Chapter 119

Edward thought his eyes were deceiving him.

Convinced he had finally gone mad, he rubbed them hard before looking out the window again.

“It’s not… a mistake…”

Clear as day, a carriage was approaching the gates of Winderton Manor—a carriage he was certain was the very one Lirie had taken when she left.

He shot to his feet.

The mere thought that it could be her made his heart pound so violently it felt as if it might kill him.

“This is impossible… utterly impossible…”

Even as he rose in a rush, Edward told himself it couldn’t be true.

She couldn’t have come back.

He hadn’t even seen her face—only the carriage returning.

And yet, since it was the Winderton carriage she had ridden in, its return was to be expected.

Still, he couldn’t bring himself to abandon that faint ember of hope.

Even when all odds were against it, miracles had a way of happening.

Staggering, Edward left the bedchamber.

He nearly collapsed, catching himself at the last moment, and hurried down the stairs.

“Your Grace! Where are you going?!”

“……”

His steward and aide called after him as he burst outside, but Edward didn’t answer.

‘Please… please…’

He sent one last desperate prayer skyward as he stepped into the courtyard.

The large carriage came to a halt before him.

“Lirie…”

He murmured her name as he stared at the carriage door that remained stubbornly shut, praying it would open and she would step out.

“Your Grace, what on earth—”

His aide and steward, having rushed after him, caught sight of the returning carriage.

They exchanged glances—clearly, they were thinking the same thing as Edward.

“Lirie, are you inside?”

“……”

The carriage had stopped, but its door did not open.

He swallowed dryly, tension tightening his chest.

“If you’re in there, Lirie… please…”

Edward bowed his head.

It seemed he had only clung to a foolish hope.

Of course, the idea that she would return had been absurd from the start.

“Am I too late… Edward?”

“……!”

In the midst of his despair, a familiar, longed-for voice brushed against his ear.

His head snapped up.

The carriage door opened, and there she was—Lirie, stepping down onto the stone drive.

“Lirie…”

“Is it… all right if I come back?”

She avoided his gaze, her eyes flicking about as though unsure of his reaction.

“Is this… a dream?”

“It’s not a dream.”

Seeing Edward still frozen in disbelief, she gently reminded him that this was real.

“This can’t be real… you’ve come back?”

“…How could you give me something like that and expect me to just leave?”

His unsteady legs carried him to her.

He pulled her into his arms, and at once her scent enveloped him—warm, familiar, and achingly real.

“I can’t believe it… that you’ve truly come back.”

“After giving me that, there was no way I could stay away.”

She whispered the words as she returned his embrace.

Her small hands rested against his back, and he let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

A shaky laugh escaped him.

“I’m sorry… for everything.”

Her apology was so soft it seemed meant only for him.

“It doesn’t matter. None of it matters now… You’re here. That’s all I need.”

***

When I left Winderton, I sat in the carriage, absently turning over the envelope Edward had given me.

It reminded me too much of the one the steward had once handed me—the one containing the divorce papers.

“What in the world is he trying to give me…”

Curiosity gnawed at me until I finally broke the seal and drew out its contents.

“…This is…”

There were several items inside.

My hands began to tremble as I examined them one by one, my eyes wavering more with each revelation.

“Even to the very end… you…”

By the time I reached the last item, tears were falling freely, splashing onto my light-colored dress and leaving faint marks.

I hesitated only briefly before sliding the carriage window open and calling out to the coachman.

“Let’s return to Winderton.”

“…Pardon?”

“I have to go back. To Edward.”

At my order, the carriage turned and began its journey back toward Winderton.

As the familiar scenery drew nearer, I read and reread the items inside the envelope.

The first was an astronomical sum of money left to me by Edward.

Labeled as alimony, the amount felt almost unreal.

“It was a mutual divorce… so why would you even think of giving me something like this?”

I could guess the reason.

Edward must have thought that, having lived my entire life as a noble, I would struggle to survive alone.

This was his way of ensuring I could live without want, of making things easier for me even after I was gone.

“Do you… not even hate me?”

Next was a map of the entire continent.

On its own, it would have been ordinary, but scattered across it were Edward’s handwritten notes.

“Climate mild—good for living.”

“Avoid—frequent wars.”

He had marked places to settle, places to avoid, things to be careful about—every note written solely for my sake.

Even though he had so desperately not wanted to let me go, it was clear he still wished for my happiness above all else.

“How am I supposed to walk away and forget you after this…?”

It was absurd.

What kind of man sends his wife, from whom he is divorcing, off with such care and devotion?

With gifts like these, there was no way I could erase him from my heart.

I had thought I could forget Edward and live happily, but with this, he would haunt my thoughts no matter where I went.

“And the last thing… a letter.”

Alongside the map were detailed lists of notable places in each region, suggestions of where to visit—meticulously prepared.

And finally, there was a short letter in his own hand.

To Lirie,

I wish I could still call you my wife, but it pains me that I can’t.

I said I would let you go without a fuss, but I know I would regret it forever if I didn’t leave something behind. I have no gift for words, but I wanted to write this letter.

What I have always wanted to say remains the same.

Lirie, I hope you will always be happy. Happy enough to forget the life I made so difficult for you, happy enough to forget me entirely. That is my wish.

You said love changes, but my heart will always remain the same. So if your heart ever changes, please come back to me.

By the time you read this, you will probably have left Winderton, and these words may be useless… but I will always live longing for your return.

I love you. I have always wanted to say it.

I smiled faintly at some parts, stared at others.

“He really doesn’t have much talent for writing, does he…”

The letter wasn’t polished or dramatic.

It was plain, straightforward—just his thoughts, simply laid out.

But the sincerity was undeniable.

I could feel it pressed into every line of that small sheet of paper.

“Why? What am I to you, that you would go this far?”

I couldn’t understand.

He had regretted breaking his promise to me, but I had broken mine to him as well.

From his perspective, there was plenty of reason to feel betrayed, to be angry.

His pride could have been deeply wounded.

“I’ve always known he’s changed…”

It had been hard to believe, and I hadn’t wanted to—but I could no longer deny it.

It was just… hard to trust.

After finishing the letter, I looked out the window.

Familiar landscapes came into view again, and in the distance, blurred but unmistakable, Winderton’s silhouette emerged.

“Will I be able to live without regretting this choice…?”

I couldn’t deny that returning because of Edward was impulsive.

Time might prove me wrong—if even the smallest problem arose between us, I might regret this decision.

But not now.

“I can’t promise I’ll never regret it… but right now, I won’t. This is my choice.”