Divorce Manual

Chapter 111

"Excuse me."

It's after we have already entered the castle and moved away from the gaze of the Farhans.

I look up at him, thinking to myself whether or not we can be apart now.

He bites down on his molars, looking as if he has no intention of slowing down as he takes a deep breath.

"Please just go. I'm trying not to hold you."

"......"

Somehow, every word seems to be filled with anger, but I don't understand why he is angry.

What's wrong?

Tilting my head, my heart is pounding like crazy even though I haven't done anything wrong.

"......"

Despite my gaze, he still keeps his mouth shut, as he slowly climbs up the stairs, still matching my stride.

When I look at him sideways, I'm wrapped up with curiosity as to why this man is like this.

"Let's leave early tomorrow morning."

After he disappeared yesterday during the day, leaving behind the words 'I got it', he seems to have demonstrated his superhuman abilities.

"Already?"

"Didn't you want to go back quickly?"

Once we arrive in the bedroom, I sit down on the sofa, feeling nervous.

Of course, I'm the one who asked to return to Lapel as soon as possible, but I honestly didn't know that he would leave everything and go with me.

"What about work?"

"It's all done."

"Didn't you say that you have more than a full week of work?"

"I did."

"But, was it all done in one day?"

I blink, staring at him with a mixture of surprise and wonder. He sits down at the table in front of me and fills up a glass with an amber liquid and ice from the console.

"I've done almost everything I can handle here, and I've made sure that I can do the rest at Lapel."

"......"

As if to reassure me, he nods his head as he explains.

Not that I don't believe him, but seeing that his face is drenched in fatigue, he seems to have worked without sleeping a wink.

"You look tired."

"I feel tired."

At the sight of Charles's languid expression as he closes and opens his eyes, I have to hold back my trembling hand and the desire to caress his cheek without realizing it.

"......"

However, even when I hold my hand back, the smile that blooms on my face without me knowing is inevitable.

That's because every word that Charles had spoken has strangely purged the doubts I have, little by little, from his absence.

You went to work.

After all, he must have had a reason to come to the capital.

He wouldn't have been able to throw it all away and go back. He must have had to deal with it first, at least in a hurry.

He is, after all, a responsible noble.

In contrast, I-

It's shameful.

I pretended to be sick and made him worried, and then, I insisted on going back to Lapel.

"......"

I thought I was giving him trouble. Maybe I'm a selfish person by nature, but I don't want to leave him here alone.

No, it's not that I don't want to. It's because I don't like it.

You polarizing human being.

I know.

But, what I don't like is what I don't like.

"I'm sorry."

I feel that I should at least apologize for my stubbornness. While playing with my fingers nervously, I catch a glimpse of him.

"I didn't mean to bother you."

"It was not difficult."

"......"

However, his answer to the statement is disappointingly flat.

So a matter of fact.

It's not like there's any other way to answer because he's not the type of person who would say, 'It's good that you know.'

However, wasn't he really that kind of person before because I really think he was?

I narrow my eyebrows slightly at my evaluation of him, who is acting differently than what I expected.

I used to think of Charles Diago as the king of narcissism, a man who thought he was the best, from my first impression.

But now?

Now, it seems that evaluation needs to be revised.

At least, he's not that kind of person.

He's not someone who hurts others.

I gnaw on my lip, feeling perplexed at my changed point of view about him, which has turned remarkably different from when I first met him.

"Hortman will open the portal early tomorrow's morning."

As if to break the awkward silence, he moistens his dry lips with a sip of alcohol.
"I think it's better if we move faster rather than slower for recuperation. Lejan also thinks the same."

"Ah."

I gulp, wondering if Lejan has revealed my trickery yet.

'Of course, Her Grace is faking it.'

I thought he would say something like that in front of Charles.

I take in a deep breath. At least, he continued with my lies.

"Are you still uncomfortable?"

He looks at me with worried eyes.

He's treating me like a seriously ill patient. His eyes are full of concerns.

What the hell did Lejan say? Did you say that I was going to die soon?

No matter what he said, Charles's reaction somehow doesn't seem to match my current state, so I look up at him.

"I am fine."

"Abella."

At that moment, his deep voice and mine intertwine.

