“…What are you doing?”
“As you can see, I’m tending to the garden. What are you doing here?”
Lord Kernes stared at me in astonishment.
Why was my former husband, now divorced, here of all places?
This was my family’s land in Lufen territory, specifically the small garden I’d cultivated in our backyard.
After throwing the divorce papers at my father-in-law, I had packed my belongings and returned home to the Lufen estate.
As expected, my parents fainted when they saw me.
Since I’d only spent about two months at the Palermore estate, packing was quick and simple.
I bid a brief farewell to the staff and left a note for Lord Kernes, who wasn’t home at the time.
“A fine garden… No, wait, that’s not the point! When I got home, the butler told me you’d said your goodbyes to everyone and returned to your family. Then I found your note, where you wrote about giving the divorce papers to Father and wishing me happiness with Diana. I didn’t understand any of it! After hearing the full story from my mother, I rushed here.”
“Was there an issue with the divorce papers?”
“No! That’s not it! I have absolutely no intention of divorcing you!”
“Why not? Diana begged you to marry her, and you didn’t come home that night. I assumed it was settled…”
“You overheard my conversation with Diana? Then you must have also seen the situation…”
“Oh…” I instinctively covered my mouth with my hand. I’d exposed my eavesdropping.
“That was… Diana panicked because Father told her to marry me or leave Utrecht behind. She regretted her words once she calmed down. As for not coming home that night, it’s because Utrecht wouldn’t go to sleep, and I ended up dozing off with him while playing. There’s been nothing improper between Diana and me—ever!”
“But wouldn’t it be better for you to divorce me and marry Diana? You once said you had someone you loved and couldn’t forget. That’s obviously Diana. You’d be much happier with her than with someone like me, whom you’ll never love.”
“That’s…” Lord Kernes seemed to want to say something, but I continued.
“Besides, I have no intention of dealing with your father—or rather, that man. And he wouldn’t accept me even if I wanted to stay. He’d never allow it.”
“My father and mother divorced.”
“What?”
I was stunned by his unexpected response. Divorce? His parents? But his father was a son-in-law.
“Father was sent back to the viscount’s house—essentially kicked out. They won’t be happy to have him back, I’m sure. Mother had endured his tyranny for years to protect the Palermore family. She never had the freedom to voice her pain, whether it was obeying her father or her husband. But then you showed up—throwing divorce papers, dumping ink on him, leaving dramatic lines, and even breaking the door. You did quite a lot, didn’t you?”
Lord Kernes chuckled as if the image amused him.
“Haha!” I laughed awkwardly, trying to brush it off. It was, after all, my final farewell, and I had just… let loose.
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