Please Kill My Husband - Chapter 44

Ludmila, who had been poring over the organizational chart until late at night, frowned and let out a sigh.

The concern about the reorganization plan that had continued since the afternoon was squeezing her head.

Beressa had tried to dissuade her, saying there was no need to push herself so hard, but Ludmila herself didn’t know why she was so desperate.

She had said she would prove her worth to Aden in her own way, but there was no need to be so blind.

She had already provided enough means to make money, and now all she had to do was recommend investment opportunities based on that.

Helping with the Black Wall’s work was secondary.

Of course, as Beressa said, this was the way she wanted to prove herself, but there was no need to cling to it so late into the night.

‘This is all because of Kedilen. It’s because of that man.’

Ludmila didn’t look far for the reason behind her actions.

She knew that the most fundamental reason for pursuing such obsessive perfection was due to the coercion of her husband, Kedilen.

He was a man who would resort to violence if work wasn’t handled perfectly.

“Haa-.”

Ludmila, lost in old memories, let out a long sigh and squeezed her eyes shut.

The memories she wanted to forget kept resurfacing. Good memories disappeared, and nightmares took their place.

Let’s forget it all, ignore it. Even as she comforted herself like this, the unchanging past events clung to her like a shadow.

Twenty-five years of struggling to survive.

Even though she had left Kedilen, she still couldn’t escape the memories of her husband that continued to hold her back.

Knock knock-.

The knock came just as the pendulum clock chimed to mark the hour. Ludmila glanced at the clock and stood up.

“Lady Ludmila, it’s Salom.”

Ludmila tilted her head at the familiar voice from outside the room.

What could it be at this hour? Puzzled, she slowly opened the door to see Salom smiling brightly.

“What brings you here?”

“Ah, I apologize for the late hour. It seemed there was something urgent I needed to deliver, so I brought it.”

“Something to deliver?”

In response to her questioning tone, Salom nodded briefly before bending down to pick up a vase he had placed on the floor.

Inside the beautiful silver vase were neatly arranged branches of beautifully blooming white plum blossoms, not common flowers.

It was the same white plum blossom she had seen blooming profusely in the mountains when she first came to Habertz.

“This is…”

“The Duke sent it.”

“…Aden sent this?”

As Ludmila asked in surprise, Salom nodded briefly.

Ludmila, who had received the vase he handed over, calmed her wide eyes at the scent of plum blossoms tickling her nose.

Come to think of it, this was the first time she had smelled white plum blossoms.

When she saw the scenery of them blooming profusely, she thought the scent would be very strong.

But the fragrance right in front of her nose wasn’t that strong. It wafted gently from the small flowers, barely making its presence known.

“Actually, it arrived this afternoon, but you seemed very busy, so I kept putting it off until now. I was worried all the petals might fall by tomorrow, so I brought it before it got any later. I’m sorry if I interrupted your preparations for bed.”

“No, it’s fine. It’s not like that.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Ah, then I’ll take my leave now.”

Salom bowed politely, placing his hand on his chest.

Ludmila, who had been watching him walk away, her eyes turning from the white plum blossoms, let out a soft exclamation as if something had occurred to her.

At the sound, Salom stopped and turned back.

“Is there something else you wanted to say?”

“…It’s nothing much. But, by any chance, did Aden say anything else when he sent this?”

“Hmm-, I didn’t hear anything specific. He just sent the flowers.”

“I see.”

As Ludmila murmured slowly, Salom’s head tilted slightly, and Ludmila shook her head lightly.

“No, I was just surprised because he suddenly sent flowers. It’s not like I asked for them.”

“Usually…”

Salom, who had been staring intently at Ludmila’s perplexed expression, politely brought his hands forward.

“There’s only one reason a man sends flowers to a woman.”

“What?”

“I believe someone like you, Lady Ludmila, would know that reason. I hope that answers your question. Now then, I’ll take my leave. Have a good night.”

After bowing his head once more, Salom withdrew. Ludmila stared blankly at his retreating back, then returned to her room and quietly closed the door.

Approaching her desk to set down the vase, Ludmila recalled Salom’s words from moments ago.

“The reason…”

She wasn’t so naive as to not understand the reason Salom had mentioned.

But would Aden really have bought her flowers for such a reason?

She wasn’t unaware of how others viewed her, but she and Aden weren’t in a position to develop that kind of relationship.

Even if Aden held her in his heart and she reciprocated those feelings, the end would still be separation.

