Chapter 18

“Hoho, Duke Polshared. It’s been a while. Since leaving the military, your face looks even livelier—perhaps you’re suited for business after all.”

As always, Gilbert Ferdinand greeted him, stroking his beard and pretending to be friendly.

Carlisle had come to the military headquarters early in the morning at Gilbert’s summons.

Wearing a black suit and a deep gray tie instead of his military uniform, Carlisle tightened his lips as he faced the boastful man.

“What is it? If it’s about the test conducted at the Hein Mountains last time, the report should already be in.”

Gilbert Ferdinand, Commander-in-Chief of the Ministry of Military Affairs.

Originally, Carlisle was meant to ascend to that position, but Gilbert had taken it instead when Carlisle shifted his focus to the munitions industry.

In his mid-thirties, Gilbert was also from the Ferdinand Earldom, a family renowned for producing excellent soldiers, but compared to his famous ancestors, he was full of inferiority. For that reason, he still resented Carlisle’s strong influence in the Ministry and never stopped trying to keep him in check.

“We don’t need a reason to meet, do we?”

Gilbert smiled broadly, grabbed Carlisle’s shoulder, and led him to the sofa. At his gesture, a soldier brought a bottle of whiskey and glasses.

“Whenever you come to the Ministry, you never stop by my office, saying you’re busy. So I had to call you over. Here, have a drink.”

A glass filled with nearly pure spirits was placed before Carlisle, even though it was midday.

“Things must be complicated these days, so I thought I’d keep you company.”

Gilbert filled his own glass and bantered, but behind his smiling face, he watched Carlisle with eyes that hid hostility.

His neatly combed black hair and stormy, dark gray eyes made it impossible to read his thoughts. That made his gaze even more unpleasant.

Arrogant bastard.

Carlisle suppressed his irritation, remembering how the entire division had rushed out to greet him when he arrived. Even after leaving the military, his arrogant behavior in the Ministry felt like a provocation, as if he were still a colonel.

Shouldn’t Gilbert be grateful for taking the Commander-in-Chief position only because Carlisle had declined?

He wondered if Carlisle was considering returning now.

His petty worries churned again. It was natural to feel uneasy about someone who threatened his position.

But if he openly showed hostility, he’d be eliminated—so he had to maintain superficial good relations.

Gilbert, hiding his feelings, raised his glass.

“This is a fine liquor I prepared myself for tou, Your Grace. Won’t you drink?”

Carlisle closed his eyes briefly at the obvious ploy, then raised his glass and clinked it with Gilbert’s. After the clear ring, both drained their glasses together.

“You must be burning inside. Well, it’s understandable, since the famously beautiful Lady Yvonne has left you.”

Carlisle’s eyebrows twitched, as if Gilbert had struck a sore spot.

Feeling triumphant, Gilbert squared his shoulders and chuckled.

“If you can’t even manage your own household, maybe it was a good thing you left the military.”

Yvonne.

For weeks, her name followed Carlisle everywhere he went. The places she visited and the names of those she met reached his ears every day.

Articles about Yvonne filled the papers, speculating wildly about her changed behavior.

The reason she kept rejecting proposals was supposedly because of her rumored romance with Ethan Inglebert, according to headlines that followed him everywhere.

People would talk about her openly, but quieted down when they saw him, which irritated him even more. Now even this petty man was trying to test him.

If he’d known, he wouldn’t have signed the divorce papers. If he’d known he’d have to hear such things from people like this, he wouldn’t have bothered.

Recalling Ethan’s face, which always appeared beside her in photos, Carlisle felt an indescribable surge of irritation.

He glared at Gilbert, his lips twisted.

“Indeed. How idle must you be to meddle in a retired soldier’s private life instead of worrying about security? Commander-in-Chief is hardly a job worth doing.”

His scornful expression made Gilbert’s face twist, then he seemed to understand.

“Well, it’s only natural to worry. The Marquis Inglebert is your close friend, isn’t he? Things are complicated. I knew the Duchess had a keen eye for aesthetics, but apparently people are no exception.”

Gilbert’s question, subtly criticizing Yvonne’s conduct, made Carlisle tense slightly. The office seemed to chill as Gilbert’s confidence wavered like a candle before wind.

“I… I only meant I was concerned.”

He tried to correct himself, but Carlisle slammed his glass on the table.

Bang! The violent sound made Gilbert’s face stiffen.

Crack. The force shattered the glass, but Carlisle gripped the shards without concern. 

Crazy bastard. 

Seeing blood on the broken glass, Gilbert glared at Carlisle, remembering that even with his fine appearance, Carlisle wasn’t above mutiny when his temper twisted.

As Gilbert searched for words, Carlisle spoke first.

“I’d appreciate it if you stopped worrying about such things. I won’t tolerate it any longer, Commander-in-Chief.”

“No matter how much you’ve left the military, what kind of tone is that to your former superior?”

“My tone?”

Gilbert’s face reddened at the chilling voice. He was about to explode, but met Carlisle’s tilted gaze—a look that dared him to try anything if he could handle it. Gilbert clenched his teeth and swallowed his words.

“Well done. That’s how you stay in that seat with your body intact.”

Leaving a sarcastic warning, Carlisle stood up. As he left and closed the door, Gilbert’s furious shouting echoed, but Carlisle ignored it.

“Pathetic bastard.”

Soldiers walking in formation saluted as they passed him in the corridor.

His wife’s reputation had always been good. Her beauty and graceful demeanor had captivated many, and he’d felt much the same.

But her reputation began to change distinctly about a year ago.

That was around the time Yvonne started spending less time at Glade Hills. She began going out more, staying away longer, and sometimes even staying out overnight.

She’d go out dressed up, but return in simple clothes, with her jewelry gone.

As it happened repeatedly, rumors spread that she’d given everything to the men she played with, and sightings in seedy districts made it seem like fact.

He remembered how he felt hearing those rumors.

He’d thought she’d gone to her family, but learning otherwise left him feeling unpleasant.

Even the day before she demanded a divorce, her movements were suspicious.

‘The Duchess looked unwell after returning from an overnight outing.’

Recalling reports that Yvonne’s mood changed after going somewhere, Carlisle signaled with his finger. Derek, his shadow-like secret bodyguard, approached and bowed.

“Find out what Yvonne’s been doing.”

* * *

The Duchess Polshared had become a different person.

With curious eyes watching her every move, photos of Yvonne and Ethan together appeared daily in the papers.

Compared to Ethan Inglebert’s past, where he met countless women but never openly in the media, this was shockingly different.

Now, romantic stories circulated that Ethan Inglebert might finally settle down with Yvonne Sellus.

He was a marquis from an old family and a handsome man, but his complicated private life made people think Yvonne would never accept him—yet those opinions vanished.

Most of all, Ethan’s daily visits to Yvonne’s home made people expect that this time would be different, since he’d never shown such devotion to any other woman.

Even those who thought they didn’t suit each other realized how well they matched when seeing them together.

“They really do look good together.”

“Yes, it’s a different vibe from the Duke Polshared.”

Whereas Yvonne seemed tense beside Duke Polshared, with Ethan she often smiled and looked relaxed.

Amid the growing gossip, Yvonne’s initial claim that she miscarried due to her husband’s violence disappeared as if it had never existed.