When Chloe opened her eyes again after taking the medicine and falling asleep, the first face she saw was fortunately not Damien's. The eyes of the attending doctor she had met before and her dedicated maid, Margaret, were filled with concern and relief at the same time.
“Madam, are you feeling better?”
“You must remain absolutely still for the time being.”
The doctor of Tisse said that it was very fortunate that there was no fever, and again urged absolute rest, and then left. Chloe struggled to get up from her seat and leaned against the head of the bed. She opened her mouth with a raspy voice to the maid who was putting a pillow behind her back.
“Margaret, what about the guests?”
Margaret barely managed to suppress her frustration when she saw the hostess worrying about her guests as soon as she regained consciousness after falling under the ice. She was even more upset when she heard that the other servants who had served the guests did not hide their disdain for the Duchess who was feeling unwell.
“Everyone has left. Except for that one person.”
Chloe could tell who she was dealing with by the expression on Margaret's face as she trailed off.
“...Are she the Marchioness?”
“Madam, you were the one who fell into the water, but you don’t know why you fainted?”
Chloe closed her heavy eyes once and opened them as she listened to the maid complaining. It was dark outside as darkness fell.
“How fortunate it is that the master rescued the lady without delay. It was a blessing from heaven that the great lady was not in the castle. If the great lady had known this, poor Mr. Brown would have had to look after three patients in one evening.”
Chloe briefly collected her thoughts with her eyes clouded over. True to her maid’s words, Duke Damien Ernst von Tisse had fulfilled his duty as a husband by rescuing his wife from drowning. It was not that the Duke was unaware that he had also risked his life by jumping into a potentially dangerous situation.
But, even if he hadn't invited his mistress, the Marchioness Isabella, would she have fallen into the ice lake? The stationary skating chair wouldn't have moved that fast on its own, so someone must have pushed her intentionally.
“Nothing else happened?”
“The biggest problem is that the madam has collapsed!”
Chloe recalled the situation just before she was pushed. Several people were running around her, whooshing, whooshing, and quickly, but she could easily guess who was behind her. The person who pushed her could have been the Marchioness Isabella herself, or someone else who had been instigated by her. It was too serious for someone to have done it on their own to gain the Marchioness’ favor.
“...Margaret. Where is the room of the Marchioness Isabella?”
“Why do you ask that, Ma’am?”
The maid asked cautiously, not hiding her worried face.
“I have something to tell her.”
Chloe's expression was marked with deep concern. It was clear from the beginning that the Marchioness had ill feelings toward her. It was understandable, considering that she had been in love with the Duke for a long time. It was not surprising that her malice had become sharp as an ice pick since Chloe had been paying attention to her in front of other women.
But Chloe, regardless of how much she understood her situation, was not in Chloe's power to appease the Marchioness who had been hurt by her lover. It would have been ridiculous for Chloe to try to please her, and it would have been a way of diminishing the Duchess's authority in front of everyone, and frankly, she had no desire to do so.
Since arriving at Birch Castle, Damien has always pressured her to fulfill her duties as a Duchess. In fact, he has constantly thrown her big and small challenges, and Chloe has been holding on with all her might, not wanting to be caught in even one.
This was also the case with the recent guest reception. Chloe had naturally realized that her duties as a Duchess included showing no mercy in the women's fights. She had dealt with the rude guests appropriately for two days, but her thoughts changed when her husband's lover practically threatened her life.
If the Marchioness's hatred ran deeper than it appeared, there was no guarantee that something like this wouldn't happen again.
“Can you guide me there?”
"Madam."
“Don’t worry, the government and the ruling party won’t fight and slander each other.”
Chloe smiled bitterly in front of the maid who was embarrassed and didn't know what expression to make. An alliance would be better to avoid unnecessary fighting. She thought that there was no reason for her to suffer unnecessary humiliation in front of people and risk her life just because she was married to a Duke.
“Madam. I know it’s rude to ask, but is there anyone behind what happened at the lake...?”
“It was just an unfortunate accident, Margaret. So if any of the servants misunderstood, you correct them.”
Chloe gently cut off the maid's words as she carefully guessed. It was an incident that could have killed her, but it was obvious that digging into the incident and punishing the Marchioness would not bring about good results. It was Chloe's turn to avoid getting caught up in a love affair and making a splash in the gossip magazine, and there was no guarantee that the others at the scene would take her side. Chloe's heart froze a little more as she came to the conclusion that the Duke would be among those who would not take her side.
In the end, she will be the Duchess blinded by jealousy and will have to endure the pain and suffering of being gossiped about and beaten by people.
The determination to meet Isabella and speak properly became stronger. She couldn’t reveal the fact that the Duke and her had married because of their mutual interests. Instead, she could tell her this one thing for sure. She had no interest in the Duke’s private life and didn’t want to. Isabella could whisper her love in some secret space other than in front of her, but she asked her to respect her space.
It was Chloe Verdier's last pride.
Isabella tried hard to appear calm in front of Damien, who was staring at her with his legs crossed.
“Now I finally have a chance to talk to you.”
“Yes. I’ll give you a chance, so tell me. You must have come all the way to Tisse for important business.”
Damien's voice was sharp, but his expression was no different than usual. Isabella took a deep breath and opened her mouth to him with a serious expression.
“The Prince’s symptoms are getting worse and worse. Now we are talking about having to call the medium directly to the palace.”
“Does the King know about that too?”
“Yes. That’s why I’m even more anxious. And...”
As Isabella trailed off, Damien stared at her blankly.
"What?"
“It seems His Majesty the King has noticed that you are plotting treason.”
“I see.”
Isabella blinked her eyes a little too quickly to hide her embarrassment when Damien didn't waver. Her expression was serious as she continued speaking in a lowered voice.
