After I Died, My Husband Went Mad [EN]: Chapter 44

Sevelia led Claude to his room and returned to the living room. She wasn’t sure what had upset him, but she wanted to make him a cup of warm cocoa to help him recover from the shock.

However, she found Worts already there. He was just coming out of the kitchen and blinked sleepily at her, trying to stifle a yawn.

“Bella, I thought you went for a walk.”

“I was going to… but Mr. Cardy didn’t look well when he came downstairs. I took him to his room.”

“Hmm…”

Worts, hearing Sevelia’s words, stroked his chin and glanced towards the stairs. Sevelia suspected he also believed Dihart was the cause of Claude’s distress. He sighed and handed the teacup he was holding to Sevelia.

“I can’t be bothered. Please take this to Claude, I mean, Cardy.”

“Yes. Are you going upstairs to check on Dihart, Worts?”

“Since the person in charge has disappeared, I have to take care of him.”

Worts shrugged and headed upstairs. Sevelia watched him go, then turned towards Claude’s room.

‘Claude was his real name. Then Cardy must be… a nickname.’

Perhaps because he was tired, Worts had let slip something he normally wouldn’t. Thanks to that, Sevelia now knew Cardy’s real name.

‘No wonder, Cardy is too cute to be a real name.’

With his chestnut hair and golden eyes, Claude, who was just as physically imposing as Dihart, was an attractive man with a gentle smile. Sevelia had inwardly thought that his name didn’t quite fit his appearance.

‘Claude suits him better.’

But why would he tell her his nickname, Cardy? If it were her, she would have revealed the name Claude and kept the cheerful nickname a secret. Sevelia frowned, pondering the question.

‘Could it be related to his past?’

Claude’s easy familiarity with Dihart’s name, which she hadn’t even told him, and his desperate plea, asking if she knew anything about his illness… it was clear they were close.

Moreover, he shared several similarities in appearance with Dihart, especially those striking golden eyes. She had been deliberately ignoring it until now… but it was becoming harder to deny.

‘A relative of Dihart who needs to hide his identity. Should I investigate, or should I continue to play dumb?’

Which approach would benefit her more? No sooner had one worry faded than another arose. Was this what a life without peace felt like? Sevelia sighed and knocked on the door.

Knock knock. Soon, Claude’s weak voice called out from inside.

* * *

“Yes, what is it?”

Worts, opening the door, couldn’t hide his exhaustion. He was already worn out, and these relatives were constantly fighting, giving him no rest.

‘I’ve mostly detoxified him. Should I just kick him out?’

He didn’t know what Dihart was thinking, continuing to take that medicine, but his condition wasn’t too bad now. If he ate properly and exercised for a week, he could be discharged from the ‘lab’ without much trouble.

‘Then this house will be a little quieter. It bothered me that Claude was secretly sobbing in the early morning.’

The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to kick him out. Worts suppressed a yawn and stared at Dihart. Dihart’s brown eyes, which had been languidly relaxed, narrowed as soon as he saw Worts.

He was admiring the newly bloomed flowers outside the closed window.

“…Could I double-check the medication I prescribed for you?”

“Is that your way of calling me crazy, Doctor? That’s certainly a unique approach.”

“Your mouth is still as sharp as ever. That’s a relief. If even your speech [manner of speaking] had become refined, I’d think you needed a mental evaluation.”

Dihart’s calm expression shifted to one of bewilderment. Seeing Dihart’s questioning gaze, Worts nodded seriously.

“Something might have gone wrong during the detoxification process.”

“…Ha. Okay. Let’s drop the argument.”

Dihart’s chest rose and fell. He took a deep breath and spoke to Worts.

“I need a full explanation of what happened to me.”

“No wonder that guy [Claude] was surprised and ran away. It feels like I’m standing in front of a different person.”

Worts clicked his tongue and leaned against the wall. Dihart, whom he met again after the last seizure, was a completely different person. The precarious and self-destructive aura, like cracked glass, had vanished, replaced by the dignified Duke of Inverness.

“Tsk.”

So that’s the Duke of Inverness. No wonder Claude turned pale and fled downstairs. Worts wondered if he should give him a sedative and throw him out now. However, Dihart, having regained his strength and reason, was no longer an easy opponent.

