Chapter 51

Yelena suddenly realized it.

Was it an illusion?

'Was it actually an illusion to think that you believed me and told me such a story?'

Perhaps it meant the opposite.

Maybe he meant that she should at least know the reason since they were going to break up.

This disappointing feeling was akin to dropping her food on the ground.

"From my point of view... You know it's too short of a time for you to say that you are tired and sick of me, right?"

"It's not like that."

Perhaps embarrassed, Duke Mayhard leaped to his feet.

He had been slightly below her eye level but now rose above Yelena's head.

Yelena leaned her head back to the point where her neck hurt.

As he settled in his chair again, Duke Mayhard lowered his eyes and opened his mouth.

"...I don't know why you thought that, but that's not the case."

"Is it not?"

"I didn't think my wife would want to sustain this marriage."

"What? Why would you think that?"

"Because I can't give you what you want."

"If it's about what I want..."

"I mean the child."

Yelena hesitated.

Duke Mayhard continued, looking at her face.

"I thought my wife's purpose for the marriage was to bear my child. Although I don't know the reason... Anyway, I told you that I don't want any heirs."

"..."

"That's why I judged that my wife might want to annul this marriage, but... was my judgment wrong?" Duke Mayhard asked in a slightly hesitant voice.

Yelena could not say anything.

The Duke's point hit the nail on the head.

However, Yelena had not given up on sleeping with him despite his words of not wanting an heir.

"That..."

Yelena pursed her lips.

He was partly correct, but she couldn't honestly say that she hadn't given up on having a child with him yet.

Yelena replied, loosening her lips, "Yes. You've misjudged it. You're wrong."

"...Is that so?"

"I'm not divorcing you. I don't want to. The same goes for the annulment."

Yelena swallowed her dry saliva and firmly stated, "From now on, I won't ever want to break up with you first for any reason. My mind won't change, so keep that in mind."

She wanted to tell him not to ever dream of divorce as she would never let him go.

But she held back as she didn't want to seem too clingy.

Especially in a situation where they were only married in name, and in reality, was nothing.

After saying those words, Yelena tried to turn around but stopped.

She soon hesitated and asked in a very small voice.

"By the way... Is that really the only reason?"

"What?"

"The reason you wanted to divorce me... you only proceeded with it because you thought I wanted it?"

After taking a small breath, Yelena added, "Perhaps you have some dissatisfaction with this marriage..."

"No."

The answer was quick.

Yelena released a breath of relief.

"Are you sure you don't? Well, even if it's just a little complaint or something?"

"Yelena, you..."

Duke Mayhard seemed to hesitate for a moment and then opened his mouth.

"You're doing really well. As my wife."

"..."

"Exceptionally."

The words that followed implied a deeper meaning, but Yelena missed the emotions hidden in it because she focused only on the contents of the speech.

'Am I doing really well? Am I?'

Yelena recalled her achievements after coming to the Duke's castle. Well, she did catch Incan.

'And?'

And what else was there?

...Nothing came to mind.

But even if she didn't know what it was, it seemed like she was doing well anyway.

"Hmm, okay. If you think so, that's fine."

Yelena turned around with a brighter expression.

As she was about to leave the office, she suddenly heard her husband's voice.

"I'll send you some ointment and cream that's good for your hands."

Yelena looked down at her hand unconsciously.

Come to think of it, she lost her temper a little while ago and struck her husband's desk a little intensely.

'Will it swell up over time?'

Yelena replied without looking back because she felt awkward.

"It's okay. You don't have to send ointment."

"..."

"I definitely said it's okay. Don't send it!"

* * *

"...Don't send it. Seriously."

Yelena stared at the ointment and cream in front of her, feeling perplexed.

Perhaps she should have heard his answer before leaving the office.

Her husband didn't have to send this to her.

Want to read more chapters and support us? Please consider becoming a patron to read up to 2 chapters in advance!