The events that had transpired flashed through Edward’s mind.

[Ah, yes. That’s right. I suppose I failed to notice a love so deeply hidden that it wasn’t even shown to his wife.] [I haven’t heard anything from Mr. Curtis, but anyone with eyes can see such things.]

He should have realized it when he heard the words of his close associates, Jeffrey and Gilford.

That others, mere strangers, would be even less likely to notice feelings that Louisa herself didn’t recognize.

‘But even so, to call Louisa my mistress!’

Edward’s anger rose to the top of his head.

What kind of deranged fools would dare to…

He said, grinding his teeth.

“…What kind of lunatics would spout such delusions.”

“Wouldn’t you need to attend the party to confirm that for yourself?”

Paul spoke in the gentle tone characteristic of elderly men.

Edward truly felt his insides turning upside down.

When he stayed put, they disparaged Louisa as a woman connected to a lowly family of con artists.

So when he left, now she’s a woman abandoned even by such lowly con artists.

Why was nothing going right?

He closed his eyes tightly.

Why were none of his efforts to make Louisa happy working out properly?

He felt frustrated to the point of sadness. Because his name attached to Louisa’s only lowered her value.

Now that he understood waiting, he vowed not to cause her the same pain twice. But even after making such a vow, he couldn’t even properly put it into action.

He was angry. He felt utterly miserable.

His eyes reddened as emotions welled up. Seeing his master’s expression, Paul Johnson took a couple steps back and continued speaking in a quiet voice.

“I don’t know exactly what happened either. But the lady said my thoughts were correct and that we should end the conversation there.”

At Paul Johnson’s words, Edward blinked rapidly and opened his eyes wide. After cooling the rising moisture a bit, he replied in a trembling voice.

“…I see. Thank you, Johnson.”

“Not at all. I hope you both have a good time.”

After confirming that Louisa was coming out, Paul Johnson bowed his head to him and vacated his spot.

[This is the timeline separator]

Edward drove Louisa’s car to the front porch of the mansion.

Stopping precisely in front of Louisa, he opened the driver’s door and got out. He opened the back seat door for Louisa to enter and said.

“Here, get in. I’ll take you.”

But instead of sitting in the back seat he had opened, Louisa opened the passenger door and got into the car.

That again scraped at Edward’s heart. He lowered his gaze to match Louisa’s lowered eye level and said.

“…Why? Just sit in the back.”

“How can I sit in the back when you’re driving?”

Louisa retorted as if he had said something strange.

It sounded a bit brusque. But Edward was rather relieved by those words.

“Right. That’s right. If I’m driving, you should sit next to me.”

His voice finally came alive a bit.

With a small vibrating sound, the car started.

Their first time sharing the wife’s commute.

Even though it was still a familiar route he always traveled, somehow it felt new.

Edward glanced to the side. His wife in her neat attire was beautiful today as always.

‘I wish we could just go off on a picnic like this.’

But there was still a bigger mountain ahead of him to indulge in such sweet fantasies.

He spoke to Louisa to confirm what he had heard from Paul.

“Hey.”

Louisa’s gaze turned to him.

“You asked me before if I was thinking of going to the royal party this time, right?”

“I did.”

“I’ve decided. I’m going.”

Louisa stared at him for a moment, seemingly surprised. But she soon spoke in her usual quiet voice.

“I see.”

“Yes. I’m going to this party. With you.”

He knew his wife didn’t seem to welcome his approach very much. But he couldn’t really leave her side empty.

He said, as if driving in a wedge.

“So keep that in mind. Because I’m definitely going.”

Edward gripped the steering wheel tightly in his hands.

[This is the timeline separator]

Valiant Palace is a place where outsiders’ access is strictly controlled.

That meant Edward, who hadn’t made a request in advance, would have difficulty entering.

“But I could get in if I really wanted to.”

Louisa looked up at her husband in disbelief as he calmly spoke of illegal matters. Edward quickly shut his mouth, stung by the look directed at him.

“If nothing comes up, it should end at the usual time. So don’t waste your precious time here in the meantime, go to the company or something.”

“How is waiting for you a waste of time?”

“I just borrowed your expression and used it.”

Louisa said cynically.

Did I say that? Edward’s mouth clamped shut.

Louisa said as she put on her coat shawl.

