As If I've Never Loved (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 3
The moment the lady finished her prayer, Mr. Bailey served a generous slice of meat pie to each of his three beloved women.
“Thank you, Papa.”
Eloise offered a brief greeting, then picked up the steaming-hot pie with her fingertips and took a large bite.
A rich, sweet savor spread through her mouth, drawing an involuntary, delighted smile to her lips.
“Mmm! It’s delicious.”
“There’s plenty, so eat slowly. Would you like another slice?”
“You should use your fork and knife, Eloise.”
The contrasting responses from her parents made Eloise smile once again.
Beside her, Sarah continued her quiet meal with a serene smile, her demeanor so refined it could serve as a model for young ladies.
It was the Bailey family’s usual peaceful lunch, no different from any other day.
Having quickly finished her slice, Eloise watched her father reach for her empty plate as if he’d been waiting for just that moment, and then she spoke up.
“Oh, I heard the Earl Huntington’s grandson has returned.”
“Who told you that?”
Mrs. Bailey asked indifferently, holding her water glass with graceful fingers, her tone suggesting she was inquiring about a complete stranger.
Eloise lowered her gaze back to the pie before her and replied with feigned calmness.
“Archie. I happened to run into him yesterday.”
Perhaps due to the sweet birdsong drifting in through the window, the mother-daughter exchange sounded unusually monotonous.
“He said he’d bring back some surprising news.”
“Oh? Did he get selected as another scholarship student again? Hardly something surprising, really.”
With that, Mrs. Bailey took a spoonful of soup as if it hardly mattered.
“…Could it be that he’s going abroad again? After all, he’s exceptionally talented.”
When Sarah, who had remained silent until then, added her remark, Mr. Bailey—still chewing his pie—blurted out something odd.
“Don’t tell me there’s going to be a war?”
“What?”
Eloise furrowed her fine, wheat-colored eyebrows as if she’d just heard the most absurd thing imaginable.
“What on earth do you mean, war?”
“He’s a cadet at the military academy, isn’t he? He’d be well-informed about such matters—Sir Ansel, that is.”
“Oh, darling! Please swallow what’s in your mouth before speaking.”
Mr. Bailey dramatically caught his wife’s annoyed hand and planted several affectionate kisses onto her pale knuckles.
Seemingly satisfied that he’d extinguished the immediate fire, he raised his head again.
“I heard the situation near Fort Vert has grown quite tense lately. If war breaks out there, as our ally, we’ll inevitably be affected too.”
“Must you bring up such unpleasant topics during meals?”
Mrs. Bailey carefully wiped her hand—retrieved from her husband—with a napkin, then launched into a sharp scolding.
“Stop associating with those strange people! They’re the same ones trying to lure you into investing in arms factories, aren’t they? It’s painfully obvious. You never listen to your wife but get carried away by senseless rumors instead.”
“Darling, you know I only want to make you happy again…”
“Staying home would make me far happier! Just how much more do you intend to lose before you’re satisfied? I can’t bear this constant anxiety anymore…!”
“Would you like more juice, ma’am?”
Just then, Mrs. Hurst emerged from the kitchen, holding out a glass bottle that smelled tart, her face warm with a gentle smile.
Realizing she’d raised her voice during the meal, Mrs. Bailey quietly extended her glass and cleared her throat.
“…Ahem, thank you.”
A brief silence settled over the table. As always, it fell to Mr. Bailey and his younger daughter to lighten the awkward atmosphere.
“Oh! By the way, the weather’s lovely—how about we all go out for some fresh air?”
“That sounds wonderful, Papa. But where to?”
“We don’t have much time, so somewhere not too far… What about Longfield? It’s been ages since we’ve stayed at Fairmont House…”
“What? Have you no sense of shame at all?”
“Uh…”
Apparently, he’d unintentionally ruffled his wife’s temper yet again. Every time he opened his mouth, it seemed, he brought up the very topic guaranteed to provoke her.
Flustered, Mr. Bailey spoke in a coaxing tone, as if soothing an angry cat.
“Why are you so upset, darling? I do have some connection with old Lord Longfield, after all. Here, have a bit more juice.”
“What connection? Don’t tell me you’re referring to that incident when our children, still young and naive, played with his grandson and ended up disgraced?”
“Disgraced? Darling, the Earl Huntington is a kind old gentleman. He welcomed our girls warmly on several occasions without the slightest sign of displeasure. If I may say so, I believe he misses the lively bustle of capital life. So if we pay him a visit…”
“Oh, please stop making unfounded assumptions! Even if we possess little, must you abandon all dignity as well?”
“But darling, I’m hardly a noble—I’ve never claimed to be ‘dignified’ or anything…”
“Your daughters are nearly of marriageable age! Sarah’s practically at the threshold! Honestly, don’t you worry at all about bringing ridicule upon us from the families we might ally with?”
Around that moment, Eloise gently set down her cutlery, which she’d been using briskly. Sarah, too, was just dabbing the corner of her mouth.
Naturally, their eyes met.
“Sister, shall we go for a walk?”
“Mm. Let’s go.”
The Bailey sisters rose quietly, not wanting to disturb their parents’ private time.
[This is the timeline separator]Walking aimlessly through the young green fields, breathing in the clear rose scent carried by the breeze, they realized they’d wandered quite far from home.
