Chapter 27

To bring up a child during a reconsideration period for divorce—how outrageous.

But contrary to what she expected, Asla felt her heart stir.

A child…

The distance that had always felt so vast between her and her husband suddenly felt disconcertingly close.

She had realized that the nanny she’d trusted all her life was a traitor who had been manipulating her—but what truly kept her from falling apart… was it really this man?

She had meant to die. Yet now, she found herself not wanting to.

Asla looked around the suite, draped in the finest materials and furniture, and asked, “Leaving the hotel aside, where were you staying in the capital?”

“The hotel.”

“The hotel? Here?”

Asla widened her eyes in surprise, and Enoch averted his gaze.

“This place is for guests. I stayed in the room attached to my office.”

“What’s the use of having so much money, if you don’t even spend it on yourself?”

She narrowed her eyes and reproached him. Enoch shrugged and perched on the armrest of the dark green sofa on the terrace.

“I hate that house. I couldn’t sleep at all when I went to the Ventus mansion.”

“Why?”

“Because a house is… where your family lives.”

Asla was taken aback by the unexpected words.

A place with family—so he hated it?

Avoiding her intense gaze, Enoch changed the subject.

“I’ll start making an effort too. Since you’re here, I’ll find an empty mansion in the capital soon. I’d like to build one from scratch, but that takes too long, so let’s do that for now. I’ll renovate it entirely to your taste, so don’t worry.”

“I don’t really have a particular taste.”

As Asla hesitated, Enoch stepped closer and unhesitatingly took her hand.

“Taste is something we can create. According to your wishes—everything. We can start drawing it out from now on.”

“We’ll see.”

“You can start discovering what you like. I’ll make sure you get to live that way.”

Watching the stubbornly unresponsive Asla, Enoch shrugged.

“Then I’ll start with the rose garden you like. If we hurry, we might catch the autumn roses.”

“A rose garden. Do you like them too?”

“Of course.”

Asla’s almond-shaped eyes, tinted with mint-colored irises, widened in surprise.

The calm lake shimmered as if it had been stirred, sparkling faintly.

Enoch felt his heart rise.

This version of Asla—revealing slivers of emotion—was adorable and lovable beyond words. She was captivating to the point he couldn’t look away.

He didn’t want anyone else to see her like this.

It felt like she only changed in front of him—and that only heightened his possessiveness.

He wanted to lock her away forever.

But then Enoch faltered.

Was this… obsession with Asla as a family member?

His father. His mother. His brother.

He had never once wanted to lock them up.

It was clearly different—but he couldn’t figure out exactly what it was.

As he fell into a tangle of thoughts, Asla looked up at him and asked,

“Why did you kiss me earlier?”

Enoch furrowed his brow. Slowly, he lowered his head to meet her eyes squarely.

“You really don’t know?”

Asla didn’t answer. Enoch chuckled.

“Go look in the mirror. You’re the most beautiful woman in the world.”

“…Do you make a habit of kissing beautiful women?”

Asla narrowed her eyes in disbelief, and Enoch let out a soft laugh.

“Of course not.”

He brought his fist to his lips, lost in thought for a moment before replying,

“I don’t know. You were crying… and I just wanted to reach you. Deeply. Somehow. And… we’re married, so it’s not a sin, right?”

“…Enoch.”

Even he was confused by his own words, and he scrubbed at his face roughly.

She was lovely. He was desperate. Even that desperation felt precious. He felt like he might die from it—that’s why he kissed her.

But even so, he couldn’t bring himself to speak of these tangled, untrustworthy feelings to Asla.

“Now I’ve thrown out that damn Royal Code of Conduct. I’m a husband who’s been granted a divorce grace period. I’m allowed to do more than just kiss you, you know.”

As he became more assertive, Asla instinctively took a hurried step back, like a rabbit avoiding a predator.

“I haven’t given you my answer yet. I’ll decide on the divorce grace period after you give me a proper one.”

“You’re right—we haven’t talked enough.”

Enoch stepped closer and gently tugged on her wrist. As his warmth touched her skin, Asla let out a sigh—so faint it was nearly inaudible.

Enoch’s demeanor was genuinely serious, and so was hers. Yet stray thoughts kept surfacing, and she chastised herself for being so base.

But Asla also thought—perhaps she couldn’t help it.

Because she loved him.

If she’d known how overwhelming the desire would be to be held by the man she loved, to feel his warmth—she would’ve been better off never loving him in the first place.

She suppressed the erratic pull of emotion as best she could and sat down on the sofa, looking up at Enoch as he sat beside her.

But once she faced him, her breath caught, and her mind went blank.

“…Where should I even start?”

At her weary smile, Enoch uncrossed his long legs and leaned in slightly.

“Anywhere. Whatever you still need answers for.”

“Alright.”

Asla decided to start with the most unpleasant topic that lingered around her like a shadow.

“When did you start suspecting Lisette Grosset?”

“The moment I heard she was dead.”

Enoch replied cautiously, watching her expression closely. Seeing no major shock in her face, he continued, trying to keep things concise.

“Lisette Grosset was already famous—His Majesty had his eye on her too. It’s extremely rare for a holy knight with such strong divine power to become High Priestess. Having someone like her suddenly declaring herself as your nanny in the Holy Kingdom? Of course that raised suspicions.”

