Levi, the deputy head of the Blended Merchant Guild, was forced to stay in the guest room for the night.
Although it was said that he was invited to stay, it was almost equivalent to being kicked out to the guest room.
Levi couldn’t bring himself to refuse the Duke’s offer of “It’s already late today, so let’s continue our conversation tomorrow,” and was practically half-imprisoned in the guest room.
A warm bath and a glass of moderately strong wine were provided for Levi.
Meanwhile, Claude paced restlessly in his office, unable to sleep until late at night.
After deliberating for a long time at his desk, he reached for the bottom drawer.
Click.
As soon as he brought the ring, a symbol of the head of the family, to the lock, it automatically disengaged. As the drawer slid open, various valuable documents were revealed inside.
Among the confidential documents, he pulled out a contract that he had hidden deep within.
On the luxurious parchment, the words “Prenuptial Agreement” were elegantly written at the top.
His signature and Estelle’s clumsy handwriting stood out at the bottom.
“Article 1, Clause 1: Regardless of the circumstances, Claude Richard and Estelle Blanche shall divorce in the Imperial Year 568, three years from the date of this contract. The divorce cannot be delayed for any other reason.”
The clause, which he had written first, now filled him with regret.
He had included the clause to prevent Estelle from dragging out the divorce with some excuse, but now he regretted being so thorough.
There was no real reason to rush the divorce, after all.
“…Estelle.”
When he called her name, he couldn’t help but think of her pink hair, sweet like cotton candy.
Her first impression was that of a malicious stalker, the second was that she wasn’t as bad as he thought, and the last was that she was a crazy woman.
It was the first and only time that he regretted his choice.
When that hateful woman brought the prenuptial agreement to him, he couldn’t believe she had the nerve to show her face again.
–Back again? You truly have no pride. You have a knack for dragging your own worth through the mud.
–Hah… Since neither of us wants to see each other for long, I’ll get straight to the point.
–What? Neither of us?
–Yes. I don’t really want to see you either. Believe it or not, it’s up to you. But before that, please read this.
He was so surprised by the contents of the document she handed over.
Although he had some parts revised by professional lawyers, the document had a fairly legitimate format.
–What exactly are you scheming? Do you think my mind will change once we get married?
–No. Please make sure to divorce me exactly three years later, as stated in the contract! Please!
The way she emphasized “please!” with a glare made him question if this was the same Estelle he had known.
It was the first time he had seen a different side of her, apart from her usual habit of glaring at others viciously or acting insincerely coquettish.
At first, he thought it was just another tactic to get his attention.
When did she start to gradually seep into him?
When did he notice the lively expressions on the faces of the maids around Estelle?
When did he start wishing that her kind smile would be directed only at him?
From some indiscernible point, he began to harbor feelings for her.
“Now you’re trying to run away?”
He wouldn’t let that happen. Claude had never let go of something he wanted.
He was a man who stood at the pinnacle of everything.
In the East, there was no one who could rival him.
–Claude! I finally succeeded! I got Madame Celine’s shop to stock our products!
Yes. No one…
–I drank too much coffee last night while tasting the new products, so I couldn’t sleep properly… Ugh, sorry.
No one could…
–Huh? Oh, I’m selecting desserts that go well with coffee. But they taste so good that… Haha, Claude, do you want to try some too? This cheesecake is really delicious!
No one could change him.
–Claude!
That’s how it had been until now.
***
Click.
Natasha gazed down at the scarlet-red tea before her.
Her expression suggested she had a lot to say, but she merely picked up the cup without showing any sign of it.
As she took a sip, the familiar bitterness assaulted her tongue.
“Your skills… are as consistent as ever.”
It was an ambiguous remark, unclear whether it was a compliment or not.
“If you have any complaints, make your own tea.”
“That would be neglecting the duties of an assistant. You defend yourself then.”
Natasha’s retort left Ivan silent.
For the first time in a while, Natasha wasn’t wearing her maid outfit but rather a shirt and pants. Since there were no clients to entertain today, she was dressed comfortably.
Flipping through the Romanov Weekly, which she habitually read, Natasha noted that although her law office was located in the capital, news from the East was always swift.
“Hmm…”
“What’s it saying?”
“Nothing much. ‘It’s been revealed that the Duke and Duchess of Richard, famous for their harmonious relationship, were actually a couple bound by a prenuptial contract, and this has caused a major scandal. A marriage is a lifetime commitment made before the god Varda…’ or something like that.”
“That’s pretty ordinary for the Romanovs.”
I expected it to be laced with more biting sarcasm. Ivan added softly.
Considering how the Romanovs usually tore into Natasha, this was quite mild.
“I honestly thought the Duke Richard would pretend not to know.”
“That’s why you’re still a kid.”
