# 6
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Eric's gaze became harsh and cold.
“Yes. That's what I think.”
After Chloe said this, Eric released his grip on her shoulders. Then he combed his hair again and clenched his teeth.
“That's what you think, my wife...”
He looked at her with a mysterious look that she had never seen before.
“Even when I don't do anything, they still say this nonsense.”
In the end, her husband became very angry.
* * *
Eric was not the type to get angry easily.
It was normal for the thorns to rise or the temperature to fall around him, but he did not fully express his anger through his facial expressions or through his gestures.
At that moment, his black eyes were hazy and his cheeks were flushed.
He felt weak in both his hands and they were shaking, and there was a stiffness in the back of his neck and on his shoulders that would not go away.
Because of his clear and obvious anger, Chloe's shoulders trembled.
I don't think I should say anything else.
So she took a step back, determined to remain silent from now on.
But then Eric's lips opened.
“Daniel!”
He shouted loudly, and the door that had previously been closed halfway opened immediately.
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
Daniel peeked through the open gap.
But Eric didn't even look at him.
His eyes were still firmly focused on Chloe with a smoldering gaze.
“Send a telegram to the palace immediately with the order to get rid of all the maids serving my wife.”
“Honey!” Chloe exclaimed. When she heard that, she lowered her voice, trying to convince him. “They didn't say it to my face, I just overheard it while they were talking. I was the one who heard it, so...don't fire them for something as trivial as that.”
"Trivial? Is this something trivial?"
She could see him shaking with anger.
“Servants must remain silent. Whether you hear it or not is not the point.”
Eric's words were not wrong. Of course, the servants were to blame.
But Chloe didn't want them to suffer because of her.
She didn't want to bear any more burdens. She was already feeling bad that her marriage was falling apart, so she didn't want to think about ruining other people's lives on top of that.
“But, my dear, it is winter now. You know how difficult it would be if they left the palace on such a cold day.”
That's why Chloe kept dissuading Eric.
But…
“...Eric?”
Chloe unconsciously extended her hand towards Eric.
Because his face suddenly turned white.
His eyes were full of different emotions.
Those feelings came and went in the blink of an eye, so it was difficult to guess what they were.
But Chloe could see that Eric was very emotional at this moment.
Why? Was it because of something you said?
As she thought about withdrawing her outstretched hand, she froze in the air.
Eric felt embarrassed by the way Chloe was staring at him, so he wiped his face with his hand and slicked his bangs back again. Then he raised his chin.
“No husband can remain calm after hearing such insulting words. If I could, I would send these maids to the guillotine for blasphemy against a nobleman.”
“But, my dear...”
“Thanks to you, I will be noble and merciful and only expel them. Daniel, take care of this matter.”
“…I understand.”
Due to the tension between Chloe and Eric, Daniel closed the door without saying anything else.
They were alone again.
Chloe glanced at Eric, whose shoulders were no longer shaking with anger.
He was as usual as usual, but there were still traces of strong emotions in his stance.
So Chloe focused more on calming herf down. She gathered her thoughts and focused on calming her mind.
“…Let’s try to avoid a fight.”
Anyway, their relationship would end soon, so she no longer wanted to argue with him.
But this was too much.
Not just because Eric was adamant about firing the maids.
There was nothing for her to be upset about separating them, and she could push the guilt she felt to the back of her mind for now.
There was only one reason why she felt so angry at this moment.
Because Eric ignored her opinion again.
As expected, it was always going to turn out like this.
At least she wanted to be heard. She was still his wife and the lady of the palace – if she had any respect, she would have been able to make her own decisions!
“But why is he so affected by it?”
Chloe wiped the cold sweat off her chin with the back of her hand. Then she took a deep breath and spoke.
“Anyway, the maids came to a reasonable conclusion.”
At that, Eric's facial expression distorted.
“What exactly are you—!”
“Because you were never by my side in the first place!”
Chloe raised her voice for the first time.
It was shameful to do so, but it was even more shameful to continue to keep it secret.
Chloe closed her eyes and continued speaking in a firm tone.
"We've never shared a bed, that's why they talk like that. I must not be good enough – you must have a mistress. They can't help but think that way."
Five years have passed.
During this entire period, Eric never stood by her side.
He had never hugged her so warmly. He never held her hand. He didn't… he didn't do anything for her.
Why did I fall in love with a man like that? Why did you do that! Why do I still love this man even in a situation like this?!
Her heart was numb. The sadness she felt choked her, and almost made her cry every time she opened her lips to speak. But Chloe stood her ground.
Even when she was beaten by her father to the point that her ankle bones were broken, she did not let her tears fall.
She couldn't cry over this.
She shouldn't.
“So.”
Eric's voice was soft, but ironically, it was still perfectly clear. His cold voice reached her ears.
“So they're saying this nonsense because I don't sleep with my wife?”
Chloe slowly opened her eyes and exhaled slowly.
As she looked up, she saw Eric's distorted expression.
“My fault again. Everything.”
Chloe froze, then raised her head.
Their gazes met.
Blue eyes indicate her ducal lineage, and black eyes reveal his humble origins.
Chloe stepped back without realizing it.
“Ha…”
Eric sighed heavily.
“You look at me like I'm a monster.”
He wiped his face with his dry palm.
“Please come back at dawn tomorrow morning.”
Before Chloe knew it, Eric had already turned his back on her.
So she couldn't see what kind of expression he had on his face or what kind of emotions passed through his eyes.
If she stopped him and looked at his face now, would anything change?
Peace be upon you!
He closed the door behind him.
No, nothing will change.
Chloe fell to the ground.
* * *
Peace be upon you!
Eric closed the door loudly, grabbed the doorknob, and then held his breath quietly, thinking that Chloe might open the door and come out.
But the door remained closed, and he could not hear anything inside the room.
Eric rubbed the back of his neck and bit his lower lip.
Don't you have a girlfriend?
As soon as he heard those words, he almost felt steam rising from his ears.
He was very angry, very angry.
He rarely left this laboratory. He spent day and night struggling to develop more of his inventions so he could find more investors.
Who did she think was doing this?!
He wanted to scream and unleash everything inside him. But that wasn't something he could do.
Chloe Rolfe was not the type to condone any disgraceful behavior.
“We've never shared a bed, that's why they talk like that.”
Because she was talking about a private matter between a married couple, she did not hesitate even a little.
All this time, she radiated noble elegance. She was completely different from him.
He looked at his right foot, covered under his pants and thick socks.
Even under all those layers, it wouldn't change the fact that it was a mechanical prosthetic leg.
Would he have been able to show her that?
To Chloe Rolfe?
He could imagine the kind of look she would give him.
You will feel disgusted just seeing his amputated foot.
She was already looking at him as if he was a monster, but after seeing this, he would turn into something even more disgusting in her eyes.
When Eric remembered Chloe's pale face, he quickly shook his head and let out a bitter sigh.
“Have you finished speaking, Your Excellency?”
That was Daniel's voice.
As Daniel waited for Eric and Chloe to finish talking, he approached the other man with light steps.
“Oh my God, you should stop yelling at the lady. Isn’t it so exaggerated that I can hear everything from outside?”
Eric frowned, but Daniel continued.
“The lady looked very ill today. What if she collapses? Your Excellency should treat her more kindly while she is here.”
“What, do you think she's going to die?”
"Well, I'm not thinking of anything as extreme as that. Maybe something like a divorce because your Excellency is always angry."
"prattle."
Eric thought about it.
divorce? renal?
silly.
Eric sneered as he looked around, staring at his dust-filled surroundings.