After I Died, My Husband Went Mad - Chapter 25
At the outskirts of a small village far from the north, a carriage pulled by two horses came to a halt on a quiet road.
“We’ve arrived, ma’am.”
“Thank you.”
With a brief acknowledgment, Sebelia disembarked the carriage alone. Her bright eyes scanned the surroundings. Carrying a few belongings, she gently placed them on the ground by the roadside.
“Have a nice day, then.”
The coachman’s tone was casual. Sebelia almost instinctively glanced back at the carriage. However, the seasoned coachman promptly cracked the whip.
Crack–
The horse’s whinny echoed long and loud, and soon the carriage was out of her sight. It was only then that Sebelia could lift the hat that had obscured her face.
He’s efficient, just as Denisa said.
Observing the trees with leaves stretching down to her waist, Sebelia calmly started walking. The coachman hadn’t asked her a single question throughout the journey.
Well, it’s expected from those aiding escapees.
Sebelia smiled bitterly and tightened her grip on her bag. She walked toward the address Denisa had given her.
“Ah.”
The smell of freshly baked bread wafting in the air was very pleasant.
* * *
As expected, the house wasn’t the least bit clean.
“Still, this is better than nothing.”
For the first time in a long time, Sebelia took a mop in her hand and gave the place a good cleaning. When she saw the clean house, all the memories that had been clogging up her mind seemed to disappear.
“…I could live here.”
It was just an old and dim wooden cottage, yet for some reason, it felt like a space that filled her heart with warmth. Sebelia smiled faintly, feeling more tolerant of everything since leaving the mansion.
“Ugh.”
Though the pain was worse than before…
It can’t be helped. Maintaining the illusion from afar takes a toll.
Unfortunately, the satisfaction of having cleaned was short-lived as her blood dripped to the floor. Sebelia smiled weakly and fetched a bucket of water.
The wind blew through the open window, tickling her cheeks as it drifted away. It had been a long time since she’d felt this free and relaxed. Inside the mansion, she hadn’t been able to leave her windows open and couldn’t even enjoy the sunlight properly, having been afraid of being watched.
There were times when even Dehart seemed to be watching me.
At that time, her heart felt like it might leap out of her chest. With an involuntary sigh, Sebelia continued to bask in the sun for a while longer.
Knock, knock.
“My Lady.”
She heard the voice she had been eagerly awaiting. Sebelia jumped to her feet and threw open the door.
“Denisa!”
“My Lady…”
With watery eyes, Denisa pulled her into a tight embrace. Sebelia’s chest trembled in her warmth.
“It’s over now. Truly over,” Denisa exclaimed.
Her words sent shivers down Sebelia’s spine.
Clutching her trembling form, Denisa whispered, “There will be no more unhappy young lady.”
“Ah.”
“Sebelia Inverness is no more.”
It had been four days since leaving the mansion. Four days of maintaining the illusion, vomiting blood throughout the night. For three days, Sebelia anxiously listened to the murmurs of passersby, fearing that a funeral was still taking place.
But that time, which felt like an eternity yet passed so fleetingly…
That morning, Sebelia’s death was officially recognized. Receiving the news from Denisa, Sebelia sighed deeply.
“Oh my god.”
[Sebelia Inverness, Duchess, aged 29, has passed away… Family members in attendance… Waves of mourning continue…]
There, along with the grand mansion of Inverness, her death was vividly printed in black and white. Tears welled in Sebelia’s blue eyes as she stared intensely at the paper. Her hands trembled as she clutched it.
“At last… finally.”
These were the words she had longed for so desperately. The moment she had awaited with trembling anticipation, dreading if things might go awry.
The simple statement: “Sebelia Inverness has died.” It was all she had wanted, creating a fake corpse and fleeing to this place.
But why, after all the anticipation, why couldn’t she say the words to herself—that she was dead?
“At last… I…”
Even as tears of joy streamed down her face, Sebelia wondered.
In that moment, a glimpse of the past flashed vividly over her closed eyes. The beautiful days when she had dreamed of a future with him, and the day that future crashed into ruins.
A shattered past, radiant and dreadful like broken jewels.
The tragedy began with her father.
