When You Turned Your Back On Me, We Became Strangers [EN]: Chapter 15

“You’re coming today, right?”

“Yes, definitely.”

Reilly asked Ren again. There was no reason to stay here any longer. She was exhausted, utterly worn out.

The looks of scorn and contempt directed at her continued. There was no reason to endure it here.

Finally, a favorable outcome for her. It took quite a while, and it was a headache dealing with the constant requests for supplementary evidence and statements to prove everything.

Ren took care of it all, but it was quite a lot for one person to handle…….

Reilly dismissed her doubts and rose from her seat to read the letter.

[The documents will arrive at the Duke’s residence today. Everything is prepared, so you are free to leave.]

Reilly smiled contentedly at the short but necessary message.

“I wonder how he’ll react.”

The divorce lawsuit was perfect. Theo was at fault, and with the miscarriage, there would be no problem getting a divorce.

Above all, it had been publicized, making it nearly impossible for him to avoid the divorce. Theo, known for his integrity and love for only one woman, was seen by everyone as a steadfast romantic, so this would undoubtedly cause quite a stir.

Of course, he messed things up along the way, which made it quiet down quickly. That was also possible because he didn’t present any evidence. But Reilly had sent all the necessary evidence to the court while staying here.

That was also why she had to stay here.

Reilly didn’t pack much. Even the clothes she was wearing were newly bought. She had no intention of taking anything from this place that Theo had touched.

Except for her share of the money. The amount was larger than others thought, but she didn’t care.

She was about to leave the mansion with her luggage when Theo rushed out and grabbed Reilly’s hand.

“You’re leaving.”

*You don’t know it yet, but everything is over now.* Reilly looked at Theo, trying hard to suppress the rising corners of her lips.

“……Reilly.”

She would erase the terrible life she had lived here.

“This is absurd.”

Theo roughly pulled Reilly’s hand. The force with which he gripped her, as if he would never let go, made Reilly’s face contort miserably.

Reilly tried to shake off his grip, but it was no use.

Theo didn’t care about Reilly’s eyes, which were filled with resentment.

“Is what I suffered here reasonable?”

Tears finally streamed down her face. To the very end, this man was terribly selfish. Why was he trying to hold her back now?

She wasn’t sad. It was closer to tears of joy, knowing she could finally leave him and depart with a light heart.

“Reilly, you know I love you.”

“……Love, you say?”

At Theo’s words, a hollow laugh escaped Reilly’s lips.

What on earth was the love he spoke of?

Loving her while keeping another woman by his side?

Or using her to bear his child?

“You said you loved me? How dare you utter such words to me?”

You filthy bastard. She didn’t even want to treat him like a human; she hated him so much that she didn’t even want to hear him say he loved her.

Reilly reached out and struck Theo’s chest. Her slender hand didn’t inflict any damage on him, but Theo simply looked down at her struggling form.

“Live well with Anna, whom you love so much. I don’t love you anymore.”

“Reilly! Don’t you know? There’s no rule that you can only love one person. Otherwise, all nobles wouldn’t have mistresses.”

He shamelessly refused to admit his mistake. To the very end, he made Reilly miserable.

“I! I wanted you to love only me. No, at least I just wanted you to love me for who I am…….”

You only wanted the child that would come from me. You blinded me with the lie of love and kept me by your side only as a tool, yet you talk about love.

Reilly’s teeth chattered at Theo’s words.

“I love you. Really. Reilly, so-”

“No, perhaps it was blind love from the start.”

Reilly pulled away from Theo, wiped her tears, and stepped back a couple of paces, clutching her reddened wrist.

“Let’s get a divorce; I’ll leave this place.”

Theo’s face twisted for the first time. Only after the word divorce came out did she see a change in his expression, and Reilly couldn’t help but let out a mocking laugh.

“That can’t happen! Please, don’t do this.”

Reilly backed away, avoiding Theo as he tried to grab her. She retreated as many steps as Theo took forward.

