Louisa, with a heavy expression, straightened her back rigidly. She then lifted her feet, which seemed glued to the ground, and walked forward.
Upon their arrival at the mansion, they were greeted by Mrs. Johnson, a servant. Mrs. Johnson took the luggage and asked,
“Did you have a good trip, madam?”
“Thanks to you, it was a rewarding journey. The scenery was worth the long travel.”
“I’ve heard it’s a really nice place. Seems you enjoyed it too, madam.”
Mrs. Johnson added with a smile. Rachel chimed in eagerly,
“You’d be amazed if you went there, Mrs. Johnson. I’ve never seen so many autumn leaves!”
“The sky is so clear too. It’s a precious sight here.”
“Exactly. The sky was so incredibly blue.”
Mrs. Johnson also joined in with a subtle tone,
“Listening to all this makes me want to visit there myself.”
Then she casually looked at her husband, Paul Johnson. As the women’s gaze followed her to him, Paul Johnson laughed heartily and said,
“Seems we’ll have to make a trip there on our next vacation.”
They all exchanged small laughs, seemingly without a care.
They were all good people, only marred by the fact that they were all servants employed at the Allen mansion.
Louisa, while joining the laughter, struggled to hide the bitterness that threatened to surface in her smile.
There was just too much to let go of when trying to sort things out.
Name, habits, memories… She feared being left empty, the list was endless.
In part, she also felt regret.
Wondering if she had loved him too ardently, too deeply, only to end up consuming herself with that love.
If only she had given him less of her heart, maybe it would have been okay that he didn’t love her back.
‘Would we have been happy then?’
Louisa thought for a moment and then brushed those questions from her mind.
It was impossible, and that’s why she had become who she was now.
She had loved him too much, even to the point of exhaustion and fading light.
The cycle of hope and despair only ate away at both of them.
Louisa took a deep breath and opened her chest.
As evening twilight settled over the Allen mansion, a black car drove through the main gate.
As usual, it was Paul Johnson who first noticed the sound.
“It seems the master has arrived.”
“Coming home early these days. Oh, madam. Are you done with your meal?”
“Sorry. I had hoped to make it special since it’s the day of your return.”
Louisa glanced at Paul Johnson, who was going to meet Edward, and replied.
“Don’t say that. I was a bit worried that the menu might have been too burdensome for you after your tiring day. Next time, let’s prepare something lighter.”
“Thank you for your thoughtfulness.”
As Mrs. Johnson approached to clear the tableware, Louisa stood up.
At that moment, the sound of the front door opening was heard. It was Edward.
Entering, he and Louisa, who was just finishing her meal, met in the hallway.
Edward looked as neat as ever.
At his appearance, a surge of sorrow overwhelmed Louisa. It felt like her absence hadn’t even caused him a slight tremor, as if it was just that insignificant.
‘I still have feelings left, it seems.’
Finding herself ridiculous, Louisa chuckled lightly and greeted him.
“Are you back? You must have had a hard day.”
“Ah, yeah.”
Edward, seeming to find his collar tight, pulled at his shirt’s collar and asked.
“How was your trip?”
“It was beautiful. Reminded me of old times and was quite pleasant.”
“That’s good to hear.”
He responded somewhat perfunctorily, his gaze fixed on a corner, frowning as if thinking about something left undone at his laboratory.
A pitiable man.
There was no need to discuss unresolved issues right away. Louisa decided to postpone their conversation.
“Alright. Have a good meal and rest.”
“You?”
“I was just finishing up.”
“Ah, okay.”
“I’ll go up first.”
Louisa left a light farewell and turned towards the stairs. But Edward’s voice stopped her again.
“How are you feeling…?”
It was an unexpected question. Louisa turned back and asked.
“My feelings?”
“Yeah. How are you?”
Louisa paused for a moment. Her husband seemed unusual. She let out a light sigh and said.
“Ed. You don’t have to do that.”
“Do what?”
“Don’t worry about my feelings. It’s okay.”
“It’s not that.”
“Ed.”
Louisa called his name as if there was nothing she could do. Edward avoided her direct gaze.
“……It really isn’t.”
However, his words lacked conviction. Louisa’s narrowed eyes didn’t relax, and seeing that, Edward’s expression hardened too.
Louisa spoke slowly, using a tone one might use with young children.
“So, what I mean is, it’s okay to just rest if you’re busy or tired.”
“It’s not about that.”
“Is that so?”
“What else could it be? I was just curious about how the trip went, and worried if anything happened… That’s why I asked.”
He glanced at her, and when their eyes met, he quickly turned his gaze away, adding,
“I didn’t get a reply.”
“Ah.”
Louisa uttered a small exclamation as if she had just realized something.
“That… You needed a reply.”
“Of course.”
“Sorry. I didn’t think you would care about that.”
“What are you talking about? If I didn’t care, I wouldn’t have sent it in the first place.”
Hearing his response, Louisa’s expression became indescribable. Edward, who felt his heart sink at that, asked,
“Why.”
“It’s nothing. I’m just surprised that you would do something like that.”
“Of course. What kind of person did you think I was?”
Edward replied with a hollow laugh.
Louisa just smiled weakly.
She was torn between feeling comforted that he had her in mind and feeling sad that he knew yet had treated her that way.
“I had everything I needed on the trip, thanks to you. I’m grateful. My mood is not too bad, so don’t worry about me.”
It was an uncharacteristic answer from her. Edward looked at her in astonishment, her question left unanswered.
Louisa, with her lips pressed tightly together, faced his gaze for a moment before turning her back and leaving.
Edward watched her ascend the stairs, then slowly walked towards the dining room with heavy steps.
Male lead is a Love-Obsessed Merman
When he discovers she has gone, he risks everything to pursue her on land, enduring agonizing pain to transform his tail into human legs…
One-line summary: Male lead chases female lead. The male lead’s love is a bit sick, an invincible love brain.
Synopsis
During a voyage at sea, Jiang Yang accidentally captures a merman.
Servant: I heard that mermen are fierce and brutal.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman obediently rubbing her palm like a puppy: “You call this fierce and brutal?”
Servant: I heard that mermen have no human nature.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman with wet puppy eyes, obsessively calling her ‘A Yang’ like a childish infant: “You call this having no human nature?”
With great difficulty, she releases the merman back into the sea and returns to shore.
Who would have thought that in less than half a month, the merman, who should have been freely wandering in the South China Sea, would shed his scales, endure the pain of losing his tail, transform into human legs, and come ashore to find her?
He kneels at her feet, rubbing her palm, with merman tears rolling down: “A Yang, don’t abandon me.”
_____
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