Violet Zerotta’s Hasty Marriage - Chapter 72

Seeing Aldrick completely lose his composure, Violet burst into laughter. Finally, he looked like the husband she knew again.

Once she confirmed that he hadn’t been indifferent to her body after all, an odd sense of relief spread in her chest.

“What are you doing, seriously? Are you trying to drive me crazy?” he grumbled.

“I don’t know. I just thought maybe you weren’t interested in my body anymore. I was checking if there was something about me you didn’t like.”

Violet widened her eyes as if offended and poked him in the chest.

“What kind of ridiculous thing is that to say, Violet…”

Aldrick muttered as he pulled her hand away.

Up until a moment ago, she had considered it a real possibility. But now, seeing the burning look in his eyes, she realized she must have been wrong.

Still, there was something she couldn’t quite let go of.

“Then why didn’t you so much as lay a finger on me since we got here? When you act like that, how can I not think something’s wrong? You were acting like a man who’s lost interest in his wife.”

She asked with a touch of resentment. Aldrick rubbed his face roughly with one large hand.

“This is driving me insane.”

He took a breath as if to calm himself, then finally spoke again.

“You still think I’m a kid, don’t you? Isn’t that right, Violet?”

That wasn’t completely wrong, but Violet didn’t reply—she simply waited for him to continue.

“After you rejected me a few times, I did a lot of thinking. And every time, I came to the same conclusion—that I was being too impatient. I thought I should wait until you were ready. I wanted to show you that I could be patient too…”

Aldrick wasn’t looking into her eyes. His explanation sounded plausible, but it didn’t account for everything he’d done.

Violet was sure there was something else he hadn’t said.

“But Aldrick, since we came here, I’ve been open with you. I gave you signs, didn’t I? Yet you didn’t even try to hold my hand. We finally get time alone, and you’re acting like we’re strangers. Isn’t that true?”

“I was afraid I’d be a bother. And I was scared you’d push me away again… It’s been so long since we’ve been together like that, I didn’t even know how to start…”

“No, Aldrick. Be honest with me.”

They had only been married for three years, but it had still been long enough. Violet hoped he would finally open up.

Even wrapped awkwardly in a cloth, Violet radiated a commanding presence Aldrick couldn’t defy. He let out a long sigh.

“The truth is…”

“The truth?”

“…Honestly? I was afraid you’d get pregnant again.”

“What?!”

Despite promising herself she’d stay calm no matter the reason, Violet cried out without thinking. She was completely blindsided. A wave of shock hit her like a storm.

You… don’t want Rosetta…?

Looking genuinely hurt, she asked the question. Aldrick gave a helpless laugh.

“No, that’s not what I meant.”

“Then what do you mean!”

Before she could react any further, he pulled her impulsively into his arms. If Aldrick had one weakness, it was how deeply he loved Violet.

“I used to rush in without thinking, but after you pushed me away a few times, I started thinking things through. I couldn’t sleep. The nights felt endless.”

He murmured into her soft hair.

That she had misunderstood everything so completely—it was almost hard to believe.

“I realized it’s not something I should be careless about. If we start again… I know I’ll lose control and want more. Then you’ll get pregnant again. Just like with Rosetta, your body will suffer. And then, until the baby grows up, you’ll push me away again…”

The more he tried to explain, the more he felt like a complete fool. He began to understand why Violet might not fully trust him even now.

“I just couldn’t go through that again. It’s not that I didn’t want to hold you. I was afraid if I did, I’d lose control and force you down.”

Wrapped in his warm chest, listening to his gentle voice, the storm inside Violet began to calm.