“The employees you worked with must have had a hard time too. It seems you drank yesterday, did you all have a party or something?”

“…Yeah. That’s right.”

Actually, he hadn’t drunk at the company but alone after coming home. But he didn’t bother to correct that fact.

“Good. Then go to the company and properly express your gratitude to Mr. Curtis for his help so far, and discuss future matters a bit.”

“I already did all that yesterday.”

“Don’t forget Lord Theodore too.”

“…Damn it. Fine.”

Edward replied in a subdued voice.

“Then I’ll be going.”

Louisa bid farewell as usual.

But Edward seeing her off was different from usual.

“Okay. Take care.”

Waving to her with a gentle smile, he looked just like his old self that he had tried to bury in his memories.

Louisa suddenly felt nostalgic.

She was so happy back then.

She ended up forgetting her countless resolutions once again and recalling the past.

Louisa fiddled with her neatly braided hair at the back.

How could he handle such things so well with those big, rough hands?

Finding it so amazing, she used to caress their interlocked fingers, saying he was more skilled than her.

‘Come to think of it, that painting from back then must be somewhere.’

Louisa recalled a memory occupying a corner of her mind.

It was a time when everyone kept at least one photo. But they couldn’t afford such a luxury.

Like everyone else, she used to take photos once every year or two when she was young, but after her father passed away, such occasions became a distant dream.

Perhaps bothered by that, Edward had found a portrait painter from the neighborhood on her birthday.

He had brought some white flowers from somewhere and wove them into her hair, to which she said.

[It reminds me of the day we held our ceremony.] [Why? Because of the flowers?] [Yes. We had these flowers then too. Lisianthus.] [These remind me of you.] [Really? In what way?] [That’s a secret.] [My goodness. You’re such a tease.]

He laughed at her chiding and said.

[Later, much later when I succeed, let’s have another wedding ceremony.] [All of a sudden?] [Yes. I’ll give you the most magnificent bouquet, more splendid than these flowers, one that no one has ever received. I’ll scatter flowers all along the path you walk, and the bouquet… we’ll ask Jeffrey’s fiancée to catch it when he brings her.]

Their first and last painting capturing the affectionate image of the two.

When she said she wanted to hang it in the reception room after moving to the capital, he shook his head in distaste.

He put it away right then, and even she didn’t know where that painting went.

‘What will happen to that painting after the divorce?’

Will other paints be layered over the canvas? Or will the entire canvas be torn off and thrown in the trash?

Though she had prepared herself for this, her heart ached.

But she couldn’t expand his place any further. Before she crumbled, before even this small dam holding back her emotions collapsed, she had to sort out her memories with him.

No matter how happy she was then, it wasn’t the case now.

She moved her steps into the conference room, leaving her husband behind.

[This is the timeline separator]

“I should move the office location next to the house or something, this won’t do.”

Edward grumbled, displeased with the awkwardly tangled route as he drove.

Unable to ignore his wife’s words, he was now heading to the office where Gilford was.

It was fine when he had told them to do as they pleased when they asked for an office in the capital’s center for convenience in making deals, but as a result, his own route when visiting became quite inconvenient.

He only found out later that Gilford was the only one happy about it, saying his commute became easier.

Anyway, setting aside his thoughts on the office, he went up to Gilford’s office as his wife had requested.

And so, a meeting where both parties found each other unpleasant was arranged.

Gilford asked with his characteristically expressionless face that he always maintained.

“What brings you here today?”

“What does it matter why I’m here?”

“If it’s about why the gift failed, you should consider your own eloquence first, not me.”

“You certainly don’t mince words with your employer.”

“That’s because I know very well that there’s no one to replace me anyway.”

Edward kept his mouth shut since it wasn’t wrong. He just ran a hand through his hair once before speaking.

“High-power control. It succeeded.”

At those words casually thrown out, Gilford, who was about to reply with a curt ‘I see,’ suddenly raised his head and asked again.

“Succeeded? If you mean high-power control, then that…”

“Yes. I told you I was going to do something big. It worked.”

“…This is no time to be standing around.”

Gilford pushed up his glasses to adjust them.

“Please sit down for now. Let’s have a cup of tea before you go.”

He said, busily moving the documents on his desk with quick hand movements.