When I Announced A Divorce, The Obsessive Maniac Went Crazy Chapter 135 - Side Story Chapter 7

Chapter 135

 

Side Story

“Wha-What?”

Cesare blinked.

His face clearly showed how surprised he was.

I spoke clearly to Cesare, who was staring at me with a pale face.

The tips of Cesare’s ears turned red.

I held his hand and placed it on my left chest.

“Do you still not get what I mean?”

I fluttered my eyes.

At times like this, the easiest way to fix things is… through a bit of physical action, right?

I could see Cesare’s eyes shaking.

Nothing I said before worked at all.

Just as I thought.

I smiled happily and rubbed the back of his hand.

“So, what should we do? Should I go bring Lizbeth back, or… turn off the lights?”

I saw Cesare’s throat move up and down.

It seemed like my shock tactic and teasing worked really well.

Cesare moved his lips.

“Turn off the lights.”

His calm voice dropped.

My laughter filled the room.

 

 

****

 

 

Cesare’s face was glowing, and just like Daphne said, he decided to be generous.

After all, it was something a little kid said, and raising children takes patience.

Besides, Gabriel would be leaving soon anyway…

With a kind heart, Cesare spoke up.

“The weather’s nice today. How about we go on a boat ride, Lizbeth? Aiden?”

“Sounds good!”

Aiden answered cheerfully.

To be honest, Aiden was the kind of kid who would go anywhere as long as Daphne was there.

His number one was Daphne, then his friends, and then Cesare and Lizbeth.

Lizbeth didn’t care what Aiden did at all.

Her number one was herself, and maybe Cesare and Daphne came next. Aiden didn’t even make it onto Lizbeth’s list.

“Great, Cesare. Lizbeth, you’ll go on the boat too, right?”

Daphne asked Lizbeth sweetly.

But again, kids never go the way you expect.

“I’m going to ride with Gabriel!”

That was the moment Cesare’s patience cracked.

Daphne saw the look on his face start to break and quickly said,

“Cesare. Patience and understanding. Don’t forget what it means to be a father.”

Thanks to Daphne quietly intertwining her fingers with his, Cesare was able to remember the role of a dad again.

He used all the patience he had to say,

“Okay, Lizbeth, you can do that.”

Gabriel looked at Cesare in surprise.

But Cesare ignored him and helped Daphne and Aiden onto the boat.

It’s better not to see it at all!

The boat carrying Cesare, Daphne, and Aiden quickly moved across the river.

“Aiden, look at this. Can you see the fish in the water?”

“Wow! You’re right! Dad, catch one!”

“No, Aiden. If you move around too much, you might fall in.”

Daphne gently patted Aiden’s back.

“Aiden, aren’t you scared of falling in?”

“I am.”

“Then let’s catch fish another time.”

“Okay!”

Aiden nodded sweetly.

Daphne patted her good boy on the head.

Cesare almost jumped in to catch a fish, but now he let out a small laugh.

Raising kids means dealing with lots of things not going as planned.

Kids have endless possibilities.

They think and act in ways adults don’t expect.

Especially Lizbeth.

Maybe it was because she took after Daphne—she always did surprising things.

Even now, with Gabriel…

“Haha! Wow! The water drops look like rainbows!”

“See? If you do this, you get even more rainbows.”

“Wow! It’s like a fairy used magic!”

With Gabriel…

Cesare’s eyebrow twitched.

He tried to ignore it, but Lizbeth’s laughter kept ringing in his ears.

He clenched his teeth.

‘He’s leaving soon.’

No need to toss him in the water—he’d be gone soon anyway.

Cesare calmed himself.

He was just about to stop paying attention when—

A sudden splash was heard, followed by a short cry from Lizbeth.

“Lizbeth!!”

Daphne’s soft scream echoed over the river.

Cesare turned his head quickly.

Lizbeth and Gabriel were in the water.

The boat with the attendants was quickly heading toward them.

Gabriel couldn’t swim!

He was trying to push Lizbeth up, but his body, like a rock, was sinking fast.

Lizbeth started crying.

“Daddy, Daaaaddy!! Mommy!!”

“Your Majesty!! Please hold on!!”

“Lizbeth!”

Without another thought, Cesare jumped into the river.

He grabbed Lizbeth tightly in his arms underwater.

Gabriel handed Lizbeth to Cesare and nodded.

He pointed to the boat coming with the attendants—it seemed like he was saying he’d be fine, just get Lizbeth out first.

Cesare nodded and shot up to the surface.

At the same time, the emperor’s attendants jumped into the water one after another.

Cesare swam to his boat instead of the overturned one and got Lizbeth onboard first.

Daphne, holding a pale-faced Aiden, took Lizbeth into her arms.

“Lizbeth! Sweetheart!!”

Cesare climbed aboard smoothly and pressed on Lizbeth’s small chest with his palm.

“Damn it.”

He couldn’t quite remember how CPR worked.

Cesare’s hands were shaking.

He had almost lost his child right in front of his eyes.

He opened his eyes wide.

Slowly, he pressed down on her chest and breathed into her mouth.

“Please, Lizbeth…!”

“Cough!”

Lizbeth coughed.

She slowly opened her eyes.

“D-Daddy…?”

“Yes, Lizbeth.”

Cesare answered in a soft voice.

She was alive.

His trembling hands lifted her into his arms.

Daphne finally let go of her tears.

Aiden hugged his mom tight and also started crying.

Luckily, the emperor was okay too.

Neither of them had swallowed too much water, and Gabriel was conscious.

But since an accident had happened, they decided to head back.

Young Lizbeth had briefly lost consciousness from the shock, so she needed to be checked by a doctor.

 

 

 

****

 

 

 

Daphne went to calm Lizbeth and put her to sleep.

Aiden, still sniffling, followed right behind her, leaving only Cesare behind.

Cesare dropped onto the sofa in the sunroom and rubbed his face.

It really felt like his heart had fallen to the ground and barely made it back.

Kids get hurt sometimes, but this was the first time one had fallen into such deep water.

Cesare clasped his shaking hands together.

“Haa…”

He squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them again.

“Duke Burstoad.”

Cesare looked up.

Gabriel, who had recovered quickly with the help of his attendants, was standing in front of him.

At that moment, Cesare didn’t know what to say.

“…I’m sorry. When Lizbeth leaned over to look at the fish, the boat flipped. I should’ve taken better care of her.”

Gabriel tried to speak as calmly as he could.

During the accident, Gabriel had been shocked too—but all he could think about was Lizbeth.

She was only four years old.

No one knew what could’ve happened because of the accident.

While using all his strength to push Lizbeth out of the water, he had prayed to God.

Even if something happened to him, please let the child live.

Compared to his own worthless life, Lizbeth’s was so bright and beautiful.

He couldn’t let her die.

Gabriel gave a bitter smile.

“No matter what anyone says, this was my fault.”

“…It’s okay.”

Cesare murmured.

Gabriel let out a sigh as he looked at Cesare, who was still pale.

The man who used to argue with him like a kid now truly looked like a father.

“…I’m truly sorry.”

At this moment, the only thing Gabriel could do was apologize.

What else could he say in front of a parent who had almost lost their child?

Gabriel placed a hand on Cesare’s shoulder.

Then Gabriel looked at Cesare in surprise.

Cesare was trembling, like a newborn deer.

Gabriel realized… this was the kind of parent he might never get to be.