Chapter 61
Venting her frustration at someone who didn’t have to twist the original story like she did—someone who already had a path to happiness laid out for them.
“How are you going to take responsibility for this?”
Her petulant words made Xenon visibly flinch.
“……”
Watching his face flush oddly, Esina frowned. She could sense the atmosphere shifting in a strange direction.
Xenon seemed to be piecing together the meaning behind her outburst in his own way.
“My lady,” he said, his face slightly flushed as he looked at her. Then, unexpectedly, he began confessing something she hadn’t anticipated.
“…To be honest, the reason I’ve been sticking so close to you is because of my brother’s request.”
“Suddenly?”
The mention of her would-have-been husband from the original story made Esina’s brow twitch. It was absurd—that trash she’d never even met had gone out of his way to make such a request.
“He was concerned about why you suddenly changed your mind.”
“That’s—”
There had been no “changing her mind” to begin with. Roger had forced the marriage—she never had a choice. But it seemed Baron Elzen had been convinced she would never refuse him.
“I told him I’d look into it while I was here.”
So this guy was actually a spy for that trash? It wasn’t just that he liked her?
Just as her frown deepened, Xenon hesitantly continued.
“But after meeting you in person… I found myself at a loss.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve heard all the rumors about the Young Duke of Telloien. The whispers among people, too.”
“……”
“To think a lady as beautiful as you would turn down our family’s proposal and choose… him…”
Xenon hesitated for a moment before looking at her firmly, his eyes burning with conviction.
“I thought… Perhaps you might regret your decision.”
“Why?”
“Because… I couldn’t imagine you being happy with someone like that.”
‘Of course I was happy, you idiot.’
A mistake? It was a completely deliberate choice!
Esina swallowed the words that threatened to burst out. Frankly, compared to a marriage with Baron Elzen, life with Herman was tens of thousands of times happier.
“I chose him carefully, with all my heart.”
He offered me the life of a lazy rich wife, promised children would only be mine, and—despite being trash—he was flawlessly handsome, exactly my type, and fiercely loyal.
As she listed each point, Esina realized with bitterness another reason for her disappointment.
‘While I was with Herman…’
I was happy.
Just as she had grown unexpectedly fond of him, her life with him had been happy. Not just satisfactory—but genuinely happy.
The realization made her eyes widen. And now, the very person who caused this mess had the nerve to claim she couldn’t be happy?
‘Everything was fine until you people interfered.’
Moreover, Xenon’s words were wildly inappropriate to say to a woman married to Herman. He was outright badmouthing her husband in front of her—not just insulting Herman, but indirectly calling her a fool for choosing him.
Before Esina could point this out—
“But… if, while spending time with me, you’ve come to regret your choice—”
“Huh?”
“—if your feelings have changed—”
Who fell for whom?!
Just as Esina reeled in disbelief, Xenon swallowed hard and continued.
“If… you’re considering divorce—”
“Wait a minute.”
She hadn’t said she wanted a divorce—she’d complained that he and the female lead might cause one!
“—if you need somewhere to go, or someone to rely on—”
But before she could refute him, Xenon barreled on, his earnest face turning solemn. He seemed utterly convinced she would divorce Herman.
As Esina’s eyes widened at the colossal misunderstanding, Xenon spoke with an oath-like intensity.
“Yes. I’ll take responsibility.”
“What? For what?”
“I can’t stand by and watch you—of all people—in such a predicament.”
One phrase flashed through Esina’s mind.
This guy is hopeless.
‘No matter how I argue, he’ll only hear what he wants.’
Suppressing her frustration, she replied as flatly as possible.
“Withdraw that ‘responsibility’ nonsense. I’ll handle things myself—”
“I can’t allow that. I’ll speak to my brother, or find some other way—”
“Excuse me?”
What is this idiot even saying?!
‘What’s there to ask your trash brother for?!’
But Xenon looked dead serious. His flushed face and shining eyes were fixed on her.
Esina stared blankly at Xenon, who had spiraled out of control just as much as she had in her attempt to vent.
BANG!
Discussion
0 CommentsReactions
No comments yet.