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58.
I had no desire to let matters become ‌‌‌complicated.
Rebecca exhaled a long ‌‌‌sigh, hoping desperately that he would not change his mind.
"Sigh...."
"Why! Is something wrong?"
Theo startled, setting down the freshly baked cookies, and asked with concern.
It was the first time Theo had spoken to her since she returned home, so Rebecca's eyes widened in surprise.
Theo flinched at the questioning gleam in Rebecca's gaze.
Yet, as if seized by sudden resolve, he placed the plate on the table and spoke.
"Tomorrow it will truly be the divorce. Is that what's troubling you?"
"The divorce...."
Rebecca smiled faintly.
To be honest, the time spent here had been so delightful that ‌‌‌‌until just moments ago, ‌‌‌I had completely forgotten about the divorce.
The years spent confined within the Count's Mansion felt like a distant dream, leaving me bewildered. ‌‌‌
The painful memories remained vivid, yet they no longer surfaced with troublesome frequency.
At times, I even questioned what revenge meant in the face of such peaceful days.
But she steeled herself once more.
When ‌‌I recalled my previous life, my blood surged backward in fury.
Moreover, if the addiction symptoms disappeared from her body, there was a possibility that Zeppelin's ‌‌obsession would resurface.
His madness might only escalate further.
Rebecca thought of Robert. And she recalled the Hounds who had sworn their loyalty to her. ‌‌
She thought of Alicia, and of the shackles that had encircled her wrists.
And she thought of her own child, torn from her sight—her precious daughter.
She could not forgive.
Even if this happy life were the price, Zeppelin must be punished. ‌‌‌It had to be.
Rebecca's fist clenched with resolve.
Theo gazed down at his daughter, her eyes reddened as she wrestled ‌‌‌with ‌anguish.
"I... I have wronged you. Rebecca." ‌‌‌‌
Theo suddenly dropped to his knees before Rebecca.
Rebecca, startled, tried to help ‌‌‌him to his feet.
In her confusion, Rebecca's gaze drifted toward Danae, who watched silently from a distance.
Like Theo, Danae's eyes glistened with tears as she shook her head quietly.
Theo, still on his knees, pleaded with his daughter.
"I ‌‌‌was blind. I did not think of you. I should have resisted, or at the very least, lodged a protest with the Emperor. I should ‌have done anything to free you from ‌‌that place."
"It is all in the past, Father."
"No. I turned away from you. I told myself it was inevitable, ‌‌‌‌that someone had to be sacrificed. I placed the burden ‌‌of my own failures upon your shoulders. You need not regard me as your father. I simply wanted to say I am sorry. That I still love you...."
Rebecca could say nothing, and so she embraced her father.
Theo wept, holding the shoulders of his daughter who had grown so much in his absence.
"My child, I beg you—do not forgive me. You cannot forgive what I have done. But please, know that you have family. Now I can stake everything to ensure I never lose you again. For your happiness, I would do anything. I am sorry. ‌‌I am truly sorry...."
Thunder began to rumble in the sky beyond her back. ‌‌
But Theo's cry was far louder.
His wail pierced through the fierce thunder of the storm, echoing with raw desperation.
I gazed over his shoulder at Helena and Livia, who were struggling to hold back their tears, and at Danae.
As Theo had said, I could not forgive them.
But I had decided to move ‌‌‌‌forward without dwelling on it.
I would bury the filthy memories and paint over them with the beautiful happiness they would bring me in the days to come.
As Theo's sobs gradually subsided, I slowly opened my mouth.
"You must keep that promise. The one about doing anything for my happiness."
Theo's face brightened as he looked at me.
"Of course, my daughter. We survived because of you, so now it's our turn to repay that debt."
I couldn't respond. Danae came rushing over and embraced me.
Helena and Livia held each other's hands tightly, watching the scene ‌‌unfold.
To be honest, they had very few memories of me.
The twins were ‌‌late-born children.
By the time they could barely form proper sentences, I had become the Countess of Devonshire.
Because of that, ‌‌‌there were few opportunities for me and my sisters to create memories together unless something truly special happened.
But they knew. Every cute dress and sweet cake came from my sacrifice.
So Helena and Livia made a promise. If I returned, they would treat me well.
Even if it felt a bit awkward, they would give me the last remaining cookie.
The two girls held each other's hands, barely managing to hold back their flowing tears.
But ‌‌‌‌‌when Rebecca actually returned home, their thoughts changed.
She was not a stranger they wanted to treat kindly out of obligation.
Though she looked utterly exhausted, Rebecca smiled at them without reservation—she was one of us, a member of House of Obelia.
From head to toe, she was perfectly, seamlessly part of our family.
The two girls released their clasped hands and rushed toward me, embracing me with crushing force.
With the terrifying grip strength of four people, I couldn't help but let out a brief cry.
But it was ‌‌‌a cry of happiness.
"Oh, it seems I've arrived at an awkward moment."
