My Ex-Girlfriend Was Appointed as a Knight Commander

Chapter 53

Louis Apart arrived in the capital city. He had brought only one servant and headed directly to the home where his son, Maxim Apart, was staying.

"Maxim." "Father."

Maxim stood at the doorway, looking at his father. Louis was shorter and stockier than his son. Maxim had taken after his mother in appearance, so there was little resemblance between him and his father, save for their light brown hair. However, their eyes were different; while Maxim's were a pale gold, Louis's were a deep, nearly black brown.

"Did you receive my letter?" "...Yes. I read it."

Louis, without preamble, brought up the letter he had sent. It was clear he was referring to the hidden message within it. Maxim nodded in acknowledgment, and Louis, raising his eyebrows slightly, seemed satisfied.

"Good. Then let's have a proper father-son chat after all this time."

Louis sank into one of the chairs in the sitting room.

"Master, do you require anything...?"

The servant asked tentatively, but Louis clapped his hands as if suddenly recalling something.

"We'll be heading to Baron Borden's estate shortly, so have the carriage ready and wait outside. I'll spend some time catching up with my son before we leave."

"Understood."

With a slight bow, the servant left the house.

"That servant, fortunately, comes from our own estate. I’ve confirmed his background, family and all."

Louis glanced at the closed door.

"Still, one can never be too careful. You must exercise caution."

Maxim watched his father shrug his shoulders. The casual demeanor didn’t fool him; his father's gaze was sharp beneath the surface.

"...Yes, being involved with high-ranking nobles isn't always a blessing," Louis sighed.

"You asked in your letter... Do you have any suspicions about what's going on?"

Maxim met his father’s eyes. He didn't want to involve his family further.

That was his decision.

Sharing the truth recklessly would only lead to more suffering for everyone involved. Whatever happened between him and Theodora had to remain their burden alone. Even if that burden was leading him toward his own demise.

"No," Maxim shook his head. Louis, knowing his son well enough, nodded in understanding and didn’t press further.

There was, however, one person left who troubled Maxim’s heart deeply.

“And... I have a favor to ask.”

Louis raised his eyebrows. Maxim was not the kind of person to ask for favors, especially not like this. The seriousness in his son’s demeanor made Louis pay closer attention.

“What is it?” “After the engagement ceremony, could you take Marion to our estate?”

Louis burst out laughing at the request.

“What, do you like her that much?” “And while I’m away, could you please take good care of her?”

Maxim’s request, spoken with gravity, made Louis stop laughing. His expression became serious as he nodded.

“I’ll discuss it with Baron Borden. Don’t worry about it.”

“...Thank you, Father,” Maxim murmured softly, his gratitude sincere. Louis simply smiled in response.

A subtle tension filled the air in the reception room. It wasn’t the typical tension that arises when two families meet to discuss an engagement. Emil Borden, the head of the Borden family, had welcomed Louis Apart, Maxim’s father.

“Please, take a seat.” “Thank you for your hospitality.”

The difference between a noble of the court and a provincial noble was stark. Emil Borden addressed Louis Apart in an informal tone, and Louis accepted this treatment as natural. He sat in a chair that was uncomfortably plush and looked at Emil.

“This is only the third time we’ve met, isn’t it?”@@@@

Emil stroked his chin as he spoke. Louis nodded quietly.

“Yes. Despite our families being bound together by this engagement, we haven't met very often.” “Well, neither of us has had the time. Your son’s been very busy, hasn’t he?”

There was no malice in Emil’s words, but Louis chuckled awkwardly.

“My son is rather shy. He’s always been reserved around strangers.”

Emil let out a scoffing laugh.

“Yes, I noticed that your son is quite the quiet one.”

Whether he knew it or not, Emil's words about Maxim’s personality felt oddly detached. The two men sat in silence for a while.

“I have a proposal I’d like to make.”

Louis was the first to break the silence.

Maxim entered, dressed in the same outfit he had worn the first time they met: a white shirt with a wine-red vest. The summer heat had done away with the frock coat, but everything else was the same. The atmosphere, however, was different. His somber eyes, once cold, now held a faint warmth, and his usually tight expression had softened.

“Are you ready?”

Marion gave a faint nod. She wanted to say she wasn’t ready at all, that her heart was still far from prepared.

“Is it alright for me to be here right now...?”

Maxim asked, his voice hesitant as he noticed Marion’s discomfort.

“If you’re uncomfortable, I can leave.”

“No.”

Marion quickly stopped him. Maxim, who had begun to turn away, hesitated and then sat down beside her.

“You can stay... if you want.”

Marion spoke with a soft, shy voice, and Maxim smiled gently.

“Alright. I’ll stay for a bit.”

Marion studied Maxim’s face. His expression was warm, devoid of the usual tension she had come to expect. Yet something about him felt off. There was a sense of resignation in his demeanor, something unsettling. It was as though he had let go of something, but Marion couldn’t place what it was.

“Maxim...”

Without realizing it, Marion called his name. The change in him didn’t seem entirely positive. His expression, though gentle, gave the impression of someone who had surrendered to something she couldn’t understand.

“Hm?”

Maxim looked at her. His eyes seemed calm, but Marion could sense the undercurrent of something unspoken.

“Are you... alright?”

“Alright? What do you mean?”

Maxim seemed genuinely puzzled by the question, though Marion detected the briefest flicker of hesitation. She knew there were many things Maxim hadn’t told her. And yet, the way he was now, Marion couldn’t help but feel concerned.

In the past, she wouldn’t have asked. But now, she couldn’t ignore the look on his face.

“If there’s something you can’t tell me, it’s okay. You don’t have to.”

Marion backed down, retreating from the question. A shadow passed over Maxim’s face.

“Marion.” “Yes?”

Maxim looked at her as if he were about to say something important, but the words caught in his throat. He wasn’t sure how to reassure someone who bore wounds as deep as his own.

Maxim took Marion’s left hand in his. Marion, nervous yet seeking comfort, held onto him.

“After the engagement, would you like to come to our estate for a while?”

Marion’s eyes widened. Slowly, she lowered her gaze. She couldn’t help but feel that Maxim was avoiding answering her question, but she couldn’t force him to be honest.

“...I’d like to go. But...”

Her eyes, filled with concern, met his. She wasn’t demanding answers—she was worried about him, afraid that he might be slipping away from her.

“...”

Marion lowered her head again, and Maxim was overcome with a sense of guilt. Marion blamed herself for not being able to hold onto him, while he felt guilty for not prioritizing her.

If only I could have put her first.

If only I could have forgotten about the past, the tangled grudges, the painful truths.

If only I could have chosen Marion above all else.

“...I’ll go.”

Marion’s voice cut through the silence. Her words were resolute, and they brought a fresh wave of guilt crashing over Maxim.

“When this is all over, when everything is settled...”

Maxim’s words reached Marion, though even he wasn’t sure if they were an empty promise.

“When that time comes.”

Maxim squeezed Marion’s hand gently. Marion, her gaze fixed solely on him, listened intently.

“Yes. When that time comes.”

They promised each other a future—a future neither of them could be sure of.

There was a knock at the door. A servant called for Marion from outside.

The engagement ceremony was about to begin. Maxim rose from his seat and offered his hand to Marion. She looked at his outstretched hand for a moment before placing hers on top of it.