It wasn’t intentional. I just left it up to choice.
‘What should we do if the lady asks about recent events?’
Oz and the butler asked when Edric instructed them to prepare a meal for Melly.
Edric said:
‘You decide. You know best which path is right for Melly.’
The two pure-hearted individuals exchanged glances and nodded, seemingly agreeing it would be better not to tell her. And Edric, knowing full well that an unforced agreement could break at any moment given the right catalyst, left it as is. He truly didn’t care either way, and was also curious about how much Melly knew.
For instance, about the news of his accident.
However, even Edric had something he absolutely needed to keep silent about.
‘Regarding Mother, don’t say a word about anything. If Melly were to find out…’
Realizing what would follow, the two quickly bowed their heads in obedience.
‘We will obey your orders, Your Grace.’
If Melly learned that his mother had been giving her contraceptives for a long time, she might come to hate not just her, but humanity itself. Even himself, being of the same blood.
That, at least, had to be prevented.
That evening, the two who had faithfully carried out their orders returned with tears in their eyes, saying it had been a truly meaningful reunion.
And Edric nodded as he heard from Oz that Melly didn’t know about anything that had happened at the Duke’s residence over the past three years, not even the news of his accident.
‘I see, as expected.’
At that moment, he felt as if another card had been placed in his hand.
‘Please give me another cup of Darjeeling. To my taste.’
Just like that day.
Edric’s eyes sparkled as he was certain:
That Melly wouldn’t easily sign the divorce papers.
Even if she made a great resolve and put pen to paper, the pen tip wouldn’t be able to ripple across the page. He would stimulate everything that could shake her, be it weakness or guilt, to stop her.
And indeed, his certainty proved correct.
“Please give me a few more days.”
“I’ll wait as long as you need, so think comfortably, Melly.”
Edric graciously granted her request with the utmost kindness.
He drained the marigold tea she had served him and stood up.
“The tea was delicious.”
“…Are you leaving?”
Melly stood up with a bewildered face at the sudden farewell.
“I must. You’ll be able to think more comfortably if I go.”
“…”
Seeing the gaze in her eyes changing positively towards him, Edric smiled inwardly. But outwardly, he showed an expression of utmost sincerity as he gently gripped Melly’s shoulders.
“Melly.”
Edric didn’t miss the slight quiver in Melly’s throat.
“I hope these words help you make your choice.”
“…”
“I’m not a person who makes the same mistake twice.”
At that moment, her brown eyes trembled slightly.
For a brief moment, Edric alternated his gaze between her two eyes before lowering it to her plump lips. Conscious of his gaze, her heartbeat pounded so hard it could be felt through her shoulders.
Edric slowly lowered his face as if to kiss her, and saw Melly’s eyes grow round.
But just as her eyelids were about to close, losing strength, he suddenly pulled away.
“I’m sorry.”
He apologized with a perplexed face, as if it hadn’t been intentional.
“I’ve made you uncomfortable again. Will you forgive me, Melly?”
Melly nodded with a confused expression. And Edric, as if he hadn’t noticed her emotional change at all, calmly picked up the papers on the table and turned around.
Now, his face was fully spread with a satisfied smile.
Outside the shop, Edric perfectly delivered his farewell greeting.
“Well then, take care.”
“You too, be careful on your way.”
“Stay healthy.”
“Yes.”
Edric showed a smile tinged with regret and turned around. Wilson, who had been waiting in front of the car, quickly opened the door. As he got into the car and Wilson went around to the passenger seat, Melly tapped on the car window with her knuckles.
Through the darkly tinted glass, another smile spread across Edric’s lips.
But when he lowered the window, he feigned a perfectly puzzled expression and asked:
“What is it?”
“Well, I was hoping you could send my regards to everyone. To Russell, to Oz, to Rena, Lisa, and…”
Edric patiently listened to all the names Melly mentioned and replied:
“I will.”
“Ah, and…”
As the window slowly rose, Melly held it with her hand and added:
“Please… send my regards to Mother as well.”
Edric nodded, feeling satisfied.
“Alright.”
“You must, okay?”
“I will.”
Melly scrutinized him with suspicious eyes for a moment, but finding nothing strange in his face, she soon let go of the window.
Edric looked at Melly for a moment through the one-third open window, then turned his gaze and ordered the driver:
“Let’s go.”
And the window closed completely. The wheels of the black sedan moved slowly, passing in front of her. Edric shifted his gaze to the side mirror. Melly’s figure was growing smaller and smaller.
‘Take care.’
He repeated the greeting he had given. And quietly added:
‘For just a few days.’
He would come to hear her answer in a few days. Perhaps she might seek him out first.
Either way, Edric intended to completely vanish from Melly’s surroundings until then.
Just as she had done to him for the past three years.
‘Melly. Now you too, feel what I felt.’
I hope you search for my image in every little thing, recall the times we spent together, and miss me. Or feel heartache.
Even so, Melly, I won’t leave your side for years without contact like you did to me. I don’t want you to feel that terrible feeling of dying a little each moment, of endlessly falling into an abyss every moment.
I will merely reappear when your longing for me reaches its peak, and extend my hand.