“You think it was strange?”

“From the outside, absolutely. But then, for her to suddenly die? A woman who treasured you so dearly, leaving you behind to go pray in the Holy Kingdom—where death was all but certain? That’s nonsense with zero plausibility.”

His low voice held a hint of restrained anger.

“Coincidentally, the Emperor had already ordered surveillance on the High Priest’s Hall. And guess what? Lisette Grosset was found in the Pope’s private residence, which is connected to the Hall.”

“…The Pope’s residence?”

For the first time, Asla visibly reacted—her brow furrowed, and her hands clenched tightly.

It was completely unexpected.

Why? How? Hadn’t her nanny hated the Pope just as much as she did?

Pope Brittas.

A man skilled in deception and manipulation.

Asla felt a lump in her throat at the sudden mention of a name she never imagined being linked to Lisette.

‘So even her hatred of the Pope was an act…’

Asla’s face turned pale.

Seeing her finally react filled Enoch with fear.

He was terrified she might collapse. That this beautiful woman, this woman he’d only just managed to hold onto, might break.

Desperately, he rifled through his thoughts and filtered the information.

Then he chose to dodge—at least for now.

“…I don’t know the reason.”

He had intended to be honest with her—but only on the premise that she was okay.

When she narrowed her eyes at him in suspicion, Enoch quickly added,

“When I realized Lisette Grosset was still alive, the Pope immediately retracted the announcement of her death. He secretly let it leak to us that she had ‘miraculously’ returned and that he was overjoyed to protect her.”

“Is she still at the Pope’s residence?”

“Most likely.”

“She’s been copying my handwriting… and sending you letters in my name, hasn’t she?”

“We’re not entirely sure yet. I only started investigating that part today. Just give me a little time.”

Asla didn’t respond. She lowered her gaze, deep in thought.

As the silence dragged on, Enoch grew uneasy. He bent down slightly to look up at her face from below.

Seeing his anxious eyes, Asla gave a bitter swallow and asked.

“You should’ve told me sooner. You knew how close I was to my nanny.”

“The timing was tricky, and I didn’t get the chance.”

“Sure, the letters might’ve been intercepted—but you could’ve come and told me in person. Fine, let me start with the most basic question.”

Asla straightened her back and lifted her chin.

She looked up at Enoch’s stiffened jaw, tense as he mirrored her posture.

“You said you didn’t hate me that much. Then why didn’t you ever come to see me? I wasn’t asking for gifts or letters. I just wanted… the bare minimum of respect you should show your wife. I just wanted you to come see me.”

“…Asla.”

“Don’t give me the excuse that you were busy.”

Busy? Perhaps.

Asla acknowledged how much effort Enoch must’ve poured into growing his business to the point of building a hotel like this.

But that wasn’t enough of an answer.

Her eyes were resolute—so much so that they almost seemed cold. Enoch, flustered, rubbed at his mouth and chin.

In the end, he had no choice but to say the one thing he’d never wanted to admit.

“…I was sick.”

“…Sick how?”

Asla blinked in surprise, momentarily stunned by the unexpected answer.

‘Sick?’  

This man who looked so healthy, so perfect—what was he talking about?

As she stared at him, Enoch brought a hand to his forehead.

“It’s just that…”

Knock knock.

It was a critical moment.

But a sudden urgent knock at the door left both Enoch and Asla speechless as they turned toward the sound.

Clicking his tongue in frustration, Enoch stood up and ran a hand through his hair.

“What is it?”

“Sir, it’s Robert. It’s urgent.”

“…Come in.”

Asla immediately recognized the man who entered.

Robert Hesse, Vice President of Ventus Company.

The man she had seen in the very first divine dream.

It felt surreal to meet him in person after only encountering him in a dream.

Robert stopped a fair distance away from the sofa where Asla sat and gave her a respectful bow.

“It’s an honor to meet you, ma’am.”

“Nice to meet you too, Vice President Robert Hesse.”

Asla smiled gently, studying how much more dignified he seemed compared to when she had seen him in the past. Enoch, however, sounded slightly annoyed as he spoke.

“‘Nice to meet you’? After running your mouth like that? How shameless.”

“…Why are you suddenly lashing out at me?”

Robert looked baffled, clearly not understanding the unexpected hostility.

Asla, startled, realized the situation.

She had once told Enoch that she’d learned something in a divine dream because Robert had told her—as a cover story.

Now, it seemed Robert was about to pay the price for that lie.

Feeling guilty, Asla carefully redirected the conversation.

“Vice President. Didn’t you say your report was urgent?”

“Of course. Madam really is more composed than the rest of us.”

Robert grinned. Asla, overwhelmed with guilt, let out a quiet sigh inside.

Enoch, being as sharp as he was, wouldn’t let this go.

Eventually, he’d dig into it and realize she had lied.

‘Will I have to confess that I saw the past through Enoch’s body in a divine dream…?’

While she was mulling over whether she needed to tell him everything, Robert quickly delivered his report to Enoch.

“There’s a telegram. Duke Jemia is currently en route to the capital. Judging by the departure time, he’ll arrive in twenty minutes.”

“He’s either incredibly petty or completely incapable of waiting. A waste of a title.”

Enoch spoke with biting sarcasm.

Asla quietly watched him, her gaze lingering.