𝖧𝗈𝗐 𝖲𝗁𝖾 𝖥𝖾𝗅𝗅 | 𝖢𝗁𝗈𝗂 𝖲𝗈𝗈𝖻𝗂𝗇

05 : 𝖳𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖼𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗈𝗎𝗌

[🍶]

The palace kept my infertility a secret. No word got out from the council nor us regarding with the issue. Jeongdu must not learn about their Empress being incapable of providing an offspring. There would be a huge amount of backlash if they did.

I resumed with my duties; day and night I would be often seen in the throneroom, the court, or my study. How I buried myself with responsibilities before doubled. I made sure to cross off the daily tasks— which would be more or less a dozen. I was fully aware of how I slept less, ate a few, and grew more distant from Soobin.

Soobin; him and I had fallen apart. Without any communication due to me being extremely busy and him preferring Lady Hyunseul's presence, I could feel our relationship slowly deteriorating. So, I made a decision, taking a step back to fix everything.

"Y/N."

"What?" I glanced at my husband. "I'm sorry, I darted off."

"I could tell." He shifted on his seat. "I've been calling your name for a bloody minute."

I pressed a tight smile. Soobin diverted his gaze to a heap of scrolls on his lap. He read through a couple, face contorting in both exhaustion and boredom.

"We are supposed to come down to a remote village three weeks from now to consult the locals regarding with their water system, it says here."

"Yes," I nodded. "I'm aware."

"And we are yet to write back to Ewha's governor to affirm alliance. Have you done it?"

"Tonight I shall."

"Chief Young requires our presence to bless a newly opened school this Saturday."

"I see."

"Tomorrow afternoon, scholars will pay the High Court an exclusive visit. So we should send our regards and welcome them."

"I'll be preparing, Soobin."

"Good." He licked his lips. "The rest of these fall under your concern. There's nothing else for me to do."

I deeply inhaled. "Soobin."

"Yes?"

For once, I'll set down my pride and apologize. After all, it was my mistake for partly neglecting him when he tried to earn my attention before. Maybe his recoil was what I had to get to pay the price.

"About what happened in front of your parents." I prompted. "I ask for your forgiveness. It was wrong of me to hit you. I should've fought back the urge."

Soobin looked away and sighed.

"That was what? Four nights ago? Get over it, Y/N. It's much better to not speak of it again."

"I just want to clear the air between us. We've gone estranged with each other. I can't stand it anymore."

"You did tell me," he raised a brow. "That you're doing this for your sake. You said you had your reasons, no? I'm doing my best to acknowledge it and one way to show it is to refrain from being a hindrance. So, don't think I'm being petty, ignoring you back. I'm not."