If I was Going to Regret It Anyway

The next day, Daryl woke up with a faint headache. It had been a long time since he had woken up after daylight.

 

He felt a little nauseous. He had drunk more than he thought yesterday. He had originally intended to have just one or two drinks as a substitute for sleeping pills, but he couldn’t fall asleep despite being tired, so he ended up emptying almost half a bottle.

 

“Did you cough?”

 

As he was getting dressed, the butler, Herbert, came in and greeted him.

 

“Miss Townsend is waiting for you.”

 

Again? Daryl clicked his tongue without realizing it. Why does this woman always bother me at night or in the morning?

 

“Since when?”

 

“About thirty minutes. She said she wanted to have breakfast with you.”

 

“Didn’t I tell her that I don’t usually eat breakfast?”

 

“You did, but she said she would wait anyway…”

 

Daryl fiddled with the cufflinks in his hand in annoyance. Eventually, he put them down and picked up something else.

 

When he went outside, Eleanor was sitting at the table. Unlike last night, her hair and clothes were neatly dressed without any gaps.

 

“Daryl.”

 

Eleanor smiled brightly at Daryl. On the contrary, Daryl’s expression was full of annoyance.

 

“What is it this early in the morning?”

 

“I’ve been waiting to have breakfast with you. Didn’t Herbert tell you?”

 

“I don’t usually eat breakfast. Didn’t Herbert tell you?”

 

“I heard. You always just have coffee when you wake up. That’s not good for your stomach.”

 

“I’ve been doing that for almost ten years and there’s been no problem.”

 

“But there’s no guarantee that it will be okay in the future. We’re getting older day by day, so we need to start taking care of ourselves now.”

 

Daryl looked at Eleanor with a frown.

 

“What are you doing now?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Do you really not know?”

 

When Daryl asked with a stern face, Eleanor spoke in a slightly lower voice.

 

“You know. It’s practice.”

 

“I clearly said there’s no need to do that even in this house.”

 

“It’s harder to change attitudes depending on the situation. It’s much easier to unify from the beginning.”

 

“So, are you going to keep pretending to be a wife like this?”

 

Despite Daryl’s sarcasm, Eleanor didn’t flinch. She continued to smile without a shadow.

 

“Pretending? What do you mean? I’m really going to be a wife soon.”

 

“I don’t know what absurd expectations you have, but don’t think I’m going to fulfill them. Our married life will be strictly according to the original contract,”

 

“I don’t expect anything.”

 

Eleanor whispered in a small voice.

 

“…”

 

“I don’t expect anything at all. So don’t worry. As per the contract, I will definitely divorce you in a year.”

 

Looking at Eleanor, who was looking up at him indifferently, reminded him of the first time he saw her. Those eyes, which contained nothing, were unreadable, and were simply immersed in themselves.

 

“We’ll have occasions to eat together outside in the future. I just don’t want to look awkward then.”

 

“…”

 

Daryl quietly closed his mouth. She was a woman who was impossible to understand, whether she had ulterior motives or not.

 

At least it was clear that he should never let his guard down. In a deal or a card game, there’s no enemy as tricky as an opponent whose intentions you couldn’t read.

 

“Come. I’ve asked them to prepare it in advance, so they’ll bring it right up as soon as you say so.”

 

Eleanor led the way with a small smile. Not long after, she turned back and asked, “Aren’t you coming?” Only then did Daryl take a reluctant step.

 

****

 

Layla Lloyd’s mornings were always tough. It was due to the low blood pressure she inherited from her mother. It took quite a while to get up even after waking up. Today, too, she was able to get out of bed only after sitting lazily by the bedside for a while.

 

“Did my brother leave early again today?”

 

Layla asked the maid who was brushing her hair.

 

“No, he’s still at home today.”

 

Daryl had been very busy lately. She couldn’t even remember exactly when she last saw his face. It had been almost two weeks of leaving before sunrise and returning late at night.

 

Ever since Daryl declared his marriage to that woman, Layla had been in a cold war with him. To be precise, it was a one-sided war on her part. Perhaps Daryl didn’t even know he was being boycotted.

