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Chapter 2
When I headed to the dining hall the next morning at breakfast time, Ains was already there, eating.
For a moment, I wondered if I should just turn back and return to my room. But considering we were getting divorced anyway, there was no reason to avoid him. So I walked straight inside.
The moment Ains noticed me, his hand paused briefly. But as I passed by him—seated at the head of the table—he resumed his meal as if nothing had happened.
I took my usual seat to his right.
“Madam, shall I prepare your meal?”
A maid waiting nearby asked with a puzzled expression. It made sense—ever since Ains inherited the ducal title from his grandfather, we had never eaten together.
“Yes, please.”
I answered with a faint smile.
Looking back now, I couldn’t understand why I used to be so affected by every little reaction of his.
No… back then, I truly loved him. I believed that the best thing I could do was to avoid getting on his nerves.
But that wasn’t true. No matter how hard I tried not to bother him, I could never change Ains’s feelings. From the very beginning, he had disliked me.
Everything I did was nothing more than a thorn in his side. And like a fool, I hadn’t even realized it…
The maid quickly served the appetizer—thinly sliced ham and a salad with a tangy dressing.
When I took a bite, the salty ham and fresh salad blended smoothly in my mouth.
It was almost laughable that even on the final day of ending a ten-year unrequited love, I could still taste food. A small chuckle slipped out of me. Perhaps he heard it, because I felt Ains’s gaze turn toward me.
Pretending nothing had happened, I continued eating. Even so, his eyes remained fixed on me.
“When you’re done eating, come to my office.”
Ains spoke suddenly.
Only then did I look up at him.
His face was as expressionless as ever.
Even though he was just quietly looking at me, my chest ached painfully. It seemed that my feelings for him still lingered.
But there was something that needed to be made clear.
After today, we would become strangers.
Most likely, the reason he asked me to come to his office was because of the divorce procedures. To begin with, Ains had always hated me entering his office.
“Is the money already prepared?”
After taking a breath, I asked softly.
Ains curved his lips into a faint, charming smile and nodded.
“Yes. That’s why we need to fill out the divorce papers.”
“If that’s the case, there’s no need for me to go all the way to your office. Please send the documents through Jacob. Including the alimony.”
I completely averted my gaze from him. If I kept looking, the feelings I had barely suppressed might rise again.
“There’s no need to make things inconvenient by going back and forth, right?”
“….”
“I already said my farewells to Grandfather yesterday. I’ve packed all my belongings as well. Once I receive what I’m owed, I won’t ever return to this estate.”
Even as I spoke, my mouth felt dry—like I was chewing sand.
Unable to bear it, I picked up a glass of water and took a sip. The cool water filled me, yet it didn’t bring any relief.
“You’re right. There’s no need for us to stand face-to-face just to sign. I’ll prepare the documents and send them over. The alimony will also be delivered through Jacob, as you requested.”
“Please do.”
“Still…”
Ains trailed off.
“So what you really wanted in the end was money. Seeing how readily you agreed to the divorce for a million gold.”
“….”
“No wonder you’ve been checking the auction house lately. You should’ve said so earlier. We could’ve divorced much sooner.”
After finishing his one-sided remark, Ains set down his utensils, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and stood up.
Even then, I only glanced at him from the corner of my eye, never truly meeting his gaze.
The moment he rose, he turned and left the dining hall without hesitation.
I shifted my gaze toward the door he exited through. His steps as he left looked incredibly light.
…Of course they did.
He had spent ten years with someone he disliked, and now that it was finally over, he must feel relieved.
Still, seeing him act so carefree right in front of me made it impossible not to feel a little hurt.
Where did everything go wrong?
I recalled the first time I met Ains.
I was fourteen.
After my parents died in a carriage accident, I was left alone. It was Ains’s grandfather—the Duke of Graham at the time—who took me in.
It was thanks to the friendship he once shared with my own grandfather.
Even after arriving at the Graham estate, I couldn’t stop crying over my parents. The one who stayed by my side during that time was a boy my age.
He had also lost his mother to illness around the same time.
Perhaps because we shared the same pain, he took care of me with great tenderness. Whenever I was overwhelmed with grief, he would come to comfort me. When I locked myself in my room, he would take my hand and drag me outside—to the town, or to the forest.
That kindness stirred small ripples in my dark, sinking heart.
Because of that boy—young Ains—I learned how to move on from the pain of losing my parents. I learned how to endure sorrow.
