CH 28

***

Abel and Rennesia exchanged apologies in front of adults.

“…I’m sorry, Renee.”

“Me too. I’m sorry, too…”

The children, who had grown attached to each other during their stay in the North, embraced each other and began to cry. This was because after reconciliation, their sad and guilty feelings thrived more than their spiteful ones.

“Yes! Friends fight and make up afterwards.”

Leila said while caressing their heads. As the children’s cries gradually decreased, Frederick sorted out the situation. 

“Let’s call it a day and return to our rooms.”

He added while throwing a glance at Lord and Lady Blanchett, who seemed to be somewhat gloomy.

“If you want to leave tomorrow, you’d better go to bed early today.”

After such a big commotion, the two families decided to part ways for the night.

***

Awkward silence lingered between the Blanchett family when they headed to the bedroom. Chloe, Gerard, and Abel were now by themselves.

It was none other than the head of the Blanchett family who broke the silence.

“Abel Blanchett, come to the next room.”

He called the child in a heavy voice in front of the bedroom door. He was going to discipline the child tonight.

He felt sorry for the child who must have been anxious and had a hard time because of him and his wife. However, just because he felt sorry for the  child, there was no way he wouldn’t discipline him.

It was obvious that the standard of discipline would eventually crumble if he treated the child as he pleased. He thought it would be confusing for the child otherwise.

“No. Abel is tired, so he has to go to bed now. Do it tomorrow.”

However, Chloe answered Gerard very coldly. Gerard was surprised because she always used to be a wife who respected him as the head of the family.

“My Lady.”

“…”

“Why do we have to drag today’s problem until tomorrow? The child needs to know that mistakes come with fair consequences.”

“Hah.”

Chloe burst into laughter at his absurd remark. How could this be Abel’s fault? It was her fault; she didn’t notice her son’s feelings and her husband spoke recklessly!

“…”

Gerard was speechless at Chloe’s perverse laugh which he heard for the first time in his life.

“…Jane, take Abel to his room.”

Chloe instructed Jane, who stood beside her.

“No! I want to be with Mother and Father!”

Abel, who was watching from between his parents, grabbed his mother’s skirt and begged, tears welling up in the anxious child’s eyes.

Chloe was heartbroken to see Abel’s tears. However, she could avoid it no more. For Abel’s sake!

Chloe crouched down.

“Abel, it’s because Mother and Father have something to say to each other. If you go with Jane first and read your book, we’ll follow in a minute. You know that Mother and Father love Abel very much, right?”

“…Yes. Will you come quickly?”

“Yes, Abel.”

Chloe wiped away Abel’s tears. She wondered if the child sensed his mother’s hand trembling whilst doing so. The child entered the bedroom in Jane’s arms as she held back what she wanted to say.

***

It was strange. Gerard called Abel, but it turned out that his wife sent him to the next room instead.

There was an uncomfortable silence between them. The head of the Blanchett family and his wife, who had never had such a conversation, could not easily speak even if they had to wrap up the conversation quickly and return to Abel.

“My Lady.”

It was Gerard who spoke first. He didn’t like the way Chloe turned her head away completely as if she didn’t want to see his face. He had to make his wife look at him.

“…”

However, he was choked up for a moment by his wife’s behavior, who spared him a small glance and rolled her eyes slightly. In this situation, he was the one who should be angry, he felt it was unfair that she seemed to be angrier than him.

“What are you so displeased about?”

“…Displeased?”

Chloe felt her anger boil over upon hearing her husband’s words. She felt it unfair that he simply dismissed her feelings as mere dissatisfaction.

How dare he define tears, despair, anger, and those feelings she had to swallow alone with a mere word, dissatisfaction? She couldn’t even name all the feelings.

“Didn’t we decide to respect each other on how to discipline Abel?”

Chloe stared spitefully at the lips who only said the wrong things in this kind of situation.

“I don’t get it. Why do I have to scold him for something that has already happened? The child reflected on himself and apologized directly to Rennesia.”

“It was violence. It wasn’t a mistake, he pushed his friend on purpose. Even if it already happened, I’m only trying to teach him that he has to take responsibility for his mistakes.”

“No matter how difficult things are, I’ve taught him well enough that it’s wrong to use violence against his friends. Therefore, you should stop.”

“…You’ve done a good job reprimanding him this time, right? Because my Lady is weak-hearted and can’t treat Abel harshly.”

“…”

“However, mistakes require appropriate discipline, my Lady. Allow me to-”

“Hah, is it all Abel’s fault? Is it possible to hold only the child accountable?”

