After the Wicked Wife Leaves

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Translated by: Alina

Edited by: Vcubed

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

 

“Why on earth…?”

 

Lost in thought, even for a moment.

 

“What are you doing now?”

 

His question pierced through my thoughts, and I swallowed hard.

 

‘Here we go again.’

 

From Erich’s expression, it was clear he had seen me pull Medelin’s hand away roughly.

 

As usual, he would scold me for wronging Medelin, and she would stutteringly try to defend me.

 

It was a familiar pattern by now.

 

Sure enough, his voice, brimming with anger, soon reached me.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

But soon, I couldn’t help but be surprised. Erich’s embrace enveloped me.

 

‘What? Why is he…’

 

At that moment, a frail voice called his name.

 

“Erich…”

 

Even to someone like me who disliked her, Medelin’s trembling figure seemed pitiful.

 

Yet Erich’s voice was chillingly cold.

 

“Marquis Arzen’s daughter, have you forgotten? She’s not alone now.”

 

“Erich, I…”

 

It seemed like Medelin was about to say something, but he cut her off abruptly.

 

“If you dare to lay a hand on her again, I will not hesitate. Do you understand?”

 

Then, he turned to me.

 

“Madam.”

 

On top of his recent actions, his use of the title left me wide-eyed.

 

‘What’s gotten into him?’

 

It was so unlike him.

 

The problem was, Erich didn’t stop there.

 

“You’re late… I’ve come to escort you.”

 

Normally, I’d think, ‘Is he crazy?’ But his worried gaze, polite tone, and the image of him embracing me just moments ago made it impossible for me to rebuke him.

 

Then, he extended his hand.

 

“Shall we go now?”

 

His gesture, extending warmth to my loneliness, overlapped with the happiest moments of my childhood and the current situation like déjà vu.

 

I knew in my head it wasn’t right. That’s why I hesitated to take his hand.

 

Then, he took mine.

 

“Don’t forget, this is the palace.”

 

In other words, there are eyes watching, so play along.

 

It was a bit annoying, but still, I didn’t pull away.

 

And he…

 

‘Wow, his gaze is really stern.’

 

I saw Medelin glaring at Erich and me.

 

She looked like she might stab me if she had a knife in her hand.

 

‘Well then, I can’t just stand here.’

 

So, I firmly interlocked my fingers with Erich’s hand.

 

“Let’s go. Darling.”

 

Just a gesture to unsettle Medelin, but he smiled gently.

 

“Yes.”

 

His sweet voice unintentionally made me squeeze his hand tighter.

 

‘No, it’s just because there are many eyes watching.’

 

When we reached the entrance of the palace a while later, he stopped.

 

“I’ll call for the carriage, please wait here for a moment.”

 

As he walked away, I finally let out the sigh I had been holding in.

 

‘What am I doing right now?’

 

I was certain Erich had tried to get rid of me and my child before his return.

 

But seeing him protect me, pregnant with his child, made me question the doubts I hadn’t entertained before.

 

‘Was it really Erich’s doing when he tried to kill me?’

 

It was Erich’s henchman who tried to get rid of Damian and me.

 

As evidence, there was the letter with the Duke’s signature presented to me, but even that could be manipulated.

 

‘Furthermore, besides that letter, there’s no evidence of his affair with Medelin.’

 

Was it because I hadn’t seen him betraying me with my own eyes?

 

One by one, the doubts I had kept buried kept resurfacing.

 

‘If I’ve misunderstood, then…’

 

Then, someone spoke to me.

 

“Are you leaving now?”

 

It was the knights and servants of Duke Blant, who had accompanied me to the palace.

 

“Yes, but where is the Duke?”

 

“The Duke? I haven’t seen him. Is also at the palace, Your Grace?”

 

I realized that they and Erich should have crossed paths.

 

Moving my steps towards where Erich had gone, I said, “Please wait here for a moment.”

 

Well, it was simply because I knew the layout of the palace better than they did.

 

How far did he walk?

