Chapter 58
She didn't want things to get complicated.
Rebecca sighed deeply, hoping he wouldn't change his mind.
"Haa..."
"Why! What's wrong?"
Theo, who was bringing out freshly baked cookies, asked in surprise.
It was the first time Theo had spoken to her since she returned home, so Rebecca's eyes widened in surprise.
Theo flinched at Rebecca's questioning gaze.
But as if he had made up his mind, he placed the plate on the table and said,
"Tomorrow is really the divorce, huh? Is that why you're upset?"
"Divorce..."
Rebecca smiled faintly.
To be honest, she had been enjoying her time here so much that she had completely forgotten about the divorce until just now.
The years she had spent trapped in the Count's Residence felt like a distant dream, which made her feel disconcerted.
The painful memories were still vivid, but they didn't bother her as much.
Sometimes she even wondered if revenge was worth it in the face of such a peaceful life.
But she steeled her resolve.
Thinking of her previous life made her blood boil again.
Besides, if the addiction symptoms disappeared from her body, Zeppelin's obsession might start again.
His madness might even develop further.
Rebecca thought of Robert. And she thought of the Hounds who had sworn allegiance to her.
She thought of Alicia, and the handcuffs that had been around her wrist.
And she thought of her own child, her precious daughter, who had been taken away from her before her very eyes.
She couldn't forgive him.
She had to punish Zeppelin, even if it meant sacrificing this happy life. She had to.
Rebecca's fist clenched tightly.
Theo looked down at his daughter, who was deep in thought with tearful eyes.
"I... I was wrong. Rebecca."
Theo knelt down in front of Rebecca.
Rebecca was startled and tried to lift Theo up.
Confused, Rebecca looked at Danae, who was silently watching from afar.
Danae, also with tears in her eyes like Theo, quietly shook her head.
Theo pleaded with his daughter on his knees.
"I was blind. I didn't think of you. I should have rebelled, or at least sent a protest to the Emperor. I should have done something to get you out of there."
"It's all in the past, Father."
"No. I ignored you. I thought it couldn't be helped, that someone had to sacrifice. I passed on to you what all happened because of me. It doesn't matter if you don't think of me as your father. I just, I just wanted to say I'm sorry. To say that I still love you..."
Rebecca couldn't say anything and hugged her father.
Theo sobbed, holding onto his daughter's shoulders, who had grown up so much in a place he didn't know.
"Daughter, please don't forgive me. You probably can't. But I want you to know that you have a family. I can risk everything to make sure I never lose you again. I can do anything for your happiness. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."
Thunder began to rumble behind her.
But Theo's crying was louder.
His crying pierced through the raging thunder and echoed desperately.
Rebecca looked past his shoulder at Helena, Livia, and Danae, who were holding back tears.
As Theo said, Rebecca couldn't forgive them.
But she decided to forget about it.
She decided to bury the dirty memories and paint over them with the beautiful happiness that they would give her in the future.
As Theo's crying gradually subsided, Rebecca slowly opened her mouth.
"You have to keep that promise. The promise that you'll do anything for my happiness."
Theo's face lit up as he looked at Rebecca.
"Of course. My daughter. We lived thanks to you, so now it's our turn to repay you."
Rebecca couldn't answer. It was because Danae rushed over and hugged Rebecca tightly.
Helena and Livia held each other's hands tightly and watched the scene.
To be honest, the two didn't have many memories of Rebecca.
The twins were the youngest.
By the time they could barely string together proper sentences, Rebecca had become the Devonshire Countess.
Because of this, unless something really special happened, Rebecca and her sisters didn't have many chances to make memories together.
But the two knew. That the cute dresses and sweet cakes were all obtained through Rebecca's sacrifice.
So Helena and Livia made a promise. That they would treat Rebecca well if she ever came back.
Even if it was a little awkward, they would give her the last cookie.
The two girls were holding hands and barely holding back their tears.
But when they actually saw Rebecca return home, their thoughts changed.
She wasn't a stranger they wanted to treat well.
Rebecca, who looked exhausted but smiled at them generously, was one of the Ovelias.
She was our perfect family, without any awkwardness from head to toe.
The two girls let go of each other's hands and ran to Rebecca. And they hugged her tightly enough to crush her.
Rebecca had to scream for a moment at the ensuing four fearsome grips.
But it was a happy scream.
"Oh, it seems I've come at the wrong time."
