Chapter 3 – Part 13

Eli walked towards the ballroom where the party was being held, feeling weak.

A few servants greeted him along the way, but Eli didn’t have the mental capacity to respond; he just kept walking.

If there wasn’t someone blocking his way, he might have continued walking without knowing where he was going.

“May I speak with you for a moment?”

It was Sorvan. He expressed his mood with a furrowed brow.

“Later, for now……”

“…”

“I need to go to the guests.”

Eli, who was about to answer that he wanted to be alone, recalled what he said to Ruby about going to check the hall and replied slowly.

“It’s more important than that.”

“So, later…”

“It’s about the deal we made.”

Sorvan approached Eli.

The mention of something related to Ruby made Eli sigh.

“Let’s go that way.”

He gestured towards a secluded room.

***

“You lied to me.”

As soon as the door closed, Sorvan spoke with an angry voice.

“What are you talking about?”

Eli raised an eyebrow, giving him a questioning look.

“You said it was for the Marchioness Ruby.”

“Don’t beat around the bush, Viscount. What do you want to say?”

His mind was racing, and he didn’t have the energy to be bothered with silly things, so he was easily irritated.

“Isn’t this for your own good, not for the Marchioness’s?”

Normally, he would have been intimidated by Eli’s fierce glare, but not today. Instead, he stepped closer to Eli.

“You’re the only one who would benefit from Lady Ruby’s rumors being put to rest.”

“Viscount Del. Make yourself understood.”

Normally, he would have been intimidated by Eli’s fierce glare, but not today. Instead, he stepped closer to Eli.

Unable to contain his irritation, Eli placed one hand lightly on Sorvan’s collar.

“Did you know that the Marquise was unwell?”

Their gazes locked in a tense exchange.

“Isn’t it because the Marchioness is unable to bear a child? It’s because of that damn tea!”

Eli’s gaze wavered at Sorvan’s angry outburst.

He forcefully removed Eli’s hand, which was holding him.

“Wasn’t it the Dowager’s doing?”

“How did you know?”

“So you knew!”

“How did you know?”

Eli grabbed his collar again.

Their furious eyes locked on each other again.

“Do all the people in the party hall know about it? Do they?”

Eli’s jaw tightened, as if he were about to crush the party if he answered in the affirmative.

“I don’t know. I’ve also made various speculations about pineapple, but I don’t know for sure.”

Eli was relieved to hear that, and he let go of Sorvan’s grip.

“Then keep your mouth shut about it.”

Even if rumors were entangled in any way, it was not good. It was not for his sake, but for Ruby. Whether they continued to live together or divorced, in whatever way

Moreover, Ruby seemed to want to divorce and become an etiquette teacher. He found out from a newspaper he discovered hidden in Ruby’s drawer.

He didn’t want to interfere with what Ruby wanted to do, even though he wished she wouldn’t. But he had no right to meddle in Ruby’s business.

“Are you more worried about rumors than your wife, even in this situation?”

With no reason to explain all of this, Eli shrugged off Sorvan’s anger.

“I thought you truly cared about Ruby, and that’s why I accepted your offer, because it’s for her sake!”

“Viscount. Call her by my name one more time, and I won’t let you leave this room alive.”

“Ha, does that matter now? Does that matter more to you?”

to think that this bastard thought that decency, manners, and such were more important than his own wife.

Sorvan ran a hand roughly through his well-groomed hair in irritation.

“Our contract is off. There will be no more help, and I’m out of here.”

Eli didn’t stop him.

Not long after Sorvan left, Eli left the parlor and headed back to the party hall.

Fortunately, the party was going well.

All eyes turned to Eli as he entered.

“Don’t worry, everyone. Countess Chain is fine; my wife is taking good care of her, and she wants me to tell you that she apologizes for not being able to serve you all until the end.”

“Why worry about such things? It’s natural.”

Arlen, the first to arrive, spoke up, and the others nodded.

“Well, now that we’ve got that out of the way, why don’t we all get back to enjoying the party?”

He raised the glass of champagne he was holding like a hostess, and Marie looked at him wistfully.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

Marie asked Eli cautiously, only after the attention had shifted away from Countess Chain. Eli looked down at her for a moment.

