To Those Who Regretted After I Died - Chapter 70
“Mother, hasn’t anyone come to visit me?”
Emily, having recovered from her miscarriage, was in good spirits.
“No, not at all…”
Her mother didn’t tell her about the three men who had visited.
As Emily ate lunch with her mother, she noticed there were fewer dishes than usual, and more vegetables.
“I don’t want to eat just vegetables.”
“They’re good for you. Eat them.”
“I’m fine now. I want meat.”
“Meat is expensive. Be patient…”
“I don’t want vegetables! I’m finished.”
“Emily!”
Emily, pouting, left the table. Even at home, her spoiled nature hadn’t changed.
“Sigh…”
Her father had been leaving early in the morning and returning late at night, searching for work. There were even times when he had to go to his brother-in-law’s house and beg for food.
━━━━━━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━━━━━━
“I’m tired of eating the same thing every day.”
Emily lay in bed, thinking about Alec and Paul.
“I miss them… Why haven’t they come to see me…? I can’t believe they’re both gone…”
Emily touched her belly and thought about her sister, Sophia.
“Did my sister help me…? She took the child… whose father I didn’t know… Heh… Even in death, my sister is kind… I’m sorry, Sister, but I can’t give up on Alec. I’ll become the marchioness in your place.”
Emily got out of bed, went downstairs, and spoke to her mother.
“Mother, I’m sorry about earlier. I’ll eat my vegetables.”
“Emily.”
Emily took her mother’s hand and smiled.
“Mother, may I go out for a carriage ride?”
“What?”
“I’m feeling much better. Being cooped up in my room all day is making me feel unwell… May I go out?”
“Well… I suppose it would be alright…”
“Really! Thank you, Mother!”
“Wait, I’ll get ready.”
“Actually… I’d like to go out alone today…”
“What?! Alone?”
“I just want to look at the scenery from the carriage. Please?”
Emily clasped her hands together and looked at her mother pleadingly. Her mother looked troubled.
“Just looking at the scenery? Promise me you won’t go to Alec or Paul’s estates.”
“What…? No, I won’t…”
“Alright… Get ready.”
“Thank you, Mother!”
Emily hugged her mother and hurried to get ready.
Emily, delighted to be going out for the first time in a while, boarded the carriage.
“Take me to Alec’s estate.”
“What?! B-but… My Lady… I was told to take you to the park and around town…”
“It’s fine! I want to see Alec.”
“But if they find out I took you to the Parlis estate, I’ll be scolded.”
“They won’t know if you don’t tell them. Here, take this.”
“V-very well…”
Emily gave the driver two earrings and had him take her to Alec’s estate.
━━━━━━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━━━━━━
Emily, going out for the first time in a while, lied to her mother and had the carriage take her to the Parlis estate where Alec lived.
“Alec’s been cold and distant lately. It must be because of what the relatives are saying… But we love each other. I have to comfort him.”
Emily giggled, looking forward to seeing Alec.
The carriage passed through the gates of the Parlis estate. Emily looked at the familiar flowers from the carriage window.
“Heh… My flowers are blooming beautifully… Oh, there are white flowers planted there now. Those were my sister’s favorite… Did Alec plant them? The flowers are lovely… I want new clothes too… I’m tired of wearing the same outfits. I’ll go to my room, change, and then have tea in the garden with Alec…”
As always, Emily was already making plans to spend time with Alec.
“We’ve arrived, My Lady. Please return quickly.”
“I know.”
Emily got out of the carriage, admiring the flowers in the garden, and rang the doorbell.
One of the maids opened the door and stared at Emily with a surprised, “What?!” expression.
“It’s been a while. Is Alec here?”
“W-what are you doing here, Lady Emily?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I’m here to see Alec. Where is he? Is he at the shop?”
“Please leave.”
“I’m Alec’s fiancée! I want to go to my room!”
Emily raised her voice at the maid who refused to let her in.
“Hah! Fiancée? What are you talking about?”
“H-how dare you…!? address me so informally…”
Emily trembled at the maid’s sudden change in tone.
“Your selfishness has turned this house upside down! What are you going to do about it?!”
“W-what are you talking about? It’s not my fault…”
“It is your fault! It’s your fault My Lady Sophia is dead!!”
“’Your’…?”
Emily was taken aback by the maid, who was practically yelling at her.
“What’s all this commotion?”
“Oh… My Lady.”
“What? My Lady?”
Emily watched in surprise as the maid bowed her head to a woman approaching from outside.
“Who is this?”
“This is Lady Emily… My Lady Sophia’s younger sister…”
“Emily… Ah… so you’re the one… Alec was having an affair with.”
“Affair?! I was Alec’s beloved! We even have a child together!”
“You weren’t the one who was supposed to have his child. It was Sophia. And you ruined that.”
Emily was speechless, facing the woman’s stern gaze.
“Please see this lady out.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
“My Lady…? W-wait! Where’s Alec? I came here to see him… And who are you?”
“You…”
“Heh… you’re quite agitated, aren’t you? It seems there’s some history between you and Emily…”
“Oh! I apologize, My Lady.”
“I haven’t done anything…”
The woman looked at Emily, who was avoiding her gaze, and muttered,
“Alec is a fool… I am the wife of the master of the Parlis family.”
“What?!”
Emily stared at the smiling woman, trembling.
“That’s… a lie… Alec would never…”
“It’s not a lie. I am the marchioness. I don’t want you to ever come to the Parlis estate again. I’ll be returning to my room now.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
Emily’s face turned pale, and she collapsed to her knees.
“Oh, and I’ve disposed of all your belongings. Your taste in clothes was appalling.”
The woman chuckled, entered the mansion, and left Emily weeping.
“Sob… It’s not true… It’s not true… Alec!”
━━━━━━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━━━━━━
The maid bowed her head to the woman who had entered the mansion.
“Thank you… My Lady. I doubt Lady Emily will return after this.”
“I didn’t do anything. I’m marchioness, yes, but… So she was Alec’s mistress. I’ve seen him with her at social gatherings… I never imagined she was Sophia’s sister… Alec is a fool… To ruin his life for someone like her…”
She watched Emily crying from the mansion window.
“Carolina, is someone here?”
She smiled at Richard as he descended the stairs.
“No, there’s no one here, my love.”
The woman Emily had encountered was Carolina, Richard’s wife. Emily, having forgotten she had met Carolina at the banquet, didn’t realize the head of the Parlis family had changed. She mistakenly believed Carolina was Alec’s new wife and never saw Alec again.