Chapter 5

“I understand that the house prices on Bianche Street are all similar.”

Listening to Yuri’s words, it felt like Hugo had deliberately moved next door to her. Even though there was no reason for him to do so.

“Anyway, I still think Viscount Edward has feelings for you, Madam.”

“Yuri, if your hypothesis is correct, Hugo would have come to see me already.”

It had already been a week since he moved in.

Even if he wasn’t interested in his neighbor, one would at least run into them occasionally, but she hadn’t seen even a shadow of him, as if he was deliberately avoiding her.

“Is that so…….”

Yuri scratched her cheek. Her hypothesis was shaking.

If she shook her beliefs properly now, she wouldn’t spout nonsense again.

“If he had any interest in me, he would have come to the house. He wouldn’t have just stayed still like this.”

Hugo would never come to our house.

Catherine said it as if she was dropping a very important piece of information, and at that moment, Yuri’s eyes wavered greatly.

‘Finally, you’re experiencing the breaking of your convictions, aren’t you?’

People grow like that.

Just as Catherine was about to pat Yuri’s shoulder.

“Viscount Edward?”

Yuri shouted, looking over Catherine’s shoulder.

“Yuri, don’t joke……”

Catherine turned her body. Her words were completed belatedly.

“……around?”

Hugo came into view as Catherine turned around.

“Catherine, I came because I have something to give you.”

There stood Hugo Edward, at the front door of the Catherine House.

Yuri poked Catherine’s side with her elbow. As if to say, “I told you so.”

Catherine handed the muslin she was holding to Yuri and went to greet Hugo.

Hugo’s gaze lingered on the muslin for a long time before moving away.

“What brings you here, Hugo?”

“As I said, I came because I have something to give you.”

Hugo replied bluntly and looked around the hall of the Catherine House.

“You’ve decorated it well.”

“Yes, I put in a lot of effort.”

Her mood lifted at the short compliment.

“The hall of Ianche House is in terrible shape, though.”

Her good mood plummeted instantly.

Ianche House was the mansion in Hugo’s estate. Originally, it was a place Catherine should have taken care of and maintained.

Just now, Hugo had implied that the hall of Ianche House was in a mess because it hadn’t received Catherine’s care.

“Let me know when you settle down in the capital. I’ll introduce you to a great interior decorator.”

Catherine, feeling a sense of responsibility, offered, but Hugo flatly refused.

“No need for a decorator. More importantly, do we have to keep standing here?”

He was still standing at the front door.

“Can we invite you inside?”

Elbert swiftly approached and asked. Catherine shook her head.

“You said you had something to give me, right? You can give it to me and leave. As you can see, I’m busy.”

“Don’t you have time for a cup of tea?”

There was no reason to sit and have tea with Hugo.

Her heart still fluttered when she saw him.

The painful memories of the past resurfaced, making her heart ache, and the guilt of driving him into a miserable life made it hard to look at him directly.

Maintaining composure while looking at him was as impossible as asking a child who couldn’t walk to run.

At Catherine’s refusal, Hugo’s eyebrows twitched. Suddenly, distant memories from the past began to surface.

In Catherine’s past life, during their 10-year marriage, the times they sat together for tea could be counted on one hand.

And it was the first time in both their past and current lives that Hugo had asked Catherine to have tea together.

She wondered if he was uncomfortable with the refusal. Hugo, who rarely showed facial expressions, revealed his displeasure.

‘He’s a neighbor.’

Not an ex-husband, but a neighbor.

Thinking that way eased her anxiety a bit.

‘He said he came to return my belongings.’

There was no reason not to have a cup of tea. She could spare the time it took to exchange items.

Catherine looked at Elbert.

“Serve the tea in the reception room. Let’s go up, Hugo.”

Only then did Hugo’s eyebrows return to their usual, more pleasant appearance.

***

“The reception room is nice too.”

Hugo looked around the reception room like a guest invited to the house. Catherine sat on the sofa and rubbed her forehead.

It was fine when there were many people around, but being alone together in the small reception room felt extremely awkward.

Hugo’s looking around the reception room was his way of coping with the awkwardness.

But he couldn’t just wander around the reception room after asking for tea.

Hugo awkwardly sat down in front of Catherine.

He sat with his back straight, not even leaning against the backrest. His rigid posture conveyed his discomfort.

‘If he’s uncomfortable, he shouldn’t have come.’

Seeing him uncomfortable made Catherine feel uneasy.

“Give me the item.”

“Now?”

Hugo asked back. Catherine lowered her hand from her forehead and stared at Hugo.

