Chapter 58
I didn’t want things to get complicated.
Rebecca let out a long sigh, hoping with all her heart that he wouldn’t change his mind.
“Sigh…”
“What! Is something wrong?”
Theo, holding a freshly baked cookie, froze and asked in alarm.
Since returning home he was speaking to her for the first time, Rebecca widened her eyes in surprise.
Startled by the questioning look in Rebecca’s eyes, Theo flinched.
But as if steeling himself, he set the plate down on the table and spoke.
“Tomorrow it’ll really be a divorce. Is that what’s making you upset?”
“Divorce…”
Rebecca smiled slightly.
To be honest, she had been enjoying her time here so much that until just a moment ago she had almost forgotten about the divorce. The years she’d spent trapped in the count’s house felt like an old dream, and it left her disoriented. The painful memories were still vivid, but they no longer rose to the surface annoyingly. Sometimes, in the calm of everyday life, she even wondered what revenge would mean.
But she regained her resolve. Thinking of her previous life made her blood boil again. And if the signs of poisoning in her body disappeared, Zeplin’s obsession might start all over. He might even escalate his madness.
Rebecca thought of Robert, and of the hunting hounds who had sworn loyalty to her. She thought of Alicia, the handcuffs that had once been clamped on her wrists. And she thought of the child taken from her before her eyes — her precious daughter.
She could not forgive it.
She had to punish Zeplin, even if it cost her this happy life. She had to.
Rebecca clenched her fist tightly.
Theo, with reddened eyes, looked down at his pensive daughter.
“I… I was wrong, Rebecca.”
Theo suddenly fell to his knees before Rebecca.
Rebecca, startled, reached to help him up.
Flustered, she glanced toward Danae, who was watching silently from a distance.
Like Theo, Danae’s eyes were wet with tears; she quietly shook her head.
On his knees, Theo pleaded with his daughter.
“I was blind. I didn’t think about you. I should have resisted, or at least submitted a protest to the Emperor. I should have done something to get you out of there.”
“It’s all in the past now, Father.”
“No. I acted as if I didn’t know you. I told myself it couldn’t be helped — that someone had to be sacrificed. I pushed the consequences of my deeds onto you. It’s fine if you don’t consider me your father. I just… I wanted to say I’m sorry. To tell you I still love you…”
Rebecca could not speak and simply embraced her father.
Theo clung to the shoulder of the daughter who had grown up out of his sight and sobbed.
“My daughter, please don’t forgive me. You probably can’t. But I want you to know that you have family. From now on I can stake everything so I never lose you again. I will do anything for your happiness. I’m sorry. I am truly sorry…”
Thunder began rolling behind her before she knew it.
But Theo’s sobs were louder still.
His cries pierced through the roaring thunder and sounded with a wrenching despair.
Rebecca looked past his shoulder at Helena, Livia, and Danae, who were holding back tears.
As Theo had said, Rebecca could not forgive them. But she decided to live as if she had forgotten. She would bury the filthy memories and paint over them with the beautiful happiness they would now give her.
When Theo’s sobs gradually subsided, Rebecca spoke slowly.
“You must keep that promise. The one about doing anything for my happiness.”
Theo’s face brightened as he looked at Rebecca.
“Of course. Our daughter. You gave us our lives back, so now it’s our turn to repay you.”
Rebecca could not reply. Danae had darted forward and hugged her.
Helena and Livia held hands and watched the scene.
To be honest, they didn’t have many memories of Rebecca. The twins had been late-born; by the time they could barely form sentences, Rebecca had already become the Countess of Devonshire. So unless something special happened, there hadn’t been many chances for Rebecca and the sisters to make memories together.
But they knew one thing: the cute dresses and sweet cakes came at Rebecca’s sacrifice.
So Helena and Livia vowed to be kind to Rebecca if she returned. Even if it would be a bit awkward, they decided to give her the last cookie.
The two girls gripped hands and barely held back their tears.
But seeing Rebecca returned home changed everything. She wasn’t a stranger they wanted to be kind to — she was one of Obelia’s own. Worn out though she was, Rebecca smiled at them without reserve; she was a complete part of their family from head to toe.
