The Regressed Villainess Tore Up The Annulment Papers - Chapter 5

Chapter 5: The Villainess's Regret (4)

Eugene's funeral was a quiet affair.

Whether for political reasons or something else entirely, the imperial family and the church made no public announcement of his heroic deeds.

And even though the war was over, death was still a constant companion, a stark reality that permeated every aspect of life.

The previous Duke and Duchess had passed away before the war, and Eugene's closest relatives had perished during the conflict. According to imperial law, the responsibility of arranging the funeral fell to Aria, his former fiancée.

But those who came to pay their respects treated her as if she were invisible, offering no more than the bare minimum of condolences.

They refrained from causing a scene out of respect for the deceased, but their icy glares followed her every move, a silent accusation that pierced her heart.

Aria endured their judgment without protest, her tears flowing freely as she silently performed her duty.

The days that followed were a blur of grief and despair.

She would weep until exhaustion claimed her, only to wake and resume her mourning.

Her carefully cultivated appearance fell into disarray, but she no longer cared.

The man she had yearned to impress, the man whose approval she had craved, was gone.

She wanted to end it all, to join Eugene in death, but fear held her back.

He would never forgive her, she knew. And she couldn't bring herself to throw away the life he had sacrificed to save, a life she no longer deserved.

But though she lived, she was no more than a walking corpse, existing in a purgatory of her own making.

The curse had once ravaged her body, but now it was her heart that lay in ruins, shattered by guilt and loss.

Her wrists bore countless thin, white scars, evidence of her self-inflicted pain.

They weren't deep enough to be fatal, but they were a constant reminder of her self-loathing, a physical manifestation of the torment that consumed her.

She knew it was pointless, this self-flagellation, but the pain offered a perverse sense of relief, a way to punish herself for her unforgivable sins.

Despite the passage of time, Aria remained at Eugene's estate.

Her continued presence was made possible by a document she discovered hidden in a drawer in his office – Eugene's will.

He had bequeathed his entire estate, including the family manor and all its holdings, to her.

When had he made these arrangements? What thoughts had occupied his mind as he prepared for his own demise, knowing she would be left alone?

The depth of his compassion, his unwavering love, was beyond her comprehension. She could only weep, her heart breaking anew as she clutched the document in her hands.

The servants, now without a master, had all departed.

She distributed most of her remaining wealth to those who had stayed loyal to the end, those who had continued to perform their duties despite the turmoil and uncertainty.

It wasn't an act of charity, not truly. It was a way to honor Eugene's memory, to do what she believed he would have done.

Aria buried herself in his bed, in his room, seeking solace in the scent of him, a scent that now mingled with her own tears and regrets.

She stared at his ring, the worn metal cold against her skin.

Her eyes, once bright and full of life, were dull and lifeless, depleted of tears.

She had wept until her tear ducts ran dry, had screamed until her voice abandoned her.

Now, in the silence of his room, she realized how little she truly knew about him.

He had known her, had understood her likes and dislikes, her quirks and habits.

He had paid attention, had made an effort to see her, to know her, to understand her.

But what about her?

She knew next to nothing about him. Her memories were fragmented, incomplete, filled with superficial observations and missed opportunities.

She couldn't even be sure if the few things she did remember were accurate.

They had known each other for the same amount of time, yet their understanding of each other was vastly different. The realization filled her with a crushing shame.

She had taken, had demanded, had expected him to cater to her whims without ever truly giving anything in return.

This painful truth, this stark realization of her selfishness, plunged her into a spiral of self-loathing.

What if... what if she had opened her heart to him? Would things have been different?

'I regret it.'

She regretted the wasted years, the meaningless pursuits, the emptiness of her past.

'I want to fix it.'

She yearned to rewind time, to spend those precious years with him, to experience the joy and love she had denied them both.

'You're all I need now, Eugene.'

But this realization came too late, a cruel mockery of her newfound understanding.

'...I love you.'

If only she had recognized these feelings before their engagement ended, before she made that irreversible choice.

'I know now, with a clarity that aches.'

She whispered her love into the empty room, a plea that could never be answered.

"I want to know you... truly know you..."

And...

She wanted to love him as deeply as he had loved her.

The villainess, consumed by regret and longing, drifted off to sleep, her heart filled with impossible dreams.

