If only he would say something. Instead, Caleb exuded a suffocating pressure without uttering a single word, making Astrid feel a sudden wave of sorrow. Just the faintest furrow of his brow sent her heart plummeting, leaving her feeling like a powerless, insignificant being.

Her heart, tattered and fragile, whispered cruel words she wished she could suppress.

‘Yes, as long as I love you, I’ll always be the weaker one. I’ll never be the partner you desire. If you want to spend eternity with Elena, then do so. I’ll wish you and her eternal happiness, Caleb.’

Like the king of Pasha.

Perhaps Caleb’s intent was to place that anklet on Elena’s ankle, binding her to him even beyond death, an everlasting symbol of their connection.

Astrid had never imagined that the relationship between Caleb and Elena involved such intense emotions. To her, they seemed more like long-time friends or affectionate siblings than passionate lovers.

‘I underestimated their bond. I didn’t take it seriously enough.’

Even so, there was something about the way Caleb treated Astrid that didn’t align with how one acts toward someone they are passionately in love with.

He handled her as though she were something delicate, fragile enough to shatter with the slightest pressure. His words might have been brusque, but he never acted rudely or harshly toward her.

In public, he treated her with the respect due to a wife and the Grand Duchess. That respect kept her clinging to hope—that perhaps this was love in some form. That hope, once nurtured in secret, now felt exposed under the harsh light of reality.

Today, Caleb’s uncharacteristic coldness erased even the faintest shred of confidence Astrid had clung to.

‘I thought… even if I couldn’t be the lover he cherishes, at least I was respected. But now…’

That one belief wavered, as if it were a candle about to be extinguished by the wind.

‘What do I even know about him? I can’t compare to someone like Elena, who’s been by his side since childhood. I’ve been foolish, seeing only what I wanted to see, twisting his feelings to fit my hopes. I ignored what was obvious because I didn’t want to believe it.’

It was all her fault. Hestian was a graveyard of happy childhood memories, a cage where she was forced to remain, her wings clipped.

Caleb had been the one to free her from that cage and give her a new life.

‘I should be endlessly grateful to you for that reason alone. So why do I expect more? Why do I feel disappointed? Why do I resent you like this?’

Resenting him for not returning her feelings—how could she let herself fall so low? Lately, her emotions had been running rampant, surging uncontrollably dozens of times a day.

‘Resenting you? I must be out of my mind.’

She didn’t have the courage to face him anymore. With her head bowed, Astrid stared at her toes as if they were the most fascinating thing in the world.

“We’ve spent more time here than I thought. Since we’ve eaten and had tea, shall we go? I’d like to take a walk and watch the sunset with you. What do you think?”

“…!”

Astrid raised her head and met Caleb’s gaze. His clear, night-like eyes looked at her intently, his expression calm as always, as if nothing had happened.

While she was struggling with turmoil, he remained composed, as if unaffected. The sight of his indifferent face erased her earlier resolution not to resent him.

Astrid bit her lip.

“I’ve been thinking. Is this some kind of charity work?”

“…What?”

Caleb’s sharp gaze landed on her like a blade. His low voice was devoid of inflection, yet it carried a faint edge of anger.

Astrid immediately picked up on his irritation but pretended not to notice. She turned her head to avoid his penetrating stare.

“When you came back, I wrote to you about the things I wanted to do together. Browsing the market, having a meal, drinking tea, and… walking along the riverbank at sunset. I wrote all of that in a letter, didn’t I? How childish of me.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Writing about such trivial things to someone fighting life-and-death battles on the front lines. I didn’t think you’d even read it since you never replied.”

“That’s because…!”

Caleb began to speak, but Astrid cut him off with a bitter smile and a shake of her head.

“I’m not blaming you. I’m blaming myself.”

“…What nonsense are you spouting now?”

His voice was restrained, as if he were trying to hold back his anger. A strange sense of foreboding gripped him, tightening around his chest like a vice.

Astrid, who had been avoiding his gaze all this time, now looked directly at him. Caleb immediately noticed something different. The warmth and joy that usually filled her eyes when she looked at him were gone.

His throat felt dry, and his mouth parched, but he couldn’t reach for the glass of water in front of him. Any movement or word might sever the fragile thread holding them together.

It might shatter irreparably into pieces, scattering into the void.

“I want a divorce.”

A chilling silence fell between them. Caleb, his expression unreadable, spoke in an even tone.

“…Say that again.”

“You heard me. Divorce—”

“Again.”

“I said I want a divorce! Why do you keep humiliating me like this?”

“Lady Astrid Lionel. What nonsense are you spouting with such conviction?”

“…!”

“…Ha.”

Caleb let out a long sigh and ran a large hand roughly through his hair. Startled by the sudden movement, Astrid instinctively leaned back, drawing away from him.

Seeing her reaction, Caleb chuckled bitterly. He hadn’t expected her to agree easily, but he hadn’t anticipated this either.

Astrid, overwhelmed, raised her voice at him.