Chloe was so dumbfounded that she cut off Gerard.

“Of course, it’s not all Abel’s fault. However…”

“Yes! It’s not Abel’s fault. It’s both of our faults.”

Chloe said firmly. She was pretending not to, but she actually blamed her husband. As she thought about Gerard, who made a slip of tongue and caused the problem, resentment was naturally reflected in her words.

However, Gerard interpreted Chloe’s words differently.

‘Oh, the Lady is blaming herself.’

He thought his wife was blaming herself for her actions.

Gerard had come to a surprising conclusion after he thought the root cause of all this was Chloe’s unusual behavior.

“But…”

“?”

“There’s no way I can say anything to you, my Lady.”

“…What are you talking about? You… are you blaming me now?”

Gerard’s abrupt remark made Chloe gasp, even though her husband spoke with considerable affection.

“It’s not your…”

“You’re right. Are you about to tell me this happened because I couldn’t take care of my child properly?”

“My Lady, you’re furious right now. You’d better calm down.”

Gerard took a step back from the spiteful appearance of his wife that he had never seen before. She didn’t seem like the lady he used to know.

“No, I have to say something. Do you think I can’t blame others and stay quiet?”

“Sigh… My Lady, you’re not trying to blame anyone right now, are you?”

Gerard sighed and brushed his bangs back. Chloe despised seeing him like that.

How could he act innocent so casually with just a few words?

It had always been that way. Always! His small smile and meaningless remarks were waves that shook her daily life, but her actions couldn’t reach him no matter how hard she tried.

She was angry and upset. She wished for that fine face to fall apart.

‘I hope you are in pain and despair, just like me!’

“Do you know how ridiculous you sound right now? You’re the one who’s responsible for this, but you think if you blame Abel and me, it will be over?”

‘What is she…’

“Do you think we are soldiers in your unit? If you determine that it’s your fault, do we have to say, ‘Yes, we take responsibility?’”

In the end, Chloe hurt Gerard’s pride while trying to put their family first.

“…Chloe.”

Tonight was strange for the head of the Blanchett family and his wife. It was the day when the couple first fought and Gerard called Chloe’s name for the first time.

However, it wasn’t what Chloe had hoped for. Gerard in her imagination smiled very sweetly while calling Chloe by name.

However, reality wasn’t like what she imagined at all. His green eyes were cold as he looked at her.

Chloe was in dismay for a moment. She forgot what she was about to say and had to bite her lip in order to hold back her tears.

“…”

Chloe desperately tried to hold back the tears welling up in her eyes from falling, meanwhile Gerard looked at the ceiling in an attempt to soothe his wounded heart.

However, Gerard couldn’t get rid of the thought that something had gone wrong from earlier. His wife and him were talking about different things. As if they were seeing each other in a different light…!

“My Lady, I think what we’re talking about is different here. I was with Rennesia when you went to talk with Abel, right?”

“?”

“At that time, the child confessed. She asked our son why we’re not close. Why his mother seems to be… closer with Sir Moore?”

He tried to speak without involving his personal feelings at all. He didn’t want to talk to his wife as if he was scolding her.

“So I assumed my Lady acted as if you’re responsible because you are at fault without realizing it.”

“Oh…”

Chloe gasped. The unexpected argument made her legs give out.

“How are my Lady and Abel… Oh!”

Gerard caught Chloe, who suddenly collapsed, with stunning reflexes. He sat on the floor while holding his wife tenderly.

“Huhu… Abel…”

Chloe’s lower lip trembled in shock. She never imagined that the child would ever hear such a thing.

In the end, her ambiguous attitude hurt Abel. That fact was shocking beyond acceptance.

It was heartbreaking that the young boy thought of his mother and made excuses in front of her. He shouldn’t have done that. He should be tactless, like a typical child. Why did he act like a grown-up?

Chloe buried herself further into Gerard’s arms, who kindly comforted her. However, it was ironic that she was in his arms.

She wanted to get away from him. Her husband’s arms were definitely warm, but it was too… lonely, overwhelming.

“My Lady, please calm down. It’s all right.”

Gerard hurriedly comforted Chloe as she panted heavily. However, she became rather repulsed by his attempt to comfort her affectionately.

‘Why do you say it’s all right?! This is all because of someone! This is all because of you!’

“It’s all because of you! It’s all because of you!”

Chloe pushed Gerard’s chest and began to thrash around in his arms. Her hand hurt after hitting Gerard’s hard chest, but she just couldn’t stop.

She despised her husband to death, who looked so fine even though she was falling apart.

But in fact, Chloe wanted to blame herself, not Gerard.