The General's Wife Wants to Leave-Chapter 251: Only if he knew why

Joanna looked up at the face before her eyes. The candle that burned in the candlestick that he held allowed her to see the outline of his face clearly.

He was calm, staring at her in stillness, as if he was not surprised that it was she who came to disturb the calmness of the night.

Joanna knew that she had to explain to him the reason why she was standing before his room, disturbing his rest. But for the passing moment, she just stood there, facing him in silence.

The pale moonlight that seeped through the window behind her cast a shadow on the features of the man whose wavy hair let loose above his shoulders. The piercing green eyes that stared at hers intently did not waver when a wave of night breeze blew from the cracks of the windows that were built on the white wall that sturdily stood along the long corridor.

"Willing to see me in the eyes now?" His deep, low voice streamed in Joanna’s ears.

Joanna did not find herself surprised hearing such a remark, as she knew how long their eyes had not met properly after he announced that the black carriage was his. And she did not look at him at all right after she stepped inside her home. She did not even spare him a glance when he was sitting or standing beside her. She had acted as if he was not around her.

Only if he knew why.

Joanna’s heart sank as she locked her eyes with his. He looked wounded, disappointed at her, yet the warmth was still there, for her to see and feel.

"I am sorry to disturb you," Joanna said in a voice like a whisper, lowering her beginning-to-blurry eyes as she could not see that heart-wrenching gaze anymore. "I have something to talk with you about," Joanna said further, uttering her intention while bearing the intense gaze that was still there, attempting to penetrate her chaotic self when she looked back at him again.

He did not reply in words. He just simply stepped aside to open a way for her to enter his room, a silent answer that she could talk with him about anything she wanted to share.

Gingerly, Joanna stepped into the room that she had never once come to visit during his stay there.

She initially thought to ask him to talk about the matter she was about to bring up in her room, but seeing him open the way for her to enter his room as if talking in her room was not an option if she wanted to talk to him, Joanna had no choice but to do so. It was also she who had a need at the moment, not him.

Different from her room, where candles were lit up to give brightness aside from the dancing flame in the fireplace, the room that was assigned by her father for her husband to stay in was only lightened by one candle that was on the candlestick that was in his hand now. Fortunately, he was not numb enough to let the cold settle in the room as the fireplace was lit up.

Standing near the wall of the doorframe, her observation over the room ended when the clicking sound of the door lock softly echoed in the room. Her eyes then followed where Canillas was heading, and she felt there was a prick in her heart when she found him lighting up more candles, as he undoubtedly knew that she took brightness as her preference.

"Have a seat, Joanna. I believe what you are going to talk with me about isn’t short. Otherwise you wouldn’t have bothered to see me now." She heard him speak in a tone that sounded a bit cold to her, but she accepted it as it was normal to vent his disappointment and annoyance at her.

"You may choose anywhere you want to sit. Suit yourself." As Joanna heard that, she once again observed the room.

As the room became brighter with the presence of more light, Joanna could see more clearly that the room could be said to be a deserted room, not warm and lively like hers, although both were the rooms that were built in the same building.

Not much could be seen as well. Aside from the initial furniture, there were only a few pieces of his belongings, like swords and some other weapons. But what she expected to see was if he came to Terra just to pick her up, and most of his time so far was spent outside her home.

Staring at the wardrobe, she wondered if his clothes and other stuff had been packed and were kept there, as she did not see any piece of his clothes in the room. As the thought came to her mind, she was brought back to her initial intention as to why she was now here, in his room on such a very late night.

Stepping across the room, Joanna pulled a chair that was placed at a table near the fireplace where Canillas lit up the candles.

"So, what are you going to talk with me about?" Canillas asked when he found her choosing to sit at the table instead of the bed.

After four more candles had been lit, Canillas pulled the chair that was opposite her before he took a seat there.

Joanna took something from her robe pocket. Placing it on the table, she said, "I forgot to give this back to you, Sir Canillas." Finding Canillas directed his eyes to the object that she handed in, she continued to say, "I tried to remove the bloodstain, but it was not as easy as I thought. I am sorry." Her voice lowered when she apologized.

Taking the object that was on the table, Canillas observed it. Before long, he raised his gaze, looking back at Joanna. "You used this that night?"

Knowing the meaning of his inquiry, Joanna nodded her head. "I didn’t know what to do to protect myself and prevent him from doing what he intended to do to me. So I used this to hit him. Hence the bloodstain... Sorry..." Joanna apologized once again, her eyes downcast.

Looking back at the golden lion seal in his hand, a small smile played on Canillas’ lips. As he observed it once again, he found a red stain on the head and legs of the proud sitting lion. His memory brought him back to when he saw that filthy man with a blood-drenched face that night.