Lucas had been optimistic for a while after the broken engagement. Ariana knew about what happened with Elena.
Damn it.
That's why she got angry at him and did this. Thinking that it was a betrayal and an aberration made everything make sense. The reason Lucas was able to be optimistic was simple. Ariana Lopez's love for him had been so solid until just a short while ago. After he had tried to drive Ariana into a delusion and failed, his optimism had waned a little. But soon he found a new breakthrough.
'I'm going to convince her that Elena had seduced me unilaterally. I was just a bit shaken by her trick, and you're the only one I love.'
If he wanted, he could kneel and shed tears. All he had to do was succeed in getting Ariana away from that man, no matter what. According to Imperial law, a woman is subordinate to her head of household before marriage, and to her husband after marriage. With Edward and Lucas, the heads of the Lopez family, in the league, it was easy to get their hands on Ariana... Until she had a new 'master'
"Damn it!"
Lucas, thinking of Dante, slammed his desk hard. No matter how much he used his connections, money, or any other method, he couldn't get in touch with Ariana. That new 'master', who had been entangled with that sly and treacherous thing, was completely protecting Ariana like a ferocious hunting dog. And so, the two of them finally got married.
Ariana's ownership had completely passed to that man. The saying that a dog that chased chickens only looked up at the roof was exactly what it meant in this goddamn situation.
'But there's still a way!'
He had all the evidence. He had bribed the stimulant that Elena would claim to have forced him to eat, and the pharmacist who would falsely testify that he had prescribed
"My Lord. This is not the time for it. You need to come out right now."
"Damn, why are you making such a fuss!"
"Someone from the security force came " out!"
Lucas' body froze for a moment.
"... Where did they come from?"
"They are insisting on summoning the Master! Come out!"
Lucas was shocked and stormed out of the office. The lobby was literally a mess.
"What kind of disrespect is this to my son! How dare those who eat up the national treasury try to disgrace the founding fathers of the Pedegreen family!"
The enraged Lady Pedegreen fought the Intruders, but the intruders who spotted Lucas easily passed over her.
"Sir Lucas Pedegreen. You have been charged with forced adultery, so you must come to the security force for questioning."
"W-what kind of absurd talk is this!"
The Lady Marquis grabbed the back of her stiff neck. How dare they accuse the honorable head of the Pedegreen family of such a crime!
It was an unbelievable and horrible thing. Lucas was equally absurd.
"What the hell is this nonsense? Can't you just get out of my house right now!"
"The immunity of the police has been temporarily lifted upon the request of more than ten people."
"Ha, this is ridiculous! Who on earth agreed to investigate me for such a crime! If that's true, name them!"
"I can't tell you the exact names right now."
"Look at that! Since you can't tell me, it's probably absurd-."
"There are about thirty-five of them."
Lucas's mouth fell open at the gendarme's blunt answer.
"Th... thirty-five?"
The gendarmes took advantage of Lucas's confusion at the unimaginable number and grabbed his arm. The Lady Marquis cried as she watched her proud son being humiliatedly taken away.
"How dare these damned bastards! Let me go! My son! My son!"
"Mother...!"
After a tearful scene of separation, the gendarmes finally succeeded in dragging Lucas out of the Marquis' mansion. Behind him, pitiful voices were heard.
"Gyahhh! The Lady has collapsed again!"
"Oh my, if she collapses again, we're in real trouble!"
***
"Ha. This fucking dog...!"
The sharp laughter was reflected off the prison walls. Lucas looked around in disbelief. The family of the Marquis, the founding fathers. The head of the prestigious Pedegreens. The greatest noble of the great nobles, he was currently imprisoned under the pretext of investigation. And under such a trivial pretext.
'Elena Lopez. That damn thing.'
I tried to force her into having sex with me? How dare that vixen bitch put such a false accusation on me!
The thought that he had tried to do the same thing had long since evaporated from Lucas' mind. Lucas gritted his teeth as he recalled Elena's face, acting cute.
He couldn't remember exactly who had started the relationship. It seemed that Lucas had touched Elena's nape first, or that Elena had dragged Lucas's leg under the table while they were having dinner together. But the important thing was that neither of them had accepted the forbidden touch that the other had extended.
