My Husband Yearns For Me After My Death - Chapter 9

“Is that all you have to say?”

“Pardon?”

“In essence, you’re saying you don’t want to marry that old man. Then, it wouldn’t matter if it were someone else, not me.”

His tone was flat.

Resting his interlocked hands on his knee, he presented a completely different demeanor. If he had shown at least an attitude of listening before, now, he revealed not a single crack in his façade.

Cool eyes looked down upon Denisia.

“While I understand the unfortunate circumstances of the lady, it seems you’ve come to the wrong person. It might be better for the lady to seek someone else, so I suggest that.”

“That’s not it.”

Denisia shook her head vigorously.

It couldn’t be irrelevant. If it wasn’t Dietrich, it would be pointless. This life, her existence, everything was for him.

“I can provide information that would satisfy Your Excellency…”

“Information? This is merely a single letter.”

He flicked the letter.

“I still don’t see any reason why I should help, Lady Blanchette. Without this letter, what else do you have?”

Strange. Wasn’t he desperate to gather any information about Grace? Her mind was overwhelmed with anxiety.

“There’s no need to discuss further. This meeting was made out of goodwill in my wife’s name, but from the onset, I had no intention of granting any favors.”

As if to mark the end, he abruptly stood up. A chill breeze brushed against her clothes, prompting her to rise involuntarily.

“Then, may the rest of your day be peaceful.”

“Wait!”

It was quite impulsive.

Her backpack was empty. There was nothing left to attract his attention or buy his favor.

But she couldn’t just go back. This might be her last chance. Strength poured into the hand that clutched Dietrich’s sleeve.

“There are more letters from Grace.”

At that moment, Dietrich’s eyes widened.

“So… let’s talk a little more…”

Denisia couldn’t finish her sentence. Suddenly, his grip tightened around her neck.

As if he was going to snap it.

“Ugh!”

Her body shook violently. The cool chill touching her neck constricted her more and more each second. She couldn’t grasp the situation easily.

Who was this person choking her? The one glaring at her with narrowed eyes?

Everything was different. Every look that touched her face, every touch on her skin was entirely different from when she was Grace.

Her fingertips were numb. The man squeezing her slender neck as if he would break it was not the Dietrich she had known.

With each contemptuous gaze that crawled over her skin, with each twist of his mouth filled with disgust, Denisia faced the truth she had tried to ignore.

To him, she was just a stranger.

“If you try to use my wife’s name any further, I will kill you.”

His threatening voice was accompanied by a tighter grip on her neck.

“I thought I made myself clear. Do not use my wife’s name so carelessly.”

“Huh…”

“How far must I extend my tolerance?”

Gasping for breath, her hands trembled. But more than the burning pain in her throat, Denisia was tormented by his eyes that failed to recognize her.

Grace no longer existed in his view. Only a strange and unknown woman, Denisia, stood before him.

“Go on, lady, babble as you did before. Try to evoke some pity.”

“M-Madness…”

Denisia stammered on.

“…Due to madness, you’ve been suffering from insomnia, haven’t you? No…?”

Suddenly, Dietrich’s actions halted.

“…Speak.”

Cough—

His grip on her neck tightened.

“How would you know that, lady?”

“You need to let go of my neck…”

With a distrustful expression, Dietrich looked at Denisia for a while before loosening his grip.

“Cough, cough!”

She gasped for air, opening every pore to find breath. As her compressed airway opened, tears that had pooled in her eyes streamed down her cheeks.

“Now tell me. How do you know that?”

You told me. Denisia barely managed to swallow the words rising to her throat.

“…Grace told me.”

“I told you to cut out the nonsense.”

His growl scratched roughly at his throat.

“Grace, my wife, spreading secrets to just anyone. Hah, make your lies at least believable.”

His threatening voice seemed ready to strangle her again at any moment. Different from when she faced him as Grace.

Denisia had to admit. She had taken their reunion too lightly, perhaps even complacently. She thought he would be the same, just as she had returned to the same place.

‘…Five years.’

The years she was absent finally started to feel real.

Her husband had changed, for better or worse. Maybe what Sara said wasn’t wrong after all.

‘What exactly happened?’