“Oh, you wanna start something?”
“Yeah, yeah. What would you know about love?”
“Says the one.”
Ivan couldn’t hide his irritation as he continued.
“How did your last relationship go again? Was his name Dmitry? You even gave him a pet name—Dima, Dima—making such a fuss, but how long did it last? A month?”
“That’s what adult love is like.”
“Or maybe you just can’t handle long relationships.”
Natasha wasn’t one to back down either.
“At least I have short relationships. You? How long have you been an adult, and you’ve never once introduced a girlfriend?”
“That’s…!”
Ivan started to say something but stopped.
“Ugh, forget it. What’s the point of talking to you?”
“Ughhh…!”
Natasha smiled triumphantly.
Ivan’s face twisted with frustration, unable to come up with a retort.
“No, didn’t he say he didn’t want a divorce? To the extent that he even went as far as stealing the contract. Then shouldn’t he have held on tight, no matter what?”
“Usually, that would be the case.”
“Then why did that Duke make such a choice?”
“Well….”
Natasha briefly recalled what she had witnessed in her mind.
Estelle’s bright smile and Claude’s smile as he watched her.
Estelle pleading for a divorce and Claude denying it, asking what she was talking about.
Finally, the look in his eyes when he heard Estelle’s trading company was on the brink of collapse.
“Well… the Duke liked gardens.”
He was a man who preferred to enjoy the fragrance of flowers in a garden rather than picking and artificially arranging them.
He probably didn’t want to break Estelle’s wings.
“What nonsense.”
“Some things are like that.”
“Hey!”
“I’m still your sister, you know. You keep subtly dropping the honorifics?”
Ivan grumbled, but one word from Natasha silenced him completely.
“It’s here.”
Natasha pulled out a letter with an elegant seal among the incoming mail.
The court’s crest was finely engraved on the red sealing wax. It meant that the indictment had finally been filed.
In other words, the divorce lawsuit submitted with the prenuptial contract as evidence would soon begin.
“The Duke of Richard must know by now.”
He would have received a letter advising him to appoint a lawyer as well.
On the very day Claude took out the prenuptial contract, Natasha quit her job as a maid.
She wondered what kind of expression Claude would make when the maid who worked in his own mansion appeared as Estelle’s lawyer.
As a lawyer, those were the most thrilling moments. Just imagining it was enjoyable.
***
The ship, which had temporarily docked at another port, entered its original destination port on the very day Estelle returned from her trip.
The very day the Blended Trading Company was almost sold off.
It was fortunate that the penalty was miraculously avoided.
Estelle sensed an unusually cold atmosphere in the mansion.
The maids, who usually smiled at her, now hurriedly avoided her gaze.
Moreover, the person who would have been the first to run up to greet her was nowhere to be seen.
“Butler, do you know where Marie is? It’s strange. I didn’t hear that she was on leave….”
“Marie is currently confined in the basement.”
“What?”
“Please come inside. The Duke is waiting for you.”
Before Estelle could react, the butler guided her inside.
“Marie is locked in the basement? Why? For what reason?!”
“How could she ever repay the crime of insulting her master, even with her life?”
“What are you talking about? Who did Marie deceive…!”
Creeeak.
Ignoring Estelle’s words, the butler opened the door to the drawing room they had arrived at.
Inside, Claude was there.
“You’ve arrived.”
As their eyes met, Estelle felt as if she had returned to the time three years ago when she first came here.
That cold, piercing gaze was exactly the same as back then.
“Claude…?”
“Did you enjoy your trip?”
“…It wasn’t bad. I had some time to sort out my thoughts, and I found a good item in a seaside village. I was going to have Levi review it. But… why did you lock Marie in the basement?”
“Although she came from the Blanche family, she belongs to the Richard Dukedom now. Since she deceived her master, shouldn’t she be punished?”
“Who did Marie deceive?!”
Estelle couldn’t hold back and shouted.
In contrast, Claude’s voice was deep and restrained.
“Did you really not know?”
“…What are you talking about…?”
Claude took out the prenuptial contract and placed it on the table.
“I’ll ask again. Did you really not know?”
Only then did Estelle realize everything.
She had secretly sensed that he might bring out the prenuptial contract, which was why she was momentarily at a loss for words.
-If he truly love the client… he won’t be able to bear not bringing out that contract himself.
Her lawyer’s whispered words suddenly flashed through her mind.
“Claude, you….”
Estelle knew her voice was trembling terribly, but she couldn’t stop.
“Do you….”
“Love you?”
Claude cut her off coldly.
“Damn it, yes.”
He swore, which was unlike him. His hoarse voice was heavy as if it were drenched in water.
“I loved you.”
• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •By Esraa• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •
If you want to support the translation and the translator, you can buy a coffee~
