When My Contract with the Misanthropic Duke Ended, I Filed For Divorce, But My Husband's Obsession and Doting Became Unbearable - Chapter 19

After that, Reed also left the room again, and I was alone once more. But after meeting the Duke even once, my feelings were surprisingly calm. I didn’t get to say what I wanted to, but remembering how the Duke had cried so much out of worry, I couldn’t believe he was still angry about my failure that day during the audience.

Now, I couldn’t help but wonder what the Duke had really thought when he answered those questions back then.

Come to think of it, I never asked about the divorce either. There are too many things I haven’t asked, and I’ve just been swept along by everything without solving a single thing… Maybe I should learn to stay calmer.

Anyway, I should think about what’s next. The only ones who said they’d come to visit were the Duke and my brother, so…

“Then, it’s just my brother left.”

“Did you call for me?”

“Eh? …Ehh!?”

I muttered to myself without thinking, and suddenly a voice came from beside me. When I turned to the side of the bed, my brother was there, resting his chin on the mattress and looking at me.
Eh? Since when!?

“I did knock, you know? But you didn’t answer, so I got worried and came in. Looks like you’re fine though.”

“O-oh, I see…”

I didn’t even notice him this close? My awareness really is terrible… Well, my brother has always had a quiet presence, but still!

“Hm, you’re thinking something rude, aren’t you?”

“N-no, not at all…”

He still looked as gentle and laid-back as ever, but when it came to this kind of thing, he was oddly sharp. My brother really is amazing sometimes.

“Well, I’m not mad. I’m just glad you seem healthier than I expected. They told me to come a bit later than planned, so I adjusted it by about one minute.”

“One… minute…”

That’s hardly a delay at all. He must’ve gotten permission after hearing from Reed, but for him to make it here at exactly this time, I guess he must’ve talked his way through it. He’s always been good with words, so I can imagine how he did it.

“The one who actually wanted to delay the time wasn’t me, right?”

“Ugh… well, yeah.”

It looked like he’d already figured everything out. It’s nice that I don’t have to explain, but it’s been three years since we last saw each other, and he still understands me this well… He’s probably already heard about the whole situation from Reed as a family member.

I wonder how much he knows. Maybe he knows more about everything that’s going on than I do.

“What I heard from the Second Prince was that the Duke—because he was such a coward—ended up making you suffer for three years, so they pretended to arrange a divorce to… oh.”

“A fake… divorce?”

My brother quickly covered his mouth with both hands as if to say, Oops, I shouldn’t have said that. But I’d already heard him. Wait—so the divorce that everyone said was settled… was a lie? But why? I couldn’t figure out what Reed was thinking, but judging by what my brother almost said, it must’ve been part of some plan of his.

“Can we pretend you didn’t hear that?”

“That’s impossible…”

Even though he said that, my brother didn’t look the least bit sorry. It was obvious he’d said it on purpose. Reed probably meant to keep that part secret, and yet here my brother was, casually spilling it. He’s surprisingly bold when he wants to be.

“Haha, yeah, I figured. Well, this might actually become real, depending on how the Duke acts from now on. But it’s a secret, okay? Still, after seeing how he was when you were unconscious, I think it’ll be fine.
It was so obvious how much he loves you — the Duke couldn’t see anyone but you.”

“D-don’t tease me…”

Even though I knew he was teasing, his words didn’t sound like lies. That made my face burn bright red, and I hated how easily I reacted. If only I could stop showing my feelings so plainly… but because I’m like this, I always end up being teased.

“You’re quite devoted too, Sharon. But even after everything you’ve been through, you don’t blame the Duke — you just defend him. Is that because of how strongly you feel about him?”

My brother suddenly looked serious as he asked that, and the redness in my cheeks faded away.

“I don’t know… But other than what he said on our wedding night, the Duke never hurt me. So I just feel like blaming him for what others did wouldn’t be right. It’s partly my fault for not saying anything.”

“Your wedding night, huh. That’s the first I’ve heard of it. But Sharon, the reason you couldn’t say anything for three years is because the Duke failed to do his duty as a husband, isn’t it?”

Maybe I said too much, but I’ve never been able to lie to my brother when he looks that serious.

“His duty as a husband…?”

“The effort to earn his wife’s trust. No matter what, when someone marries into a household, they’re surrounded by strangers. So even if he dislikes people, the Duke still had a duty — as a husband — to make sure you felt safe and welcome. That was part of the king’s command as well. The main problem was that he put himself first and treated the marriage lightly. Because of that mistake at the very beginning, you ended up suffering alone for three years with no one to talk to. Even if you wanted to ask for help, the fact that you could barely see him at home because of his dislike for people — that alone was strange.”

“T-that’s because the Duke was busy…”

“For three years straight? Then that’s the same as not listening at all, isn’t it? You know, I really thought you’d finally been freed from that house. I even made sure our parents stayed out of your way for your sake. But when I found out that the place you married into was even worse, I couldn’t help but feel furious — at everyone involved, but especially at the Duke for failing to fulfill his duty as a husband.”

“His duty… as a husband?”

“To create an environment where his wife can live comfortably. That starts with the husband taking the lead, and later it naturally becomes the wife’s role. If even the Duke himself felt uncomfortable living there, then that’s an entirely different problem altogether.”

My brother really was someone who thought deeply about marriage. Listening to him, I couldn’t help but think that if things had been the way he described, everything might have turned out differently.

Maybe… just as he said, I really should complain to the Duke at least once.
…Whether I can actually say it or not is another story, though.