To Those Who Regretted After I Died - Chapter 49
“Paul, don’t go! Don’t leave me! I’ll apologize… I’m sorry, I’ll apologize over and over, so please don’t say we’re breaking up…”
Emily clung to Paul, weeping and apologizing.
“…When you learned you were pregnant, who did you tell first?”
“Uh… well… Alec… Brother… But… my sister told him… that I might be pregnant…”
“Your sister… Your sister always knew… about you and him…”
“What?!”
Paul released Emily, who was looking up at him, and gazed at her with sorrowful eyes.
“…I’m glad I found out before the wedding… What would have happened if we’d gotten married without me knowing anything…? You seem to have enjoyed yourself without a thought for the consequences…”
“But we would have been happy if we got married, wouldn’t we?”
“…Not us… not anymore… You ruined everything…”
“What?! Me?”
“It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand… I’ll handle the annulment… You don’t need to tell me when the baby is born… Sigh… I should go… I won’t be able to attend your sister’s burial… Take care… Goodbye…”
“Paul?!”
Paul left Emily and ran back towards the church where the wedding ceremony was being held.
“…Paul… It’s not true… is it…? That we can’t get married…”
Emily collapsed to her knees, tears streaming down her face as she watched the church Paul had run towards disappear from view.
“…Emily…”
“M-mother… Paul… Paul… said he’s breaking up with me… Why? We’re having a baby…”
“Emily…”
Her mother comforted the weeping Emily. Alec, unable to approach Emily, merely watched her cry beside her mother.
Paul, having broken up with Emily, returned to the church where the wedding ceremony was nearing its end.
“Ah! Paul, where have you been?”
“Oh… Sorry…”
“We were just talking about you. Since your wedding is next month, we were planning a pre-celebration. Could you get in touch with your fiancée? I haven’t been introduced to her yet, and I’m looking forward to meeting her.”
“…The wedding… is off…”
“Huh?”
“…Sorry, I have to go… I’ll contact you later…”
“W-what? H-hey, Paul?”
Paul told his friend that the wedding was off, then left the church. He ran, tears blurring his vision as he wept uncontrollably.
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“Sob… Paul… Paul…”
Emily wept, repeating Paul’s name over and over.
“…How long do you intend to sit there?”
“But… Paul…”
“You need to give up on Paul.”
“…I can’t… I can’t give up on Paul…”
Emily, tears welling in her eyes, refused to accept that she had to break up with her fiancé. Her father, with a pained expression, raised his voice at her.
“If you didn’t want to break up with Paul, why did you betray him?! Why did you betray your sister, Sophia, by being with her husband?!”
“Don’t be angry, Father! Don’t just blame me… Alec is also…”
“…”
Emily looked at Alec, resentful that she was always the one being scolded by her father. She grew frustrated with Alec, who remained silent.
“Don’t blame everything on the marquis! This wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t done anything!”
“That’s cruel…”
Emily began to cry again, and her father sighed.
“Dear, don’t be too harsh on Emily. It’s not good for the baby.”
Her mother, worried, comforted the weeping Emily.
“This happened because you spoiled Emily!”
“What?! Are you blaming me?”
“You’re the one who always indulged Emily’s whims. You prioritized Emily’s whims over Sophia.”
“You did the same! Who was it that took away Sophia’s freedom?! Who was it that forced her to study relentlessly, depriving her of her freedom?!”
“W-well… that’s because… she was intelligent, and I wanted what was best for her…”
“Was she happy? If she was happy, why would she…”
Her mother’s voice trailed off as she wept, mourning Sophia’s death.
“…”
Alec, hearing his in-laws argue, felt the word “happy” pierce his heart. He lowered his head, unable to say anything.
“…Please stop! Lady Sophia wouldn’t want to see you like this.”
The doctor, seeing Sophia’s family arguing, didn’t want Sophia to see them in this state.
“…Y-you’re right… I’m sorry, dear… I went too far…”
“Me too… I’m sorry, dear…”
Her father apologized to her mother and took her hand. Emily, who had been sitting beside them, stood up.
“…You’re not saying anything…”
Emily looked at Alec, resentful that he wasn’t defending her from her father’s scolding.
“…What should I say?”
“Why aren’t you coming to my side when I’m crying? You always used to comfort me when I cried…”
“…You’re crying because of your fiancé, aren’t you? Why should I comfort you when you’re crying over him?”
“What?! A-Alec…”
Emily was taken aback by Alec’s cold attitude.
“…The burial is about to begin… Excuse me, I’ll go ahead to the gravesite…”
“Oh…”
Alec spoke to her parents and walked towards the graveyard alone. The doctor followed behind him. Her father sensed that the relationship between Alec and Emily was beginning to crumble.