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Chapter 32

Eric clenched his fist, but soon slowly unfolded it.

“Wife.”

He spoke in a quieter voice than the usual tone.

“It seems like you see me as a machine that’s incapable of getting hurt.”

And here, Chloe realized that she was wrong. Her words were harsh. She shook her head in a hurry.

“I’m sorry. I made a slip of the tongue. I don’t think that you’re a disgraceful person.”

She spoke in such a small voice, and Eric looked at Chloe with a relaxed expression. She clasped her hands together and slowly spoke once more.

“But I’ve told you time and again. I don’t have anything to do with William. Alright—I admit it. I know William has feelings for me. But I do not have such feelings in return. Even if he and I would be left alone in the world, I wouldn’t come to love him. I’m sure of it.”

There was nothing more than this that made him angry.

Eric didn’t want to be a disgraceful man who would show such jealousy because of his wife. He was already angry with her now, but he didn’t want to go further and plunge himself into a deeper pit. He took his hand off the sofa’s backrest and breathed heavily.

“The same goes for me. The Princess is nothing more than a nuisance to me. If you’ve watched my behavior carefully today, you should know that what I’m saying is true.”

“..You’re right.”

Chloe answered, recalling the brief answers Eric would give in response to Elizabeth’s long-winded chatter. Chloe felt calmer now. With her anger now soothed, she rose to her feet. Then, she walked towards Eric.

“The two of us. We’re not supposed to fight over something like this.”

“....”

“Can’t we be happy in our marriage that’s about to end soon? That’s what I’d like, if you please. I want to pass.. the time happily.”

“Do you mean that you were never happy during this marriage?”

Eric twisted her words, clenching his fist in the air.

“Damn it. Why is it like this. I can never go beyond every word you say.”

He loathed himself. He couldn’t help but cling onto every word that Chloe uttered, and he was disgusted by himself. Taking a deep breath, he turned his eyes towards Chloe.

“I’m sorry.”

“I accept your apology.”

Chloe was somewhat taken aback. She didn’t expect Eric to say something like this. Was this a step forward? Despite the shame she felt in bursting out in frustration, she thought that it might have been a good thing that she expressed her anger.

“Then, what do you want to do?”

Chloe immediately replied to his question.

“I want us to continue as we did today.”

“Today?”

“Like a married couple, I mean. Walking arm in arm, asking each other’s opinions, having a lot of conversations.. I just want us to be a normal couple.”

Considering the time that they did not even talk properly for the past five years, they were leaps and bounds above that now. So, Chloe wanted to live as though they were a normal married couple—talking to each other, bickering from time to time, but eventually reconciling just as normally. If they could live like this for even a few months, she would have no regrets once she would die.

Chloe waited for Eric’s answer, yet he only stared at her for a long time. Chloe could see her own reflection in the depths of his dark irises, not knowing what he was thinking.

“Fine. Let’s do that.”

Eric sight as he swept his hair back.

“Then will you have breakfast with me tomorrow?”

He added hastily.

“I would be happy to eat together with you.”

Chloe was dumbfounded. Wasn’t it him who said that he felt frustrated whenever he was with her? But to say that he’d be happy.. Chloe felt a sharp pang in her chest.

“Alright. It’s always a pleasure to eat something delicious together.”

“Then, is that enough?”

Eric asked.

“That is to say, is our conversation over?”

As a matter of fact, their exchange could hardly be called a conversation, but Chloe did not point this out. She nodded.

“Yes.”

“I’ll take you to your room then.”

“Thank you.”

Eric opened the drawing room’s door and Chloe followed him out to the hallway.

Silence greeted them. As far as they were concerned, the only other people here were two maids—Roseanne and Andrea—so naturally, there was no one else coming and going through the halls.

The silence was awkward as Chloe walked after Eric, half a step behind him.

Then suddenly, she spoke with a careful tone, perhaps thinking of what to do.

“Prince Harris asked me when I’m planning to return to the north.”

Instead of answering, Eric turned to look at Chloe. Still with a cautious voice, she asked,

“Just a little longer, can I stay a while more?”

There was a small tremor in her voice. She knew that Eric could tell her to leave any time.

As though to answer her expectations, Eric gave Chloe an answer that was just like him.

“This is beyond your stature, this house.”

So, I should just go back?

Chloe hated the fact that Eric treated her as if she was still just the daughter of an esteemed duke.

She became a member of the Aslan family the moment she got married to him, yet he still continued to treat her as though her last name was still Rolphe. This was entirely indicative of the distance that was yawning between them.

