TDATD

LXXXVll

☆ ★ ✮ ★𖡼𖤣𖥧𖡼𓋼𖤣𖥧𓋼𓍊☆ ★ ✮ ★
ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 87

Jayden was obviously an ambitious, vanity-filled novice. As he tried to push Judith out of the picture using the deaths of the Duke and the heir as an excuse, the employees of the Duchy couldn’t help but feel rebellious.

However, Jayden’s warning was just the beginning. After that, even Seliman came up to the capital, pressing Judith to step down from her position as Duchess.

Their torment brought Judith unimaginable pain. Still reeling from the shock of losing both the devil and her baby, their harassment was like salt in her deep, open wound.

There were still many things she didn’t want to give up. The butler who had looked after her so kindly since her marriage, the familiar maids, as well as the knights who protected her and Derrick. However, Judith was extremely exhausted, unable to endure relying solely on them.

“I will.”

“My lady…!”

“I’ll agree to the divorce, so please… Stop…”

Judith, feeling cornered, stamped her seal on the divorce papers they had thrust in front of her. Even then, tears flowed uncontrollably as she saw the name [Derrick Vaisil] written alongside hers. The fact that her devil had vanished without a trace was unbelievable, and just seeing that name made her heart ache like a bruise.

Compared to their tumultuous marriage, the divorce was too simple. Once the divorce papers were submitted to the Emperor and he acknowledged the matter through an official trial, it was over.

With that, the last thin thread connecting her to Derrick Vaisil snapped. Now, she and the deceased Derrick were no longer husband and wife; but merely strangers.

On the day she left the Duchy with only a shabby divorce paper in hand, Judith collapsed and wept one last time. Vincen, who came to fetch her, was so taken aback that he couldn’t calm her down. Everything was in shambles and she couldn’t even guess when it all began.

After enduring that dreadful process, she returned here.

Her bedroom, which she had used before getting married, remained unchanged. But, she had changed so much. Back then, she was quite lively, whereas now… She felt dried out.

Judith rested her chin on her crossed arms and watched a fluttering white butterfly in the blue garden.

As she followed the fluttering butterfly with her eyes, she thought it wouldn’t be so bad if her breath stopped just like that. She had never placed much meaning in living, and recently, thoughts like “Then, can’t I just die?” popped into her head without much trouble.

A worthless life was better suited to return to the earth as dust. It was daunting to think about what she could protect in the future, considering she couldn’t even protect one baby, just like what Seliman and Jayden had said. Moreover, the thought of experiencing that deep sense of loss every time she failed to protect something was terrifying.

She didn’t want to suffer that kind of pain anymore.

But, was it possible to avoid that pain while living out her remaining days? No, it was impossible. As soon as she stepped out of the mansion, there were still people ready to tear and bite her apart.

Even if there weren’t such people, an overwhelming sense of helplessness would endlessly tighten its grip around her throat. The only way to escape that would be through death.

The scripture states that suicide is an unforgivable sin. However, there is no god in this world. Therefore, no one would punish her for throwing away her life carelessly.