“Episode 4”
Before trying to gauge his expression, Yuliana desperately tried to control her ragged breath, fanning herself with her hand. She gulped down some cold water, trying to calm her embarrassment.
The servants, standing by to gauge the Duchess’s mood, immediately sprang into action when they saw her plight.
With worried eyes, unsure of how her mood might shift, they quickly began serving fresh food to the couple.
As the cold dishes disappeared and warm, freshly cooked ones were brought out, the hall filled with delicious aromas in no time.
In the midst of this, without even casting a glance at the food, Yuliana took another sip of water, trying to control her shallow breaths.
Then, she cautiously looked at Evan and said, “You waited a long time, didn’t you?”
“Not that long. Just two or three hours…”
‘You waited a long time!’
Yuliana paused. Then, she blinked as she spoke, trying to appear sincere. “Really. I was busy doing something all afternoon…”
“I heard. You cleaned your room, right?”
Evan said calmly as he sliced the meat with a knife.
Following his lead, Yuliana picked up her own knife and began speaking hesitantly. “Yes, I did. I should have done it sooner. It took too long, really.”
Just as Yuliana was about to offer more excuses, Evan brought up the topic first, extending the conversation from their earlier discussion that morning.
“What you said earlier, can I believe it?”
As Yuliana chewed her food slowly, searching for the right words, Evan emphasized, “That your feelings have changed.”
Unable to evade the question, Yuliana hastily swallowed her food and replied, “Ah. If you mean that, then yes, it’s sincere. I no longer have any intention of offending you.”
“Does that mean you’re sincere with me too?”
Evan smirked.
A handsome man’s smile had a remarkable effect. It even made Yuliana, who was hanging on for survival, feel fluttery.
However, Yuliana tried to calm her fluttering heart as she spoke, “Although the context is different, the sincerity in this situation is true. Just like how I cleaned up the gift room to settle my messy past life, it’s a means to prove to heaven and earth that I have no intention of bothering you anymore. Yes, in that sense, it’s sincere!”
Evan, who had been watching Yuliana’s rambling with narrowed eyes while skewering the meat with his knife, quietly spoke up.
“What do you want to say?”
“Um, well….”
Yuliana glanced nervously.
Even as she rambled aimlessly, her thoughts began to scatter, and she started to decorate her head.
Soon enough, some guy would cause a poisoning incident, and I would get caught up in it, leading to a power struggle and even an assassination attempt on a nobleman in the empire. Breaking off relationships with lovers is important, but first, it’s more important to escape and hide in a convent or somewhere.
To do that…
“Will you divorce me?”
Yuliana’s sudden question caught Evan off guard. And she trembled all over. She even felt the meat skewered on the knife trembling.
Evan’s gaze as he stared at her was unsettling.
Truly, it was unsettling.
“What?”
Evan’s mouth fell open, and he uttered just one word. Then, before Yuliana could respond, he stood up.
Thud, thud.
Yuliana realized that Evan’s eyes as he approached her were shining fiercely, or rather, boiling like flames, rather than just glowing.
He was angry.
Very much so.
Trying to salvage the situation, Yuliana spoke again.
“Evan, I know you don’t like me. Be honest.”
“What are you talking about?”
Her husband, Evan, chuckled as if amused, then spoke gently.
“Do you know how much I love you?”
… But why am I breaking out in cold sweat?
Yuliana let the knife drop with a light thud and quickly wiped her mouth with a napkin, her appetite suddenly gone.
“I-I misspoke. I brought up the topic too abruptly. It wasn’t something to discuss today…”
“Then, were you planning to talk about it sometime?”
He moved swiftly from the end of the table to right beside Yuliana’s chair.
His massive yet sturdy body didn’t seem sluggish at all. Despite hiding any visible signs of courtesy or kindness, he looked like a sharp predator. Leaning against the back of the chair with his arms crossed, Evan smirked, mocking himself.
“Remarkable. After your tearful return, there won’t be many who hear such talk from their wife.”
“I-I didn’t mean to upset you.”
Yuliana stared back defiantly, her eyes wide open in defiance. Despite her resolve, her heart couldn’t help but flutter.
‘I wanted a divorce, but not like this. Ugh. Why am I so impulsive, even with my past life in mind?’
Eventually, Yuliana avoided her husband’s gaze, which seemed to be staring at her strangely.
Now, it was do or die.
“Yeah, but it was a problem that needed to be addressed at some point. I’m sorry for blurting it out like that.”
“Yuliana, you’re shameless.”
Evan leaned against the armrest, looking tired for the first time. Yuliana felt unjustly accused when he spoke the truth.
‘Why am I coming out like this…’
Yuliana pursed her lips.
Then, she spoke quickly.
“We’re not a normal couple, and you know it. Besides, even I can’t figure out why you like me. Have I been kind to you during our marriage? Have I respected you? No. Even the reason why I address you politely, Evan…”
“I said I even dislike giving off a friendly vibe.”
“I remember.”
Yuliana deliberately spoke coldly, then bowed her head to suppress the turmoil in her conscience. Her stomach felt queasy from swallowing the chewed-up meat.
‘…Yeah. Maybe this is for the best. If he hears nonsense about divorcing after returning, he might actually agree to it, even if it makes me angry.’
Silence filled the space between them.
Yuliana didn’t dare to look at Evan and instead lifted her glass to moisten her dry mouth.
As the silence dragged on, Yuliana sensed it would be harder to get up the longer it lasted. She gripped the armrest tightly.
The dishes untouched on her plate only reflected the candlelight. As time passed in silence, Yuliana, averting her gaze from the food, pulled her chair back and stood up abruptly.
Thunk.
Evan grabbed her wrist.
Yuliana was startled. His hand felt unusually warm, as if it were burning.
“…Evan?”
“It’s strange. Returning after killing savages, others call me a hero, but my only wife still treats me like a nobody.”
He spoke with a growl, revealing his frustration.
“It’s not like that.”
It really wasn’t.
Yuliana quickly raised her head in confusion.
She tried to break free from his grip, but Evan’s hold was too strong.
Eventually, when Yuliana relaxed her grip, Evan also loosened his hold as if acknowledging her decision. Then, he lowered his hand, slipping it between her slender fingers.
Yuliana couldn’t help but freeze, feeling desperate as if clinging to herself or worshiping, unable to avoid his approaching touch.
At that moment, Evan’s finger covered her hand completely.
It was a ring finger.
