Chapter 5

Chloe’s eyes watered. She managed to bear the shock of her impending death, but here, she could only clutch her gloves.

“Go up to the drawing room. I’ll follow you there.”

Eric handed her the old shawl that was over his shoulders then walked away.

She stared at the limp shawl for a moment before she also walked back the way she had come.

The sound of their footsteps was deafening.

“Since the Madam is here, His Excellency will come soon. Oh, would you like some tea to warm you up?”

With a smile on his face, Daniel still treated Chloe the same, as though he hadn’t seen Eric ignore her just like that.

It was weighing on her mind. It would have been easier for her if he had just ignored her like the rest of the northerners did, then she wouldn’t need to think about how to respond to this unprompted kindness.

“Madam?”

Chloe shook her head a couple of times.

“I’m fine. Instead, I’d like it if you turn up the heat.”

“I understand. If there’s anything else you need, please feel free to call me.”

“Thank you.”

David bowed and left the room.

As soon as she heard the door close, Chloe collapsed on the sofa. She buried her face in her hands and breathed hard. Then, she consciously placed a handkerchief over her lips. The pain in her chest came immediately.

Cough!

Cough, cough, cough! Several more followed, leaving blood on the handkerchief. Chloe curled into herself, holding onto her chest where the pain was spreading. Her slim shoulders trembled pitifully.

“Haa, ha…”

She covered her eyes with a palm as she leaned back to lie down on the sofa. Her body drooped like a heavily soaked cotton ball.

It hurt.

It really did.

She couldn’t compose herself because it hurt so much.

But she couldn’t let anyone know that she was already this sick.

She had never told anyone in the first place.

A memory from when she was younger suddenly flashed through her mind.

Having caught a bad cold, she looked for her mother, but her mother turned a blind eye to her. Instead, her mother went to her older brother’s horseback riding class to accompany him.

There was another instance.

Chloe had a serious head injury after falling down the stairs after her older brother played a sick joke on her.

She cried and went to her parents. Yet instead of scolding her brother, they berated Chloe.

It only hurt more when she talked.

Complaining about her pain just made people laugh at her.

It was a shame to reveal her sorrow.

Her anxiety was her own. Her pain was her own. Her thoughts were not to be shared with others.

Chloe had learned all of this a long time ago.

That’s why she always kept her mouth shut.

Even when she heard the truth about her limited time in this world.

“Huu…”

Chloe groaned for the last time, pressing harder around her eyes with the back of her hand.

Thinking about it, she spent each day of her life as though she’d live forever.

She thought her husband would come to love her someday.

But now, she had only two years left.

She lived as his wife for five years without having ever felt any love.

Two years or however long after… It was clear that Eric would not change.

Rather than dying in misery, she wasn’t sure whether it was possible to live her own life… but it was better to try anyway.

Chloe slowly sat up and opened her eyes.

She approached the window and looked outside, where she saw a huge clock, the capital’s landmark.

Tick, tock, tick, tock. As the watch’s second hand moved, palace guards crowded around it.

Carrying shotguns, they were all wearing prosthetic arms.

She heard that prosthetic arms could be manipulated to fire bullets.

Chloe doubted it at first, but soon nodded, thinking that it was possible because Eric was the inventor.

The genius inventor, Eric Aslan, could invent something like that without even batting an eyelash.

‘He’s a great man.’

Chloe chuckled under her breath, remembering how he looked in the lab.

She was flustered by his unusual appearance, but other than that, he still looked great.

Him, soaked with sweat.

Him, covered with soot.

Him, dressed so sloppily.

However, it just seemed to reveal his true character.

He was a great man with infinite capabilities.

‘…I don’t belong next to him.’

Chloe laughed again, leaning against the window and tapping her forehead against the glass.

Her breath was mixed with sadness and misery.

At that moment, when the windows gradually clouded—

Ka-chak. The door opened. She could hear footsteps coming closer, and she could tell who it was without even looking back.

Eric.

