After the Wicked Wife Leaves

✨Thank you Ella for the ko-fi ✨

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

Translated by: Sienna

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

 

‘And when I opened my eyes after a while…’

 

At first, I thought I hadn’t died.

 

Being brought to a couple’s bedroom instead of prison, I thought it was some cruel joke.

 

But when I saw the maid, who had died in an accident five years ago, enter the room, I began to sense something strange.

 

It didn’t take long for me to figure out what was going on.

 

‘I’ve returned seven years back.’

 

In this life, I wanted to live a long and happy life with my child. To achieve that, there was something I had to do first.

 

“Cornelia.”

 

His voice broke me out of my reverie.

 

He looked at me with a disapproving expression, as if he had caught me lost in thought.

 

“Oh, sorry. What were you saying?”

 

His brow furrowed slightly, then he sighed.

 

“Since we have a child between us, I can’t grant you a divorce.”

 

I chuckled in response and placed my hand on my belly.

 

‘Yes, there is a child in here, the child of the man I loved.’

 

Then I looked him in the eye and spoke.

 

“But it’s not your child.”

 

“Not my child? What are you talking about?”

 

“Exactly what I said.”

 

Erich had convincingly portrayed himself as a good father in front of others.

 

He was so kind and dedicated that even I fell for it.

 

‘But now I know your true nature.’

 

He had abandoned me and my child in the future, and as if that weren’t enough, he had chased us down to kill us as we fled.

 

Although he didn’t directly kill, his actions had an impact on my child’s death.

 

At that moment, Erich cut through the formality and spoke sternly.

 

“Cornelia Odile Blant, don’t beat around the bush. Speak plainly.”

 

I couldn’t acknowledge this deceitful man as my child’s father.

 

Honestly, I didn’t want to reveal the existence of the child.

 

But there was a reason to disclose the pregnancy.

 

“I mean it. You’re not the father of my child. The father is someone else.”

 

Even though we had an unwanted marriage, he never once mentioned divorce.

 

‘Maybe it’s out of respect for my father, the emperor.’

 

If I were to hide the fact of having his child and divorce him, the emperor would likely use it against him in the future.

 

Knowing this, he would never willingly grant a divorce for trivial reasons.

 

Hence, I needed a significant fault that could be a smooth reason for divorce.

 

“I’m sure you’ve guessed by now that it’s not easy for a child to be conceived after just one night together.”

 

When I first revealed the pregnancy, there was a faint hesitation in his eyes.

 

Naturally, he never held my hand or showed any affection except for the night of our mistake.

 

However, just because of a one-night mistake, the woman he hated so much was now carrying his child.

 

I can’t fathom how awful he felt and why he wanted to deny it.

 

So I decided to give him the horrible reality he wanted and make it all my fault.

 

‘This is what you wanted, right?’

 

I twisted my lips and said,

 

“You’ve been ignoring me for almost five years. Having a paramour to alleviate loneliness isn’t such a big mistake, is it? You didn’t even care about me anyway.”

 

“Cornelia!”

 

“Don’t yell. If something happens to the child, you won’t get away with it.”

 

Yes, I’m faking it like an actor, but I’m serious about this.

 

If something happens with this child, I will avenge Demian at all costs.

 

Nevertheless, Erich, unaware of my true feelings, seemed stunned by my assertive attitude.

 

“Quite audacious for someone who cheated.”

 

“Well, obviously. Honestly, if I hadn’t told you, you would have become a father raising someone else’s child. You should be thankful that I told you the truth.”

 

Admittedly, my words are shameless.

 

Looking at it from his perspective, if I heard such words, I would probably lose my temper and slap the person.

 

Nevertheless, Erich just stared at me with his mouth clamped shut.

 

‘Yes, I suppose that’s how you put up with my wickedness all these years.’

 

He always looked at me with a discomforting gaze. Though he didn’t show it, he was holding something back.

 

For over a decade, from the moment we got married.

 

And I had a feeling of what it was, but I deliberately ignored it.

 

But only after I was stripped of my privileges did I realize why he had put up with it.

 

“Isn’t it a good thing? You’ve always regretted marrying me. Now that I’ve given you an excuse, you can divorce me without worrying, right?”

 

“Enough.”

 

In his blue eyes, glaring at me, anger and contempt were reflected.

 

In the past, despite my wickedness, I used to shrink under that gaze. Perhaps I was afraid he might hate me and leave me.

 

However, there was no longer any cause for me to worry about his hatred.

 

“If you don’t want to hear my voice, divorce me, and you’ll never hear it again.”

