Chapter 29. The Despairing Side Of The Fight Between Married Couple (2)
***
âWhy! Why did you tell him that you want a daughter?â
Gerard felt like he had been hit in the head with a hammer by Chloeâs sharp scream. At the same time, he immediately realized how things were.
âOhâŠâ
He rubbed his face with his big hand.
âWhy would he want to be a daughter?â
âAbout that, sighâŠâ
Gerard had given up making excuses. He felt emotional after imagining how upset his son must have been.
He didnât want Abel to go through the same thing as him. He was confident that he was different from his parents, but reflecting on his actions, he was not much different from them. In the end, the relationship between parent and child was beyond depth. It was hopeless.
âI know you donât love me! But why Abel? Why do you make Abel feel like he is not loved? Why the h*ll did you say that? Heâs your son!â
â!â
Gerard couldnât understand what his wife was saying. He didnât love his wife? And he didnât love Abel?
âOr⊠Is Leilaâs child prettier than ours? Is that how you feel?â
âWhat are you talking about?!â
Gerard snapped at Chloeâs endless criticism.
She flinched. Chloe trembled at her husbandâs loud voice.
Gerard felt like he had been thrown into a gutter. He had no intention of threatening his wife. His face hardened.
How did they end up in this situation? He felt dizzy because he couldnât figure out the answer. Looking at his wife who was a mess and only cursed at him made him feel like he was falling off an endless cliff.
âOh, I⊠ruined everything again.â
The head of the Blanchett family, who valued his family above everything else, felt like everything was falling apart. He felt like he was losing his mind. He felt like revealing all of his emotional thoughts to Chloe.
He had to get away. He didnât want to show his nasty side to his wife, ever. He always wanted to be a sweet and ideal husband for her. No, he had to be!
âMy Lady⊠later, letâs talk about it later.â
â?â
Chloe looked at her husband with a tearful face and runny nose. What was this man saying?
âPlease calm down. Iâll send for Jane.â
ââŠNow what are you talking about? Who wants to talk about it later?â
âI donât think itâs a good idea to talk about it when our emotions are at their peak. Letâs talk about it later. We need to not see each other for some time.â
Not seeing each other? Gerard was referring to himself. However, to Chloe, it sounded like he was blaming her.
âDoes he mean that he doesnât want to see me anymore because Iâm yelling angrily at him? Is that right?â
Gerard took a handkerchief from his breast pocket and wiped Chloeâs tears as she whispered to herself. It was affectionate, but she couldnât feel the touch without a sense of obligation in it.
Then, he put the handkerchief in Chloeâs hand and got up to head to the door.
âDonât goâŠâ
Chloe tried to hold him back with a trembling voice.
ââŠItâs because Iâm not good enough for you, My Lady. Iâm⊠really sorry.â
Gerard stopped in front of the door and apologized to Chloe.
Creak .
âPlease donât goâŠâ
Thud .
Chloeâs earnest plea was buried by the sound of the opening and closing door.
Chloe had cried countless times these days, but she had never cried very sorrowfully. It was as if the tears overwhelmed her body.
âDonât go. Please hug me. Tell me youâre sorry, that you absolutely donât mean it that way. Please comfort me. Tell me Iâm the only one you want. Please say âI love youâ. Please love me. Please donât go!â
Chloe scratched the floor, reciting to herself the words that couldnât be said with her mouth. The flood of emotions was so intense that she felt like she couldnât bear it without doing so. Only sobbing noises filled the room for a while.
***
Gerard, who wanted to solve the problem rationally, decided to go with the worst option. He didnât know that when he left.
It only fuelled the despair, dismay and pain in Chloe.
It was Gerardâs stupidity to not know that marital relationships couldnât always be lovely and pretty. It would have been better for Gerard to show his disastrous inner thoughts honestly.
His dispassionate rationality, which he was really proud of, was too cold for Chloe.
***
âOh my, Chloe, whatâs wrong with your face?â
Leila, who came out to send the Blanchett family off, asked in surprise.
Chloeâs face was adorned with makeup, but it was obviously swollen. Everyone pretended not to notice it, but it was obviously the effects from last night.