 

Layla looked at herself in the mirror and pouted in dissatisfaction.

 

“Where is he now? In his room? Or in his office?”

 

“He’s having breakfast in the dining room.”

 

“What? That’s strange. My brother doesn’t eat breakfast.”

 

At that, the maid hesitated and couldn’t answer right away. She exchanged a strange look with another maid who was making the bed. Something seemed suspicious.

 

“…Why?”

 

Layla asked, furrowing her brows.

 

****

 

Layla was walking briskly with a stern expression on her face. She even slightly lifted the hem of her dress, which was dragging, which she would never have imagined doing normally.

 

As she walked briskly through the first floor hall and into the dining room, she saw a man and a woman sitting unnecessarily close together at the large dining table. Seeing them, it felt like blood was rushing to her head, which was still a bit foggy from low blood pressure.

 

“Layla?”

 

Daryl narrowed his eyes slightly when he saw Layla. The woman sitting across from him stood up in surprise.

 

“Miss Layla? I’m sorry I was late in greeting you, I am…”

 

“I have something to say, brother.”

 

Layla spoke without even glancing at the woman. Daryl furrowed his brows slightly. It was a habit he often showed when he faced an annoying situation as an older brother.

 

“Go ahead.”

 

“Not here.”

 

“Then wait. As you can see, I’m having breakfast.”

 

“Since when did my brother start having breakfast?”

 

Clatter. The sound of Daryl putting his fork on the plate rang sharply.

 

“I told you to wait. Or say it right here, right now. Choose one.”

 

It was a voice full of irritation. If it had been any other time, she would have given up her stubbornness around this point. But she didn’t feel like doing that now.

 

Layla loosened her lips that she had been biting lightly, and swallowed her breath to say the next word. Then the woman intervened.

 

“I’ll leave first. You two talk.”

 

The woman got up from her seat and left the dining room. Layla consciously ignored her. The sound of her footsteps faded away, and soon it was no longer heard.

 

Daryl still looked very uncomfortable.

 

“So?”

 

“Aren’t you going to ask me to sit?”

 

“Do you really want to ask for my permission for your actions now?”

 

“…”

 

The butler, who had been standing by Daryl’s side, hurriedly came back and pulled out a chair for her. But Layla stubbornly stood her ground without flinching.

 

After a while, Daryl sighed softly.

 

“…Sit down.”

 

Only then did Layla take her seat.

 

Daryl was a person who was so cold-hearted that he was known as a cold-blooded human in the world. However, he showed a somewhat softer attitude in front of his youngest sister, who was ten years old. Layla was a beloved figure in the Duke’s house to that extent. Her mother, father, and even her second brother, who was now a prodigal, all cherished Layla.

 

In fact, she could have been spoiled if she wanted to, given the environment. However, Layla always maintained her dignity as the noble lady of the Griffith Duke’s house. It was because she wanted to follow her mother, Edith, who was an excellent lady and a perfect Duchess.

 

As much as she loved and respected her mother, she resented her father, Frederick. Because of her father, her mother suffered until the day she died. She hated her father so much for not stopping his favoritism towards the Townsend family even after sending her mother died, that one day she confronted him and ended up crying.

 

So, while holding her father’s funeral not long ago, she felt relieved in a way. She thought there would be no more mention of Sylvia and Eleanor, the mother and daughter. But the nightmare was not over.

 

[I’ve decided to marry Eleanor Townsend.]

 

No matter how much she protested and demonstrated, Daryl didn’t blink an eye. He even brought that woman to Chatsworth House before the wedding ceremony.

 

It’s been a week since that woman entered this mansion, but Layla hadn’t even made eye contact with her until just now. Layla was determined not to acknowledge her existence. Every time she thought about that woman walking, eating, and sleeping under the same roof as her, she got goosebumps. It was so bad that she couldn’t sleep at night.

 

And yet, Daryl was having breakfast with that woman, blatantly, just the two of them. And that too, a person who never had breakfast in his life. He never even ate with his only younger sister. Layla couldn’t suppress the anger that was rising up.