If You Leave Without a Word - Chapter 194

‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.

Pushing through the crowd, Cain made his way to the end of the plaza.

The woman with the brown hair he had seen earlier was nowhere to be found.

“Commander!”

Lehman, who had caught up with him, immediately approached. Questions about why Cain had come here and what he was looking for filled the air, but Cain couldn’t focus on Lehman’s voice.

Who was that woman…?

It felt like his mind had been filled with a tangle of threads.

Although Lehman eventually spotted Agatha and some of Kristin’s knights and followed them, Cain struggled to clear his muddled thoughts.

Who was that woman really? Had he attached too much meaning to someone who only resembled her?

Even while boarding the ship with Agatha, Cain couldn’t shake the image of the brown-haired woman.

He had been helplessly swept away by the shadow of his mother, whom he hadn’t seen in 20 years.

By the time Cain regained his composure, Agatha had finished her sightseeing. Fortunately, he could accompany her back to her residence with his usual face.

Perhaps sensing a change in Cain’s energy, Agatha, who normally wouldn’t give him a second glance, turned to look at him several times this time.

Agatha, who had been growing concerned about him, especially since he had left all of his important duties in the capital to come here, felt uncomfortable with the way Cain was showing an unexpected side of himself, something she never could have imagined before.

She simply couldn’t understand him.

Even if what happened with Esther was a misunderstanding, the coldness and neglect Cain had shown her were undeniable, and it had left her deeply hurt.

Who had once said that he couldn’t even bear to look at her face? And now, after she had left as he wished, he was here to apologize. How was she supposed to understand that? Or even if she should understand at all, she wasn’t sure.

What could possibly change by doing this? Apart from the brief moments of happiness during their time in Arta, Agatha had endured the miserable days of her marriage to Cain alone.

And she had finally found stability after leaving him.

What was she supposed to do with this man who had suddenly appeared, trying to shatter the peace she had painstakingly found?

– Agatha…

The unexpected encounter at the Count’s residence came to her mind.

In just a few months, something had changed. Cain had become a completely different person.

His eyes, which once had an intimidating, piercing gaze, now seemed dull and lacking focus. His face, once sharp, was now rough and hardened.

Though most people probably hadn’t noticed, hidden beneath thick armor, Agatha immediately recognized how much Cain had thinned.

Even Agatha, who had written the divorce papers with her own hands, felt a fleeting sense of pity for him. Cain looked utterly worn down.

It was as if he had been anguishing over her absence.

But Agatha wasn’t fooled. The cold demeanor of Cain she had seen right before he left was still fresh in her mind.

Even when he first extended his hand to her, Cain had shown a compassionate face. She had been deceived by that kindness, offered her heart, and had been mistreated in return.

One mistake was enough. She would never again let herself be caught by Cain’s mask and offer even a small piece of her heart.

However, the reason she was troubled by his presence was because of the overwhelming responsibilities he was shouldering. She knew the Emperor had given him more than one task, but it made her worry—how was he handling everything?

Even though Cain had risen to a high position due to the Emperor’s trust, Agatha knew well that it only took a moment for one to lose that trust.

Having studied the history of the continent and noble genealogies to become the head of the Duke’s family, she learned that countless noble families had disappeared once they lost their influence.

Cain would not be immune to such a fate. The Emperor was a man who had even purged his own blood relatives to seize power. If he thought someone was acting against his interests, he wouldn’t hesitate to eliminate them.

Knock, knock.

She had just returned to the mansion, bathed briefly, and lay down in her bedroom. Her legs swelled every evening, and Charlotte would always come in to rub them with a warm towel.

Expecting Charlotte to be the one entering, Agatha remained lying half on the bed, granting permission to enter.

“Wife…”

But when the door opened, it wasn’t Charlotte.

Cain, in casual clothes and holding something that emitted steam, likely a bowl of hot water, stood blocking the door with his large frame. Agatha’s voice immediately turned cold as she recognized the uninvited guest.

“What are you doing here?”

Agatha quickly got up from the bed and adjusted her dress. His sudden intrusion into her bedroom at this late hour was unwelcome.

“Lottie? Lottie? Where are you, Lottie?”

Where could Charlotte be? Agatha, now fully standing, looked displeased.

She knew Cain had been hovering around her room all day, and she had specifically instructed Charlotte and Liana to keep him out. How had he gotten in?

“I asked Charlotte.”