My Former Lover Didn't Die And Came Back - Chapter 34
“Cedric.”
Blair said, suppressing the emotions that had begun to burst.
“Yes.”
“Then why did you do that to me?”
“…….”
The man did not answer.
“To a woman you like…… why would you treat me like that?”
“Blair.”
Cedric grabbed her shoulders with both hands. He tried to say something but only ended up opening and closing his lips repeatedly.
“Your husband is a good man.”
“……!”
At Blair’s preemptive response, waiting for his next words, the man’s lips tightened firmly. His jaw muscles bulged, possibly from clenching his teeth hard.
“A promise between spouses is not something that can be easily broken.”
“…….”
Blair felt the man’s face in front of her turn cold in an instant.
“You might not know, but he has fulfilled his duties as a husband throughout our marriage.”
“…….”
“It’s me who hasn’t fulfilled my duties.”
Always a guilty wife, not having fulfilled any of her responsibilities.
“……My husband paid off my family’s debt as soon as we got married. Our family situation was quite serious at that time. If Adrian hadn’t helped, we wouldn’t have had the money for medicine, and my father wouldn’t have survived.”
“…….”
That was something Cedric had to acknowledge, the only good thing Adrian Cavendish did. He helped her parents survive, and in that aspect, he didn’t make her sad.
“…….”
Cedric had to restrain himself from gripping her frail shoulders too tightly.
“……It’s gotten dark, and the wind has picked up. Let’s go back for today.”
His thick fingers touched the soft mink cape Blair was wearing. He carefully tied the ribbon on the cape as he spoke.
“…….”
Blair nodded without saying a word, and soon both of them boarded the carriage that was waiting.
Clunk clunk.
The man and woman inside the shaking carriage did not speak.
Cedric wanted to praise Adrian Cavendish for saving Blair’s parents. But the thought of her not being able to let go of him because of that left a bitter taste in his mouth. Blair felt guilt and gratitude towards her husband.
“…….”
Cedric turned his gaze outside the carriage window. The cityscape of Blue Port was beautiful even under the violet darkness.
He had to find out how much debt Adrian had paid off for her family. He would pay it back fivefold, tenfold if necessary. If you consider it alimony for her ex-husband, it was a cheap price.
Soon, he shifted his gaze to the woman inside the carriage. She was nodding off, probably tired from walking too much after a long time. It must have been hard on her, given her lack of physical activity.
Cedric made sure she could rest a bit more comfortably by leaning her head against his shoulder. Looking down, he noticed her thin wrist… was excessively slender. He needed to feed her well so she could gain some weight.
Even when she fully leaned on him, he couldn’t feel her weight at all. It made him realize again how weak she had become. Although her physical strength was very weak, her weakness lay elsewhere.
‘…A woman weak to guilt.’
Blair was weak to feelings of guilt. That’s why he wanted Blair to carry that guilt towards him for life. Forever, if possible.
He once again vowed never to let her discover the secret he was hiding.
* * *
The next day, Cedric called her out again during lunchtime. It was a different restaurant from yesterday, in the largest room, it was decorated with lavish interiors and filled entirely with various fresh flowers.
He had taken a half-day off yesterday, but he couldn’t afford to miss work two days in a row, so they would only have lunch together today. Cedric glanced at his watch on his wrist, waiting for her to enter the room.
Before long, Blair appeared, dressed in a different dress than yesterday.
It was Cedric who broke the silence in the room.
“Did you say your father wasn’t feeling well?”
“……!”
Click. Blair’s hand stopped. She hurriedly lifted her head.
“I have connections with the imperial family. I’ll arrange for your father to be treated at the Imperial Hospital.”
“…The Imperial Hospital?”
Oh my goodness.
The Imperial Hospital was a place only accessible to the imperial family. Blair’s blue eyes fluttered aimlessly.
“What are your conditions?”
“…Condition, you say.”
Perhaps it was an illusion that she saw the man’s expression darkened slightly. Blair held her breath, waiting for his answer.
“I told you yesterday.”
“…….”
“Marry me.”
He said it casually, as though he was just asking about the breakfast menu.
“…No one proposes like this.”
Blair lowered her gaze to the cutlery in front of her as she spoke.
“Here I am.”
“To a married woman, no less.”
“…….”
“Polygamy isn’t allowed in Eleanor.”
“That’s why I told you. Divorce Adrian.”
“…….”
Blair didn’t respond and just cut the asparagus on her plate with a knife. He quietly waited until she had cut it into pieces about the size of a finger joint.
Blair’s red lips slowly parted.
