My Husband Will Regret This - Chapter 99

Eric expected Chloe would have forgiven him to some extent, if not completely.

He thought so from the moment she accepted the invitation and had followed him this far. It was a judgment he had come to since he had no idea what she was thinking. So, naturally, he assumed that she would dance with him.

But she refused…

He tried hard not to reveal it, but his bewilderment was revealed bare in his slightly widened eyes and wandering hands.

Chloe tried to ignore him.

It was not that she didn’t want to dance with him. It must be hard to dance with her current physical condition, but they should be able to dance together at least once.

Still…

‘Why does Mrs. Aslan still have a face next to the Marquis?’

‘If it were me, I would have never appeared in public. It wasn’t enough that she ran away from the Marquis behind, but she was about to die! Oh, I feel sorry for His Excellency!’

‘I can say that there is no other greater misfortune in life just by having a wife like that.’

‘I’d like to offer my sympathy to the Marquis.’

It reminded her of the words people had said as they pleased. The raw criticism towards her and the natural sympathy for Eric… Chloe was deeply hurt by these words, so she couldn’t make a normal judgment.

Eventually, she came to the wrong conclusion.

She thought that she shouldn’t be around him and that she wasn’t suitable for Eric. Rather, someone like Princess Elizabeth would be much more helpful to him.

That was why she rejected him. It was clear that Elizabeth would be disappointed if Chloe were to dance with Eric. It was not right to create such discord if she was encouraging their marriage once she politely divorced Eric and hoped for their remarriage.

Of course, Eric would be very angry if he knew she was thinking of this…

What could she do?

She was really useless to Eric, while Elizabeth was useful to him. Eric was a capitalist, so he would make good judgments about their usefulness.

That was right. After she died, he would be even more judgmental…

While Chloe was continuing her thoughts, the music was reaching a climax.

She stared blankly at the musicians moving their hands, then turned to Eric, who was standing beside her. He did not leave the place even after thirty minutes had passed since the music started… even though she had rejected him?

She thought Eric would rather go somewhere like he always did, but it wasn’t because she loved him again or hated him. It was because she really didn’t think being by her side would be of any help.

Just look at it now… countless people were staring at her and Eric.

Chloe wanted to run away from this place. She wanted to run away and go to Heath…

The music faded, and the first round of dance was over. It meant that the second dance would begin soon after. She hoped Eric would leave at that point, and then she would be able to end the ball as she usually did, sipping wine in the corner.

However, Eric did not grant her wish.

“Chloe.”

He reached out to her again.

“Would you like to dance?”

Her eyes widened.

There was nothing more disgraceful in the noble society than asking someone to dance again after being rejected!

Most men have a rule that if they were rejected by a woman, they would step down and never approach her again, but a married couple was an exception since couples had no reason to reject each other.

So, as people started whispering, Chloe felt her cheeks and ears turn red.

“Eric.”

She spoke in a low voice.

“…I can’t dance with you.”

“Why?”

Eric asked very casually. Although she wanted to ask if he really didn’t know why, she didn’t want to say that in front of the many eyes looking here.

“I…”

She stuttered. Even now, she could still hear people’s murmurs, and she could feel their eyes fixed on her.

“I’m okay, Eric. Dance with someone else.”

Eric withdrew his hand.

He must have been very angry now that she had refused twice. It was obvious, given his original personality, he would walk away without looking back. So, Chloe clenched her chin in miserable anticipation of what he would do next.

Why was she like this? Why she…

However, it was strange.

She didn’t feel the warmth around her disappearing. When she slowly raised her head, Chloe saw Eric still standing there.

The music started.

Came a lively waltz. The sound of each different instrument overlapped and turned into a beautiful melody. As he looked up at Eric, feeling the lightness of the waltz in her ears, he was gazing down at her, too.

“Why…”

Chloe asked.

“…Don’t you want to go?”

“I would like to request a dance for the next turn.”

She widened her eyes again. By now, she had already turned him down twice.

At this point, she thought he would also stop… but why was Eric still by her side? Why would he say he’d ask for a dance again? There were questions that occupied her mind all over the place, but Chloe was unable to answer the many questions.

“I will keep saying no, Eric.”

Eric smiled like he had expected her answer.

“Then, I will do it until you accept it.”

“Eric.”

“Chloe.”

He walked over to Chloe and grabbed her shoulders.

“I think I know what you are thinking.”

He was a bit embarrassed when he was first rejected by Chloe. Nonetheless, watching Chloe, who kept her head down and her ears perked up throughout the music, Eric realized that the reason she rejected him wasn’t because she didn’t like him or for any other reason, it was just people’s gaze.

Those bad people.

When he remembered all the nobles who had criticized Chloe loud enough for him to hear, he decided to cut off the deal with them somehow.

Anyway, Eric had to comfort her.

He had to rebuild her lost self-esteem and confidence. It was all his fault that Chloe became like this.

“It must be because you care about what people say.”

“Eric, that…”

“You don’t have to worry. Think of it as the barking of bad dogs.”

His voice was a bit loud, so the nobles nearby glared at him with red faces though he didn’t care.

“The important thing is that I love you and that it is your intention. Between you and me, nothing is more important than this.”

The music slowly faded away.

This time, it ended quickly because it was a light waltz. Chloe whispered in a low voice, feeling the shrinking movement of the instrument.

“I’ll be a nuisance if I’m by your side.”

Although Eric frowned slightly, he quickly turned it around.

“I am also by your side and have caused you trouble.”

He went on.

“Isn’t that what being a couple is like? There are times when we give each other trouble, but a relationship continues through love nonetheless.”

He really thought so.

In fact, he had to think this way. If he didn’t think like this, he wouldn’t be able to stay sane with his guilt and apologetic feelings for Chloe for all the trouble he had caused. So, what he said was meant to comfort her and, at the same time, comfort himself.

“So, Chloe.”

He removed his hand from her shoulder and held out his right hand to her again.

“Will you accept my offer?”

Many people looked up to Eric and Chloe.

Eric, who has already been rejected twice, and Chloe, who has already rejected him twice.

If she refused again, people would curse her for being presumptuous and sympathize with him for being a pitiful man.

She didn’t want to see that.

Along with this thought, Chloe thought she wanted to dance with Eric. She wanted to look like a normal married couple despite just having thought of her as a nuisance to him. Still, despite this, she wanted to hold Eric’s hand.

So, in the end, she took his hand as Eric smiled and led her into the hall. As romantic music resounded, he skillfully hugged her waist, holding her close to his body.

“Chloe.”

He whispered in Chloe’s ear.

“All I need is you.”

Then, slowly, very slowly, he said what she most wanted to hear.

“Don’t pay attention to anything.”

Chloe didn’t answer, but she put her forehead on Eric’s shoulder. It meant that she was taking his word somehow so that he could happily dance with her… while clearly knowing how the royal family was looking at them.