“…….”

“…….”

Everyone’s lips were trembling.

The twins, who had been rolling their eyes to assess the situation, shed tears. The children were terrified by the sudden mention of divorce without any warning.

As the twins cried, Bernard followed suit. Felicia, the eldest daughter, held it in until the end, but when her siblings started crying one by one, she finally let a single tear fall.

What about me? While my siblings were crying, I observed my father.

“Isabel, what is the meaning of this?”

Father was surprisingly calm, perhaps thinking Isabel was simply being capricious.

“…….”

“Isabel, what are you angry about this time?”

Isabel was serious. Only Father didn’t realize it. The siblings were crying, and the maids were anxious. I couldn’t control my trembling lips either.

Since when had Isabel foreseen this situation? Since Lady Bakus came?

Maybe it was long before that. Though I hadn’t said anything, I had imagined this situation a few times myself. The first time I imagined it was when I was six years old.

It was natural. Father had often done things that broke the marital bond in the past. So it wouldn’t be strange if Father and Isabel divorced at any time.

“If you didn’t understand, I’ll say it properly once more, Count.”

“…….”

“If you don’t grant my request, I will divorce you, Count.”

As Isabel spoke bluntly, Father’s face flushed. Still, he seemed able to suppress his anger better than before, as he didn’t immediately burst out shouting but swallowed his voice.

“…Surely not because of last time? Last time… I said I was wrong.”

Father recalled the incident when the woman claiming to be my birth mother visited the Marsen mansion.

“It’s not necessarily because of that.”

“Then? You seem very tired these days. First, you should rest…”

“If you don’t want a divorce, approve my research.”

“Research? What on earth are you researching? Is it about physics from your student days? That doesn’t make money! Why do you want to do such a foolish thing, wasting time looking for problems without answers?”

“The field I want to research is different.”

“This or that! It’s all foolish!”

Father’s face contorted. In this era approaching the modern age, the label of divorce was fatal, and intensively pursuing academics was a hungry profession without talent. Father couldn’t accept either of these two things.

“Count.”

No to divorce, no to research. When compromise failed, wrinkles formed between Isabel’s brows.

“Sigh. Isabel, the children are crying.”

Father eventually pointed to the siblings who were sobbing.

“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of the children. If I leave the mansion for research, I plan to send all the children to prestigious schools. Their regular classes continue until late afternoon, so they’ll return to the mansion with me.”

“…….”

“Even if we divorce, I’ll raise the children. I’ll take them to the Polong family and raise them well.”

A deep sigh was heard. Father, who had been silent for a while as if suppressing his anger for the last time, glared at the sobbing siblings beside him with fierce eyes.

“Stop crying! It’s noisy!”

The arrow of anger was aimed at the children, not Isabel.

At Father’s shout, the children bit their lips or molars tightly to avoid making crying sounds. My heart ached seeing my siblings clutching their clothes tightly to hold back their tears.

“That’s what I wanted to say. The rest we can talk…”

Isabel looked at the children and spoke.

“Don’t think about going anywhere. I’ll finish this conversation here and now.”

“Then let’s send the children back to their rooms.”

“That’s not happening either. You were the one who called the children here in the first place, so why are you changing your words now? The children are also Marsen family members. They can have a say in this matter.”

Father held onto the children. Outwardly, he held them while mentioning the Marsen family name, but in reality, he was holding onto the siblings for himself. The siblings are Isabel’s only weakness.

Father knew this well.

Felicia, who ended up stuck on the sofa, grabbed my arm tightly. Swel, sitting on my left, also placed his hand on top of mine. I was as scared of this situation as my siblings were afraid.

‘If they really, really divorce, what will happen to me?’

Although Isabel said she would take responsibility for all the children, I didn’t know if I was included among those children.

‘I’ll be left alone.’

Isabel has no reason to be responsible for me. Only Father’s blood flows in my body. Unlike my siblings who have similar appearances, I stood out uniquely.

Unless Isabel is a golden-haired angel, there’s no way she would embrace me with my red hair.

“Isabel… If you’re serious, I can’t give you a divorce. Have you forgotten why we got married? The Polong family and the Marsen family have a close business alliance. Thanks to that, the Polong family has grown significantly.”

“The Marsen family benefited too.”

“What about the business if we divorce? I didn’t know you were such an irresponsible person.”

Father changed direction and explained the impossibility of divorce. From the negative perception of divorce to the complicated procedures for child support.