Julian was looking at the tangled Ovelia family with an embarrassed face.
Danae was startled and wiped away her tears.
"Ah, no. To the drawing-room..."
Danae paused for a moment and looked at Rebecca.
The color had drained from Rebecca's face.
She looked up at Julian with a terrified expression.
Her heart was pounding like crazy. There was nothing covering her face now.
Rebecca's hands trembled.
She'd been caught. She'd been caught by him.
When Julian met Rebecca's eyes, he couldn't hide his joy and unconsciously called out her name.
"Rebec..."
But before his voice could reach Rebecca, she ran away.
Rebecca desperately ran up to the second floor.
"Rebecca!"
Julian immediately followed her.
Theo hurriedly tried to stop him, but Danae stopped Theo.
"Shouldn't Rebecca come out of the shadows now?"
At her words, Theo stopped. And he looked up at the stairs where Julian had disappeared with worried eyes.
The sky was cloudy.
Zeppelin quietly looked up at the sky, which was as gray as his mood.
Tomorrow was the last day of the adjustment period.
Considering the time it would take to arrive in the capital, he had to send the divorce papers to the Imperial Palace today.
Then he would be completely divorced from Rebecca.
He could have sent them earlier, but for some reason, Zeppelin kept hesitating.
It didn't feel real. That she wasn't here.
'Rebecca...'
Zeppelin lowered his head.
No. I'm fine without her.
As if chanting a spell, Zeppelin stood in the middle of the garden and muttered repeatedly.
He thought he wouldn't be able to breathe without her.
But look. How well he had lived without her all this time.
The newly expanded business was sailing smoothly, and the mansion, which had been in constant turmoil recently, had returned to its original peaceful state.
He was fine. He could live without her.
And the list of Rebecca's replacements that Octavio had sent him wasn't bad either.
As he said, there was hope that he could find someone as beautiful as Rebecca, or even more beautiful, someday.
And Alicia.
Seeing Alicia's seed growing inside her was more pleasing than he thought.
If it was a child who looked just like him, he wouldn't hate it, even if he didn't cherish it with all his heart.
But why couldn't his feet move as if they were frozen?
Zeppelin imagined how Rebecca was doing now.
His heart ached for a moment when he thought of Rebecca lying lonely in that shabby house in Ovelia.
She would spend her nights crying, looking back on the glory of the past. She might be missing him.
Yes, she must be missing me.
And now that he thought about it, what should he do about the Ovelia family's debt?
Considering her situation, it was right to forgive them. But shouldn't he hold them accountable for not managing their daughter properly?
While Zeppelin was lost in thought, Octavio slowly approached.
"Count, don't you have documents to send to the Imperial Palace?"
He raised his eyes, which had lost their light, and looked at Octavio.
Octavio smiled and patted Zeppelin on the shoulder.
"Discard what you need to discard, and take what you need to take. That's how you can move forward."
At his words, Zeppelin smiled weakly.
"Yes. You're right."
Zeppelin staggered towards the study.
Kuururung-
The sky, which had grown dark clouds, growled softly as if warning him.
Zeppelin shuddered at the sound.
"Rebecca! Just a moment, just look at me for a moment!"
Julian barely caught up with Rebecca, who was about to disappear into the room with a terrified expression.
Julian, who had entered Rebecca's room, grabbed Rebecca's wrist and turned her to face him.
The door behind Julian closed naturally.
"I know what you're afraid of. But no. It's not me. I'm not the kind of person you think I am."
"Please go. Don't look at me."
Rebecca desperately covered her face. Tears streamed down her cheeks incessantly.
She squeezed her eyes shut.
She didn't want to see any expression Julian was making right now.
When Julian didn't let go of her arm, Rebecca pushed him away and ran to the middle of the room.
And she stubbornly sat on the floor and buried her face in her knees.
Rebecca wished she could disappear at this moment.
"Rebecca..."
Julian approached Rebecca as if he was waiting.
He watched Rebecca's frail shoulders, which were sobbing, with gritted teeth.
Julian couldn't bear to see himself being so stupid that he couldn't think of anything to say.
Seeing Rebecca crying, he felt like he had made a big mistake.
He shouldn't have followed her. No matter how much he wanted to see her, he shouldn't have forcibly grabbed her hand and turned her face.
But he couldn't stay like this forever.
He and Rebecca had to move forward. Together.
