# 30
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Chloe leaned over and placed her hand on her chest.
“It has been a long time, Your Highness.”
Elizabeth and Chloe finally met after a long wait. But Elizabeth ignored Chloe's greeting and walked right past her, then headed towards Eric.
“Marquis!”
With a bright smile, as if she was really happy, she grabbed Eric's arm.
"Marquis, you're as handsome as ever. How are you? You haven't responded to my messages even once."
Harris did not know that his sister had sent letters to the Marquis, and he had no idea that the Marquis was ignoring them. A feeling of shame overwhelmed him as he saw his sister clinging to the Marquis so shamelessly.
Besides the shame he felt, what he felt most was anger toward Eric for ignoring his sister. In fact, Harris knew logically that Eric, who was married, ignoring his sister's letters was the right thing to do, but his emotions at that moment prevented him from accepting that.
Harris shot Eric a sharp look.
“Did that happen?”
Eric clicked his tongue briefly, then nodded.
“I couldn't check any of them because I was busy.”
“Yes, it is possible,” Elizabeth said with a smile. "But you must answer her letter next time. There is something written in it that I am sure you will like very much, Marquis."
Elizabeth didn't know how Eric felt, so she burst out laughing as she said it. Harris's frown deepened.
However, it would be good for his younger sister and Eric to keep a close relationship. Eric's rejection was a blow to his pride, but in this way, the relationship between Elizabeth and Eric would be beneficial to grow further.
“So, did you come here to see the opera?” Harris asked.
Eric looked at Chloe and nodded.
“Then why don't we sit together? However, I was thinking about whether or not to watch the opera. Isn't that right, William?”
William nodded his hat in greeting to Edward and Chloe.
Chloe's cheeks flushed slightly as she remembered that the last thing she talked about with William was her divorce, and yet here she was now, holding arms and acting like a couple with Eric.
Eric saw Chloe this way.
"Sure," he replied, "It's awkward to go in alone. It would be better if we watched it together."
"Oh my God! Really?" Elizabeth clapped her hands once. “Then, Marquis, please sit next to me. I can talk to you so it won’t be awkward.”
Eric didn't answer, but he didn't reject her. Elizabeth seemed to take this as approval. She gave Eric a beautiful smile, and she felt pride fill her chest.
Chloe stared at them blankly.
She didn't want to admit it, but Eric and Elizabeth looked adorable together. With her vitality and charisma, Elizabeth seemed the complete opposite of a dying person. If Chloe compared herf to other women, what would she look like?
Chloe criticized herf harshly for previously thinking that she and Eric looked so good together. A feeling of embarrassment overwhelmed her, and her face turned very red.
“Chloe, come here,” William said, extending his hand towards her.
Chloe hesitated, then saw that Eric had turned his back to her, so she walked towards William as if she couldn't help it.
It was as if a rift was widening between them again.
Maybe this was right.
* * *
The opera was wonderful.
It depicted the life story of Queen Antoire, who was beheaded during the revolution, so the plot of the opera was very good.
Sparkling gold and dazzling colorful gems! Chloe wasn't interested in any kind of luxury, but perhaps because she hadn't been to the theater in a while, her eyes had been drawn to it once or twice.
Beside her, Harris remarked sarcastically: “You're a woman too, aren't you?”
Chloe didn't answer. He was more interested in what Eric thought. Did he notice that too?
But Eric seemed to be completely occupied with the opera. No matter what Elizabeth said next to him, he would only answer yes or no, nothing else.
Chloe felt a little relieved, but at the same time she felt sorry for herf just for feeling comfortable. She was happy one moment, desperate the next. She felt uess, which further depressed her.
“Chloe,” William called in a low voice. He was sitting next to her. “Do you still want a divorce?”
Chloe hesitated for a moment, but eventually said yes. Divorce was her life's goal. William breathed a sigh of relief.
"That's right. I was worried that you might have changed your mind. I sold the land and turned it into cash."
Thank you very much. I'll l the mine too. It's not a big amount, but I'll try to pay you back first.
“You can take your time repaying my debt.”
