Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Even before Eric finished his sentence, Chloe visibly brightened up. She smiled brightly and clasped her hands together as though she was a child given candy.

“It’s been so long!”

Before she was married, she often went to banquets. However, after her marriage when she headed up north, she never attended a single ball in all those five years.

One reason was because she was too far from the capital, but truthfully she was reluctant to attend on her own. She also didn’t want to talk to anyone about her married life.

This marriage was for the sake of selling her for money, it was a marriage without love…

No, that’s not it. Chloe loves her husband.

No matter how many times she said this, there was no way anyone would believe her. So Chloe naturally left the social world.

Although it was her own choice, it’s true that she sometimes missed going to balls.

But then again… What did he mean by royal banquet? Chloe was about to jump up in anticipation.

However, this joy was brief. A dark expression soon dawned over her features as she looked up at Eric.

“But, darling…”

She carefully opened her lips, trying to gauge the emotions that would flash over Eric’s face.

“The dress—it’ll be expensive.”

“Wife.”

Eric’s black eyes were lit up with rage. His brows were furrowed and he loosened the tie of his expensive suit that he wore intentionally today.

“I wonder why you keep making me angry.”

“…Ah.”

“I’m always curious about this.”

Chloe wrung her fingers together and dropped her head.

She made a mistake.

She did something wrong.

She didn’t know what it was, but she was wrong anyhow.

With her head down, she couldn’t meet his eyes.

“I’ll see you by the entrance in two hours.”

So she didn’t even see what kind of expression her husband had.

It was her first time going on an outing with Eric.

Over the course of five years.

Chloe couldn’t hide her excitement.

Cough!

But her body did not follow her thoughts. Her heart ached and her lungs were labored. Again.

She could feel that she might cough up blood. She took a handful of medicine and gulped it all down, breathing heavily right after.

No, please no.

‘Don’t show how sick you are in front of him.’

If she gets caught being sick like this, he’ll be angry once more.

“Haa…”

Chloe leaned back on the armchair she was sitting on, breathing roughly. Then, she slowly looked out the window.

She saw a train running despite the blizzard. <chooo.< i=””>The train that moved forward blew out black smoke. Chloe stared at it blankly.</chooo.<>

How helpless it was to think that humans would only be able to get off when the train reaches its destination? In there, people could only get off after enduring one another’s company.

Wasn’t life exactly the same?

Life was like getting on a train, not being able to leave until it reached the end… With railroads that span for decades.

However, her railroad would soon end. Only two years at most. After that, the railroad would be cut off, and the train would collapse.

Before that, she wanted to do something that would make her feel alive. But she didn’t know what it was.

Whatever it is, anything…

“Madam, it’s time to go.”

At the sound of the other woman’s voice, Chloe slowly rose to her feet. She flattened out the slightly wrinkled dress, then walked out the door with calm steps.

But before she exited the room, she turned around and looked out the window once more. Even the black smoke of the train had already disappeared.

Would she be able to be alive next to Eric?

She wanted to have even a hint of hope that he would continue regarding her with the same warm attitude just as he did yesterday.

But Chloe knew well.

This hope was like a mirage that would disappear the moment she tried to embrace it.

Chloe smiled quietly to herself and shook her head.

Today, Eric was wearing a long black coat with a tailored dress shirt, his hair swept back.

His narrowed eyes were cold, but captivating. However, his fatigue could still be seen underneath his gaze.

It made his atmosphere even more intimidating.

Chloe took a step closer to Eric. Then, she reached a hand to him.

It was to fix his crooked tie.

“……”

Eric faltered, but he accepted her touch.

“You look so handsome today.”

Chloe smiled, however Eric continued to be silent. He just looked at Chloe with a silent gaze.

He continued to say nothing as they got onto the locomotive, even as they were nearing the townsquare already.

There wasn’t any awkwardness of either of them hesitating because they didn’t know what to say. Rather, the silence between them continued to stretch further because neither of them intended to fill the locomotive with conversation.

Chloe was frustrated with the silence. She wasn’t that talkative either, but she’s never been this silent.

So she quietly opened her lips to speak to Eric.

“Where are we going today?”

Eric, who was looking out the window, replied.

“We’re going to Madam Lizen’s shop.”

“Pardon?”

