Chapter 63
63. Were you waiting for me?
2022.04.07.
“What are you doing.”
Arthur stormed into the room and shoved Taylor away in an instant.
He positioned himself in front of her, glaring at the man.
“Don’t touch her. She’s my wife. I only permitted conversation.”
Taylor’s gaze hardened.
This man……
Arthur Julius.
Is this what a war hero is like?
The killing intent radiating from the man who had returned victorious from a brutal war was overwhelming.
For a moment, it felt like his gray eyes were gripping the very air.
He was clearly furious.
And Reina stared blankly at Arthur’s back from behind him.
Worried that Reina might get hurt, Taylor stepped forward and spoke quickly.
“I’m Taylor Lorenson, the physician employed by House Julius. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sir Arthur.”
Men with possessive tendencies weren’t uncommon in situations like this—they often took out their anger on the woman involved.
Taylor thought he needed to redirect all of Arthur’s attention to himself and spoke rapidly.
“The lady seemed to have hurt her earlobe on her earring, so I was disinfecting it for her. If I overstepped, I apologize.”
“…….”
Arthur tilted his head and smiled without responding.
His gaze pierced like a stab. It was a cold smile.
“Get out.”
There was no mercy.
In that instant, Taylor caught sight of Reina.
“…….”
Reina was staring blankly at Taylor.
Arthur shifted his body, immediately blocking Taylor’s line of sight.
“Where are you looking.”
Taylor immediately lowered his head.
“I’m sorry. I’ll leave.”
As if that had been his sole purpose in looking, he carefully placed the gauze soaked in disinfectant and the tweezers on the tray where Arthur could see them.
Clink.
Then he pointed to the table where he and Reina had been sitting.
“I’ll leave this behind.”
It was Grandmother’s medical log.
Arthur said coldly.
“Kay. Check it.”
One of the knights replied.
“Yes.”
“…….”
As Taylor stood and reached to pack his dressing tools into his bag, Arthur spoke.
“Leave that too.”
Taylor’s hand paused as he tried to organize the tweezers on the tray.
“I’ll take care of it.”
A faint possibility arose in his mind—that at least he wouldn’t take his anger out on Reina.
Instead, a chill seeped into his blood, tightening his chest.
Taylor tried not to show it and replied composedly.
“Yes.”
Taylor took out a fresh gauze and disinfectant from his bag and placed them on the tray, cleared away every trace of what he had used, and then withdrew.
Hoping that Arthur wouldn’t be displeased with him.
Hoping that he hadn’t caused Reina any distress.
Returning to his room in the mansion after so long, Taylor remembered that he hadn’t prescribed the “dark red liquid” for her.
The hand pressed tightly over his mouth trembled faintly.
“…….”
He recalled the maids, ladies, and matrons who had sought him out desperately for that dark red liquid.
And the women who had suffered side effects from its toxicity, or miscarriages.
Among them were those who were no longer alive, and several still tormented by lingering aftereffects……
“…….”
I don’t want to give you something so dangerous with my own hands.
But without that medicine, you’re in even greater danger, aren’t you?
“…….”
The shock he had managed in the moment Reina stood before him now gripped his throat with delayed intensity.
Would something like that happen to you again today?
“……Ugh…….”
His breath caught belatedly, as if it might stop.
Finally clutching his chest, Taylor leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor.
He bowed his head, bit his lip, and struggled to calm himself.
Despair enveloped him.
He seems like a good man?
Arthur suppressed the urge to sneer.
It was already a grave mistake.
Far beyond the level where he could charmingly dismiss it as pettiness toward you alone.
He couldn’t afford another blunder here.
His subordinates must have sensed he was lashing out unreasonably.
Tell Taylor he can meet her unconditionally.
Since her ultimate goal is probably to go back to Taylor, accommodate her hopes as much as possible and don’t make her anxious about him.
He had given Kay such calm instructions, yet here he was, acting like this.
To avoid the mistake of snapping at Reina, Arthur swallowed his impotent rage alone.
I have to let her go.
I have to let her go……
She’s not at fault.
It wasn’t a real marriage for her.
Even five years ago, she had told him he didn’t need to come back to her.
She had told him to change his name and run away.
Why had those words only made me want to return to you all the more?
「If you didn’t want to let me go, you shouldn’t have. You could’ve said I’m your wife, tell her right here in front of me. You could’ve done that. Why did you let me go?」
「You sent me on purpose to see what she’d do, to hear what you two would talk about, didn’t you?」
His aura churned as if eager to seize Taylor.
