A space several times larger than my body. Chloe was sitting there all alone.
In her childhood, the carriage, which she used to ride often, now felt unbelievably strange and unfamiliar.
However, the scenery beyond the window was all too familiar. Despite not having seen it for a very long time.
The faint sound of a horse’s neigh stimulated her hearing. The sandstorm that arose from friction with the wheels filled beyond the glass.
It was a sign that the carriage’s speed had slowed down.
“We have arrived, My Lady.”
As Chloe expected, the carriage stopped soon after.
A fresh breeze greeted Chloe as she stepped onto her homeland. Warm and refreshing, the capital’s wind tickled her heart.
“Chloe!”
A familiar voice rang from a distance. Chloe, who was enraptured by nature, quickly looked around.
Her family was waiting for her at the main gate.
“Father!”
At the end of her gaze stood Chloe’s one and only father and the commander of the kingdom, Balront. Behind him were Chloe’s brothers who were left in the royal family.
Excited, she started to run, forgetting even the manners she had held like a soul.
The closer she got to them, the more the things that had tormented her disappeared one by one.
A royal dinner to welcome Chloe, who had visited after a long time, had begun.
They treated Chloe with hospitality, something they hadn’t done even when foreign delegations came.
Chloe began to eat with a happy heart. A meal that had been nothing more than a necessity for survival, or to set the atmosphere, had profound meaning today.
The Balront family was lively today. The longerthanusual mealtime did not stop the laughter and conversation.
“Come often, Chloe. Your siblings miss you so much.”
“Is it just the siblings, Mother? I always miss Chloe too.”
A subtle thorn was embedded in the words towards Chloe. But it was a thorn made with affection, so it did not sting at all.
“I will do so.”
“Just words, huh? I wrote to you, and you said you would come soon, and a year has already passed.”
“Really. I’ll come often, Sister. Promise.”
Since becoming a duchess, Chloe had never visited as a royal princess.
Simple errands or social gatherings were all. Even then, she always went with Callis, so she did not spend time with her family.
She always felt sad to see her family seeing her off with longing faces, but she had no idea they missed her so much.
“The fish tastes good, Chloe. Eat my share.”
“Ah. Then I’ll give my dessert to Sister later!”
The king’s hand reached over to Chloe, who was blankly staring at her family. A neatly sliced grilled fish was placed on her plate.
The grilled salmon, marinated in salt and moistly cooked, was Chloe’s favorite food.
The garnished asparagus and cherry tomatoes, too. Mashed potatoes mixed with plenty of butter.
The pretty glass filled with fresh grapefruit juice, too. The dessert, brownies and vanilla ice cream.
They were all Chloe’s favorite foods.
“……Yes. I’ll eat them all deliciously.”
In the ducal house, she had never found, never felt the warm warmth.
The peace she had found after a long time was very pleasant. A memory so precious that she did not want to lose it forever.
After the meal, Chloe was guided to the guest room.
“We decorated it as quickly as we could……. It doesn’t quite look like your room, does it?”
The beautifully decorated room looked exactly like Chloe’s old room.
When she married the duke, Chloe had asked her room to be torn down. She wanted to completely close off the place to return.
Simple and foolish. Because of a moment’s choice, Chloe could never feel the nostalgia of the past for the rest of her life.
“What are you talking about? It looks exactly like my room. I like it.”
Chloe deliberately smiled brightly, pretending to be happy. Seeing that her effort had paid off, her mother’s worried face relaxed a little.
Today, Violet dressed and undressed Chloe herself. Seeing the grownup woman’s body, Violet seemed to be involuntarily bitter.
“Sleep well, my daughter.”
The last time she kissed her daughter on the forehead, she moved her steps. Reluctantly, slowly, she didn’t want to leave.
Laboriously reaching the door, Violet suddenly turned around. Shortly after, she ran in a trot and hugged Chloe tightly.
“Mother?”
“If anything happens, make sure to tell me.”
“…….”
“We’re family. We will fully support you. We know well that you’re having a hard time. So, if anything happens, don’t bear it alone; let’s share it together.”
The arm holding Chloe was trembling slightly. The always strong voice was also trembling finely for now.
“……Yes.”
A comfort she wanted so badly.
Having received it, she could take nothing more. Rather, Chloe, who felt dazed, just nodded silently.
Only after Violet left did Chloe move her tired body and lie down on the bed.
Looking at the white ceiling, Chloe began to review the day.
How long had it been since such a peaceful day? How long since such a joyful, happy time?
‘I should have come sooner.’
Turns Out He’s Been Secretly in Love with Me
One-line summary: He acts like he doesn’t like her but is actually playing hard to get.
Synopsis:
Xu Muzhou like her. He has liked her for a very long time, and through repeated schemes, he finally closed the distance with her.
But this is still far from enough.
He wants to be the one who stands out among her many suitors, to fight for her attention, and to make her take the initiative to pursue him.
_____
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