It's Too Late for Regrets - Chapter 6.2

“Caesar, can you step outside for a moment?”

 

The meaning behind those words was clear.

 

Rayan clenched his teeth and grabbed her hand.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“The same thing you always do when you come to me… isn’t it?”

 

Ines slowly blinked.

 

It seemed she truly believed that was all he wanted from her.

 

His voice cracked sharply.

 

“What do you… think I am?”

 

“You’re the master of this place.”

 

“…”

 

“You’re my master.”

 

Ines glanced briefly at his crumbling expression, then turned her gaze away.

 

“If that’s not it, then I don’t know why you’re acting this way… It’s something unrelated to Your Highness, so please don’t worry about it.”

 

“How is it unrelated?”

 

Rayan reached toward Ines’s left cheek, feeling like he couldn’t breathe.

 

On her swollen cheek was a clear mark—a handprint.

 

“My wife was slapped by someone in my mansion, and that has nothing to do with me?”

 

“…”

 

“Who did it? Tell me.”

 

Just as his hand was about to touch her cheek—

 

Smack.

 

Ines slapped his hand away. The movement was cold and firm.

 

Her next words came in a flat, emotionless tone.

 

“Your Highness. Just act like you usually do.”

 

His thoughts froze for a moment at her words.

 

Ines turned her head away and continued.

 

“I don’t understand why you’re suddenly like this. It’s not like it’s the first time.”

 

“…What?”

 

It took Rayan a moment to understand what she meant.

 

But before he could fully grasp anything, Ines pushed away his other hand that was holding her shoulder.

 

Rayan’s hand fell weakly to his side.

 

“Going out like this will only make us a laughingstock. It’s better if we don’t go. For Your Highness, too. And from now on.”

 

Ines held her breath briefly, then frowned slightly as if she were enduring pain, and continued.

 

“I don’t want to go on fake outings like this anymore. I’m tired now. I also want to spend more time with Caesar. Since his father shows no interest, as his mother, I have to take care of him.”

 

A deep resentment passed through her blue eyes.

 

“And Your Highness doesn’t need to waste emotions on me anymore. I know well that you hate me… so just come to me when you need something.”

 

“…”

 

Hate her? Who? Him? He hated Ines?

 

‘Ah, that’s right.’

 

Yes. He didn’t like Ines. He was still someone who despised the idea of illegitimacy.

 

Was that why he was so angry now?

 

But that anger couldn’t even be released—something was choking his throat.

 

“…Let the royal physician take a look.”

 

“I’m fine. It’ll go away on its own.”

 

“It’s not fine. Even if you’re fine, I’m not.”

 

Rayan bit his lip and pulled the cord next to the bed.

 

Even as he ordered the maid who came after a while to bring the physician at once, his eyes couldn’t leave her cheek.

 

She was hurt. His woman.

 

In the place that should’ve been safest for her…

 

“Use a cold towel to reduce the swelling first. I’ll prepare some ointment shortly.”

 

The physician who was called kept glancing nervously at him. But Rayan barely heard anything he said.

 

Ines, pressing the cold towel to her cheek, murmured dryly.

 

“You can go now.”

 

“…”

 

“I want to be with Caesar. Can you give us some space, Your Highness?”

 

She didn’t look at him once.

 

Her young son, sitting in front of the table, looked like he was about to cry, and Rayan couldn’t say anything more. He finally stood up.

 

“…Get some rest.”

 

Just before the door closed, he turned around one last time.

 

Ines was smiling brightly at her son with her arms wide open.

 

Caesar ran into his mother’s arms in small, quick steps. The sound of a kiss on the child’s forehead was sweet. A perfect image of a mother and son.

 

The uneasy feeling that had been gnawing at Rayan all day only grew stronger.

 

Rayan pressed his aching forehead.

 

Today… yes, today.

 

Today was simply not his day.

 

For him, or for her.

 

They would still see each other plenty.

 

There would be enough time to ask her about what happened today.

 

Ines had said she didn’t even want to go out with him once every two weeks anymore…

 

Rayan tried to believe she had only said that out of momentary emotion.

 

Tried to believe it.

 

Nothing had gone wrong in the past three years.

 

But after that day, there were no more outings with his wife.

 

 

After the day their outing was canceled, Rayan’s attention turned entirely toward Ines. Even though she showed not the slightest interest in him.

 

For a month, he received reports on her every move.

 

What she ate, where she went, and who she met. But there was nothing particularly noteworthy. Her lifestyle was surprisingly consistent.

 

She didn’t meet anyone, didn’t speak much, and did nothing special in her room.

 

All she did was teach Caesar to read, read books to him, and play with him using toys.

 

That was it.

 

Ines stayed by Caesar’s side to an excessive degree.

 

Everything revolved around Caesar, Caesar, Caesar.