It was as if he was criticizing her for bringing up the matter immediately after sitting down.

“Yes. And in the future, if you find any more of my belongings, just throw them away instead of bringing them.”

“I can’t just throw away someone else’s belongings.”

“The owner gave permission.”

“It still feels wrong.”

Hugo and Catherine exchanged silent glances. Hugo wasn’t the type to do as she said.

‘He was a stubborn person.’

Catherine sighed and extended her hand.

“Give it to me.”

Give it to me and leave quickly.

Yuri might be right. Hugo might have deliberately moved next door to Catherine.

Of course, it wasn’t because he wanted to make things work with Catherine. Hugo was clearly showing his displeasure every time he met her.

‘It would be more believable if he said he moved next door because he hated me.’

Even though she knew it was a stretch, looking at Hugo’s attitude towards her, it didn’t seem entirely wrong.

Hugo slowly took out the item from his pocket. This time, it was a paper knife.

It wasn’t an expensive or sentimental item that needed to be taken care of and returned.

It was a common mass-produced item made of buffalo ivory.

Catherine, not wanting to say more, took the item and placed it on one side of the table.

“Do you have any more items to bring?”

“I’m not sure.”

“If you do, please bring them all at once.”

“I don’t have time to search the house all day.”

Hugo shook his head as if to say not to say such unreasonable things.

‘So, does that mean he’ll keep coming every time he finds something?’

Catherine almost said she would go to Hugo’s house herself to find her belongings.

She avoided making a mistake thanks to Elbert, who brought the tea at just the right time.

“Thank you, Elbert.”

Elbert placed the tea and stood behind Catherine.

“You may leave, Elbert.”

“……Understood.”

Elbert looked back and forth between Catherine and Hugo before finally answering and leaving. He also left the door slightly open.

Come to think of it, Catherine had closed the door tightly when she was alone with Hugo.

If someone found out, it would be a topic of gossip in the social circles.

Catherine was glad Elbert had left the door open before anyone noticed.

While Catherine was relieved, Hugo looked displeased at the open door.

“Hugo?”

Catherine called out to him, noticing his expression had darkened even more.

‘Is he not feeling well?’

That could be it.

He said he found the item while unpacking. Which means he had been unpacking for the past week.

‘Unpacking is no easy task. Has he been resting properly?’

She had resolved to forget him and decided not to get involved with him anymore, but she worried about him as naturally as breathing.

“If you’re busy, you can leave. You don’t have to finish the tea.”

Leaving without finishing the tea would be rude to the host. But if the host permitted, it was acceptable.

“Are you kicking me out?”

She had said it out of consideration, but Hugo responded sharply. He picked up the teacup.

“I’m not busy.”

She had forgotten he was a polite man.

“Alright then. Enjoy your tea. The Catherine House is famous for its tea.”

She added unnecessary words.

“I might have to come often for such delicious tea. It’s the best tea I’ve ever had.”

Hugo responded to Catherine’s words. The tense atmosphere softened. A gentle smile appeared on both of their faces.

Then Catherine remembered how strange it was to be drinking tea with Hugo so naturally.

Even though it was just one night and three days of marriage, they had been married.

Could Hugo look at me and talk to me so comfortably, was he that unaffected?

Was this the difference in the weight of memories?

Hugo didn’t know about the terrible 10 years of marriage that Catherine remembered.

‘But it wasn’t all bad.’

It was a time when she could see the man she loved as much as she wanted.

Though it became more painful towards the end.

Her mouth felt bitter, and Catherine rinsed it with tea.

“Did you enjoy your time in the capital?”

Hugo broke the silence.

“It was alright.”

In fact, it was enjoyable. She had hardships, but she met good people and set up a business system that ensured a worry-free old age.

But it didn’t seem polite to say she had a great time to her ex-husband, so she gave a vague answer.

“How about you?”

She asked out of courtesy. It was really just out of courtesy, but Hugo’s face turned serious.

“Not at all.”

“Not at all?”

“It wasn’t enjoyable.”

It felt sincere, and Catherine was taken aback. The mood grew heavy from a light question.

“I hope you enjoy your time in the capital this year.”

Catherine said to lighten the cold atmosphere.

Her effort seemed to work as a faint smile appeared on Hugo’s face.

“If you help, will you help?”

“Of course. What do you need help with?”

She should have said no, but her response came out reflexively. Hugo replied immediately without giving her time to be embarrassed.

“Find me a marriage partner. I heard you do something similar.”

“What?”

Catherine almost slammed the teacup down. Tea spilled over the saucer.

Just like Catherine’s tumultuous emotions.