The Only Way to Break the Curse is Through Contact with You - Chapter 63

#63

I didn’t think I would be able to return to the Feischer family after the divorce. Duke Feischer didn’t seem like he would accept his estranged daughter, whom he had ignored all this time. So, I made plans to live in another country.

I thought it would be much better to live away from a dysfunctional family and a suffocating atmosphere.

However, the expression on Duke Feischer’s face, who told me to come back to the mansion, was serious. It was surprising that the room was left untouched even after nearly ten years since I left and got married. It was contradictory to the actions of someone who had abandoned their daughter.

“…I, I thought you were doing well.”

Surprisingly, a hint of regret could be seen in Duke Feischer’s face as he continued speaking. I neatly folded the divorce approval document he had prepared in advance and put it back into the envelope.

This encounter with Duke Feischer was completely different from what I expected. I didn’t think he hated me, at least not as much as the rumors suggested. Rather…

“What is this?”

Before I could raise my head at the familiar voice, the envelope that was in my hand was snatched away. Diart, who swiftly took out the document from the envelope and read it, furrowed his eyebrows.

“Give it to me.”

I reached out my hand to Diart, but he was already tearing up the document.

“Don’t you realize we can just rewrite it?”

Diart’s expression grew even fiercer at my words, and he crumpled the document in his hand. He threw the crumpled document carelessly, then leaned towards me.

As the distance between us suddenly closed, I instinctively moved back and averted my gaze. Diart, who had been scrutinizing me intently, spoke in a gruff voice.

“So you’re determined to go through with the divorce?”

I didn’t feel as strongly about divorcing Diart as I did before. It seemed okay to just continue like this. Diart’s attitude towards me had changed, and because of that or perhaps because of the curse, I didn’t dislike Diart either. The uneasiness at the thought that someday he would fall in love with Adelia as in the original route had also faded since that day.

As Lily said, he was rich, healthy, and handsome. Sometimes he looked cute, and often he looked sexy… I bit my lip. What am I thinking in front of this guy? I turned my head away, embarrassed.

“Why is your face turning red?”

Diart asked, grabbing my chin and turning it towards him.

“Please step back. You’re too close.”

I pushed him away with a cough. But Diart didn’t retreat obediently; instead, he came closer. There was no more space to step back. The corners of his mouth curled up.

‘It’s clear that he’s doing this on purpose.’

It was clear that he enjoyed seeing me flustered. When I took a quick look, I saw that Diart had a satisfied expression on his face.

“Shall we go to bed?”

Diart whispered discreetly, then lifted me up without waiting for a response. Startled, I instinctively placed my hand on his neck, letting out a short scream.

Diart gently set me down and climbed onto the bed. I hurriedly ran to the edge of the bed, pulling the blanket with me.

“Why, why, why did you come up here?”

“To sleep. It’s late at night.”

“B-but why are you lying on my bed?”

I was so embarrassed that I kept stuttering. While Diart had played tricks on me in various ways before, this was the first time he had climbed onto the bed. His figure lying on the unkempt bed seemed dangerous.

“I won’t do anything.”

I shouldn’t push you right now. Lying down, Diart touched his head and spoke.

‘What, what do you mean by pushing me?’

I wanted to ask, but I kept my mouth shut, feeling like I shouldn’t ask. Diart, who had been silently watching me, extended his long arm. Following his lead, I was pulled into his embrace. It was my first time being held like this, so I stiffened up.

Diart pulled the blanket over us.

“It would be best to sleep peacefully when I step back.”

Hearing his threatening tone, I hesitated in my movements. In response, Diart pulled me closer. The hot breath above my head made it hard for me to breathe properly.

I couldn’t tell whether the thumping sound of a heart beating was Diart’s or mine. I swallowed hard and squeezed my eyes shut. If I lost my senses for a moment, I didn’t know what I might do.

Although we weren’t in direct contact because of our clothes, I felt an inexplicable satisfaction spreading through my skin. With each breath, Diart’s scent clung to me. I simply couldn’t seem to fall asleep.

* * *

You sleep so well.

He can’t fall asleep no matter what. Seeing her innocent face as she quickly fell asleep hurt his pride a bit. Diart, who had been silently watching Roeni breathing softly, sat up. It seemed like he needed some fresh air.

The breeze gently blew as if summer was coming to an end.

Walking along the path lined with blooming red roses under an enchanting spell, Diart stopped when he noticed the figures sitting under a gazebo. The people who were engaged in conversation also noticed Diart and gestured for him to come over.

He thought about ignoring them and turning away but then turned toward the gazebo.

“Did you come out because you couldn’t sleep?”

Diart nodded briefly in response to Duke Wheaton’s question and sat down in the chair. He was looking at the glass on the table when he suddenly felt someone’s gaze on him and looked up. Duke Feischer was staring at him.

It was a hostile look. It wasn’t anything special to Diart, but his violet eyes that looked so much like Roeni’s that it made him feel uncomfortable.

Whenever he saw him, Duke Feischer always gave him an unpleasant look.

“Where’s Roeni?”

“She’s asleep.”

Nodding at the short answer, Duke Wheaton held out his drink. Diart shook his head.

“The roses are still blooming here.”

Duke Wheaton looked around the garden and said.

“So, are you getting a divorce or not?”

“I’m not.”

Duke Wheaton looked surprised at Diart’s firm answer. When he received the letter asking for approval of the divorce for the first time, he thought Roeni, who was tired of her son’s cruelty, had finally given up on him. This is because he knew that Diart was fed up with Roeni’s one-sided courtship, having seen them since they were children.

So he had tried to persuade Roeni to marry someone else. But he couldn’t stop Roeni, who insisted on marrying Diart no matter what. Even her father couldn’t resist her.

And every time he saw Roeni being rejected by Diart, he felt sorry for her.

Duke Wheaton tilted his glass and observed Duke Feischer’s expression. It was a face that didn’t show any emotion, but after spending decades together, he knew that Duke Feischer was really angry right now.

Diart didn’t back down from Duke Feischer’s gaze.

“Did you talk to Roeni?”

He didn’t answer. He was not a good liar.

“I’ll take Roeni back to the Violet House.”

“That won’t do.”

Diart cut him off with a cold voice. Duke Feischer’s expression became even colder. Duke Wheaton found this situation quite enjoyable.

He was amused by the reversal of the relationship between Diart and Roeni. Duke Wheaton smiled with satisfaction as the two people faced each other with tension and without any compromise.

To his friend, his daughter was a sore spot. After losing his wife to postpartum fever, Duke Feischer was out of his mind, and even seeing his daughter was difficult for him. By the time he came to his senses, there was already a gap between the two people that was hard to patch up.

Duke Feischer felt awkward dealing with Roeni, who had grown up while he was still grieving. He showed his apologies and affection by not making her do anything she didn’t want to do and giving her what she wanted. It was for this reason that he married Roeni to Diart, even though he didn’t like him.

Everyone thought Duke Feischer hated his daughter, and even Roeni seemed to think so, but it was just his awkwardness.

‘But you’ll be pushed aside this time too.’

Duke Wheaton knew his son well. Once he marked Roeni as his own, he wouldn’t let her go no matter what.

‘I’ll have to enjoy the hunting competition.’

Duke Wheaton smirked and sipped his drink.

* * *