My Ex-Husband Came Back Crazy - Chapter 68

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 68
Chapter 7. The Source (8)
Celia hadn’t missed this rare opportunity.
A chance to prove she was better than Lucius!
“It’ll be better to route this through the Uttra Merchant Guild instead of the Raman Merchant Guild.”
“The Uttra Merchant Guild? Aren’t they the ones who just signed an exclusive contract with the Rotna Kingdom?”
“…You lost your memory and yet somehow know that? Never mind. Either way, the quality of our sub-materials will jump a whole tier. Even if the unit price is a bit higher, that’s worth it. Let’s reach out to them early and lock them down on our side.”
The tent erected some distance from the construction site was far more organized than its exterior suggested.
While the river wind caused the canvas to hum softly, she continued speaking without a hint of concern, her fingertips resting on various documents.
The arrogant tilt of her chin was merely an afterthought.
“And the skilled labor force. We have enough now, but prepare backup personnel just in case.”
“Yes, that sounds good.”
The man who had once forced that reluctant child to sit at a desk was now looking up from the blueprints to study her. The way his center of gravity tipped forward as he braced against the table only made his broad shoulders more conspicuous.
“…What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?”
Lucius gave a light shake of his head.
“Have you forgiven me?”
Ah, right.
Celia bit her tongue.
She bit it hard enough to taste copper. But she’d been so absorbed in her habit of showing off how superior she was that she’d carelessly forgotten the fact that she’d been treating him coldly.
She lowered her eyes for a moment, then casually tidied the documents as though nothing had happened.
“I don’t know.”
At her vague answer, Lucius made a show of his impatience.
He drew near slowly, his eyes dropping at the corners like a wounded wolf’s, circling the table.
He stopped in front of her and bent his waist slightly to meet her gaze.
“Please forgive me.”
Celia, whose eyes had been darting about, glanced at him sideways.
“You kissed me even though I said I didn’t like it, then got unconscious and dumped all the responsibility on me afterward… even now looking at me this way must be uncomfortable for you. I understand, but if even a little… have some pity on your husband.”
He spoke as though he’d been waiting for this moment—as if he’d spent all this time thinking only of that.
Celia’s lips twitched awkwardly.
How could he not know the real reason for her irritation when he spoke so pathetically like that?
“Celia…”
He paused to catch his breath, then reached toward her wrist. His fingertips barely grazed her.
At that very moment, Celia burst out.
“That’s not it at all! I asked you, didn’t I? Why did you drink so much?”
She jerked her head up.
Lucius, who had leaned in close enough to touch her, flinched back a step in surprise.
“You still haven’t answered. And you conveniently forgot about it!”
“…Good heavens, Celia.”
Having finally grasped the crux of her words, he lowered his head and curved his shoulders inward. After running a dry hand across his face, he let out a sound that could have been relief or a sigh—and in doing so, scraped her already raw nerves once more.
“The way you’re acting, I really do need to hear the reason.”
“It’s not as bad as what I imagined, which honestly makes me so happy. Do I really have to hear it?”
“Tell me.”
Celia roughly pulled his hand away from his face.
Pierced by eyes sharp as finely cut glass, Lucius couldn’t move. Finally, his lips parted. Words he’d had no desire to speak flowed out.
“…Lord Fahrenheit.”
“What?”
“It seems Lord Fahrenheit is the one behind these rumors.”
“What…?”
Fahrenheit?
Her former fiancé—that Fahrenheit?
Celia’s mouth fell open slightly. Lucius, noticing her gaping lips, wet his own dry mouth.
“Fahrenheit… why? I don’t understand the reason. Are you sure you didn’t misunderstand something?”
Lucius pushed the obstructing table aside.
The wooden table slid away easily, and the space between them vanished. He kindly explained the answer for Celia, who was still bewildered.
“Because he’s developed feelings for you.”
I didn’t want to tell you this, Lucius whispered low.
“That’s the only reason. Celia.”
Celia blinked.
Then her head tilted in confusion, and she let out an unconvinced question.
“That can’t be right. We barely know each other.”
Lucius furrowed his brow and pulled his lips up awkwardly.
With his awkwardness plain on his face, uncertain how to explain, he draped an arm over her shoulders.
“Does one need to know someone well to have one’s heart stolen? It’s not strange that he admires you, grows jealous of me, and went to these lengths to cause trouble.”
