As My Husband Said, I Brought in a Lover Chapter 42

“A guest has arrived.”

 

“A guest?”

 

“That is… His Excellency Edward von Lindeman has come to visit. He said he had an appointment with Madam.” The servant glanced at Luize.

 

“Right. Let him in, please.”

 

Luize put down her knife and stood up, opening one of her suitcases. She pulled out some documents and approached Reiad.

 

“Unfortunately, the only thing I could do during our divorce proceedings was to bring these documents for signature. The rest is completed once you sign and submit them to the temple.”

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

“I thought it would be nice to do something since it’s the end. I wanted to ease your burden of going through with the divorce. Now it’s truly over.”

 

“…Over?”

 

“Yes. Once we divorce, our marriage contract and even the vows are null and void.”

 

“My Luize, you seem confused by the sudden big event. If you think about it calmly, you might change your mind. I understand you’re wandering. But we are a couple who swore to each other for life in front of God. Just because we’re apart for a while doesn’t change that fact. In half a year, your anger will subside, and your thoughts will change.”

 

“…Maybe so.”

 

Luize placed the documents on the table. Before she could withdraw her hand, Reiad grabbed her wrist.

 

“So don’t go too far to regret.”

 

“…”

 

“I told you I love you. And you said you love me too. Feelings don’t change that easily.”

 

“…It wasn’t easy.”

 

Luize dropped her gaze, her voice trembling softly. “I’ve never had a moment with you where anything was easy, not a word or a single breath.”

 

“That can’t be, Luize. Are you teasing me? You can’t let go of me that easily.”

 

“…”

 

“I can give you everything you want.”

 

“This is what I want.”

 

The grip on Luize’s wrist tightened. Reiad’s voice lowered. “Luize, don’t be emotional.”

 

“…”

 

“Luize!”

 

“Maybe it’s better we see each other after half a year.”

 

“…”

 

“When the season of falling leaves comes, and the roses in the garden bloom again after withering, I will come to find you. This time, please wait for me here.”

 

Luize looked out at the garden. This mansion was truly a lovely place at first sight. The garden was full of flowers, her room filled with light every morning, everything was perfect. But how could she be so unhappy in such a beautiful mansion?

 

Luize looked back at Reiad with a bitter face. His eyes widened at her expression he had never seen before.

 

At that moment, the dining room door opened. Edward and someone who appeared to be a servant entered.

 

“Miss Luize. I’ve come to pick you up.”

 

“…”

 

Reiad’s gaze shifted to the well-dressed Edward. He smiled leisurely, facing Reiad.

 

“Pleased to meet you, Count Cloette.”

 

His gaze paused on Reiad’s hand gripping Luize’s wrist. Edward approached and casually removed Reiad’s hand. Reiad’s arm fell limp.

 

“You’re here.”

 

“I was worried I might have come too soon. The thought of you coming to me kept me awake all night.”

 

“You came at just the right time.”

 

“Where’s your luggage?”

 

“It’s over there.”

 

“Quite minimal. Rio, take it.” Edward instructed the servant, then wrapped his arm conspicuously around Luize’s shoulder. He leaned in to whisper to her.

 

“Are your farewells done?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Then let’s go.”

 

Edward looked back at Reiad as they were about to leave, his lips curling up.

 

“…”

 

“Take care, Reiad.” Luize bid him a calm goodbye.

 

“Alright… Take care.”

 

Leaving a subdued Reiad behind, the two exited the dining room. The carriage was parked in front of the main entrance. A silver hawk flying across the sky was embossed on the white carriage door. Only when they were about to board did Edward release the arm around Luize’s shoulder.

 

Sitting across from each other inside the carriage, Luize let out a long sigh. She covered her face with her hands, leaning forward as tension was released.

 

“I played the typical villain role.”

 

“… I’m sorry for making you do this.”

 

“It’s alright. How about your wrist? The count’s grip seemed quite strong.”