Sarah and Eloise were lost in their own thoughts.
Unusually for sisters, neither had spoken a word during their entire walk—and Sarah, the elder, was the first to notice this curious fact.
“The breeze smells especially sweet today, doesn’t it?”
Though it was just an ordinary remark, Eloise hesitated before answering.
Instead of a reply, she asked a question.
“Hey, sister—do you believe it?”
“Believe what, Eloise?”
“That we’re no longer girls.”
At that moment, a chilly gust of wind blew past.
Sarah quietly drew a breath, waiting for the wind to still, then gently took her sister’s hand and asked,
“Really? To me, you still seem like a girl. What made you think of that all of a sudden?”
“Well… because we’re talking about marriage so casually now.”
“Elsie, are you afraid of marriage?”
“…Sometimes you sound more like Mother than my sister.”
Sarah gave a soft smile at that, took another deep breath, and replied in a quiet voice.
“Elsie, marriage is the most important matter of all—especially for our family… But if you ever feel burdened by the idea that you must marry against your will for the sake of our family, please don’t. I’ll handle everything myself. Understand?”
“…”
Eloise didn’t have the courage to look at Sarah’s face as she spoke those words.
She couldn’t begin to fathom the heart of someone who, though only two years her senior, could say such things—her chest tightened painfully.
“Sister, I didn’t mean to bring up something so serious… I was just thinking about our childhood, which we can never return to. Back then, whether boy or girl, those things hardly mattered at all…”
“Don’t you still get along well with Archibald?”
“Not really. Everything’s changed since we were children. The only reason Archie and I could remain friends is because he isn’t a noble.”
…And because I’ve never had any feelings for him.
While lost in such thoughts, Sarah stopped before an unnamed wildflower blooming at her feet.
Eloise, who had unconsciously let go of her sister’s hand, could only stare blankly at Sarah’s slender back as she gently sank onto the ground.
“So you feel regret?”
“Every single day feels dull now. Playing piano, embroidery, journaling, church—it’s all just repetition. Running through the woods or swimming in the lake is beyond imagination now. The only time I feel I haven’t changed since childhood is when feeding the ducks.”
“…”
“I miss our childhood, Sally.”
“Yes, you must miss it terribly—enough that it still visits your dreams.”
Her voice sounded strangely distant as she said this. Eloise could no longer hold back.
“Don’t you miss it too? He was special to you as well. You and he…”
“Eloise.”
At that very instant, Sarah rose to her feet.
Her hands, which had seemed to caress the flower for so long, were empty—untouched by even a trace of green stain.
“I don’t miss the past. What I cherish more is the present—our quiet, happy days here with Father, Mother, and you. Do you understand?”
“…”
Her voice was as faint as the hue of the wildflower beneath their feet. Had she been foolishly childish? Unable even to grasp the weight her sister carried.
“Sister, I’m sorry for…”
Just then, the light above them dimmed suddenly. Eloise looked up softly to see clouds silently gathering overhead, casting shadows across her face.
The moment she noticed the dampness in the wind, Sarah took her sister’s cold hand.
“Let’s head back, Elsie. It looks like rain.”
Her voice was as kind as ever.
“Okay, sister.”
Soon, their feet stepped forward side by side.
Though the sky was darkening rapidly, the sisters walked on, continuing their unfinished conversation.
A little wetness on their clothes was nothing to worry about.
After all, they’d soon arrive at their warm home, where their loved ones awaited.
On their way back, Eloise thought to herself:
Sister is right. It’s not the past, but the present, that we must treasure.
Sadly, the time they could remain wholeheartedly as the two daughters of the Bailey family was truly running out.
They had already grown up—so much so that it wouldn’t surprise anyone if Sarah became someone’s bride tomorrow.
Male lead says he’s pregnant — and it’s female lead’s child
Something seems a bit off about this world.
Wang Zhao thought as she watched a pregnant man walking towards her…
Intro
Female lead finds herself in a world where the men who possess the ability to bear children.
As she navigates this unfamiliar reality, she is caught off guard by the sudden appearance of her boyfriend, who reveals that he is pregnant.
Is this truly her boyfriend?
Why can’t she recall any details about their time together?
She begins to doubt whether the child her boyfriend is carrying is even hers.
Is there a hidden reason behind her amnesia, or could it be a side effect of her sudden arrival in this strange new world?
Just when it seems the protagonist’s life couldn’t become any more entangled, her ex-boyfriend makes an unexpected appearance, raising questions about the protagonist’s past.
__________
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MANGA DISCUSSION
1 Comment
Chapter Comments (1)
Where is the 100 and 101 chapters 💔💔💔😭😭😭 why it is not here
Inline Comments (53)
Archibald’s face, when she looked down at him, was faintly flushed for some reas
He likes her! I had my dubts, but not now.
Let’s see how the story develops.“And I’d prefer it if we didn’t see each other after the wedding.”
What a fucking asshole Ansel is!! 😬🤣 How could Eloise have feelings for him?
Since childhood, Bianca had never hesitated to openly declare what she wanted.
That’s ok… But she’s soooo annoying and desperate 😒🤨
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Blairwoods
Remains me to novel little women. Eloise who is a free person and a sister who only purpose was marriage