Even if Your Regret Holds Me Back (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 2
Helena turned her gaze from the window and took another sip of tea. The warm liquid moistened her mouth, and though she hadn’t spoken in a long while, her voice came out soft.
“The weather is truly clear today.”
“…I see.”
“The tea also smells better than usual.”
“Is that so?”
Eugene replied curtly as he turned to the next page of his newspaper—without even sparing her a glance. The indifferent man let his wife’s words pass through him like a fleeting breeze, no matter what she said.
For the past few years—and even now—he remained oblivious to what feelings she held toward him.
“Did you know? You rarely meet anyone’s eyes.”
“…”
“It’s only natural, I suppose. After all, they just need to nod obediently like puppets whenever you speak.”
“Your prelude is too long, Helena. What exactly do you want to say?”
“But you always looked into my eyes. I truly liked the way I saw myself through your gaze.”
“…How frivolous.”
Eugene cut her off, his firm lips tightening. Helena had no choice but to fall silent. A brief silence passed.
Eugene’s eyes remained fixed on the thin sheet of paper.
Tick. Tock.
Only the ticking of the clock echoed unnaturally loud. Soon, the hands pointed to four o’clock.
This afternoon tea time had been set aside for the couple to share light conversation—but during that time, the only voice rolling across the table had always been hers.
Sometimes, this indifference choked her more than hatred ever could. In moments like this, she even wished he would just hurl insults at her instead.
Swallowing the dull ache near her heart, Helena examined the man before her one last time.
‘Eugene. Eugene Evergale.’
He was the very definition of perfection—even without any embellishment. He resembled a statue crafted by century-defining geniuses, one that naturally inspired admiration.
Though his face bore bold lines, his downcast eyelashes were long. Beneath thick brows, his golden irises gleamed as vividly as if inlaid with actual gold.
His jawline was clean and unwavering, and his sharp nose and raven-black hair only reinforced his formidable presence.
Helena still remembered the feel of his nose brushing against hers the first time he claimed her lips.
She remembered how those bony hands had traced her skin and how she’d gasped his name breathlessly.
These were the moments she had seared into her body, preventing herself from giving up so easily at the start of each past regression.
‘…Now, I must let go.’
But humans cannot live embracing a statue.
Unless some merciful god, pitying the one who loved a statue, breathed life into it—alas, he was already human.
A cold, unyielding, ever-changing human.
Perhaps loving a statue would have been far easier.
‘No matter how long I stay here, you won’t return to me.’
Just as the rustle of another turning page cut through the silence once more,
Helena set down her teacup.
“Therefore.”
This is the last time I reach for you, the first time I truly grasp it.
After endless years, I’ve finally arrived at our ending.
From this very moment,
“Let’s divorce.”
I bid you farewell.
[This is the timeline separator]Eugene wasn’t surprised by Helena’s declaration of divorce. Just as before, he dismissed it with a casual, indifferent “Alright,” as though it were nothing.
But a few seconds later, his brows drew sharply together.
“…What?”
Uncharacteristically, he pressed her for clarification. Though she could feel his sharp gaze demanding more words, Helena ignored it and emptied her teacup.
“The weather is lovely, and the tea is fragrant.”
When she slowly lifted her eyes, she met his gaze immediately—unlike before.
“If I could just divorce you, today would be utterly perfect.”
“You’re—”
“Eugene.”
Helena cut him off—something she’d never done throughout their long marriage. Perhaps because of that, Eugene looked more surprised than displeased.
Calmly, Helena continued.
“Some people find joy in merely seeing a flower on the street or eating a hearty meal. But I can’t. I never could here, and I never will. So, for once, let me have a happy day.”
“Do you even know what you’re saying?”
“I’m asking for a divorce.”
Eugene let out a short, exasperated breath.
“…Get a hold of yourself, Helen. Did you just wake up from a nap?”
His pure golden eyes were tinged with bewilderment.
These were the same eyes she’d desperately tried to catch, circling him endlessly just to be seen once.
It struck Helena as absurd—and herself as endlessly foolish—that only now, in this situation, could she truly meet his gaze.
“You’ll need me to say it again before you understand: I no longer wish to stay by your side.”
Despite her inner turmoil, her tone came out as if she were merely commenting on a tedious play. She hoped he’d take it that way.
“Helena.”
Only then did Eugene finally sit up straight, his posture shifting away from the back of his chair. He even set aside the newspaper he’d been holding. His expression clearly read: Why is this normally obedient woman suddenly acting like this?
“You must be bored without any recent parties. Still, don’t play these kinds of jokes. It’s not amusing.”
He didn’t even realize it had been over three months since he’d last attended even a small tea gathering. If he mistook her words for mere boredom-driven complaints, that would be the better outcome.
“You’ve never spoken like this before. You should rest for a while.”
As expected, Eugene brushed her off and leaned back into his chair again.
“Go to the villa in Shaxalman and clear your head. Go shopping with Madame Grand if you like. You don’t need to make such a scene in front of me. Do I really have to spell it out for you?”
A faint trace of sarcasm curled at the end of his words.
