CWMBR 153

Chapter 153

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Declan was the one who looked utterly shocked at his words. He blinked at Ain as if he'd just spotted some rare animal.

Bridget, on the other hand, showed not a trace of disturbance on her face. Ain confirmed that reaction and quickly lowered his gaze. Bridget let out a short, hollow laugh at that attitude, which clearly signaled compliance with his words.

Things were going well. Just looking at today, if that Ain Wise hadn't been here, everything would have flowed smoothly. If he had vanished from sight like a fugitive in the dead of night, he should have stayed gone forever. Why show up again now?

Irritation at her stable routine being disrupted, and the unresolved anger she realized she felt upon seeing Ain, churned her insides. Why on earth did she have to feel this unpleasant? She truly wanted to be mature and grown-up. Not dwelling on the past, nitpicking over words, and getting angry!

「You can be generous to everyone else in the world, but you're allowed to be petty with your ex-husband.」

The man standing before her was the one who had made her this petty person in the first place. Then, wasn't he also the one responsible for this anger?

Interpreting the sharpness in Bridget's eyes, Ain spoke in a calm tone.

"If you thought I was apologizing behind closed doors to avoid others' eyes, that was absolutely not my intention. If you wish, I can apologize in front of everyone in Glynford. If not, even in front of the Alencia Royal Palace."

"What, a glorious past? Are you planning to make me a spectacle for everyone again?"

"Of course not! That is absolutely not the case."

Bridget looked at him with pitying eyes before responding coldly.

"Talking to you right now has made me feel awful. Will you apologize for that too?"

"I'm sorry."

He seemed like a wind-up toy that apologized when pressed. Bridget laughed, finding it ridiculous.

"I'm curious to see how far you'll go. I'll call you if I think of anything else later."

Bridget shook her head and turned away.

She resolved that this time, she would finally overcome that Ain Wise. Just as she no longer pitied her past self, she would now pour out and resolve all her anger toward that man.

***

Could he even talk to Bridget, given how much he had to apologize for?

At least being asked for an apology was better than being ignored. In that sense, having so much to apologize for to him was secretly a relief. But the fact that all Ain could do was apologize meant he was trash. Even liking this felt like a trashy thought. Thinking that way, self-loathing surged. But unlike those days of aimless wandering, now days might unfold where if he waited, she might call him. That part was good, after all.

Ain was trapped in this cycle of thoughts, showing no reaction to whatever Declan was babbling beside him. Finally giving up on getting an answer from him, Declan turned instead to Fergus, who could provide one.

"What the hell did you go and do across the sea?"

"I went and had a brilliant love affair."

"No, not you! Ain! What the hell did that guy eat to turn into such a weirdo?"

"Ah, Lord Ain..."

Fergus, still steeped in the pain of parting, looked back at Ain. Though Fergus was preoccupied tending to his own wounds, he was also the sole witness who had observed Ain's three years up close, bearing witness to his transformation from start to finish. Fergus, who had been looking at Ain with a peculiar gaze, quickly returned to a wistful expression and murmured.

"Her warmth must have softened his heart."

"………………What are you saying?"

"Because she was such a lovely person…………………"

At those words, Declan's face turned ashen as he looked back and forth between the two.

"Ain came back after mingling with another woman? You two, one woman….…."

"Declan."

Ain, who had been ignoring Declan the entire time, cut him off sternly.

"Don't spout such nonsense, even if it's just idle talk."

The warning was far too menacing to be merely a caution, and Declan shut his mouth tightly, his face flushing with embarrassment. He turned to Iliont with a look full of grievance.

"Iliont! Help me out here!"

"I have an outside appointment."

Iliont rose decisively, turning away from Declan as if unwilling to get involved. Just as Declan was about to cling to Iliont, Ain spoke first.

"Bridget... Is it your appointment with Miss Pennington?"

"No?"

Iliant blurted out the answer almost reflexively, then blinked rapidly. Clearing his throat and swallowing dryly, he cautiously added an explanation.

"………Not Miss Pennington, but Mrs. Ottertz."

The person Iliont had befriended regarding the issue with Bridget's mansion was, to be precise, Jane Ottertz. She was the housekeeper who was present at the mansion all day long, and now practically acted as the butler. Since Iliont often checked on problems with the renovated parts of the mansion, Jane was quite favorable towards him. The cookies Bridget had brought last time were also baked by Jane.

Anyway, since he was indirectly connected to Bridget, Iliont found himself unnecessarily wary of Ain's reaction.

"I'll be back."

Fearing he might be picked on for no reason, Iliont quickly said his goodbyes and dashed out of the office. Ain, who had been staring intently at the spot he left, turned his gaze out the window.

Back at Glynford, Bridget seemed friendly with everyone except Ain.