The two girls let go of each other’s hands and ran to Rebecca, hugging her so tightly she almost squealed. The four crushing grips made her cry out for a moment — a happy cry.
“Oh my, I seem to have come at the wrong time.”
Julian watched the tangled Obelia family with an awkward expression.
Danae, startled, wiped her tears.
“No, it’s— please, to the parlor…”
Danae flinched and looked at Rebecca.
Rebecca’s complexion had drained. She stared up at Julian with a terrified face.
Her heart pounded like mad. Nothing was obscuring her face now.
Rebecca’s hands trembled violently.
She had been found out. He had seen her.
When Julian met Rebecca’s eyes, he couldn’t hide his pleasure and, before he realized it, called her name.
“Rebe—”
But before his voice reached her, she ran.
Rebecca desperately sprinted up the stairs.
“Rebecca!”
Julian immediately followed her.
Theo moved to block him in urgency, but Danae stopped Theo.
“Isn’t it time Rebecca stepped out of the shadows too?”
At her words, Theo paused and looked up the stairs with worried eyes at the spot where Julian had disappeared.
The sky was gray.
Zeplin gazed calmly up at the ashen sky, as if it matched his mood.
Tomorrow was the last day of the arbitration period. Counting the time to arrive at the capital, he had to send the divorce papers to the imperial palace today. Then he would be completely divorced from Rebecca.
He could have sent them earlier, but for some reason Zeplin kept hesitating.
It all felt unreal. That she wasn’t there.
‘Rebecca…’
Zeplin bowed his head.
No — he could be fine without her.
Like a spell, he muttered to himself while standing in the middle of the garden.
He had thought he wouldn’t be able to breathe without her. But look how well he had done without her. His newly expanded businesses were thriving, and the estate that had recently been noisy had returned to its original peaceful state. He was fine. He could live without her.
And Octavio’s list of Rebecca replacements wasn’t bad.
As Octavio had said, there was a chance he could find someone as beautiful as Rebecca, if not more beautiful.
And Alicia. Watching the child that Alicia carried grow was more pleasant than he had expected. If the child resembled him, he thought he might not love it passionately, but at least he wouldn’t dislike it.
So why did his feet feel frozen?
Zeplin imagined how Rebecca might be spending her time now. Thinking of Rebecca lying alone in that shabby Obelia house, he felt a brief pang.
She would relive past glories and spend nights in tears, missing him. She might be longing for him.
Yes, surely she missed him.
Then there was the matter of the Obelia family’s debts. Considering her situation, he thought forgiving them might be right — but perhaps he should punish them for failing to manage their daughter properly.
While Zeplin was lost in thought, Octavio approached slowly.
“My lord, aren’t there documents that must be sent to the palace?”
He looked at Octavio, whose eyes had lost their light.
Octavio smiled thinly and patted Zeplin’s shoulder.
“Discard what should be discarded, take what should be taken. Only then can you move forward.”
At his words, Zeplin laughed weakly.
“You’re right.”
Zeplin staggered toward his study.
Kuurung—
The sky, swollen with stormclouds, growled low as if warning him.
Zeplin shivered at the sound.
“Rebecca! Wait, just a moment — look at me!”
With a terrified expression, Rebecca tried to disappear into her room, but Julian barely caught up to her.
Once inside Rebecca’s room, Julian grabbed her wrist and turned her back toward him.
The door closed naturally behind Julian.
“I know what you’re afraid of. But I’m not that person. I’m not who you think I am.”
“Please go. Don’t look at me.”
Rebecca pressed her hands over her face, sobbing as tears streamed down her cheeks.
She squeezed her eyes shut. She didn’t want to see any expression Julian might be making.
When he didn’t let go of her arm, Rebecca shoved him and fled to the center of the room. She sat stubbornly on the floor and buried her face in her knees.
At that moment she wished she would simply disappear.
“Rebecca…”
Julian approached her again as if glued to her.
He watched the trembling shoulders of the sobbing Rebecca with clenched teeth.
He felt pathetic for not being able to think of anything to say. Seeing her crying, he felt he had made a terrible mistake. He shouldn’t have followed her. No matter how much he wanted to see her, he shouldn’t have grabbed her hand by force and turned her face.
But they couldn’t stay like this forever. He and Rebecca had to move forward — together.
