After I Died, My Husband Went Mad - Chapter 37
And the result was precisely this.
“P-please… spare…”
Dehart lifted Roman by the collar, the doctor’s feet flailing in the air.
“I don’t understand you. No, that’s not it. There was never a reason for me to understand you from the start.”
The sight of Dehart talking to himself while staring at him with his flashing golden eyes was terrifying.
He’s gone mad because of the curse…!
Roman wished he had turned around the moment he heard the butler’s words. But it was already too late.
Dehart whispered in Roman’s ear, “My wife was even insulted on her final journey. Because of that curse, she was driven out to the guest house where she died alone… you all…”
At that moment, Roman realized the gravity of the situation and wished he had acted promptly upon hearing the butler’s words. But by then, it was already too late.
His frantically muttering voice rushed past his ears like a river. “For God’s sake…get a hold of yourself!”
“No, Roman, that’s not what you’re supposed to say.”
Throwing Roman to the floor, Dehart brushed a stray strand of hair out of his face and laughed dryly.
“You should apologize to her, get down on your knees, bow your head…”
“You want me to apologize to a corpse that’s probably rotting in the ground?”
Roman was on the verge of losing his mind now. It didn’t matter if he was a duke or not.
The Duke of Inverness, the man he revered, was as good as dead from the moment he’d burned this historic mansion and cast away his duty. So when DeHart pulled him back to his feet, Roman let out what he’d been holding back.
“She was nothing but a pawn for the Capital!”
The heated tension in the air abruptly dissipated.
“Even if it were someone else, they would have done the same. She wasn’t someone worthy of our hospitality, only our suspicion. She was a traitor.”
It was like a fog was being lifted in Dehart’s mind. Sensing his momentary hesitation, Roman pushed forward and shouted, “That bastard betrayed Inverness first. She deceived you! Didn’t you know that? Isn’t that why you punished her?”
Facing the stunned Dehart, Roman voiced his grievances.
“Why act this way now? That person is a traitor not even worthy of sympathy. Have you forgotten how she betrayed you, the Duke?”
“…”
“Still, it was an honorable death. Please, come back to your senses. Stop trampling on our pride in serving Inverness…!”
It was a sentiment shared by the other servants.
“…”
Dehart’s face turned pale. His fingertips trembled faintly as they reached out to grasp Roman’s throat.
“I…I made you all think this way.”
There was no denying it. He had been deeply wounded by Sebelia’s betrayal and had made everyone around sympathize with him. He ignored her, turned away, and deprived her of rights, leaving her abandoned within the walls of this suffocating estate. She was isolated and left with no one but herself to rely on.
Was that what pushed you off the cliff in a moment of crisis?
If she had been a beloved Duchess, everyone would have strived to break the curse the moment it manifested. But the mansion’s servants didn’t do that. They had long been united in disregarding and mistreating her.
Regret at this point would do nothing to calm the chaos within him.
“Ah…”
The weight of his accumulated sins came crashing down on him. Cold and sharp, these sins pierced right through to his heart. Dehart realized once again the irreversible actions he had committed. And the fact that she could never return to his side.
“Sebelia.”
I told you…
Dehart collapsed right there, clutching his chest.
“My Lord!”
He couldn’t breathe.
* * *
The experience of riding a shared carriage for the first time since birth was incredibly enjoyable. Sebelia remained by the window, not missing any of the constantly changing landscapes and people passing by. Occasionally, those who felt her gaze waved at her, prompting Sebelia to shyly nod and return the gesture.
So fascinating.
The carriage was now leaving the town, traversing fields tinged with golden light.
A middle-aged woman sitting opposite her asked with a gentle smile, “Where are you heading, miss?”
“Ah.”
Momentarily flustered, not realizing the question was directed at her, Sebelia chuckled in response.
“I’m heading east.”
The ribbon on her pressed hat fluttered in the breeze.