His knee parted the fabric of her dress as he stepped between her legs, but she was too distracted to notice.
“That makes no sense.”
That bastard likes her?
The respectful way she’d been addressing him had already drifted away down that distant river. Now her face held only irritation and disgust, stripped of all respect and courtesy.
“He likes me and pulled that stunt?”
Lucius studied her face carefully. As he tidied the hair that had slipped down, he watched confusion, a flash of bewilderment, and the sting of wounded pride flicker across her features.
“But what does that have to do with you drinking so much?”
Or rather, pretending to drink so much. Lucius swallowed the bitter thought and pressed his forehead to hers.
“I was jealous.”
“…”
“Just hearing his name. The fact that you almost married him. That he still has you on his mind…”
His warm breath settled over her lower lashes.
“It drove me mad.”
Celia’s heart dropped.
That word—jealousy—tickled something deep in her chest in the strangest way.
Jealousy, from that ascetic face, a face that seemed to know nothing of envy and indecent desire. And the object of that jealousy was her!
Celia forced her curling fists open and chewed at her lips.
“You… do you realize you’re saying something stupid right now?”
“Ha.”
‘I do,’ he whispered against her ear.
Lucius raised his hand carefully, stopping it near her cheek. This time he didn’t ask permission. Instead, very slowly, he brushed her cheek with the back of his hand.
He opened his mouth and lowered his head, and Celia was just about to wrap her arms around his neck before that sweet longing she knew so well—
Whiiiine—! The unrelenting wind swept over the tent.
As the howling sand-laden gust rolled in, cries of distress echoed from outside. It was around then that Lucius, looking ready to consume her entirely, straightened his body.
“My lord, I’m afraid the wind has become concerning. I think we should call it a day.”
“…Very well. Tell everyone work is done for today.”
“Yes, understood.”
As expected, someone had arrived.
In a short span of time, Lucius smoothed out her wrinkled dress and tidied the hair scattered between his fingers, then answered as though nothing had happened and promptly sent the visitor away.
“Celia.”
“…What?”
Lucius curved his eyes and pressed a kiss to the corner of hers.
His eyes were as flushed as hers, so Celia could let go of her embarrassment a little.
“I have work tomorrow, so I’m thinking of staying nearby. How about you head back now? If it gets any later, the road will be dark.”
“Why? I’ll stay with you.”
“…I was only planning to rest my eyes for a moment at a nearby inn. Don’t make me a useless husband.”
Celia pushed him away and briefly drew back the entrance cloth. When she looked at the sky, clouds were rapidly tangling together.
Suddenly, something came to mind, and Celia’s eyes lit up.
“You have a summer villa.”
“What?”
“Let’s go there instead.”
***
The estate required traveling quite far upstream along the river.
Trees encircled it in a wide arc, and the path wound deliberately—if you didn’t know the entrance, you’d never know it existed at all.
‘So I’m actually setting foot in this cursed summer villa.’
Outer walls built from pale gray stone, windows stretching vertically in long lines.
A terrace overlooking a lake nestled deep within the forest.
It was a house that perfectly embodied Celia’s taste.
‘Seeing it again makes me even angrier.’
That Lucius had snatched it away from her…!
The thought of him smiling as he took the house at auction was enough to make her carefully suppressed anger threaten to burst forth again.
But for the sake of the innocent Lucius before her now, she worked hard to quell her own rage.
“Go wash up first.”
Even though it was his own summer villa, Lucius wore an unfamiliar expression, glancing about at the surroundings.
Celia prodded his back firmly, pushing him all the way to the bathroom.
“What are you planning to do while I’m gone?”
“I know the layout of this place better than you do, probably. Don’t waste time talking and just go.”
“Won’t you be frightened alone? The place is so large and dark.”
“Am I a child?”
“I’m the one who gets scared.”
“…”
He peeled off his crumpled outer coat and deliberately tilted his head.
“Want to come in with me?”
Without listening further, she shoved him into the bathroom.
His laughter echoed loudly, but she shut the door firmly with a grunt.
‘He never stops!’
Celia’s shoulders heaved for a while before she finally caught her breath.
She’d regained her composure by the time the sound of water reached her ears.
‘This isn’t the time for that.’
Until Lucius came out…
“Where should I start searching?”
She’d already searched every other place.
The Shipping Consignment Document that House of Brickwell wanted so desperately must be here—there was nowhere else left to look.
Celia lifted her head calmly.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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