For My Birthday, I Was Gifted Five Husbands - Chapter 75
The last first night with her fifth husband had ended.
The short yet intense honeymoon was over, and it was time to start a new daily life in the newlywed home, a place jointly contributed to by all five husbands.
However, after moving all her belongings, the husbands stood by the long windows in the drawing room, looking out at the garden.
Eugenie Norton sat blankly, staring ahead as if in a daze. It would not be an exaggeration to say that she had been like this ever since returning to this house.
The first to express concern after seeing her state was Alfred. His usually lively and carefree face was now serious.
“Do you think Eugenie is okay?”
“If you’re worried, why not go check on her yourself?”
Cassius gestured toward the window with a slight nod. Of course, he knew that Mrs. Norton was unusual, so it wasn’t too surprising that her daughter was in shock.
However, he didn’t want to offer any comforting words, as it seemed bothersome and unnecessary.
But Alfred gave a self-deprecating smile and shook his head.
“If I try to comfort Eugenie in my own way, she’ll just feel more burdened.”
Alfred was quick-witted, and as a member of the navy, he knew how to lead others.
Yet, while he was familiar with comforting others emotionally, Eugenie had always found such approaches uncomfortable, feeling that people who used overly sweet words were simply ‘saying what they thought you wanted to hear.’
Meanwhile, Percival… still felt a distance between himself and Eugenie and hesitated. Magnus bit his lower lip silently.
In the end, it was Carter who had no choice but to check on his wife.
Dressed in a comfortable home suit instead of his usual clerical robes, Carter approached the bench where Eugenie was sitting. Despite his footsteps, Eugenie, so lost in her thoughts, didn’t notice him for a long while.
Carter cleared his throat a few times before finally calling her name aloud.
“Eugenie.”
“…Ah. Carter.”
“Was the letter really that shocking?”
“Ah… well. Honestly, I kind of guessed.”
Eugenie lightly fluttered the letter from her mother toward Carter.
[If you’re already marrying one person, it’s one thing. But if not, I’ve made one preparation for you.
On your twenty-fourth birthday, the four husbands who will come to find you all owe me a debt. I used my ‘lifespan’ to save them and made them swear to a contract to help you later.
The reason they’re a bit short on strength is because they saw their ‘keeping secrets’ as a kind of repayment. Once you regain your magic, you’ll automatically understand what that ‘secret’ is and what kind of help they received.
The ones I chose for you were those who, in one way or another, had the ability to act as shields for you.]
No wonder. She had somehow chosen people who would have been difficult to consider as unsuitable marriage partners for ‘Lady Norton’.
Her mother had sifted through many people in need and selected those who would serve as both social and financial shields for her daughter.
“Somehow, I now understand why Cassius drew the line with ‘This relationship is a transaction.’”
“But you seem to be angry.”
“Yes. I’m really angry. None of this consideration makes me happy.”
Eugenie gripped the letter so tightly that it nearly crumpled in her hands.
“At the very least, she could’ve explained it to me directly. Ha.”
Why did she choose to take this roundabout way instead of explaining it to her, despite being the adult in this situation, yet too afraid to speak directly?
But Carter’s usual warm smile was replaced with a bitter expression and he reminded Eugenie.
“Would you really want your mother to explain that she’s someone who can only survive by being with multiple men? What person in this world could easily tell their teenage daughter something like that?”
“…”
“If you had heard that explanation back then, would you not have found it strange?”
“Carter…”
“Moreover, it’s a sad truth, but your mother did love your father.”
Eugenie lowered her head at Carter’s words, which pierced through the painful truth she didn’t want to face. But instead of sympathizing with her pain, she preferred to lash out and dig into the wound.
It was far more productive than being buried in some fake sympathy.
But love. Love.
‘Maybe there is really no such thing as love between a man and a woman.’
‘In the end, you don’t love anyone.’
Carter, who knew her better than anyone, said it, and even her mother denied love. Was the ultimate desire between men and women nothing more than the urge to reproduce?
With a bitter thought, Eugenie muttered,
“You’re right, Carter. I’m sorry to everyone else, but I’d rather my mom never did any of this and just stayed alive.”
“…”
“I wanted her to see me get an award at my graduation. I guess what she thought my happiness would be wasn’t that, though.”
Eugenie finished her complaint and went back to reading the letter.
[But magic that can force someone’s heart doesn’t exist in this world. So your mother doesn’t know what feelings you will have.
So, for the next year, just observe carefully.]
