Chapter 29

The servants at the ducal residence were startled as if they’d seen someone they shouldn’t when Yvonne appeared.

A month ago, she had left with only a small suitcase, so they couldn’t understand why she suddenly returned with the Duke. They exchanged quiet glances, not knowing what was happening.

No one was more surprised than Harold, the butler who had protected Glade Hills for over thirty years. He hadn’t received any notice, so he was simply bewildered.

“Welcome, Madame.”

Harold, masking his confusion with practiced composure, bowed respectfully. The servants also greeted their returned mistress.

Yvonne passed by without so much as a reply and went upstairs.

Carlisle, watching her retreat with obvious displeasure, asked the butler who approached, confused.

“The order to prepare Yvonne’s room again?”

“Yes, I finished as you instructed.”

The butler, who had wondered about the order to tidy the empty duchess’s room days before, was now quite surprised that the Madam had returned.

Carlisle, not intending to explain further, gestured to the servants carrying Yvonne’s luggage from Lisian House that they could go. Then he handed a letter to Henry and spoke indifferently to the butler.

“Good work. From now on, all appointments to see my wife go through me.”

That was all he said, but Harold was shocked by the Duke’s use of the term “wife.” His master had always referred to her as “Duchess” or “Yvonne,” never directly as “wife.”

As the Duke left with only brief instructions, maids gathered around Harold.

“Butler, what’s going on? Did the master hear about ‘that day’ from Madame…”

“Hush. Watch your tongue.”

He scolded the maids not to be reckless. His white eyebrows furrowed, forming deep, ugly lines from years of following another master’s return, which could never be welcome.

* * *

Yvonne entered her own room and was a little surprised.

The room she’d left, thinking she’d never return, was not only spotless but exactly as she’d left it. Her cosmetics, even the book she’d left on the nightstand after briefly looking at it, were all still there.

It was as if nothing had changed, as if someone knew she would return. Yvonne sensed someone following her and turned around.

“What did you do?”

“The divorce papers were never submitted to the court. Sometimes accidents like omissions happen.”

Carlisle replied calmly, sitting on the sofa and lighting a cigar.

Yvonne had learned this from the news.

She had submitted the papers herself, and believed the three-month process was underway, but the documents had vanished.

It was suspected to be an employee’s mistake, but the originals were never found, and the court sent a notice to resubmit.

However, because the court didn’t know Yvonne’s new address, the notice was delivered to the ducal residence. Naturally, Yvonne couldn’t know about it.

If she resubmitted, it would have been simple, but at the point where both signatures were needed, Carlisle refused first, and then the Duchess also sent word of refusal. So the matter ended in an absurdly sloppy way.

“How could I refuse when I didn’t even know I had to resubmit? And the divorce papers couldn’t have disappeared. Does that make sense?”

“It does. Even the King’s divorce was stopped this way.”

Carlisle’s smooth answer came to Yvonne’s agitated question.

Oh my. The rumor from ten years ago was true.

Ten years ago, there was a rumor that Queen Louise, wife of the current King of Windfog, lost her divorce papers. It was dismissed as false and quickly faded, but since the Queen vanished from public view around then, some believed it might be true.

If that was true, then the omission was deliberate.

The court claimed the papers were lost, but actually sided with the royal family and nobles, an unbelievable truth that made Yvonne dizzy.

“How… How could the court do such a thing…”

Carlisle, seeing Yvonne’s troubled face, stood up, took a bottle of wine from the display, and grabbed two wine glasses.

Yvonne watched, suspicious, as the deep pink wine poured into the clear glass.

He returned with two glasses, handing one to her empty hand.

“Drink. You look like you need it.”

“Did you threaten the Chief Justice?”

He forced the glass into her hand, drank from his own, and watched her, waiting for a response.

“Somewhere between bribery and blackmail. But right now, you should be thanking me.”

Yvonne bit her lower lip, speechless.

She had spent the entire day at the police headquarters with Carlisle. The night before, when he came to Lisian House, he hadn’t lied.

When she met Luca in the interrogation room at Aerondo Police Headquarters, his appearance was terrible, as if he’d been through harsh questioning.

‘Lady Yvonne. I’m innocent. Would I be crazy enough to touch royal property? I checked twice to make sure it was safe before moving it.’

Yvonne had hoped Carlisle was lying, but seeing Luca confirmed the truth.

‘Did you really move goods destined for other places because of my request?’

Luca lowered his head, clearly ashamed. It was a disaster. The items, scheduled to pass through the royal family to Rein Kleint’s company, were related to national security and the military. She could even be charged with treason.

‘Why did you name me as the mastermind?’

‘No, I swear I didn’t say that. I only testified that I didn’t know they were royal goods, but they linked you to me as my employer.’

Luca explained that it was just bad luck, but Yvonne couldn’t shake her doubts.

With even the Chief of Police involved, the seriousness of the matter was clear, and Yvonne was only able to leave safely thanks to Carlisle’s guarantee.

Using his power and influence, Carlisle got her out, and on the way here, she saw the article in the newspaper. Even though she protested at the absurd story of the papers being lost, Carlisle brought her here anyway. She couldn’t understand his attitude, not even bothering to hide the court’s involvement.

Now, he seemed like a stranger.

“Your bold tactics always surprise me. Luca, too—was that your doing?”

Carlisle looked down at her suspicious blue eyes as if amused.

“Focus on the main point. If I hadn’t intervened, you’d be in the interrogation room like him. The Duchess’s name saved you.”

“You really…”

“I’ll make this all go away. I made sure no word leaked from the police, but only as long as you’re my wife.”

It was a threat.

If she resubmitted the divorce, she’d be blamed for Luca’s crime.

She knew Carlisle was cold and businesslike, but she hadn’t expected him to treat her this way.

He spoke in a gentler tone as Yvonne gripped her skirt tightly.

“It’s simple. The divorce is just a passing incident, and you’ve simply returned to where you belong.”

“Where I belong, huh.”

Yvonne couldn’t hide her bitter laugh.

Once, she had dreamed of happiness here, having escaped a hellish place. But Carlisle was always indifferent and cold.

She had tried to match his cynical nature, but when she realized there was no place for her in his heart, she gave up everything.

Now, after not even a month since signing the divorce, she couldn’t understand his change of heart.

“Do you realize how strange this is? We agreed to divorce.”

“I changed my mind.”

He arrogantly crossed one long leg and lifted his chin, his fierce gaze fixed on Yvonne.

“I understand being lonely enough to look for another man. But I can’t stand the sight of you fooling around with that bastard. At the very least, you should give birth to a child carrying my blood to make things right.”

“A child… You… What are you…”

Yvonne stared at Carlisle in shock. Unable to endure it, she gulped down the wine he handed her. The bitter alcohol burned her angry insides.

“Are you aware of what you’re saying right now?”

“Of course. Perfectly clear.”

Carlisle slowly drank the red wine. His cool, gray eyes looked darker than ever.

“You need to bear my heir.”