Chapter 73
We Need to Talk
The sound of shattering porcelain rang through the restaurant.
It wasn’t Daphne’s plate—it was a young lady at the next table.
For a moment, even the jazz singer’s song came to an abrupt halt. Two servers hurried over to clean up the mess.
Daphne turned to look.
She locked eyes with the flustered woman, whose face looked vaguely familiar, though she couldn’t recall her name. That meant she was probably just another high-ranking noble.
She must have overheard.
Daphne had already scheduled a meeting with Delphinium the next morning, intending to release a controlled news article. But now, things were taking a much more interesting turn.
Or maybe… this is better?
If Amber Green’s outrageous demand to “get rid of it” spread through the nobles via that girl, it would only serve to paint Daphne as a victim.
This realization lifted her mood slightly. She tapped her foot to the beat of the resumed music, her lips curling into a faint smirk.
“…Amber.”
Marius intervened at last, his tone calm but firm.
Amber, however, was still glaring daggers at Daphne.
Only then did Daphne tilt her head slightly and feign innocence.
“Get rid of it? Get rid of what?”
“What else? That trash.”
“Oh. Well, my child’s name isn’t trash.”
Daphne looked down at her stomach, stroking it gently with a sad expression.
Amber’s face twisted into a scowl.
Her expression is hilarious.
For someone who always acted like she knew Daphne better than anyone, her mother had readily believed the tabloids. And worse—she had immediately ordered her to get rid of it.
It was almost disappointing.
“You see your daughter for the first time in days, and the first thing you say is that? Not even a simple How have you been? Or, I don’t know, acknowledging the fact that I’ve been sick in bed?”
Marius’ expression darkened. He, too, had received multiple telegrams about Daphne’s condition.
“Daphne, that’s not—”
He started to say something, but before he could, his secretary leaned down and whispered in his ear.
His expression flickered—intrigued, almost.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
Glancing briefly between Daphne and Amber, as if worried about what might unfold, Marius excused himself and stepped outside.
“Isn’t it a bit cruel, Grandmother-to-be?”
“Grandmother?”
“Yes, you, Amber Green.”
Daphne propped her chin up and giggled, an outright impolite gesture for a formal dinner.
Amber, however, did not smile.
“Then again, I suppose this is just how you’ve always been. Even when I broke my leg, even when I nearly drowned in the frozen lake—you heard about it all, yet not once did you come to check on me. You were too busy.”
When Count Serenade—Amber’s mentor and Daphne’s godfather—had passed away, Amber hadn’t even attended the funeral.
Marius, despite his schedule, had at least shown his face for a brief moment.
“Since when have we ever cared about the process? What matters is that you’re sitting in front of me now, perfectly fine—well, except for the fact that you’re carrying some trash’s child.”
“Wow…”
Daphne let out a breathy chuckle at the sheer absurdity of her mother’s words.
It was at that moment she realized something.
My entire life, I’ve had to put up with this woman taking away everything I love.
She had initially planned to sit down and have a casual conversation, even revealing that her pregnancy was just a bluff.
That plan was now ruined.
“So what if I am?”
Her fever had finally broken, and the dizziness was gone.
But right now, Daphne almost wished she were sick again—because this situation made her want to curl up and die.
“Oh, Daphie. You know everything I’ve done was for you.”
Amber’s words made Daphne’s right ankle throb with phantom pain.
“For me? Please. I’ve survived on my own just fine.”
“You should at least understand that everything you have isn’t really yours, Daphne.”
“If that’s the case, I’ll gladly give up my inheritance. The trusts, the—”
“You left out Serenade.”
Amber raised her wine glass. The moment Serenade was mentioned, Daphne’s jaw tightened.
“If I hadn’t sent you there, do you think you’d have had any chance at inheriting Kilian Serenade’s estate?”
Daphne had expected this.
She clenched her teeth.
“God, I’m so sick of this. Why doesn’t she just drop dead already?”
But the words got stuck in her throat.
Letting out a slow breath, she picked up her water glass and took a sip, cooling the fire in her chest.
“…You should know that saying these things isn’t easy for me either,” Amber sighed, as if she were the one suffering. “But I’ll say it again. Everything I do is for us.”
Amber had bribed the royal family. She had orchestrated everything to ensure Celestian Theriosa was taken away.
How he had ended up in the Crown Princess’ palace was still a mystery.
Not that I care anymore.
Daphne let out another weary sigh.
She idly poked at her asparagus with a fork.
Just then—
“I was waiting…”
Marius returned, looking slightly flushed.
