Chapter 3 (Part 5)

Returning to the ducal residence, Therese felt awful. She felt as nauseated as the day she woke up after dying.

‘Everything will be fine.’

What she thought would be fine was not at all.

The Therese in the mirror was a complete mess. Despite changing clothes and freshening up, the tremor from dancing earlier wouldn’t go away.

“I must be crazy. Why did I dance there?”

Roshan risked his life to protect her, yet she couldn’t bear what she was doing now.

Her father, with a weak heart, was working tirelessly day and night to support her.

“Madame, what’s gotten into you these days, really.”

Sophia, who brought honey water, gently patted Therese’s shoulder. At Sophia’s unwavering affection, Therese burst into tears she had been holding back.

“Sophia. Why do I keep making regrets?”

“Don’t cry, Madame. Crying drains your energy, okay?”

Sophia’s hand, soothing her back, was warm.

“I’m not well-educated, but who doesn’t make mistakes? Realizing it’s wrong and not repeating it is all that matters, right?”

“…Nanny.”

Calling Sophia as she did when she was young, Therese sobbed.

“Madame, you’re only twenty. Isn’t it strange to know everything about the world? Sometimes, doing foolish things is part of youth.”

Today, Sophia’s words deeply etched themselves into her heart. They said there’s something to learn from everyone, and it was true.

But at the same time, she felt a lot of resentment.

The marriage wasn’t her will; it was carried out by the Emperor’s command.

Though she had admired Duke Richard, she hadn’t done anything to deliberately marry him.

‘Then why did I have to become a sinner because of this marriage?’

Ultimately, because of that, she had given up her life with her own hands in the dead of winter.

“Shouldn’t you see a doctor? You’re losing weight suspiciously fast.”

Sophia, who had cared for Therese since childhood, examined her body and added.

Though a bit thin, Therese had always been healthy, but recently she had been losing weight rapidly.

‘I’m sorry, Sophia.’

She couldn’t bring herself to tell Sophia about her current condition.

‘If I did, Sophia might collapse too.’

As she repeated it to herself, her eyes suddenly stung. But trying not to show it, Therese wiped her tears with her sleeve and smiled faintly.

“It’s okay. I think it’s just the season affecting me.”

“Isn’t summer just starting?”

“Yes. They say the body changes too.”

She made up words to ease Sophia’s worries.

“Drink this first.”

Looking at Sophia, who massaged her hands and feet to boost her energy, Therese sighed softly.

The secret she couldn’t share with anyone weighed heavily on her chest.

“You sigh so often, the roof might cave in, Madame.”

“Sophia, I’m going for a walk in the garden.”

“What kind of walk when you’re unwell?”

“You said it yourself, Sophia. Getting sunlight makes you healthier.”

“That’s true, but…”

Sophia, who always relented to Therese, packed a parasol and some snacks and followed her out. 

The Richard family’s garden was vast, and it was styled differently in each section, making it enjoyable to explore.

‘Of course, the landscapers must have a hard time.’

Maria Richard’s taste was so particular that no one working there lasted a few months. As Therese looked at the newly constructed maze garden, she was already worried.

‘How many will suffer to complete that?’

Personally, Therese preferred wildflowers blooming naturally. Though such places were hard to find in the capital, she used to roam the fields and mountains with Roshan.

“Sophia. Roshan is sick.”

“Oh my, is that why you look so unwell? Didn’t I tell you? We should have sent him back to Pasa the day he arrived. People are happiest living in their hometown.”

Sophia, who never hated anyone, oddly didn’t like Roshan much.

‘His red eyes just seem ominous.’

Despite her efforts to get Sophia and Roshan to get along, it ended with Therese giving up.

“I do regret it a bit. Being sick in a place where you know no one must be sad.”

“Don’t even think about visiting him, Madame. If someone finds out, they’ll hold it against you. I’ll go instead, check on him, and take care of him.”

Sophia’s words made Therese sigh. Visiting Roshan frequently was a bit challenging for Therese.

But doing nothing also weighed heavily on her mind. Roshan had only her, and he was not just a subordinate but family to her, like Sophia.

Then her eyes fell on the blue hydrangeas in the garden, and her head started to ache.

“Sophia, I want to be alone for a moment.”

She didn’t want to show Sophia her weak side any longer.

Walking with her eyes on the ground, Therese stopped at her favorite spot in the Richard family estate.

A small garden Maria found tacky and planned to remove someday was poorly maintained, with quite a few weeds. She leaned against the gazebo railing under the ivy-covered wall.

Alone now, she needed to sort out her thoughts.

‘You told me to be happy.’

But the opportunity given again wasn’t entirely good.

‘If I had returned to before the marriage…’

Honestly, she often felt such regrets. If she had, she would have done anything to stop this marriage.