Slowly, she dropped her gaze.

“Then are you saying that I should go back..”

“We’re going to move.”

“I beg your pardon?”

Chloe was stunned.

“No, we don’t have to. I’ll only be here for a few months at most.”

A few months.

Eric grimaced at this phrase which had been mentioned for a second time now. This meant to say that she was still thinking of pushing forward with the divorce and that there were only a few months left in their marriage.

“I’ve already started looking for a new manor. We’ll be able to move once the blizzard has calmed down.”

“Darling.”

“I’m the kind of man who doesn’t go back on my decisions. I’m sure you’re well aware of that.”

Of course.

Eric Aslan always held himself accountable for his own choices. That’s why he didn’t divorce her. He’s a man whose legitimacy was proven along with the papers that were signed between them.

Chloe admitted that she could never win against Eric. She relented, and Eric chuckled under his breath as though he was satisfied.

“We’re moving to a place where you can plant your favorite flowers as much as you like. That much would be enough.”

Then Eric opened Chloe’s bedroom door. As she walked into the room, she hesitated for a moment because there’s something she wanted to tell him, but she couldn’t find the words. In the meantime, Eric had already closed the door.

Staring blankly at the closed door, Chloe wondered if she had ever told Eric that she liked flowers.

As she thought about it, she recalled that she said it around the beginning of their marriage. She said that she was sad about flowers not being able to grow in the cold north.. Did he still remember what she said five years ago?

In the end, laughter leaked through her lips, where a smile graced her features.

“Will you be having dinner with Milord tonight again, Madam?” Andrea asked.

Chloe answered positively as she sat down on a chair in front of the vanity table. Andrea began to brush her hair.

When Eric first asked them to have meals together, she thought that it would only last a day or two, but it’s now been almost a week since he said that. During this period, Eric called Chloe regularly and ate together with her.

He often would say that he’d only let her go once she’s finished everything on her plate, but when she’d respond that she would be forced to vomit it all later, that’s the only time he’d let her go.

Every time, he’d say, ‘You eat like a baby bird,’ and at this, Chloe would burst into a peal of laughter.

How could he say words as cute as ‘baby bird’ with such a serious face! And when Eric would say that he couldn’t understand why she was laughing, Chloe would laugh once more.

It’s been a week since this started.

Chloe was happy these days. Just as she had implored him, they seemed to have become a normal couple. Was this what ordinary happiness was like? She pondered as she reflected on the past.

“Chloe, are you awake?”

Eric’s voice could be heard from outside the door. She glanced at the clock—it was still just seven in the morning. It’s not time for him to come yet. Was there something wrong?

Chloe spoke up and allowed Eric into the room. Then, as the door opened, Eric walked in, neatly dressed.

“Is there something the matter?”

“I’m here to tell you that something urgent came up. I don’t think I’ll be able to join you for breakfast this morning.”

“Yes?”

If that’s the case, he would usually just let Daniel handle it. Chloe was somewhat surprised, but she did not show this. After turning in her chair, her back now to the mirror, she faced Eric.

“What happened?”

“I was told that one of the cruise airships has a defect. A mechanic should be enough, but I received a telegram and they’re asking me to come personally. Damn it. What a bother.”

Eric loosened his tie abrasively and grimaced with one eye narrower than the other. It was a habit of his whenever he was annoyed.

“That’s why I’m afraid I’ll have to skip breakfast with you this morning. Perhaps tomorrow as well.”

“It’s alright with me.”

It’s alright?

Eric stared at Chloe.

She had a neutral expression. As if she already expected such a thing!

This fact made Eric feel uncomfortable. This made him bark out a sudden remark.

“That airship is something that I—something that your husband built. Do you not want to ride it? Why have you never asked?”

“Pardon?”

Chloe asked back as though she was truly shocked by Eric’s questions.

“But I don’t think I’ll be of any help..”

“I’m not asking you to help me. I’m just asking whether you want to ride it or not.”

Chloe thought about it.

She had only heard of it and saw some from afar, but she never actually had the chance to ride one.

When she was still a member of a ducal household, the airships’ safety was still not ensured, so she couldn’t ride it then. And when she became a member of the Aslan household, she couldn’t ride it because they didn’t have money.

Those airships were indeed built by Eric, but she didn’t have the courage to tell him that she wanted to ride it. That’s why she didn’t even have any thoughts of wanting to go, even until now.

But it was Eric who spoke up about it first. She shouldn’t let go of this opportunity.

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