Etienne became irritable due to his slow recovery. No matter how much he tried to endure it with willpower, the poison spreading through his body easily exhausted him. He would experience fever, cold sweats, and chills.
He discussed simple matters with Cedric for a brief moment during the day when he felt better, but anything beyond that was too much.
'Get well soon.'
Upon hearing the news that Duke Bernhard was ill, the Grand Madam sent gifts and cards, while at the hot springs instead of nursing her sick adopted son.
'Is she reluctant to watch her own men groan after being struck by arrows?'
Although it is not certain, few people hated him this much.
What was more annoying than his ailing body was Shioana. If he didn't make her stop going to Raul's office, he might die of a heart attack before then.
'This is driving me crazy.'
As he fumbled with his side, the night spent in the cave came to mind automatically. The touch of Shioana's hands, which had torn the chemise to nurse him, was vivid.
"...Ha."
He could not sleep due to anxiety when he heard a noise outside, and someone entered the bedroom.
As Etienne identified the person by the sound of footsteps alone, he quickly closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep, and the other person crept up close to the bed.
It was amusing to see her reach out to check if he was breathing, as if she thought he was dead.
"You look like you're sorry I'm alive."
The Duke spoke weakly, and Shioana, looking down at the hand he was holding, bit her lip.
'Just as the Viscount said, the Duke must be in poor condition.'
Etienne's face was a mess, just like when he had collapsed from Eli's brutal beating. It was so painful to look at that she could no longer stay by Etienne's side.
"I'll be leaving now."
"I thought you came to keep your promise to sleep together."
Shioana stammered at the rough voice.
"Since Your Excellency is a patient, it is right for you to rest."
"I feel anxious when you aren't by my side."
At the Duke's words, a look of confusion flickered in Shioana's blue eyes.
"It's because you keep trying to run away."
"I won't break a promise."
"I do not believe you."
Even though he was in pain and groaning, he did not let go of Shioana's hand.
'If he dies like this, we will never be able to resolve this misunderstanding.'
In the end, Shioana, who had decided to stay by his side, climbed into bed. Leaning against the headboard, she hesitated for a long time before opening her mouth.
"I don't believe what you said the other day."
The Duke definitely said that when they kissed in the cave back then.
'Is it that I am your husband?'
"You probably just don't want to believe it."
"I could understand if you had a change of heart, but even so, this isn't right."
Etienne might have easily reciprocated her feelings when he met her in Regbell because he was lonely as well. Then, she thought that once he returned to his hometown and found his place again, he might have completely forgotten about Shioana.
Because a person's heart can't stay the same forever.
"You have a knack for telling your own story as if it were someone else's."
It was Shioana, not him, who had a change of heart.
It was she who gave birth to and raised a child with a man other than him, while staying close to the man Urcheka.
"I think there is definitely a misunderstanding between us. There was a fire in the barn—"
Shioana squeezed her eyes shut as she recalled Regbell's blazing flames. She deeply regretted that she had not died with him at that time.
"Right. Sadly, I didn't die."
“Why do you say that!”
"You should know better than anyone why I'm doing this."
Shioana shook her head vigorously.
This was clearly a terrible nightmare.
Etienne is Duke Bernhard, and he hates her.
"We aren't exactly thrilled to see each other again, but it's a bit hurtful to be treated like a ghost."
Hot tears streamed down Shioana's cheeks.
It’s not that she didn’t dream of meeting Etienne again, but not in this way.
“Why did you trick me?”
He frowned as he watched Shioana crying while holding back her screams.
"To answer, I have never once deceived you. It is just that you haven't asked."
"Please explain why you are doing this to me."
Shioana, unable to bring herself to utter the name Etienne, wiped away her thick tears with the back of her hand.
"Do you think crying will change anything?"
As she coughed repeatedly, he replied coldly.
"You abandoned me in the basement of the annex when I was on the verge of death."
It was a painful memory for both of them to think about, but it was true.
"There were circumstances back then."
She was being threatened by Eli, so she had to cruelly turn her back on Etienne at that time.
"Are you asking about the circumstances of your attempt to marry a wealthy gentleman?"
"My brother said he would hurt you if I didn't do that."
At her words, Etienne covered his eyes with one hand and muttered weakly.
"Right. That could be the case."
Such simple words were insufficient to resolve the rift between the two.