âItâs just⊠I couldnât sleep well.â
Chloe avoided Leilaâs gaze and covered her face with a fan. Leila hugged Chloe while whispering.
âIs it because of what Rennesia said?â
ââŠâ
Chloe was pulled into an awkward embrace and agonized whether to push Leila away or not.
âIâm so sorry. I taught her not to say that kind of thing. It is my fault. You were really upset, right? Why do I keep causing things that make me feel guilty?â
âNo, itâs all right.â
Chloe readily replied that she was fine upon hearing Leilaâs shaking voice.
Rennesia was annoying because she made Abel sad, but on the other hand, she knew. Rennesia was not to be blamed. She was just being overly honest. If there were people to be blamed, it was the married couple who had made Abel nervous.
No, she thought the problem between her and her husband was Leila until last night.
However, that turned out to be wrong. Leila was an excuse. An excuse to put the coupleâs problems to the side. An excuse to divert all of their grief and anger.
She watched her husbandâs back retreat last night and realized for sure. It wasnât that Leila wasnât part of the problem, but the main problem was between her and her husband.
âThat letter from eight years ago⊠I really didnât mean it that way. I want to stay close with you for a long time. And I wanted you to get closer with the person you had a crush on⊠Ugh, I didnât realize it would hurt you. Iâm sorry.â
She knew. Because Leila knew Chloe as well as Chloe knew Leila.
She knew Leilaâs personality, which was forward to someone she had a crush on, and she also knew that Leila really liked and genuinely cared for her. ThereforeâŠ
âIâm sorry, too.â
Chloe apologized to Leila. However, the meaning was completely different.
âEven if itâs twisted, I never liked you as much as you liked me. Iâve always envied you for being confident, dissatisfied that you were able to make the most out of your life, and envied how you were loved by Gerard. I have always been a shadow by your side.â
She and Leila needed to be separated. Chloe had already decided not to go back to Leila anymore. She was going to avoid Leilaâs letters, invitations, and requests for visits in the future.
âLeila, please live well. I hope you are happy with your happy ending.â
Chloe finally relaxed her body and leaned into Leilaâs arms.
***
Leaving Anata behind as they bid farewell, the Blanchett family and their companions embarked on their way back home. Only Chloe and Abel rode in the Blanchett familyâs carriage. Gerard was riding outside under the pretext of being an escort.
It was rather fortunate for Chloe. It wasnât just because she had no idea what kind of expression she should make when looking at him.
She also needed time to talk to Abel privately.
âAbel?â
âMother⊠You donât seem to be on good terms with Father? Were you nervous because you looked closer to Sir Moore?â
ââŠIâm sorry, Abel. Iâm sorry. Mother didnât know about that.â
She wanted to speak as rationally as possible, but tears kept coming with each of her words. Abelâs face changed rapidly upon hearing his motherâs disorganized voice.
âHuhu, please donât cry. MotherâŠâ
Chloe embraced her baby as he buried himself into her arms.
âHmh. Iâm sorry. Mother didnât know Abel thought that way.â
âThe relationship between Mother and Father, huhu⊠is different these days. With Uncle Herace⊠ukh, huhu.â
âNo, Abel, Mother and Father⊠got married because we liked each other, and thatâs how I gave birth to Abel. Mother doesnât like Sir Moore. I only like Abel and Father.â
âHuhu, alrightâŠâ
Abel answered with a whimper.
âThe same goes for Father! Father only likes Abel and Mother. Got it?â
Chloe hugged Abel tightly as he nodded. A lot of things she said felt far from the truth. However, she had to tell lies so that the child wouldnât feel anxious.
âAnd not all couples love the same way, Abel. Rennesiaâs parents love Rennesia their way, and Mother and Father love Abel our way.â
âYes.â
âYes, and as I promised yesterday⊠If thereâs anything that breaks Abelâs heart like this, donât hide it from Mother and let Mother know. If Abel hides his upset feelings, Mother will be so sad.â
She felt very guilty to think that her child must have been hurt by his emotionally inept parents. She had to snap back to reality for the sake of her child. She was no longer a young Lady who could cry and weep because Gerard didnât love her.
The young Lady, who loved Gerard deeply, had died while crying last night.