Episode 69
Lillian looked healthy. It was the first impression of Lillian he had had in a long time.
Her hand seemed to have healed completely as well. The fact that she wasn’t wearing gloves and her bare hands reassured Cedric. It felt somewhat awkward to be checking on her health after not seeing her face for a while, but Cedric had been genuinely concerned about Lillian’s health.
Perhaps it was because of seeing her collapse when she first came to the mansion.
They say a child’s health is paramount, and Cedric now fully understood that sentiment.
The impeccably dressed Theo approached quietly from the side.
“Milady seems to be in good health, Your Grace.”
“Yeah.”
Lillian still seemed oblivious to his presence. So Cedric approached slowly.
But his sense of relief quickly dissipated. It was because of the words floating around.
“Can we expect good news from Miss Odile soon?”
“If Miss Odile joins the nobility, what will happen to the lady? …”
“Even if theDuke sends Lillian away from the nobility, I don’t think he’ll abandon her.”
They were talking about Odile and Lillian.
If Odile, who resembled him, entered the nobility, then naturally Lillian would become a fake daughter.
But Cedric had never considered abandoning Lillian. Even if Odile entered the nobility, he didn’t think anything would change. He just thought of her as another daughter.
But when he saw Lillian’s raw reaction, Cedric thought he understood why she had opposed Odile’s entry so vehemently.
It wasn’t just about losing a place. There was only one place.
So far, Lillian had held that place, but if Odile took it, Lillian would naturally be pushed aside. Even if Cedric had no intention of sending Lillian away, she wouldn’t be able to endure it.
“Lillian… She’s… very proud.”
Mary had told him that Lillian sometimes stayed up all night studying and ended up crying.
As long as she didn’t hurt herself too much, Cedric didn’t stop her. He had thought that having passion was only temporary. But Lillian’s passion lasted much longer than Cedric had expected.
Lillian had worked hard. She wouldn’t be attached to the Duchy just to hear the word ‘fake’.
That’s why she said she would return to the orphanage if Odile entered.
She still felt the sting of those words.
“But Lillian must hear those words.”
But Lillian remained silent. Not even a simple denial.
He felt that the scars on the child were bigger than he had thought.
But in a situation where everyone in the social circle knew of Odile’s existence, not admitting Odile just for Lillian’s sake would make the Maynards a laughingstock.
Clenching his teeth inwardly, Cedric approached the chattering group.
“It seems you’re worrying unnecessarily about my daughter.”
“M-Mr. Maynard…”
“I’m here to express my gratitude for hosting such a wonderful party, ma’am.”
“You’re too kind. Since we’ve met, I thought I’d come to get some answers.”
With those words, Lady Keynes took Odile’s hand.
“Are you going to enroll her?”
The room fell silent for a moment. Everyone pretended to not eavesdrop on the conversation. Everyone waited for Cedric’s answer, and after a moment of silence, Cedric spoke up.
“If Odile is indeed my daughter, then yes.”
It wasn’t a direct affirmation, but practically, it was no different. There was no one who didn’t know that.
In a moment where the atmosphere shifted,
Lillian suddenly released Damian’s arm and left the party hall.
“Lillian!”
Cedric tried to grab Lillian belatedly, but she was already far away.
In Cedric’s ear, Theo whispered unconsciously, “Your Grace, if you follow her, it will only worsen the situation. You must stay put.”
“I will go after her.”
* * *
Tap, tap, tap. Urgent footsteps echoed through the hall.
‘Was it this way?’
Theo was chasing after Lillian. It was for Cedric’s sake, for Lillian’s sake, but above all, it was for Theo himself.
To Theo, Maynard Manor meant Lillian. Since Lillian took the Maynard surname, she had never left Maynard Manor for a long time, as far as Theo could remember. Whenever he went to the orphanage, or went on a business trip, Lillian was always there to greet him.
No, even if Lillian didn’t greet him, he went to find her. There was no one in this mansion who could find Lillian as well as Theo. Even if Lillian occasionally hid, Theo could find her.
Lillian was Theo’s anchor. So Theo had never once thought that Maynard Manor would be so desolate without Lillian.
It felt unfamiliar as if someone else had taken over his home.
Then Theo realized.
‘Without Lillian, this place means nothing to me.’
Well, when did I ever consider Maynard Manor as my home?
Yet, it felt so familiar to him because Lillian was there. He had never realized it because they had been together from the beginning.
So he needed Lillian. Lillian had to come back to him.
But above all, he just wanted to see Lillian.
When they arrived at the garden, he saw the familiar back of a head. Even if it were someone else, they wouldn’t fail to recognize that back of the head. He had seen Lillian’s back of the head so many times that he was sick of it.
“Lillian!”
Suddenly, he remembered what had happened at Lillian’s seventeenth birthday party. She wouldn’t run out and cry again, would she?
Hastily, Theo rushed to Lillian, grabbed her shoulders, and turned her around.
“Are you okay? Why did you suddenly run out—”
“Huh? What?”
And then, he stopped abruptly.
Lillian’s expression was as if nothing had happened. It was unimaginable considering how she used to get furious whenever Odile was involved.
Something was off.
“The Duke… said he would enroll Odile. Are you okay with that?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Because I’m a fake.”
“What?”
Theo’s face twisted in confusion. But Lillian seemed indifferent, mechanically speaking.
“And even if I get kicked out of the Duchy, Damian will protect me. So, it’s okay.”
“Hey! What are you talking about!”
“Why are you getting mad? I’m fine.”
“I’m not okay! Dammit!”
This was something Lillian would never say under normal circumstances. From her bland expression to her bland words, something was off about Lillian’s state.
And there was only one person who could do such a thing.
The person who had been with Lillian until now, and who had also appeared with Lillian in this banquet hall.
With realization, a voice came from behind.
“Why don’t you let go of Lillian?”
An angry voice erupted from Theo’s distorted face as he recognized the owner of the voice.
“Damien Portier. You son of a bitch!”
