After the Wicked Wife Leaves

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Translated by: Sienna

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

Although Demian undoubtedly had royal blood mixed in him, before that, he was the heir of Duke Blant.

Because he was the son of ‘Erich Lennon Blant’, the one in front of my eyes.

 

‘But you gave up Demian because he would have interfered with the… succession to the child you were to have from your new wife.’

 

In such a situation, your hypocrisy in claiming to take responsibility for our child was so repulsive to me that I couldn’t hide my emotions.

 

“What right do you have to talk about responsibility when you can’t even fulfill a husband’s responsibilities?”

 

My voice rose unintentionally, but as soon as I spat out those words, I regretted it.

 

‘Ugh, I really hate it.’

 

I hated myself for being unable to control my emotions and displaying such overt signs of hurt.

But even though I regretted it, I couldn’t take back what I had said.

Then Erich’s voice came.

 

“Did you say husband’s duties?”

 

A stern voice.

When I looked up at Erich, he was frowning at me.

 

“I made sure you lacked nothing while staying in this mansion. But what is lacking that makes you say such things?”

 

Yes, in material terms, that might be true.

At least during my time as the Duchess of Blant, he had never criticized my spending.

And so I adorned myself with splendor so as not to be ignored by the servants or the nobles.

 

‘But even when I dressed up like that, people still ignored me.’

 

All I wanted from him was a little attention.

A greeting in the morning, an occasional cup of tea, a walk together.

If he had only shown that much, it wouldn’t have left a mark on my heart.

 

“You never treated me as a wife.”

 

To which Erich coldly replied,

 

“Even if I don’t refer to you as a wife, there’s no one who doesn’t know that you and I are married. Moreover, I have never committed adultery with anyone else. So I don’t understand why you are saying such things.”

 

I couldn’t help but chuckle.

He might have said it without thinking. However, it seemed as though he was falsely accusing me of infidelity.

 

‘Yes, you certainly never openly cheated with another woman.’

 

And that was in stark contrast to other noble husbands, who cheated as casually as they breathed.

But his failure to properly draw the line with Medelin and his heartlessness towards me left me wounded, so my affection for him gradually withered away.

Maybe that’s why I lied to him.

That I had an affair.

I wanted to appear as though I had someone who loved me, even if it wasn’t you.

But in the end, I was still hurt and angry at Erich’s behavior.

Then, our eyes met.

When his blue eyes seemed to pierce right through me, I involuntarily looked away.

 

“The day you mentioned divorce, I tried to mend our relationship. But you rejected all my kindness as if you were angry at some other wrong I had committed.”

 

I glared at him, unmoved by his casually spoken words that exposed his inner thoughts.

 

‘Yeah, you obviously don’t remember it, but for me, that day… It hasn’t even been a month yet.’

 

I still remember it vividly.

Your subordinate told me that your intention was to eliminate me so you could marry another woman.

You, chasing after our child and me like a hunter.

My child, growing cold in my arms.

The smell of gunpowder in the air, the excruciating pain in my head, and your demonic face rushing towards me as my vision blurred.

 

‘You have driven me to hell; do you think you can be forgiven for such paltry efforts?’

 

Even without seeing my face, he probably knows my expression.

I must be glaring at Erich with a venomous gaze.

But Erich paid no heed to my expression and continued to babble on.

 

“I’ve been trying to think if I’ve done anything wrong to you lately, but I can’t think of anything.”

 

For a moment, rage and anger surged within me, and I almost lost control and shouted.

At that moment, he spoke again.

 

“So, please, tell me. Besides ignoring you, what else have I done wrong?”

 

In that moment, a sense of futility washed over me. And simultaneously, a bitter laugh escaped me.

 

‘Yes, I was foolish.’

 

To be enraged and saddened over something that hadn’t happened yet would only make me a madwoman.

Moreover, it could provide an opportunity for my plans to be thwarted.

 

‘And…….’

 

I stared at him.

Though his face resembled my husband’s, he wasn’t the man who chased after me to kill me and my child.