 

Edward examined Luize’s wrist with a calm gaze, his eyes stopping at her fingertips. A scab, like a red dot, sat where she had been pricked by a rose thorn.

 

“The condition of your finger doesn’t look good either. I’ll have to bring out the holy water when we return to the mansion.”

 

“It’s okay. It’ll heal on its own.”

 

“It might leave a scar. It’s better not to leave any traces of unpleasant memories.”

 

“…”

 

“Do you regret it?”

 

“No.”

 

Luize looked back at the Cloette mansion. The embossed canaries on the mansion gate gradually receded. She thought about the birds that had been in the cage, grateful that she could protect their wings in time.

 

Upon arriving at the Lindeman mansion, Luize headed to the annex. There, among the dresses Edward had insisted on gifting her during their last date, extra practice clothes, Lensia’s sword, and laundered prize money were laid out. Luize, browsing through her traces accumulated here, set down her luggage with a complex expression.

 

“Luize.”

 

A deep, heavy voice made Luize turn to see a tall figure standing at the door.

 

“Maxion…”

Her voice broke as she threw herself into the embrace of her giant friend, tears bursting forth. Leaning against the door outside, Edward left a tray with a water bottle, cup, and candies at the door before returning to the main building.

 

* * *

“…Clear it.”

 

Reiad, holding the documents in one hand, ascended the stairs without touching his food.

 

The image of Luize’s bitter face haunted him. The peculiar sensation he felt when their gazes met was unlike any parting he had experienced before. It felt as if they had stepped onto an endless cliff, and his heart tightened. Wasn’t it like declaring their relationship was completely over?

 

They were to reunite within half a year. Reiad had decided so, and it had to be so.

 

“Me, rejected by a woman? Even more, by Luize? That can’t be.”

 

He had never parted with a woman at a time he didn’t choose. He either initiated the breakup or led the woman to turn away. Even Isella, who got proposed to after parting with him, was within his plans.

 

It was surely that despicable deposed crown prince’s doing. Reiad recalled the deposed crown prince’s mocking laughter.

 

“Haha. So, Luize was just being used. To seduce such a naïve married woman, the deposed crown prince has gone too far.”

 

Nothing had changed. Luize was still the same, just momentarily misled by that snake-like deposed crown prince.

 

Reiad stopped and looked up. At the end of the second-floor corridor is the room with the best lighting. Without realizing it, he had arrived in front of Luize’s room. As if needing to check, he slowly opened the door.

 

The wind that blew in as soon as the door opened brushed past him. All the windows in the room were open, and the sheer curtains billowed with the breeze.

 

Reiad stepped into the room. Although Luize had only packed one bag, the room seemed too empty. There was no warmth, not even a trace of someone’s living scent as if it was thoroughly cleared out. To think a person lived here for over two years and left no trace.

 

He hurriedly closed the windows, his actions betraying his anxiety. It was unbelievable that Luize’s room, where she had spent more than two years, could be so starkly empty.

 

Chirp. Tweet-. Chirp. The sound of birds reached his busy ears. He remembered hearing a few days ago that Luize had brought birds. Did they say they were two canaries resembling the Cloette family emblem?

 

As he approached the window where the sound came from, the golden birdcage hidden behind the billowing curtain was revealed. The cage door was open.

 

Tweet-. Chirp. There were supposed to be two, but only one canary was inside, singing at the cage entrance. Reiad hurriedly placed the bird back inside and closed the cage.

 

“…There’s no way you would leave me.”

 

He hadn’t expected the deposed crown prince to interfere to this extent, which bruised his pride. However, confident in his understanding of women, he believed winning back Luize’s heart wouldn’t be difficult. Seducing women was one of the easiest things for him.

 

“Ha, this isn’t like me.” He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.

 

Yes, it was just a hit to his pride, and he was more agitated than usual. He was probably just dismayed at someone running away without his permission.

 

The lone canary in the cage sang a long tune.