What Remains at the End of Regret - Chapter 26

A wealthy and capable husband who loves his wife. It was clearly the best option rarely given to a humble rural noble.

But, at least until this summer. Edmund wanted nothing to change.

Vivian Mabel owed him quite a bit. Enough to effectively manipulate her.

Of course, this was only possible because she was completely unaware that Edmund didn’t care about any of it.

He lowered the window to cool down, but the hot air only felt heavy against his lungs.

Could he let go of something so interesting so easily?

By the end of summer, enough time would have passed for him to lose interest in Vivian.

But, for now?

Edmund could easily come to a conclusion.

While she was still useful, even just a little, for now.

During the sweltering season that had finally begun, Vivian had to fulfill her role. Here in Pobert, which she loved so much.

Now the car was passing through the tree-lined road leading to the mansion.

As the trees with their lush green leaves created excellent shade, the persistent heat gradually subsided.

Enjoying the steady engine sound and the freshly blooming grass, Edmund sank deeper into his seat.

＊ ＊ ＊

When she finally shook off the fever and got up, summer had deepened, embracing a deep blue-green. The salty smell of the Tanic Sea flowed gently through the half-open window, along with the sound of crashing waves.

The heat and sea smell of summer, which she had loved so much, didn’t feel so pleasant. Now, Vivian was terribly tired of the sea.

Curled up by the window, sighing deeply, Vivian thumped her forehead against her knees.

This fever was much worse than when she was a child.

Just like the Duke had been.

The unpleasant sensation of a fever that wouldn’t go away, burning her whole body, made her nauseous and dizzy, so much so that she never wanted to experience it again. Even though it was always the same season and weather, she had an ominous feeling that this summer would be too long and overwhelming.

“What are you thinking about so seriously?”

Vivian, who had been blinking quietly, quickly raised her head at the welcome voice. It was Hayden’s visit after hearing that Vivian had woken up. His face, which she hadn’t seen in a while, felt subtly unfamiliar, and Vivian raised her hand and waved awkwardly.

“Hi, Hayden.”

“You don’t seem happy to see me.”

His drooping eyes looked quite sad. Vivian, who burst into a slight laugh at Hayden’s playful remark, looked at him. His blonde hair, like the sun, shone brightly, catching the sunlight.

Hayden resembled summer.

Maybe Hayden is one of the reasons I like summer.

A dazzlingly bright light permeated Vivian’s green eyes as she quietly gazed at her old friend. Hayden approached the window where Vivian was sitting with a fresh smile.

“You still act like a child.”

“What?”

Vivian glared at the playful voice scolding her for sitting on the couch right below the outside window and swinging her legs. But soon she smiled pleasantly and faced Hayden, who had come closer.

The familiar eyes and the affectionate gaze calmed her agitated heart as if nothing had happened, and soon gave her comfort. Vivian’s eyes softened as she took in the warm sunlight and shining blonde hair.

“It’s gotten a lot hotter, hasn’t it?”

“Yeah. It’s completely turned into summer while I was lying down.”

“Catching a cold you never used to get. It seems even the great Vivian Mabel can’t handle a summer cold?”

“You really!”

There was a large apple tree in the Squire’s garden. Planted in the year Vivian was born, the apple tree grew faster than Vivian, making her feel sad as a child, but soon it grew into a wonderful tree responsible for the garden’s landscaping.

The apple tree, the same age as Vivian, gave her many things as it grew.

Sweet apples and cool shade. In particular, the swing hung on its sturdy branches even left Vivian with a scar that would not disappear. The small scar still remaining on her arm was fortunately in a well-hidden location, but looking back now, it was a dizzying memory.

When the sun rose high in the summer, Vivian and Hayden would set up a table under the apple tree and cool off while smelling the fresh scent of the trees.

Now that summer had begun, the tea time location was implicitly decided to be under the apple tree.

A soft smile bloomed on Hayden’s face as he slowly moved his steps to match Vivian’s pace.

Vivian and Hayden, who had settled under the large tree in the shaded garden, began to sip cold black tea.

The sprouts that had been faintly emerging until recently had fully bloomed, creating a fresh atmosphere. A pleasantly moderate breeze cooled down the suffocating hot temperature a little.

The time she had hesitated to bring up passed, and it began calmly with Hayden’s concern.

Hayden, who had heard from Betty that Vivian had not only gone swimming but also caught a cold after getting soaked in the rain, had come determined to scold Vivian. He sat with his eyebrows tilted and his arms crossed, as if telling her to explain.

That reckless Vivian Mabel.

Her always freely sparkling eyes were one of the many reasons Hayden loved Vivian, but he couldn’t just let this one go.

To be so reckless as to harm her body.

Just when he felt that Vivian had grown up, he suddenly felt that Vivian’s childhood appearance was superimposed on her pale face.

“It’ll be difficult if you act like this even when you become a mother later, Vivian.”

“Pfft! Wh-what?”

Vivian, embarrassed by the sudden remark, spat out the tea she was drinking in an unladylike manner. Hayden shrugged nonchalantly at Vivian’s face, which had turned red in an instant.

Vivian was stunned by Hayden’s words, which spoke of the future as if it were natural.

Yes, if they got married, they would have children someday. It was a natural fact, but it didn’t feel real. Children. Her and Hayden’s children.

Vivian carefully put down her teacup, lost in thought.

“Haven’t you thought about it?”

“…….”

“I’ve always thought about it. You and me. A future with our children.”

Hayden spoke in a voice that seemed light but was firm and weighty, as if he really had been thinking about it. The voice seemed too serious to be taken as a joke, and Vivian lowered her head deeply.

She hadn’t thought about it. No, she couldn’t think about it.

A future where she married Hayden and had children. Those were obvious things that were already decided without having to be said. That’s why she had never tried to think about what would come after that.

Was she taking being a couple too lightly?

Vivian was vaguely worried about whether she could meet Hayden’s expectations.

Hayden would be a good father. Just like he had treated her. A kind and caring father. She was sure that Hayden would be a great father.

But Vivian couldn’t be sure if she could be a good wife and mother.

Hayden, who noticed Vivian’s darkened expression, took a small breath and spoke slowly.

“I ran into the Duke at the harbor by chance.”

And Hayden was sure.

“He didn’t seem to know that we were going to get married. So I told him. That I’m marrying you this summer.”

“Is that so?”

Hayden Harper was just a good friend and a reliable haven for Vivian Mabel. Not love.

It was all right. If only he would love her someday, after a lot of time had passed, and after their child was born and they became a true couple, even after so much time had passed. She could wait long enough.

So, after meeting the Duke, Hayden decided to bring up the words he had been hiding.

He didn’t want to hide the truth that he had always swallowed with bitter coffee. He wanted to shake Vivian’s heart, which was still confused about their relationship.

Hayden conveyed his heartfelt confession, holding it back.

“I love you.”

Support What Remains at the End of Regret