To Those Who Regretted After I Died - Chapter 43

“…I apologize for showing such an unseemly side…”

The doctor stepped back from the aunt’s side, wiping away his tears.

“It’s alright. I don’t have children, so to me, you’re like a son.”

“Thank you very much… I’m grateful to hear you say that.”

The doctor smiled at the aunt, and the two of them looked at Sophia’s resting form.

“…What do you think Lord Alec intends to do from here?”

“…He has committed a grave sin… the sin of failing to protect someone dear to him…”

“……”

The aunt touched Sophia’s clasped hands, showing a painful expression and silently apologizing over and over in her heart.

“I… no, we as her family will not allow him to marry Emily… Even if Alec’s child is born, I will not accept it… It was always meant to be Sophia who would bear Alec’s child…”

“……”

“After Sophia’s funeral, we will hold a family meeting… I plan to call Sophia’s parents and Miss Emily there… We will decide what to do about Alec and Emily’s child on that day…”

The doctor watched as the aunt closed her eyes, her form trembling.

Unable to bless her first grandchild, she was suffering.

“…Lady Adelaide… there is something I haven’t told you…”

The doctor hesitated, wondering if he should tell the aunt about Emily’s pregnancy.

“Something you haven’t told me? …Did Alec do something else…?”

“…No, it’s not necessarily something Lord Alec will have to decide, but… it concerns Miss Emily…”

“Emily… Is there something? Something you can’t speak of?”

Hearing the doctor mention Emily, the aunt’s expression turned serious.

“…I wish Lord Alec had spoken up, but given the situation, I assumed he couldn’t… I’ve heard that Miss Emily is engaged…”

“What!?”

The aunt’s eyes widened in shock as she looked at the doctor.

“…Could… could you say that again? Miss Emily is…”

“Miss Emily is engaged… Lord Alec seems unaware of this…”

“…Wha…what does this mean… Then… the child she is carrying…”

“We don’t know yet… Miss Emily also had… relations with her fiancé…”

Thud!

“Lady Adelaide!”

The aunt swayed and nearly collapsed against the coffin, catching herself by placing both hands on the floor, as the doctor hurried to support her.

“…What kind of woman is she… stealing her sister’s husband while engaged to another man… with Alec…”

Her face turned pale with shock.

“Di… Did Alec really not know? That Miss Emily has a fiancé…”

“…It seems he only learned of it yesterday, when Sophia’s parents came to the estate…”

“…This is unimaginable… Did Sophia know?”

“I believe she learned about it through a letter from her parents… but I doubt she ever told Lord Alec…”

Hearing the doctor’s words, the aunt turned her face toward Sophia.

“…She probably wanted to tell Alec… but couldn’t… This is all Alec’s fault… it’s his fault for being deceived… Now that he knows everything, he must regret it… for refusing to face Sophia…”

The aunt looked at Sophia, resting in the coffin, and made up her mind.

“…I’m leaving now… I’d like you to attend the meeting, if possible… I’ll let you know when we’ve set the date.”

“Understood.”

The aunt asked the doctor to attend the meeting, then turned to face Sophia.

“…Sophia… you didn’t have to suffer alone… Alec and Emily… they must also come to understand the pain you endured… We were betrayed by someone we trusted… I ask you to entrust everything to me…”

The aunt clasped her hands together, offering a prayer before Sophia, saying her final goodbye.

“I’ll go ahead… you should also take a moment to say your farewell to Sophia…”

Watching the aunt leave through the door, the doctor offered a prayer beside Sophia.

“…Lady Sophia… your passing has left Lord Alec filled with regret… it was too late for him to realize… Lady Adelaide is furious… with her nephew, Lady Emily, as well… It must be painful, but please watch over the two of them as they face their fates…”

The doctor, hoping Alec and Emily would atone for the pain caused to Sophia even after her death, kissed Sophia’s forehead in a final farewell and stepped away.

As he exited the church, he saw the aunt and her brothers, and the aunt addressed him.

“We’re heading home… please tell Alec that we’ll be sending him word… and to Miss Emily as well…”

“…Understood…”

“I’ll contact you too… I know you’re busy, but I hope you’ll come?”

“Yes, I’ll be there.”

The aunt smiled faintly and departed, leaving the doctor’s side.

As she left, Alec approached, and the doctor hurried over to him.

“Lord Alec…”

“…Doctor… my aunt?”

“She just left.”

“I see…”

Hearing Alec’s dejected tone, the doctor watched as Alec staggered into the church and followed him inside.

Alec gazed down at a single coffin, then collapsed to the floor beside his late wife, Sophia, refusing to leave her side.

“…Lord Alec…”

“…I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I’ll apologize over and over… so please, open your eyes and wake up… We still have promises… we promised to go shopping for clothes together, didn’t we? We never even went to the reception… If you didn’t like the dress I gave you, we could pick out a new one… We could go on a trip too… If you don’t want to visit the places your sister went, we could go to another country… We haven’t even had our portrait painted together yet… the frame will be arriving soon… I’ll get rid of all the portraits of Emily, I promise… I only had one bite of your cooking… I’m sorry I told you not to cook… I regret it… I want you to make that pie you used to…”

Sniffling, Alec pleaded with Sophia in a pitiful voice.

“…We didn’t even visit the garden… I knew you watched from the window… I noticed, but I ignored you, hurt you, and prioritized Emily… I’m sorry… I even left work to you… I said such harsh words… I wanted to apologize so many times… I’m sorry…”

The white flowers… you asked me once, for the first time… but you told me not to plant them because I talked about divorce… This one thing… as your husband, I want to give this to you as my final gift… I’ll plant those white flowers all around the estate… even if I leave, I’ll ask my aunt to look after them…”

Alec had never imagined that his relationship with Emily would enrage his family… Now that he knew everything, he wanted to go back, but with Sophia gone, he would never see her again. All he could do was continue apologizing, calling out to Sophia, who would never answer.