My Vengeful Former Lover

The social season had just ended, and the capital looked more relaxed than the last time she was here. No wagons were being dragged around, nor were there crowds of people blocking the streets of the shopping district.

Deatrice looked out of the carriage window with a relaxed posture.

Lucius’ gaze was naturally drawn to her face as the wind blew against her hair. The pallid complexion of her skin certainly did not look like someone in a loving marriage.

When news that her late fiancée was dead, there wasn’t much difference from her usual appearance back then.

Deatrice had maintained that kind of face afterward, carrying the air of aristocratic melancholy as pale as the light blue of the pearls on her neck.

Once upon a time, that face contained the vibrance of the sun on her cheeks and the brilliance of stars in her eyes as she ran between rows of cedar trees and pale green hydrangeas, sweat glistening and dyeing her skin a rosy red.

Remembering that scene from summer days of the past, his heart became heavy.

Lucius wondered what would happen if his hatred for her never left him, if all of these were simply his revenge against her, these petty sentiments wouldn’t have managed to penetrate his mind.

However, the mind is so fickle that it would remember gleeful times in one moment, then horrible ones in another.

“Wouldn’t it be good to stay in the castle? Prince Edin may accompany you.” Lucius said all of a sudden.

Deatrice looked at him with a slightly startled face, not expecting his remarks at all.

Prince Edin was the second prince of the empire who had persistently courted Deatrice for a long time, even when her fiancée was already named. He did not hide her feelings for her and was also the person who gave her quite a bit of trouble.

After Fredhi died, he still sent her several letters. Fortunately, at the time of her marriage with Lucius, the emperor had sent Prince Edin abroad. She surmised he knew of it at a much later date.

However, Deatrice heard he had just returned to the empire.

She didn’t think that Lucius knew about this fact. They had already broken up and he had even gone to war before all of those happened.

“Well, his heart might’ve changed. I’m already a married person.” Deatrice felt uncomfortable and turned her head, pretending it was okay. Lucius glance down at her and said in a serious voice.

“If the prince disturbs you, just tell me.”

“Why? Do you plan on telling the emperor?” Deatrice raised the corners of her lips and uttered mockingly.

Lucius looked at her without saying another word and she stared back at him with no regrets in openly displaying her displeasure and sharp demeanor.

Still, he nodded his head.

“Yes, tell me. I’ll take him apart by any means if the need arises. Do not endure him because it is an affront to my position as a Marquis.”

At his serious words, Deatrice darted her gaze to the streets once more, a slight smile gracing her lips. If it was to ridicule him or gratefulness, Lucius couldn’t exactly tell.

Seeing as he had been wearing a uniform for a long time, he ruffled his hair without hesitation to get rid of some of the muscle tension after sitting rigidly for so long.

The appearance of a fairly reliable knight will most likely look like this. Deatrice believed that many women would want Lucius even after being in a failed marriage.

As soon as she thought of that, she suddenly wondered. “Will you marry Spirt?”

“What?”

Deatrice replied with a shrug of her shoulders. “Even Dixie knows that our marriage won’t last long. Isn’t that why Dixie brought Spirt to your home?”

“I have money too.” Lucius frowned at the sudden question. “I am not that desperate to marry a woman like Spirt.”

“So, who do you have in mind?”

“Do I have to tell you?”

She chuckled, “Why? Does it make you uncomfortable?”

Laughter was more suited to her than frowning. Lucius thought and his forehead creased as he looked at the lady before him laughing like a mischievous girl.

“Just because someone can casually talk about uncomfortable topics, does not mean they are nothing to them as well.”

He stared pointedly at her, his meaning clear.

The smiling expression on her face disappeared at his admonishing tone. “Your second marriage means nothing to me.”

The conversation ended just like that, and with nowhere to place her gaze inside the carriage, Deatrice gazed out the window yet again.

No one spoke until they reached the castle and the carriage door opened. Lucius got off first and helped her down the steps, further assisted by Atkins.

This was the first time they’d touched each other in four days.