# 42
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“I…”
Chloe bit her lower lip.
After contemplating herf, she said... How could she do that when she had not committed any mistake in the first place! However, she had to nod because she didn't want to show that she didn't get along with her mother in front of Eric.
“Yes, I think I should say goodbye to my mother.”
"I'm glad you thought of yourf. I thought you were still an ungrateful child."
Chloe lowered her chin and looked down. That was a signal that meant she no longer wanted to talk to the Duchess.
However, Chloe wouldn't leave like this.
“Next time I see you, I want you to be more mature, not to be the foolish and stubborn child you are now.”
Although she did not respond, Eric's look forced her to respond again. For this reason, she apologized again for her mistake.
While the Duchess left the palace satisfied, Chloe has been suffering from a fever since that day.
The cause of her illness was simple.
This was because she had been in a constant state of suspense throughout the week that her mother had spent in the palace. For her, her mother's presence was like a tunnel full of thorns. Although the many thorns made her very sick, she was forced to walk through the tunnel, enduring the pain again and again.
Chloe suffered many injuries while passing through this tunnel.
No one saved her... let alone her husband.
Her husband was not on her side.
This caused Chloe to feel extremely frustrated and a wound that did not heal easily. She spent her days in pain and running a fever due to her wound. This situation continued for several days.
Eric was very frustrated.
ringing! The next moment, he dropped the clip he was holding and wiped his hair.
“Is Chloe still sick?”
"Mrs…?"
Daniel continued his answer, saying: “The lady is still sick. According to the doctor, he said that she will not be able to get up easily.”
“What's the problem?”
Upon hearing that, he asked angrily.
"What's wrong with her being so sick? Everyone's been so nice to her the whole time she's been here, so what's bothering her?"
He didn't ask, hoping for an answer. He took off his glasses and pinched his eyebrows. His eyes were hurting, and he had a severe headache.
“It was also strange that Chloe prevented me from seeing her. Why would she prevent me from visiting her?”
"She was afraid she would get sick. She shouldn't get sick."
“Is it right for me to leave my sick wife alone?”
“You send a doctor. That's enough.”
As he stared at Daniel after hearing his answer, he quickly looked away and shook his head several times.
“I have to go.”
He mumbled unintelligible words and then got up.
Eric couldn't help but worry about Chloe. She had always been a weak woman, and she staggered as if she were about to die. However, Eric never thought about her death. To him, she was someone who would live forever, someone who would continue to exist in this world.
...Was she dying? This will not happen, and will not be allowed to happen.
“Oh, and...”
As he was about to leave the lab, Eric turned his head and spoke to Daniel.
“Have you found the doctor responsible for Chloe in the north yet?”
"I'm trying to find him, but it's not easy. She's been meeting with him secretly."
“It was a secret meeting...”
Even though he was just a doctor, Chloe was said to have met him secretly and never showed his face to anyone… Why did she do that?
Even though he wanted to ask Chloe, he knew she wouldn't tell him anyway. She was not the type to tell him everything, and she was a hypocrite, as the Duchess said.
“Find out more. Find out what Chloe is hiding.”
In his mind there was a seed of distrust planted by the Duchess, and the buds that had already blossomed were not easy to uproot – which was why he thought Chloe was deceiving him about something.
"I'm going to go see Chloe now. Make sure you finish this by then."
He said that, then pointed to the prosthetic arm he had been making all along.
Daniel shook his head in amazement.
“Your Excellency seems to think I'm you. I'm stupid, and I wouldn't even be able to get half of it done even if I messed around with it all day, let alone finish it.”
"Still, you have to study it carefully and learn. I can't draw diagrams forever."
I'll try, even though I don't really know. But, are you sure you will visit your wife? The lady doesn't want to show you that she's sick, wouldn't it be better if she didn't go?
Daniel's words were true.
However, he had already made up his mind to see Chloe and had no intention of backing out, so Eric ignored his words and left the lab.
Eric ran into Andrea as soon as he left the lab and entered the main building. He noticed that she was carrying a tray, so he approached her as she was about to go to Chloe's.
“Are you going to Chloe’s?”
“Ah, sir!”
Andrea hurriedly bowed her head and greeted him. Eric glanced at the vials on the tray as she greeted him.
“Analgesic and antipyretic. And this… ointment?”
Eric frowned.
That ointment was used on a wounded area...does that mean it was infected? where? He remembered when he saw Chloe a few days ago. Although her face was slightly swollen, there were no other visible injuries. So, why did she need an ointment?
“Why are you taking the ointment?”
“Ah, this...”
She muffled her words.
How could she tell him it was an ointment for Chloe's leg that the Duchess had beaten? This is something Chloe asked her to never tell him. Because of this, the Duchess might get angry and fire her if she told Eric the truth. However, his real employer is also Eric.
Andrea was confused and didn't know what to do.
“I'll take it just in case...”
“Are you using the ointment for no reason? Do you think this makes sense...?”
“I'm telling the truth. It's not worth mentioning.”
"There's no reason in my house. You'll be kicked out if you don't tell me what it is."
Andrea suffered intense torture again. Any servant had to obey her mistress, but it was the master who hired her. In the end, she was forced to tell the truth.
“Actually, the lady was hurt...”
"...Is she injured? Where?"
“It's…”
She took a deep breath, then answered.
“She hurt her leg.”
“You said she hurt her legs? Why?”
“It looked like the Duchess was caning her.”
"…What?"
“It seems that she was slapped on the cheek as well... and that is why she did not leave the room the whole time.”
Eric was shocked as if he had been hit in the head with a hammer... Did Duchess hit Chloe? He didn't believe those words at all.
He grabbed Andrea by her shoulders.
"Is that quite true? Aren't you lying to me?"
“I have no reason to lie to you, sir, especially if it's about the lady. Frankly, it's… it's even more strange that you haven't noticed. Did you notice anything strange about the lady's gait? What about her swollen face? You would have known immediately that she was not in good health if you had noticed even a little bit...”
Eric opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but closed it again.
He couldn't say anything. He couldn't… he blamed her for getting beaten by her mother. He defended the Duchess who had hit her.
He trusted the Duchess and even doubted Chloe!
the curse! Nothing could be more humiliating!
No, that might not be the case...could that be a lie too? After all, Chloe was said to be a liar, so this could be a lie to make him feel guilty... yeah, he should check for himf!
Despite Andrea's attempts to convince him, Eric jumped up the stairs and entered Chloe's room. The next moment, Chloe, who had been asleep, woke up startled by his presence. At the same time, the wet towel fell helplessly from her forehead.
“What brings you here?”
I asked quietly. She looked so thin, like she was about to die...
As Eric ran towards her, he lifted the lid as if to kick her.
"my dear…!"
He heard Chloe scream even though he lifted her skirt without caring. What he saw were bright red and blue blood-stained bruises on her legs. In addition, the injuries were severe.
Eric closed his eyes tightly.