“His Majesty the King threatened to take my life if I did not bring you to Swanton. He also assigned me a personal maid to keep an eye on me.”
“So, I have to walk to the execution ground while holding your hand?”
“Of course not, Damien. There’s no way I would leave you like that.”
Isabella gently placed her hand on his arm.
“First, hide yourself at Winsbury’s cottage without anyone knowing. I will report to the King that you went missing on your way to Swanton.”
“Will the King really believe that?”
“I will do whatever it takes to make him believe me.”
“Isabella.”
“Yes, Damien.”
Damien glanced at her hand and muttered quietly.
“You didn’t really think I’d run away to Winsbury in terror because of what you said, did you?”
“But if you don’t, you’ll be in danger. Please give in this one time.”
“Your hands are getting cold, Isabella. That’s a sign of a lie.”
Isabella's softly arched eyebrows twitched a little. It had only been a short time since the old King had admitted her to the palace. He had been pressuring her, asking if she had been acting as Damien's spy. Isabella had insisted on her innocence, using her death as a pretext, and instead of executing her, the King had ordered that Damien be dropped off in a remote location.
“There will be a horde of assassins waiting for me at Winsbury, so why would I go there?”
“Damien. What are you talking about...?”
Isabella's lips trembled. The King's offer was one that Isabella, who had been waiting for an opportunity to take revenge on Damien, had no reason to refuse. Isabella Tweedle's ultimate goal was to become a Duchess, but since Damien had betrayed her, everything was doomed.
“Don’t act stupid. If you do, you’ll look really stupid.”
Damien smiled at her, who was trying hard to act calm. Unlike his beautiful face that blinded and captivated those who saw him, his voice was full of contempt and ridicule.
“Now that you’ve joined hands with the King, your dealings with me are over.”
Isabella chewed her lip in misery. With the viper-like Damien noticing the whole situation, there was only one way out.
“This is really too much.”
"What?"
“I don’t know why you’re suddenly acting like this, but considering the sacrifices I’ve made for you over the past two years, you can’t treat me like this.”
“Sacrifice, Isabella. That’s the word for giving up yourself for someone without expecting anything in return. It’s a word that doesn’t suit you at all.”
Damien laughed heartily and waved his hand.
“Don’t you think you’re the same person?”
“That’s why I never tell jokes like that.”
Isabella looked at him and gasped.
“It turns out that all the times you treated me kindly were lies.”
“Is it necessary to treat someone good at her job coldly? If you had been honest and asked for my help this time, I would have gladly helped you. But, pitifully.”
Damien's eyes sparkled with joy.
“There’s nowhere left to reach now, Isabella.”
He was a man who had no hesitation in attacking his opponent's weaknesses.
“If you don’t take me with you, the King won’t leave you alone.”
Isabella's eyes suddenly began to waver. Fear took over as she realized that Damien might let go of her hand completely.
“It’s true that I was angry. But it was because of you. Because after you got married, you completely ignored me and neglected me.”
“Isabella, if you were going to act like a child who is deprived of affection, you shouldn’t have betrayed me. No, you shouldn’t have let me know about it.”
“I leaked all the information about the palace as you wanted, so it can’t be thrown away like this!”
“Hahahaha!”
Damien finally burst into laughter as he looked at Isabella, who was shedding tears. He barely managed to suppress the cold, dry laugh and lowered his head to Isabella, who was looking at him with a pale face.
“Isabella, I can’t leave you.”
“Damien...”
“I never had you in the first place, so how can I throw you away?”
Isabella's face alternated between abject contempt and rage.
“No one knows you better than I do. I need to be by your side.”
“Unfounded judgments and obsessions are all rejected.”
“If you let go of my hand, I will die.”
Isabella's last card backfired. Damien's eyes turned bloodshot like those of a madman.
“You instigated the murder of the Duke’s wife, and you really thought you could live without it?”
Isabella took a step back involuntarily at his momentum and stammered.
“Wh, what are you talking about? I wasn’t even near the Duchess...!”
“The Marchioness, the tragic heroine, has no need to take action herself. One of the blind servants you bribed last night would have done the job well enough.”
“Damien, please forgive me. I just did it because I loved you.”
Isabella clung to him, clutching at his shirt, tears streaming down her loose robe.
“Do you love me?”
Damien grabbed her face as if he had heard something strange.
“Miss Isabella Tweedle, the Marchioness. Have you been pretending to be my lover and have you started to feel like you’re my real lover?”
Damien hugged Isabella's waist and whispered cruelly.
“But what can I do? I never wanted you as a woman.”
“Is it because I have been married? Or because I come from humble origins?”
As Isabella bit her lips hard, Damien clicked his tongue weakly.
“Isabella. So, you don’t know me at all.”
If he had wanted Isabella, he would have made her his long ago. It didn't matter whose woman she had been or whose woman she was. Origin was even less of a consideration.
“You’ve been so kind to me all this time.”
“Am I doing enough for you now?”
Damien's eyes turned bloodshot as he glared at Isabella, who was either pleading or whispering. Only then was Isabella able to vividly see the anger boiling inside him.
“Don’t you think I have great patience, seeing as I leave you alone, knowing that you betrayed me by holding the King’s hand and that you attempted to murder my wife?”
Isabella's lips trembled silently.
“If I go back to Swanton alone like this, His Majesty the King will kill me...!”
“Then you will soon encounter the poor Marquis Tweedle, whom you killed yourself.”
Her face turned pale and terrified in front of Damien, who knew all of Isabella's last secrets. Only then did she realize that she had made the wrong choice. The result of joining hands with the devil was destruction.
“Damien, please don’t abandon me. Please... Save me. Help me.”
Damien muttered as he stared blankly at Isabella, who was clinging to him in fear.
“It’s too late, Isabella.”