Julian stood with an embarrassed expression, watching the tangled embrace of the Obelia family.
Danae startled and wiped away her tears.
"Oh, no. To the reception room...."
Danae hesitated for a moment and looked at me.
The color drained from my face.
I looked up at Julian with eyes full of fear.
My heart pounded wildly. There was nothing covering my face now.
My hands trembled.
I was exposed. He had seen me.
When Julian's eyes met mine, he couldn't hide his joy and unconsciously called out my name.
"Rebec...."
But before his voice could reach me, I fled.
Rebecca rushed desperately up ‌‌to the second floor.
"Rebecca!"
Julian immediately followed in her wake.
Theo tried to block his path urgently, but Danae stopped him.
"Don't you think it's time for Rebecca to step out of the shadows?"
At her words, Theo halted. He gazed up the staircase where Julian had disappeared, his eyes clouded with worry.
* * *
The sky had turned overcast.
Zeppelin gazed quietly upward at the ashen expanse above, a mirror of his current disposition.
Tomorrow would be the final day of the adjustment period.
Calculating the time until arrival at the Capital, he had to send the divorce papers to the Imperial Palace by today.
Then he would be completely divorced from Rebecca.
He could have sent them earlier, but for some reason, Zeppelin ‌‌‌‌continued to hesitate.
It felt unreal—that she was no longer here.
'Rebecca....'
Zeppelin bowed his head.
No. I'm fine without her.
Like a mantra, Zeppelin stood in the middle of the Garden, muttering the words over and over.
I had thought I couldn't breathe without her.
But look—without her, how splendidly I've ‌‌been living all this time.
The newly expanded business was sailing along as if it had sprouted ‌‌‌wings, and the Estate, which had ‌been plagued by turmoil recently, had regained ‌its former tranquility.
It was fine. I could live more than adequately without her.
And the replacement list for Rebecca that Octavio had sent was not bad at all.
As he said, there was hope that I could find someone as beautiful as Rebecca, or even more so, someday. ‌‌‌‌
And Alicia. ‌‌‌
Watching my seed flourish ‌‌within her was more gratifying than I'd expected.
A child that resembled me so closely—I wouldn't necessarily cherish them with utmost devotion, but at least I wouldn't dislike them.
Then ‌‌‌why wouldn't my feet move, as if frozen in place?
Zeppelin imagined how Rebecca ‌‌must be faring now.
The thought ‌‌‌of Rebecca lying alone in that squalid House of Obelia caused a sharp pang in his chest.
She would spend the nights weeping, reminiscing about past glory. Perhaps she was even longing for me.
Yes, surely she must be missing me.
Now ‌that I think about it, what should I do about House of Obelia's debts?
Considering ‌‌her circumstances, it would be right to forgive ‌‌‌them. But shouldn't I hold her accountable for ‌‌‌failing to manage her daughter properly?
As Zeppelin sank into contemplation, Octavio slowly approached.
"My lord, don't you have documents to send to the ‌‌Imperial Palace?"
He lifted his gaze, his eyes now devoid of light, and looked at Octavio.
Octavio smiled ‌‌faintly and patted Zeppelin's shoulder.
"Discard what must be discarded, and take what must be taken. Only then can you move forward."
At his words, Zeppelin laughed weakly.
"You're right. You ‌‌make a fair point."
Zeppelin limped toward the Study.
Rumble—
The sky, swollen with dark clouds, growled a ‌‌‌‌‌low warning in ‌‌‌‌his direction. ‌‌‌
Zeppelin flinched at the sound, his shoulders trembling.
* * *
"Rebecca! Wait, just look at me for a moment!"
Julian barely managed to catch up with Rebecca as she disappeared into the room, her expression fraught with ‌‌‌‌fear.
Once inside Rebecca's room, Julian seized her wrist and turned her to face him.
The door closed naturally ‌‌behind Julian's back.
"I understand what you're afraid of. But you're wrong. I'm not. I'm not the person you think I am."
"Please go. Don't look at me."
Rebecca desperately covered her face. Tears streamed down her cheeks without pause.
She squeezed her eyes shut.
She couldn't bear to see whatever expression Julian wore now.
When Julian ‌refused to release his grip, Rebecca pushed him away and fled to the center of the ‌‌‌room.
Then she stubbornly sat down on the floor and buried her face in her ‌‌‌‌knees.
Rebecca wished in ‌‌that moment that she could simply vanish.
"Rebecca...."
Julian approached her slowly, almost pleading.
He watched her slender shoulders shake with sobs, ‌‌‌his jaw clenched.
Julian found himself unbearable for being so foolishly at a loss for words.
Seeing Rebecca cry made it clear he'd made a grave mistake.
He shouldn't have followed her. No matter how desperately he wanted to see her, he shouldn't have forced her hand and turned her face toward him.
Yet they couldn't remain like this forever, could they?
He and Rebecca had to move forward. Together.
The ‌‌runaway countess has returned.
E-book publication.

January 12, 2022
The author.

Long night sky
Publisher.

Desert fox
Published by.

Woongjin ThinkBig Co., Ltd.
Submission Received.

naver.me/54VzzLSn
Blog.

blog.naver.com/wj_fennecfox
Twitter.

@wjt_fennecfox

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