My New Love That Isn’t Fated - Episode 23

Once again, Elad had to convince Louise, who begged him to stay, before he finally headed home.
A sense of duty to see Lilia right away, and the unchangeable truth that Louise was carrying his child, gnawed at him.

Perhaps out of frustration, he told the coachman more than once to hurry up.
Lilia might not even be at home anymore. If so, it would be the worst kind of betrayal.

What would his father say? Would he accuse him of being a failure?
The Griez family came from a long line of knights. A man must act like a man. He must keep a woman under control—that was how he was raised.
His father had done the same. He hadn’t done anything wrong. The one at fault was Lilia.

“Lilia! Open the door!”

Back at the mansion, Elad rattled the doorknob, pulling and pushing at it.
Realizing it was locked, he kicked the door hard.

The fact that the door wasn’t open when the master of the house had returned was unthinkable.
Lilia had already sent the servants home. Elad had always tolerated her doing as she pleased. But that had been a mistake. That was why she had gotten out of control.

“Elad, you’re back.”

“You’re still up, I see.”

His tone, which usually aimed to sound refined and confident, cracked under the weight of his anger.
Lilia, who had opened the door, turned pale, as if frightened.

When the door opened, Elad pushed past Lilia without a word and barged into the house.
Lilia shut and locked the door behind him, then followed after.

She helped him out of his Chester coat and hung it on the rack.
He didn’t smell of alcohol tonight. Unusually, he was sober.
It was rare for him to come home at this hour. He hadn’t returned at all the night before, and most days he came back only in the morning.

Suddenly, Lilia remembered that she had left the divorce papers out on the living room table.
She had planned to talk to Irma tomorrow, then give the papers to Elad and end things.

She would go to her father, explain the situation, and ask for his approval to work at the library.
She had just made up her mind to stop running and speak her truth when Elad came home.
As soon as he stepped into the living room, Elad noticed the divorce papers.
He picked them up, confirmed Lilia’s signature, and tore them to pieces.

“…Elad, why?”

Shreds of paper scattered across the floor.
Lilia had thought he would accept it. He hated her. Her very presence was nothing but a nuisance to him.

“You even went as far as to prepare this. How thorough of you. So, Lilia, are you planning to leave me and run to Owen?”

“Owen has nothing to do with this.”

“Nothing to do with it? I saw you walking with him at night. You looked very close.”

On the day Lilia had seen Elad with Louise, he had also seen Lilia and Owen together.
But that was only because Owen had walked her home.

“I only just met him. We’re barely acquaintances. You’ve misunderstood.”

“It’s not a misunderstanding. You betrayed me, didn’t you?”

“No! Elad, this has nothing to do with Owen or the divorce papers.”

Lilia took a deep breath.
Who was this man in front of her? She had lived with Elad for six months.
But the distance between them had never shrunk.
She didn’t know anything about him—not what he was thinking, not who he really was.
Fear closed up her throat. The anger in Elad reminded her of her father’s violent outbursts.

“I’m leaving this house. Louise needs twenty million Fabrice to be bought out of her contract. I did some research. For actresses at the theater, the usual price paid to the manager is around two million. But since Louise is a star singer, maybe five million will be enough.”

“Oh? You looked into all that? Clever girl. How annoying.”

“It was necessary. There’s a diamond-studded dress—actually, three of them—and a pure gold necklace. If we sell them, we should be able to raise that amount.”

“And?”

“And… then you can marry Louise.”

She had thought five million would be enough. But Louise had said she was twenty million in debt.
At least it was a number that could be managed.

Maybe Elad was worried about the money. He probably thought Lilia’s father, Earl Tillys, would protect her financially, which made divorce inconvenient.

But that wasn’t true. Her father wouldn’t help her. Even if she asked for money, he’d just coldly tell her to handle it herself.

“And?”

“And then… you and Louise can be together. I’ll leave. So please, sign the divorce papers…”

“You’re my wife. I’m not letting you go.”

“Why not…?”

“Why not? Isn’t it obvious? You’re my possession. You have no freedom. Never leave this house again, Lilia. Don’t meet Owen. Are you planning to disgrace the Griez family in front of the entire aristocracy, dragging even the King into this?”

Possession—Lilia repeated that word in her head.

Did her father think the same about her mother?
Was that why her mother had to run away?
Was that why he hadn’t cared about hurting her?

Her father thought of Lilia the same way—as a thing. Something he raised, something he owned.
And so did Elad.

“I—I’m not a thing. I have a will of my own. I tried so hard to make this house feel like home. But I can’t anymore—not for my sake, and not for yours or Louise’s either. I don’t belong here.”

“So?”

“So… please, let me go. I’ll leave with nothing. I won’t take a single thing from you. Just please… grant me the divorce, Elad.”
Why did nothing ever go right?

Elad stepped toward her. Lilia backed away.
She tried to run, but he grabbed her arm painfully hard.

“Lilia. I told you—you’re my possession. Don’t humiliate me. There will be no divorce. Your job is to protect this house and bear my children. You will give birth to an heir to the Griez family.”

“But… you have Louise. Isn’t she the one destined for you?”

“Yes. She’s my destiny. She exists to make me shine. But you—you’re my tool, Lilia. Now that you’re here, do your job.”

He yanked her arm and dragged her into the living room.
Then, like throwing away a piece of trash, he shoved her onto the sofa and pinned her down.

Lilia pushed at his chest with both hands, struggling against him.

“I’m not a tool! Please, stop, don’t touch me!”

“Shut up. You think you can say no? You’re just my tool. This is why I hate smart women. Stupid ones are much easier to handle. Tell me, Lilia—has Owen had you too? I don’t know how you met that prince who supposedly isn’t even into women, but is that why you’ve been rejecting me lately? Because you’ve been in his bed?”

“No! Elad, I haven’t betrayed you! Please, stop…!”

“Silence!”

He slapped her.
The memory of her father hitting her came flooding back, and she flinched.

She was an adult now. She shouldn’t be afraid anymore. But…

She couldn’t fight Elad’s strength. Tears spilled from her eyes.
She should have asked Irma to stay.
Irma had said she would be there for her tonight.

If only Irma were here—
None of this would be happening.