🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 70
Lucia fidgeted with her hands and then glanced at Julian.
“Mother… are you happy now?”
“Happy? Of course. I have such adorable children and a reliable husband—how could I not be happy?”
There wasn’t a trace of falsehood in Julian’s words. Even though they had married without love, he was genuinely happy…
“Do you think… I could be happy too?”
“…I wondered why you suddenly asked about us—it’s because you’re feeling anxious, isn’t it?”
Lucia nodded carefully.
“Do you still… like Herwin?”
After a long pause, Lucia finally spoke.
“Even if I love someone someday, I don’t think I could love anyone as passionately as I did Herwin.”
“…I’ve never loved anyone as passionately as you, so I don’t really know what to tell you.”
“…You’ve never been in love?”
“Well, it may sound strange, but before I met your father, I had never really liked anyone. I’ve had a few relationships, though.”
“Is that even possible?”
Lucia, who had always thought that only someone you truly loved could be a romantic partner, couldn’t understand Julian’s words at all. Seeing her confusion, Julian chuckled.
“I only dated someone because they liked me. I don’t think I ever liked someone first.”
“Then… Father, you do love her, right?”
Seeing his restless, rabbit-like daughter, Julian chuckled softly and whispered:
“Your father is my first love.”
Lucia blushed and covered her mouth with both hands.
“But at first, it didn’t matter if you liked someone else…”
“That was then. As we spent more time together, I realized I loved him without even noticing. But, Lucia…”
Julian gently held Lucia’s hand.
“You don’t need love to live happily. Perhaps, you could even share a different kind of love with Marquis Casper than what you felt for Herwin.”
“…I suppose so?”
“Of course. Marquis Casper isn’t someone who would make you unhappy.”
Lucia slowly thought of Bern.
‘I can’t be certain whether I’ll fall in love with Lucia… but I will do everything I can to ensure you’re happy.’
That was the promise Bern had made when he held her hand yesterday. She could see the firm determination in his golden eyes.
The once vivid image of Herwin began to fade little by little.
“Yes… I suppose I should trust him now.”
Seeing her as if making a firm decision, Julian smiled faintly.
Compared to when she had been drowning in heartbreak and sorrow, she seemed much improved.
“You’re both here, then.”
“Honey, you’re here?”
From behind came the soft sound of footsteps, and Johann appeared. He pressed a brief kiss to Julian’s forehead.
Though Lucia had always seen her parents show affection since childhood, and it was no longer unusual, hearing about what had happened between them made it feel a little unfamiliar.
“Why are you staring like that?”
Lucia continued to look at him, and Johann tilted his head in confusion.
“Father.”
“Hmm?”
“How much do you love Mother?”
“What?”
Johann was taken aback by his daughter’s sudden question.
“I love her more than anyone else.”
Lucia glared at him sharply, setting a firm warning.
“…If Mother sheds even a single tear in front of you, Father will never forgive her. Got it?”
“What on earth did I do? Stop just laughing and say something.”
“Ahahaha! I can’t help it. Our daughter just found out about your past.”
“What does that even mean?”
Bern still looked bewildered, Julian couldn’t contain his laughter, and Lucia clenched her lips as she glared at her father.
Even so, watching her parents like a picture of harmony, Lucia eventually burst into laughter.
While the two women laughed joyfully, Johann raised one eyebrow, completely confused.
“Time to set the date, I suppose.”
Bern muttered to himself while looking at the calendar in his office.
At the last party, he and Lucia had confirmed each other’s feelings.
Even if someone else occupied her heart, even if they didn’t love each other romantically, he believed they could somehow navigate the future together.
“I need to sort out my own feelings too…”
He had thought he had fully resolved everything during a year of seclusion, but the moment he saw Celine, he wavered.
He couldn’t allow himself to act rashly under the influence of his emotions. For his own sake, and for his family, he needed to make Lucia his bride.
“She’s coming today; I should discuss it with her.”
Today, Lucia was scheduled to visit his office. He intended to discuss the engagement ceremony schedule with her.
Every meeting with Lucia had been slightly awkward due to the secrets he had to keep, and he had felt unnecessary guilt—but now, having revealed everything, he felt lighter.
“Perhaps it’s better to hold the engagement after summer…”
Knock-knock—
While lost in thoughts of the engagement, a servant knocked on the door.
“Marquis, a guest has arrived.”
“I’ll go.”
Bern, assuming it was Lucia, smiled lightly and walked out.
“You’ve come sooner than expected. I suppose you’ve been shown to the reception room?”
“Yes, but…”
As Bern strode confidently to the reception room, the hesitant servant spoke up.
