Divorce Manual

Chapter 79

Charles told me to prepare a meal in the dining room so I got it ready.

Wow, I don't even have an appetite for this much?

I have never lost my appetite under any circumstances, but now my mouth is stuffy, and I don't want to eat anything.

I really have no appetite.

Honestly, while leaving Leo's room, I thought to myself that I'm a little hungry.

Now that I'm sitting face to face with him, holding a fork, my appetite has become like a ghost.

For as long as I have lived, I didn't think something like this could happen.

Taste and appetite have disappeared together.

As I wonder what I should eat first, I stab the vegetables in front of my eyes with a fork and put it in my mouth.

The crispy and chewy vegetables taste fresh and bitter.

Though I have no appetite, it's strangely delicious.

The chewy onions mixed with vegetables don't have any spiciness to them, so they're very delicious.

Of course, my appetite can't be helped.

Embarrassed that I couldn't swallow much because they taste gross, I look around.

Maybe Leo heard me.

But, he's not here.

That's a relief.

These days, Leo has been asking "why" or "what is it" because he's curious about everything in the human world.

Even things that he doesn't have to be curious about.

'Your Grace, do you like His Excellency?'

Haiz—

This punk.

Even though I explained to Leo that I don't like Charles, he wouldn't listen.

'Why not? I think you like him.'

It's up to me, you know. Only I would know.

Of course, I'd know better.

But, Leo doesn't know how to give up.

'No. It's not like that.'

Crunch—

It's playing on repeat.

Therefore, to withstand Leo's mental attack—

Yes, let's eat well even if we don't have an appetite.

My logic is that even if you are sick, have gastroenteritis, or tired, you have to eat well so your body can let these ailments go.

I've emptied my bowl of porridge.

My pig strength.

I praise you.

Therefore, eating a salad in this situation will also stimulate my appetite.

Yes, let's eat well.

In the spirit of eating well, I look at my vegetables with determination.

My mouth feels like it'll burst any second now. I then push the thick pieces vegetables to the bottom of my bowl so that it can soak up the lemon juice, and put it in my mouth—

"Tomorrow..."

Wiping his mouth with a napkin, Charles pauses for a moment, as if he's confused by the sight of me shoving the salad into my mouth.

But, I can't take the ones I've already put in so I'll just chew as is. Soon enough, he resets his peculiar indifferent expression and clears his throat with a cough.

"I'll join you at the party."

He accepts my offer from a few days ago.

If he wasn't going to come, I'd have been a liar.

"Thank you."

"I should have attended in the first place."

"Haha."

I smile awkwardly in front of him. It's almost as if he knows what I'm already planning.

Let's just move on.

I glimpse at his face and blame it on his stoic expression.

"Also, you don't have to go to the capital."

"..."

"I'm sure you have no intention of going."

He puts the napkin on the table and stares at me.

How did he know of my intention?

Since he said he doesn't think that I'd go, I have nothing else to say besides 'thank you.'

"There is nothing to thank me for."

He responds with a statement that I didn't expect.

(T/N: she didn't expect it because she actually hasn't said anything just to clarify lol)

Thank you for—

"Yes."

I admire that there are so many people with the same abilities as Leo, and after responding moderately, I stab the vegetables with my fork.

Let's put the vegetables in my mouth and munch on them again.

"I will try to come back as soon as possible."

He has been telling me about his return plans even though I am not curious about it.

"Maybe it'll take about a week..."

"You don't have to..."

"Even if you're lonely, be patient."

A conversation that cuts off each other's words—

"Ah."

I feel choked up.

This is the real crime.

The penalty for making mistakes that will not be erased for a lifetime.

From now on, I shouldn't even bring up anything about loneliness.

My nonsensical babble really brings me suffering.

But—

"Yes, Your Grace."

I don't want to argue with him..

My goal today is to break away from him as quickly as possible.

"Well, Your Grace."

I put down the fork and clasp both hands together politely.

"Can I go and wash up?"

