Chapter 13 (1/2)

Chapter 13

Even before Eric finished his sentence, Chloe visibly brightened up. She smiled brightly and clasped her hands together as though she was a child given candy.

“It’s been so long!”

Before she was married, she often went to banquets. However, after her marriage when she headed up north, she never attended a single ball in all those five years.

One reason was because she was too far from the capital, but truthfully she was reluctant to attend on her own. She also didn’t want to talk to anyone about her married life.

This marriage was for the sake of selling her for money, it was a marriage without love…

No, that’s not it. Chloe loves her husband.

No matter how many times she said this, there was no way anyone would believe her. So Chloe naturally left the social world.

Although it was her own choice, it’s true that she sometimes missed going to balls.

But then again… What did he mean by royal banquet? Chloe was about to jump up in anticipation.

However, this joy was brief. A dark expression soon dawned over her features as she looked up at Eric.

“But, darling…”

She carefully opened her lips, trying to gauge the emotions that would flash over Eric’s face.

“The dress—it’ll be expensive.”

“Wife.”

Eric’s black eyes were lit up with rage. His brows were furrowed and he loosened the tie of his expensive suit that he wore intentionally today.

“I wonder why you keep making me angry.”

“…Ah.”

“I’m always curious about this.”

Chloe wrung her fingers together and dropped her head.

She made a mistake.

She did something wrong.

She didn’t know what it was, but she was wrong anyhow.

With her head down, she couldn’t meet his eyes.

“I’ll see you by the entrance in two hours.”

So she didn’t even see what kind of expression her husband had.

It was her first time going on an outing with Eric.

Over the course of five years.

Chloe couldn’t hide her excitement.

Cough!

But her body did not follow her thoughts. Her heart ached and her lungs were labored. Again.

She could feel that she might cough up blood. She took a handful of medicine and gulped it all down, breathing heavily right after.

No, please no.

‘Don’t show how sick you are in front of him.’

If she gets caught being sick like this, he’ll be angry once more.

“Haa…”

Chloe leaned back on the armchair she was sitting on, breathing roughly. Then, she slowly looked out the window.

She saw a train running despite the blizzard. <chooo.< i=””>The train that moved forward blew out black smoke. Chloe stared at it blankly.</chooo.<>

How helpless it was to think that humans would only be able to get off when the train reaches its destination? In there, people could only get off after enduring one another’s company.

Wasn’t life exactly the same?

Life was like getting on a train, not being able to leave until it reached the end… With railroads that span for decades.

However, her railroad would soon end. Only two years at most. After that, the railroad would be cut off, and the train would collapse.

Before that, she wanted to do something that would make her feel alive. But she didn’t know what it was.

Whatever it is, anything…

“Madam, it’s time to go.”

At the sound of the other woman’s voice, Chloe slowly rose to her feet. She flattened out the slightly wrinkled dress, then walked out the door with calm steps.

But before she exited the room, she turned around and looked out the window once more. Even the black smoke of the train had already disappeared.

Would she be able to be alive next to Eric?

She wanted to have even a hint of hope that he would continue regarding her with the same warm attitude just as he did yesterday.

But Chloe knew well.

This hope was like a mirage that would disappear the moment she tried to embrace it.

Chloe smiled quietly to herself and shook her head.

Today, Eric was wearing a long black coat with a tailored dress shirt, his hair swept back.

His narrowed eyes were cold, but captivating. However, his fatigue could still be seen underneath his gaze.

It made his atmosphere even more intimidating.

Chloe took a step closer to Eric. Then, she reached a hand to him.

It was to fix his crooked tie.

“……”

Eric faltered, but he accepted her touch.

“You look so handsome today.”

Chloe smiled, however Eric continued to be silent. He just looked at Chloe with a silent gaze.

He continued to say nothing as they got onto the locomotive, even as they were nearing the townsquare already.

There wasn’t any awkwardness of either of them hesitating because they didn’t know what to say. Rather, the silence between them continued to stretch further because neither of them intended to fill the locomotive with conversation.

Chloe was frustrated with the silence. She wasn’t that talkative either, but she’s never been this silent.