“Don’t make me miserable anymore.”

Because she felt like throwing even the good memories into the trash.

Now she would leave this place and live happily.

For herself, and for her child who left because of her foolishness.

“Let’s never see each other again.”

With this, everything was over, and it was a new beginning.

Reilly quickly boarded the carriage. She firmly closed the door so that Theo could no longer catch her, and the carriage quickly began to leave the Duke’s residence.

“Reilly!”

Theo shouted as he watched the carriage disappear. She, who he had never imagined would escape his grasp, had left him.

He couldn’t believe this situation. But in the end, he thought Reilly would return.

*‘I’m sorry, Reilly, but I have no intention of granting you a divorce.’*

Theo stared blankly at the place where Reilly had left. She had nothing left, but somehow, a corner of his heart felt empty.

*‘Since you have nowhere else to go anyway, you’ll come back.’*

The reason he didn’t grab her hand one more time when she shook him off was because she was no longer of value. Moreover, divorce? He thought she was naive to think he would readily grant it.

Theo had brought her in with all sorts of titles just because she was a princess of the Tralia family.

But he didn’t know. That Reilly had prepared everything before leaving.

Anna, who had been watching since who knows when, naturally approached Theo.

“Duke. From now on, I will take good care of you by your side.”

Anna gently took Theo’s arm. He had never disliked her touch.

But this time, it felt strangely unpleasant. Theo’s face contorted at the unfamiliar feeling.

“You must be tired; rest, Anna.”

Theo pulled Anna’s arm away and smiled, raising the corners of his lips.

“……Duke.”

He turned his head, avoiding Anna’s gaze, which was looking at him with expectant eyes.

He knew very well what her eyes meant.

*‘I don’t know why I’m doing this.’*

He had no intention of making Anna the Duchess. He gave Reilly the seat next to him because it was Reilly. He married her because she was from the Tralia family.

“Your Excellency!”

A servant rushed to Theo, panting, with a desperate voice. He held a newspaper in his hand.

“What’s all this commotion?”

“T, this! ……Haa, haa! Please, take a look!”

The servant caught his breath as he handed over the newspaper in his hand. Theo’s face suddenly crumpled as he received the newspaper.

“What is this!”

[The reality of Duke Theo Albert of the Prinz family.

The hidden mistress of Duke Prinz. Who is she?]

Theo was furious at the story about him on the front page of the newspaper.

Hadn’t he already stopped it once? Yet, his hands trembled at the scandal article plastered on the front page again.

Furthermore, he couldn’t even deny the attached evidence. How meticulously had she prepared all this?

Wasn’t leaving the Duke’s residence all for this?

Theo glared at the place where Reilly had boarded and left, grinding his teeth.

His reputation, which he had built up over the years, would collapse with just one scandal.

Above all, his head throbbed at the thought that the Tralia family wouldn’t stand still.

Even though she had been abandoned, everyone knew that Reilly was a princess of the Tralia family. He had hoped they wouldn’t care, but with the newspaper published, they wouldn’t remain silent.

Anna, who had been glancing at the contents of the newspaper from behind Theo, slightly raised the corners of her lips.

*‘I had my doubts, but this woman is amazing?’*

Anna hadn’t believed it when Reilly had told her. She thought it was just talk, but she had finally made it happen and left the Duke’s residence.

Theo had blocked the previous newspaper article, so she thought it would quiet down again this time, but after seeing the article and the attached photos and statements, it didn’t seem likely.

*‘Hmm, it’s not a bad thing.’*

Come to think of it, it was a good opportunity for her. Now that their relationship was openly known, she didn’t have to hide anymore.

Who would want to marry a man with a lover? Especially with the existing Duchess Reilly having left. Above all, nobles of high rank valued pride and honor.

So this position was hers and no one else’s. Anna wasn’t a noble of high rank, nor did she value honor.

