My Ex-Husband Is My Neighbor - Chapter 1

~ Chapter 1 ~

Catherine sat at her desk and looked through the list of new tenants of Catherine House.

Liena Brucell, Brooke Sillenze, and Lillie Frances.

These were the ladies she had to take responsibility this year in search for their grooms.

“Liena just need to make sure that her misunderstanding with Baron Dictron is settled before they break up.”

(TN: Dictron…. *wheezing.. am I the only one?)

Catherine moved the documents related to Liena to the left side of the table.

Next was Brooke.

She was from a local noble family, whose skin is dark and was a very attractive young woman.

With her hot personality, she was expected to rise as the rose of the social world this year, by making the hearts of men flutter.

‘But in the past, she failed to find a husband.’

This was due to the rejections of those sassy ladies to help her find one.

Eventually, she left the society with her lonely life and did not get married until six years later as Catherine remembered.

“You were such a very lovely lady.”

Catherine still like Brooke. Even before her previous life, Brooke was the only girl who went out of her carriage every time without any escort.

“As long as I connect a suitable family for her, the ladies won’t have to press their noses in her personal affairs.”

Finding and connecting noble families to be a family, was Catherine’s specialty and is not that difficult.

This was because there were many secrets that she kept alone for herself.

Secrets that should not be known to others are good weapons for conciliating people.

‘It is a good deal to have love between good men and women, through an intimidating encounter.’

Catherine hummed and moved Brooke’s documents to the left side, together with Liena’s.

Only the last document was left. Catherine debated whether she’d open it or not.

Lillie Frances.

Catherine frowned, recalling her past life.

In her past life, Lillie said that Catherine’s ex husband, Hyugo… Was someone she liked.

If she had a heart, she would had been uncomfortable by the strange occurring, but Lillie has desperately devoted her heart to Hyugo even after a year he got married with Catherine

‘She came to our estate and got a house.’

Surprisingly, Hyugo insisted on declining Lillie’s affection, but her courtship was endless.

On the morning of the dag she returned back time, Lillie shamelessly approached her and told her, “I like Hyugo”.

Lillie, who was apparently alone, said that Hyugo was alone in his territory and seized this time to go to the Capital where she was?

‘Are you going to stay at my house, which was also famous for finding a husband?’

Something was very fishy here.

Knock, knock.

I heard a knock as I tried to think deeper on what would be Lillie’s intentions.

“Come on in.”

Elbert, the butler of Catherine House, who looks good in a dark blue vest and dark green cravat, came in.

“Master, have you decided on the list of the tenants?”

The occupancy date of the new tenants was just a week later.

There were also ladies living in the provinces, so I have to decide quickly and let them know.

However, Catherine was delaying her decision because of Lillie.

‘Should I only move Brooke and Liena in first? Then, all the schedules would be pushed back.’

Catherine’s schedule was not just delayed. If tenants move in twice, the servants and servants must do the same twice, which would be a hassle.

‘It’s better to take care of things at once.’

Catherine decided and looked up at Elbert.

“Please wait one more day, Elbert.”

Catherine fiddled with Lillie’s documents and said to him.

“Yes, I see.”

Afterwards, Elbert left the room silently.

When the door was closed, Catherine took out the necklace hidden in her clothes.

A translucent heart pendant hanging from a thin gold string shone in the light.

Catherine rolled the heart pendant with her hands.

The pendant shook as soon as soon as she came in contact with it. At the same time, the liquid contained in it, fluttered.

Catherine pulled a mirror, put it in front of her, and checked the amount of red liquid left inside the pendant.

“I think I just need to work for another two years.”

There were only five drops were left in the heart-shaped pendant, leaving another five spaces.

At this point, let’s reveal Catherine’s secret in detail.

Catherine’s mother was the last heir of the lost Holy Nation. This fact has been kept in confidentiality, and kept like that for a long time, enough for Earl Bedwigo to have no clue.

Catherine only found it one day when her Mother died. The day before her death, she revealed everything to Catherine and her devotion to her clan.

Catherine’s clan was born with the power and the duty of love. Their mission is to play as Cupid in achieving the love of others.

They have no arrow of love to do that, in fact it was done to collect the essence of love from a true love.

If I can fill the heart pendant, which have the same size of my thumb, with the essence of love, the holy object would be completed and the owner of the pendant would have their wishes granted.