‘…Impossible.’

I can’t help it. Worts ruffled his hair and straightened his posture. Dihart’s eyes were serious.

* * *

“Are you feeling better now?”

Sevelia asked, looking at Claude sitting on the bed. Claude raised his head slightly at her question. He chuckled softly and nodded.

“I received help, thank you.”

“I received more help. Don’t worry about it. Then, rest well.”

Sevelia was about to leave, tidying up the empty teacup, when Claude suddenly looked up and stared at her, as if struck by lightning. Startled by the sudden movement, Sevelia turned to face him.

“Mr. Claude?”

“Bella, if you don’t mind… wait, how do you know my name?”

“Mr. Worts mentioned it.”

“Ah, I see. He might have told you. Yes, ah, to continue, um… can I ask you a question?”

His voice was low and serious. Sevelia gripped the tray and stared at him silently. After a moment, she slowly nodded. Claude clenched and unclenched his fist, then hesitantly spoke.

“Dihart… is it true that he chased you here?”

This was a question he had been avoiding. Claude hadn’t asked because he thought he could send Dihart away quickly, and Sevelia had been silent because he hadn’t asked.

But now the situation had changed. Dihart, having regained his memory… was demanding to stay.

[We’ve been separated for almost twenty years and just barely reunited as family. I want to be together.]

[You…….]

[Didn’t you miss me, Uncle?]

Dihart was deliberately bringing up the past and poking at his sore spots. His nephew, looking at him with mournful eyes and calling him uncle. Even knowing it was an act, Claude couldn’t stop his heart from pounding. So, he had cowardly run away.

In his haste, he had bumped into the kind Bella and returned to his room with her help. And when he came to his senses, he realized he was in an even more precarious situation.

‘Wait, isn’t she the reason Dihart came here?’

Of course, it was a guess based on Bella and Dihart’s reactions… but it felt almost certain. Claude realized he was in a truly difficult situation.

Because Dihart, having regained his memory, would do anything to stay…….

“Did Dihart try to harm you in any way? Please, tell me honestly.”

If his guess was correct, the woman before him was a victim being pursued by Dihart. As expected, Sevelia’s face hardened at Claude’s earnest words, and Claude’s face turned ashen at her reaction.

* * *

“So… the medicine I’ve been taking is a combination that hasn’t been prescribed for twelve years because of serious side effects.”

Dihart laughed in disbelief. According to Worts, the medicine was highly addictive, caused withdrawal symptoms, and even led to seizures if taken long-term.

“I started taking the medicine fifteen years ago… I can’t help but blame my former doctor.”

Dihart snarled, his face fierce.

“To insist on such a long, incorrect prescription is suspicious.”

Loden, the former doctor of Hillen Hall who retired a few years ago, had prescribed him a specially formulated medicine from the time Dihart was fourteen, claiming it was a much stronger tranquilizer than those on the market.

Dihart had been suffering from terrible headaches and nightmares at the time, so he had accepted the medicine without much suspicion. It was effective, and Loden was a trustworthy person who had worked for the family since his grandfather’s generation. Even after retiring and entrusting his affairs to Marquis Rims, Loden had continued to send him the medicine.

That lasted for fifteen years.

“If someone is unfamiliar with the latest trends in medicine, they might be behind. But… yes, you’re right. He didn’t know about the side effects of the medicine for that long? That’s ridiculous.”

Worts calmly agreed with Dihart.

“There’s a high possibility he was deliberately prescribing medicine with significant side effects.”

“Following my uncle and aunt, now it’s my former doctor.”

Dihart lay down on the bed and covered his face. He squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his teeth, fighting the urge to scream.

‘It’s truly awful.’

It was as if he had suddenly realized he was a character in a play. The world around him was a stage built on lies, and he was just a puppet dancing on it – a terrible realization.

And all of this started with Sevelia’s death. With her death, the ugly secrets hidden within Hillen Hall began to surface. If it weren’t for her, he wouldn’t have come here…….

“Ah.”

Dihart let out a soft exclamation and sat up. Worts’ eyelids, which had been drooping against the wall, fluttered open. Dihart smiled politely.

“Sorry, but could you undo this damn chain?”

My uncle ran away before I could even ask. The added words sounded deceptively gentle.