Chapter 27 (1/2)

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Chapter 27

After returning to her room, Chloe changed her clothes and wiped off the sweat on her forehead with a towel. It was snowing heavily outside.

She had heard that it didn’t snow at the capital, but Chloe knew that it was especially cold this year.

When she changed into a comfortable nightgown and sat down on an armchair, she could finally relax. Still, Chloe still pulled her seat closer to the heater because she still felt chilly.

Looking at the heater reminded her of the portable heater that Eric was making. It was going to be very useful. Once it’s successfully completed, many people would definitely want to buy it, and because of this, Eric’s reputation would soar once more.

Chloe likes Eric. Apart from loving him, she likes him. She likes him just for himself. He was an admirable man who made great inventions with his hands as though he’s breathing life into them. That’s partly why she was so happy to have married him back then, and she promised that she would respect him for all of her life.

But what was the result of this? The only time they slept together on the same bed for all five years of their marriage was last night, while he was drunk.

And throughout the night, nothing happened. Nevertheless, Chloe loved that Eric sought her out, and the fact that he refused to let her go somehow proved that he needed her. Chloe couldn’t help but be happy.

She was so ecstatic that she could consider this being happy. ‘Chloe…’ When he called her in a low voice, it felt as though an angel was beckoning her and leading her to heaven.

But there was no heaven. And God is a mere illusion.

The moment Eric woke up in the morning, he was as indifferent as he always was. Rather than a benevolent angel, he looked more like a disinterested devil. This realization made Chloe’s chest hurt once more.

Cough!

Chloe spat out a cough mixed with blood. Trickles of dark red liquid poured out, and she hurriedly covered her lips with a handkerchief, but that wasn’t enough to stop it. As she coughed and spat out, blood was still there.

Cough, cough! Kugh!

Chloe curled up into herself and coughed again. Her body was shaking. Collapsing to the floor, Chloe placed her head between her knees.

It hurts.

It hurts so much.

There’s nothing she could do because she’s sick…

She couldn’t tell her husband. He already hated it whenever she was lying down sick in bed, but it was clear that he would say more hurtful things the moment he would find out she had a time limit.

Chloe thought to herself that she wouldn’t be hurt by such words anymore, but that wasn’t true. It hurts. It’s difficult. Whenever she heard those things from her husband, it felt like the barriers around her heart were collapsing one after another.

What would happen once all these walls would go down?

Would she die?

Chloe thought about it.

Yes. She would.

Suddenly, Chloe laughed.

She had to make sure that the barriers around her heart wouldn’t collapse. She had to strengthen her resolve a little more. She should no longer be hurt by every word, every glare.

‘We’re going to get divorced anyway.’

Chloe rose to her feet. She had to wash off the blood on the handkerchief. If she left this task to Andrea, that in itself would be enough to turn this entire house upside down.

“Is Chloe going out today?”

Eric asked Daniel. At his question, Daniel nodded as he handed him some documents.

“I heard that she is. Andrea said so.”

“Why?”

“I’m not sure of the reason.”

Daniel shrugged.

“I guess the Madam’s fleeing for a bit because Your Excellency said so many things.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

Eric furrowed his brows.

“I think.”

Daniel smiled as though he already knew. There’s no way that he didn’t say anything. Eric just saying anything towards the Marchioness was enough to offend. Daniel was sure.

“What happened to Gatsby?”

“He’s protesting and using his family’s name while doing so. But I said that we’d take this to court, and he shut up just like that. He said that he’d bring the settlement money.”

“Give that money to Chloe.”

Shocked, Daniel widened his eyes.

“But…”

Though he soon spoke anyway.

“Will the Madam take it?”

“What do you mean?”

“No, I mean, the Madam I know wouldn’t take it.”

“Then leave it in a bank. Tell her that she can use it if she needs to later.”

Eric had answered this, but paused for a moment. He soon added.

“Sure. It’s not needed anyway. I can do everything. There’s nothing to worry about when it comes to money.”

That’s right. No one in the capital had as much wealth as Eric.

The only one who didn’t know this was Chloe. She was the only one who denied this fact.

No, it wasn’t to the extent of denial, but Chloe seemed to have the misconception that Eric was poor. He recalled how she had said, ‘If I pay back all the money that my household borrowed, you can buy one of Monte’s paintings, right?’

His expression became distorted with unpleasantness. At first glance, it was clear how his deep, empty gaze was now colored with anger. Daniel watched Eric’s changes.

“You need to stop having that attitude.”