Wicked Husband-Chapter 133 - 132

She wanted to say more—wanted to comfort him or offer reassurance—but she couldn’t find the words. Instead, she held her emotions in check and offered a simple farewell. "Thank you."

Luca’s eyes glistened with tears, and they welled up at the corners, his voice barely a whisper. "No, thank you, my lady."

Eileen quickly handed him her handkerchief, which he accepted gratefully, dabbing at his eyes like a child. She wanted to stay by his side until the tears subsided, but the weight of the gazes around them was too much. The watchful crowd, the curious onlookers, were too many.

With a heavy heart, Eileen turned away, walking back to Cesare. He waited for her with a calm smile, his presence offering a comforting contrast to the emotional storm she had just weathered. Without a word, he naturally took her hand in his as she approached.

Under the weight of so many eyes upon them, Eileen once again felt the reality of her position settle over her—she was the Grand Duchess of Erzet now. The weight of that truth pressed on her chest, mingling with a quiet sense of loss she wasn’t sure how to reconcile.

***

Cesare quickly dispersed the crowd gathered outside the pharmacy with characteristic efficiency: he simply offered to provide the medicine for free. He announced that anyone who didn’t receive their dose that day could return the next day to collect it. "It’s a gift from the Duke himself," he said, smiling warmly. The people, delighted to see the Duke and Duchess in person, accepted the gesture with gratitude and dispersed without complaint.

Once the street had quieted, soldiers took their positions around the area, standing vigilant as Cesare and Eileen moved inside the pharmacy to explore.

Eileen glanced around in awe. The shelves were nearly empty, but the sight of the space itself was enough to leave her in wonder.

*This is my pharmacy,* she thought, her heart swelling as she took in the room. The shop’s bright, inviting decor resembled more of a luxury boutique than a humble dispensary, especially with the Erzet family crest proudly displayed on the walls.

Despite the opulent surroundings, the medicines were priced fairly for the average citizen. People could walk in, buy a remedy at an affordable price, and leave feeling as though they had just purchased something elegant and refined.

*The sturdy glass bottles could be repurposed too,* she mused, admiring the smooth maple shelves that lined the walls. The craftsmanship was evident in every detail, from the polished surfaces to the careful arrangement of products.

Just then, she heard the soft click of Cesare opening his pocket watch.

"This was sold by that watchmaker, wasn’t it?" he asked, examining the watch Eileen had gifted him with a look of genuine pleasure.

Eileen’s surprise was clear on her face, and Cesare noticed, giving her a playful look.

"Did you think I’d thrown it away?"

"No, it’s not that... I just didn’t expect you to carry it with you."

"You told me it was a precious gift, didn’t you, Eileen?"

As he spoke, she remembered their conversation.

"Once, I had a watch just like this. It was a keepsake of a condemned man."

Back then, his words had been cryptic. But now, Eileen felt a strange sense of understanding.

She couldn’t possibly know why, yet it was there.

Despite Cesare’s disdain for anything unscientific, Eileen couldn’t hold back the question. She hesitated, but the words left her mouth.

"By any chance..."

Cesare’s crimson eyes locked onto hers. His gaze was steady, unreadable, as if he was waiting for something—waiting for her to ask exactly what was on her mind.

Eileen wasn’t sure what he expected to hear, but she knew her question would sound absurd. Even so, she couldn’t stop herself from asking.

"Have you... died before?"

The impulsive words that had escaped Eileen’s lips carried more weight than she’d intended. She hadn’t blurted them out without reason; there were too many mysteries surrounding Cesare and the strange remarks he’d let slip.

Eileen prided herself on having a sharp memory, especially when it came to anything involving Cesare. He had once mentioned that the watch she’d given him was identical to a keepsake from a condemned man. But that watch had been a custom order, one she’d placed through Luca, making it impossible for another condemned man to possess the same one. That was just one of the many peculiarities, though.

He’s said and done strange things more times than I can count, she thought.

She recalled the moment Cesare had clasped his hands around her neck, handling her with unnerving ease, as if he’d done it countless times before. Perhaps, she wondered, she’d died in his dreams in more ways than one—sometimes as a prisoner, sometimes by his own hand.

Cesare wouldn’t be easily shaken by a single dream... but if it were a recurring nightmare?

Though it felt like a stretch, the possibility tugged at her. Cesare had witnessed horrors on the battlefield, and no doubt, there were far darker memories haunting his nights. Still, a nagging certainty lingered within her—that her death somehow haunted him in those dreams.

This certainty felt as clear as when she’d first noticed his flawless hands—unmarked by scars or wounds, despite everything he’d been through. That clarity gave her the courage to ask.

Cesare, however, offered no answer. He simply watched her intently, waiting as if expecting her to continue. Eileen, feeling the weight of his gaze, finally spoke up.

"So... I mean, in your dreams, not in real life. If it were real, you wouldn’t be here now..."

The silence between them was thick, so heavy that even the ticking of his pocket watch seemed to echo in the room. Under the weight of his crimson gaze, Eileen began to falter, her eyes dropping as she turned away—until Cesare’s voice cut through the quiet, low and deliberate.

"What if it wasn’t just a dream?"

For a fleeting moment, her thoughts stilled. Cesare slipped the watch back into his coat pocket and then opened his arms. Without thinking, Eileen stepped into his embrace, as if drawn by some unspoken force. His gloved hands were cool against her skin as he gently cupped her face. The closeness was both comforting and unnerving, and she inhaled sharply, her lips parting in a soft, surprised gasp.