Chapter 69

Chapter 69

Sophia has always been like this. She always tried to take care of her like this.

Even though Chloe was so grateful for this kindness, at times, it was burdensome. She would die anyway, so if they stayed close like this, wouldn’t it be sad for Sophia, who would remain after she died?

Because of that, she didn’t want to give her heart to Sophia in the first place.

Eventually, Chloe shook her head.

“I am fine.”

Hearing her reply, Sophia’s shoulders droop, showing a visibly disappointed attitude.

“But…”

Still, she didn’t stop trying to convince her.

“You will soon become a resident of this town, Madam, so you might as well go to the town meeting and hear the opinions. What do you think?”

True to her word, Chloe had found a house in this area. She rented the best house she could get with the assets she had — the money Eric had given her.

The contract was for two years. However, she was certain that she would not be able to make up all of these two years, and this certainty constrained her behavior. She would die and disappear anyway… why would she do that?

Chloe thought so and shrugged her body more and more passively.

“I guess so, but I am leaving soon.”

Sophia widened her eyes.

“Are you leaving? Where?”

Chloe didn’t answer. Instead, she curled her lips up and looked out over the distant sea, over the horizon.

“I will be leaving.”

‘…After I die, I want to go beyond the sea. I want to cross the sea, cross the continent, and roam the world.’

Perhaps, what would happen after her death was more exciting than life now, so Chloe spoke in a small but clear voice.

“So, I’m fine.”

She was fine, even though there was nothing really fine about it.

She had to be fine.

Eric staggers down the hallway of the mansion.

It was because he poured strong alcohol from the morning again while the alcohol she had drunk last night hadn’t even dissipated.

He was not the kind of guy who liked to drink. Because alcohol dulled the mind and made the hands unnatural, it was the worst entertainment for scientists and developers who had to use their brains and do elaborate work.

Because of that, he was the one who usually lived far away from alcohol, but it was different this time.

However, now he couldn’t last a day without alcohol. He felt that if he did not live in a hazy mind, he would choke on his breath and die.

Die.

Yeah he was going to die, but he didn’t die. Instead, Chloe would die.

Eric leaned against the wall of the hallway and closed his eyes. He wanted to scream loudly, destroy everything, and mess up everything he could get his hands on… And he wanted to bring Chloe with him like before.

He wanted to hold her and make her unable to escape.

…Was this love?

Seriously, was this love?

Eric held on to the reason that flowed down beyond his blurry mind.

This was not love… it couldn’t be love. He had to come to his senses as he knew better than anyone that his feelings were not right.

He learned that he must let go of Chloe, forget her and live his life… he should know better than anyone.

…Still, he couldn’t.

He missed her, and instead of seeing her, he got drunk. Turning around, he said that he would have another drink. In fact, he had no intention of going anywhere, so he had no problem going back. He walked the path he had walked and walked again, staring blankly into space.

Was this kind of possessiveness, love?

It was not love.

But… he loved her. He loved her dearly. Therefore, he wanted to be with her, yet Chloe rejected him, saying she wouldn’t be with him anymore.

Then, what should he do?

How could he make her happy with him?

He found no answer.

Nothing made sense. Even though he should organize and finish everything, including the research he had opened and the business that was in progress, he didn’t even have the desire to do anything…

‘D*mn it.’

He knew he needed to keep his head up.

It was enough to think that it was just a breakup, that it was just a parting process that always appeared in third-rate romance novels and brushed it off. Now that he had separated from her, all he had to do was completely erase her existence, but Eric could never erase Chloe.

Instead of erasing her, he was being dragged by her shadow.

‘…I think I’m going crazy.’

Even though he tried to get himself all together in his mind that was fading from the alcohol, it didn’t go as well as he did in the past few days. Eric stopped walking and leaned against the wall again, trying to suppress the rising alcohol.

At that moment, someone approached him. Feeling the presence, Eric managed to raise his unblinking eyes, and he was able to see a surprising person through his blurry vision.

It was Chloe!

“Master, are you okay?”