Daphne studied his face. Then, as if ensuring he heard her, she spoke in a deliberately sharp tone.
“If you and your beloved Royal Elders are so determined, then why don’t you just put a bullet in my stomach?”
“Daphne.”
Marius immediately tried to placate her.
Daphne almost pitied him. He was like a stranger caught between two feuding women.
But that only made her raise her voice even more.
“And you, Father. You’ve spent how long ignoring everything? And now, just because I supposedly have a child, you suddenly care? You even rushed back home for this?”
Marius hesitated, rubbing his temple.
At that moment, Daphne had a realization.
She rarely ever bothered to justify herself.
That was definitely his blood in her veins.
Clicking her tongue inwardly, she turned back to face Amber.
“If you don’t care about the process, I’ll just give you the conclusion.”
“…….”
“I’m having the baby. The name was chosen by the first young master of Serenade. April Theriosa.”
Daphne hated lying—it felt like having needles pricking her tongue.
And right now, her tongue hurt.
“How am I supposed to have a baby? Should I just adopt? Or—”
Her mind wandered to an angelic face, buried against her chest, breathing peacefully in his sleep.
“Hm.”
Clearing her throat, she bit the inside of her cheek twice, then met Amber’s increasingly pale face.
Daphne’s gaze flickered downward, scanning for anything within Amber’s reach.
She spotted a steak knife.
No, she mused. Not with Father sitting beside her. Not with all these nobles watching. She won’t make a scene.
So she smiled sweetly.
“If marriage is what you want so badly, fine. I’ll do it.”
Amber’s fingers twitched.
Daphne saw it but continued, voice as light as ever.
“To the Grand Duke of Theriosa.”
Her golden eyes gleamed.
“For a defective product like me, landing a deal this good must be a jackpot, right, Mother?”
****
Daphne, nestled in his arms, felt oddly stiff.
“Did you sleep well, Your Grace? We were worried you’d be asleep until morning.”
“…Kisha.”
Celestian opened his eyes to find a pair of gray ones staring back at him. Startled, he quickly sat up, regaining his senses.
Daphne was gone.
“She left me behind. Again.”
He let out a long sigh.
“Why are you here?”
“Because the young lady went out.”
“Why didn’t you follow her?”
“Because she said—and I quote—‘His Grace doesn’t like waking up alone.’ And so, per her orders, I stayed.
How do you feel about holding a younger man in your arms?”
“…….”
Celestian looked thoroughly disgusted.
“I must say, Your Grace, this is my first time being embraced by another man. I do hope you’ll take responsibility.”
Kisha’s voice was dripping with sarcasm, but his battered face made it hard to be truly annoying. Celestian, rather than retaliating, simply studied him in silence.
“Where’s Daphne?”
Kisha let out an exasperated sigh and crossed his arms. His usual smooth, deferential attitude was nowhere to be seen. Instead, he looked downright annoyed.
“Your Grace, what exactly is your problem?”
Celestian tilted his head.
“What?”
“You wouldn’t be asking for her the second you wake up unless she was more than just some woman to you.”
“Is it that obvious?”
“Oh, extremely. And honestly, we’ve all known for years. Let’s see… About three years, I’d say?”
Kisha counted on his fingers, eyes rolling upward as if calculating.
Celestian remained expressionless.
Finishing his mental math, Kisha grimaced.
“Now that I think about it, it all makes sense. Every time I escorted her to a party, I always had the feeling someone was watching.”
“…….”
“And there were those times you almost tripped—”
Celestian’s face tensed.
“I never tripped.”
He scratched his cheek, avoiding Kisha’s knowing gaze.
Kisha suddenly shot to his feet.
“Wait. That was you tripping me?!”
“…Did I say that?”
“I was joking! But damn, I really caught something on my hook, huh? Your Grace, this is fascinating. Since when exactly have you been into our young lady? I must say, Your Grace’s taste is… unique.”
Celestian narrowed his eyes.
Kisha, ever the fisherman, smirked and leaned in.
Celestian flicked him a glance before warning,
“I’m letting you off because your face looks pitiful. But if you don’t back up, I will hit you.”
Kisha merely shrugged. Then, as if dropping the teasing entirely, he said,
“Did you know she went to the Crown Princess’s palace a few days ago?”
Celestian froze.
“Daphne?”
The moment her name left his lips, his expression softened.
Kisha smirked again. This ghostly grand duke really is an amusing guy.
“Oh? You didn’t know? Yeah, our lady was personally invited by Her Highness.”
Celestian’s green eyes darkened as they flicked upward toward the ceiling.
His jaw clenched so tightly that the veins in his neck became visible.
