My Ruin to You - Chapter 91

“Since when have you been crying?”

Her entire face was drenched—tear tracks glistening from her lashes to her chin. The coral hue of her eyes, usually bright, had darkened with the weight of unshed tears, and her lips were pressed so tightly together that wrinkles formed at the corners. She looked like she was biting back sobs, but it was futile; fat droplets spilled over, streaking down her cheeks.

“……”

Valen froze where he stood, his grip on her chin slackening slightly. His sharp gaze traced the path of her tears, his expression unreadable.

Roseline had cried before—often, even—but never like this. Not with this kind of raw, shuddering despair. Even when he’d told her she might bear the blame for the plague, she’d locked herself away to weep silently. But now? Now she was breaking apart in front of him.

A choked hiccup escaped her, and only then did Valen seem to remember how to breathe.

“Why are you crying like this?” He brushed a thumb over her wet cheek, tilting her face up to meet his. “Does it hurt somewhere? Here?” His other hand pressed lightly against her stomach.

“……”

“Is it your stomach? Does it ache?”

The questions spilled out, uncharacteristically frantic, but she refused to answer. Worse, she twisted away, dodging his touch like it burned. Normally, Valen had little patience for evasion—but today, he let it slide.

“If you’re avoiding me, I must be the one who upset you.”

“……”

“Talk to me. How can I apologize if I don’t know what I did wrong?”

He was patient. When she pulled away, he pulled her back. When fresh tears fell, he wiped them away, murmuring soft, coaxing words—Tell me. Hmm? What do you need? Stop crying.

“Roseline.”

Her name came out softer than usual. She sniffled, glancing past him at the distant knights before finally speaking.

“Wh-why would you—hic—say something like… like I might be p-pregnant?”

Valen’s brows shot up. Of all the answers he’d braced for, this wasn’t one of them.

“What?”

“Is this—hic—another way to punish me? You just—sniff—say whatever you want, wherever you want, and—ugh, why won’t the tears stop—?”

Frustrated, she scrubbed at her eyes with her fists, only for Valen to gently catch her wrists.

“I really did make you cry.”

The words could’ve been self-reproach—if not for the faint, almost imperceptible amusement threading through them. The corners of his mouth twitched, as if he were holding back a laugh.

“You must’ve been so upset to cry like this. How should I apologize?”

His tone hovered between teasing and sincerity—too playful for a proper apology, yet too earnest to dismiss as mere provocation. His thumbs brushed away her tears with exaggerated care, as if her reddened eyes were something fragile.

“How could I punish you when I can’t even stand to see you like this? You’re too pretty—that’s why I lose control.”

“……”

“I won’t say it again, so stop crying. I didn’t realize you’d take it to heart.”

Roseline’s lips parted, then pressed shut as she looked away.

Deep down, she knew. No matter how much Valen annoyed her, this wasn’t worth tears. If she cried every time he said something outrageous, the capital’s rivers would’ve overflowed by now.

Maybe she was the one being unreasonable. The mounting anxiety, the strange symptoms that refused to fade, the forced detour because of her—it all piled up until she snapped. Gods, I’m pathetic.

“Hmm? Don’t rub your eyes.”

Valen tilted his head, tracking her downcast gaze. When she turned east, he followed. When she sidestepped south, he mirrored her, relentless in his pursuit of eye contact.

“Look at me. How can I make it better if you won’t?”

“Just—hic—leave me alone. I’ll calm down… eventually.”

When she buried her face in her hands, he didn’t pry them away. Instead, he clasped her wrists and gave them a gentle shake.

“I can’t just leave you. Not when I’m the one who made you cry.”

“It’s not… sniff… not just that.”

“Then what?”

“I’m just…”

“Yes? You’re just?”

“I’m just… so useless.”

The harder she tried to swallow her sobs, the louder they became, hiccups escaping through her fingers. Valen watched her trembling hands and shaking shoulders before exhaling sharply. Then, without warning, he scooped her up into his arms.