Of course, it was Andrea, not Chloe, but it didn’t seem that way to Eric. He looked like Chloe to him. Chloe, Chloe… Chloe, whom he missed dearly and longed to see so much.

Eric reached out his hand towards her.

“Why…”

Eric grabbed Andrea’s arm.

“Are you here now?”

His voice was wet, sounding as if he was crying though his face was dry. Well, there was no way Eric could cry.

Eric Aslan never cried.

“Master?”

However, his attitude was enough to embarrass Andrea. Although he staggered back, Eric held her arm tighter because he looked like Chloe to him. Chloe, the Chloe he missed, the Chloe he must never let go of again….

That was why he moved his feet to embrace her. At the same time, Andrea’s face went white.

At that moment…

“Your Excellency…!”

Daniel ran out from across the hallway and pulled Eric by the shoulder, pulling him away from Andrea.

“What are you doing!”

While Eric hit the wall, Daniel didn’t even look at him but spoke to Andrea instead.

“Andrea, go back. I will take care of the Master!”

“Ye, yes!”

Andrea, as the chief maid, was obliged to take care of the master, but she was forced to leave because the incident had just taken her by surprise. As Daniel watched her back, he then grabbed Eric’s shoulder as soon as she had disappeared.

“Wake up!”

Eric was still staggering, clutching his forehead before he mumbled.

“…There was Chloe.”

What nonsense?! Daniel was stunned and raised his voice.

“There is not. Madam is not here!”

“No, there was. She was there!”

“Your Excellency…!”

Daniel grabbed both of Eric’s arms, who still couldn’t come to his senses.

“Look clearly, Madam is not here. She was never here!”

Eric closed his eyes tightly and shook his head. No, no… clearly, Chloe was right in front of him. She was within reach if he stretched out his hand…

…No, was she really there?

As he slowly raised his eyes and opened them, an empty hallway comes into view. Seeing Andrea running away, he now realized what he had done.

“Damn it!”

Stomping his feet, Eric buried his face in his hands. His rough breath escaped his teeth as hot heat filled his palms. Eric let out a few more breaths and sat down.

“What’s wrong with me?”

He muttered. Then, he raised his head and looked at Daniel.

“Daniel. Tell me. What is wrong with me?”

“….”

Daniel wanted to tell him that this was love fever.

At the same time, he wanted to tell Eric that it was the aftermath of the breakup. He wanted to shout that this would last a very long time and that it could become the remnants of emotions that dragged on for a long time.

Nonetheless, Eric was just a stupid, selfish young man who couldn’t understand all this, so Daniel shut his mouth. Choosing the words from his mouth shut as tight as a seashell, he slowly opened his lips as he reached out to Eric.

“Your Excellency.”

He grabbed Eric’s hand.

“Go north.”

Daniel hinted at what he had been thinking all along.

Eric’s life has been ruined since Chloe left. Although it was quiet in the mansion, it was gradually becoming known to the public due to reporters who persistently dug into it. If things go on like this, there might even be talk that he was crazy.

Right now, the workers’ backlash in the factory was getting stronger. It was not enough to let the investors know about his madness. At times like this, even though it was true that Eric was half mad, they had to hide it.

This had to stop.

“I don’t think this is the time to be in the Capital. So, go north for now.”

However, Eric was not a man who would obey Daniel’s words. He shook his head.

“I understand why you want to let me go, but I don’t have to go. I’m fine, and I’ll be fine again tomorrow. So,”

“It’s already been a week since you said that!”

He shouted.

Eric, who had been drinking all week, said that he would be fine. Daniel was tired now of it.

“This is where the madam stayed until just before, so it doesn’t seem to have a good influence on Your Excellency. Go somewhere far away and rest a little, just a little.”

“Still, the North is where Chloe used to live.”

“But there won’t be any trace of Madam.”

The servants in the North had never taken good care of Chloe. As Eric’s eyes widened, Daniel tried to ignore them.

“Please, please, Your Excellency…”

He said in a desperate voice as if begging.

“Please, leave for our business.”

Even though he wanted to object, Daniel’s strong will forced Eric to back down. So later that evening, he was forced to put himself in a carriage to the north.

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