You And I Live In Different Worlds - Chapter 28

“How did you know I was here?”

“I heard it from Wilson.”

Melly answered casually.

“That guy. Seems he blabbed after all. I told him not to tell anyone.”

Oops.

At Edric’s words, Melly realized she had been careless. She hurried to defend Wilson.

“No. He only told me. Because I pestered him. No one else knows.”

“That’s good then.”

As he withdrew his rebuke towards Wilson, Melly felt relieved. She carefully asked.

“Why did you tell him not to tell anyone?”

“Mother would obviously worry, and the servants have loose lips, so they’d probably go around gossiping.”

“What’s wrong with them gossiping?”

“It’s embarrassing.”

Edric said with a chuckle.

“If it gets out that a man who even won the hunting competition nearly died from a wild boar attack.”

“Ah, I see…”

Melly also burst into laughter at the trivial reason.

“You’re such a child.”

A big child with only a large body.

Well, Edric was like that in the past too.

Even when he had typhus and was burning with fever, he pretended to be fine while entertaining people, only to collapse when left alone with Melly.

He was a man who thought it was better to die than show weakness to others.

‘What’s the big deal.’

Melly’s laughter gradually faded at his amusing yet pitiful concern for appearances.

It was then that her eyes met Edric’s. Their gazes connected in the midst of the dim air.

No, he seemed to have been looking at her for quite some time before she looked at him.

Quietly, as if appreciating a painting.

Melly gave an awkward smile and then lowered her gaze.

“Melly.”

His low voice instantly cleared away the awkwardness. Melly looked at Edric. He continued speaking.

“How did we end up like this?”

“…”

“We used to be comfortable even without saying anything, just staying still. Why have we become so awkward now?”

Melly felt her heart sink at Edric’s words.

Night hunting. It seemed he had shaken off his thoughts because of that incident.

‘Could it be… that it’s too late?’

Melly felt her chest tighten, making it difficult to breathe.

“We were such comfortable and good friends, weren’t we?”

Edric continued in a voice as calm as a lake.

“We used to talk about everything. No, actually, I did most of the talking and you just quietly listened. You listened to the end no matter how trivial my words were. Without ever showing any sign of annoyance.”

“…”

“When I was with you, I felt respected. Not just praised for my outer shell, but acknowledged for who I am as a person.”

Edric raised his hand with the IV drip and placed it on Melly’s cheek.

“That must be why. Why I wanted to have you.”

He gently stroked Melly’s cheek and smiled.

“You’re the one who made me who I am today, Melly.”

“…”

“You’re too good for me, Melly.”

Melly felt her heart crumbling.

Because she could more than guess what he was going to say next.

“So Melly, I’ve decided to let you go.”

“…”

“I’ll be satisfied with having you for that one night, as you said. It was really shameless of a selfish guy like me to think of keeping a woman as good as you for life. I don’t deserve to have you. Nearly dying made me realize that.”

Melly felt her eyes start to sting.

Edric wiped the corner of Melly’s eye with the tip of his thumb.

“Why are you crying? Are you afraid I’ll say this is the end of our relationship?”

Melly didn’t answer, but Edric seemed certain that was the case and continued.

“That won’t happen. You’re my beloved friend. Before, now, and forever.”

“…”

“If you don’t believe me, should I make you my little sister like I said before? Then we’ll be connected forever by the Pelton name.”

“No!”

Melly removed Edric’s hand.

“I don’t want to be a little sister. That, that… how could that be possible?”

For a couple who had even shared a bed.

“Then do you want to just be friends?”

“I hate being friends even more!”

Edric’s eyes widened at Melly’s agitated voice.

“Then what do you want? What would you like me to do? Tell me, Melly.”

“I… I…”

Melly could no longer deceive herself. Pride was useless in the face of desperate longing.

“I want you, Edric Pelton!”

Melly finally blurted it out. She poured out in one breath the emotions she had held in her heart for over a decade.

Then her heart started pounding and her hands and feet trembled so much that she had to hold onto something.

Melly clutched the bedsheet and said clearly once more.

“Not as a little sister, but as your wife, I want to take on the Pelton name.”

She had been so honest that tears that had barely stopped now fell in drops onto the back of her hand.

‘To think I would say such things.’