Isabella Tweedle and Damien have been working together for the past two years. All she had to do was act as Damien's lover. He had chosen her because he knew that Isabella, who was the maid of the dead Queen, had been in and out of the King's quarters. Thanks to this, he was able to gain insight into the inner workings of the royal court, and in return, he paid the greedy Isabella enough to live an appropriate life.
“Ugh, Damien... Damien, I love you...”
Damien's face, looking at Isabella sobbing, was filled with irritation instead of sympathy. What he hated the most was someone suddenly clinging to him with tears. If this was going to happen, he should have just avoided making the mistake from the beginning. The moment Damien shook her off and was about to leave, a quiet voice was heard from outside the door.
“Let’s go back.”
Damien's eyebrows furrowed sharply as he turned his head. It was the voice of his wife, who was supposed to be lying down in bed and resting.
“Ugh, Damien... Damien, I love you...”
The maid who was about to make a sound froze. Her hand holding the lamp trembled slightly. Chloe's face was also frozen. She knew in her head that it was not strange for Damien to be in the bedroom where Isabella was staying, but her heart would not allow it.
“...Let’s go back.”
The moment Chloe let out a small gasp, the door opened wide in front of her nose. It was Damien.
“Madam, what are you doing here?”
The man, who obviously didn't know the word shame, frowned and asked her. Chloe bit her lip hard enough to draw blood before barely being able to get her voice out.
“I came to apologize for the disturbance. I heard the Marchioness wasn’t feeling well, so I came to give her some really good tea.”
“I will tell her personally. The Marchioness is not in a position to meet anyone right now.”
Chloe held her head up stiffly. The poor maid standing next to her was shaking with her head bowed, not knowing what to do. Chloe prayed with all her might that her voice would not tremble, and prayed to her dead mother. Please, mother. Give me the courage not to break down.
“Since I have met Your Excellency here, I have something to say.”
"What?"
After Damien handed her the tea, he urged her to hurry up and tell him what she wanted to say. Chloe swallowed hard and barely managed to get her voice out.
“I want to go to Verdier.”
"Why?"
Because from this moment on, she doesn't have the confidence to face him again.
“I’m sick, so I want to see my father.”
“That won’t work.”
Damien cut her off as if it wasn't even worth thinking about.
"Please."
“It’s a rejection.”
“Why?”
Chloe frowned, and Damien continued.
“Now that you are married, you are not Verdier’s daughter but Tisse’s wife.”
“...”
“Isn’t it a Duchess’s duty to leave her husband alone in the castle?”
Chloe's heart pounded loudly as she thought she was frozen along with him as she fell into the ice water.
“If you’re done with your business, can you go? I’m a bit busy right now.”
Damien glanced behind him and muttered quietly. At first glance, he looked like someone who had just rushed out of a 'busy business' with the Marchioness. The tear stains on his disheveled shirt seemed to say it all.
"Ha..."
Chloe didn't have the confidence to endure any more humiliation. She spoke coldly in a low voice against Damien's rocky back as he turned around.
“You tell me to share my love with the government and fulfill my duty to myself?”
Damien stopped moving and slowly raised his eyebrows. Then he released the door he had been holding onto as if blocking her view.
“Are you jealous right now?”
The heavy door opened silently, revealing the room in its entirety. Chloe squeezed her eyes shut as she saw the black dress of the Marquise Isabella, half-lidded on the floor, covered in tears. Her heart felt torn apart. The pride she had barely managed to hold onto shattered into pieces on the floor, scattering in shards.
“...That’s impossible.”
There was no sense of humanity in this man who was clearly possessed by a demon. Chloe clenched her fists around her cane and fought to keep herself from collapsing.
“Have a nice time, Your Excellency the Duke.”
“Thanks to you, I think so.”
Chloe started down the stairs on shaky legs. Her vision was blurry and her breathing was coming in short gasps. Blood was seeping into her mouth as she clenched it tightly to keep herself from crying. Not only her hands and feet were cold, but her whole body was shaking so much that she couldn't stand properly. She felt like she was going to lose her cane and fall down the stairs.
“Madam, are you okay?”
The moment she was about to sit down, Margaret's worried voice faintly reached Chloe's ears. Chloe held on to the railing and tried hard to smile.
“It’s late at night. I’m fine. Go back to your quarters and rest for today.”
“I’ll just take you to the bedroom.”
“Because I want to be alone.”
Margaret hesitated for a moment and nodded with a dark face. Regardless of their social status, as a woman like her, she could not help but understand her feelings. Just because she was a noble, her heart was not made of iron.
“Be careful not to fall.”
“Thank you, Margaret.”
Chloe, who was standing there holding the lamp that Margaret had handed her, finally let out her wet breath after the maid’s shadow had disappeared. The tears she had been holding back finally flowed out and fell to the floor of the dark hallway.
Calm down, Chloe. It's okay. It's okay.
Chloe wiped her wet face with the back of her hand and tried to pull her feet away. She stared straight ahead, her eyes wide open, trying not to look at the portraits of Damien hanging on the hallway walls. In the pictures, he always had an arrogant smile on his face. It was a face that mocked her.
It seemed as if Damien's voice was in her ears, mocking her by asking if she had known this would happen from the beginning when she got married if she had expected something different from him, and if the spirit that had made her come all the way to the Marchioness's room had disappeared.
Chloe quietly let out a trembling breath as she shuffled down the endless corridor. She had clearly promised herself not to interfere with the Duke's private life. She had thought that as long as they respected her space, she would be fine with whispering sweet nothings to his lover.
But the moment she saw Damien with Isabella with her own eyes, all the resolutions she had made before coming here crumbled like a house swept away by a typhoon. Why? Why does she feel so miserable?
As Chloe walked alone through the dark castle, unrefined thoughts tangled and jumbled in her head.
