She looked back at him. Raphel’s words had already annoyed her, and she had not been enjoying the event to begin with, but now it was worse. The discomfort was clear on her face.

“I got caught up in a crowd, so I stepped away for a while,” Elion said quietly, his gaze softening as it stayed on her. “But… looking at you, it doesn’t seem like you’re comfortable here. Shall we go then?”

How does he know I don’t like being here? Evandria wondered, her eyes still fixed on him. And is he really supposed to say this after leaving me alone like that? I know he left me alone on purpose, but still, he should have said sorry.

“I’m asking you something,” Elion said.

“Oh… y-yes. We should go,” she replied, snapping out of her thoughts.

Elion held her gaze for a moment, then turned toward the exit. Evandria followed beside him, and together, they quietly left the hall behind.

Once they stepped out of the grand venue, they walked into the cool night air where their car was already waiting. Veronica stood quietly beside the door, looking at them as they approached.

“Let’s go,” Elion said.

“Yes, Master.”

Elion and Evandria took the back seat. Veronica sat in the driver’s seat, and the car moved forward, leaving Flower Castle behind.

Vroom~

***

The car traveled smoothly along the moonlit road. Elion kept his head turned, gazing out the window, but a distinct reflection soon caught his eye on the glass. It was Evandria, staring at him quietly. He could feel the heavy tension radiating from her, sensing that she desperately wanted to say something. He spoke without turning his head.

“What is it? Do you have something to say?”

Evandria stared at him for a long moment before finally asking, “Why did you leave me alone there?”

“I think I already told you,” Elion replied.

“I know you left me on purpose,” she said, her voice rising slightly. “You didn’t want to come. It was me who dragged you there. That’s why you left me alone, isn’t it?”

Elion remained silent, keeping his eyes on the passing trees outside.

“I’m your wife. Aren’t you supposed to be there with me? What kind of husband leaves his wife alone like that?”

At that, Elion slowly turned his head toward her, his gaze sharp and piercing.

“Even if I left you alone, what are you going to do about it?”

In reality, Elion had not left her side out of spite. First, he had been surrounded by a suffocating circle of nobles. After that, he had business with Ivy. But he could not exactly tell her about his secret intelligence asset, and judging by the way Evandria was speaking, it did not seem like she would believe him anyway. So, he chose not to deny her bitter assumptions.

“If you were going to leave me like that, then why did you even agree to come in the first place?” Evandria said, her voice now loud and angry.

Elion stayed silent for a moment, then said coldly, “So what? Do you want me to babysit you there?”

Hearing that, Evandria got even more upset. She clenched her fists. “If you’re going to behave like this, then why did you marry me? I didn’t even want to marry you. You are the one who married me by showing off your reputation and wealth to my family.”

Her breathing grew uneven with anger.

“You’ve committed so many crimes. Do you think I don’t hear about it? I have ears too. Everyone talks about you as if you’re some kind of villain. No one ever says a single good word about you.”

Her voice cracked under the weight of her overwhelming emotion.

“I should have died instead of marrying you.”

Elion listened silently to everything she said. But at her final sentence, his patience completely vanished. He glared at her, his eyes cold and piercing.

Evandria felt a strange ache in her chest. The air inside the car grew heavy, but she did not look away. She met his gaze.

Then Elion spoke coldly. “Listen carefully, girl. You say you’re my wife. If you value your well-being, then behave like my wife.”

Hearing that, Evandria stiffened. She could not look at him anymore, not because she was afraid of what he said, but because she did not want to drag this out.

She said nothing, and lowered her head. Her eyes were wet, but she stubbornly refused to let a single tear fall in front of him.

Silence filled the car as it continued toward the mansion. No one spoke after that.