I’m In Trouble Because My Husband Is So Cute - Chapter 74

“I was terrified that we would end up like that… but I don’t want to avoid Zachary.”

‘…Len.’

Saying that, Iellie shone brightly.

In the first place, His lady was always full of confidence and courage in herself. Zachary loved her like that. He loved her so much that he could trade her for himself.

“I cherish Zachary, more than anything else.”

That was right. Even to him, compared to the whole world, she was much more precious. At the thought, Zachary slowly blinked his eyebrows.

‘So…’

Would it be right for his greed to stop here? It was enough for him to just suffer alone. So far, she had shared the undeserved affection for him. He didn’t want to lose that warmth, so he struggled. Still, he…

“Zachary, say something! Are you really going to accept the Duke’s orders!?”

At that moment, as Iellie gazed at him with a desperate face, Zachary stared straight into her eyes.

“….”

“Zachary…?”

The next moment, he reached out and grabbed her hand. Zachary’s fingertips were as cold as ice. Iellie turned to him in surprise. There was no emotion left in those blue eyes.

“Father is right.”

“…What are you talking about?”

“You might get hurt because of me.”

Iellie gazed sharply. She was as pale as a doll made of white wax.

“I kept thinking… It is my greed to hold you by my side.”

“Do, do you know what you are talking about—”

Her voice trembled thinly. Zachary smiled bitterly. There had never been a time when his mind was as clear as now.

“It should have been like this from the beginning.”

“Zachary.”

“Sitting next to you, who was sick… I kept thinking about it.”

In the dark night, while Iellie, with a pale face, was breathing thinly, He asked himself again and again. If the power that attacked the emperor had attacked Iellie, would he have been able to stop it…? There was no answer.

“It would be much safer for you if we end the relationship at this point.”

Iellie’s lips rattled. It was because she was so stunned that she was at a loss for words.

Still, Zachary continued.

“Leaning on your kindness, I tried to believe that it would be okay to be by your side…”

“Wait, what is that…”

“I have already run rampant once again. This is the reality.”

He then gently squeezed her clasped hands. Her husband, who reigned like a graceful beast, now had a sad face as if he had been abandoned by the whole world. Zachary smiled faintly.

“…So, let’s get a divorce.”

“What…?”

Iellie stared blankly at him at those completely unbelievable words. Soon, she raised her voice back.

“I don’t want to…!”

“I can’t help it.”

“Where in the world is there such an unavoidable problem!?”

The astonished Iellie exclaimed. However, Zachary’s face, looking at her, was as quiet as the ice sea.

“You.”

“….”

Those words made her speechless as her heart sank. Meanwhile, Zachary smiled faintly and tilted his head.

“Your safety and happiness.”

“That’s not it, you…”

“I understand why father says that. This is a non-negotiable matter.”

“You’re really…!”

At that moment, Zachary released Iellie’s hand. The sensation of his cold fingertips trailing off was unfamiliar to her.

“Thank you so much for this, Len.”

“….”

“Father. I will follow your orders.”

The Duke, who looked miserable, nodded his head.

With that, the conversation was all over. Silence as if cut with a knife as Zachary just walked out of the room.

Biting her lip, Iellie followed hurriedly after. He was striding ahead of her. With his whole body, he was clearly showing a refusal to speak. As she followed him, Iellie felt disappointed. Zachary had never even walked ahead of her.

‘…He always walked along with the same stride as me.’

However, she couldn’t feel that kind of kindness from him now. Iellie, who was walking faster, called him.

“Zachary, talk to me.”

Upon hearing those words, he stopped and the blue eyes glanced back. It was too much.

“Right, the story has to end.”

…The story had to end.

At those words, Iellie felt her heart sink. What finishing was he talking about? Their relationship? This easy? Because she might be in danger…?

“Are we really going to separate like this? I don’t want it, so…!”

“I don’t want to let you go either!”

At that, Zachary cried out to her. His voice growled like a wounded beast.

She paused.

“There’s no way I’d want to separate from you, I think I’d die right away without you!”

“Then, why don’t we not separate?”

“That’s not allowed. If I think you might get hurt because of me…”

A very hoarse voice came out. Seeing him like that, Iellie uttered cautiously to somehow convince him.

“Why do you think I’m going to get hurt? I may not…”

“To trust in that one possibility, and let you stay next to a dangerous being who never knows when it will explode?”

“….”

It seemed impossible to convince him by talking like this. Iellie, who swallowed her breath, tried to calmly open her mouth.

“The Emperor also wanted us to divorce. This is playing as he intended…!”

“I know.”

Still, Zachary still has a cold face. It was because he had already thought about all of that.

“I told you before, the most important thing is your safety.”

“Zachary…”

“I will guarantee your safety somehow. So, don’t worry about that.”

Divorcing her and protecting her were separate. In the first place, it seemed that he was going to divorce her to ensure her safety, so he intended to protect her by putting pressure on the Imperial Family.

“Even if I divorce you, my family will continue to protect you.”

“You idiot, that’s not what I mean…!”

Frustrated, Iellie raised her voice. But, Zachary quietly shook his head.

“Things are like this now, but over time…”

“…Zachary.”

“…You will meet a new good person who can love and protect you.”

Where in the world is such a person? I only need you.