Did she unconsciously harbor any expectations about the fact that Damien had saved her from falling into the lake? To a man who was ultimately only trying to show off his chivalry in front of others? To a low-class man who enjoyed secret meetings with his lover in a castle where his wife was the mistress?
Her bedroom was visible in the distance, but Chloe's steps were getting slower. She didn't want to be in this castle. No matter how hard Chloe tried to protect herself, it was a given that she would become miserable if Damien ignored her.
She knew it. She knew that was the kind of person he was when he married hr.
A shudder of self-loathing ran through her, and at the same time, an urge to run away surged up inside her. She stopped in front of the bedroom, but she couldn't open the door.
I want to go home. I want to go back to Verdier.
As she quietly shed tears, Gray's kind eyes suddenly came to mind. Chloe stopped hesitating and turned around. Anyway, when the sun rose, she would have to return to being an emotionless doll and guard the position of a hostess that no one respected.
If she couldn't go to Verdier, she needed the comfort of someone like family, even if it was just for this night. She wanted to lean on warm and affectionate goodwill. Gray wouldn't ask her anything, and just being by his side would help her get through tomorrow.
"...Miss."
Gray opened the creaking wooden door and came out, his eyes widening when he found Chloe.
“Aren’t you asleep yet?”
“Are you okay?”
Gray quickly led her into the house, closing the creaking door tightly behind her. Chloe's cheeks were red from having walked alone through the cold wind.
“It’s very cold outside. You shouldn’t be walking around like this without a coat.”
After Gray threw a generous amount of firewood into the stove, he held out a blanket.
“Yeah, it’s fine. I guess I've adapted to this ridiculous cold. I fell into the ice water and came out fine.”
Chloe's eyes sparkled with tears as she tried to smile. Gray's voice lowered.
“...Miss Chloe.”
“Can I stay here for a moment and then go? I was surprised, too, but when I came to my senses, I suddenly missed my parents’ home. I think I’ll feel like I’m back in Verdier when I’m with you.”
Gray didn't ask any further questions. It was just as Chloe had expected.
“Please understand even if it’s shabby.”
“Hey. It’s much bigger than the room under the stairs you stayed in at our castle.”
Chloe sat down on a small wooden chair, smiling self-deprecatingly. Gray set the kettle on the stove, which served both cooking and heating and boiled water for tea.
The rough sound of the wind, whooshing, knocked on the thin window. The wind was blowing so hard that it seemed as if it would knock down the small cabin, but the small space she was in felt warm and solid, like her old home. Chloe hid her body a little deeper in the blanket he had brought her.
“It’s cheap, so it won’t suit your taste.”
“Don’t say that, Gray.”
Chloe smiled faintly as he handed her the teacup and watched him blush. Gray was not dull, although he was quiet, but rather on the smart side. Even if it wasn’t because Chloe had taught him to write, it was clear from watching Gray work. Gray was quick to learn and good at understanding context. However, his greatest strength was that he could pretend not to know even when he knew the truth. Not because of bad intentions, but out of consideration for the other person.
Gray must have known that she had come to his place alone in the middle of the night through the forest for more than just a cup of tea. Still, Chloe was truly grateful to him for not asking her any questions.
“Gray, isn’t that right? My heart feels warm when I’m with you.”
Gray's dark complexion became a little darker.
“The tea is really delicious. Thank you.”
“...It will never compare to the first tea you gave me.”
Chloe smiled faintly at Gray.
“Has it already been ten years since I first saw you?”
“Eleven years.”
Gray corrected her in a soft voice. Chloe's eyes grew slightly misty.
“You were such a cute puppy back then.”
“You said that when you first saw me, Miss.”
“Did I do that?”
Gray nodded as Chloe smiled slightly. Mr. Chester, who had bought the orphan to be used as a laborer, warned him not to approach the girl, as he smelled like a rotten rag. Chloe, who had been looking at him with warm curiosity in her eyes, limped over and led him into the castle.
“Yes. I smelled like a puppy that had just come in after running around in the mud in the rain. And you brought me tea yourself. It was the sweetest, warmest, most delicious food I’d ever had.”
Gray carefully got up from his chair and threw all the remaining firewood into the stove for her.
“I will never forget it until I die.”
Chloe turned her gaze away from Gray, feeling her eyes get hot. It was clear that this was Gray's way of comforting her. His sincerity had completely touched her, who could not bear the feeling of being so pitiful. It was clear that her kindness meant something to someone.
“What are you going to do if you use up all the firewood you were given?”
“It’s much better than being sick, Miss.”
Gray spoke calmly, stabbing the firewood with the kindling. Chloe emptied her cup of tea and slumped down on the wooden table like a child who didn't want to study.
“I’ll stay like this for a little while.”
Tears flowed silently from Chloe's closed eyes. Gray's hand flinched several times, but in the end, he was unable to wipe away her tears. Instead, he just wished in his heart as he draped his clothes against the window where the wind was coming in.
Please, don't be sick, Miss.
When Chloe, who had fallen asleep without realizing it, opened her eyes, it was already dawn outside. Chloe hurried out of the cabin, seeing off Gray who hadn’t slept at all. She had to go back before dawn and be in bed before Margaret woke up.
Chloe walked briskly under the dark dawn sky. She was lucky that she didn't run into anyone on her way back to the castle. After she took off her clothes and changed into her pajamas, she tucked herself into bed just as Margaret opened the door and came in.
“Madam, did you sleep well?”
“Yes. I slept very deeply.”
Chloe smiled brightly, trying to reassure the maid who was watching her closely.
“I think this was the most comfortable night I’ve had since coming to this castle.”
It was when a relieved Margaret handed over the tea and biscuits and picked up the comb to straighten her hair.
“Whoa!!!”