“…Will you really let me go?”
Her voice was serious.
The man looked into her eyes for a moment before answering in an equally serious tone.
“I promise.”
“…I can’t decide right away like this.”
“I know. I’ll pay your husband enough money to live on for life as compensation.”
“Sigh…….”
Blair sighed and ran her fingers through her bangs. Her thin, golden hair fluttered.
It looked like she was going to marry for the second time. Neither of those times was by her choice.
After hesitating for a while, she answered.
“……I haven’t given an answer yet.”
“I know.”
Cedric answered with a faint smile on his lips.
“It’s not easy to decide.”
“…….”
Cedric was silently chopping up the food on his plate.
“How could I make such a decision easily.”
“I’ll do well.”
As the man spoke in an even tone, Blair felt somewhat upset. His calm demeanor contrasted with the storm inside her. Her mind felt like it was about to explode, but how could this man seem so at ease?
“…….”
“Eat.”
The man and woman in the room resumed eating, each harboring different thoughts.
Without exception, every dish on the plate was chopped up to the consistency of liquid food.
* * *
After finishing their meal, Cedric did not return to his official residence1공관 is a government building where high-ranking officials live and work immediately. The carriage carrying the two was headed towards the city center, not the residence.
“……Weren’t you supposed to be at work?”
“I can spare a moment.”
The carriage passed through streets lined with dress and jewelry shops.
‘……Is he planning to buy me clothes?’
Blair opened a small box that had been in the carriage since earlier. As expected, inside was a thin silk scarf. It was unsurpassably soft to the touch, undoubtedly of the highest quality fabric. There was no need to attract unnecessary attention and gossip. So, she tried to spread the scarf wide and wrap it around her head.
And then Cedric’s hand stopped her.
“There’s no need to wear that.”
“……Why?”
When the carriage stopped in a street filled with dress shops, Blair stepped out in her satin shoes. ……It was strange. The usually bustling street was devoid of people.
“The street has been controlled.”
“……What?”
Blair turned her head quickly to look at the man standing next to her. Despite her surprised expression, the man paid no mind and led her into the largest dress shop.
“Welcome.”
When Blair and Cedric entered the shop, all the waiting staff greeted them politely. Even in Blueport, which led the empire’s fashion trends, the dress shops, which should have been at their busiest, had not a single customer.
‘What’s this…… Did he rent out the shop we came to shop at? All the clothes shops on this street……?!’
The two shopped in peace, guided kindly by the staff. Unlike her, who has her mouth agape, Cedric pointed at items inside the shop with a calm expression.
Click, click.
Shortly after, Blair had to blankly watch as the coachman loaded large boxes into the carriage one after another.
“…….”
Neither the stores closing for business during broad daylight nor the man asking to pack everything he could get his hands on felt real.
The carriage dropped Cedric off at the official residence and then headed towards the townhouse with only Blair inside.
Rattle rattle.
Alone in the carriage, she let out a large sigh she had been holding in.
……Phew, it feels suffocating. I don’t understand why he suddenly did that.
After spending her daily life in pajamas for a long time, she still found the layered skirts awkward. After adjusting them to be comfortable, she just looked out at the landscape passing by through the shaking window.
Even though she got many clothes she liked, her mind was still troubled. She hadn’t adapted to the sudden changes yet.
White snow was piled up on the cypress trees on the street. It had melted a bit more than yesterday since the day had warmed up a bit. Her heart was in midwinter, but it seemed like he was running through a tropical night alone. And being a man of few expressions, it was hard to know if he was sincere.
* * *
“Did you have a good meal?”
Upon arriving at his office, Cedric was greeted by his secretary, Eden. His boss didn’t respond to his greeting and immediately started giving orders.
“I’ll have Blair’s father moved to the Imperial Hospital. Look into it.”
“……Understood.”
The capable secretary responded quickly. Eden took off Cedric’s coat from his shoulders and said,
“How about sending flowers to the townhouse in time for dinner?”
Cedric didn’t answer, but Eden knew his boss had agreed. He really was a skilled secretary in many ways.
* * *
Blair walked towards the dining room with a face full of displeasure. She had eaten enough at lunch to skip dinner, but she wasn’t allowed to. She was being led down to the first floor, where the dining room was, by the head maid. The maids left in her room were still organizing the clothes they bought today, and they weren’t done yet.
As she entered the dining room, an exclamation slipped from her lips.
“……How beautiful.”
Fresh flowers were blooming in full in the middle of the marble table.
“The master sent them.”
“Ah…….”
When did he send flowers again?
Translator
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