It makes your wish come true, in simpler words.

– Catherine, if you wish to walk your life peacefully, use your holy spirit.

She also wondered at the same time she received the pendant. Why her Mother didn’t use the holy object when she was living a difficult life?

Back then, I couldn’t ask her because I was devastated to see my dying mother.

The answer lies in my mother’s diary, which I discovered a long time later.

– When I was young, I didn’t have courage, and when I had courage, I got a treasure that I never wanted to lose. My daughter Catherine. Because I don’t know what the power will bring that might be against nature. Big power always has side effects.

The heart pendant left by her mother was filled of love essence.

Catherine could not use her Mother’s holy property carelessly.

The word ‘side effect’ came a lot in her mind.

However, Catherine used the holy power in her last life. This was because she had a reason to turn back time.

The power of the holy object was great, so it immediately returned Catherine to the past. That was the first night they shared.

‘It was a miracle.’

My heart ached when I remembered the time when I made a wish.

★★★

“Hyugo, please don’t go. The winter, I can’t stand it, my body can’t handle it. Please, Hyugo.”

Catherine withered little by little after marrying Hyugo.

It was not like I was seriously ill.

High expectations for Hyugo, collapsed, he shunned my love, and the illness of her mind, came to be tired of waiting, and it affected her body.

When all of her love for Hyugo changed to resentment for him, Hyugo still refused her last request.

“Catherine, I have to go.”

“I don’t need money, Hyugo! What I need is you only!“

After their marriage, Hyugo didn’t stay in land with her for more than a month. He somehow made work and went outside.

I know well that he doesn’t go out to do nonsense things, but it has been like 10 years.

Catherine wanted to have a warm family. It was her wish…

“Catherine, please don’t do this.”

Hyugo drove her away.

Hyugo heartlessly refused even her last request.

Catherine sat down and spent time alone. Catherine, who was looking at the ceiling with her empty eyes, jumped up.

‘Let’s hang on for one more time. One more time.’

She had a desperate reason.

Was it because she was the last member of the Holy nation? She intuitively felt that the winter that time was the last season given to me.

So I squeezed out her remaining courage and headed to the study where Hyugo was resting.

“What’s wrong with you these days?! You’ve been sending me less and less money! What did you say when you married Catherine? You said you’d give your life to return the favor of raising her.”

“I’m making effort, Mother.”

“Effort? Is this all you’ve got?”

There was a sound of hitting someone with a bunch of paper.

“You said you would show your love for Catherine with money. Was my daughter this insignificant to you?”

“That’s not the thing, that’s not it…”

Hyugo’s voice was torn apart. Tsk, I heard a clicked of a tongue, and Count Bedwigo said bitterly.

“It’s also been once or twice that I’ve been handed money that was less than what our contract agreed on. I’ll take Catherine right away.“

Catherine’s eyelashes blinked slowly.

‘What are they talking about? Who is speaking to whom now?’

Catherine moved a little closer to the study. As she opened the door, the first thing she saw was Hugo, kneeling before the Countess of Bedwigo.

“Please wait a little bit. I will participate in the war between the Golian Kingdom and the Empire. As a mercenary in the Golian Kingdom. They said they’d give me a lot of money.….”

It wasn’t difficult to understand the conversation. However, Hyugo’s voice gradually became distant due to shock he received.

‘Was the reason you turned my last request down, was because of the Countess of Bedwigo?’

The reason why he turned a blind eye to her earnest plea was to make money to send to my family!

‘The reason why you left me and went outside for the past 10 years… Was it because of me?’

Catherine collapsed, recalling the past when they hurt each other due to misunderstanding.

“I’ll take my child right away!”

Count Bedwigo shouted sharply. Hyugo’s painful groan, which he uttered quietly, rang like thunder in her ears.

Catherine’s mind went blank. Seeing the man she loved collapse, she had only one idea.

Let’s turn the time back.

Catherine held her necklace. Her mother’s voice murmured in her ears.

– Make a wish if you have anything you desperately want.

I can’t be more desperate than this.

I wanted to let go Hyugo, who was unhappy because of her!

I wanted to free ourselves from the insult of the Countess of Bedwigo.

Catherine clenched her necklace and shouted desperately.

“Return the time we lost, between him and me!”

At that moment, my eyes went dark.