It Feels Like I’m About to be Divorced, But my Husband is My Favorite

Chapter 78

The sound of my favorite person calling me “My wife” always seemed like it would bring me joy.

But perhaps because of my guilty conscience, today, my heart trembled more with a faint fear than excitement.

Lowering my gaze, I quickly blurted out, “You must have been startled. I’m sorry, Your Grace. I didn’t mean for things to escalate this much. I was merely organizing the ledgers and noticed something odd, so I wanted to check it before speaking to the children…”

At that moment, I felt an unfamiliar warmth on my face.

“Raise your head, Wife.”

A gentle touch carefully lifted my chin but faded so quickly it was as if it had never been there.

If not for the faint heat lingering where the touch had been, I might have thought it was just my imagination.

Euclid, whom I had feared might be angry, smiled faintly with a kind expression, as if the tension from earlier had been an illusion.

“I know what you’ve done is for the benefit of the ducal household, my wife. There’s no need for an apology.”

“But—”

“I truly mean it. In fact… thank you sincerely for listening to the children and ensuring they weren’t hurt.”

For a moment, I was at a loss for words.

‘What kind of angelic person is this…?’

But now wasn’t the time to receive thanks.

“About Count Biers—he’ll never go down alone.”

It was almost certain—he’d drag Euclid’s deceased brother into the matter if he had to.

I quickly spoke, as if to reassure Euclid.

“Your Grace, please don’t worry. I will never let Count Biers—”

“My wife.”

But Euclid abruptly interrupted me.

Startled, I looked up at him, and he smiled softly.

“I know exactly what you’re trying to say. Please leave it to me, and don’t concern yourself further.”

“What? But…”

This was something I had to handle.

I hesitated, biting my lip.

In the parlor earlier, it had been easy enough to go along with Euclid’s wishes.

But this was different.

I couldn’t imagine how Euclid intended to stop Count Biers from spilling anything.

‘Will he threaten or bribe him with power, as I would?’

If that were the case, someone like me—daughter of Duke Basilian, infamous and ruthless—would be far more effective.

Besides, my subtle perfectionism made me feel uneasy unless I personally saw things through to the end.

‘No, that’s just an excuse.’

The truth was, I didn’t want to leave such a task to Euclid.

I wanted him to always stand tall in the bright light, leaving the dark and sordid matters to me.

Whether he understood my feelings or not, Euclid merely smiled gently.

On a normal day, that smile would have soothed my heart. But today, for some reason, it made my heart race erratically, filling me with unease.

“Your Grace, what do you plan to—”

“My wife.”

Hoping for at least a concrete plan, I tried asking again. But Euclid took my hand and met my gaze.

“Trust me.”

…That’s unfair.

It was utterly cowardly and shameless of him.

How could anyone coldly refuse when the one they adored most in the world asked them to trust him like this?

Defeated by my beloved’s relentless and merciless charm, I could only nod, just as I had in the parlor earlier.

I found myself staring blankly at Euclid’s radiant, satisfied smile.

8. A Revealed Identity

The evening sun had just set, casting its glow over the ducal residence.

Euclid walked quietly down the strangely noisy corridors.

Servants were whispering about Evgenia, who had expelled Amy Biers not long ago.

Thankfully, there was no malicious gossip.

When the children had cried, Euclid hadn’t needed to step in personally. The butler and the head maid had passionately defended Evgenia, and the children had visibly clung to her. This led the staff to conclude there must have been a reason beyond their understanding.

And today, officials from the capital had arrived to arrest Count Biers.

It seemed Evgenia, having anticipated trouble, had taken the initiative to drive out Amy Biers. The crying children were seen as a natural reaction to the events.

The Imperial Treasury investigator openly admitted to receiving a report from the duchess herself. At the manor’s front gate, Evgenia had declared to the children, “You are people of the Rudion Ducal House,” drawing a firm line between them and the Biers family.

When Euclid had decided to marry, he had resolved to respect Evgenia as much as possible, intending to protect her from any unjust treatment, as he had done for Delano.

But he hadn’t imagined that such a positive atmosphere would form within the ducal estate.

Of course, all of this was thanks to Evgenia, who had prioritized the ducal household above all else.

Recalling her words at the dinner table before their wedding—how the Rudion estate was now her home—Euclid moved heavily.

He arrived at the underground prison.

Fortunately, despite the duchy’s poverty and harsh conditions, its crime rate wasn’t particularly high.

This was Euclid’s first visit to the prison since becoming Duke.

Usually a quiet, deserted place, it was unusually noisy and chaotic today.

“This is all your fault, Amy! If you hadn’t run your mouth, none of this would have happened!”

“What are you talking about? Didn’t you hear what the Imperial investigator said earlier? Father committed a grave crime against the law and will be punished! I wasn’t perfect, but my being locked up isn’t entirely my fault either!”

“What, what did you say?”

“And trying to scam the duchess with a fake painting? That’s just shameful!”

“Shameful? How dare you speak to your father that way!”

It seemed separating Count Biers and Amy from the other prisoners had been a wise decision.

As Euclid listened to their argument, the damp smell of moss filled the air. Soon, he stood before a rusty door.

The father and daughter, too busy blaming each other, didn’t even notice his footsteps.

When they finally saw Euclid, they stopped mid-sentence.

“Your Grace!”

Count Biers shoved Amy aside and clung to the bars, his face pale.

“Your Grace, please spare me just this once! I admit I was greedy, but the Biers family has supplied goods to the Rudion estate since its inception in the North—without even raising prices! It’s unthinkable for the family to collapse over a single mistake!”

A “single mistake” that had lasted ten years. Yet Count Biers was genuinely indignant.

“The strange words spoken to your Nephews were entirely my foolish daughter’s doing!”

“Father!”

“Be quiet!”

Shooting Amy a sharp glare, the Count desperately continued to plead with Euclid.

“And don’t forget, Your Grace, the late young Duke shared my vision! Above all, remember that your nephews are, publicly, my grandchildren.”

His tone bordered on threatening.

Count Biers failed to realize this and instead felt increasingly resentful.

If only he had cared for the children after the young Duke’s death five years ago. He now regretted not doing so, believing that if he had, Euclid—who adored the children—would never let their maternal grandfather fall.

For now, even if his crimes were exposed, Marianne and Dior wouldn’t be affected.

But the Count had one last card to play.

The truth about the deal with the young Duke and the children’s mother’s identity.

If that was revealed, the children would inevitably bear its stigma.

Confident that things would unfold as he wished, Count Biers locked eyes with Euclid.