The men still stood facing each other. Their deep thoughts were concealed from one another. The way they acted as if they were the only ones in the spacious hall.
"...You guys should look around the garden," Mrs. Souma's voice broke the tension. She unhurriedly continued as she glanced at both her husband and Ren, "The autumn flowers have yet to bloom properly but we take pride in our garden. Refreshments are served in the garden too. Why don't you two take a breather there?"
"Sounds good. We'll go to the garden first, then," Tsubaki was quick to join forces with Mrs. Souma. She tugged at Ren's shirt a few times with an expecting look.
"Getting fresh air is indeed nice," Ren shifted his cold gaze to his wife. His frosty eyes instantly mellowed at the moment he met Tsubaki's clear ones, "Alright. Let's take you to the garden."
Tsubaki gave him a sweet smile. She shot Mrs. Souma a grateful look before she once again tugged her husband's arm just so he would quickly follow her outside to the garden. In helplessness, Ren smiled.
As the husband and wife left the hall, President Souma looked at his wife for more than two decades.
In his mind, he felt like it was just yesterday when the two of them were sworn as a pair of husband and wife. In these two decades, this woman, Okano Shiori was a good wife who had never caused trouble. The arrogance and temper of a pampered young miss softened gradually over the years.
Yet, no matter how good she was, he still couldn't forget that one lady who occupied his heart.
The lady looked a lot like the young lady from earlier.
"...You are good to her," Before he could stop, those words flowed out of his mouth.
Mrs. Souma maintained a mild expression. She raised her brows and calmly asked, "Why? Do you not want me to be good to her? Tsubaki is a good girl. I feel comfortable with her."
The way his wife answered him was smooth as if she didn't understand the meaning behind his words. Yet, both of them knew that she understood.
"That child... looks so much like her," President Souma frowned. He paused, hesitated for a moment. After battling with his inner self, he continued, "I heard she's adopted by her registered parents. What if..."
"Do you want to say she might be your child with her?" Mrs. Souma interrupted her husband.
Perplexed, President Souma couldn't refute his own wife. He lowered his eyes in guilt.
Mrs. Souma stamped out the cold fury that suddenly surged out from her heart. Her usually calm gaze turned frigid as she stared at her husband.
"I no longer covet your heart," She lowered her voice to avoid being heard by the nearby guests, "I have known you would never look at me but, please, at the very least, on our wedding anniversary, don't talk about her."
Once she was done, Mrs. Souma spun on her heels and walked away from her stunned husband. The coldness of her face was instantly replaced by a warm expression as she greeted the guests. Without paying attention to the gaze directed at her back, Mrs. Souma gracefully entertained her group of friends.
Ever since the night she rushed to Fujioka Masami and told her that she had to escape, Mrs. Souma let go of half of her unfounded jealousy toward the woman. It was not Masami's fault for being loved by Souma Shinjiro.
And, on the cold wedding night when her husband left her alone in the bridal chamber, she relinquished the other half of her bitter feelings toward Masami.
Her husband, the one she loved wholeheartedly, would never be hers but she didn't have the heart and energy to continue blaming it on another woman.
At this time, the thought that Mrs. Souma held back once again resurfaced in her mind.
Maybe, next year, no wedding anniversary celebration would be held in this mansion.
While Mrs. Souma silently kept her thoughts to herself, Ren and Tsubaki were already in the garden.
Most of the guests who were enjoying their time in the vast garden were from the younger generations. Two long tables draped with white table cloths were placed in one corner of the garden. Various kinds of meals and desserts were laid on the table alongside choices of drinks.
As Tsubaki saw how people were obviously wanting to approach her husband yet they dared not, she nudged Ren's arm who was taking cut fruits for her.
"Darling, you should go and talk to them," Tsubaki whispered, "Don't just be sticky to me."
Ren frowned. Displeasure was written in between his brows. Before replying, he took one grape and popped it inside his wife's mouth.
"Why must I speak to them?"
Tsubaki quickly munched on the grape and replied, "Just go and socialize. I don't want them to think I've tied you to me. Kanako is here. I'll stay with her."
Her friend had been making various gestures to her, beckoning her to come to the white iron-wrought table.
"I am really tied to you. If possible, I want to tie you to me with a big ribbon," Ren answered brazenly.
Tsubaki gave a little chuckle. This silly man of hers, he could still make a lame joke at this time?
"What if one of them has a good suggestion for you?" Tsubaki took the fruit plate from her husband, "Won't you thank me later? I won't say no if you made another fortune for me~"
Since this was a banquet, Tsubaki thought it would appear too bad if none of them socialized with the other guests. Although she wasn't prone to care about how others thought of her, it wasn't the same for her husband.
Like her, he was a man who moved according to his own speed and intention. Never did he care about others' opinions on him but, the reality wasn't as good as how we wanted it to be.
Tsubaki didn't want to hear others badmouthing her husband.
"Alright," Ren finally relented. It wasn't like he didn't understand what his wife was worried about. He lifted up a hand and gently squeezed her cheek, "Stay with Kanako. Don't wander around on your own."
Tsubaki tilted her head and gave the sweetest smile to her husband. She deliberately fluttered her eyelashes before she turned around and headed to where Kanako sat. Ren was baffled by how quickly she moved away from him.
Did he really have to tie her to him using a ribbon?
"It seems like your husband is really reluctant to part with you," Kanako teasingly laughed at Tsubaki, "Won't he be upset?"
"Let's see if he dares," Tsubaki put down the plate on the round table, "I would just kick him out of the room."
"Hahaha~ I can't imagine it," Kanako laughed a bit louder.
Tsubaki smiled in helplessness.
As she turned to look at where Ren was standing, she saw a small group of young men was talking to him. Her husband appeared unapproachable as usual but he still answered to the men when needed to.
Aye, let's hope their child won't inherit his coldness toward strangers. She had to instill politeness in their little one from an early age.
More and more people came to approach Tsubaki like how her husband experienced now. Most of them were Kanako's friends. Since they didn't act impolite to her, Tsubaki joined in their conversation.
"Excuse me," A young woman's voice came from one side.
The ladies paused from talking. The one who talked was one of the waitresses in-charged of the banquet.
"Yes? May we help you?" Kanako was quick to answer.
"Is Mrs. Fuse here? Someone said he found this envelope falling from Mrs. Fuse's bag," The waitress explained while showing a small envelope in the palms of her hands.
Tsubaki felt weird but she didn't show it on her face. For this waitress to mention someone seeing it coming from her, Tsubaki was sure it wasn't a coincidence.
That someone was using this waitress to send this envelope to her. It even had her name written on the corner of it in unfamiliar handwriting.
"I'm the one you're looking for," Tsubaki gave the young woman a smile, "Thank you for finding it for me."
Once the envelope was delivered to Tsubaki's hands, the waitress politely bowed and left the table.
Kanako eyed the envelope with curiosity, so did her friends, "What it is, Tsubaki?"
"It's given by Grandma," Tsubaki slipped the envelope inside her clutch, "Ah, what did you talk about? Was it about the new dessert shop in the city center?"
"Yes! I've just gone there this week and..."
Even though Tsubaki was listening to the ladies talking while giving out her opinions from time to time, her mind was actually on the envelope. When she touched it earlier, she felt something quite hard on the inside of it, unlike the usual feel of paper.
Was what it? What did the sender want her to see?
As for who was the sender...
Without thinking too deep, Tsubaki could only pinpoint it to the man with the creepy smile.