She was amazed and proud to be such a brave woman, but also felt pathetic at the same time.

If only she had been this brave on the terrace. If only she had endured without getting scared and acting rashly.

Then she could have been in the position of accepting a confession shyly and gracefully like other women. Melly felt pitiful for herself, proposing to him like this after their relationship had changed due to one moment of foolish mistake.

“Melly.”

Edric reached out again and wiped away Melly’s tears.

“Thank you for saying that.”

It was the same kind voice as always. But Melly felt an inexplicable sharp pain.

“But Melly.”

“…”

“I will only make things difficult for you. If you’re by my side, you might cry even more than you do now. If I see you struggling, I don’t think I’ll be able to forgive myself.”

Edric pushed Melly away with a regretful face.

“How could you love someone who’s been injured and weakened, speaking so tenderly as if about to melt, saying he’ll let you go not because of you, but because he’s not good enough? There’s no way Melly could just turn away.”

She said:

“No. Why would I cry? Why would I be sad? Why… would I be troubled when I’m beside the person I love?”

Edric’s hand, which had been fiddling with her earlobe, stopped.

“You… love me?”

He asked, his blue eyes shimmering.

There was nothing left to hide now. Being afraid and hiding was enough for the past ten years.

Melly nodded with a resolute expression.

“I love you. For a long time, since we first met as the young lord of Pelton and the daughter of your mother’s friend.”

He began to roll her earlobe between his thumb and index finger again.

Whether due to his touch or because it was her first confession, her earlobe instantly turned bright red.

Edric simply smiled in surprise and said:

“I see. I had no idea. Why didn’t you say anything?”

‘Because I thought nothing would change even if I did.’

But Melly didn’t say that. She didn’t want the conversation to veer off course. She wanted to hear his answer.

“Am I… too late now? Has your heart really left?”

Melly asked. Edric then removed his hand from her earlobe.

That action seemed to answer in place of words.

The heat that had been burning her earlobe just moments ago slowly dissipated.

“Melly.”

There was a heavy weight in Edric’s voice.

Melly shut her eyes tight, waiting for his rejection like a death sentence.

“I want to ask you one thing.”

“…”

“Can you be a good duchess?”

Melly opened her eyes and looked up.

Edric gazed at Melly with calm eyes. It was a solemn look, but it seemed much warmer than the kind eyes from before.

Perhaps the rekindled hope in her heart made it appear so.

“You need to think carefully before answering.”

He said as Melly’s lips parted to respond.

“As you know, the position of a duchess is by no means an easy one. You’ll have to thoroughly learn etiquette, and constantly mingle with social circles to expand your network. Can you do it?”

Can I do it? Can I do it?

Of course.

It’s just a matter of effort, isn’t it? In a world where so many things can’t be done even with effort.

“I can. I will.”

Melly said with conviction.

Edric remained silent for a moment. A silence worse than death settled between them.

As she looked at Edric’s calm eyes steadily fixed on her, Melly even felt as if she alone was moving in a world where time had stopped.

It felt like every capillary was contracting with tension…

“Then that’s fine.”

Edric finally said. The corners of his mouth slowly curved into a smile.

“Let’s get married.”

“…”

“Marry me, Melly Enwood.”

Like suddenly releasing the end of a tightly stretched rubber band, Melly’s nerves, which had been extremely tense, instantly relaxed.

Tears overflowed like a swollen river.

“Stop crying already.”

Edric reached out once more. This time, instead of wiping her face, he pulled her directly into his arms.

“It’s not like someone died.”

He comforted her, patting her back. But the more he did so, the more bitterly Melly cried.

The past ten years of unrequited love flashed before her eyes like a kaleidoscope. That time felt as distant as memories from a past life.

She felt a happiness so full in her heart that she wondered if it was alright to feel this way.

Edric quietly buried his face in Melly’s sobbing hair. Her not fully dried hair smelled of damp rain. He disliked rain, but now even that seemed fragrant.

He closed his eyes and deeply inhaled the scent of rain. A happy smile formed on his lips.

‘I love you too, Melly.’

He said inwardly. The smile gradually changed its nature.

Beneath his slowly raising eyelids, Edric’s blue eyes wore a triumphant smile.

‘And, I read your diary well.’