# 8
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Will I be able to bring up the issue of divorce today?
But will she be able to do it now?
She looked out the window, carefully examining the dilapidated mansion.
Eric was an inventor and entrepreneur famous across the country – and yet, living in a place like this, it was like he was barely making a living.
Chloe was raised with the values of nobility from birth, and was well versed in etiquette and propriety.
She burdened her husband with enormous debts. She couldn't escape.
“I have to pay the money back before the divorce.”
But how…
She thought about calling her mother, but that idea quickly faded. Obviously her mother will be against the divorce.
There is no way her mother would support Chloe's decision to divorce Marquis Aslan, who was constantly providing money to Chloe's older brother.
“Then...”
Chloe frowned.
No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't come up with a good answer.
She couldn't think of a way to earn four million pounds.
Helpless.
Incompetent.
That's all she was...
She looked at the shirt dress she was wearing.
These were expensive clothes made of fine silk and fox fur.
Who used their money to buy this?
It belongs to her husband.
Did she own anything that was purchased with her own money?
no. nothing.
Chloe bent down to cover her face with both hands. A deep feeling of helplessness enveloped her entire body.
Her heart ached because she felt like she had become uess trash herf.
I will return the favor to Eric one way or another.
This is correct. In a way…
At that moment—
Knock, knock, knock.
There was someone outside her door.
Was it Daniel? Chloe hurriedly wrapped a shawl over her shoulders and told the person to come in.
But it wasn't Daniel – it was a middle-aged woman with a warm look on her face.
“Hello, ma’am. I am Andrea Cognac, and I will be of service to you today.”
Chloe hesitated for a moment. She wasn't expecting one of her bridesmaids to come here.
But her hesitation quickly disappeared, perhaps because of Andrea's gentle smile or because of Chloe's ingrained aristocratic habits.
However, Chloe kept her calm and calmly greeted Andrea.
“Come in.”
“Thank you for your hospitality. Then, please excuse me.”
Andrea entered the room, and soon the place was silent again.
She placed a bowl of hot water on the table, steam rising from it.
“Here in the north, I always had cold water to wash.”
At some point, warmth had become something foreign to her – something unnatural.
Chloe laughed darkly upon realizing this.
“What can I make you for breakfast, ma’am? If you tell me what you usually eat, I will make it for you right away.”
“Breakfast… No, it doesn’t matter. Tea is enough for me. Don’t add any sugar.”
Sugar was expensive, but that last sentence was hard to say.
“I understand. Then let me help you wash your face.”
Chloe sat quietly in a chair, and shortly afterwards, a wet towel touched her cheek.
smooth. warm.
Chloe closed her eyes.
She wondered how long it had been since she had felt this warm feeling, and she felt happy and bitter at the same time.
Eric wasted money because of her again.
“Of course, it's not like he brought this lady-in-waiting for himf.”
Chloe slowly opened her eyes again.
“Is my husband awake?”
“Yes. The Lord is preparing for the visit of a very distinguished guest today.”
"prominent?"
Because only very few could be called that in this country, Chloe guessed who he was.
“Do you mean that His Highness is coming to visit?”
“That's what I heard, ma'am.”
“His Highness the Second Prince or the Third Prince? Who will come?”
“I was not informed of this.”
"Sure, of course. Hurry and get me dressed then. I want to see my husband."
Andrea showed no reaction to Chloe's suddenly bright attitude, and merely paid attention to her.
Chloe put the dress she was wearing the night before back on.
It was an empire style dress.
But since it was cold, she put a thick velvet shawl over her shoulder. Once again, the shawl belonged to Eric.
Her coveted silver hair was combed and braided.
Andrea tried to accessorize it, but Chloe said no.
She wanted to meet the prince as soon as possible.
The reason she received the prince was not because she was particularly close to either prince, nor because she thought they had friendly feelings for her.
Maybe I can borrow money.
That's what pushed her to do it.
“Princes owe me a lot.”
Chloe thought about them back in the day, five years ago.
