I would say he loves her but doesn't take her out cause of her health and maybe that's the same reason they haven't made love cause he's afraid of hurting her while doing so. Though what he is doing right now is terrible
Hmmmmmmmmmmmm, I'm feeling lots of misunderstandings + conspiracy involved, like that This Time I'll Be Happy one.
From looking at ch 2 raw
She give birth to a child, stuffs happen, MC head to the baby room to find that 'commoner' lady the bitch sister here talk about and the husband talking about it's fine for her to hold the baby since 'you're special'
MC goes into panic, run, collapse.
Then skip to her being told that he's sending her to another place to recuperate, but she takes it as him sending her away to spend time with his real lover.
On the way some 'bandits' attack the carriage, she manage to get her maid to escape to call for help, and then suicide, because even if she survived, a story of her being raped by bandit would tarnish her husband's honor.
Then 'dream' of reincarnating, 'new body, new life' stuffs (some unknown girl say 'it's a trade' and something about 'I'll be with you'), and she wakes up as a girl named Juliet and the chapter ends.
But during the chapter we see glimpses that hint at him caring for MC a lot. Letting her name the baby (Emilia) or when she's on the carriage and leaving, we get a panel of him looking as close to being 'sad' as his stoic face will make. And right as the MC dies, we get a cut to see him holding the baby from the back so we don't see his face, but wouldn't be surprising if he's smiling then.
As cold as he may seem, a lot of his actions have some sense to it if we consider her extremely frail health.
No sex - maybe he's worried about her not surviving childbirth so he plan to wait until she's healthier.
Telling her not to cook - just meant that he want her to focus on recovery, since she most likely had to wake up much earlier to cook for him.
No social gathering - see all the times she's been to those, pretty caring to not want her to be sick for attending. Also note that he always call his sister, not anyone else that might be mistaken as lover.
Visiting commoner girl - Probably eventual explanation down the line, there's too many options.
That 'rape' at the end - There's anotehr guy who definitely in love with his wife and just tried to take her away, jealousy hit cap, yandere activated.
@WhimsiCat you literally just worded what i had in mind properly. Its a pity he doesnt spend time with her at least though. The misunderstanding is really deep.
I want to feel bad for her but she's had one exchange with this guy and fell in love, then she got her father to ask him for marriage. Even if she is sickly they could have exchanged letters or he could come over and visit, how hard is it to sit and have tea together a few times?
Reincarnation tag.... hm.... if what the spoilers said are true then I’m kinda sad that she won’t be in her own body anymore and instead live in another?? I have no clue how this storyline is gonna progress but I wished she got to be in her own body but the title of “who used to be” makes more sense now haha
*Whimsicat thank you, you've pretty much explained what a lot of tohug just are reading this chapter and all the misunderstandings that could have been explained if the two character just talked with each other.