Helena couldn’t decide whether to laugh or cry. He was her husband—and in many ways, an utterly remarkable man.
‘I was the fool for loving someone like you.’
“No. These are words I’ve wanted to say at every single moment.”
And she still felt like a fool—even now. The sheer courage it took to utter just this one sentence proved it.
Helena forced open her constricted throat.
“I’ve already prepared and left the divorce papers. All you need to do is sign. After all, it’s what you’ve always wanted, isn’t it?”
Her voice came out firmer than ever before. She was glad.
When she finally lifted her lowered eyes, Eugene could no longer speak.
‘Because now, you’ll love her instead of me.’
Her teacup was already empty, and there was no reason left to drag out this pointless conversation.
Without hesitation, Helena rose from her seat.
“If you’ve nothing more to say, I’ll take my leave. I need to prepare for my departure.”
Just as she turned to leave, her arm was caught. In a single step, Eugene closed the distance between them.
He yanked her arm, forcing her to face him, and asked,
“You’re leaving? Where to?”
“Anywhere.”
“Anywhere? Where exactly do you think you’re going? This is your home.”
“Don’t delude yourself. This is Eugene Evergale’s home—not mine. Where exactly does Helena Owen belong here?”
At the mention of her maiden name “Owen” instead of “Evergale,” Eugene growled low in his throat, as if scraping his vocal cords.
“Are you in your right mind?”
Helena frowned. She could feel the intense pressure of his grip on her arm.
At least it offered a small comfort—knowing her grimace from the pain would make her look as if she were merely wincing.
“I’ve never been clearer in my mind.”
As she tried to pull her arm free, the long sleeve of her dress slid upward. The wide, flowing sleeve reached all the way to her wrist.
Moreover, it was heavily adorned with ornate ruffles, making it cumbersome. Its considerable weight and length often tripped her, leaving her stumbling.
It was the dress Eugene had gifted her for their last wedding anniversary. Her wardrobe held nothing but such extravagant garments.
“…Your gifts were always like glass slippers.”
Slippers that never fit—forcing her to cram her feet in until she realized her place and backed away.
If she wanted to hear the sound of her own footsteps, she had to endure the pain. And he only listened to the clinking of her shoes, nothing else.
‘I know everything—what fabrics you prefer, which vintage from Bordeaux you favor, which corner of your mouth lifts slightly higher when you smile.’
But none of it mattered anymore.
A tilted balance could never be righted through effort alone. The only way out was to shatter the scale entirely.
She no longer wished for anything from him. He had made sure of that.
Neither as a husband nor even as a mere cohabitant with whom she’d simply shared a long stretch of time.
“Helena. Sit down for now. Don’t do something you’ll regret later.”
This time, Eugene gently pulled her arm. Lost in thought, she’d momentarily stopped pushing him away—and he mistook that pause for consent.
The distance she’d painstakingly created was instantly rendered meaningless.
Whenever he pulled, she followed; whenever he tugged, she yielded. She refused to fall back into his arms like a wounded bird ever again. She had to break free before it became irreversible.
Helena cast aside her lingering hesitation and shook off his hand.
“I’ll leave this dress behind—it’s yours anyway. You’ve reminded me of that. Thank you for telling me.”
With a dry rustle, his hand fell away.
In that instant, something twisted strangely inside her. A sharp pang shot through her chest.
Was it unease—or relief?
Helena slowly stepped backward toward the exit. Eugene stood frozen, staring at her. His eyes gleamed like a bird of prey’s just before it strikes its quarry.
“…”
Their eyes met as his lips twitched slightly. But he didn’t call her name.
Leaving him behind, Helena turned and walked straight out through the indoor garden.
Male lead is reincarnated to save his wife
I’ve also read this one twice already. The female lead is kinda soft and gets embarrassed easily—not really my type, but the plot is definitely worth reading. Hurry up and read it, y’all!
Intro
When Shen Yuan encountered Su Jin again in his previous life, she had already become the Prime Minister of the current dynasty. As for him, the former top young master of the capital, he had long since fallen into the abyss, becoming a singer on a pleasure boat.
After a song ended, he was redeemed and sent to the Su Residence.
Su Jin respected and cherished him, gave him a roof over his head, and bestowed him with warmth. Shen Yuan fell deeper and deeper, but before he could express his feelings, Su Jin passed away.
Shen Yuan died to follow her in death, but instead, he returned to when he was fifteen years old.
At that time, he was not yet engaged, and Su Jin was just a poor scholar.
Shen Yuan gritted his teeth, casting aside all his pride, and thought of ways to coax and entice her every day.
The colder and more indifferent Su Jin was towards him, the more proactive Shen Yuan became.
He was not afraid of being mocked by the world, only wanting to marry his Wife-master early, to hold her hand and never let go for a lifetime.
[Note: This story will not specifically point out the male lead’s reincarnation time point; it’s all in the details. Whenever you feel that the male lead is acting strangely, he has most likely been reincarnated.]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
Who cares? 😒 That mf deserves a lot of pain 😒😒😡😡
EXACTLY! She’s with someone else …now you aint shit
Me too 😒 she should have kicked his balls and cut them 🤔