Chapter 16 (1/2)

Chapter 16

Eric was in the same carriage.

She brought up the divorce with him a few days ago, so she thought that he would take another carriage, but it was amazing that he had waited for her.

Chloe tried not to show her surprise as she sat across from him.

Giddy up. The coachman stirred the horses forward, and the locomotive started moving.

Black smoke covered the car window, and the screeching sounds of the engine pierced the air.

“…….”

However, inside the carriage, it was quiet. Neither of them opened their lips to speak.

The silence lasted a long time. Until they eventually saw the Imperial Palace outside the window.

“It’s so frustrating. I’m going crazy.”

And what broke the silence was Eric’s muttering.

He unclasped his sleeve cuffs and turned his wrists. Then, he faced Chloe.

“Why didn’t you come out of your room?”

Chloe thought for a moment about what answer she should give.

“Because… I didn’t have a reason to go out?”

She answered only with that, nothing more and nothing less.

She didn’t go out of her room because she had nothing to do outside.

This was the truth, but Eric didn’t look very happy.

“Didn’t you think about coming to me?”

Chloe was perplexed by this. The ribbons tied on her hat were slightly disturbed.

“You’re… busy.”

Eric furrowed his brows.

That’s right. He’s busy.

He was going crazy because he was so busy. However, despite being so busy, he was also tired of just looking at the door that never opened again.

Eric had to admit it, that he was waiting for Chloe.

Ha. He let out a sigh and unbuttoned his collar.

“It’s your birthday soon.”

Eric continued to speak, looking into Chloe’s wide eyes.

“I made a reservation at the Antoinette Opera. I hope we can go there together on that day.”

“Pardon?”

Chloe blinked her widened eyes several times.

“Together?”

“Then, you’d rather go alone?”

At Eric’s firm words, Chloe couldn’t stop her mouth from gaping.

But she soon tightened her lips together, looking away with discomfort in her eyes. Then, she turned back and met his gaze.

“Suddenly? Why?”

With a sigh and with his Eric clenched his fingers into a fist, but he soon unclenched this and straightened his furrowed brows with his fingers. He let out a sigh.

“I believe I’ve been good to you, Wife.”

“…Pardon?”

“I think I’ve done a good job so far.”

He leaned forward, interlocking his fingers.”

“But maybe that wasn’t the case for you.”

“It wasn’t.”

Chloe answered immediately. Then, she looked over to Eric. Seeing how his expression didn’t change, Chloe sighed in relief.

“So I’m saying I’ll give it a try.”

Eric straightened his shoulders and raised his chin.

“To be a good husband to my wife.”

Chloe looked blankly at him the whole time she listened to his words. She stared at Eric with eyes that were out of focus, as if she had gotten lost. Then, she slowly raised her head.

“Why?”

Chloe’s question was unexpected.

Of course, he thought that Chloe would like what he said, but he didn’t know that he would ask like this.

His conversations with Chloe always went beyond his expectations. And he was always left with no choice but to be rendered speechless.

“I was going to spend my birthday alone. As always.”

Chloe could barely speak through her confusion.

“But why…”

She grabbed the skirt of her dress unconsciously.

“Is it because I brought up divorce? That’s why you’re trying to be nice to me?”

Eric saw sadness in Chloe’s eyes—despair. He tried to think of a reason why it was there.

So he couldn’t understand even more.

Why? Why was she reacting like this? He felt betrayed and unfair again.

Chloe seemed to keep brushing off his efforts to do better down the drain.

“Then what are you going to do?”

Eric answered her sharply. Chloe’s expression soon grew distorted.

“You’re really too much.”

And she replied with a voice that was not emotional—it was calm, yet so deflated.

“If I hadn’t done that, you’d still treat me the same way.”

Chloe recalled Eric’s attitude towards her over the past five years.

“You ignored me, you were indifferent to me, and you were completely… absent. Isn’t that right?”

Eric’s forehead wrinkled. He shook his head slowly.

“I never did that.”

“Do you really think so?”

Chloe looked into Eric’s eyes as she asked.

Eric chewed the inside of his cheek instead of answering.

It felt like he was cornered, as if he had been trapped there with no chance to escape. It’s not something he usually felt.

“So what do you want me to do? Do you want me to be with you or not?”

“Darling.”

Chloe sighed heavily.

She looked at his strong chin, his splendidly shaped lips, his high nose and his two gleaming eyes.

This was the man she loved.

She wondered if this man…

“Do you love me?”

Did he love her?”