The Person I Loved Hated Me - Chapter 22

Isaac couldn’t understand Eivard, whose eyes held shadows as he spoke of wanting a family. What did he mean by saying he hadn’t requested disinheritance to formally marry Clara?

“You say you want a family but don’t you have the people of House Trulin?”

Family bonds aren’t something that can be easily severed. Especially among nobles – Isaac knew better than anyone that the head of household’s opinion takes absolute priority.

“True, I was born and raised in House Trulin, but not in the way you imagine. The marquis house is an organization that controls me. Even with blood ties, they were never family. It was only after meeting Clara that I finally realized this.”

Eivard, still kneeling with his head bowed, looked deeply pained. Was it because of his decision to leave House Trulin? Or was it, as his words suggested, the memory of those controlled days?

“Disinheritance is considered deeply dishonorable for nobles. But for me, it’s liberation. That world was nothing but pain. When I declared it to my father… yes, I even felt refreshed.”

No gloom could be felt from Eivard as he lifted his face. The shadows had vanished too. Only calm blue eyes were fixed on Isaac.

“Given my past, Clara is too good for me. I’ve been telling myself I shouldn’t hope for her. But if it’s the Crown Prince or Rhys, that’s different.”

Then why not me? Eivard’s eyes said as much, and Isaac had to admit part of him felt the same.

The Crown Prince was his half-brother – they shared blood. If Clara were to be taken by the Crown Prince, wouldn’t Eivard – despite their difference in status, someone who understood her feelings – be far better?

“Making her Rhys’s formal wife? Clara in a traditional, prestigious ducal house? That’s truly reckless. I can easily imagine Clara’s smile disappearing. So, Isaac, won’t you give me a chance? I’ll do anything to become family with Clara.”

Isaac remembered Eivard declaring he’d abandon his nobility rather than make Clara live in shadows.

Back then, even Eivard himself had admitted it was impossible. Yet somehow, he’d reached the resolve to abandon his family to abandon House Trulin.

Abandoning family was absolutely unthinkable to Isaac. Knowing Eivard possessed such determination made him unsure whether continuing to flatly deny him was the right answer.

Moreover, this option only emerged because the Crown Prince had made contact with Clara. Isaac himself didn’t believe this would be for Clara’s benefit.

After all, nobility isn’t something one can easily leave. And Isaac didn’t know what kind of treatment Eivard had endured growing up in House Trulin.

“Eivard, abandoning your house isn’t something to say lightly. What’s driving you? Even if Clara and the marquis house are separate matters, you haven’t even had an intimate relationship with Clara. Clara knows her place, so what gives you the right to speak of love?”

Just because he fell for Clara doesn’t mean something happened between them that warranted abandoning his house. Clara understands it’s an impossible love and is simply enjoying her feelings positively. She knows separation awaits. She’s never accepted Eivard.

“I don’t understand it either. The feelings just keep growing. When I was invited to your home, seeing you and Clara both wearing aprons, naturally standing close while doing the same things. It’s a scene I can’t help but yearn for.”

That’s common in the commoner world. Nothing special about it.

Nobles have cooks, and servants bring food to the table. Being accustomed to being waited on, he probably just found Clara and Isaac’s relationship refreshing.

“I thought just having her in this world would be enough. I only wished for her to keep smiling. But I can’t accept that Rhys is permitted while I’m not. I have feelings that neither Rhys nor His Highness possess. If I’m going to lose Clara over something like this, I’ll kidnap her if I have to and make her happy!”

His calm eyes had unknowingly gained strength and were now fixed intensely on Isaac. Facing Eivard’s feelings head-on, Isaac finally began considering a future where the two might be together.

Isaac had never experienced strongly desiring or yearning for a particular woman. So, he probably couldn’t truly understand Eivard’s feelings. Still, he knew Eivard had been serious and sincere in his approach to Clara.

She was his precious, beloved little sister. His only blood-related family. He would never let her become unhappy.

But a great anxiety stood before him. Entrusting Clara to Eivard now – wouldn’t that be merely choosing an option rather than truly accepting him?

Sebastian had proposed his son Rhys as a husband candidate, reasoning that the Crown Prince would lose interest if Clara married. As the head of House Winslet, Rhys would have to obey regardless of his feelings.

But wouldn’t that be the worst move? What Isaac wanted was Clara’s happiness.

He didn’t think Eivard would reveal the secret of Clara’s birth that everyone feared exposure. But the secret had been exposed. Would Eivard end up being used by House Trulin after Clara was entrusted to him?

Thinking this, only negative possibilities came to mind. Clara’s heartbreaking appearance when anxiety stained her heart. Would Eivard be able to restore her smile?

As he wavered in thought, a voice called out, “Hey.” Rhys, wearing an inappropriate smile, was looking down at Eivard.

“Why don’t you say that to Clara herself instead of him?”

He had a point. Realizing he’d been publicly confessing without Clara present, Eivard’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

“Anyway… I would never do anything to disadvantage her. I have no attachment whatsoever to leaving House Trulin and ceasing to be a noble. Duke Winslet, what must I do to earn your trust?”

“Words can say anything. Lord Eivard, I’ll place you under surveillance. If you speak of what happened here, I won’t show mercy. I’ll come at you with enough force to crush House Trulin.”

“That’s fine. Regarding House Trulin, feel free to do as you wish even without me speaking about it.”

Eivard himself seemed to have no attachments whatsoever. His straightforward eyes said as much.