Come to think of it, that was precisely why he'd fallen for her at first sight. Her polite, sociable demeanor. Yet she never crossed the line. She appeared so kind and affectionate to everyone that you wondered if she was a pushover, yet that quality didn't seem inherently bad. When she gradually began treating him more specially than others, he even felt a tinge of triumphant satisfaction.

Triumphant satisfaction? Looking back, there's no judgment more foolish than that. Had he come to his senses then, things wouldn't have reached this point.

But now, he would never receive that kind of treatment again. No matter how many times he apologized. No matter how thoroughly he dug up his past and apologized...

Because he couldn’t bring a dead child back to life.

The moment Ain thought of the child, the sound of crying reached his ears from somewhere.

"Ain, stop."

Ain, who had unconsciously tightened his grip, flinched at Declan's sharp tone and released his hold. He'd heard complaints about the smell of blood and tried his best to restrain himself, but it wasn't easy.

"Don't you see the skilled physicians affiliated with the Wise family just sitting around? Do you think their salaries are zero?"

“It’d be troublesome if word reached the main house.”

“Ugh, human.”

“It’s not even worth a diagnosis.”

Ain retorted curtly, lowering his gaze. Clenching and unclenching his hand a couple of times, he felt a faint twinge of pain from the wound.

The faint cry of a baby that had seemed to reach his ears for a moment had already vanished.

A baby's cry. Three years ago, Ain was completely unfamiliar with such a thing. It was accurate to say he had almost never heard one. Even he himself had no memory of crying out loud as a child. He couldn't say for his earliest infancy, but at least in the childhood he remembered, showing tears was almost forbidden.

Let alone the piercing, wailing cry of a baby screaming in agony. Unless it was the days spent in that tiny area barely worthy of being called a port town on the newly arrived continent, would he ever hear such a thing again?

"My daughter is about to give birth. If you can live with hearing a baby cry, I'll give you a room."

"There's no proper lodging available... If it's not here, we'll have to pitch a tent on the street."

"That's true. And we won't discount the rent because of a baby's cries."

Proper lodgings were already taken by then, so Ain and Fergus finally found a place to stay after much searching. It was a local family's home, one others had long avoided because of the soon-to-be-born baby. The couple who welcomed Ain and Fergus were elderly, small in stature with dark complexions. They scrutinized the out-of-towners seeking lodging with rather sharp eyes before firing off questions about their backgrounds. Given they would be living together for at least several months, perhaps even over a year, it was a natural procedure, one might say.

But this question came unexpectedly.

"Hmm, are you married?"

"I'm a bachelor!"

"Not this one, then? Do you have children?"

The moment Ain met the elderly couple's gaze fixed on him, his words caught in his throat. Thinking about it, in Alensia, everything was known through the newspapers. This was the first time he'd been in a situation where he had to explain to someone that he'd divorced, or that he'd had a child but lost it. He should just confess the truth, but he couldn't bring himself to speak.

Ain swallowed dryly and began to speak evasively.

"My pregnant wife..."

He was about to explain that he had neglected his pregnant wife, lost the child, and ended up divorced. But the elderly couple brightened and cut him off.

"Ah! You left behind a pregnant wife? Well then, that's perfect! Learn how to care for a baby in our home! By the time you return, your lovely baby will have been born!"

They couldn't lower the rent, but clearly didn't want to lose a tenant. Nodding, they congratulated him on his good fortune, their misunderstanding solidified. Fergus, watching from the side, whispered softly to Ain. "Ain, are you alright?"

Now was the moment to correct their misunderstanding. But Ain couldn't bring himself to say no. Meanwhile, the elderly couple brought someone in from the back. The first thing that caught his eye was the large, swollen belly. Naturally, seeing her, Ain couldn't help but think of someone else.

"This is our daughter."

"Ah……………. Hello."

Fergus quickly stepped forward in place of the frozen Ain. The elderly couple's daughter glanced at Fergus and asked.

"Are you good with physical labor?"

"Huh?"

"It's just two old folks and a woman in her final months of pregnancy living here. We don't have anyone to help with the heavy work. If you could assist us, we'll provide your meals."

And just like that, their lodging was hastily arranged.

It turned out the couple's daughter was an unwed mother. They didn't seem particularly ashamed of this fact, revealing it matter-of-factly instead. They then boldly asked Fergus for help. With a full-term pregnant woman requesting assistance, even a pragmatically rational man like Fergus couldn't refuse.

The elderly couple cared for their daughter with utmost devotion. Despite having no husband, she didn't seem the least bit troubled or unhappy. Seeing this, Ain couldn't help but think of Bridget. Bridget, who had lost her parents and barely survived leaning on her uncle. Bridget, who then got tangled up with a bastard like himself.

"What I wanted was just..."

Bridget, who had suffered so much because of a husband worse than a scarecrow, and then had to let go of the baby she had carried with such difficulty.

That was probably what she wanted.

"Just a normal, happy family."

Probably an atmosphere like that.

Nothing grand, just warmly caring for and protecting each other.