“Duke, now that it’s come to this, formally….”

“Anna, stop; don’t say any more. I might be greatly disappointed in you.”

“Duke……?”

Theo made an even more distorted expression than before. Soon, seeing the tears welling up in Anna’s eyes, he sighed and roughly ran a hand over his face.

He gently cupped Anna’s cheeks and said softly.

“Anna, you were a woman who was happy just to receive my love without coveting anything else, weren’t you? That’s why I loved you. I hope you haven’t changed…….”

Anna heard Theo’s words as if he was telling her not to covet his position.

“Anna, I have no intention of divorcing Reilly.”

“Do you really mean that?”

Her two hands, clutching the hem of her dress, trembled. Did he know what he was saying to her right now?

Abandon me…?

She thought it was Reilly who was being abandoned. He always said that Reilly was just someone needed for the Prinz family.

Anna’s two lips were tightly shut. She really didn’t think he would abandon her.

“Duke, please be honest. Are you thinking of bringing in another… woman?”

“No. The Duchess will only ever be one person: Reilly.”

She couldn’t believe it. There was something contradictory in the Duke’s words. Wasn’t the woman he wanted someone to continue the family line? Reilly was also someone who would bear his child, so that’s why…….

“Ha!”

Anna soon burst into laughter.

The only reason she could sit in the Duchess’s seat was because she was a princess and the eldest daughter of the Tralia family—to use the name of the Tralia family in the future.

If Duke Berito died, only Reilly and Leta would be left.

She thought he would love her forever for taking her out of that hellish house, but Reilly had left. But he seemed to think Reilly would return.

Anna’s mind flashed back to the words Reilly had said to her. Perhaps she already knew everything, and that’s why she said those things to her.

Anna’s eyes, filled with betrayal and anger, suddenly widened.

*‘That’s…?’*

Anna doubted her eyes. She blinked several times to see if what she was seeing was real or if she was hallucinating.

“……D, Duke!”

Anna urgently grabbed the Duke’s collar at the still clearly visible crest [family emblem on the carriage].

“Anna, stop; I don’t want to talk anymore today. It’s better for you to go in and rest-”

“Look behind you!”

At Anna’s words, Theo’s head turned sharply. A white carriage approaching the Duke’s residence came into view. And the carriage bore the imperial crest [symbol of the royal family].

Theo and Anna stared blankly at the carriage in the sudden situation. Suddenly regaining his senses, Theo hurriedly told Anna to go inside.

“B, but….”

Despite Anna’s refusal, Theo pushed her into the Duke’s residence. He told the maids to prepare tea and refreshments and then took a deep breath.

*‘Why is the imperial family…. There’s no reason for them to come here without any notice like this.’*

As if knowing Theo’s heart, the imperial carriage soon entered the Duke’s residence.

He swallowed hard without realizing it. Soon, the door of the carriage opened and a man appeared.

It was none other than the Crown Prince. Theo bowed his head and hurriedly greeted him.

“I greet His Imperial Highness, the light of the Empire.”

“…….”

In Theo’s eyes, who was bowing, he saw a crumpled document in the Crown Prince’s hand. A familiar name was written in the signature line.

Reilly Sharltea.

*‘Divorce lawsuit…?’*

Theo’s head momentarily lifted.

……Reilly!

When he raised his head, he met golden eyes filled with murderous intent. The Crown Prince’s gaze was so sharp that the hair on his body stood on end.

The Crown Prince’s lips softly curved into an arc as he met Theo’s bewildered eyes.

“I came today instead of yesterday…….”

The document in the Crown Prince’s hand was further crumpled by the force of his grip. The Crown Prince was clearly smiling, but Theo felt a sharper, more intense aura than before, making his whole body tingle.

“You should think of it as earning a day’s worth of life.”

Theo’s body flinched at the Crown Prince’s words. He couldn’t say anything at the Crown Prince’s attitude, which seemed as if he would really kill him.