Erin didn’t care if she left this man standing here all night, but she still didn’t like the fact that the neighbors would see him here.

This neighborhood was home to middle-class commoners.

She was worried about what kind of rumors would be generated after they see a carriage with the Imperial family’s coat of arms standing in front of the shop.

‘There was once a rumor that the shopkeeper was a nobleman, who used to work at the imperial palace…’

When Erin first bought the shop, she wanted to keep her identity as hidden as possible and run the shop quietly.

But within a month, all of her plans fell apart.

Almost 90% of it was because to the man in front of her.

‘At least, ride a carriage without the imperial family crest imprinted on it will you?’

Such a shameful man.

She couldn’t expect such a selfish, arrogant, self-serving man like Raymond, to be that considerate.

“I’ll give you five minutes.”

Erin said with a hint of annoyance, she then turned around and opened the shop door.

“I’m tired, so get it over with as quickly as possible so I can rest.”

‘I have to send him away immediately.’

Erin walked into the shop, and Raymond followed her inside.

There was no reason to give him any special treatment, so she didn’t take him to the house, she led him to a table in the shop instead.

Erin sat down at one table, and Raymond sat down across from her.

It was dark inside the unlit shop.

So she took a small candlestick from the counter, lit it, and placed it on the table.

The flame swayed uneasily, illuminating Raymond’s handsome face.

His chiseled features revealed many complex emotions.

She placed some refreshments for the two of them then settled down.

“I want to apologize.”

Raymond finished the refreshment in front of him.

“What do you mean?”

She wondered what the hell he was talking about, and then Raymond confessed in a raspy voice.

“I heard that something untoward happened at the ball tonight.”

“Yes indeed, there was.”

Serena had done something stupid and embarrassed herself.

“I’m so sorry.”

There was a hint of bitterness in his voice.

Raymond looked Erin in the eye and apologized.

“I promise it won’t happen again. I promise she’ll never bother you again.”

Raymond paused and stared at Erin, who still had no reaction.

Her face was impassive, without the slightest hint of agitation, and he could barely contain his frustration.

After a moment of silence, Erin asked.

“So?”

“What?”

“What brings you here? I don’t think it’s just because of what happened at the ball.”

“Why would you think that?”

Raymond asked, his face stiffened a little, she even wondered where his apology of her having a bad day earlier had gone.

Erin scoffed.

“There’s no way you’d apologize for a minor matter, from someone who didn’t care about anything, why would you go through such trouble?”

For a moment, she actually he came to apologize for his mistakes, but then she refuted it.

‘He’d actually all the way here to apologize for what he did, this guy?’

Erin had been married to this man for nine years.

Nine years of endless disappointment and frustration.

In those nine years, Raymond had never once apologized to her.

He had never stood up for her.

And here he was, in the middle of the night, apologizing for something as simple as a cake mishap?

It was ridiculous.

Raymond spat out in disgust.

“I didn’t expect to hear you say this when I came to apologize to you sincerely.”

“So you think you can come all the way out here in the middle of the night and apologize to me about a cake, and I’ll be all, happy and elated about it?”

His handsome face, lit by the firelight, went as cold as a statue.

Erin looked him straight in the eye and sneered self-deprecatingly.

“So, was that all?”

“What?”

“I asked, is that all you have to say?”

Raymond glared at Erin and remained silent.

He obviously wanted to cut to the chase, but he’s afraid that he can’t admit that he really came here for a different purpose anymore.

“I think you’ve said all you need to say. If you have no further business, I’ll leave you to it, please leave.”

Erin looked straight at Raymond and added,

“And as a reminder, when you come to visit someone else’s home next time, please use the basic courtesy of sending a post to notify them beforehand.”

She said coldly and turned to leave, but a voice asked back in disbelief.

“… Someone else’s?”

Erin was dumbfounded by the question.

“What so you mean someone else? Is that the relationship between us?”

“Of course. Our relationship is that of strangers. When the divorce proceedings are finalized, what do you think will be left?”