Moreover, was it even possible to live a new life with the poison raging inside her body?

There was one more thing that worried her.

Even if her mother-in-law’s insults and verbal abuse could no longer hurt her.

Listening to them repeatedly might make her resign and get used to it, like the past her. Just as even the fiercest wild animal becomes docile when caged and abused.

The thought of such a horrible possibility made her heart sink.

‘I really don’t want that.’

But she had a foreboding thought that no matter what she did, Duke Richard might never agree to a divorce.

It was then.

She heard the sound of leaves being stepped on, and someone appeared in her private space.

“So you do know your place.”

“…?”

Katrina appeared out of nowhere and sneered at her.

Therese knew from the beginning that Katrina didn’t like her.

Katrina loved Duke Richard, so Therese, who married him, must have been a thorn in her side.

In the past, Therese always bowed her head to Katrina. To anyone watching, it might have seemed like Katrina was the Duchess.

‘But I’m not your maid.’

Lifting her head straight, Therese spoke coldly.

“Did you just say that to me, Lady Volez?”

Daring to say that to the Duchess?

Though she left the latter part unsaid, Katrina’s face twisted as if she read that aura from Therese’s gaze.

“Yes, I was calling you. If you have any conscience, you should step aside yourself.”

“…Ha.”

She wanted to be alone for once, and it was irritating to have this time interrupted.

“Lady Volez, yes, I am someone without a conscience. Does that answer your question?”

She desperately hoped Katrina would disappear after hearing this.

It wasn’t like she wanted to be in this position herself.

What haven’t I done to get a divorce?

Therese bit her lip and swallowed her words internally.

“The Duke and I were practically betrothed since childhood. Then you appeared in the middle of it!”

“Then you should have married early.”

Therese replied indifferently.

If they had, she would have lived a different life.

She wouldn’t be troubled by her father’s affairs, Roshan’s injury, the divorce issue, or the addiction problem surrounding her.

“Are you mocking me, Duchess?”

Who came to bother me while I was resting quietly, and suddenly got angry?

Therese was at a loss for words, astounded.

“Do you know how much the Grand Madame was heartbroken by your scandalous behavior?”

I hadn’t done anything scandalous, but if the Grand Madame was heartbroken, that was fortunate.

Therese barely restrained herself from saying that.

Maria Richard, who wore the mask of the Empire’s most praised noblewoman, had a hideous face beneath. She needed to suffer a little.

‘Raised in a lowly family, lacking basics and dignity.’

‘My son doesn’t come home because of you.’

Yet, the years she struggled to gain recognition seemed utterly futile.

“Are you ignoring me, Duchess?”

When Therese said nothing, Katrina, who was getting more agitated, stamped her foot.

“I’m someone without dignity or refinement, aren’t I?”

Katrina’s heart felt like it was about to burst, having come here to tear off her mask of innocence.

Therese’s calm tone, countering every word without supporting it, was very skillful.

‘And yet, you pretend to be sick and seduce the Duke?’

Knowing how to ignore and infuriate people like this?

“The Duke doesn’t suit you at all!”

As Katrina almost cried, Therese’s eyes sharpened.

Katrina had teamed up with her mother-in-law to torment her, and those days were as vivid as yesterday.

After a pause, Therese smiled slightly.

“I agree with that opinion. The noble Duke doesn’t suit someone as lowly as me.”

“Now you’re making sense! So leave his side!”

Facing Katrina, who was eager to take the Duchess’s place, Therese looked troubled.

“But that’s difficult.”

“Why?”

“The Duke is too obsessed with me.”

“What nonsense are you talking about!”

“You’ve seen how he always wants to be with me lately, haven’t you?”

Therese made a genuinely troubled expression, and Katrina just fumed in frustration.

Seeing her opponent unable to retort, Therese looked puzzled.

‘…What is this?’

She intended to upset her, but she didn’t expect such a reaction.

On the other hand, Katrina was tense from the pressure spreading throughout Therese’s body, which she had always ignored.

‘I thought she’d lower her tail and bow her head if I confronted her!’

Because of the high authority of Count Volez, Katrina was revered wherever she went. She thought it would be easy to handle a girl from a merchant family.

‘She’s such a cunning character.’

Now it seemed she had cleverly hidden her claws. Katrina had no intention of playing a losing game. She needed to go back and find a new approach.

“I must go and tend to the Grand Madame now.”

“…Ah.”

As Katrina hurriedly left the garden, clutching her dress, Therese was left alone with a blank expression.

“Did I just get one over on her?”

She was always the one being attacked, but seeing Katrina flee like that felt strange.

The frustration in her chest seemed to ease a little.

“Yes. Let’s solve them one by one like this.”

Even though the problems she faced were mountainous, if she solved them one by one, she might be able to laugh freely someday.