So, getting angry would only be a futile waste of emotions.

Telling him won’t change anything.

With a bitter laugh born out of resignation, I finally spoke up.

 

“Yeah, now that I think about it, you’re right.”

“What… What do you mean?”

 

In the past, I would have been angry with him.

I would have fervently wished for him to change into the person I wanted him to be and do what I said.

But now, I am surprisingly indifferent. I understand why I could be so indifferent.

It was resignation.

 

“Exactly. I was being overly sensitive. I got angry over trivial things, blamed you, and acted annoyingly. I understand why you don’t like me.”

 

After my words, Erich looked at me with a puzzled expression for a moment before his face contorted.

 

“Cornelia, I don’t know why you’re saying such things, but I’m not trying to blame you…”

“It doesn’t matter.”

 

I replied, smiling.

 

“Even if you blame me, even if you dislike me, it doesn’t matter anymore.”

 

I used to vent my frustrations to Erich, hoping he would listen to me even a little.

And if he treated me a bit better, I would find meaning in his actions and feel happy.

If he appeared angry, sometimes I would feel anxious.

But now I know.

Even if I became angry and expressed my emotions, it would merely exhaust me, and he would never change.

I didn’t want to waste my emotions inefficiently anymore.

 

“I admit my mistakes.”

 

Instead of replying, he pursed his lips and stared at me with narrowed eyes.

Ignoring his questioning look, I casually continued.

 

“I don’t need you to take responsibility for my mistakes. So from now on, you don’t have to care about me and my child.”

 

Avoiding eye contact, I didn’t know what expression Erich was making.

Well, I didn’t even want to know anymore.

Just then, I heard Erich’s voice.

 

“I don’t care.”

 

With those words, tinged with displeasure, he stormed out.

 

“As expected, he has no lingering attachments.”

 

I realized that if I let go of my side like this, eventually he would leave. I had been holding on for too long.

 

‘Now, it’s time to put aside useless thoughts and focus only on planning for me and my child’s future.’

 

I resolved to live as Cornelia, not as Erich Lennon Blant’s wife.

 

ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

 

Erich clenched his fists as he left the room.

 

‘I don’t care…….’

 

Until he found Cornelia, Erich had been trying to open a conversation with her and somehow improve their relationship.

Even if she had a child, he was willing to put up with that.

He even thought it wouldn’t be so bad to live as a family, like in his dream.

But…….

 

<Even if you blame me, even if you dislike me, it doesn’t matter anymore.>

 

He could feel the resignation in her words.

He knew that the point where they could resolve things through conversation had long passed.

He had already anticipated this fact.

Despite knowing the outcome, he still felt defeated and regretful.

Yes, because it felt like the future he was supposed to have had was taken away from him.

 

“What a ridiculous dream! Reality is…”

[It’s not even your child. You don’t need to care.]

 

Erich clenched his fists tightly as pain shot through his chest.

He slammed his fist down on the marble nightstand.

BANG!

 

‘Don’t be ridiculous. Unless it’s the real Erich, I won’t see that kind of woman ever again…’

 

Her face flashed in his mind.

 

<Such a beautiful flower. Thank you.>

 

The smiling and mischievous face that looked at him.

And that girl grew into a beautiful woman, reaching out to him.

 

<Erich, I’m so glad you came back safely.>

‘Yes, in the end, it’s not me…’

 

Erich grimaced, unable to continue his thoughts.

And as Janet entered the study, shocked by the shattered table, she called out to her lord.

 

“Your Grace?”

 

Despite the furniture being as solid as can be compared to wood, Erich stood silently with a dazed expression.

 

‘What on earth happened?’

 

Usually, Erich swallows his anger and keeps it to himself, rarely expressing it.

 

‘But for him to lose his cool like this, something must have happened.’

 

As Janet pondered this, Erich finally spoke up.

 

“…I need to find out.”

“What? What are you trying to find out…….?”

 

At that moment, Erich’s previously dimmed eyes regained their gleam.

 

“I need to find out what Cornelia is plotting with his hunting dog.”