And I’ll say this:
‘If you say no this time, I won’t bother you anymore.’
A smile spread across Edric’s face as he imagined Melly’s reaction.
It seemed he could gladly endure the painful vacancy of a few days without seeing her for that moment.
“Wilson.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Wilson slightly turned his head from the passenger seat at Edric’s call.
“Watch carefully. Report immediately if there’s anything unusual.”
After all, she needs to be safe until she returns to me.
We mustn’t allow room for other variables to intervene. It would be tiresome to deal with.
“Yes, Your Grace. I will obey your orders.”
Having regained his lord’s trust, Wilson now faithfully obeyed as if he would even pretend to die if ordered.
Edric leaned his head back on the seat cushion, feeling somewhat lighter.
In the side mirror, Melly had shrunk to the size of a pinky nail. With the clear Gothic lettered cafe sign in the background.
Suddenly, Edric’s eyes hardened.
‘Jade’
The unsettling sign named after another man.
He thought:
When Melly returns to his cage, he would make her change that sign first. Without fail.
[This is the timeline separator]As Edric’s car disappeared around the corner, Melly’s gaze slowly fell.
‘In the end, it came to this.’
She shook her head with a self-deprecating smile.
She had intended to sign the divorce papers today. And she had planned to say:
‘Edric. I’m not confident. Even if we start over, I might be on edge every moment. I’ll find signs of changing affection in your small actions, your little words, and become anxious and distressed. Then I’ll feel pathetic and hate myself.’
She wanted to calmly voice the conclusion she had reached after long confusion.
‘I don’t want to repeat that, Edric.’
But instead of those words, Melly asked for more time and didn’t sign the divorce papers.
And for a moment, she felt like she had gone back in time when his lips approached and his breath grew hot, and her eyes closed without her realizing.
‘Is this what you call being cautious?’
Melly berated herself as she went back into the shop.
She looked around the shop with a confused feeling.
The marigold teacup Edric had drunk from was still on the window seat. The cup he always left a little in was perfectly empty.
And unlike usual, he had been consistently polite and comfortable in his consideration for her.
‘Has he really changed?’
Then should she withdraw the divorce and accept him again?
‘No.’
She shook her head.
It was because she thought he might be treating her well temporarily now because she wasn’t following his wishes.
As time passes, he might return to his old self again.
If she accepted him, she might have to go through that bitter and painful process of watching passion slowly cool over five years once more.
Melly couldn’t tell which path was right.
“…”
She sighed and headed to the small room.
The sunlight coming through the tall window cast a guillotine-like shape of light on the opposite wall.
Melly opened the bottom drawer of the dresser standing alone in the place avoiding the sunlight.
Inside were neatly folded stuffed animals she had bought or made from time to time, crochet gloves, and small coats and underwear. As she gently stroked them, she suddenly reached underneath and pulled something out.
A palm-sized frame was in her hand.
Her eyes quickly became misty as she carefully looked at it while crouching down.
“Jade.”
She whispered softly to the person in the frame.
“Help Mommy make a wise choice, baby.”
Male lead is a Destined Young Husband (Female-dominant)
One-sentence summary: Wife-master, listen to my explanation!
Li Ruantang, a young lady from a prestigious family, stumbled and fell. When she woke up, she saw a noble and beautiful young man sitting by her bedside, wiping away tears.
The young master had slightly reddened eyes, and his every move exuded charm.
The sight made Li Ruantang’s eyes hot and her heart flutter. After all, she had made a bet with the young master Meng from the neighboring family. If she couldn’t marry a husband before the end of the year, she would have to admit defeat and give up the jade she had worked so hard to obtain.
Outside the window, the flowers were in full bloom.
Rather than losing the bet, the jade, and her face, Li Ruantang calculated that it would be better to seek marriage with the young master in front of her, killing three birds with one stone.
…
Meng Jun never thought that an accident during a spring outing would lead to them rolling down a cliff and into a river, yet still survive.
Now they were trapped in an unknown village, and Meng Jun had overheard that the family who had rescued them had their own intentions.
After all, it was Li Ruantang who had lost her mind and sought marriage first. He was only trying to protect himself!
Glancing at Li Ruantang, who was listing her own merits, the young husband’s voice softened, and he blushed as he lied, “W-wife-master, Wife-master, don’t you remember me?”
The young husband’s voice was clear and handsome, coaxing Li Ruantang’s heart to be soft and sweet, and she spared no effort to protect him.
It wasn’t until they returned to the capital that Li Ruantang suddenly remembered.
When they had fallen off the cliff, in order not to implicate Wei Yunruo, whom he secretly admired, the young husband had instead pulled her, who was slightly farther away, down the cliff with him…
Short summary by Yuushi L: Initially, the male lead (ML) liked another girl, while the female lead (FL) liked the ML. Both fell off a cliff. The FL temporarily lost her memory, and the ML, fearing others might take advantage of him, claimed FL was his wife while they were staying in a village. Later, when they returned home, the FL regained her memories and remembered that the ML liked someone else, so she kept her distance from him. However, during their time living together in the countryside, the ML’s view of the FL had completely changed. From this point, his pursuit of the FL begins.
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