A shrill scream echoed from the west of the castle.
“...A person died!!!”
The teacup fell from Chloe's hands.
“Madam, are you feeling better?”
“You must remain absolutely still for the time being.”
The doctor of Tisse said that it was very fortunate that there was no fever, and again urged absolute rest, and then left. Chloe struggled to get up from her seat and leaned against the head of the bed. She opened her mouth with a raspy voice to the maid who was putting a pillow behind her back.
“Margaret, what about the guests?”
Margaret barely managed to suppress her frustration when she saw the hostess worrying about her guests as soon as she regained consciousness after falling under the ice. She was even more upset when she heard that the other servants who had served the guests did not hide their disdain for the Duchess who was feeling unwell.
“Everyone has left. Except for that one person.”
Chloe could tell who she was dealing with by the expression on Margaret's face as she trailed off.
“...Are she the Marchioness?”
“Madam, you were the one who fell into the water, but you don’t know why you fainted?”
Chloe closed her heavy eyes once and opened them as she listened to the maid complaining. It was dark outside as darkness fell.
“How fortunate it is that the master rescued the lady without delay. It was a blessing from heaven that the great lady was not in the castle. If the great lady had known this, poor Mr. Brown would have had to look after three patients in one evening.”
Chloe briefly collected her thoughts with her eyes clouded over. True to her maid’s words, Duke Damien Ernst von Tisse had fulfilled his duty as a husband by rescuing his wife from drowning. It was not that the Duke was unaware that he had also risked his life by jumping into a potentially dangerous situation.
But, even if he hadn't invited his mistress, the Marchioness Isabella, would she have fallen into the ice lake? The stationary skating chair wouldn't have moved that fast on its own, so someone must have pushed her intentionally.
“Nothing else happened?”
“The biggest problem is that the madam has collapsed!”
Chloe recalled the situation just before she was pushed. Several people were running around her, whooshing, whooshing, and quickly, but she could easily guess who was behind her. The person who pushed her could have been the Marchioness Isabella herself, or someone else who had been instigated by her. It was too serious for someone to have done it on their own to gain the Marchioness’ favor.
“...Margaret. Where is the room of the Marchioness Isabella?”
“Why do you ask that, Ma’am?”
The maid asked cautiously, not hiding her worried face.
“I have something to tell her.”
Chloe's expression was marked with deep concern. It was clear from the beginning that the Marchioness had ill feelings toward her. It was understandable, considering that she had been in love with the Duke for a long time. It was not surprising that her malice had become sharp as an ice pick since Chloe had been paying attention to her in front of other women.
But Chloe, regardless of how much she understood her situation, was not in Chloe's power to appease the Marchioness who had been hurt by her lover. It would have been ridiculous for Chloe to try to please her, and it would have been a way of diminishing the Duchess's authority in front of everyone, and frankly, she had no desire to do so.
Since arriving at Birch Castle, Damien has always pressured her to fulfill her duties as a Duchess. In fact, he has constantly thrown her big and small challenges, and Chloe has been holding on with all her might, not wanting to be caught in even one.
This was also the case with the recent guest reception. Chloe had naturally realized that her duties as a Duchess included showing no mercy in the women's fights. She had dealt with the rude guests appropriately for two days, but her thoughts changed when her husband's lover practically threatened her life.
If the Marchioness's hatred ran deeper than it appeared, there was no guarantee that something like this wouldn't happen again.
“Can you guide me there?”
"Madam."
“Don’t worry, the government and the ruling party won’t fight and slander each other.”
Chloe smiled bitterly in front of the maid who was embarrassed and didn't know what expression to make. An alliance would be better to avoid unnecessary fighting. She thought that there was no reason for her to suffer unnecessary humiliation in front of people and risk her life just because she was married to a Duke.
“Madam. I know it’s rude to ask, but is there anyone behind what happened at the lake...?”
“It was just an unfortunate accident, Margaret. So if any of the servants misunderstood, you correct them.”
Chloe gently cut off the maid's words as she carefully guessed. It was an incident that could have killed her, but it was obvious that digging into the incident and punishing the Marchioness would not bring about good results. It was Chloe's turn to avoid getting caught up in a love affair and making a splash in the gossip magazine, and there was no guarantee that the others at the scene would take her side. Chloe's heart froze a little more as she came to the conclusion that the Duke would be among those who would not take her side.
In the end, she will be the Duchess blinded by jealousy and will have to endure the pain and suffering of being gossiped about and beaten by people.
The determination to meet Isabella and speak properly became stronger. She couldn’t reveal the fact that the Duke and her had married because of their mutual interests. Instead, she could tell her this one thing for sure. She had no interest in the Duke’s private life and didn’t want to. Isabella could whisper her love in some secret space other than in front of her, but she asked her to respect her space.
It was Chloe Verdier's last pride.
***
Isabella tried hard to appear calm in front of Damien, who was staring at her with his legs crossed.
“Now I finally have a chance to talk to you.”
“Yes. I’ll give you a chance, so tell me. You must have come all the way to Tisse for important business.”
Damien's voice was sharp, but his expression was no different than usual. Isabella took a deep breath and opened her mouth to him with a serious expression.
“The Prince’s symptoms are getting worse and worse. Now we are talking about having to call the medium directly to the palace.”
“Does the King know about that too?”
“Yes. That’s why I’m even more anxious. And...”
As Isabella trailed off, Damien stared at her blankly.
"What?"
“It seems His Majesty the King has noticed that you are plotting treason.”
“I see.”
Isabella blinked her eyes a little too quickly to hide her embarrassment when Damien didn't waver. Her expression was serious as she continued speaking in a lowered voice.
“His Majesty the King threatened to take my life if I did not bring you to Swanton. He also assigned me a personal maid to keep an eye on me.”
