After being treated coldly by the head of the household, the wife who was deeply beloved by him... passed away.

I wasn't... I didn't mean for it to be like this... I never thought it would come to this. I loved her. I truly loved her. At first, I certainly... believed the bad rumors about her and treated her terribly. Prompted by my cruel treatment, the servants also abandoned their care for her――――for a time, she became so weakened she could barely move. But after I realized the rumors about her weren't true... I changed my attitude toward her. Because of my poor judgment, I had hurt her deeply, but I told her I loved her as she lay unable to get out of bed. I promised to do anything I could as compensation. However, she cast down her eyes and said she wanted nothing. I found myself loving her even more for her modest nature―――― I fired all the servants who had abused her and turned them over to the guards, charging them with harming a noblewoman. The commoner servants were sentenced to hanging. The servants who retained their noble status were sent to forced labor camps to pay her damages. It was only natural retribution, since they had endangered her life. I told her of my love every day, devoted myself to her care, tried hard to do things that would make her happy, and gradually she began to show me her smile. So I thought... it might be time. I had endured so much because her health was poor. I never thought it would end like this!? "After being neglected by the lord of the house, the lady who was then doted upon... has passed away." The setting is vague. Posted on Alphapolis.