His voice tightly presses against my chest, giving it a small disturbance.

"Yes?"

"......"

It seems like there are a lot of things he wants to say.

The atmosphere suddenly becomes stranger than usual.

"You Grace, do you have anything to say?

Maybe it's inconvenient to go back now or is it that he has to come back to the capital after returning with me?

If it's not that...

Did you meet Abigail during that day?

Have you fallen in love with that woman?

My heart is pounding with all kinds of delusions! At that time, it's as if I had fallen down-

"If you wish..."

"......"

What, you want a divorce?

I feel like I'm on fire at this moment.

Why?! Now that you've met Abigail, you think you should listen to me?

I open my eyes, exhaling out an invisible fire that's burning from inside.

Whether it's because he hasn't read my expression or he thinks it's insignificant, Charles looks at me and sighs briefly.

What on earth are you trying to say?

The moment I call out him because I feel feverish all over—

"Your—"

"Your link with Baron Farhan... I can break it."

He makes an unexpected statement and clenches his jaw. No, not only that but his expression also becomes colder.

Is this the reason why he was so angry?

"Did you hear everything?"

"......"

He lets out a long sigh as his silence and eyes confirm it.

I've already given Baron Farhan a verbal slap and spit out everything I wanted to say, so there isn't much anger left in me. It's just a bit embarrassing that I thought the reason was related to him and Abigail.

I also think that maybe I'm stressed out because I keep thinking about Abigail.

Honestly, I can't even properly define my feelings nor the stress I'm under.

When he sees a small smile on my face, he dryly coughs as if he is making an excuse.

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop."

"......"

"After I heard that you were with Baron Farhan and his wife, I was going to come by and say hello. I just happened to hear it then."

Obviously, that might sound like an excuse, but the way he spoke is dignified, so it doesn't come across as so.

I also know that he wasn't deliberately trying to overhear.

"I know."

Of course.

"A busy person like you, there is no way you have time to overhear such private conversations."

"......"

Shrugging, Charles's eyes become more intense as he looks at me, so I, too, return his eye contact.

"You don't have to be treated like that."

He seems very angry.

Apart from his anger though, it's fair to treat me that way in this world.

"But I'm an illegitimate child."

"......"

Charles shuts his mouth at the bitter tone that came out of me.

It is true.

Though innocent, Abella is a sinner in that family, and is destined to live with guilt over the way she was born.

Just like the descendants of Adam who were born with original sin.

Of course, it has nothing to do with me, but as long as I live as Abella, it's a sin that we have to bear together.

"It's not your fault."

"Yes, but..."

With a bitter smile on my face, I force myself to laugh.

"Damn it."

After spitting out such harsh words in a small voice in response to my laughter, he rubs his face and looks away.

"You don't need a relationship with Baron Farhan. Just live as Duchess Diago."

"......"

"Like you said, he may not be your parent. No, I can make it that he's not your father."

I blink at his words that pierce my ears for a moment.

This man, does he know what he's saying?

Of course, he knows that he can achieve anything with the power and money he has, or just with the Diago name alone.

However, if that happens, Duke Diago will not be able to avoid a muddy battle with Baron Farhan.

The duke's reputation would go down in an instant if my biological parents decide to carry out deeds because of their wicked heart.

No matter how much a duke he is—

Gossip is dangerous.

Because words are like the whispers of the devil, so even a single, insignificant word can quickly penetrate people's hearts.

.

.

.

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T/N: me when Abella's surprised homeboi got growth 

like... uh... we've all known this since we've been paying attention to the last 110 chapters boo boo. Get your shit together.

Me when Abella went from 0-180 when she thought Charles had met with Abigail

Y'all...Abella needs a time out. She needs to sit in the corner and think about her life choices because like... you don't like him but you also don't want him to fall in love like bish... pick a struggle that my ass and Charles's ass can understand like I wanna support you and all but I just don't understand you no more.

I need me a Charles. Someone who comes to your aid without being overbearing, basically lets you do what you want, give you power, respects your ass, he's handsome and rich, like this is why truck-kun (preferably ramen-kun actually) didn't isekai my ass because no way in a million years would I have rejected a Charles. Look, I don't even care if I get the original Charles. My ass would have made it work somehow.