Chapter 19
Without realizing it, Anne raised her voice.
“So you’re asking me to risk my family’s lives and break off the engagement with you?”
Logan couldn’t deny it. If not for the rest of the family, then at least for the duke, honor and life would carry nearly the same weight.
But there was no other option. He had already made his decision. Tonight, he and Anne Agnes had to agree to break the engagement. Logan quietly continued.
“It’s the better choice for you as well.”
Anne’s anger rose to the top of her head. Honestly, she could tolerate being treated poorly. No matter how bad his temper had become, she had believed that the kindness he possessed as the male lead still remained. But now she couldn’t be sure of anything anymore.
All those days of walking on eggshells around him felt like a waste. If she had known he was this heartless, she would have acted more boldly herself. It wasn’t too late even now. This time, she would push back properly with words.
Twisting her tone like a tightly wound rope, Anne spoke.
“If you hate the idea of marrying me that much, then Your Highness should handle it yourself. I mean, you could just have a child with another woman, right? There are ways.”
They were talking past each other. Even at Anne’s sharp words, Logan only let out a small scoff.
It was the same circle again. No matter how much he tried not to resent her, he couldn’t help it. If that incident had never happened, what would things be like now? They probably wouldn’t have become engaged, but he wouldn’t be wishing for a broken engagement this desperately either.
With a bitter tone, he muttered,
“That would be difficult. Thanks to someone.”
“Have you even tried?”
Anne was furious. Again, it was her fault. Fine, with only one t******e left, maybe it wouldn’t be easy. But if he had tried and failed, that would be one thing. The queen had said he might not be able to, so she should take responsibility. And now her son was saying he might not be able to, so without even trying, he wanted to put an entire family at risk.
Unlike Anne, who was seething, Logan remained calm. For her, all of this was sudden, but for him, it was something he had thought about over and over for years. He spoke steadily.
“Why do you think I want to break the engagement?”
That was easy. Anne answered immediately.
“Because you hate me.”
“That’s not entirely wrong.”
The exchange left a dull ache in both their chests.
In truth, Logan had never thought that he hated her. He still couldn’t say he liked her, not with the lingering aftereffects, but still.
And in truth, Anne hadn’t really believed that Logan truly hated her either. Or at least, she had thought she believed that. But hearing it now made her chest sting.
Logan let out a heavy sigh. This wasn’t the time to be arguing like children.
“That’s not the only reason.”
He had to persuade Anne Agnes. No matter what it took.
This was important for him as well. But perhaps more than that, it concerned her future. If they didn’t break the engagement, she would come to resent him even more later.
An accident that couldn’t be undone. Did it really have to ruin both their lives. Logan would rather walk that path alone.
“I told you. Breaking the engagement is the better choice for you too.”
Even though his tone had softened, Anne only pressed her lips together and glared at him. It wasn’t as if she had two bodies and could sacrifice one. The Duke and Duchess of Avery, her parents, were that important to her. Far more important than the protagonists of this damned original story.
The pain she had almost forgotten flared up again. A crease formed between Logan’s brows. It was time to reveal a secret he had kept for years. A secret he had never told anyone, not even a physician. Maintaining a calm tone, Logan continued.
“Can you live your whole life like a widow because of a mistake made in childhood?”
Anne didn’t understand what he meant at first. Was he saying he would abandon her for life? If that was the case, he should at least find a woman somehow before then. With that face and that status, he could have a line stretching into another world.
As Anne had hoped, a trace of kindness still remained in Logan. The kind of heart that couldn’t completely hate even the woman who had inflicted such a wound on him. That was why he hadn’t wanted to say it. He knew Anne Agnes would blame herself.
But if there was one person who had to know the truth, it was her. Mixing the words with a quiet breath, Logan confessed his secret.
“I can’t function as a man.”
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