To Etienne, she was a vile and abominable being who had traded love and faith for money.
"After you disappeared like that, something big happened in Regbell, so I ended up coming here."
The thought of taking care of the baby her brother left behind lingered on the tip of her tongue.
'Miss, please make sure the Lord does not find out about Young Master Harriet.'
It was the dying Dahlia's last request.
She said that if Eli were to find out about Harriet's existence, he would demand money from the Marquis of Demory using the baby as a hostage.
She said he did not want the child left behind by Elizabeth, who died unjustly, to be used in that way.
"I am very curious to see how it will turn out."
He was someone who had already sent someone to hear how Regbell's Evgenia family had fallen.
'It is said that Shioana Evgenia married Count Noah, but eloped due to gambling debts.'
It was painful to put up with Shioana, who lied to him until the very end.
"My brother suddenly disappeared, and Count Noah—."
As she recalled the despicable face of Count Noah, who had treated her roughly, she could barely breathe for a moment. For a moment, she wondered why she was making excuses for every little thing like this.
"Wasn't that one man enough?"
"How can you say that?
Shioana, her face flushed with humiliation, raised her hand and slapped the Duke's cheek.
"If you won't believe me, I won't say any more."
"That was a pretty good performance. If it had been any other man besides me, they would have been fooled without a doubt."
"...Ha."
Etienne was the type to throw himself at breaking branches for fear of hurting her, so who on earth is this man standing before him now?
"Why don't you just insist that child is yours too? Is that too much on your conscience?"
"Don't speak ill of Harriet for no reason. At least the child is innocent."
When Shioana flared up at the mention of the child, he sprang to his feet. Etienne, still gripping Shioana's wrist, had a bizarre glint in his eyes.
"Yeah. Actually, I don't really care about kids."
"What on earth is the reason you deceived me from the beginning?"
"As I said before, Shioana, I have never deceived you."
"Please explain it to me so I can understand."
Etienne opened the bedside table and took out a document. The paper was heavily crumpled, perhaps because it was old.
"See for yourself."
"This is..."
Shioana's eyes trembled violently as she checked the contents.
It was a short letter reporting the whereabouts of a person named Etienne, and her name was clearly written in the signature section at the bottom. Shioana blinked as if she could not believe it.
"You probably can't even remember how much the compensation was."
"I really don't know. Besides, the signature is mine, but I never wrote anything like this."
The smile vanished from Etienne's face at her expected excuse.
"Did you do this because that arrogant older brother made you do it, too?"
If it weren't for that letter, the men sent by God Mother Bernhard would not have been able to find him.
If that had happened, he might have been able to dream just a little bit more sweet dreams. He wouldn't have had to live like this with a hole in his heart.
"I swear I didn't do this. How much I..."
I loved you, so why would I do something like selling my lover for a few pennies?
Shioana was so choked up that she couldn't even bring herself to finish speaking.
He stared at the tears welling up in Shioana's eyes and spoke coldly.
"I was suitable for playing around with for a while, but I probably wasn't good enough to make me your husband when I had nothing."
"How could you say such a thing?"
Just as she was about to slap him again, Etienne bound her wrists.
"Yes, as you said, hearts can change. But you shouldn't have abandoned me when I was on the verge of death and sold me to someone else."
"I didn't do that."
"Did I tell you? That I don't trust you at all."
Etienne wore a gloomy expression as he clutched her wrist painfully. He had only imagined that someday he would meet her and ask about what happened back then, but hearing only lame excuses made him feel even worse.
He expected to see Shioana's apologetic face, even if not a sincere apology.
"You could have at least told me one truth."
"Everything I said is true."
Shioana shouted fiercely while twisting her grabbed arm.
"Right. Then what about that child? Blonde hair and blue eyes, they really resemble someone."
"Leave the child alone."
"Do you still think I am not worthy of being with you?"
As Shioana spun her head, he went into a frenzy.
"I told you to look at me!"
As Etienne climbed on top of her body and lowered his head, Shioana resisted.
"Don't do this."
"Why are you reluctant because your heart is with another guy?"
Shioana shook her head vigorously, and he slowly licked her tear-stained cheek with his tongue.
"You should smile now that you have reunited with your husband."
Shioana squeezed her eyes shut as she watched Etienne roughly kiss her.
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