The Elder Sister Who Ran Away After Being Cheated by Her Fiancé and Younger Sister - Chapter 14

After leaving the capital, I headed to the neighboring country of Hollanders.

The house where Clara is now is far from the borderlands but close to the capital.

I need to find more reasons to come to the capital. It’s good that the negotiations with the military seem to be working out.

Still, Estelle has become incredibly beautiful.

But those cold eyes haven’t changed at all, which is disappointing.

In comparison, Clara is always cute, kind, and smells nice. I really think marrying Clara was the right decision.

I absolutely don’t want a divorce.

I was surprised and angry that Uncle would do something like that, but I can kind of understand.

If I hadn’t been able to marry Clara, I don’t know what I would have done either.

But I couldn’t just forgive him, so there was no other way.

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When I received a letter from Clara and went to meet her, I hired bodyguards in the “back alleys.”

In Hollanders, if you have money, you can get anything and do anything.

Merchants like us sometimes have to go through the “back alleys,” so we all have our connections.

At a bar located down a narrow side street, I used the code phrase I was taught to hire people.

They pretend to be luggage-carrying servants, but of course they’re not.

We headed to the hotel.

Even though it’s that kind of hotel, it’s still in the “front streets,” so we couldn’t cause trouble, but I’m Clara’s legal husband. When I showed them my certificate, Clara’s letter, and Uncle’s note, the hotel said they wouldn’t interfere with our “discussion.”

Of course, I had to “grease their palms” a bit! They’re really greedy.

When we pretended to be room service, Uncle opened the door without any suspicion.

And he had the nerve to say I wasn’t worthy of being a husband.

I left Uncle to the bodyguards and finally reunited with my beloved Clara.

“Clara!”

“Oh, Theo! I’ve been waiting! I missed you so much. I was so scared and miserable.”

“What! What are you saying, Clara! You always seemed so happy every day.”

“Of course, that was to make them let their guard down! This kidnapper!”

“Th-that’s… but I love—”

“Theo! Shut this person up! I don’t want to hear their voice anymore! Get them out of here!”

Clara screamed while clinging to me.

I understand, Clara! You were scared, weren’t you? But it’s okay now.

What happens to Uncle is “already decided.”

You’ll never see him again.

After receiving Uncle’s “payment” from the bodyguards, I checked out of the hotel.

It was a nice hotel, but I figured you wouldn’t want to stay somewhere you were imprisoned.

Let’s come back here together someday.

When I said that, Clara agreed.

For now, we settled into the Petrak family’s property in the lower town.

It’s small and has only the bare minimum facilities, but it’s more comfortable than an inn and cheaper for long stays.

It was rented out until recently but is now vacant.

On the books, it’s still listed as being rented.

Clara seemed dissatisfied, but she’ll just have to bear with it for a while.

I told her about the divorce talk.

Clara seemed shocked but said she wanted to do what was best for Theo.

How kind! I hugged Clara tightly.

I absolutely don’t want to be separated.

Clara suggested going back to talk things over, but I didn’t think that would work.

My parents have already made up their minds to send Clara back, and Heinny’s parents-in-law were really angry too.

Lately, everyone’s been on edge and the atmosphere is terrible. We used to get along so well.

Maybe our family and Heinny’s weren’t that close after all.

They just didn’t show it to us when we were kids.

If that’s the case, I’m even more convinced they’ll force the divorce.

Sigh. What a hassle.

I never really liked business in the first place.

But I was born into a merchant family, so there’s no helping it.

Come to think of it, Estelle did like working for the merchant association.

Since we were kids, she helped at the Heinny house, went to school, and then worked at our place from morning till night after returning.

Did she plan to marry me because she wanted to work in the merchant association?

I think she did like me to some extent but when I chose Clara, she just quietly went off to the military without saying anything, so I guess that’s all it was to her?

Still, it bothers me that people talk as if I abandoned Estelle.

I think choosing Clara, who loves me with all her heart, is only natural.

I want to be happy like anyone else.

Ah, but come to think of it, I heard something interesting in the capital.

I met this guy at the capital’s commercial guild who was really friendly.

He was fairly handsome and would casually talk to women passing by, but when you spoke with him, he was easygoing.

When I mentioned I had a meeting with the military, he taught me various tips about negotiations.

That’s when I found out the officer in charge was Estelle.

I was so surprised. When I said she was from my hometown, he asked me all sorts of questions.

He was really kind and taught me even the small details, so it was hard to refuse, and I only told him superficial things.

Of course, I didn’t mention that we were engaged.

I just said she had a fiancé back home but couldn’t get married for some reason and apparently joined the military.

People in the capital probably don’t know about borderland matters.

Then he told me about Estelle’s recent situation.

Apparently, until very recently, he’d been working with Estelle as a merchant association representative.

He said Estelle’s work is so hard she wants to quit, but since she’s in the first batch of female volunteers, she can’t leave and is exhausted.

Even though she’s the one who left us without a word and joined the military on her own.

And he said it seems she can’t forget her old lover.

Is that me? I didn’t realize she was so persistent.

Thinking that, I went to the meeting and found Estelle had become incredibly beautiful.

But she still wouldn’t make a good wife.

As a childhood friend, as a friend, she’s easy to be with and comfortable, but she’s not someone I can love.

If Clara had been healthy and we’d had more opportunities to meet since childhood, I think I would have been engaged to Clara from the start.

Clara and I just met too late. It’s God’s fault.

But.

Estelle originally liked working for the merchant association.

Even now that she’s in the military, she’s essentially doing the same kind of work, isn’t she?

Wouldn’t it be better for her to come back and work for the merchant association?

But since she left on her own, it’s probably hard for her to return.

Thinking that, I blurted out something like that, but thinking about it later, it doesn’t seem like a bad idea.

I want to stay true to my love with Clara.

Clara wants to live quietly.

Estelle wants to work for the merchant association.

My parents and Heinny’s parents want to divorce me and Clara.

Hmm. In that case.

Clara and I could get divorced formally, and I could remarry Estelle when she returns.

Estelle could work as much as she wants as the mistress of the Petrak Merchant Association.

I’ll live quietly with Clara.

Of course, I’ll help with the merchant association work a bit too. I am the next head, after all.

Clara would be like a mistress, but human-defined forms don’t matter to our love, right?

When I consulted Clara about this, she said it was a good idea.

We really are perfect for each other.

Clara says she hates this small, cramped house and wants to go back, but when I told her my parents want a divorce and Heinny’s parents would probably lock her up in the mansion and never let her out, she cried again saying she doesn’t want that.

Ah. We’re just in love.

Why can’t things work out smoothly?