Chapter 22
At the mention of “Irene,” Diego’s expression subtly changed. His fingers, which had been tapping the table in a steady rhythm, suddenly went offbeat.
Outside the reception room, the voices of Irene and her maid could be heard as they waited for the door to open.
“Is it true that His Grace is here at the mansion?”
“Yes, he just arrived.”
“Oh my gosh! How do I look? Am I beautiful?”
“You are the most beautiful in the world.”
Giggling happily, Irene quickly adjusted her excited expression the moment the door opened.
She walked gracefully into the reception room and stopped in front of Diego. Holding the hem of her extravagant dress—one fit for a grand ball—she bowed politely.
“It is an honor to meet you, Duke Magnus.”
Her flushed cheeks and slightly trembling voice revealed her emotions.
Diego, on the other hand, responded with a dry gaze as if he were looking at an object rather than a person. With a simple nod, he ended the greeting.
As Irene took her seat, everyone else was also settled.
At Edward’s order, freshly brewed tea and an elegant assortment of refreshments were served.
“I heard that His Grace came looking for you,” Edward said.
Judging from his words, Diego had indeed told them that Ebony was the reason for his visit.
Soon, all eyes turned to Ebony—including Diego’s.
Under the weight of those countless gazes, Ebony focused on the one person who mattered most: Diego. He, in turn, held her gaze, his deep eyes seeming even darker than before.
Finally, he spoke.
“I have something to discuss regarding Lady Dominique.”
“Is this an announcement concerning Ebony?” Edward asked.
Diego nodded. Just as he was about to continue—
“Duke Magnus!”
Ebony suddenly interrupted and stood up abruptly.
Everyone was shocked. Not only had she cut him off, but she had also called him by name, an incredible breach of etiquette.
“Would you mind speaking with me alone for a moment?”
Even worse, she had just requested a private conversation without any prior notice.
Edward felt his head spin.
His well-mannered second daughter had never broken protocol before—yet here she was, disregarding all decorum in front of Diego, of all people.
He was about to step in and apologize on her behalf when—
“Very well.”
To everyone’s surprise, Diego calmly accepted the request.
He stood up without hesitation and followed Ebony out of the room.
…
The three people left behind were too stunned to make sense of what had just happened.
Ebony led Diego to a quiet terrace where they could speak in private.
She still couldn’t believe how cooperative he was being. Struggling to hide her confusion, she spoke up.
“If you’ve come to break our contract—”
“Break it?”
Diego cut her off with a short laugh as if the idea was absurd.
With his arms crossed and his posture slightly relaxed, he didn’t seem at all like someone about to end an agreement. Ebony felt a bit relieved.
“So… you’re not?”
“Do you think I would let the Marquis of Saint steal you away?”
“Then… why are you here?”
“To finish our conversation.”
“But you’re a busy man. You could have just written a letter instead of coming to my family’s estate.”
“Leon mentioned that you were having trouble communicating with me. Instead of relying on uncertain letters, I decided to handle things in person. It’s safer and more reliable that way.”
He shrugged and smirked.
“Since I am busy, I left everything else to your brother.”
“…You left it to Leon?”
“He was the only competent knight I could trust. So, if you have any concerns, you should direct them to him instead of me.”
Ebony could already imagine what Leon’s next letter would say. He would either complain about how annoying Diego was or flood her with warnings not to become like him.
She sighed in relief. “I’m glad you’re not here to break the contract. But then… what exactly were you planning to announce to my family?”
“Our relationship, of course.”
“…Our what?”
Ebony stared at him in disbelief.
“Our relationship,” Diego repeated firmly.
A serious, deep voice, carrying a word that felt strangely sentimental.
Ebony, caught off guard by such an unexpected statement, completely froze. Diego took the opportunity to elaborate.
“Didn’t we agree on a marriage based on love? If we jump straight to marriage without ever having been seen as a couple, people will find it suspicious.”
“Well… that’s true, but…”
It was the most logical conclusion from an outsider’s perspective.
Diego didn’t know the full details of her plan, but after what had just happened, Ebony realized she needed to give him a little more context.
“Come to think of it, I never properly explained my goals to you.”
“Your reason for marrying me is simple—to have an excuse to leave your family, correct?”
“That, and one more thing. I told you before, didn’t I? That you were someone’s entire world.”
Diego raised an eyebrow at her.
His expression was neutral as if he found the topic dull or irrelevant.
Ebony turned to lean against the terrace railing, gazing at the rose garden below. It had been a gift for Irene’s sixteenth birthday—her pride and joy, but also the source of Ebony’s deepest wounds.
“My revenge is aimed at my family. And for her… my revenge is marrying you.”
“Then why not reveal it now?”
“I want the wedding to take place in six months. Until then, I need to give her hope—the belief that she still has a chance to reclaim the love she once lost.”
She absentmindedly touched her empty ring finger as she spoke.
Just as Irene had taken away her hope, Ebony wanted to do the same to her.
She wanted to crush Irene’s dreams when they were at their most beautiful.
Which meant that Irene didn’t know about their marriage yet.
“So, you intend to use me for your revenge?”
“I’ll do my best to ensure you’re not affected—”
“That woman is incapable of affecting me in any way.”
Diego scoffed dismissively.
“It doesn’t matter. Do whatever you want. But be prepared to pay the price—with that remarkable talent of yours.”
“So… you’re agreeing?”
“If I refused, would you stop?”
Diego’s smirk suggested he already knew the answer.
“Use me all you want. I’ll be using you just as much.”
His relaxed tone carried an unmistakable warning—Be ready.
Before returning to the reception room, they agreed on a plan:
- They would keep their “relationship” a secret for now.
- When they officially announced their marriage, they would claim to have been secretly dating all along.
- For today, Diego’s visit would be explained as a discussion about his argument with Leon—seeking Ebony’s advice on how to reconcile.
“You’re telling me I crossed all of Frinid just to ask for relationship advice? That’s ridiculously embarrassing.”
“…I’m sorry.”
“Forget it. You’re the one who came up with this story, so you’ll just have to deal with it.”
Knowing they couldn’t stay away too long without arousing suspicion, they decided to head back.
Diego walked ahead with long, confident strides. Then, as if sensing something, he suddenly turned around.
His eyes scanned Ebony briefly before he motioned for her to follow.
She hurried to catch up, matching his pace. After a few steps, she noticed that his strides had subtly slowed.
Was he… being considerate?
‘That can’t be right.’
She had seen enough of Diego Magnus to know he wasn’t that kind of man.
Yet, as she stared at his broad back, she couldn’t help but think—maybe, just maybe, he wasn’t as cold as she had assumed.
And as they walked side by side, keeping an unchanging distance, Ebony had one last thought.
Maybe they were well-matched partners.