 

It wasn’t strange for a mother to love her child, but Ines didn’t seem to care for herself at all. She often skipped meals, didn’t take the medicine prescribed by the physician, and rarely went outside for sunlight.

 

There was no way she could stay healthy like that.

 

Rayan couldn’t stop his gaze from drifting toward the third floor, where she usually stayed, or the garden she sometimes visited.

 

A strange sense of foreboding ate away at him.

 

“Even if I forget everything else, I must remember this. Don’t eat anything that Great Aunt gives me.”

 

Rayan hadn’t forgotten any of Ines’s words.

 

Even what she said to the child through the door when he wasn’t around.

 

She had mentioned Kyra.

 

She acted like someone preparing to leave somewhere. Her eyes were dead black.

 

Her body oddly thin.

 

“Are you absolutely sure nothing is wrong?”

 

“Yes, Your Highness. Her Grace is completely fine and healthy.”

 

The physician at the mansion repeated the same words. At first, Rayan believed him.

 

He thought she just had a weak constitution. That there was no problem with her health.

 

The physician had worked in Eleanor for nearly 20 years. Rayan had trusted him just as long.

 

But…

 

The handprint on her cheek, where only bone and skin could be felt, kept flashing before his eyes.

 

Her pale face glimpsed briefly on the stairs the other day stuck in his mind.

 

After giving birth, she had always been quiet. He thought she was living peacefully without any complaints. But if that wasn’t true…

 

Now that he was paying attention, there were too many suspicious things. Just a few days ago, an attempt to find out who had dared to slap the Grand Duchess failed.

 

Even after gathering all the servants and questioning them, no one spoke.

 

But he wasn’t completely clueless. There was only one person who managed the servants in the mansion.

 

‘…Aunt.’

 

His clenched fist bulged with blue veins.

 

 

Kyra stared at her nephew’s face for a long time. He was the ruler of the duchy, practically raised by her hand.

 

His neatly combed silver hair, sharp green eyes half-lowered in thought, flawless features.

 

But today, there was a shadow over his face that Kyra couldn’t read.

 

He didn’t even speak first, even in front of her. Kyra spoke, with a trace of irritation.

 

“Rayan, is something troubling you lately?”

 

Rayan looked up from the teacup and glanced at Kyra. Beautiful, kind aunt.

 

“No. Nothing at all.”

 

“That’s a relief, then.”

 

“…Yes.”

 

Rayan had never once doubted Kyra in his life. Kyra, trying to lead the conversation, continued in a light tone.

 

“Bernen is finishing his academy course soon. He’ll probably return home next month.”

 

“…I see.”

 

Bernen Adel Vine, Kyra’s son. Rayan faintly remembered he had come of age this year.

 

“So when Bernen returns, I plan to send him into society first. Let people know him as Eleanor’s heir… Rayan?”

 

Kyra stopped mid-sentence at Rayan’s sharp gaze.

 

His green eyes held a different light than usual.

 

Actually, lately—

 

Kyra felt a chill, as if her blood vessels froze under his intimidating stare.

 

“Aunt.”

 

Rayan spoke slowly, his voice flat and emotionless.

 

“Why is Bernen the heir of Eleanor?”

 

“What do you mean… Rayan, surely you’re not—”

 

Kyra’s tone turned sharp, but she quickly smoothed over her expression and voice.

 

Her nephew had been acting strange lately. There was no need to provoke him.

 

“…I just meant that it could be a possibility. Your son is still very young, and Bernen has just come of age. You’ve always been fond of him, too.”

 

“There’s no reason to choose a collateral line when a direct heir exists.”

 

But Rayan’s response was colder than she expected. He didn’t even look at her again as he placed the teacup on the table with a light tap.

 

“I’m planning to reorganize the mansion staff soon, Aunt.”

 

“What?”

 

“I’ll also be reviewing the household budget.”

 

“…May I ask why you’ve suddenly made that decision?”

 

Kyra asked, swallowing dryly. Rayan stood up and answered quietly.

 

“I feel I’ve neglected the household affairs too much.”

 

“…”

 

“Since becoming Grand Duke, I’ve spent too much time outside. I think I’ve been too careless with the mansion’s internal affairs.”

 

“Don’t say that. You’ve done your duty. You’ve spent enough time on the battlefield. It’s time to rest—”

 

“No. Now that Lezan and Eleanor are stable externally, it’s the right time to take care of the mansion.”

 

His neat lips curved slightly in a crooked line.

 

“I know you’ve done a good job all this time. Please don’t feel pressured. I’m really just looking to review things lightly.”

 

“…Alright.”

 

Kyra barely managed to reply. Now, she had only one guess as to why Rayan was acting this way.

 

She had noticed it. Rayan’s gaze had been following Ines more than ever lately.