 

With my provocative words, he silently glared at me.

 

How long did that silence last? He broke the silence and asked me.

 

“Who is the child’s father?”

 

Upon hearing that, I stared straight at the arrogant bastard in front of me.

 

However, revealing the truth would jeopardize the divorce plan.

 

I chose to be dismissive, as usual.

 

“Why? Are you trying to find out who he is to seek revenge? Or perhaps you want to thank him for dealing with an annoying woman?”

 

Was I being brazen? He, who had been intensely staring at me, trembled and said,

 

“There’s no point in talking further.”

 

I stood up, looking at him, and said,

 

“It’s better to make a decision quickly before it’s too late. Delaying the divorce and tarnishing your precious reputation would be disastrous, wouldn’t it?”

 

Instead of answering, he turned away.

 

I watched his retreating figure with a bitter smile.

 

‘Now, how do I get out of this?’

 

He was a man who remained calm and composed even when I acted wickedly.

 

However, the accident I caused today must have crossed the limit he could gracefully handle.

 

‘Because of the Emperor, he can’t immediately say he wants a divorce, but as a man, he won’t be able to tolerate it.’

 

No matter how much patience he had, he wouldn’t be able to tolerate a woman pregnant with another man’s child.

 

‘Especially when that woman is someone he detests so much.’

 

Although it used to be something I denied before, now I strangely feel relieved.

 

‘The problem is whether Erich will readily believe my words.’

 

If he doesn’t believe me, how can I make him trust my lies as the truth?

 

After a few moments of ruminating on something that hadn’t happened yet, I lay back on the couch and gently stroked my belly.

 

Even though it’s still early in the pregnancy, with no movement or visible bump, I felt like I wasn’t alone.

 

‘Demian, don’t worry. This time, Mom will definitely protect you.’

 

I began singing the lullaby my child liked.

 

It may not be possible, but the child must have been tired as well. I slowly closed my eyes.

 

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

 

Exiting the room, Erich involuntarily twisted his face.

 

“An affair?

 

The woman who always focused on ‘Erich Lennon Blant.’

 

The woman who stuck to him persistently, almost annoyingly.

 

And her intentions for stirring up trouble were always consistent.

 

‘Yes, this time too; she must be trying to attract my attention.’

 

Erich clenched his fists tightly.

 

‘Still, there must be a reason why she absurdly mentioned divorce.’

 

At that moment, Landon approached and spoke subtly.

 

“Your Highness, Anna has been arranged to leave for the estate starting tomorrow.”

 

Upon hearing that the maid who knew about Cornelia’s pregnancy had been dealt with, Erich nodded.

 

“Well done.”

 

Since Medelin has also been instructed, it should be fine as long as Cornelia doesn’t reveal it herself.

 

“Now, you may leave.”

 

Back in his office, Erich summoned Janet, the only female knight in the family.

 

“I will have you escort the Duchess in the shadow.”

 

Shadow escort, meaning to guard the person without revealing the fact that they are protecting them.

 

“Since she’s pregnant, clear any nuisances around her and report immediately if anything happens.”

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

Left alone again, Erich came out of the office after a while.

 

He went to the bedroom, but Cornelia was nowhere to be seen.

 

‘Is she still in her room?’

 

Erich entered Cornelia’s room and found her sleeping on the sofa. He brought a blanket and carefully covered her.

 

‘Quite unpredictable.’

 

His touch, covering her body with the blanket, was as delicate as handling something precious.

 

Just then, Cornelia’s lips twitched, and she called out someone’s name.

 

“Dem… Demian.”

 

Erich’s face tightened like a mask.

 

It was the first time she called someone so desperately and tenderly other than himself.

 

‘Who could that person possibly be…’

 

He clenched his fists so tightly that the tendons stood out, and her words flashed through his mind.

 

<I mean it. You’re not the father of my child. The child has a different father.>

 

‘Surely, that couldn’t be true?’

 

At that moment, Erich, unknowingly gritting his teeth, heard the sound of the doorknob turning.

 

Erich’s gaze turned fierce.

 

‘How dare someone enter her room without even knocking…’

 

Quickly distancing himself from Cornelia, Erich sternly eyed the unexpected intruder.

 

“Your Grace.”

 

A handsome young man with his head bowed and gray-brown hair, his etiquette was impeccable, like that of a high-ranking nobleman.

 

But the back of his neck bore the mark of a slave.

 

Furthermore, his dark hair was also characteristic of the barbarians from the northern regions, despised throughout the empire.

 

 

 

𝑺𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝑲𝒐-𝒇𝒊