Chloe’s eyes grew wide. Madam Lizen’s shop was a place that couldn’t be entered even if you try to schedule a visit one year prior. Apart from that, clothes from that boutique were so costly that one dress was the entire cost of an aristocrat’s living for a month.

She looked at Eric, her eyes quivering.

“That place is…”

“I know it’s a place you frequented while you were still unmarried.”

However, Eric spoke first. He was still indifferent, but the way he regarded her was… somewhat different. It was making Chloe hope for the better.

“How thoughtful of you.”

Chloe smiled brightly. She murmured with a low voice, her hands clasped together.

“I’m happy.”

She felt hopeful again.

Due to the snow that had gotten piled up, the vehicle couldn’t move well.

And so they sat in there for quite a while. Chloe was feeling under the weather because of motion sickness, but in comparison, Eric was just fine. Whenever Chloe needed to cough, she crouched into herself and coughed very quietly so that he wouldn’t catch her.

She didn’t want Eric to know. Didn’t he get angry at her for having a fever? If he got angry with just a common sickness like that, what would happen if he found out that she was terminally ill…

‘I might get kicked out before I could even pay you back.’

Chloe held back her coughs and endured the pain.

At this time, the locomotive’s engines were turned off, and the horse neighed as they stopped to a halt. They’ve arrived.

As soon as the vehicle stopped, Eric got up.

And as soon as the horseman opened the door, he went out.

It was as if he loathed to be in the same space as Chloe.

She stared at his retreating back, a helpless smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

He’s always been like this, but why did it hurt her more today? Perhaps… Perhaps she wanted him to notice how ill she truly was.

She wanted him to notice, to comfort her… It was greed, this feeling that she had in her.

Chloe clenched her fist and pushed down these thoughts.

“Wife.”

As Eric called her, Chloe broke away from her train of thought.

She assumed that he would walk away as soon as he got off the carriage, but he stood in front of the door and waited for Chloe to get off as well. Even as the snow was pouring!

“Be careful.”

He reached out to Chloe. He seemed to be trying to be courteous.

What’s wrong with her husband? Why did it feel like he was especially kind today?

Chloe took Eric’s hand and gulped dryly.

“You must be in a good mood.”

Eric raised an eyebrow instead of answering.

“You keep being so kind to me.”

Eric opened his lips, then closed them once more. He stared back at Chloe, but he soon turned away, his face flushed.

And there were no more words between them. He just tilted the umbrella towards Chloe so that the snow would not reach her.

Chloe glanced at Eric’s soaked left shoulder, clasped her hands together again as she dropped her gaze. It was still snowing heavily, but somehow, she felt warm. There was a smile on her lips.

Madam Lizen’s shop was empty.

As she recalled the past, no matter which reservation she had scheduled, there were always other customers there. But it was strange this time.

Perhaps it was because of the snow. Chloe watched as the clerks nervously stood at attention.

“Welcome, Marquis Aslan, Marchioness Aslan.”

Madam Lizen greeted them. Chloe couldn’t hide her excitement as it had been a long time since she met her.

“Long time no see, Madam.”

Madam Lizen smiled as she nodded.

“It’s been a while, Marchioness.”

Madam Lizen counted on her fingers, then spoke.

“It’s been five years.”

Chloe noticed a hint of reproach in the other woman’s tone, so she smiled awkwardly and looked around to shift the conversation to another topic.

“Is there anything that catches your eye?”

Madam Lizen asked this, she noticed that Chloe’s blue eyes were on a pink dress.

Upon realizing what she had looked at, Chloe hurriedly averted her gaze. She knew very well that the main dress on display was incredibly expensive.

She gradually shifted her gaze towards one desolate corner of the shop. Madam Lizen frowned slightly.

“Those are dresses that are out of season.”

Lizen spoke in a chiding tone. Why would she look there? Chloe was still Chloe Rolphe, a daughter of the kingdom’s only dukedom.

And she married Marquis Aslan. Of course, Lizen knew that there was a difference in peerage, but the Marquis was someone who had a staggering amount of wealth! He’s someone capable enough!

But she’s only going to pick those kinds of dresses? Really? If it was the Chloe of the past, she never would have so much as glanced in that direction.

Madam Lizen’s expectations began to fall.

Chloe, guessing what was in Madam Lizen’s mind, instantly turned red. Shame rushed into her system.

But wasn’t this inevitable? This place had only expensive things. She didn’t want to be more indebted to her husband.

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