“Madame Celine LeMario, Viscountess, has come to see you.”
Hearing the unexpected name, Bern’s lighthearted mood instantly turned heavy.
Seeing Bern’s expression darken, the servant bowed apologetically, thinking he had committed a mistake.
“Who…?”
“Apologies, Marquis! The Viscountess insisted on seeing you, so I had no choice… If you command, I can send her away immediately.”
“She insisted on seeing me?”
“Yes. She seemed somewhat urgent.”
Celine had come to see him?
That alone was enough to shake Bern. This was the first time she had sought him out directly since their separation.
They hadn’t contacted each other at all, and aside from the last party, they hadn’t even met by chance.
So why now—
‘At this timing…’
Could it be because he had decided to be engaged to Lucia?
The door ahead suddenly felt miles away.
He couldn’t believe Celine was just beyond it.
“Should I send her away?”
Bern snapped out of his daze at the servant’s words.
“No. I cannot send a guest away. You may leave now.”
“Yes, understood. If anything is needed, please let me know.”
After the servant left, Bern swallowed hard and opened the reception room door.
He saw her—her crimson hair glinting as she sat with her back to him.
Even from behind, his whole body began to tremble.
It had been less than ten minutes since he had promised himself to regain control… yet involuntarily, all his senses sharpened toward the woman in front of him.
Hearing the door, Celine turned her head.
Her gentle, soft green eyes widened.
“…Bern!”
Celine jumped up immediately and ran toward him.
Before Bern could react, she threw herself into his arms.
Acting as if they were lovers again, Bern was flustered.
“Huh… Bern… Bern…!”
He tried to push her away, but as soon as Celine began sobbing, he froze.
Each tear in her eyes struck his chest like a blade.
Unconsciously, Bern reached to wipe her tears, but immediately remembered Lucia and clenched his fists.
Suppressing the flood of emotions, he removed Celine from his arms.
“What are you doing?”
“Bern…”
“We are both bound to someone else. No matter what past connection we had, I ask you to refrain from this behavior, Viscountess.”
“I’m not a Viscountess anymore!”
Bern’s hands trembled as he held her shoulders.
“Viscount… Viscount LeMario went on a business trip and died in an accident. So I no longer have a husband!”
“What…?”
“Marriage is automatically annulled if one spouse dies within two years. It hasn’t even been two years yet, so I’m free now. No longer a Viscountess!”
Before Bern could fully process it, Celine blurted out the shocking news.
LeMario Viscount had died? Then there was nothing tying her down anymore. She wasn’t another man’s possession. If she was lying…
Bern, lost in thought, looked down at her desperate eyes.
“I never wanted to part from you… but I thought I would only hold you back… that’s why I spoke harshly…”
Hearing her heartfelt words for the first time, Bern’s eyes trembled.
Her words from the day they parted, accusing him of pursuing her for her wealth, still rang in his ears. And yet, all of that—
“…was all a lie?”
Bern barely spoke, and Celine nodded through her tears.
“I’ve never once stopped loving you.”
Bern’s eyes widened further.
“From the moment we first met, it’s always been you…”
His heart, which had remained still since their separation, stirred again. Celine buried her face in his chest, sobbing.
“I thought over time I could let go of my feelings for you, but it was all an illusion. I regret every day that I didn’t run away holding your hand.”
Her sobs matched the rhythm of his own heart.
Bern slowly wrapped his arms around her back.
“I don’t want to let you go anymore. No, I don’t want to lie to my heart anymore!”
Celine’s desperate cries struck deep into his chest. Knowing she felt the same brought a sense of relief to all his past suffering.
“I… love you too…”
“Bern, please… will you meet me again? Break things off with Lady Agnes and be with me…!”
Bern, about to respond while holding her, froze as he heard Lucia’s name. A cold chill ran through him.
Suddenly, reality crashed down, and he shivered.
He quickly released Celine and saw her tear-stained face.
“…Bern?”
“Ha… ha…”
Seeing Bern’s pale face, tainted with guilt, Celine’s mouth fell.
“…Could it be… you like Lady Agnes?”
Bern drew in a sharp breath and stepped back.
His every gesture made it clear he had feelings for Lucia.
Tears welled in Celine’s eyes again, but she quickly closed her mouth and wiped them roughly.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Celine…”
“I know from experience. If it’s not you by my side, it won’t work. That despair and loneliness—I’ve had enough. Even if now… you like Lady Agnes…”
Celine grasped Bern’s collar with trembling hands and kissed him.
The soft, sweet sensation on her lips made Bern’s eyes widen.
“I will never let you go again.”
