It Feels Like I’m About to be Divorced, But my Husband is My Favorite

Episode 20

“Why do you have to talk like that?”

I replied offhandedly, though I felt a slight pang of guilt.

Alexis twisted his mouth bitterly, clearly taken aback.

“Then how am I supposed to speak? Should I just smile and laugh while my family discusses important matters without me?”

He was truly upset.

With his words laced with irritation, I sighed.

“It wasn’t like that. We weren’t intentionally excluding you.”

“Hmph.”

“You know I had some matters with Melissa to handle, plus I needed to reply to her proposal, so I asked not to be disturbed. I thought you’d have heard about it from Father or Brother.”

Even with my straightforward explanation, Alexis pouted, as if still annoyed.

“Still, you could’ve mentioned it at least once when I came to see you.”

“How often did you actually come by? You were always busy with training or something, barely showing up before leaving again.”

“But I made time to come see you, and you didn’t say a word.”

“…”

This was bad. I prided myself on not losing verbal battles, yet the situation was not in my favor.

I felt wronged. I had genuinely thought the Duke or Sionel would have told him.

‘Did they avoid telling Alexis because they feared he’d gossip about it?’

This suspicious thought seemed plausible, and I pondered it deeply.

“What are you thinking? This feels oddly upsetting!”

Hmm, his intuition was sharper than his bulky build suggested.

I scratched my cheek awkwardly and apologized.

“Anyway, sorry. I didn’t purposely exclude you, so let it go.”

Honestly, I wondered if I needed to appease him this much, but I had no choice.

I wanted to keep things smooth and avoid any discomfort before the wedding, plus—

“You’re really going to stay this sulky when you’re about to depart for battle? I said I’m sorry, didn’t I?”

Learning that Alexis was going to war alongside the Crown Prince made it worse.

Sending him off with hurt feelings made me worry, as if I was placing a flag on his fate.

Hearing my apologetic tone, Alexis’s expression softened slightly.

“You’re not mad anymore, right?”

Feigning innocence, I asked, but Alexis quickly controlled his expression and spoke bluntly.

“Just answer one thing. I didn’t want to say this, but why are you so biased?”

“Bias?”

“Yes! You met Melissa not long ago and call her by her name with ease, but why treat me differently?”

I immediately understood what he was getting at.

‘He must be asking why I never let him call me ‘Sister’.’

If he’d asked angrily, I might’ve had a response.

But no, if I wasn’t Evgenia, that would’ve been impossible.

Honestly, I didn’t understand it either.

Why did Evgenia dislike Alexis and her family so much?

I even subtly asked Anne when the Duchess passed, wondering if it might have had something to do with Alexis’s birth, but there was no connection.

‘For all his size, his grumbling doesn’t seem so bad. When he was younger, he must’ve been truly adorable.’

Perhaps that thought led to the memory that suddenly flashed in my mind—of a young, small Alexis running toward me.

“Sis! I got you a gift!”

“Hey, didn’t I tell you not to call me that?”

“Th-then how about Sister?”

Even as I snapped, the boy still smiled, offering the wildflowers he held.

In response, I—no, Evgenia—had thrown the bouquet to the ground and stomped on it.

Was this a memory, or merely an illusion? My forehead creased at the painful image.

The look on the boy’s face, watching his gift trampled, was heartbreaking. I blurted out,

“Then, go ahead and call me Sister. Or ‘Dear Sister,’ if you prefer.”

At that, Alexis’s face contorted, as if a deep wound had been reopened.

“Am I crazy? Call you that?”

“Why are you yelling?”

“Why do you think?”

So much for easing his mind.

I felt embarrassed, thinking I’d only worsened things.

But I couldn’t just leave it at that.

“Come on, I said I’m sorry. Let it go.”

“…”

I expected him to kick me out right then.

Surprisingly, he simply stood there, breathing heavily but not asking me to leave.

As I waited in silence, Alexis finally spoke up.

“Then… when I come back safe, can I go there? Will that settle things?”

“There? Where exactly?”

“Where else? Your place. The Rudion Estate.”

Ah.

The mention made me fall silent, and Alexis’s already sharp eyes narrowed even further.

“What? Even if we’re family, I should at least be able to pay a proper visit, shouldn’t I? It’s not like I’ll get to see the wedding!”

…Family.

That’s exactly why I hesitated. After marrying, I wanted my ties with the Basilian family to fade.

“Are you seriously saying I can’t? Then I’ll stay mad.”

I’d barely just apologized, yet Alexis acted as if he had leverage over me.

‘Unbelievable. Did he think I apologized for my own sake?’

Besides—

“What’s with that ominous talk about ‘coming back safe’?”

“Huh? What did I say?”

“‘When I come back safe’? Why word it that way?”

“You just said it’s a given, right? Then I get an invite to the Rudion Estate, right?”

“Hah… Fine.”

I simply couldn’t bring myself to disappoint him before he went off to battle.

After treating him like a stranger for years, he regretted missing my wedding.

And he had the courage to consider me family.

…Or maybe, I just wanted to give him that answer myself.

As Alexis’s smile widened, my chest tightened with a strange pang.

It bothered me so much I snapped,

“Make sure to bring plenty of gifts. And when you meet the Duke of Rudion, treat him respectfully as your elder brother.”

“Of course! I always know my place!”

I glared at him as he added, “Except when it’s you.”

At least he knew he was pushing his luck, chuckling sheepishly.

Seeing him like this—immature, yet headed for the battlefield—I sighed lightly and added,

“Don’t sulk if I don’t attend the victory ceremony. No complaining about me treating you like a stranger, alright?”

“When did I ever sulk? And why bring that up now? As if you ever went to one before! I’ve never even received so much as a—wait, what?”

Mid-sentence, he froze, staring at the handkerchief I held out.

“Here. Happy now?”

Good thing I brought it. His attitude softened, no longer so high and mighty.

“Is this real? Or a dream?”

“You like it?”

“Who said that? I’m just… surprised. Never thought I’d live to receive something from you.”

If he really didn’t care, he’d control that smirk better.

Watching him fiddle with the plain, lavender handkerchief—devoid of any family crest—made me feel strangely self-conscious.

Suddenly, an important memory surfaced.

“Hey!”

“Whoa! Why the sudden yell?”

“With someone as loose-lipped as you, I need to get your attention somehow!”

I glared at him, eyes sharp enough to slice through.

“If you ever talk about me to the Crown Prince again, I’ll kill you. And don’t even think about mentioning my marriage. Got it?”