Chapter 13

The Duke had granted them a period of rest, yet they left the western villa without even filling the full two weeks.

Estelle, upon hearing Raphael’s sudden announcement last night that they would return to the capital, had to hurriedly pack her bags at dawn. She didn’t have much luggage, since she had planned to escape with only the essentials needed when leaving the main residence.

Even so, Estelle hadn’t slept a wink the night before. The abrupt return to the capital left her with many thoughts.

While riding in the carriage along the forest road, neither of them spoke a word. Raphael, sitting in the same carriage, stared intently at her tired face. The corners of his lips curled up in a peculiar way.

Although she felt his gaze from across from her, Estelle kept her head lowered and ignored him to the very end. After a moment, he was the one who spoke first.

“You look exhausted, as if you stayed up all night. Are you nervous because we’re suddenly heading back to the capital?”

Raphael’s gaze subtly shifted to her ring finger. He wanted to check if she was wearing the proposal ring he had given her in the drawing room. The ring was obviously luxurious, sparkling excessively.

The more the diamond glittered, the more satisfied Raphael’s smile became. Legally, nothing was set until they reached the capital, but the proposal ring seemed to declare she had a lover. And he was pleased that the lover was himself.

At Raphael’s question, Estelle’s eyes sharpened. She could have lied, but such trivial lies would eventually be exposed. She quietly nodded.

“I just wondered what sudden whim made you decide to go.”

“A whim? It’s a scheduled event.”

“Why are you suddenly moving up the schedule?”

Estelle, raising her head, was genuinely curious. She wondered if something bad had happened in the capital, but there was no way to guess from his expression.

Raphael kept his gaze fixed on her and just smiled faintly. He had no intention of telling her honestly. Instead…

“When we get to the capital, let’s notify Duke Pellia right away. Since we’re in agreement, let’s officially announce our engagement first, then gradually prepare for the wedding. It would be good to make an appearance at a social party as well, so people know you have a fiancé.”

Did he realize that claiming they were in agreement was nothing but deception if there was no respect for her? Even if they were in agreement, he should stop if she refused.

But Raphael, who never yielded, repeated almost exactly what he said in the drawing room. In other words, he wanted to act quickly and leave the western villa immediately.

Estelle had no way to deal with someone who blocked her eyes and ears. She wasn’t even surprised anymore.

What startled her was simply the sudden departure.

Estelle bit her lower lip and asked,

“Do you really have to do this?”

“You’re asking it like when you left for the villa. Like you asked me, ‘Do you really have to go?’”

“…….”

She had nothing left to say. He already knew she had betrayed him.

“Estelle, don’t waste your breath anymore. I’ll say it again—there’s no other choice for you. The only option left is to marry me and live happily. For the sake of the family succession, I’m thinking maybe three children would be good. Estelle, you’re beautiful, so any child born will be beautiful too.”

“Stop it. The family will never acknowledge children who aren’t accepted by noble society. On the contrary, Raphael, you’re the one who shouldn’t keep talking like this. You’re crazy, absolutely crazy!”

As her anxiety grew, Estelle’s mood changed dozens of times a day, and in the end, she shouted.

Honestly, no matter how many times she thought about it, she never wanted to go to the capital. If asked whether she wanted to spend the rest of her life confined in the western villa, the answer would be no, but the thought of living with Raphael’s branded stigma made the former seem preferable. Just being imprisoned…

‘That’s why I had those nightmares.’

At the end, she couldn’t help but act sensitively. Still…

“What are you afraid of? I told you I’ll take care of everything.”

All Raphael did was draw a curve under his eyes and smile seductively.

He acted this way even though he knew how the servants at the western villa would gossip about his reputation. Even though the Young Duke’s status was at risk, dangerously so.

‘He really can’t see anything, can he.’

Despite raising her voice, Estelle couldn’t continue her words. He never explained what he would do or how he would handle things. He only publicly declared his intentions to her. As if he would eliminate anyone who stood in their way, even if the Imperial Family, the highest nobility, opposed their marriage…

He smiled as if he would remove every obstacle in his path.

Her blood ran cold and she could no longer speak. It would take two days by carriage to reach the capital. If she did nothing before then, Estelle shouldn’t stay by Raphael’s side. His intentions were clear.

Marriage…

‘If I can’t stop it, then I have to disappear.’

Driven to the edge, ironically, that was her only hope. The capital was getting closer and closer.

***

Estelle knew in her head that she couldn’t persuade him, but her heart wouldn’t accept it. So for the entire two days heading toward the capital, she tried every way to stop Raphael’s actions. She pleaded, she shouted in desperation… She even considered kneeling to beg.

But none of it worked on Raphael. Instead, he only asked why she was so passionately worried about him.

The more Estelle tried to persuade him, the more she noticed a faint smile lingering on Raphael’s face.

With only three hours left to reach the capital by carriage, they decided to stay overnight in a nearby inn, since they were close to the center of the Empire. 

Estelle, with the main residence of the dukedom just ahead, debated whether to feel relieved about resting for a day or whether she should act on her plan immediately. If she missed the timing, she wouldn’t even have a chance.

‘Is this my only hope?’

It seemed foolish to fall into such thoughts after receiving the proposal ring. She had been so anxious when Emily didn’t send the item…

Except for a few, the servants decided to stay together at the inn. Raphael and Estelle, even for just one night, stayed in a luxurious villa. It was entirely Raphael’s choice.

She stepped onto the bedroom terrace to look at the view outside. It was a dusky evening, and countless stars formed the Milky Way across the sky.

Looking up at the Milky Way brought a sense of peace. It felt like the calm before a storm.

As her gaze remained fixed on the night sky, Raphael, freshly bathed by an attendant, entered the bedroom. There were more than five bedrooms, but he insisted on sleeping together. Of course, Estelle’s wishes didn’t matter in that decision.

As she sensed someone approaching the terrace, Estelle’s gaze shifted from the night sky to Raphael. Freshly washed, droplets still fell from his blond hair. His skin was moist, and he wore only a bathrobe, its front open to reveal his firm chest.

Estelle couldn’t deny how accustomed her body was to the pleasure he gave her, so she naturally reacted. Though tomorrow they would arrive at the main residence of the dukedom and she had no desire to be intimate, she couldn’t help but be captivated by his appearance.

As water dripped down from his collarbone to his chest, she wrinkled her nose for no reason. Raphael, as always, noticed even the smallest flicker of her gaze.

With a sly smile tugging at his lips, he spoke.

“Tomorrow I’ll tell that man about us, but before that, do you want to do it one more time? Once things get noisy, we won’t have the leisure for it.”

He seemed to know that whatever he said at the main residence would be dismissed as nonsense. Even knowing that, Raphael’s determination to make the announcement bordered on madness. Estelle tried to steady herself with a deep breath, but it wasn’t easy. Her mouth felt dry, as if she were chewing sand.

“You seem to know people will point fingers and say you’re not in your right mind. You’ve even started calling him ‘that man’ instead of ‘Duke’ or ‘Father’.”

She pointed out how Raphael’s honorifics had changed. He grinned even wider and replied,

“Isn’t it generous enough that I call that b*stard ‘that man’ at all? You don’t trust or rely on the Duke either, yet you still address him properly as ‘Father’ every time.”

“‥‥‥.”

“At times like this, Estelle, you pretend to know everything, but you’re still so innocent. That innocence is part of why I fell for you.”

He reached out to touch Estelle’s face, but she stepped back, avoiding his hand.