Chapter 86

86

It's too late to love you as purely as before.

This fact made me sad.

Why didn't you realize it sooner? Why did you keep ignoring your own feelings?

Why didn't you show me even a little bit of concern...

We can't turn back time. It's impossible to restore a broken past.

So, you and I cannot be like other happy couples.

We have come too far.

"…Let me go now."

"…"

After a long while, I managed to stop sobbing. Theodore surprisingly let me go, but his gaze never left me.

"I think you already know…"

My voice was still tinged with tears. I felt it was time to have the conversation I had been putting off. If I said it now, I could draw a clear line.

"My heart can no longer be the same as before."

"…"

"I've been resigned for a long time… The wounds you gave me are still so vivid. How can you suddenly say you care for me now? Is that even possible?"

Theodore lowered his head with a dark expression. He seemed to feel guilty, but even so… I couldn't understand or accept him.

"It's too late."

"…"

"Even your offer to share your life force… and your belated affection."

"…"

"Stop it all. It's all useless."

At that moment, Theodore knelt down.

"…!"

I was startled and took a step back. He looked up at me from the floor, his eyes filled with intense longing, his face etched with sorrow.

"Please… just one more chance."

"…"

"Can't you give me one more chance?"

His voice was moist with tears. Strangely, at that moment, his appearance… overlapped with my own from the past.

When I clung to him, hoping he would hold my hand, with an endless, desperate heart…

But now… the situation is reversed.

"I will… try my best. I'll do anything. Please…"

"…"

"I don't want to lose you like this."

The emotions I could read from his expression were not just desperation.

I could also see his longing and determination towards me.

Looking back… in the port city, he seemed to look at me this way. At that time, I only noticed his anger.

Now… his eyes are filled with a belated, deep affection.

That cruel emotion that always hurt my heart.

"Can't you trust me? I know it's too late. But…"

He furrowed his brows in pain and clenched his teeth. His hand reached out to me, but I stepped back and shook my head.

"Do you remember what I said before? That I had something important to tell you…"

"…"

A dark shadow passed over Theodore's face, as if he could guess what I was about to say.

I swallowed hard and spoke again.

"I will… use Somnia's power to bring down the Everett family."

This was the first thing I decided to do.

"But I will need help. I need you."

"…"

"I'm proposing a temporary alliance. You must want to take revenge on the Everett family, too."

That is the common ground between us.

Regardless of our relationship or feelings, we can be good collaborators for each other.

But…

"What I ask of you is just one thing, and…"

"…"

"The other thing is… letting me go. After all the revenge is over."

Now, we can't be more than collaborators.

Because there's no way to cleanse this heart.

"…Lily, I—"

"I can't be happy by your side."

"I…"

"Even if you try, it will be the same."

"…"

"I want to spend the rest of my short life…"

A sad smile appeared on my lips.

I felt a premonition about my fate.

"In a peaceful and safe place, where no one can hurt me… I want to live quietly like that."

Theodore opened his mouth and looked up at me. His eyes, red and brimming with tears.

I didn't turn away from his desperate, now deeply moved heart. I faced him directly and declared firmly.

"When the time comes, we will divorce."

"…"

"If you truly feel sorry for me… divorce is the only way to help me."

Perhaps we were always a bad match.

You hurt me, and I hurt you.

A relationship that only brings pain to both of us should be ended.

* * *

Clinging is useless.

Efforts are meaningless.

No matter how many times he begged for forgiveness, Lily would only give the same answer.

"Hey, Theo, you… what the hell!"

Calvin, who had come to look for Theodore, who hadn't shown up in his office for over half a day, was shocked at the sight of his childhood friend.

Dozens of empty bottles scattered on the floor. Theodore, looking half-dead, was slumped in the middle of them.

"Are you crazy? What are you doing?"

He had drunk so much that it seemed like the bottles had come out of him. Calvin was genuinely flabbergasted. After all, he had never seen Theodore in such a self-destructive state.

Not even when his older brother died.

'…It's because of the lady. Ah, really…'

The old sages were right when they said love can make a person live or die.

Who would have thought Theodore Valentine would end up like this? A perfectionist who always maintained strict self-discipline…

Calvin approached Theodore with a heavy heart, shaking his head. Even though his friend was there, Theodore didn't even glance at him, just kept drinking. Calvin, exasperated, snatched the bottle from Theodore's hand.

"Stop drinking! Do you really want to die?"

"…I won't die."

"If you keep drinking, you will! Damn it!"

Calvin lost his temper. Theodore blinked blankly and muttered something incomprehensible.

"If I die…"

"…?"

"Will you feel a little sorry for me…"

"…"

Oh, you crazy kid…

Calvin sighed deeply, trying to calm his frustration. Theodore Valentine was definitely out of his mind. Come to think of it, he had mentioned drinking a love potion. The potion must have made him even more crazy. Damn Albines princess.

'Ah… really… What should I do?'

He was considering whether to knock Theodore out and put him to sleep, but suddenly Theodore got up and started staggering somewhere.

"…?"

Calvin frowned, staring at his back, then followed him.

Theodore headed for the bathroom.

He filled the bathtub with cold water and got in without taking off his clothes. Calvin, alarmed, tried to pull him out, but Theodore just mumbled in the bathtub.

"…I need to sober up."

"You crazy bastard…"

"I need to get my act together. I need to…"

Theodore continued, covering his eyes with the back of his hand.

"I need to help Lily."

"…"

"That's the only thing I can do…"

Tears started to fall from his hollow eyes.

Calvin was so shocked that he couldn't say a word.

This guy is really crazy…

After about ten minutes, Theodore, who had been in the cold water, seemed relatively more sober.

But only relatively…

His eyes still showed that he was out of his mind.

He could act extremely rashly at any moment. Calvin watched Theodore tensely.

Sure enough, Theodore, after changing his clothes, collapsed onto the sofa and muttered to himself.

"Refusing to divorce…"

"…"

"Would it be wrong to lock Lily in this castle?"

Of course, it would be wrong. Is that even a question?

Calvin opened his mouth but closed it again, sighing.

I have no idea how to deal with Theodore in this state.

"Doing that would make you no different from the Everetts that Lily hates so much… or maybe you already are."

Theodore, speaking sarcastically, reached for a new bottle on the table but dropped his hand.

He leaned back against the sofa, and his eyes, looking up at the ceiling, filled with tears again.

Watching Theodore, Calvin felt utterly helpless.

'Serious case…'

This is not a problem to be taken lightly.

But who can persuade the lady?

Most of the people in this castle have ostracized and ignored her.

How can they now beg her to stay by their master's side?

So, Theodore's pain is something he must bear alone.

In his current state, no words can comfort him.

Calvin could only hope that he wouldn't fall apart any further.

* * *

It was now November 12th.

Time had flown by so quickly, given all the events.

"Lady, there… a letter came…"

"…"

And I had to endure a very unpleasant feeling from the morning of the 11th.

Sender: O. E

A letter from Owen.

The day before, on the 12th, my birthday.