But probing him would only confirm he was a good man suited for her.
The kind who suppressed his anger for her sake and stepped back, swallowing it down—unlike him, who exploded.
Arthur smiled coldly and withdrew his aura, ceasing to probe Taylor.
Whether he used aura or not.
Either way, it only confirmed things were a mess.
But admitting he himself was the mess might be helpful, at least.
Arthur tried to calm his mind.
His wife was hurt. That mattered more right now.
Arthur steadied his breath in silence, picked up the tweezers from the tray, and approached her.
Without a word, he examined Reina’s ear and began dressing the wound.
“…….”
Having something to focus on helped quell his impotent fury.
He deliberately avoided looking at her face.
“…….”
Reina, who had been silent, finally spoke.
“You’re late.”
Arthur’s hands stopped.
For a moment, he couldn’t comprehend it.
Something about her words felt off.
“…….”
Arthur paused and observed Reina’s demeanor.
The atmosphere felt strange.
Why say it like that?
As if she’d been waiting for him.
His crooked thoughts resurfaced.
If she’d hoped he’d come even later, that’d be one thing, but why say that?
With a soundless sigh, Arthur finished dressing the wound and faced her.
As per the habit he’d trained himself in to make it look like he was “looking,”
Directing his gaze toward her first as if seeing with his eyes,
Arthur opened his aura toward Reina, sensing her form and body heat.
In the way he “saw” the world.
At that moment,
She spoke again.
“Why are you only coming now.”
Arthur doubted his own ears.
Her words sounded almost like resentment toward him for being late.
She continued.
“……I thought you weren’t coming back.”
Her voice trailed off softly at the end.
She lowered her head.
Arthur’s fingertips twitched and clenched.
What?
Arthur stared at her, uncomprehending.
You thought I wasn’t coming? Why?
“…….”
Arthur doubted his senses.
It felt like Reina had been waiting for him.
Desperately so.
Was it an illusion?
He couldn’t be sure.
Her form. Her voice. Her temperature. He could sense it all.
But without sight, he couldn’t confirm.
……Were you waiting for me?
Even with Taylor here…… for me?
Why?
“…….”
It was strange.
Something sparkled in her eyes, and they grew hot.
He knew what that state was.
Her eyes were brimming with tears.
Reina wiped at her tears with her fist and began to cry.
In that instant, Arthur’s mind blanked.
“……Wife.”
He called out in panic, but Reina didn’t respond, only choking back sobs with effort.
Unthinkingly, Arthur grabbed her arm and dropped to one knee.
He looked up at her.
“Why……. Why would you think that…….”
Only foolish words came out.
But with her chin in a pitiful shape, she just hung her head and cried without answering.
“…….”
Honestly, Reina felt.
……Mortified to death.
But it was also a relief she could afford to feel such shame.
Sir Arthur still intended to see me.
I can stay by his side a little longer.
It was my mistake to think he’d never come back.
There must’ve been some real circumstance.
At the same time, a surge of hurt resentment welled up.
……Still, if you weren’t planning to come, you could’ve at least said so.
Couldn’t you have left a note?
But she lacked the brazen courage to voice it.
“…….”
Reina just shook her head.
And Arthur’s breath caught.
“Why stop mid-sentence.”
“…….”
Finally, Arthur knelt fully before her on both knees.
He wrapped his arms around her arm, pulling her toward him as he looked up.
“What do you mean? Why would you think that? Did someone say something?”
Reina didn’t want to say it out of embarrassment,
But Arthur, clutching her arm and peering into her, seemed desperate for her answer.
With a flustered expression, Arthur pressed.
“Tell me. Why did you think I wouldn’t come?”
“…….”
After a long while, Reina’s lips moved.
“……Because I already told you everything…….”
Her voice quivered foolishly, and Reina clamped her mouth shut again.
Arthur squinted, concentrating intently on her as if trying to understand.
“Told me? What.”
Blushing with shame, Reina answered in a voice broken by sobs.
“……I thought you wouldn’t need to see me anymore.”
The end of her voice was so hoarse it was barely audible.
Arthur’s eyes widened.
“…….”
How could she think that?
That I wouldn’t see you?
He couldn’t comprehend it from his perspective,
But the moment he faced her, lightning struck with realization.
She had trusted him with great difficulty.
Opened her heart so very reluctantly……
And yesterday was his first night away.
Yesterday had been the day Reina first confessed everything.
He had left her alone without a word on that day.
Even after promising to wait outside during her meeting with Kay.