***

"What... is this?"

She awoke to find herself back in time.

Back to the time when their engagement was still intact, back to a time when she was at her most beautiful, her heart a fortress of ice.

'...A dream?'

She couldn't believe it. It was impossible.

She had been a mage, albeit a mediocre one, before the curse, and she knew that manipulating time was considered an impossible feat, a realm beyond human comprehension.

Perhaps it was all a dream, a vivid, cruel trick played by her subconscious.

But...

"Eugene's ring..."

The ring, worn and tarnished, adorned her ring finger, a tangible reminder of the future she had experienced, a future she had destroyed.

It was a confirmation, a chilling reminder that her memories were real, that the pain and regret she carried were not figments of her imagination.

Whether this impossible phenomenon was a divine act of mercy, a chance to atone for her sins, or a cruel jest orchestrated by a mischievous demon, she couldn't say.

But she was grateful, deeply and profoundly grateful.

She had been given a second chance, an opportunity to rewrite her story.

And then, a letter arrived, delivered by a messenger from the Everhart estate.

I have something important to discuss. Please come to the manor.

Her heart skipped a beat as she read the familiar words, words that sent a shiver down her spine.

It was the same letter, word for word, that had set her on a path of destruction in her previous life.

'…This time, it will be different.'

She wouldn't make the same mistakes. She wouldn't allow regret to consume her again.

***

The carriage rattled along the familiar road, approaching the Everhart estate, a place that now felt more familiar than her own family's manor.

The old butler greeted her at the door, escorting her to the drawing room.

And there he was.

"It's been a while, Aria. I called you here because I have something important to tell you."

Eugene... her beloved Eugene.

She had prayed for this moment, had yearned for even a fleeting glimpse of him, even if it meant confronting him as a ghost, a figment of her imagination.

He wasn't the scarred, battle-hardened man she had met in the future, but that didn't matter.

He was here, whole and unharmed, and she had a chance to experience his journey, to be by his side as he navigated the treacherous path that lay ahead.

Tears welled up in her eyes, and she longed to run to him, to bury herself in his embrace.

But she restrained herself, knowing she had to tread carefully.

The Aria of this time, the cold, arrogant woman she had once been, had built a wall between them, a wall she now had to dismantle brick by brick.

'It's okay. One step at a time.'

Just as he had done for her.

"Let's end this."

She knew what was coming. She knew why he had called her here.

This day, the day he asked for their separation, had haunted her dreams, a constant reminder of her greatest regret.

'I thought I was prepared... I thought I could handle this with grace and composure.'

But the moment his words pierced the air, her carefully constructed façade crumbled.

Her prepared speech, her suppressed emotions, her carefully crafted mask of indifference - all vanished, leaving her raw and vulnerable.

And so...

"...No."

Her response was instinctive, an immediate rejection of his proposal.

She glared at him, her eyes blazing with defiance, even though she knew he didn't truly want to end their engagement.

"I won't. I refuse to annul our engagement."

He looked at her, his eyes wide with surprise.

His reaction, so unexpected, so endearing, filled her with both amusement and guilt. But she wouldn't back down.

Just as he had fought to save her, to keep her by his side, even when she pushed him away, she would never let him go.

"Eugene... Eugene Everhart."

The annulment document lay on the table between them, a symbol of their impending separation.

Aria's gaze hardened as she looked at it.

It was the seed of their misfortune, a tangible representation of her past mistakes.

...It deserved to be destroyed.

Riiiiiip—!

Without a moment's hesitation, she tore the document to shreds, obliterating their supposed ending.

She looked at Eugene, his eyes fixed on the fluttering pieces of paper, and declared her intentions.

Tears streamed down her face as she made her vow.

"There will be no annulment, no divorce. Do you understand?"

They had barely scratched the surface of their relationship, had yet to experience the joy and love that awaited them. Separation was unthinkable.

She would spend her life with him, would grow old with him, would be buried beside him when death finally claimed them both.

That was the only desire that remained in the heart of the woman who had once craved power and prestige.

No, it was more than enough. It was everything.

As long as Eugene was by her side.

And so...

From this day forward.

Forevermore.

'I love you, Eugene.'

This time, she would be the one to bring him happiness.

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