I Can See Your Hidden Emotions!

As Siegfried held the door open and stepped aside, a gap formed just wide enough for Ella to slip through.

She hesitated briefly before stepping inside, hearing her husband shut the door behind her.

Click.

Even that small sound made Ella flinch as if she had heard a thunderclap.

Siegfried, who was watching her closely, stepped back to give her some space.

“Please, have a seat.”

“Yes.”

Following his lead, Ella settled onto the sofa.

The dark green sofa was soft, but everything in her husband’s office felt unfamiliar and uncomfortable, making it hard for her to relax.

As she sat there, nervously glancing around, Siegfried asked, “Would you like some tea?”

“Oh, no! That’s okay! I won’t be here long!”

Ella waved her hands to decline.

Her voice wavered in the middle of her short sentences, revealing just how tense she was.

Feeling embarrassed, she glanced at Siegfried, who still wore the same impassive expression from earlier.

At least he wasn’t mocking her, but his lack of reaction made her equally uneasy.

‘He probably doesn’t care about me at all.’

Feeling a bit down, Ella fidgeted with her fingers.

Siegfried could have easily been frustrated by the silence, but instead, he quietly observed her, giving her time to gather her thoughts.

As neither of them spoke, a heavy silence filled the room.

Ella felt the uncomfortable weight of it, but at the same time, she appreciated that he wasn’t rushing her, allowing her the space to think.

“Cough!”

Clearing her throat, Ella finally lifted her head.

 

As she did, her gaze met Siegfried’s, who had been watching her intently.

 

He had strikingly handsome features that were perfectly complemented by his beautiful eyes.

‘I wish I could see myself reflected properly in them.’

But those calm, cold eyes held mysteries she couldn’t understand.

Feeling flustered, Ella spoke up, “Um, I have something for you.”

With Siegfried not asking about it, Ella felt completely drained of hope.

She handed him the document she had brought along, which he had shown no curiosity about.

Siegfried’s gaze shifted from her to the document.

As he slowly took the papers, Ella watched his expression closely.

‘He’ll probably just nod quietly and sign it like always.’

She had no real expectations for his reaction.

But then…

Flap.

Siegfried’s face changed as he read the document.

His brows furrowed deeply, his jaw tightened, and veins stood out on his temples.

‘Huh? What’s happening?’

It was obvious to anyone that he was angry, and Ella felt bewildered by this unexpected reaction.

And that wasn’t all.

“…What is this?”

His cold voice sliced through the air, sharp as a blade, aimed directly at Ella.

It didn’t seem like he was genuinely asking, but she stammered a response.

“It’s just as you see…

At her words, tension rippled through Siegfried’s body. His muscular arms tightened beneath his shirt, and his clenched fists, veins bulging, looked ready to tear the divorce papers apart.

“Gulp!”

As Ella swallowed hard, Siegfried took a couple of breaths to calm himself before he spoke again.

“…I think you’ve brought the wrong document.”

“What? Um, no, isn’t that the divorce papers?”

“…”

Siegfried pressed his lips tightly together. He looked like he had a lot to say but was barely holding back.

Ella felt puzzled by his unexpected reaction.

‘Why is he acting like this?’

She thought he would be thrilled to receive the divorce papers.

Of course, as the hero who had defeated the evil dragon and brought peace to the kingdom, Siegfried would likely try to dissuade her from wanting a divorce, thinking of himself as a decent man.

‘But if I passionately express my desire for a divorce, I figured he’d agree without much argument.’

After all, he never really seemed to care about her.

She believed he would regret not finding a better wife if given the chance.

That’s why Ella was offering him this opportunity.

The divorce papers would benefit them both.

Ella could finally escape this unbearable situation, and Siegfried could find someone better suited for him.

So, she thought he’d respond positively to them, but…

‘This is not the reaction I expected at all.’

But right now, Siegfried was acting strangely.

His normally impassive face twisted in a way she hadn’t anticipated.

His pained expression made her heart race just by looking at him.

“Why is this happening…”

He couldn’t even finish his sentence.

“Siegfried?”

At her soft call, Siegfried immediately turned to look at Ella.

His once-menacing eyes now appeared sorrowful instead.

‘Huh? Why does he look sad? What’s wrong with me for thinking that?’

Before Ella could process her surprise, Siegfried put on his usual cold mask again.

Then he said firmly, “Absolutely not.”

For a moment, she was shocked by his unexpected refusal.

“…Why not?”

After some thought, she had gathered the courage to make her suggestion, only to have it shot down, igniting her anger.

Ella, who usually couldn’t speak her mind in front of her husband, forgot her earlier fear and protested heatedly.

“Divorce me!”

“…”

Biting her lip, she glared fiercely, expressing just how furious she was.

Siegfried seemed taken aback by her strong emotions.

Because of this, he hesitated to respond immediately to her fiery outburst.

“You were going to divorce me eventually anyway! Just do it a little faster!”

But she couldn’t hold back that last comment.

“What did you just say?”

“…Huh?”

“So I’m going to get a divorce eventually. Were you thinking that way?”

Ella felt strangely like she was being interrogated, her position flipped, but she shrank back under her husband’s sharp gaze and stammered out an excuse.

“Uh, it’s not just me; everyone thinks that way.”

Siegfried raised an eyebrow.

Feeling anxious and needing to come up with some justification, Ella quickly added, “Well, I got married because of my grandfather. He helped the Bezer family financially. But now you don’t need their help anymore; we’re just a burden. Since my grandfather has passed away, there’s no need to uphold any loyalty. So….”

“So.”

Siegfried interrupted Ella’s rambling.

He let out a sigh and spoke in a subdued voice. “Do you think I married you for money?”

“Isn’t that the case?”

Ella asked, genuinely curious.

“No.”

Siegfried replied firmly, gritting his teeth in frustration. The tension in his jaw was palpable.

Even someone completely oblivious would have sensed that something was off by now.

“But…”

Ella, confused, bit her lip as she trailed off.

Everyone knew that Siegfried’s bright future was being weighed down by the debts tied to their marriage.

It was an undignified situation, so no one would say it outright, but the whispers behind their backs couldn’t be stopped.

Why deny something so obvious that even a child could understand it?