Chapter 280: Not in Vain

Isolde walked ahead, saying, “I don’t remember what I said earlier.”

“Think about it!” Oliver caught up to her, still holding her hand. Isolde didn’t pull away; instead, she held his hand in return, and they walked quietly toward the pavilion.

The wind gradually picked up, and the chill of early winter became more pronounced. But the scenery was beautiful. The garden was bathed in golden light, the sunlight as clear and bright as glass. They sat down, and Isolde looked up at him. “How did we end up at the point of getting married?” Thinking back, it really did feel miraculous. Her life had already been ruined. She couldn’t believe that God had been so kind to her. Was there really some higher power guiding everything? As she thought this, the face of the Queen Mother suddenly flashed through her mind, and she laughed. Why would I think of her? She was the Queen Mother, the mother of the world. However, she was still mortal after all. How could she control people’s destinies?

Oliver also found it miraculous. He had never had any expectations about marriage. Even though he had been engaged to Cristina before, he had seen it as just a step everyone had to take. He hadn’t felt any anticipation or joy. Looking back now, from the first time he saw Isolde at the Langley residence and accidentally hurt her, to the time they went to Wolf Mountain to rescue Theodric and spent the night hiding in the mountains, they had been nothing more than strangers passing by. He had never imagined that the two of them would become so deeply intertwined.

When her engagement was broken off, he had felt a fleeting moment of secret joy. At the time, he had thought it was just because William wasn’t a good match for her, and he was happy for her. When he saw her crying at the manor, his heart ached. Someone so strong and stubborn had such a vulnerable side. He felt protective of her, even though he knew she didn’t need protection. She had witnessed his engagement being broken off.

His proposal hadn’t been a spur-of-the-moment decision. He was tired and didn’t want to go through the process of arranging another marriage. She was good, and he felt comfortable around her. He wanted a wife like her. After proposing, he hadn’t really expected her to agree. However, when he went to Zloimond and faced a life-or-death situation, he suddenly valued this anticipation very much. This was because when one’s life and death were unknown, if one had concerns, at least it proved that there was a need for one to exist. He had vowed that if he made it back, he would propose to her properly. But after narrowly escaping death, he found out she had already married him. When he recalled the feeling that surged in his heart when he heard this news, he still couldn’t figure out what it was. All he knew was that he had wanted to hold her immediately.

Now, hearing Isolde’s question, his thoughts swirled before he finally settled on two words that he thought sounded rather cliché. “Fate!” Then he laughed. Isolde looked at him and realized how much she loved seeing him smile. When he smiled, it was as if all the gloom had lifted, and his face became as bright as the sunlight outside. Fate—perhaps it was true. After all the twists and turns, they had ended up together.

Isolde held his metal hand. Though the hand was cold, her heart felt warm. Oliver felt a little self-conscious and tried to switch to his right hand, but Isolde only held onto his metal hand, pressing it against her cheek. “No matter what, let’s make the most of this life, even if it’s a short one.”

Her mood had suddenly turned somber because she didn’t know how much longer she had to live. Oliver placed his other hand on her face, cupping her cheeks as he spoke earnestly and solemnly, “A lifetime.” Those three words sounded so beautiful. Being able to make a lifelong promise to someone he loved filled him with emotion and excitement, stirring his heart.

Isolde smiled, holding his wrists with both hands before intertwining their fingers and resting them on her knees. “There’s something I need to tell you. After you hear it, if you want to call off the wedding, I won’t blame you.”

Oliver looked at her. “No matter what you say, I won’t call it off.”

Isolde took a deep breath. “I have a cold poison in my body that I was born with. The Princess said I might not live more than five years.”

Oliver let out a soft “oh,” his gaze fixed on her. His pupils contracted slightly, and his right hand trembled faintly, but he held her hand tightly. Five years is still a lifetime. A heavy weight settled in his chest, making it hard to breathe. When the Princess had examined her that day and asked him to leave, he had suspected there might be something wrong, but he hadn’t expected it to be this serious. He forced a smile. “We’ll find a way. Even if we can’t, we’ll make the most of these five years.”

Isolde nodded, her voice thick with emotion. “Okay.”

Oliver’s hand caressed her face before he quickly pulled her into an embrace. “It’s okay. I came back from the dead. If the Princess can’t cure you, maybe the Grand King will have a way. We’ll go and beg him if we have to.”

“Okay,” Isolde said, listening to his rapid and frantic heartbeat. He was pretending to be calm, but her heart ached.

“If the Grand King can’t help, we’ll go to the Queen Mother or the Ghost Doctor. There are so many talented people in the world, so many famous physicians. We’ll find a way.”

“If the Queen Mother and the Ghost Doctor can’t help, we’ll go to Shulgara. I’ve heard there’s a woman there called Aurora Carter who can bring the dead back to life…”

Isolde listened to his rambling before placing a finger on his lips. “Okay. After we get married, we’ll start our long journey to find a cure. If you’re with me, I won’t be afraid of anything.”

“I’ll be with you. I’ll go wherever you go,” Oliver said, his voice trembling slightly. He tried to steady it, speaking faster. “Don’t overthink it. We’ll find a way.”

Isolde looked at his tense but deliberately relaxed face and felt that she had no more regrets in life. To have someone who cherished her more than life itself—this life had not been lived in vain.

Patricia sent someone to call Oliver in for snacks. The maid returned and reported that the two were talking in the pavilion and had mentioned something about not living for more than five years. Then they hugged. Patricia and Natasha exchanged glances, both feeling a pang of sadness.

Natasha said quietly, “At least we know Oliver truly cares for her.”

“Yes, Natasha, don’t be sad. Good people have their own blessings,” Patricia said, worried that Natasha’s grief would harm her health.

“It’s impossible not to be sad. First my daughter, and now my granddaughter. If Isolde’s illness really can’t be cured, I’ll have to leave before her. I can’t bear to outlive another loved one,” Natasha said, wiping her tears.

Patricia quickly stepped forward to pat her back and comfort her. “Natasha, what are you saying? The wedding day is almost here. Don’t say such unlucky things. Let’s focus on the happy occasion and celebrate with Isolde. If the servants hear this, they’ll be heartbroken. Garrett hasn’t come to terms with it yet.”