But that didn’t mean he approved of the research either. Starting with the cost issue, Father raised his voice asking how she would deal with neglecting the family.

“I know what you’re concerned about, Count. If the divorce proceeds, I won’t do anything to tarnish your honor. Also, I’ll ask my blood relatives to maintain the company’s cooperative relationship.”

“…….”

“The Polong family will bear all the child support costs.”

After finishing her words, Isabel turned her gaze to the siblings.

“Now, you children go to your rooms.”

Before Father could open his mouth, Isabel nodded to the maids guarding the entrance. Reading the atmosphere, the maids patted the backs of the siblings with swollen faces and raised them. One by one, the siblings stood up and headed for the stairs.

“Even if we let them go… what about Lize?”

As I got up from my seat with Bitty’s support, Father’s gaze fell on me.

“…….”

“…….”

My heart sank.

“…Let’s talk about that after the divorce is decided.”

“Your thoughts are obvious. You’ve never liked Lize. So you’re thinking of taking all the Marsen bloodline except Lize? To prevent the Marsen family line from continuing!”

My eyes met Isabel’s as I hadn’t yet left the entrance. She glanced at me briefly before turning away coldly. At that dismissal, I felt like I was standing alone on a cliff.

Now I realized. The person who would be most harmed by the breakup was neither Father nor Mother.

‘It’s me.’

Facing the truth, my feet wouldn’t move.

“…Lize is more capable than the other siblings.”

“What?”

My shoulders flinched.

“She’s as lively and sociable as the twins. She’s selfless and overflowing with consideration like Bernard. She’s quick-witted and reads situations well like Felicia. And she’s superior in all aspects, learning faster than Rodney.”

“…….”

“So sometimes I wondered why that child wasn’t born from my womb.”

“…….”

“That’s the kind of child she is. If I were to hand Lize over to the Marsen family, it would bring fortune to the Marsen family, not misfortune. If she becomes the owner of the Marsen family later, the Marsen family will prosper even more in the future.”

Isabel spoke straight without stumbling over her words.

“Huh. Are you telling me to believe that now? Do you think I don’t know your intention to steal my bloodline?”

“If you don’t want a divorce, approve the research. If you keep being so forceful like this, I have one way.”

At Isabel’s words, Father’s face turned pale.

“Since we’ve passed on mutual divorce, I’ll have to spread word of your infidelity.”

“In-infidelity? Other than that one night I spent with that woman long ago…”

Isabel laughed softly.

“Then did everyone see an illusion? The rumors are already widespread among the ladies. You don’t know how embarrassing it’s been for me because of that, Count.”

“Wh-what? It’s just a rumor! You know too! Such ridiculous rumors often spread among ladies!”

“Even with evidence?”

“…Don’t lie.”

“Count.”

Isabel calmly called Father.

“Do I look like I’m lying to you?”

“…….”

“I’m sorry, but I’ve never lied even once.”

Not before, and not now.

After that, the story ended without conclusion.

We lived as if dead. Me and my siblings alike.

The household atmosphere became a mess, and the family members lost their energy day by day.

“Count, now for a decision…”

“I’ll be late today. Have dinner on your own.”

Isabel wanted either divorce or research to proceed, but Father avoided his seat before she could even open her mouth.

Five days passed like that.

Unable to bear it anymore, Isabel threatened Father through letters or maids.

The threat was that if he kept postponing his opinion, she would reveal his ugly behavior in court, thereby tarnishing his honor. At first, Father was passive to that voice, but now he responded aggressively.

“If my honor is tarnished, your family will take quite a hit too. Is that all? Your family’s honor will be tarnished too. And I have a mouth too. If I start talking, I’ll spill everything, true or not. In a way that harms your family.”

It was a petty and shabby method.

As this situation continued and days passed, Felicia gathered all the siblings in her room. The twins who gathered in the room sat quietly. Bernard’s face was also full of shadows. There was no blood in Felicia’s face.

Then if one person cried, the others cried in turn. As each crying voice mixed in, even I couldn’t hold back and shed tears.

“If Mother and Father divorce, do we se-separate? Will we never see each other again?”

“…….”

“I-I don’t want to separate. I like it as it is…! Rodney elder brother, Felicia elder sister, Bernard elder brother, Swel, and Lize too! I don’t want to separate from anyone!”

Silke cried out with her tears. I and all the siblings nodded at her words and sobbed.

We didn’t want a divorce.

We didn’t want to part with Isabel and our siblings.