 

‘Ah, there he is.’

 

Spotting the familiar blonde hair from afar, I started to head towards him.

 

But then I stopped.

 

‘Huh?’

 

Standing in front of Erich was a woman with silver hair, and unlike before, Medelin was smiling.

 

“Erich, did you come to see me?”

 

Internally, I hoped he would deny it.

 

A mixture of wanting Medelin, whom I despised, to be disappointed and a lingering trace of sentimentality from his recent attitude coexisted within me.

 

However, my hopes were dashed as Erich nodded.

 

“I have something to say.”

 

At his words, Medelin’s expression turned sour.

 

“Something to say to me?”

 

She asked, almost accusingly.

 

“You were just angry with me earlier, what do you have to say now?”

 

Erich responded incredulously, as if bewildered.

 

“Angry? About that?”

 

“Yeah, you were angry with me because of Cornelia! At your house, and even here at the palace!”

 

At that, Erich raised the corner of his mouth in disbelief.

 

“Because of that woman? You’re greatly mistaken.”

 

With his words, a feeling of unease began to gnaw at my chest.

 

A moment later, Medelin scoffed as if dumbfounded.

 

“You warned not to touch your pregnant wife earlier, and now you’re saying it’s a misunderstanding?”

 

Internally, I hoped Erich would deny it.

 

Yet, his words were cruel.

 

“I don’t consider that woman my wife. It’s just because of people’s gossip.”

 

For a moment, I couldn’t help but chuckle. I felt foolish for hoping.

 

‘Yes, that was the reality…’

 

After returning, I was convinced that I had been betrayed based solely on my memories.

 

So every time I thought of him, I hated him. And resentment towards him kept rising.

 

Because of that, I thought my long-buried feelings for him had been resolved.

 

But it was my misconception.

 

Even though I thought I no longer had feelings for him, I found myself still unconsciously aware of him.

 

Every time he treated me kindly, the feelings I once had for him would unexpectedly resurface.

 

Just a moment ago, considering the possibility that I had misunderstood him showed that.

 

I wanted to deny the past, perhaps hoping that the 10 years I spent trying for him were not in vain.

 

Even if he wouldn’t be a good husband, maybe he would think of my child.

 

Even if he didn’t love me, perhaps he would acknowledge me as family.

 

For reasons unknown, he kept holding onto me, even though I wanted a divorce.

 

I foolishly imbued meaning into his trivial actions, harboring futile hopes.

 

Hoping that everything was just my misunderstanding, while desperately trying to keep the family I had protected for over 10 years from falling apart.

 

But the man I had tried so hard to hold onto was telling another woman that he didn’t consider me his wife.

 

‘In the end, it was all my doing. Hoping only leads to disappointment…’

 

With a bitter smile for a moment, I engraved the harsh reality that confronted me once again.

 

“Then why did you get angry with me? Do you know how hurt I was?”

 

A voice tinged with petulance.

 

“Medelin.”

 

Erich called her name and pressed his face close to hers.

 

There was no need to see anymore.

 

‘Playing around as usual.’

 

I turned away.

 

Even though my steps felt heavy, I had no more lingering attachments. It was because even my own confused feelings had been clarified.

 

‘Ultimately, it didn’t matter what the truth was.’

 

The problem wasn’t whether he tried to kill me or whether he disliked me.

 

It was something more fundamental.

 

‘No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t become your wife.’

 

A cold and indifferent husband, a mother-in-law as sharp as thorns, employees who ignored me.

 

I blamed all these factors for not receiving recognition, and even if it made me wicked, I wished to be Erich’s wife.

 

But that thought was wrong from the start.

 

This marriage was originally formed from my desires and the Emperor’s coercion, and his consent was absent.

 

No matter how much I tried to change his mind, he would never consider me his wife.

 

‘Because he resents me.’

 

As I returned to the carriage, I told the servants and knights, “Depart for the Duke’s mansion.”

 

 

 

 

𝑺𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝑲𝒐-𝒇𝒊