After I Died, My Husband Went Mad - Chapter 73
Claude Inverness’s life was something to be proud of. Even though his background was not welcomed by everyone, his presence was loved.
[I am glad that your mother has given me the gift of you.]
In the eyes of others, he might have been just a bastard child born out of wedlock, but to the eyes of the Duke two generations before him, he was nothing but a lovable latecomer. And how exceptional he was, for he demonstrated immense talent when he had only just learned to speak.
[You are my child, and all that I have been born and brought up to do, you must have as your due.]
His father was affectionate, and his eldest brother was kind. The second brother looked at him in a way that made him uneasy but accepted him nonetheless. He thought the second brother was only jealous. Perhaps that’s why. As a child who was born a genius and got everything as a matter of course, he easily became arrogant.
Little did he know that his sky-high arrogance would lead to the deaths of everyone he had loved.
[No–!]
It rained like mad that day. Claude was traveling through the mountains in a carriage with the family of his eldest brother, who had recently taken on his position as the Duke. The rain pounded against the windows, terrifying Dehart, while young Rosaline hid in her brother’s arms.
And in an instant, the world turned upside down. When he regained consciousness, it was already too late. The guards were annihilated, and his sister-in-law lay dead not far from him.
[No, no. This can’t be happening. No…!]
Raindrops hammered at his body. Thump, thud. A muffled scream caught in his throat, his hands trembling, his knees weak. Only now did Claude realize that his arrogance had amounted to nothing but the arrogance of an overgrown child.
His pride and talents were now utterly useless and feeble.
[Huk… Hah.]
At that moment, the sound of swords clashing echoed from afar. A sharp crack brought Claude back to his senses. Someone was still fighting. If that’s the case…
[Brother.]
Guilland Inverness, the current Duke and Lord of the House of Inverness. It must be his brother. Claude snapped back to reality. His sister-in-law’s death was a tragic event too horrifying to be ignored. But now was not the time to dwell on it.
The children. He had to find the children. While his brother confronted the enemy, he had to ensure their safety.
[Dehart, Rosaline…]
He cautiously searched through the bodies in the pouring rain. Fortunately, the children were nowhere in sight. Ah, relief overwhelmed him. Oh God, he was about to kneel there and offer a prayer.
That’s when it happened. In the distance, a faint call pulled him, tugging at his heart. Claude would never forget it until the day he died.
“Claude.”
The child hid under the stump, unable to shed a single tear, and called out for him. Only when Claude was close enough did the child let out the sobs that he had been holding back. Claude’s heart sank as he remembered the small, fragile child.
“I’ll kill you, you…!”
Claude wondered where that child had gone, only to be now replaced with this ferocious man trying to kill him. Roger must have taught him that Claude had betrayed Guilland.
“Hah.”
As Claude sighed, a small bolt of light landed with a bang by his feet. It scorched the wood, emitting a burning scent that pricked at his nose.
Claude frowned and clicked his tongue. “Don’t bother trying. You know it won’t work.”
“Did you set this whole thing up? Ha, I knew it would be someone like you.”
Dehart had been like that ever since he saw Claude’s face. Unable to contain his rage, he lunged at him like a mad dog.
“Of course the man who plunged a knife into his own brother’s heart would come back to do the same to his nephew!”
Claude had ungagged Dehart because he looked like he had something to say, but it seemed like it was all going to be useless words like this.
With a weary expression, Claude splashed water on his face trying to wash away his own fatigue. As expected, it was futile.
Dehart had lost all memory of the day.
Claude clucked his tongue and leaned back against the wall with his arms folded. After several hours of this, Dehart finally calmed down. Or, more accurately, he didn’t have the energy to continue his rampage.
“Even if I lay out my story for you now, you won’t believe it. So, I won’t waste my effort on unnecessary matters.”
“…”
“Just know one thing. I’m not some big player. I don’t have the luxury to set up traps to catch you.”
Ferocious golden eyes stared at him like he was ready to devour him. Claude chuckled and pushed himself up from the wall. He, too, was like that once. A time when he roamed the alleys, driven by the desire to hunt down the people who killed his family and framed him.
But anger alone can never accomplish nothing. Unbridled hatred doesn’t guide you—it just eats you up. There were things more important to him now than revenge.
Claude spoke in a subdued voice, “To be honest, I think you’ve made a fool of yourself by going after my guest. Keep your temper in check, Dehart.”
‘I can see why the young lady was frightened.’
Claude’s cold remark made Dehart swallow hard. Gradually, his golden eyes sank into darkness.
