Seeking for Your Forgiveness

Chapter 28. Did You Divorce Or Something?

Michael glanced at Marianne. It was only then that the name of the detective who was in charge of the case report came to his mind.

It lingered in his memory because it was the name of a woman. She must have been the rumored female cop. It was a name that made him reflect on the pain of his first love, so his attention lingered on it for a little longer.

“Why is the name of Marianne Haveck as the detective in charge? It’s astounding that Lady Schneider is in the National Police Agency, not referring to herself as Marianne Kloze or Marianne Schneider?”

“……”

“Did you get divorced?”

While saying that, Michael knew it couldn’t be that. If the two had divorced, it would already cause an uproar in public.

Newspapers were filled with their names, and anyone with a mouth had to talk about it. This was Blauberg, Schneider’s estate.

No, it didn’t even have to be in Blauberg. Kristoff was one of the most famous men in the empire.

“Haha.”

The next moment, laughter slipped out through Michael’s lips. This was because Kristoff, who had been arrogant until just now, kept his mouth tightly shut as if he had lost his words.

Michael’s eyes moved slowly. He scanned Kristoff’s tightly shut mouth, his firmly clenched fists, and his eyes.

“I see.”

Then, Michael nodded. His eyes shifted toward Marianne this time. His eyes were narrowed. He quickly put together some clues he had retrieved in his head.

Marianne Kloze, Blauberg, Kristoff Schneider.

Michael’s lip curved up when he figured out the whole story.

“You did, Kristoff.”

That meant he stood a chance. How bitter the regret he felt after missing Marianne. The feeling of defeat at that time couldn’t be soothed merely by alcohol. It was probably the most regretful moment he ever experienced in his life.

However God miraculously gave him a second chance. Perhaps, his last chance.

“Yes, you did. Hahaha.”

Kristoff watched Michael with a cold gaze as the man smiled knowingly. His strained jaw twitched and trembled subtly.

“Michael.”

Kristoff called his name in a cold voice. Michael looked back at him, that smile of his still lingered, stuffing his hand into the pocket of his pants leisurely.

“Speak, Kristoff.”

“I know what you’re thinking. However, I have to warn you that you won’t stand a chance.”

“Ha.”

Delight began to spread in Michael’s chest. It was the first time he saw Kristoff, who couldn’t afford to endure it. Kristoff Schneider was worried that he would lose Marianne.

How could he express those feelings he felt at that moment? Excitement, passion, or thrill. No, no words were enough. Michael was high due to the sense of victory that he felt after beating Kristoff for the first time.

He looked at Kristoff, his dark green eyes glinted chillingly.

“Well, we have to wait and see.”

Kristoff clicked his tongue lowly. The man in front of him was not the old Michael Hindenburg. An adult man, who had been refined and grew solid, was fighting against him leisurely.

And Kristoff swallowed the silence with unknown anxiety. An ominous hunch coiled around his feet like a serpent, slowly crawling along his calf.

His skin sagged wherever he could see Michael, in a displeased manner.

Kristoff tightened his clenched fists. Otherwise, he thought about blowing Michael’s jaw away at any moment.

D*mn it.

***

“What did you say to Michael?”

Kristoff pressed her as if questioning her. It was a nervous look which she had never seen before.

Marianne, who was about to ask the reason, closed her mouth again. The moment she asked about that again, it would appear like she wanted to return to be Lady Schneider again.

That was not what Marianne wanted. Inhaling briefly, she replied in a casual tone.

“I didn’t say anything that would harm you.”

“It’s not that, Marianne.”

Kristoff fixed his mouth because of the building frustration. Then, he shoved back the remark into his throat for some reason.

During their college days, only two people out of everyone who knew, had not known about Michael’s feelings, Marianne and Michael.

And Kristoff had no intention of telling the truth himself. He had no intention of creating an opportunity for Marianne to look at Michael as a man.

Marianne asked as he anxiously rubbed his chin. Those blue eyes were filled with a glimmer of curiosity and a hint of anxiety.

“Is it…… going well?”

“I don’t think it would be easy.”

Kristoff had a faint frown. It didn’t appear to be good to shout about Michael. Marianne unknowingly flinched and her shoulders trembled.

“When I looked into the judge who’s going to be in charge, he’s very conservative. I don’t think it would be easy to acquit him. Michael might have known it. He must have worked in Blauberg longer than I did. It will be a fight in which he takes the upperhand in many ways.”

“Then how……?”

Marianne looked concerned. Her strong blue eyes shook in desperation.

Is she worried about him, or the boy?

Kristoff, who was staring at her, suddenly pulled one corner of his lips up. It didn’t matter either way. In the end, Marianne’s eyes wouldn’t fall off him.

“I said it won’t be easy, but I didn’t say it’s impossible.”

Kristoff was still confident and arrogant. However, Marianne knew that confidence wasn’t pretentious.