He was now completely different from how he was in the lab. It seemed like he took a quick shower.

But there was something different from what she usually saw.

It was a face overcome with anger.

Chloe’s shoulders drooped.

“I’ll go in first.”

Eric strode towards the inner room and opened the door.

“Don’t come without an appointment from now on. You’re disturbing me. I lost my momentum on my research because you interrupted.”

At the ruthless reproach, Chloe bit her lower lip.

She struggled to raise her head, putting on a mask of a calm face.

“I told you there’s something I need to say.”

“It would have been better for you to wait until I came back.”

“After coming to a place like this, you never come back.”

Brooding over her words, he frowned.

“A place like this? What kind of place do you think this is?”

Instead of answering, Chloe looked at her surroundings.

It was an untidy room, and inside—an old sofa, a dirty carpet, a vase with several cracks, window frames layered with dust.

Then, she turned back to Eric.

“Don’t you have any servants here?”

“Are you saying my house is filthy?”

That was how Eric saw her blatant gaze. His expression distorted and he briefly clicked his tongue.

“Now you’re nagging me, even when you barged in here without an invitation.”

“I’m not nagging. I meant that it must be hard for you.”

Chloe took a step closer to him.

“You’re having a hard time paying off the Duke’s debts, aren’t you?”

This was her only conclusion.

Considering the mansion he had here in the north, this was considerably less. Even more pitiful than a stable.

Huu. Chloe let out a low sigh. Seeing Eric in front of her like this, her conscience was heavy with guilt.

Eric was unable to spend money on himself because he was trying his hardest to pay off the Duke’s debt, which was nearly four million pounds. He was living such a hard life.

Now she understood why Eric hated her—why he didn’t love her. No wonder he didn’t even like her.

“Wife.” Eric spoke, but Chloe did not lift her dropped gaze. “How long must you ignore me for you to be satisfied? I’m really curious.”

She didn’t know why, but there was a hint of futility in his tone.

She didn’t know what it meant, but it felt empty and miserable.

Chloe lifted her chin slowly.

“It doesn’t matter to me whether the Duke owes millions more. I’m earning enough money, so don’t worry about it.”

Chloe met his gaze, and his eyes shook for an instant.

“It’s clear from your eyes that you don’t believe me.”

Eric glared at her as he swept back his hair roughly.

“Are you trying to ask me how it’s possible for me to earn such a fortune? Is that it?”

“No, you’re wrong. I’m not thinking that.”

His eyes, in return, looked at her with distrust. Chloe clutched the skirt of her dress tightly.

“You as well… Your eyes are saying that you don’t believe me.”

“I cannot believe you.”

“Why don’t you trust me?”

Her question was almost like a crying plea, but Eric didn’t answer.

He always acted this way whenever he refused to talk, so Chloe felt that this conversation was already ending.

“I’m telling you again—don’t come here from now on. Understand?”

Again. He’s saying the same thing.

Chloe’s grip grew tighter.

“Is it really because of your inventions?”

“If that’s not the case, then what could it possibly be?”

She wasn’t sure. What could it be?

I don’t know. He might have a lover.’

Those words were hovering behind her ears again.

Trying to steel her quivering voice, she spewed out the thoughts that were plaguing her mind this whole time.

“Don’t you have a lover?”

Chloe swallowed.

She didn’t know what she was saying anymore, but she wanted to say it anyway.

She thought that she would be able to relieve the anger and frustration piled up in her heart by saying these words.

“That’s what the servants say. Since we’re like this as a married couple, then it could only be because you have another woman.”

That’s why she said it.

Her heart felt relieved at the thought of seeing Eric’s aloof expression crack, even for a little bit.

“If you have a woman, please tell me. Then…”

“Is that also what you think, Wife?”

Eric walked closer to her and clutched Chloe’s vulnerable shoulders.

“Really, Wife. Is that what you truly believe?”

Chloe didn’t answer. She just looked up at him with clear, watery eyes.