Maybe that was why, in the depths of darkness, Ains appeared to me as the only light.
At some point, his bright and refreshing smile began to take on a different meaning for me.
But everything changed when Ains’s father died during a large-scale monster subjugation.
Believing that his grandfather had forced his father into that battle, Ains came to resent him—and by extension, he began to hate me as well, since I had been brought into the household by that same grandfather.
And that led us to where we are now.
I couldn’t continue eating any longer, so I stood up.
Or at least, I tried to.
The moment I did, a wave of dizziness hit me, and I collapsed back down in an undignified manner.
“Madam!”
The maids rushed over and supported me. With their help, I slowly stood up again.
“Shouldn’t you sit and rest for a while?”
One of them asked with concern. I smiled faintly to reassure her and shook my head.
“I just stood up too suddenly… that’s all.”
“Shall we call a physician?”
But it seemed they couldn’t hide their worry.
“No. I have medicine in my room. I’ll take it and rest. And I don’t want to cause any unnecessary commotion before I leave. It’s not like this is new.”
“…Yes, understood.”
Though still worried, the maids had no choice but to comply.
With their support, I returned to my bedroom. After taking the medicine one of them hurried to fetch, I sent her out.
The room felt empty now that my belongings were gone.
After briefly looking around at the space where all my memories had once been, I lay down on the bed.
I had only just woken up earlier, yet I already felt exhausted.
“Madam, it’s Jacob. May I come in?”
A familiar voice reached my ears as I dozed off. Realizing it was Jacob, Ains’s aide, I slowly sat up.
“Come in.”
As soon as I gave permission, Jacob carefully entered, holding an envelope.
“This is the alimony the master has prepared for you, Madam. Please confirm the amount, and if everything is correct, sign the divorce papers.”
I checked the documents he handed me.
A check worth one million gold, guaranteed by the Graham Merchant Guild, and divorce papers already signed on one side.
“Jacob, do you have a pen?”
“Yes, here.”
I took the pen he offered and signed my name in the blank space.
This was truly the end.
Jacob accepted the papers, bowed deeply, and quietly left the room.
Left alone once more, I looked around the empty bedroom before standing up.
If I stayed any longer, lingering feelings would only grow.
Since I had to leave anyway, it was better to go before I grew more attached.
As I stepped out into the hallway, Rachel—who had been waiting—fell in behind me.
“Rachel, what about my belongings?”
“I’ve already moved them to the Marves estate. Everything is arranged—you can move in right away.”
“Thank you.”
I spoke sincerely, but Rachel kept her head lowered, her expression dark.
Pretending not to notice, I descended the stairs and reached the entrance.
When I turned around, Rachel still looked dejected. I gave her a reassuring smile.
“This is really goodbye now. Thank you for everything, Rachel.”
“…Madam.”
It seemed my attempt to comfort her hadn’t helped much.
After hesitating, she spoke with a trembling gaze.
“Please make sure to get your medicine. You need to stay healthy…”
“I will. Thank you for worrying about me.”
I held her hand as I spoke. Tears welled up in her eyes.
Thinking she might cry if I stayed any longer, I let go and turned away. Still, it wasn’t a bad feeling—knowing someone cared about me.
Stepping outside, I was greeted by the familiar view of the garden.
A place I had passed through every day for ten years.
But now, it was time to say goodbye to this place as well.
Crossing the garden, I spotted the carriage I had reserved.
With the coachman’s help, I climbed inside. After confirming I was seated, he closed the door.
Soon, the carriage began to move.
Through the small square window, the streets slowly passed by. It was the same scenery I always saw when going out, yet today it felt different.
Unless something special happened, I would likely never return here again.
I was no longer Cecilia Graham.
I had returned to being Cecilia Marves.
Since I inherited my title after my father’s death, I would now live as the Baroness of Marves.
I should have done this long ago.
Even if I had been taken in by the Duke’s family, I should have returned to my rightful place once I came of age.
But because I fell in love with Ains, it took me far too long to find my way back.
After all, our marriage was never one that could make either of us happy.
I just couldn’t bring myself to accept that truth, and by holding on for so long, the damage only deepened.
After about twenty minutes, the carriage finally came to a stop.
“We’ve arrived, Madam.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
The coachman opened the door and helped me down.
I took out the fare from my small bag and handed it to him—ten silver coins, more than what he would normally earn in a day.
After receiving it, he tidied up and drove off.
Watching the carriage disappear, I turned around.
My hometown.
My home.
The Marves estate stood before me.