William leaned towards Chloe and said in a faint voice.
“Is divorce still possible only when Elizabeth marries?”
"Yes, this is correct."
“There is still a long way to go.”
He glanced at Elizabeth, who was almost clinging to Eric. She had not paid any attention to the man who had come earlier and greeted her.
Seeing her like this, it seemed that a quick marriage would only be possible if Eric was the groom. Before that, he should try to introduce Elizabeth to someone else.
William heaved a long, deep sigh, thinking thoughts completely opposite to Harris's.
I will transfer the amount to you first, just in case.
“Thank you again.”
Chloe smiled softly, thanking William for his generosity. He responded with a gentle smile.
“What do you think of opera?”
“Okay...”
Chloe looked at the stage as she fell silent. On stage, actors carrying swords were running towards the actress playing Antoar.
I think Antoar was not wrong. Perhaps her fault was her ignorance of things other than herf. As a queen, she should have had a greater zest for knowledge, or at least an exploratory curiosity about her land, but she had none of that. I can't say for sure, and I could be wrong. However, if ignorance is a sin, don't you think that all who are not educated are sinners? It cannot be specifically said that lack of education is a crime.
The “Antowar” actress was now being pulled towards the center of the stage. The song “O Rabie, Come” was performed with such desperation that it touched Chloe’s heart.
“But isn’t it also wrong for her to be so wasteful?”
William remembered the excessive luxury that Antoar enjoyed.
“It may have been an act of rebellion.”
Chloe smiled softly.
Perhaps it was a combination of a desire to take revenge on her husband who abandoned her. After hearing repeated news of her husband's pregnancy and birth of children, even though he had never spent a single night with her before… she must have been drowning in a sea of shame. Perhaps her extravagance was a way to cope. At least, that's how I interpret it.
She clasped her hands tightly on her lap.
“I understand it.”
If she had been a little bolder, if this had not been a marriage that started with debt and her ling to her husband in the first place, she might have acted like Antoar.
To attract her husband's attention... to get even one look from him...
That's why Chloé understood Antoire's point of view. She stared at Antoar on the stage, whose neck was now being guillotined.
When I saw Antwar die, it felt like Chloe herf was dying.
Just as the beheading of Antoar was a punishment for her sins, was her illness a punishment for her own sins?
If she had been asked about her crime, she would have said that she dared to love her husband, and that she pretended to be dignified and noble despite her true nature.
No, perhaps her crime itf was her very existence...
“Chloe.”
Hearing Eric's call, Chloe was horrified. She straightened up and quickly turned back to face Eric.
“It's over. You can get up now.”
While she was lost in her thoughts, the opera ended. The stage was now lit up with a bright light.
A flying metal box was broadcasting a message for people to go out the back door now. Chloe finally slowly rose to her feet.
“I must have lost my mind for a moment. I enjoyed watching it so much. All thanks to you, my dear.”
Instead of answering, Eric shrugged. It was probably difficult for him to answer since they were in a public place, but Chloe noticed a slight hint of shyness spread across his features.
Anyway, the opera is over and everyone is going home. Chloe will return home with Eric, and Harris and his brothers will return to the mansion.
If they had separated in this way, the tense atmosphere would have disappeared. Chloe struggled to hold back the weight of sadness that came over her at the thought of having to endure this situation any longer.
but.
“Why don't we have dinner together?”
Harris turned to her. Chloe held Eric's arm for a moment.
Eric glanced at the arm she was holding. Then he looked into Chloe's eyes. Notice how confused she is. After reading her mind, Eric shook his head.
I have some urgent business to attend to this evening, so it will be difficult to have dinner together. Unfortunately, I'll have to postpone that.
"Is this correct?"
Harris raised one eyebrow.
“What about you, Chloe?”
Chloe was surprised. She didn't know that he would ask her in person like this.
“You won't be able to help the Marquis with his work anyway. It would be nice if you had dinner with us.”
"Yes, Chloe. Let's have dinner together."
William agreed with his brother.
Chloe hesitated, then looked up at Eric. He was still looking at Chloe now, expressionless.