It's Too Late for Regrets - Chapter 6

Three years had passed since Eleanor, the Grand Duchess, had given birth.

The Grand Duchy had barely escaped from war and had finally entered a period of stability.

However, Rayan still often left the mansion.

After dealing with urgent matters, now the imperial family of Lezan had started to summon him. In fact, he was even busier now than when he had been away on long expeditions.

The days when he couldn’t see Ines’s face for several days in a row became more frequent.

Caesar grew up well, even without his father. He went from not being able to open his eyes, to turning over his body, babbling, and soon taking his first steps.

It felt like just yesterday—but now he walked around confidently on his short legs.

It was a strange feeling. Rayan looked out the window, trying to find the name for that feeling.

From his office, he could see the garden below, where his wife and son were together.

It had been a long time since he had seen her outside. Ines rarely left her room.

But the truth was, it felt like it had been a long time every time Rayan thought of Ines lately.

It was strange. Even though he was busy, Rayan still visited her often whenever he was home.

When he was angry because things didn’t go his way, when his patience was pushed to its limit by frustration, or whenever something broke his peace, he held her.

He would leave marks on her white skin, force open her lips, and make her moan.

And yet, despite sharing the most intimate acts with her, the distance between them had grown incredibly wide at some point.

Outwardly, Ines looked no different than before—but he didn’t know why he felt this way.

He just couldn’t read anything from her blue eyes anymore.

“Mommy!”

The child walking through the garden turned around and smiled brightly.

Rayan’s eyes followed where the child looked. A woman with long black hair smiled back sweetly.

That expression…

An expression that looked as if she might go mad from how much she loved. A face that always had shadows now lit up brightly with the colors of life.

Rayan suddenly felt a heavy discomfort in his chest.

In the past, Ines used to smile at him like that. From the time they got married until the following year, perhaps.

After that, her bright smile disappeared along with her words of love.

For the past three years, Ines had lived quietly, just as before. The things she had done for three months after giving birth now seemed like nothing more than a brief moment of madness.

Rayan had thought the flickering pain he felt when looking at her would fade along with it. He believed he wouldn’t need to name those feelings again.

But he was wrong.

It felt just like the confusion he experienced before marriage, when he searched all over the continent to find her—as if that chaos had leapt through time to the present.

Emotions he couldn’t control always felt unfamiliar and uncomfortable. Sometimes, he even felt sudden, unexplainable anger.

He was irritated by the woman who made him feel this way, and sometimes he was so angry he could hardly stand it—but when he saw her face, his heart ached.

On rare occasions, when she showed him even the faintest smile, his lips would naturally curve up in response.

Especially on days like this.

When he saw her in the garden, right below his office, basking in the sun with their son, his heart throbbed uncontrollably. He thought he could hear the old confessions he no longer heard.

“I love you.”

Once the pounding in his chest started, it didn’t stop for a long time.

Strangely enough—

That day, Rayan and Ines had planned to go out for dinner together.

Rayan glanced at the clock and closed the documents he had been reviewing.

“That’s enough for today, Alveron. I should get ready to leave now.”

His aide, Alveron, opened his mouth like he had something to say.

Rayan gave him a questioning look when he didn’t move from his spot.

Alveron spoke carefully.

“Her Grace… asked me to tell you she won’t be able to go out with you today.”

“What?”

A deep frown formed between Rayan’s brows. This was the only promise they had kept for over three years, and she was breaking it?

“Did something happen to Ines? Why is she suddenly canceling?”

“I’m not sure either…”

She had looked fine earlier that afternoon, happily playing with their son. It didn’t seem like she was sick.

Rayan stood up and gave a firm order.

“Go ask her the reason. If there’s no serious issue, tell her to get ready. She barely shows herself to the people twice a month—if she’s going to miss it, there must be a proper reason.”

Of course, that was just an excuse. In truth, he didn’t know what else to say if he didn’t put it that way.

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Alveron nodded with a worried look and left the office.

Rayan, with a stiff face, buttoned up his shirt collar.

Just as he picked up his uniform coat, Alveron returned.

“Your Grace. Her Grace says she really can’t go with you today.”

“…Did she say why?”

“She didn’t give a reason. She only said she wants to rest today.”

That was the same as saying there was no reason.

Did she just not want to see him?

It had been a long time since Ines had rejected him. Normally, he would have felt clear irritation—but today, a bit of unease crept in.

Rayan didn’t give any more orders. He placed the coat back on the desk and left the office quickly.

Ines’s bedroom was on the third floor of the mansion. Rayan climbed the stairs in an instant and stood before her door.

He was about to knock but paused, hearing a faint voice from inside.

“You understand, right, Caesar?”

It was Ines’s voice.

He couldn’t hear the child’s reply well, but the sound leaked out clearly even with the door closed. She must be standing right by the door.

As soon as he realized that, an unbelievable feeling stirred in his chest again.

Right behind this door, his wife was there.

Rayan instinctively lowered his hand and listened.

“No matter what you forget, you must remember this. Don’t eat anything Great Aunt gives you.”

By Great Aunt, she meant Kyra.

What on earth was she teaching their child?

Rayan frowned sharply, then suddenly felt something was off.

“Make sure to hug your father twice a week. Though that might be a bit hard for you. I’ll talk to him.”

The things Ines was saying… sounded exactly like someone who was preparing to leave.

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