She wanted to say that. Iellie bit her lips gently but she could hardly speak. She knew that this was more painful to Zachary.

“…Then, I will let you go.”

As he finished his words, Zachary smiled bitterly. Has he ever been so determined…?

Iellie stuttered.

“Don’t do that. I…”

“Sorry, I think this is unavoidable.”

Zachary added, trying to keep his smile.

…Because Iellie was the most important, he did not have the courage to take a step though he was pushed on the back by the Duke. Iellie’s expression was distorted with many emotions.

“…Zachary.”

Tears welled up in her pale green eyes looking at him. He reflexively reached out his hand but withdrew it.

‘It’s sad that I can no longer monopolize her warmth.’

He found out this time after he once again experienced a rampage. Iellie had to stay in a safe place, not by his side. He couldn’t let her go like his mother.

Zachary turned around.

* * * 

Until the day she left, Iellie couldn’t close her eyes. Mary continued to watch over her side.

“Master and the Young Master are too much, how can they do this to the Lady…”

“No, Mary.”

Mary closed her lip.

The Lady she served has lost quite a bit of weight. It was probably because she was suffering from heartache. As Mary looked at her, Iellie struggled to smile.

“I know you’re doing this for me, so it’s okay.”

Her wrists were bare bones. Mary, who was gazing at Iellie with sad eyes, asked her a question.

“…Would you like some snacks?”

“No, it’s okay. I have no appetite.”

When she shook her head, Mary couldn’t hide her worried expression. Since raising her voice with the Duke and Zachary, Iellie seldom eats. She felt sorry for Iellie and couldn’t stand it.

‘Whatever it is, you are going on a long trip now.’

As soon as the divorce papers were accepted, Iellie decided to go down to her hometown, the Viscount Blanchett Viscount’s estate. Blanchett estate was a small rural estate in the south, far from the Duchy of Hessenweitz in the north.

“Even if you say you have no appetite, you should eat at least a little. You have to take care of your health.”

“It’s really okay.”

“Actually, everyone is worried about the Lady. The kitchen also sent food.”

Saying that, Mary then pulled the trolley with a determined face. Not even having the energy left to stop her, Iellie simply glanced down at the bowls piled up on the trolley. Mary opened the covers on the food.

“I heard that they deliberately picked and cooked soft foods.”

“….”

“Since they tried their best to meet the Lady’s taste as much as possible, take a sip. Alright?”

Tears welled up in Iellie’s eyes. From soft white bread, savory soup, to sweet pudding—all of them were foods that were easy to digest while considering her taste. The next moment, Mary forcefully placed the spoon in her hand.

“Hurry.”

Iellie took a spoonful of the soup. As she forcefully pushed a gulp, the savory taste lingered on the tip of her tongue. When the food entered her stomach, her thoughts naturally flowed to Zachary. Was he eating well without skipping meals…?

“…Huff.”

Iellie clenched the spoon and let out a small groan.

…She wanted to see his face at least once.

“Zachary, you bad guy…”

“…Lady.”

Mary called Iellie sadly.

Sitting down on the bed, Iellie held the blanket as hard as she could. Holding her breath, the tears dropped. She whispered as she sobbed.

“I want to see you…”

“Lady, don’t cry.”

“…Now that I’m leaving, how come you don’t even show your face?”

The last time she saw Zachary’s face was when the Duke ordered the divorce. She used to go back to his room time and again to somehow have a conversation, though he stubbornly avoided her.

“Zachary, I want to see you…”

It was a cold heart charm that he had never shown to her. The dripping tears mixed with the soup.

* * * 

Zachary’s door was heavily closed. Iellie carefully raised her hand and knocked on the door.

Knock, knock.

Only the sound of knocks echoed around her, and the surrounding was silent. Hesitating, she grabbed the doorknob.

‘Normally, I would have no hesitation in opening this door.’

She smiled bitterly. Today was the day she left. Still, he couldn’t even show his face… Did he need to be so stubborn only in times like this?

Iellie cleared her throat and opened her mouth slightly.

“Zachary.”

“….”

“You know, I have something to tell you.”

There was no answer. The still air seemed to press down on her neck, still, she uttered effortlessly and calmly.

“I will wait.”

“….”

“I’ll keep waiting, so don’t make me wait too long.”

As she spoke, the end of her voice became muffled. Nevertheless, she didn’t want Zachary to find out about her crying shabbily. Iellie raised her hand and wiped her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she cleared her mind.

“Understand?”

Even though he wasn’t even in front of her, Iellie smiled as hard as she could, straightening her back and turning her body.

Eventually, the sound of her footsteps fades away.

Zachary, who was sitting leaning on the door, whispered at that moment.

“…Iellie.”

The name that Zachary had forcibly pushed out. Even at this moment, he missed her name deeply.

“Iel, lie.”

She gave him his first warmth. She told him that it was ‘okay’ and showed him the right way. She was the light… Yet, she was leaving, and he didn’t even deserve to stop her.

“I, Iellie…”

The cries were mixed in. Zachary swallowed his breath and pressed his hand to his face. Despite that, he couldn’t look at her. He was barely holding onto his reason even now. The moment he saw her, he knew he was going to be a mess.

‘When I meet you.’

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