“So, I have to walk to the execution ground while holding your hand?”
“Of course not, Damien. There’s no way I would leave you like that.”
Isabella gently placed her hand on his arm.
“First, hide yourself at Winsbury’s cottage without anyone knowing. I will report to the King that you went missing on your way to Swanton.”
“Will the King really believe that?”
“I will do whatever it takes to make him believe me.”
“Isabella.”
“Yes, Damien.”
Damien glanced at her hand and muttered quietly.
“You didn’t really think I’d run away to Winsbury in terror because of what you said, did you?”
“But if you don’t, you’ll be in danger. Please give in this one time.”
“Your hands are getting cold, Isabella. That’s a sign of a lie.”
Isabella's softly arched eyebrows twitched a little. It had only been a short time since the old King had admitted her to the palace. He had been pressuring her, asking if she had been acting as Damien's spy. Isabella had insisted on her innocence, using her death as a pretext, and instead of executing her, the King had ordered that Damien be dropped off in a remote location.
“There will be a horde of assassins waiting for me at Winsbury, so why would I go there?”
“Damien. What are you talking about...?”
Isabella's lips trembled. The King's offer was one that Isabella, who had been waiting for an opportunity to take revenge on Damien, had no reason to refuse. Isabella Tweedle's ultimate goal was to become a Duchess, but since Damien had betrayed her, everything was doomed.
“Don’t act stupid. If you do, you’ll look really stupid.”
Damien smiled at her, who was trying hard to act calm. Unlike his beautiful face that blinded and captivated those who saw him, his voice was full of contempt and ridicule.
“Now that you’ve joined hands with the King, your dealings with me are over.”
Isabella chewed her lip in misery. With the viper-like Damien noticing the whole situation, there was only one way out.
“This is really too much.”
"What?"
“I don’t know why you’re suddenly acting like this, but considering the sacrifices I’ve made for you over the past two years, you can’t treat me like this.”
“Sacrifice, Isabella. That’s the word for giving up yourself for someone without expecting anything in return. It’s a word that doesn’t suit you at all.”
Damien laughed heartily and waved his hand.
“Don’t you think you’re the same person?”
“That’s why I never tell jokes like that.”
Isabella looked at him and gasped.
“It turns out that all the times you treated me kindly were lies.”
“Is it necessary to treat someone good at her job coldly? If you had been honest and asked for my help this time, I would have gladly helped you. But, pitifully.”
Damien's eyes sparkled with joy.
“There’s nowhere left to reach now, Isabella.”
He was a man who had no hesitation in attacking his opponent's weaknesses.
“If you don’t take me with you, the King won’t leave you alone.”
Isabella's eyes suddenly began to waver. Fear took over as she realized that Damien might let go of her hand completely.
“It’s true that I was angry. But it was because of you. Because after you got married, you completely ignored me and neglected me.”
“Isabella, if you were going to act like a child who is deprived of affection, you shouldn’t have betrayed me. No, you shouldn’t have let me know about it.”
“I leaked all the information about the palace as you wanted, so it can’t be thrown away like this!”
“Hahahaha!”
Damien finally burst into laughter as he looked at Isabella, who was shedding tears. He barely managed to suppress the cold, dry laugh and lowered his head to Isabella, who was looking at him with a pale face.
“Isabella, I can’t leave you.”
“Damien...”
“I never had you in the first place, so how can I throw you away?”
Isabella's face alternated between abject contempt and rage.
“No one knows you better than I do. I need to be by your side.”
“Unfounded judgments and obsessions are all rejected.”
“If you let go of my hand, I will die.”
Isabella's last card backfired. Damien's eyes turned bloodshot like those of a madman.
“You instigated the murder of the Duke’s wife, and you really thought you could live without it?”
Isabella took a step back involuntarily at his momentum and stammered.
“Wh, what are you talking about? I wasn’t even near the Duchess...!”
“The Marchioness, the tragic heroine, has no need to take action herself. One of the blind servants you bribed last night would have done the job well enough.”
“Damien, please forgive me. I just did it because I loved you.”
Isabella clung to him, clutching at his shirt, tears streaming down her loose robe.
“Do you love me?”
Damien grabbed her face as if he had heard something strange.
“Miss Isabella Tweedle, the Marchioness. Have you been pretending to be my lover and have you started to feel like you’re my real lover?”
Damien hugged Isabella's waist and whispered cruelly.
“But what can I do? I never wanted you as a woman.”
“Is it because I have been married? Or because I come from humble origins?”
As Isabella bit her lips hard, Damien clicked his tongue weakly.
“Isabella. So, you don’t know me at all.”
If he had wanted Isabella, he would have made her his long ago. It didn't matter whose woman she had been or whose woman she was. Origin was even less of a consideration.
“You’ve been so kind to me all this time.”
“Am I doing enough for you now?”
Damien's eyes turned bloodshot as he glared at Isabella, who was either pleading or whispering. Only then was Isabella able to vividly see the anger boiling inside him.
“Don’t you think I have great patience, seeing as I leave you alone, knowing that you betrayed me by holding the King’s hand and that you attempted to murder my wife?”
Isabella's lips trembled silently.
“If I go back to Swanton alone like this, His Majesty the King will kill me...!”
“Then you will soon encounter the poor Marquis Tweedle, whom you killed yourself.”
Her face turned pale and terrified in front of Damien, who knew all of Isabella's last secrets. Only then did she realize that she had made the wrong choice. The result of joining hands with the devil was destruction.
“Damien, please don’t abandon me. Please... Save me. Help me.”
Damien muttered as he stared blankly at Isabella, who was clinging to him in fear.
“It’s too late, Isabella.”