He looked at Erin in Disbelief.

“Hah. Then what about Calix?”

“He’s my friend.”

Well she’s closer to Calix than she was before, so maybe ‘Best Friend’?

While she was thinking this, when she suddenly heard a low, muffled snicker from across the room.

Raymond spoke up with a hint of icy mockery.

“Well, the Emperor didn’t think so.”

“What are you talking about?”

Erin asked bluntly.

Raymond let out a sneer as cold as ice.

“The Emperor.”

Raymond paused, gritted his teeth, and spoke again.

Displeasure flashed across his handsome face.

“He told me that if I wanted to have our divorce recognized, I must bring you to him and we have to go through it properly.”

Raymond let out an exasperated sigh.

She blinked at the unexpected statement.

‘Why would the emperor say that?’

“That’s strange, he never said anything to me.”

“Of course he didn’t, it’s just the old man trying to spite me.”

Raymond and the emperor did not get along.

To some extent, Raymond was to blame for the feud between the two of them.

Calix had been adopted by the imperial family, and Raymond was the only one with true imperial blood.

Even though he was supposed to be the heir, the emperor was more fond of Calix.

Raymond even created his own power and was opposing his grandfather, the emperor in every way.

How could they get along under such circumstances?

Still, the Emperor is very kind to his only true grandson.

Anyway, after his explanation,

Erin finally understood why Raymond had to travel so far at this hour, just to see her.

‘So that’s what it was all about.’

Raymond had come all the way here because he was being harassed by the Emperor, and demand for him to ask Erin to accompany him to the palace.

Erin smiled.

“That’s your business, Your Highness. It’s none of my business.”

“But he won’t allow us to divorce unless I bring you and ask his permission.”

“Well, we’re legally divorced, aren’t we? The fact that his Majesty hasn’t said anything to me, proved that he’s already acquiesced.”

That time he sent his chamberlain before, the emperor had made it clear that he wanted Erin back, but he would not force her if she doesn’t want to.

Erin said also nonchalantly,

“Actually, I have no reason to care whether the Emperor recognizes the divorce or not.”

As long as he doesn’t force her to return to the imperial palace, Erin doesn’t really care if the Emperor recognized it or not.

They were already clearly divorced on the paper.

Raymond finally let out the anger he’d been holding back when he realized that Erin had no intention to help him.

“His Majesty the Emperor won’t even see me because of this!”

Erin shot back coldly.

“Again, that’s your business, Your Highness, and I’m sure you’re aware that when you asked for the divorce, weren’t you confident that you could handle the aftermath?”

It was Raymond who had forced the divorce without asking the Emperor’s permission.

‘He did it, so he should take responsibility for it.’

Erin no longer wanted to get involved in the affairs of the imperial family.

She’s already divorced, Though she wondered,

‘Why did his Majesty put such a condition? And why does she have to get involved in their relationship?’

The Emperor had always been lenient with Raymond.

He hadn’t punished him for ignoring her, this is why she was a little surprised that he would now impose such a condition.

Raymond glared at Erin, then spoke coldly.

“I’ll compensate you.”

“What?”

“I’ll compensate you. Whatever you want, money, jewelry, manors, just tell me.”

“….”

The moment she signed the divorce papers, Erin thought she couldn’t be screwed over by Raymond anymore.

She’d already seen the worst of him, so she didn’t think she could be disappointed anymore.

He had obviously reached the bottom but she’s amazed he can actually go even lower.

At this moment, Erin was disappointed in Raymond again.

“I thought you only had problems with your personal life, but now I see you have problems with your judgment.”

“What?”

Raymond blurted out, he was at a loss for words.

“I’ve suddenly become very disturbed. I’m afraid that if you become the emperor, I’ll have to close my business and emigrate.”

Erin spat out bitterly.

‘As if asking for favors weren’t enough, he’s actually offering me a reward.’

“Do you really think that I’m going to help you if you told me you’d give me money, jewelry, or a land?”