Kedilen wouldn’t let her go, and in their situation, bound by the confines of the law, there was nothing Aden could do.

No matter how secluded Send Plateau might be, it was still a place where people lived.

Merchants came and went, and outsiders visited.

For one year, or maybe two. If they were more cautious, they might be able to control the spread of information for three or four years.

But as time passed and more people learned who Ludmila was and why she had come here, the damage it could cause to Aden and Habertz was obvious without even having to think about it.

There were no eternal secrets or lies in this world. Eventually, everything comes to light.

Before that happened, she needed to leave so she could cleanly conclude their deal without causing harm to those with whom she had no ties.

“…It’s beautiful.”

But even though she knew this was the most ideal course of action, the white plum blossoms before her eyes completely erased the nightmares of her husband that had filled her head.

Even from a distance, it asserted its presence, and up close, its fragrance intensified even more.

“It’s like him.”

She thought it was a flower that suited Aden very well.

Emma woke from her sleep and opened her bleary eyes, scanning the room. As she fumbled on the nightstand looking for her glasses, Emma slowly raised her body when she couldn’t find them.

Emma shivered slightly at the chill that came with the soft sound of the blanket falling.

“You should lie down longer.”

The calm voice came just as her feet left the bed and touched the floor.

Startled by the deep baritone, Emma turned her head to see a young man sitting in front of the fireplace.

The man’s eyes rolled horizontally as he leaned back in the rocking chair, resting his chin on his hand.

Golden eyes, clearly visible even in the darkness.

As that gaze, tinged red as if burning with the flames of the fireplace, fixed on her, Emma swallowed hard.

“It’s still dawn. I know you’re getting older and sleep less, but it would be better to rest a bit more.”

“Who… who are you?”

“Have you already forgotten?”

The somehow familiar voice.

Emma stared intently at the face half-hidden in the shadows cast by the fireplace, belatedly realizing it was the man who had saved her in the afternoon.

“Oh my, I’m sorry. I didn’t recognize my benefactor because I just woke up. As I’m getting older, I can’t distinguish faces well…”

“That can happen. More importantly, how are you feeling? You fainted right away earlier.”

Emma had lost consciousness immediately, probably from the relief of being alive.

Aden asked briefly, thinking it natural that she wouldn’t remember him because of that.

“I’m quite alright, thanks to you saving me.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

“But…”

Emma trailed off, staring intently at the other person.

She couldn’t quite bring herself to ask the question that followed her hesitation: why exactly are you here?

No matter how old she was, Emma was still a woman. From her old-fashioned perspective, it wasn’t very pleasing to have a grown man watching over her while she slept.

Of course, she knew this wasn’t an appropriate attitude towards her benefactor, but she couldn’t help it.

Moreover…

‘I’m sure I’ve seen that face somewhere before.’

That face and those eyes. They were definitely familiar.

His manner of speech and behavior were like those of a nobleman, but strangely rough, and the words he chose were not befitting a noble.

“Even if you’re uncomfortable with me being here, bear with it. They might realize things have gone wrong and send someone else to harm you, so it’s best to be careful.”

“Oh my, there’s no need to go to such lengths for this old woman.”

The thought that he was keeping watch by an old woman’s side all night out of goodwill, when they had no connection or even acquaintance, made her eyes cloud with confusion. Emma rose from her seat and quietly bowed her head to him.

“It’s far too late, but thank you for saving me. I owe you my life. I don’t know what would have happened if I had been taken away. If it’s alright, could you tell me your name, my benefactor?”

“Is there really a need to know?”

“Of course there is. I was taught, and I’ve taught others, that one must always repay kindness. Please, tell me your name.”

Though she knew it was impolite to ask again after being refused once, Emma insisted so strongly because the man’s face was familiar.

He stared at Emma, who wouldn’t back down, for a moment before curling his lips. Emma’s eyes wavered at the hint of derision that flashed across his face.

“Isn’t it tiring for people when you’re so stubborn?”

“…Pardon?”

“Sometimes people need to know how to admit they’re wrong. When your mind becomes rigid and your judgment clouded, accidents happen because you refuse to change your inflexible way of thinking.”

As the man stood up, the medal hanging around his neck fell and glinted in the firelight.

A crest depicting a gray wolf biting a sword.

The moment she saw that crest, Emma’s mouth fell open as she realized who the man before her was.

“Ha, Haber…”

“Trying to drag a child you’ve raised like your own daughter into danger and still hoping to live? Isn’t that too selfish?”

Aden’s eyes twisted menacingly.