Isabella Tweedle and Damien have been working together for the past two years. All she had to do was act as Damien's lover. He had chosen her because he knew that Isabella, who was the maid of the dead Queen, had been in and out of the King's quarters. Thanks to this, he was able to gain insight into the inner workings of the royal court, and in return, he paid the greedy Isabella enough to live an appropriate life.
“Ugh, Damien... Damien, I love you...”
Damien's face, looking at Isabella sobbing, was filled with irritation instead of sympathy. What he hated the most was someone suddenly clinging to him with tears. If this was going to happen, he should have just avoided making the mistake from the beginning. The moment Damien shook her off and was about to leave, a quiet voice was heard from outside the door.
“Let’s go back.”
Damien's eyebrows furrowed sharply as he turned his head. It was the voice of his wife, who was supposed to be lying down in bed and resting.
***
“Ugh, Damien... Damien, I love you...”
The maid who was about to make a sound froze. Her hand holding the lamp trembled slightly. Chloe's face was also frozen. She knew in her head that it was not strange for Damien to be in the bedroom where Isabella was staying, but her heart would not allow it.
“...Let’s go back.”
The moment Chloe let out a small gasp, the door opened wide in front of her nose. It was Damien.
“Madam, what are you doing here?”
The man, who obviously didn't know the word shame, frowned and asked her. Chloe bit her lip hard enough to draw blood before barely being able to get her voice out.
“I came to apologize for the disturbance. I heard the Marchioness wasn’t feeling well, so I came to give her some really good tea.”
“I will tell her personally. The Marchioness is not in a position to meet anyone right now.”
Chloe held her head up stiffly. The poor maid standing next to her was shaking with her head bowed, not knowing what to do. Chloe prayed with all her might that her voice would not tremble, and prayed to her dead mother. Please, mother. Give me the courage not to break down.
“Since I have met Your Excellency here, I have something to say.”
"What?"
After Damien handed her the tea, he urged her to hurry up and tell him what she wanted to say. Chloe swallowed hard and barely managed to get her voice out.
“I want to go to Verdier.”
"Why?"
Because from this moment on, she doesn't have the confidence to face him again.
“I’m sick, so I want to see my father.”
“That won’t work.”
Damien cut her off as if it wasn't even worth thinking about.
"Please."
“It’s a rejection.”
“Why?”
Chloe frowned, and Damien continued.
“Now that you are married, you are not Verdier’s daughter but Tisse’s wife.”
“...”
“Isn’t it a Duchess’s duty to leave her husband alone in the castle?”
Chloe's heart pounded loudly as she thought she was frozen along with him as she fell into the ice water.
“If you’re done with your business, can you go? I’m a bit busy right now.”
Damien glanced behind him and muttered quietly. At first glance, he looked like someone who had just rushed out of a 'busy business' with the Marchioness. The tear stains on his disheveled shirt seemed to say it all.
"Ha..."
Chloe didn't have the confidence to endure any more humiliation. She spoke coldly in a low voice against Damien's rocky back as he turned around.
“You tell me to share my love with the government and fulfill my duty to myself?”
Damien stopped moving and slowly raised his eyebrows. Then he released the door he had been holding onto as if blocking her view.
“Are you jealous right now?”
The heavy door opened silently, revealing the room in its entirety. Chloe squeezed her eyes shut as she saw the black dress of the Marquise Isabella, half-lidded on the floor, covered in tears. Her heart felt torn apart. The pride she had barely managed to hold onto shattered into pieces on the floor, scattering in shards.
“...That’s impossible.”
There was no sense of humanity in this man who was clearly possessed by a demon. Chloe clenched her fists around her cane and fought to keep herself from collapsing.
“Have a nice time, Your Excellency the Duke.”
“Thanks to you, I think so.”
Chloe started down the stairs on shaky legs. Her vision was blurry and her breathing was coming in short gasps. Blood was seeping into her mouth as she clenched it tightly to keep herself from crying. Not only her hands and feet were cold, but her whole body was shaking so much that she couldn't stand properly. She felt like she was going to lose her cane and fall down the stairs.
“Madam, are you okay?”
The moment she was about to sit down, Margaret's worried voice faintly reached Chloe's ears. Chloe held on to the railing and tried hard to smile.
“It’s late at night. I’m fine. Go back to your quarters and rest for today.”
“I’ll just take you to the bedroom.”
“Because I want to be alone.”
Margaret hesitated for a moment and nodded with a dark face. Regardless of their social status, as a woman like her, she could not help but understand her feelings. Just because she was a noble, her heart was not made of iron.
“Be careful not to fall.”
“Thank you, Margaret.”
Chloe, who was standing there holding the lamp that Margaret had handed her, finally let out her wet breath after the maid’s shadow had disappeared. The tears she had been holding back finally flowed out and fell to the floor of the dark hallway.
Calm down, Chloe. It's okay. It's okay.
Chloe wiped her wet face with the back of her hand and tried to pull her feet away. She stared straight ahead, her eyes wide open, trying not to look at the portraits of Damien hanging on the hallway walls. In the pictures, he always had an arrogant smile on his face. It was a face that mocked her.
It seemed as if Damien's voice was in her ears, mocking her by asking if she had known this would happen from the beginning when she got married if she had expected something different from him, and if the spirit that had made her come all the way to the Marchioness's room had disappeared.
Chloe quietly let out a trembling breath as she shuffled down the endless corridor. She had clearly promised herself not to interfere with the Duke's private life. She had thought that as long as they respected her space, she would be fine with whispering sweet nothings to his lover.
But the moment she saw Damien with Isabella with her own eyes, all the resolutions she had made before coming here crumbled like a house swept away by a typhoon. Why? Why does she feel so miserable?
As Chloe walked alone through the dark castle, unrefined thoughts tangled and jumbled in her head.
