The Villain's Terminally Ill Wife

Chapter 34

A whole day passed without me gaining any clues about blooming the Rosier.

From the morning, our room at the Starlight Hotel was bustling. Today was the first day of the trial, after all. Everyone was up early, showered, and had already finished breakfast.

The trial was set for 11 a.m., but it seemed everyone was busy preparing, knowing that how the first trial went would greatly influence the proceedings to come.

I felt a knot of tension in my body at the thought of seeing my father, Duke Tristan, after a long time. It wasn’t just a regular meeting; it was a significant day to reclaim what my father had taken from me.

My father, the current Duke Tristan, had been a terrible father to me, yet he was still the person I wanted to rely on until the very end. My mother remarried him when I was three, so he was the father figure I remembered more than my biological father, who had passed away.

However, he hadn’t shown much affection towards me as a child. I often thought it was simply the behavior of a step-parent toward their partner’s child, but I realized later that his true feelings were filled with contempt and jealousy.

From the moment I was born as the daughter of my mother and the late Duke Tristan, my life was guaranteed not to lack anything. Meanwhile, my stepfather had lived a life close to that of a commoner as the heir of a fallen baron family.

If he had been born a commoner, perhaps he wouldn’t have felt such inferiority. But born of noble blood and living a life akin to that of a commoner, he became envious of me, who had everything handed to me.

By a stroke of luck, he met my mother, fell in love, and became the Duke’s spouse, enjoying luxuries he had never known. He must have resented me greatly for having been born into privilege.

Understanding his sinister feelings, it made sense why he had changed so drastically after my mother’s death. He must have wanted to strip me of everything.

While it could have been driven by greed for wealth, I felt it was more than that based on the father I had known for years.

My confidence sank even lower.

If, by any chance, my father had treated me well as a daughter, would I have made this choice?

No, probably not.

Going down that path led to endless speculation.

If my father truly cared for me as his daughter, he wouldn’t have sold me off to Count Theodore for money.

He wouldn’t have abused me, nor would he have taken everything from me.

How futile these thoughts were…

Ultimately, they existed only in my imagination, while the reality was heading into a quagmire.

I knew all too well how exhausting and miserable it was to dwell on imagined scenarios, so I tried my best to escape those thoughts as quickly as possible.

“Are you okay?”

Richard asked as he watched me shake my head vigorously to clear my mind. Looking up, I saw him calmly sipping his tea.

While I and the others were busy with the upcoming trial, he seemed to be in a world of his own.

I clasped my trembling hands together in anxiety and shook my head.

“No, I’m not okay at all.”

At my words, Richard set his teacup down on the saucer, and the sound of it clinking resonated softly. It was a small sound, but my nervousness made me hyper-aware of everything.

“It’s interesting how you didn’t seem anxious until yesterday.”

“Yesterday, I was dealing with matters related to Rosier. The trial didn’t feel as real, so I wasn’t as anxious. But today is different. It’s the day I’ll face my father in court. Isn’t it strange to not feel anxious?”

“But Duke Tristan isn’t your biological father. He’s just another man. I can’t really relate to the anxiety of fighting in court against relatives. When I faced trials with my own family, I wasn’t anxious at all.”

Richard spoke as if casually. His tone was unremarkable, but knowing his past, I couldn’t dismiss his indifference so easily.

Richard had also fought against his relatives to protect his wealth and his title as Count Theodore. Back then, he had been younger and more isolated than I was now. The people in power refused to listen to the young Richard, and his relatives sought to appoint a guardian to control him.

They claimed it was to protect him, but the true motive was obvious. They intended to seize the entire estate and title of the Count Theodore family. Most of those involved in the trial would have supported his relatives, likely bribed with a little money tucked into their pockets.

At that time, young Richard continued to fight alone in the courtroom, despite his age. He had to assert that he was capable of protecting his estate and was ready to inherit the title, vowing not to squander it through foolish decisions.

Months, perhaps years, of grueling and tedious battles must have ensued. Initially, the court insisted that Richard was too young and needed a guardian, but eventually, they had no choice but to acknowledge his tenacity and dedication to studying the law and protecting his inheritance.

It was likely a closely guarded secret that, just as his relatives had, he had also spent some money during that process.

Thinking of how my heart raced and how anxious I felt now, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for how difficult and lonely it must have been for young Richard.

Having endured such hardships, he had now amassed enough wealth and power that he wouldn’t lose again. But it would have been better if he hadn’t had to experience such things at all.

I leaned closer to Richard and placed my hand on his shoulder.

“You’ve worked hard.”

As soon as I said this, he looked up at me. His furrowed brow wasn’t exactly a cheerful sight, so I quickly averted my gaze to Olivier.

“Olivier, is everything ready?”

“Yes, my lady. We can depart now.”

“Alright…”

I took a deep breath, slowly exhaling before turning back to him.

“Richard, can we go now?”

“Yeah.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Richard stood up.

* * *

When we reached the first floor, the carriage was already prepared.

With Richard’s help, I climbed into the carriage, and he soon followed.

“Let’s go.”

As Richard spoke to the driver, the driver responded, “Understood, my lord,” and began to drive.

Since we were leaving the bustling city center and heading to the border, thankfully, the road was clear of traffic.

I opened the window to gaze at the scenery of the capital flowing by. I thought it might help calm my nerves a little.

“Will it end well?”

When I suddenly asked Richard, he opened his eyes and looked at me, having been resting with his arms crossed. After a moment, he closed his eyes again.

“It should end well. But this won’t be the last trial. Just as we’ve prepared, Duke Tristan has likely made his own preparations. It might turn out to be a more drawn-out fight than when I protected the Theodore family.”

“…”

I had wanted reassurance, but this had the opposite effect.

I felt even more anxious.

It was clear that this battle could last longer than the ones Richard had fought as a child. In his youth, his relatives had lacked the financial resources and power. But he had the determination to protect his wealth and title.

What about now?

The title of Duke Tristan and the estate were already in my father’s possession. No matter how much Richard helped me, it was evident that this wouldn’t be an easy fight.

“Is it possible we could lose?”

“No. I won’t allow that. Diarna, you told me to use you to take the Tristan estate. Once I set my sights on something, I won’t let go. Whatever the fight, we will ultimately get what we want.”

Despite my lingering anxiety, hearing Richard’s confident words offered me some comfort.

However, I still couldn’t completely relax.

Thoughts of my father visiting the Theodore mansion came to mind. He must have known we were suing him and would have made preparations.

He was certainly up to something, which meant this battle wouldn’t be easily decided.

Trying to calm my racing heart, I closed my eyes, then suddenly opened them again.

Richard, sitting across from me, looked unusually different. It was as if I had just realized something from what he had said.

“Richard, this might sound strange, but ‘we’ feels quite natural.”

“Are you dissatisfied?”

Richard asked in a gruff voice. Seeing this unfamiliar side of him allowed me to smile faintly, even amid my anxiety.

“I just find it fascinating.”