# 46
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“It looks good now. I think it's just right to go out.”
So, Chloe expressed her opposition to Eric's words. His eyes widened even more.
“It's snowy.”
“The sun is shining now.”
“No one knows when the snowstorm will come.”
"I don't agree with that, but I don't think it would be a problem if it happened. The royal palace will provide a carriage, and if you can't take a carriage, you can stay in the palace for a day and come back."
“Do you mean you will stay abroad and come back?”
Eric asked confused. He was really angry. For him, nothing is more insulting to a husband than for his wife to stay out of the house all night! However, Chloe, who actually said those words, seemed calm.
When he saw that, he felt even more embarrassed, and at the same time, he felt helpless because their relationship was completely over.
“Do whatever you want.”
He said this while turning his back to her completely.
“Stay in the palace or outside, it has nothing to do with me.”
Chloe was relieved that she was out of Eric's control, but she was also sad that he was about to abandon her completely and that their relationship would never return. It was a contradictory feeling. She was thinking about breaking up, but at the same time she wished he would stay with her.
* * *
A carriage sent from the royal family was standing in front of the gate. Chloe got into the carriage with the chaperone. The journey from the palace to the royal family's home did not take long, only about thirty minutes.
Chloe was determined to calm her emotions during this time as she recalled her conversations with Eric. But as soon as she entered the carriage, her resolve dissipated. The reason is because William was in the carriage!
"Brother? What are you doing?"
As Chloe asked in surprise, William smiled and scratched the back of his head.
"Why don't you go upstairs, Chloe? If you keep getting exposed to the cold wind, I think you're going to catch a cold."
“Oh, I will.”
I sat across from him.
Shortly after the door closed, the carriage began to move. Meanwhile, William's lips were also open.
"I was standing in front of the main gate when I heard you were coming today. I thought I would be the first to receive you, but Elizabeth saw me. She told me, if so, to go and get you. I thought it was a good idea, so I took the carriage and came right away. Are you surprised?"
“No, I'm not.”
Chloe shook her head. It was true that William's sudden visit had disturbed her thoughts, but that was acceptable because it was an act of his kindness.
She looked at him with a gentle smile on her lips.
"How are you?"
"I'm fine. How are you? As far as I know, the Duchess recently visited the area."
...Another story about the mother.
Chloe hardened her gaze. William wasn't the only one who wouldn't notice this subtle change.
“Did you fight with your mother again?”
Again, he had been with her since childhood, so he was quite familiar with the family history. When he saw her dejected reaction, he guessed that the Duchess must have left with great misfortune. William looked at Chloe with a worried look.
"What happened this time? Can you tell me?"
Chloe hesitated.
What did she have to say? Was it because her mother asked for money, or because she ignored her intention and blindly objected to the divorce? She was tired, and didn't want to say more.
More preciy, she didn't want to think about it any further.
"I don't want to talk now. It's not a good story, so I don't think it's appropriate to have this discussion after so long."
"Ah! Yes, that's right. You can think that way. I asked you something I shouldn't have asked."
William nodded quickly and propped his chin.
Chloe felt grateful for his attention, but at the same time she felt a heavy burden because this attention stemmed from his deep affection for her, his love for her. Because she did not love William, she could not love him, nor did she want to love him.
Some might say that there was no better man than William, so why didn't she accept him? She wondered if William, who showed more love for her than a man like Eric who said hurtful words all the time, was really a good husband?
Chloe can answer that...the love William showed wasn't real love.
William has been showing his feelings for her for a long time. When he and Chloe reached adulthood, Chloe thought every time that William didn't really love her.
He had no intention of doing everything he could for Chloe. He just wanted her, as someone who completed a group. For example, he was worried about Chloe and happy at the same time. As the Duchess' persecution increased, he realized she wanted to find someone else, so she turned to him.
He wanted her to be isolated, and as a result he wanted her to depend on him.
It was possession, not love.
Chloe smiled bitterly, watching the strange feeling of superiority and anticipation spread across William's face.
“How are things with the Marquis?”
William asked.
“What part are you talking about?”
“Divorce, yes. About divorce.”
"There's nothing special about it. It's the same."
Of course, there was a big fight a few days ago. But she didn't want to talk about such a personal matter, so Chloe turned her back.
When William noticed this, he did not ask her again. They talked about the improving weather, expressed their regret at the workers' strike, and spent the remaining time before arriving at the Royal Palace discussing the new universal time.
* * *
Elizabeth received Chloe enthusiastically, which was surprising.
Once she arrived, I gently asked her if she felt any discomfort coming her way, and made sure she had eaten. When she replied that she only drank black tea, she asked the maid to bring a cake for Chloe.
Then she watched her eat, and Chloe judged Elizabeth to be too delicate because the other wives were watching her.
Her behavior was completely different from her usual behavior when no one was around, and Elizabeth was always watching Chloe and staring at her with intense glances. However, Elizabeth was not so stupid as to ignore Chloe even on such a formal occasion, and perhaps that was why she was so kind to her.
Chloe expressed her gratitude and accepted Elizabeth's kindness.
“It's been a long time! Marquise!”
At this moment, someone spoke to her. She quickly parted her lips and looked at the person who was talking to her. It was an acquaintance of hers.
Lily Smith. She was the wife of Count Smith, who invested heavily in Eric's railroad business.
She married young, so she was probably still acting like a girl. Chloe knew her talkative personality, so she didn't want to chat with her, although she couldn't ignore Lily Smith, whose eyes were shining towards her.
Finally, Chloe said hello and then pointed to the other side. Lily Smith told her stories as soon as she sat down, as if she had been waiting for them.
The conversation began with a story that it was going to snow.
She had never seen snow in the south where she lived, and it was so sad that she couldn't see it even when she came to the capital. That's why she cried while expressing how sad she was at not being able to show her happiness at seeing the snow.
She even told them that she was very distressed because her husband - Count Smith - was bedridden with illness, and that he would be very happy if she visited him once with the Marquis in the future.
And it ended there.
“So, when the snow stops falling, can you visit me? Then I think my husband will be able to get up!”
Chloe hesitated. If it's time when the snow stops falling, it means spring. There were fears that her marriage to Eric would last until then.
However, when Lily Smith ed again, she had no choice but to accept.
“If you would come and sit in front of the fireplace for a while, my husband would be very happy. He would be impressed by the lady’s generosity and His Excellency’s generosity! And so am I.”
Lily Smith continued, clapping her hands. She insistently asked when the visit would be, and Chloe ended the conversation by saying that she would send a message after she returned to the palace and discuss the matter with her husband.
In the end, she left the place with a satisfied smile, and Chloe was finally able to regain her breath.
“Isn’t she a really great woman?”