I've stayed in Leo's little bed all night and seems to have a smell coming off my body. My hair looks like a broomstick

Of course, the only place to wash up was the ranch. If I had gone there, I'd have looked messy again.

Shouldn't I try to look like a human being?

"What?"

My heart starts racing.

"What are you going to do today?"

Charles unexpectedly asks for today's schedule.

I have nothing to do.

"If Your Grace would allow me to go and wash up, I'll put on my clothes and go to the ranch. Oh! And today, I'm also going to check out the new milk cellar."

Because the existing storage room is relatively inconvenient for Paul and the others at the ranch to come and go, a cave under the mountain range right next to the ranch was converted into a storage unit.

That storage is completed today.

I remember that last night and this morning, right before I met with Charles.

It seems that I've temporarily forgotten when Charles' earlier request that we eat together wiped out my memory.

I'm glad I remembered it again.

That's the most important part of today's schedule.

If the temperature of the storage room is kept low, the sterilized milk can be stored and sold.

Now that I have work to do, I'm suddenly in a hurry.

"I'll leave first."

I slide myself forward in the chair, toward the edge of it.

"Let's go together."

Not understanding what he just said, I narrow my eyebrows as his voice disturbs my urgency.

"To where?"

"To the ranch."

"..."

I bite my tongue and grind out,

"Why are you going there?"

I then pull the corners of my mouth upward and smile.

Even though I want to shout out my question, I can't stop him from checking on his territory.

"Are you really going?"

I gently ask.

Let's ask again.

I will not let it go.

Let's open our eyes and give a sweet smile.

"Is it a problem for me to check on my investment since I'm an investor?"

"..."

If that is the case, I can't even say why I don't want—

"No."

I nod.

He gave me money, a ranch, and only contacted me here and there.

I'm being too hard on him. I also haven't explained to him what I'm going to do.

Even the group of magicians, who are money-eating hippos, is using his money.

I've been careless.

But again, if I can make an excuse for my carelessness,

It's because it's a business that I started without anything to destroy it anyway.

It's also true that there was nothing to explain at the time.

Since there was no explanation, he probably has become curious.

I'm sure I'd have been curious if I was him.

So,

"Let's go."

I agree and stand up from my seat with excitement. I'm very interested in showing off to him what I've been doing till now.

The great thing that I've made.

Yes, I know. I'm going back and forth on my decision.

I've thought rationally that 'I must fail!'

Then, I've changed to 'Because I started it, I should work hard this time!'

Then, flip back to 'Oh, no. I'm ruined so let's get a divorce.'

Then, 'But, don't you think it would be better if you try a little harder?'

I'm not bipolar.

I just change my mind a dozen times in a day.

Now that I'm in such a situation, honestly, I can't figure out what the hell I want.

My conflicting feelings fight very vigorously with each other at all times.

"..."

In the meantime, there are pieces of feelings that I've developed for Charles.

If I listen to Charles' honest words while looking at him, how can I learn about him and not fall for him?

But, I'm not supposed to—

The reason for ruining the current business, why I have to escape from Charles, and the feeling of regret for him are fighting each other.

But,

If I help him, this man...

Since I knew the future, I could keep him away from Abigail.

So, I thought, 'Wouldn't he be able to live, then?'

My breath gets stuck in my throat at that thought.

In that moment,

"You said you want to wash up."

I lift my head as if I'm trying to grab ahold of my thoughts.

His eyes look at me from head to toes.

"..."

I blankly follow his gaze and look down.

This is a mess.

Well, it's not about just saving him. It's about making him fall in love with me and not Abigail. If so—

There's no chance.

"Yes."

My sense of reasoning comes back and I nod.

Loosening his long, twisted legs, Charles gets up from his seat and walks over to me.

"Wash and come down."

"..."

"I will wait."

He makes my heart throb again.

.

.

.

.

T/N: first of all, Leo's too precious. Abella's like, let's say your sick but don't be obvious and Leo's over here is like, "I'm sick. You're sick. We're all sick~~"

Secondly, girl, just give in like he's wooing you~~~ if you don't want him, I'll take him except I don't want truck-kun to run over my ass.