Did she unconsciously harbor any expectations about the fact that Damien had saved her from falling into the lake? To a man who was ultimately only trying to show off his chivalry in front of others? To a low-class man who enjoyed secret meetings with his lover in a castle where his wife was the mistress?
Her bedroom was visible in the distance, but Chloe's steps were getting slower. She didn't want to be in this castle. No matter how hard Chloe tried to protect herself, it was a given that she would become miserable if Damien ignored her.
She knew it. She knew that was the kind of person he was when he married hr.
A shudder of self-loathing ran through her, and at the same time, an urge to run away surged up inside her. She stopped in front of the bedroom, but she couldn't open the door.
I want to go home. I want to go back to Verdier.
As she quietly shed tears, Gray's kind eyes suddenly came to mind. Chloe stopped hesitating and turned around. Anyway, when the sun rose, she would have to return to being an emotionless doll and guard the position of a hostess that no one respected.
If she couldn't go to Verdier, she needed the comfort of someone like family, even if it was just for this night. She wanted to lean on warm and affectionate goodwill. Gray wouldn't ask her anything, and just being by his side would help her get through tomorrow.
***
"...Miss."
Gray opened the creaking wooden door and came out, his eyes widening when he found Chloe.
“Aren’t you asleep yet?”
“Are you okay?”
Gray quickly led her into the house, closing the creaking door tightly behind her. Chloe's cheeks were red from having walked alone through the cold wind.
“It’s very cold outside. You shouldn’t be walking around like this without a coat.”
After Gray threw a generous amount of firewood into the stove, he held out a blanket.
“Yeah, it’s fine. I guess I've adapted to this ridiculous cold. I fell into the ice water and came out fine.”
Chloe's eyes sparkled with tears as she tried to smile. Gray's voice lowered.
“...Miss Chloe.”
“Can I stay here for a moment and then go? I was surprised, too, but when I came to my senses, I suddenly missed my parents’ home. I think I’ll feel like I’m back in Verdier when I’m with you.”
Gray didn't ask any further questions. It was just as Chloe had expected.
“Please understand even if it’s shabby.”
“Hey. It’s much bigger than the room under the stairs you stayed in at our castle.”
Chloe sat down on a small wooden chair, smiling self-deprecatingly. Gray set the kettle on the stove, which served both cooking and heating and boiled water for tea.
The rough sound of the wind, whooshing, knocked on the thin window. The wind was blowing so hard that it seemed as if it would knock down the small cabin, but the small space she was in felt warm and solid, like her old home. Chloe hid her body a little deeper in the blanket he had brought her.
“It’s cheap, so it won’t suit your taste.”
“Don’t say that, Gray.”
Chloe smiled faintly as he handed her the teacup and watched him blush. Gray was not dull, although he was quiet, but rather on the smart side. Even if it wasn’t because Chloe had taught him to write, it was clear from watching Gray work. Gray was quick to learn and good at understanding context. However, his greatest strength was that he could pretend not to know even when he knew the truth. Not because of bad intentions, but out of consideration for the other person.
Gray must have known that she had come to his place alone in the middle of the night through the forest for more than just a cup of tea. Still, Chloe was truly grateful to him for not asking her any questions.
“Gray, isn’t that right? My heart feels warm when I’m with you.”
Gray's dark complexion became a little darker.
“The tea is really delicious. Thank you.”
“...It will never compare to the first tea you gave me.”
Chloe smiled faintly at Gray.
“Has it already been ten years since I first saw you?”
“Eleven years.”
Gray corrected her in a soft voice. Chloe's eyes grew slightly misty.
“You were such a cute puppy back then.”
“You said that when you first saw me, Miss.”
“Did I do that?”
Gray nodded as Chloe smiled slightly. Mr. Chester, who had bought the orphan to be used as a laborer, warned him not to approach the girl, as he smelled like a rotten rag. Chloe, who had been looking at him with warm curiosity in her eyes, limped over and led him into the castle.
“Yes. I smelled like a puppy that had just come in after running around in the mud in the rain. And you brought me tea yourself. It was the sweetest, warmest, most delicious food I’d ever had.”
Gray carefully got up from his chair and threw all the remaining firewood into the stove for her.
“I will never forget it until I die.”
Chloe turned her gaze away from Gray, feeling her eyes get hot. It was clear that this was Gray's way of comforting her. His sincerity had completely touched her, who could not bear the feeling of being so pitiful. It was clear that her kindness meant something to someone.
“What are you going to do if you use up all the firewood you were given?”
“It’s much better than being sick, Miss.”
Gray spoke calmly, stabbing the firewood with the kindling. Chloe emptied her cup of tea and slumped down on the wooden table like a child who didn't want to study.
“I’ll stay like this for a little while.”
Tears flowed silently from Chloe's closed eyes. Gray's hand flinched several times, but in the end, he was unable to wipe away her tears. Instead, he just wished in his heart as he draped his clothes against the window where the wind was coming in.
Please, don't be sick, Miss.
When Chloe, who had fallen asleep without realizing it, opened her eyes, it was already dawn outside. Chloe hurried out of the cabin, seeing off Gray who hadn’t slept at all. She had to go back before dawn and be in bed before Margaret woke up.
Chloe walked briskly under the dark dawn sky. She was lucky that she didn't run into anyone on her way back to the castle. After she took off her clothes and changed into her pajamas, she tucked herself into bed just as Margaret opened the door and came in.
“Madam, did you sleep well?”
“Yes. I slept very deeply.”
Chloe smiled brightly, trying to reassure the maid who was watching her closely.
“I think this was the most comfortable night I’ve had since coming to this castle.”
It was when a relieved Margaret handed over the tea and biscuits and picked up the comb to straighten her hair.
“Whoa!!!”
A shrill scream echoed from the west of the castle.
“...A person died!!!”
The teacup fell from Chloe's hands.
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