Seeking for Your Forgiveness

o spit out those words.
At such a critical moment, words that she thought couldn’t come out of her mouth were easily delivered.

 

It was natural as if she had been practicing it for a long time.

 

Tsk.

 

Kristoff clicked his tongue.
After checking his watch once again, he held the bag in his hand.
The dry voice came out of his also dry lips.

 

“Is it because of Veronica? I’m sorry for my sister-in-law’s death, but she obviously had jumped into the river.
I checked the police investigation records on my own and met my roommate in the dormitory.
According to her, she had a hard time when she was told about her breakup.
There’s no question about this matter, Marianne.”

 

Marianne smiled bitterly at his firm tone.

 

Veronica hasn’t gone near the water since she almost drowned in a well when she was young.
She was a scared child who turned around to another street when she saw a fountain.

 

It was understandable that Veronica, who was betrayed by her lover, had to make an extreme choice as she could not endure the deep sense of loss.
However, she couldn’t believe that the poor girl chose to jump into the river.

 

However, Kristoff didn’t listen to her at all.
Marianne was painfully helpless as she could not do anything for Veronica.

 

No, it might be even more shocking that the important matter for her was considered nothing to Kristoff.

 

If so, the truths that she had tried to ignore come crashing right before Marianne’s eyes.
The fact that she might not be very important to him as well.

 

As Kristoff said, Veronica’s incident was clearly a trigger for this.
However, firewood has steadily piled up inside her for over the past three years.

 

The only thing left was waiting for the flames to burn it entirely and violently.
And then, only white ashes would be scattered in her heart.

 

With no more love, resentment, and expectation that has gone with it.

 

Would it be more comfortable than this?

 

“Stop playing a silly prank on me.”

 

Kristoff was extremely realistic and rational even at this moment when she asked for a divorce.
It was clear that he thought she was being pretentious.
Or, it seemed to be a threat in order to find out more about Veronica’s case.

 

Kristoff’s indifferent attitude was a sign of credence that a divorce wouldn’t happen without his consent.
And Kristoff absolutely had no intention of divorcing her.

 

Marianne casted a glance at his watch and gave a signal with her eyes.

 

“The business I have with you is over.
We can’t keep Sir Judge Pottenstein waiting, can we?”

 

“I’ll talk to you when I return.”

 

Kristoff strutted across the office without a single refusal.
For him, the meeting with Sir Judge Pottenstein was more important than the divorce with Marianne, who had been staying with him for three years.

 

Lastly, a bitter smile formed on Marianne’s mouth.
She thought it would be like this.
However, it doesn’t mean that she wouldn’t be hurt.

 

Tuk.

 

She heard another piece of wood piling up in her chest.
The wood that would soon get caught in fire and burn until it became black.

 

“Marianne.”

 

At that time, Kristoff stopped walking for a moment as he proceeded to leave the office.
He turned around and stared at Marianne right in the face.
There was a gaping wound in her and a bitter look on her face.

 

After checking his watch for the last time, he proceeded to walk through the hallway again.

 

“Let’s talk in the evening.”

 

Marianne slowly dropped her gaze while hearing the distant footsteps.
Any chance for hope and expectation turned into disappointment and Kristoff unknowingly discarded his last chance.

 

Marianne looked as if she was about to cry and raised her chin confidently.

 

“No, I can’t see you in the evening, Kristoff.”

 

She mumbled to herself in the empty room where her feet lingered.
Right, he would never get to see her again.

 

It was a revenge toward Kristoff, who had abandoned his last chance, and a once-in-a-lifetime departure to protect himself.

 

“Carin!”

 

Marianne shouted out the maid’s name.
Carin, who quickly appeared from somewhere, bowed her head and said, “Did you call me, Lady Schneider?”

 

Lady Schneider.

 

Marianne unconsciously flinched at those words.
She smiled gracefully just like usual as if nothing had happened.

 

Everything has gone as she expected so far.
However, there was no guarantee that it would keep being like that.

 

A perfect plan is bound to collapse with just a single crack.

 

Marianne pulled the corners of her mouth into a smile as she looked at Carin with thoughtful eyes.

 

“I’m going to go shopping right now, can you hurry up and prepare for the outing?”

 

“Of course, Lady Schneider.”

 

Carin walked out of the office with frequent steps.
Marianne casually looked around the room after staring at her from behind for a moment.
She captured the last view of the office with her eyes to be kept in her mind for a long time.

 

Even the appearance of the man who stayed there a moment ago.

 

***

 

The car carrying Marianne and Carin drove slowly through the endless garden.
The guard, who had been waiting with the opened gate, greeted the passing car.

 

In the front part of the mansion, the private property was adorned by lines of metasequoia trees on both sides.
They were tall trees that could only be seen by completely tilting their necks.

 

The slowly speeding car crossed the endless road filled with Metasequoia trees.
Marianne turned her head and looked at the distant mansion through the car window.

 

A three-story white stone building that stood magnificently on the green grass.
The blue roof shone more clearly in contrast to the white colored exterior wall.

 

The fun things that happened there, kind people, and the memories she shared with Kristoff flashed through her mind like a flashlight.

 

“What’s the matter, Lady Schneider? Is there anything left behind?”

 

Carin looked at her and asked curiously.
Marianne shook her head after coming back to her senses and smiled faintly.

 

“No, Carin.
There’s no such thing.”

 

There couldn’t have been any lingering feelings behind.