Honey, Why Can’t We Get a Divorce? Chapter 170 - Side story 23

“I’ve always waited for Richard here.” 

 

‘Richard’ referred to the former Duke of Ryzen. 

 

And the fact that she waited… 

 

‘She must have been wishing only for his return from the battlefield.’

 

It was a brief statement, but the emotions contained in it were long and deep.

 

I didn’t know what to say, so I kept quiet.

 

“Will he come back today? Will he come back tomorrow?”

 

Angela continued in a very slow and faint voice.

 

“That’s how I waited every day.”

 

She smiled bitterly.

 

For the first time since I saw Angela, I could guess her emotions. That’s how sad she was.

 

“And then when I found out he couldn’t come back.”

 

Angela slowly lowered her gaze to look at her chest. She continued speaking with her arms raised as if she was holding something.

 

“I was holding Sylvester in my arms.”

 

As expected, not knowing what to say, I could only stand there quietly, letting silence fall. 

 

“So… I, him.” 

 

“….”

 

“I hate him so much.” 

 

Angela let go of the strength in her hand and dropped it down. Her expression, slowly closing her eyes, was filled with despair.

 

“I wish we had never met.”

 

As expected, my prediction was right.

 

It seemed that Angela’s earlier words, “I hate Richard,” actually meant she resented him for leaving too soon because she had loved him so deeply.  

 

I completely understood Angela’s feelings that I had only guessed. That made my heart ache even more. I couldn’t dare to imagine the sense of loss and sadness she had experienced.

 

“Why do humans start wars?”

 

Angela, who had opened her eyes, looked at me and asked.

 

“…Because they are greedy.”

 

“If it’s something that you have to have at the cost of your life, it’s better not to have it.”

 

“I think so too.”

 

Angela smiled faintly at my answer.

 

“I.”

 

And then she turned her gaze again. She looked across the balcony, to the place where Richard might have returned.

 

“I wished the war would disappear.”

 

As expected, there was a lot of meaning in these words. 

 

In the past, when Sylvester spoke about his mother, he always said that she only sought “power.” Because of that, she had used his emotions. 

 

However, even Sylvester said that he didn’t know why she craved power so much. So I thought that maybe Angela’s wish for the war to disappear was the reason.

 

“So….”

 

I slowly opened my mouth.

 

“Did you have to gain power?”

 

“Yeah.” 

 

Angela answers immediately.

 

“To raise my son properly. No, to ensure that my son doesn’t die. To prevent him from disappearing in vain.”

 

“….”

 

“So I grew stronger. Because only then could I stop the war, if it ever happened.”

 

Only now did I fully understand her heart. So that was why she longed for power— to raise Sylvester safely, to keep him from leaving like Richard did.

 

However, Sylvester didn’t know Angela’s feelings. He only knew that Angela only wanted strength for her own safety and that she used him. This is because Angela didn’t tell him the truth.

 

“But Sylvester….”

 

“Of course, he had a hard time.”

 

Angela shook her head and said.

 

“I didn’t know that.”

 

Saying ‘I didn’t know’ is not a pathetic excuse. 

 

“Because I thought that was the only way to protect that child.” 

 

In this way, Angela at that time could have really not known. 

 

Because she must have been obsessed with the idea that she could protect Sylvester only then.

 

“Was it love?”

 

Angela turns her gaze again. She stares at me intently.

 

“That’s right.”

 

She answers with a different smile than before.

 

“It was love.”

 

Everyone expresses love in different ways.

 

At that time, Angela believed that was her way of expressing love. It might be considered selfish in some ways, but… she cannot be blamed for it. After all, it was her first time being a mother, and she must have been in turmoil after losing her beloved husband.  

 

“Would you act differently now?”

 

“I guess so.”

 

Angela answered immediately. Her expression changed again. She seemed to be looking back on the past and regretting it. I could really feel her feelings. It could be because I am also becoming a mother now.

 

“But…” 

 

Angela lowered her eyes slightly and muttered.

 

“It’s too late.”

 

I quickly shook my head. And without thinking twice, I held her hand tightly.

 

“It’s never too late. Especially not between parents and children.”

 

“….” 

 

“Now, as long as you’re by his side, that’s what matters.” 

 

Angela stared down at the hand I was holding. Then she let out a hollow laugh.

 

“Would he want that too?”

 

“Yes, he will.” 

 

“No. I don’t know about that.”

 

Angela shook her head again.

 

“I’m scared.”

 

“Mother.”

 

“So I’m okay.”

 

Although I wasn’t sure what she meant by being okay, she kept muttering that she was fine and slowly pulled her hand away from mine. 

 

“As long as that child is living well, just like now, that’s all that matters.” 

 

I wanted to say no, but I couldn’t… because Angela had such a sad expression on her face. It was a sorrow too deep for someone like me, a third party, to comfort. 

 

***

 

“Whoo.” 

 

Leaving the annex and reaching the main building, I let out a long sigh.

 

I wanted to talk to Angela more, but due to her words saying she wanted to sleep, I had no choice but to leave. It seemed that it wasn’t fatigue but rather the burden of continuing the conversation with me that made her want to end it. 

 

-I’m scared.

 

I haven’t experienced everything Angela went through, so I can’t dare to fully empathize, but I do understand her. 

 

She might fear that she caused harm to her child’s childhood with her misguided judgment. Now, asking for forgiveness from her child might be… frightening. She might be scared that the child won’t accept her apology. 

 

But… 

 

Is it really better to continue this distorted relationship?

 

Neither Sylvester nor Angela would want that, right?

 

‘I should suggest that the three of us eat together tomorrow.’

 

I have no intention of telling Sylvester about the conversation I had with Angela. If I were to tell him, I feel like her true feelings would be distorted through my words. 

 

I thought it would be better to wait until Angela told Sylvester directly and continue to make time for the three of us to be together.

 

‘I hope they reconcile.’

 

Phew. I sighed again and opened the door. By the way, Sylvester still hasn’t come home… Huh? 

 

“Honey?”

 

I looked up at Sylvester’s long legs spread out on the sofa in the room.

 

“No, if you’ve come back, you should have told me. When did you arrive?” 

 

I wondered why they hadn’t told me when Sylvester returned, even though I asked them to. I approached Silvester with that confusion in mind. 

  

But…

 

“Honey?”

 

Sylvester’s two eyes were swollen red.

 

“Did you cry?!”