After the first misconduct, Elena had been sending him strange glances from time to time. It was different from the gentle and grateful gazes Ariana had sent him, and that was why it had a different flavor. Lucas felt a thrill in his gut when the two women looked at him as if they were worshiping him at the same time. That Elena, who had been like that, would betray him like this.
'Could it be that she was angry because she heard what I said back then?'
It was even more shocking when he thought about it that way. When the honor of the Marquis Pedegreen and the woman, who was a noble by name but a commoner by bloodline, was at stake, it was easy to figure out which one should be sacrificed. He even suggested a countermeasure, saying that he would find her a good match.
As Elena, wouldn't it be better to start anew with a foreigner who doesn't know anything than to live without being able to get married and be pointed at by the system?
...Of course, Elena probably wouldn't have crossed the border safely, but in any case, he meant that it was natural to think that way.
'That annoying thing... This won't do.'
Since it was like this, he thought that he had to deal with Elena as soon as he got out of there. It wasn't hard to ruin the life of a commoner woman who was only a noble in name. Lucas decided to spend his boring time imagining Elena falling into the abyss. He would be able to get out of this damn place before the sun rose anyway.
How on earth did Elena manage to get thirty-five nobles...
Damn, Lucas don't know how many of them she had, but it was useless. She couldn't tie up a high-ranking noble for more than one night for something with no evidence.
Clink, clank.
At that moment, the clear sound of shoes came down the stairs. Lucas turned his head absentmindedly to check the owner of the shoes and opened his eyes wide.
'...Ariana?"
He almost didn't recognize her. Lucas stared blankly at Ariana as she came down the stairs.
'Was her skin that good?'
Maybe it was because the background was a dull prison. Ariana's platinum hair was shining more radiantly than usual. Her pale skin, which had been as pale as a ghost, was smooth as if carved from white jade, and her bloodless lips were as fresh as if they had been dyed with rose juice. He knew she was beautiful, but was she really that much?
Lucas felt saliva gathering under his tongue without realizing it.
"Hello, Marquis."
Even the way she greeted him gently was different from before. A faint smile appeared on Ariana's face as she approached. Even though it was a very small smile, it felt like a world of difference from her usual self, where she was always timid and lacking confidence.
The strange charm of someone who knew exactly what they were doing was flowing over her entire body. Lucas's throat groaned without him knowing it.
'If she had been like this earlier, I wouldn't have even looked at Elena.'
"Ariana."
Lucas hurriedly approached and grabbed the bars.
"You're finally showing me your face. Do you know how long I've been looking for you?"
When he started to speak, he almost felt angry, but Lucas tried to hold it back. Now was the time to tease her.
"Anyway, it's good that you came. Let's talk about us. The last time we met, I suspected you of delusions-."
"The investigators are currently searching the Marquis' mansion."
"What?"
Lucas' eyes widened at the unexpected words.
"Are they really crazy! Not only did they humiliate me like this, but they're searching my house?! What right do they have to dare!"
"Oh, I testified."
Ariana answered calmly and smiled even more.
"I think I saw the Marquis forcibly molesting Elena at that mansion. The evidence of that is probably left in the Marquis's rooftop garden."
"Lies!"
Lucas shouted. How could she tell such a blatant lie without blinking an eye?
Lucas had never even taken Elena to the Marquis' mansion. Lucas, excited, shouted, pointing his finger.
"How is that evidence left there!"
Lucas paused for a moment after saying that.
Wait. Just now... Didn't you say the rooftop garden?
'Why did Ariana mention that place?'
A cold sense of anxiety crept up his spine.
"Of course, it's not credible that the evidence is in such a place, but the police had to search it. I personally reported. it after obtaining the petitions of thirty-five nobles."
"What were you just saying..."
"Oh, of course, that doesn't mean that the evidence of your relationship with Elena is really there. It wasn't important to begin with."
"Ariana!"
Lucas growled, but Ariana smiled instead. As if she couldn't stand the refreshing situation.
"But, because of my fake testimony, the investigators who were searching the garden found something suspicious."
Ariana continued her words briskly and took out something. Lucas, who confirmed the identity of the thing, opened his mouth blankly.
"While searching the greenhouse of the rooftop garden, this was found."
"..."
A leather cover the color of burnt bread crusts. Lucas, who had discovered the identity of the ledger, opened his mouth in vain.
"How did you do that?"
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