He looked intently at her with his dark eyes. It was an affectionate gaze that made her heart throb and her head turned dizzy as if she had finished eating a box of chocolates in one time.

Marianne unknowingly clutched her hands. The hem of her dress in her grasp of hands was wrinkled severely.

“So, Marianne.”

He looked at Marianne with her doe eyes.

“Would you like to have lunch with me today?”

“……”

Marianne couldn’t easily open her mouth. Because as soon as she opened her mouth, she felt as though her trembling voice would be coming out.

What did she think about, being silent like that? Kristoff rubbed his chin once again. He added an excuse.

“I have something to discuss regarding Paul’s case.”

“!”

At that moment, Marianne opened her eyes wide as if she had heard something she didn’t expect. Marianne, who had been staring at him without showing any expression on her face, curled up her mouth slowly.

Just when Kristoff exhaled in relief upon her faint smile, her calm voice came out.

“Discussing the case? I wouldn’t have believed that a few days ago. When I brought up Veronica’s case, you told me I didn’t know anything and that you would take care of everything.”

“!”

This time, any remaining expression vanished from Kristoff’s face.

Thud.

His heart dropped. He didn’t know if it was because of surprise, fear, or conscience.

Kristoff narrowed his eyebrows inadvertently. What he has done so far has got back to him as a boomerang. Also, he figured out why she left him.

D*mn you, Kristoff.

A*sh*le.

He wanted to break his shameful and depraved brain. The smartest and most quick-witted man in the world, but he was actually a more foolish and dry person than anyone else.

Kristoff managed to move his lips. There was a deep scorn toward himself at the corner tug of his mouth.

“……There must be a reason why you left me with snapdragon flowers.”

Marianne looked into his face without saying anything. She looked into his cold and firm face, then gave a miserable smile.

Kristoff dropped his head. He looked down only at his feet with his sardonic gaze.

The next moment, she got up from the bench. Marianne left him and walked back to the National Police Agency.

Kristoff didn’t budge. His eyes were still glued to the floor. However, after that,

“See you at lunch, Kristoff.”

“!”

Kristoff lifted his head up. He couldn’t take his eyes off Marianne’s back as she walked away.

He raised his hand over his eyes. It wasn’t until she disappeared into the building of the police department that Kristoff let out a sigh he’d endured.

“Kristoff, you’re such a moron.”

An unbearable curse slipped out of his mouth. If his tutor heard him cursing even in the lowest tone of his voice when he was young, he would faint with foam in his mouth.

***

All of a sudden.

Marianne, who was leaving the building of the National Police Agency, stopped in her tracks with a surprised look. Her eyes were filled with the color of purple. As she kept her eyes wide open, the scent of flowers that brushed her nose a moment later hovered around her.

“Uh……”

Then, she realized it was a bouquet of purple hyacinths. Her bewildered gaze captured Kristoff behind the bouquet.

People who were coming in twos and threes to have their lunch casted curious gazes at her. There were also glimpses of Ian and Florian’s gaze among them all.

Ian gave a side glance at them, his mouth seemingly itchy. Then, he covered his mouth with his hand and quickened his pace, in case his eyes met Kristoff.

Marianne’s eyes turned to the bouquet again.

“Is it hyacinth flowers this time?”

Purple hyacinth meant ‘eternal love’. And there was also another one.

“Do you feel guilty about something about me?”

Sorry, the flower also carried a meaning of apology.

She accepted the bouquet without any fuss. Kristoff began to walk slowly. Marianne walked beside him. The scent of hyacinth flowers followed them closely.

“It’s not enough even if I fill your room with hyacinth.”

“……”

Marianne dropped her gaze  out of embarrassment because she didn’t expect his words. She bit her lips slightly, staring at the hyacinth petals.

She didn’t know Kristoff was like this. She didn’t know Kristoff was so sweet and desperate. Therefore, she had no idea how to react either.

She had no immunity against him, and every single action that he did proved fatal to her.

“Here we are, Marianne. I asked Commissioner Simon, and he said the food here is the best in the neighborhood.”

While Marianne was thinking about something else entirely, they had arrived in front of the restaurant. Kristoff pulled open the door for her.

Kristoff seemed to have really asked Commissioner Simon regarding this. Marianne quietly pulled the corners of her mouth up. At such times, she often realized that he was no less than a noble. When she saw him dealing with Commissioner Simon without reserve, despite the fact that everyone found it difficult to do the same thing.

She wondered if there was anyone whom he thought was difficult as well.

“I think this is a nice restaurant.”

Even looking from the outside, she knew it was a good place. Marianne unconsciously looked at her dress. It looked too shabby to enter such a fancy restaurant.

Kristoff spoke, as if realizing what she was thinking.

“No one can treat you recklessly, Marianne. I will not stand it. ……Even if it’s myself.”