I will be able to borrow money from the royal family. And I can pay off Eric's debts with this money.
Her heart was beating hard.
The feeling of helplessness that had previously controlled her had disappeared before she knew it. Instead, she was filled with a gentle feeling of hope.
Chloe opened the bedroom door with an excited heart.
But soon her bright face collapsed.
Eric was standing outside the door.
“...Eric?”
She tried to hide her surprise by raising her chin.
Eric just stared at her.
“You look happy, my wife.”
He looked at Chloe with a pleading look.
“This is not your habit.”
He said one thing, then he said something else.
But because Chloe was distracted by the news of the prince's visit, she did not notice his sharp tone.
“I heard that His Highness is coming, so of course I will be very happy.”
Chloe continued to smile in a way that was “unusual.”
“It's been five years since we met, so there's a lot to talk about. May I greet your Highness?”
Because of her anticipation, she did not see him.
Eric's features froze.
* * *
Eric narrowed his eyes.
He was watching Chloe cloy, studying her face carefully.
People usually showed what they were thinking on their faces, but as usual, Chloe's expression did not reveal anything.
Eric continued to stare into her intense gaze, but soon exhaled and shook his head briefly.
Then he looked at Andrea.
“I will have to talk to my wife alone. Leave.”
Andrea, who had been standing still to the side, bowed and left the room.
Ka-chak.
After closing the door, Eric walked past Chloe as he entered.
A musky woody scent wafted at the tip of Chloe's nose.
A scent was always with him. Chloe inhaled deeply, as if trying not to forget the smell by inhaling as much of it as possible.
“Sit down now.”
Eric said these words as he sat on the sofa, crossing one leg over the other and holding his hands crossed over his knees.
Was it because he combed his hair back? His broad shoulders caught her attention, along with his large hands.
As if he had dressed elegantly to welcome the prince politely, he was also wearing pants that revealed his muscular thighs.
Chloe looked away at that moment. She slowly sat down opposite him.
“First, my wife, tell me why you came to visit.”
As soon as she sat down, Eric took a cigarette out of his coat pocket and spoke clearly.
“It's been thirty years since it last snowed here in the capital.”
The fire started by the match transferred to the cigarette. Then thick smoke billowed from his lips.
“This means there is a large amount of snow in the area.”
Chloe, who had listened to his words carefully, asked him next.
“Is it good in the north?”
Eric shook his head.
“There was an avalanche.”
"What?"
Chloe's eyes widened in surprise.
"No need to be shocked. No one died. The risk prevention measures went well."
“I'm glad to hear that.”
"But the roads are completely blocked. They said it would take a long time to clear them. Thanks to the avalanche, even the recently opened railway lines are blocked as well."
the curse. Eric inhaled deeply from his cigarette, and swallowed those two short words with her.
His face became blurry behind the thick smoke.
“Stay here until the roads are opened.”
In fact, Chloe found out why he didn't wake her up early in the morning even though he asked her to leave at dawn.
She nodded silently.
“But keep this in mind – you are not free to roam around as you please.”
“Excuse me? What do you mean...”
“This means that you are not allowed to meet the prince.”
Chloe's eyes widened as she lifted her head so quickly that her carefully coiffed hair splattered.
“Why? Why can’t I meet Your Highness?”
Her tone was tense, but Eric didn't answer her immediately.
He looked at Chloe with a dry, indifferent look.
There was a heavy silence between them.
Eric didn't look away from Chloe, and Chloe didn't avoid looking at him. The conflicting looks showed the will of both of them.
Hoo…
Eric blew cigarette smoke again, and the room was immediately filled with the strong smell of tobacco.
“The royal family will use your influence against me, my wife, so that they can gain the upper hand in the deal between us.”
Chloe thought that was a reasonable response, but at the same time, it was a cowardly excuse.
"You'd better not meet him. For my sake."
‘For you.’
Did he realize how dangerous those words were? He spoke as if he knew that for sure.
Chloe bit her lower lip hard and pulled her sleeves down to hide her clenched fists.