Chapter 43

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Chapter 43

“What are you doing? Why did you lift my skirt thoughtlessly—!”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Eric’s voice trembled. He took a deep breath and gazed at her. Not only that she feel terribly ashamed of the fact that everything was found out, but how her husband found this out was not equitable either.

Chloe lowered her eyes before parting her lips.

“…Because it’s my weakness.”

“Your weakness?”

He gritted his teeth at her words.

…Weakness, weakness. What was so good about that!

“You should have told me!”

He raised his voice.

“I’ve been nice to the Duchess all the time. I never even dreamed she would hit you like this! Had I known, I would have kicked her out right away! How dare she, how dare she put her hand on my wife, I…I was kind to her! How far are you going to turn me into an idiot….!”

“But, you wouldn’t have believed it anyway!”

Chloe’s scream filled the room.

At that, Eric’s eyes widened because she had never yelled at him like this before. It was only at that moment that he noticed that she was furious.

“Even now, you have heard it from Andrea, haven’t you? Nevertheless, you pulled up my skirt with the thought that you should check my wound yourself because you suspect me as a liar!”

He couldn’t even refute that in the slightest because everything she said was true. Shuddered in shame, he let out a deep sigh as his hand swept down his withered face.

“…I know. I know that you don’t have a family, that’s why you try to be nicer to my mother. In that regard, it only seemed I was not on good terms with my mother in your eyes and that you know everything.”

Chloe tried to hold back her tears and uttered with strength, one word after another.

“Though honey… There’s definitely a lot you don’t know about me.”

He felt completely helpless at her remark. As he bent his head back with his eyes shut tightly, blood rushed to his head and his mind raced. Eric lowered his head again and exhaled a shaky breath.

“Did you always…”

He asked Chloe.

“…Did you always get hit like this?”

She did not answer.

However, he knew that her silence meant affirmation. Eric clenched his fist tightly.

“Why… didn’t you tell me.”

Although he wanted to say something more, he gave up.

It was right… As Chloe said, he wouldn’t have believed her even if she had told him the truth. Oh, how could he be so foolish? He didn’t trust his wife but only believed what her vicious and wicked mother said with his wife hurt like this at that!

Even an apology wasn’t enough. Still, he didn’t seem to thought to apologize in the first place.

“Chloe.”

Eric grabbed her bruised hand.

“Please, let me know if something like this happens next time. I’ll believe anything you say.”

Even though it was ridiculous to do that now, he had to say it. That way, he would get a chance to make up for it so he would feel less guilty.

Chloe stared blankly at Eric.

Because of the fever, she was unable to think properly. Furthermore, everything felt like it wasn’t real — the fact that he lifted her skirt to check the wounds and got furious about it while she had all her secrets uncovered.

So, she brought up what she really wanted to say to him.

“It hurts.”

Saying that, she wasn’t even looking at him. Chloe said that as she stared still at something beyond him, something he didn’t know.

“It was so painful… It hurt so much, but no one noticed. I always had to endure it, and the result of patience was always a pain. I thought someone would know though no one noticed… That’s right, just like you are now.”

She turned her gaze to Eric. Although tears welled up, her eyes were still cold as they stared at Eric.

“I thought you would be on my side.”

“Chloe.”

“I thought you would understand and didn’t doubt me… I thought you would accept me… You would have noticed my change if you had cared a little bit about me.”

“I’m sorry about that. I-I was unable to be thoughtful. I just…”

“Honey.”

Eric could feel his heart sink in an instant the moment she called him.

No, don’t…

…Please, don’t say more.

“Please.”

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While he wanted to deny it, Eric couldn’t stop Chloe.

“…Please, divorce me.”

Tears streamed down her cheeks.

“I don’t want to live like this anymore…”

He couldn’t give any answer.

There was nothing he could do… He couldn’t even wipe her tears.

Chloe didn’t say anything since then. In addition, she had prevented Eric from entering her room and almost refused Andrea to attend her. The only person who could enter was the doctor, but even the doctor didn’t tell him about her condition.

Eric wandered, restless the whole time.

He thought something, while most of it was about cursing his arrogant prejudices, it was as if he was possessed by something… Had he been possessed by the Duchess? Otherwise, he wouldn’t have suspected Chloe like that!

No, it wasn’t like that.

It was all his fault. The Duchess’ word only amplified his distrust towards Chloe that had been planted within him. It was his fault for not trusting her in the first place.

Why didn’t he trust her…?

It was only now that he accepted her sincere heart that she had shown him as he spent his time with repentance and reflection. He had to admit the fact he secretly hoped that Chloe’s confidence would break and she would obey him.

…That was right. He had a desire to vanquish her.

He regretted his words that hurt her, all to satisfy his desire for recognition and alleviate his inferiority complex because of her incomparable nobleness. That must be why he pushed her without realizing it. Oh, how terrible was that!

Despite the fact that he was now reflecting on himself, it was already too late. He had hurt Chloe so much that it was irremediable.

However, that didn’t mean he would let her go. He wanted to change her heart.

Of course, this feeling was not in the least comparable to the true love she was talking about. Because of his greed, Eric couldn’t lose what he had and was unable to accept failure.

He already said this, but he didn’t know love. He didn’t want to know and thought he would never know it. Whatever it was, he wanted to overshadow Chloe’s resolve. He wanted her to repudiate her decision to divorce and kept her by his side like this.

So, he knocked on her door again.

“Chloe.”

Eric uttered as he grabbed the doorknob.

“Please, open the door. I have something to say.”

There was no answer, it had been like this for a few days. Sighing deeply, he put his forehead to the door.

“I…”

Words came out of his mouth slowly.

“…wanted to be a good husband.”

He meant it. He tried to improve his relationship with Chloe in his way.

“So, I wanted to resolve the relationship between the mother and daughter who didn’t get along well. I thought you would be happy if I did that. This was because I didn’t know how much you were hurt. It was my arrogance. So, Chloe…”

He grabbed the doorknob again.

“Please, open the door. I want to talk to you.”

After a while, the doorknob snapped. Chloe finally opened the door!

Eric smiled broadly as the door opened, and he was about to see her. But soon, the smile vanished from his face. It was because Chloe’s complexion wasn’t too good. Her lips were white and blotched. In addition, her eyes were hollow, and her face looked lifeless.

It was as if a dead body were standing in front of him.

His eyes widened with bewilderment, and he grabbed Chloe by the shoulder.

“Let’s go back to bed first.”

Embracing Chloe, he quickly approached her bed with her in his arms as he laid her down carefully.

Meanwhile, although she was surprised that he hugged her, she was too weak to reveal that. Chloe held the blanket that Eric pulled. Thirsty, she searched for a glass of water, took a sip, and then glanced at him.

“What…do you want to talk? I thought we had already said everything.”

As she spoke in an overly cold tone, Eric was startled because it was the side she had never shown to him before.

He was the one who let her down. Thinking that, he thought he had to appease her first.

“I haven’t finished it yet. There are many things I want to apologize to you.”

“I won’t take it.”

“Chloe.”

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“When I talk to you… I feel so tired. I don’t want to care about anything right now. The doctor also told me that I must take a rest.”

Eric was silent.

Feeling a bitter taste lingered in his throat, he also felt thirsty.

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