“Yes.”

The belated answer came when Marie looked puzzled at him when he didn’t answer.

How can a person wear a mask and do such things?

How can someone do such things and still smile in front of him as if nothing happened?

How… How…!

The anger in Eli’s chest intensified, but from his face alone, it was impossible to gauge how furious he really was.

“So don’t worry and enjoy the party.”

because it would probably be the last party.

He forced a smile, tightly sealing the words in his heart, hoping to appear no different from usual.

“I’m glad to hear that you are.”

Marie sensed Eli’s mood, but there seemed to be no need to worry. Relieved, Marie soon mingled with the crowd.

Afterward, Eli found his place at the party. He adopted an indifferent attitude, participating only in appearance, not caring about the party’s course. The party itself held no significance anymore; he just needed time alone to think.

“My Lord, are you really okay?”

But the presence of Arlen next to him made even that difficult.

“I said I am.”

Eli responded irritably.

“Even with the Dowager beside you?”

“I told you earlier.”

Looking at Marie, who was leading the party atmosphere as the head of the family, Eli tightened his grip on the glass he held. Just a while ago, Marie, who had just finished dancing with young nobles, was smiling and chatting with noble ladies.

Marie, who had shown a noticeable relief in response to his earlier answer, now wore a face free of worry.

Yes, she had to be relieved.

Only then would whatever Eli did have meaning.

At that moment, the glass Eli held broke with a light sound. It was due to his tight grip. The sound of it breaking wasn’t loud.

“Eli.”

The sound of the glass breaking was only audible to Arlen, who was beside him.

“Don’t make a scene.”

Eli, who had restrained him with a low voice, gestured for a maid.

“You too, go and enjoy the party. Don’t bother me.”

With a flick of his hand, Eli spoke as he brushed away the broken glass with a handkerchief. His voice clearly indicated annoyance.

“But you’re injured; how can…”

“Never mind, go away; you’re only bothering me.”

With Eli’s decisive words, Arlen refrained from saying more and distanced herself.

Returning to the party, Eli’s mood remained consistently unfavorable. Something seemed to have happened, but it was hard to guess from the visible circumstances.

In any case, it was time for her to step back, Arlen thought, and she quickly distanced herself from Eli.

Only then did Eli loosen the irritated expression he had been wearing.

At least outwardly, he appeared calm.

In his heart, he wanted to go see Ruby, but he couldn’t because he was afraid that she would worry.

Eli, rubbing his temples as if tired, hoped for the party to end.

***

“You came early?”

As the carriage with Sorvan pulled up to the Del Viscount’s house, Frank came out.

“I had business to attend to.”

His master, who is usually mild-mannered, looked unusually angry.

“What happened?”

“Am I being obvious?”

“Yes, you look angry.”

Sorvan was slightly taken aback by the piercing words.

Despite considering himself capable of hiding emotions, he seemed angrier than usual.

“Parties are always tiring.”

Sorvan handed his unbuttoned shirt to Frank, saying so. Frank took the shirt, understanding the unspoken message.

“Investigate Lady Marie, the mother of the Marquis of Grit.”

“Not the Marquis of Grit, but the Dowager?”

“Yeah. And…”

As he was about to add something, Sorvan stopped himself.

“First, investigate only the Dowager Marchioness. Find out who she is and how she used to be.”

“…Understood.”

Although it was a curious order, Frank didn’t ask further.

“And what about my sister?”

“She’s resting. I’ll prepare warm water.”

“Thanks.”

Sorvan, with a tired expression, unbuttoned a couple of buttons on his shirt and headed upstairs.

***

After the chaotic party ended and Eli returned to his room, Ruby was sprawled on the sofa, still in the dress she hadn’t managed to change out of. She looked as if she had fallen asleep.

Eli sat in front of the sofa, looking at Ruby.

Closed eyes, long eyelashes, a cute nose, and red lips colored the sleeping Ruby. Examining her face as if taking it apart, Eli carefully picked up Ruby and laid her comfortably on the bed.

“I want you to stay next to me.”

Lying down beside the sleeping Ruby, Eli gazed at her for a long time, unable to fall asleep.