The Full Story of an Incomplete Divorce - Chapter 25

Was it the light reflecting off the knife? A sharp, blade-like glint flashed across Lucius’s pupils.

Although Lucius had briefly shut down the topic concerning the servant, the subject, once raised, wasn’t easily dropped. Diana continued her conversation, openly comparing Lucius to the deceased Linert.

“He was my son, but such a wasted talent. If Linert had lived, he would have been an excellent family head, leading the household…”

Diana dabbed at her tears sorrowfully with a handkerchief and looked at Charlotte.

“It brings back the memory of your engagement ceremony with Linert. You clearly would have made a good match. Aren’t the gods just so cruel?”

Lucius’s expression showed no change. Instead, the air around him subtly cooled and settled. Charlotte, the only one present who noticed this, naturally picked up the conversation from Diana’s words.

“How could I forget? I, too, am saddened and heartbroken about Linert. That is why I am all the more grateful that Lucius is my husband. In truth, I rely on him a great deal. We will work together to uphold the family’s honor, so please do not worry too much.”

A flicker of emotion passed over Lucius’s face. It was a reaction of utter surprise to an entirely unexpected response. Charlotte turned her head away, pretending not to notice with a small, feigned cough, but Lucius’s eyes persistently and ardently followed only her.

In the strange atmosphere, Charlotte thankfully finished the meal without incident and saw the former Duke and Duchess Valentin at the door.

“Are you leaving already? Won’t you stay a few more days?”
“That’s enough. We will see you again for Linert’s memorial day anyway.”

Diana’s gaze drifted toward Charlotte’s flat lower abdomen.
“By the way, is there still no news of a child?”
“…No, not yet.”
“I see. Well, I’m sure you know what you’re doing.”

Diana clicked her tongue with a sour expression and boarded the carriage. After watching the carriage carrying the former Duke and Duchess Valentin disappear into the distance, Charlotte turned to Lucius.

“We need to talk.”

***

Once they had gone up to the room, Charlotte sat on the sofa and got straight to the point.
“Why didn’t you tell me they were coming?”

Lucius, who had approached to sit beside her, paused for a moment before speaking quietly.
“I originally intended to refuse their visit. As you saw earlier, whenever Mother is present, the conversation inevitably turns to my brother. It’s never pleasant talk, and…”

A stifled breath escaped through his palm as he slowly dragged it down his face.
“Charlotte, I especially did not want you to have to hear it in a place where you were present.”

“…That was the reason?”

On the day Linert died, Lucius, who was present, had been the only witness to the accident. It must have been a great shock and trauma for him, who was still a child and hadn’t even had his coming-of-age ceremony. That was why they had never properly discussed Linert until now.

Looking back, Lucius hadn’t completely severed ties with high society from the very beginning. As a member of a high-ranking noble family, there were times when he was forced to make an appearance. However, because Linert’s presence in society had been so immense, people would ask Lucius about him whenever they saw him, and Lucius would always show aversion and react sharply.

‘Back then, I simply thought it was because the accident was still recent and he was in shock.’

But seeing Lucius’s face contort so sharply now left her confused. Was his sharp reaction stemming from grief and pain over his deceased brother, or was there something else?

Simultaneously, a question she had never deeply considered before arose in her mind.
‘Now that I think about it, what was the relationship between Lucius and Linert like?’

Lucius gazed intently at Charlotte for a moment before meekly lowering his eyes.
“After my brother’s accident, I began suffering from intermittent insomnia. As the anniversary approaches, the symptoms have worsened recently. You may find it pathetic… but for me, recalling my brother is still difficult.”