Chapter 58

Her remarks contained a hint of grievance. However, the moment the secret came out of her mouth, Lucius’ already arctic face turned several degrees colder.

“How did you know?”

Dixie was a little embarrassed by her brother’s change in attitude, but she raised her chin anyway. “Your attendant approached me.”

“Tom?”

“Yes. Saying that said that after receiving the property, you intend to annul the marriage. He even asked me for advice on how to deal with Deatrice in the future.” Then she looked at her brother curiously, “How do you act so naturally towards her when you’re thinking like that?”

“…”

The expression on Lucius’s face completely disappeared and he turned stoic. Dixie, feeling an unusual energy, sat down apprehensively and made excuses for his attendant’s behavior.

“I haven’t told anyone and I have no intention of telling anyone. These days, the relationship between you and Deatrice is going strangely well. Of course, I know that it’s all for show and you don’t really care for Deatrice. But Tom didn’t think that way so he was worried. But don’t worry, I won’t let him go too far.”

She paused, gauging his reaction, “I hope you understand why I’m doing this. I’m just afraid you’ll give your heart and get hurt by that woman again—”

“Shut up. Dixie.”

An emotionless voice cut her off.

Dixie closed her mouth with an uncomfortable look and let out a sigh. But she soon became impatient and grumbled.

“You could’ve just said so, why hide it from me? It’s not like I’m going to broadcast this to the whole society.”

Her words just now sounded like the childish grudges kids have towards their own siblings when they played a game without her.

Lucius felt even more insulted by such an attitude.

But then, he could feel shame burning on the nape of his neck and he was doing his best to get rid of it.

It didn’t sound so mean when it was in my head…

“Even after I’ve successfully received this property, its foundation would be weak, so I would have no choice but to annul this marriage to obtain other benefits. The emperor himself told me there was no need to carry this marriage to the end, just long enough to be able to ask help from Deatrice’s family. So…”

“…”

“So, that means I’m helpless about this situation.”

“Brother, what are you making excuses for? I’m on your side so I naturally agree with you.”

“Excuse…?”

Lucius suddenly realized how he sounded to her.

“Let’s stop talking about this now. I trust you. You’re not foolish enough to do anything that would ruin you, nor would you be swayed by mere regrets.” Dixie turned around with a clumsy smile. “I’ll be going soon, go ask Miss Spirt if she’s okay.”

However, Lucius brought up the topic again. As if obsessively immersed in the same thoughts, he looked rather dazed on the outside.

“Do you think I’m being too much to Deatrice?”

Dixie thought for a moment that he looked just like when Deatrice abandoned him six years ago.

“What’s the point in asking?It’s not like you were a saint in the first place.” She responded angrily and Lucius thought that he may have really become stupid.

He had done countless things against his conscience in order to survive for the past six years. Ironically, he felt ashamed of such a small decision today.

It must be because he would sometimes look at Deatrice in vain, and cherish some leftover desires for her.

Had all of the blood gone between his loins that he couldn’t think straight now? Feeling disgusted, Lucius touched his forehead.

“Alright. I’ll do as you say.”

Then Dixie immediately got up with a bright smile on her face, went behind Lucius and tapped him on the shoulder. “Good choice.”

However, despite his sister’s consolation, Lucius’s mood still did not improve.

The annulment is almost a regular occurence in the social world, but it would be a great insult to Deatrice.

For their future annulment to go smoothly, Lucius had to scheme meticulously so that it wouldn’t appear that the reason their marriage broke apart was because of him.

The reason he didn’t give her authority was to prove her incompetence to the court and incapability to manage things. This would make his position more advantageous.

From the time he proposed to Deatrice, he had no intention of stretching his marriage with her for a long time.

But why was he feeling this burning shame deep into his chest…

Lucius sat on the sofa and thought about the words he had once said to Deatrice.

“I am not that unreasonable to still hold a grudge up to this day. You say I hate you? My wife, it’s already been six years.”

“…perhaps not everything has been completely forgotten. There are those certain times when I would think about the past and feel inevitable resentment towards you, but that feeling would only last for a brief moment before it’s gone.”

“Besides, we’re already married. Shouldn’t we both get away from our murky past and start our relationship anew?”

He had so many things humbly back then.

Of course, what he said was not entirely false.

When he first made the decision to annul the marriage, it wasn’t out of resentment for their bitter past. Rather, it was for the benefits he would get out of it.

But looking back now, he wondered if there really wasn’t any resentment that influenced his decision.

He acted as if he had no regrets for Deatrice, but he often found himself reminiscing and feeling resentful after getting married. Like his pent up regrets were slowly revealing themselves.

Six years have already passed. It’s not even the woman’s fault, and he wanted to marry her while still holding a grudge towards her, only to annul their marriage shortly after…

Almost like disposing garbage once he was through with it.

As he looked down, he saw a complex pattern sewn on the sofa.

Lucius ruffled his flowing blonde hair and sighed.

***