“…If I had made a different decision then, you wouldn’t even have been born. You don’t even know I’m the benefactor of your life. Such an ungrateful thing.”

Fabiana poured out her malice and anger without filter.

Every time she saw Andert, who looked exactly like her husband, her teeth ground together. That day. When your mother closed her eyes, I should have killed you too. She regretted the events of 27 years ago countless times.

Who would have known? That a child born from such a woman would be this formidable.

“There’s a woman pregnant with my child, Fabiana.”

Her husband’s confession, which was like a curse, was the beginning of all this. At the time, she had just received the doctor’s diagnosis that it was impossible for her to get pregnant.

Of course, she was royalty of Daloa before being a Duchess. If she had flatly refused, the child her husband brought wouldn’t have been able to set foot in House Dietrich. But what then?

Where was the guarantee this would be the only child born outside?

Duke Dietrich was handsome and had several admirers among noble ladies. An illegitimate child with a noble lady — that would be even more blood-boiling gossip.

So she made her choice. Rather than that, she would accept that woman’s child and use the unremarkable child as leverage to bind her husband’s neck.

The plan went smoothly. Fabiana immediately crossed to Daloa and summoned that woman too. The child born into the world this way was Andert. And on the same day, his mother sank forever to the bottom of the deep blue lake.

Fabiana recalled the villa with its deep lake. What had that woman said before being dragged to the water’s edge?

“The baby, please let me see the baby’s face just once. Please, I’m begging you.”

How strong was that woman’s death grip after giving birth through difficult labor. She gripped Fabiana’s dress hem so tightly it nearly tore off.

Until then, everything had been smooth sailing. She planned to use the innocent child as leverage to manipulate her husband as needed. If things went wrong, she could always let him meet his mother.

But somehow the secret leaked, and when the King of Artion learned of it, everything went wrong.

“Duchess Dietrich, I am a person who keeps secrets, so don’t worry. I promise your secret will stay with me alone. However, maintaining a secret requires appropriate payment, doesn’t it?”

With the snake-like king knowing the fact, Fabiana couldn’t move rashly either. Time passed that way.

As years went by, the child grew into a young man. Unlike her contempt for his mother’s origins, the half-Dietrich was outstanding.

Her black eyes, leaking coldness, scrutinized every aspect of Andert. Still, she had secured her nephew in House Dietrich, so her final card remained strong.

There would be one chance.

Fabiana rose from her seat, not hiding her discomfort. Her dark navy skirt swayed largely with her nervous movement. Since they had already thrown off their masks to each other, greetings were unnecessary. She left without a word.

The moment the heavy door closed, Andert leaned his head back against the sofa.

The harsh words he had heard since childhood scattered without leaving any particular wound. But the headache that had been stirring in his mind recently kept surging. The cause of the headache wasn’t because of Fabiana who had just left the study. This was…

“Chloe.”

The call, said without anyone to answer, dissolved instantly into the silence.

He had spent his days striving not to show any weakness anywhere. A weak life that couldn’t meet someone’s expectations had no value for existence. That had been the most important purpose that had sustained him until he became an adult. Andert’s life could be summarized in that one line.

Was I always this sensitive and weak?

In fact, even after marriage, for quite some time, Andert didn’t trust Chloe and Viscount Hardin.

This was entirely because of Countess Hassel, Viscount Hardin’s sister. The person who had secretly delivered various information about Daloa to King Philip, who passed away three months ago, was none other than Countess Hassel.

Andert learned about her just before his marriage.

Viscount Hardin’s sister married Count Hassel of Daloa as soon as she came of age. He couldn’t know how Philip had recruited someone who had settled in Daloa. However, it wasn’t impossible for Philip, who collected all sorts of information, to learn about Andert’s birth.

What astounded him was the king’s malicious intent in pushing Chloe as his match. Literally, Chloe was the niece of the informant who had handed over House Dietrich’s secrets to the king.

The king’s playful words from when he summoned them both still rang fresh in his ears.

“Looking at you two side by side, you match very well. Haha, it seems I have a gift for these things. May the two from House Dietrich and House Hardin live happily while respecting each other.”

Swallowing a bitter laugh, Andert had thought all this might be House Hardin’s plan.

Although at the time, Viscount Hardin had long been estranged from his siblings due to continued misconduct and failed investments, Andert, unable to shake off his suspicions, found Chloe’s kindness detestable.

“I’ll become someone worthy of you. I’m now part of House Dietrich, and I want to be a good wife by your side.”

The beautiful face with downcast eyes before the wedding officiant was the same. At that time, even the flutter of her long eyelashes casting dark shadows under her eyes was irritating.

Certainly, Chloe’s beauty was objectively among the finest in the capital’s social circles. But to be able to look at him with such an innocent face, pretending to know nothing… Andert rather wanted to give her credit for that.

Only after several years did he have to admit it. That Chloe and Viscount Hardin knew nothing about House Dietrich’s secret.

Andert knew well what the eyes of those who held others’ weaknesses looked like. No matter how good an actor, it was impossible to be like Chloe and Viscount Hardin.

But by then, he had already grown accustomed to his coldness toward his wife. Moreover, he believed that Chloe too was just doing her best because she wanted something.

What could Chloe possibly gain by presenting divorce papers?

Andert’s thoughts repeatedly failed to progress beyond this point. Only now did he become certain. That he would never find that answer until he met Chloe and heard it directly from her.

***

From the next day, Chloe became even busier.

With Kate away, there was more work to handle. Only after Quincy and Gemma, who worked with her, had left could she finally take a breather.

The poet’s work that Quincy had handed over earlier seemed like it would be finished with just a bit more work. After she finished organizing the documents, Chloe made notes of tasks to handle tomorrow.

Her round handwriting filled one side of the small notebook. She had just taken out bread and milk for dinner, checking if she had missed anything.

A knock came from beyond the door. It was past 8 PM, so no staff would be visiting. Puzzled, Chloe answered in a slightly louder voice.

“Yes. Come in.”

The door opened, and the corner of a frame appeared first. Then a dark navy suit, light gray hair. The visitor holding the large frame was a face she had exchanged greetings with a few days ago.

Aaron Hussler. A university classmate she had reunited with after four years.

At this unexpected visitor, Chloe stood up as Aaron approached the desk in a few steps. He held up the frame.

“I saw the light was on, so I thought I’d stop by. I had a painting to give to Kate.”

“Ah, Kate is away right now. I’ll pass this on to her.”

The desk where he placed the half-sheet-sized frame was almost completely full. Chloe asked after setting down the painting neatly wrapped in buffer material and paper.

“Just need to pass it on, right? Let me know if there’s any message I should leave.”

“No. It’s a painting requested from the exhibition.”

Chloe, who had picked up a notepad, quietly put down her pen. There wasn’t much to talk about with a classmate she hadn’t been particularly close to. As she looked away from the awkward atmosphere, a casual question came.

“Is that dinner?”

Aaron pointed to the bread sitting neatly on the desk. With just the wrapper opened.

Chloe felt a bit embarrassed, having planned to have a simple meal in the office. But before she could answer, Aaron spoke first.

“I came straight from the station and haven’t eaten either. How about we go out to eat together?”

The proposal was fresh and clean. Enough that no meaning other than truly being hungry and wanting to eat together could be felt. Plus, facing the lonely loaf of bread there, it was difficult to naturally decline.

Aaron stood silently without further urging. Chloe realized that refusing and choosing to eat bread alone in this situation would be more awkward.

“Just a moment. I need to lock up. I’ll finish the final organization and go.”