Chapter 53. What A Cunning b*tch

Helen was so taken aback that she couldn’t say anything.

The trust fund was in Paris’s name, but it also included portions for Helen and the Duchess. If he took a loan against it and something went wrong, it would affect her dowry. Helen shouted, her face turning red.

“I don’t approve! Do you know what that trust fund is? My dowry is included in it, so why didn’t you discuss it with me?”

“Sezad doesn’t plan to marry you anyway, does he? What’s the harm in using some of it if it’s not immediately needed?”

“…What?”

Helen was struck dumb by the shocking revelation. Paris clicked his tongue and continued.

“You haven’t been to Vaikan, have you? There are enough women there who follow Sezad around to circle the island.”

“I am a ducal princess of Ahivith! I’m different from those country girls!”

“Country girls? Vaikan women are a million times better than you. Their bodies are…”

Paris made an exaggerated gesture to indicate their figures and laughed. Helen trembled with indignation and shouted,

“Paris!”

“Why are you yelling? My ears almost fell off.”

Paris grimaced and covered his ears. As Helen fumed, he patted her shoulder and gave her some advice.

“You’re so clingy that Sezad avoids you.”

“Avoids me?”

“See? You still don’t get it, and you talk about marriage.”

“Explain it so I understand.”

“That guy’s business trip is a lie. He’s probably at his office right now.”

“!!”

Helen thought he was going on frequent business trips lately, but to find out it was all a lie was shocking.

As Helen stood there speechless, Paris said,

“If you’re going to break up, do it quietly. I’d appreciate it if you could wait until my business expands.”

With that, he whistled and walked away. Helen clenched her dress and trembled.

She was more furious that Paris had known all along but hadn’t told her than she was about Sezad’s lie.

So much for being on the same side.

Paris always took everything for himself at crucial moments.

Mother always favored Paris.

Helen’s eyes flashed with determination. She didn’t want to lose anything more to Paris. Not Sezad, not her dowry.

At that moment, Helen’s close maid approached her with a worried expression and whispered something.

“…What?”

Helen trembled as she heard the news. A moment later, she spoke with a pale face.

“Prepare the carriage.”

“What? But the guests will be arriving soon.”

“Tell them something urgent came up! Hurry!”

At Helen’s urgent command, the coachman prepared the carriage. Soon, Helen boarded the carriage and headed for Sezad’s office.

* * *

As the time for the formal dinner approached, Isabelle nervously observed the Duke’s expression. When she first mentioned Alyssa, the Duke had been furious.

Before their marriage, she promised not to let her family become a nuisance.

He had known from the start that her background was humble. She had nothing but a pretty face, so it was natural.

The only reason he accepted her was that she was carrying his child. He had agreed to take her in if she cut ties with her family, and Isabelle had followed his condition without hesitation.

In the meantime, she tried to kill her family to prevent the marriage from being discovered, which was her greatest mistake.

‘Invite your family? Surely you don’t mean to ask for a position for them now?’

‘It’s not that. I’ve already promised you that.’

‘Then why bother inviting them to dinner?’

‘If we send my family away without hosting them, it will attract ridicule.’

‘They’re not influential enough for anyone to care. You’re being overly cautious.’

‘…Actually, my sister seems to have a close relationship with the Letia Marquisate. She’s even staying at Letia Castle.’

‘The Letia Marquisate?’

It was only after hearing the name of the Letia family that the Duke allowed the formal dinner. His words pricked Isabelle’s pride.

‘You’re as lucky as your sister. Helping a straggler who turned out to be the young marquis of Letia. Incredible.’

It was a sarcastic remark about how she had seduced the Duke and borne his child. The Duke needed an heir at the time, so he didn’t hesitate to bring her in. If she had given birth to a daughter, she might have been cast aside quickly.

But the Duke didn’t know that the child she carried wasn’t his. He was a fool.

She overheard his desire for a child during a drinking session and took a gamble. His unusual interest in her helped.

Fortunately, Paris was born the following year with Joseph’s white hair, avoiding the Duke’s suspicion.

Joseph had albinism, and Paris inherited it, something the Duke couldn’t have known.

‘Who do you think the fool is.’

As Isabelle silently cursed the Duke, Aster approached and spoke.

“The orchestra has just arrived.”

“Good. They seem to be on time.”

Isabelle adjusted her expression and answered nonchalantly. Aster and his wife were also present at this dinner.

Alyssa had insisted on dining with everyone. It was a clever ploy to intimidate Isabelle, making her mood sour.

Joseph’s certainty that Paris was his son made her even more anxious. Having Alyssa by his side was also unsettling.

Aster said,

“I didn’t know you had a family.”

“They’re slightly better than your unremarkable mother.”

“Is that so?”

Unusually, Aster didn’t react. It was a jab at his mother, who was a fallen noble and a companion to the former Duchess, but he remained indifferent.

Meanwhile, Aster found Isabelle’s provocation laughable. It was ridiculous that someone who wasn’t even a noble was pretending to be one.

“Why would such a great family be hidden until now?”

“Isn’t it because it’s such a long distance? Coming all the way from Kamatie is quite a hassle.”

“Haha!”

Aster couldn’t hold back his laughter, causing Isabelle to frown.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing at all. I just don’t think a mother as calculating as you would hide it just because of the distance.”

“That’s your misjudgment about me. Are you perhaps afraid? Afraid that my family might threaten your successor position?”

“If it’s about that, it’s already been resolved.”

“Resolved? How?”

“It seems you haven’t heard from Father yet.”

Aster smiled slyly and took a step closer. Isabelle flinched and stepped back, but he was quicker to whisper in her ear.

“I have already received the approval of the majority of the elders and have been officially recognized as the successor. So, there’s no need to worry about my position.”

“What?!”

Isabelle visibly shook and widened her eyes. Was it because of that, that the Duke had been frequently away these past few days?

She couldn’t believe that the Duke had been inciting the elders behind her back to officially recognize Aster as the successor. Aster looked down at the visibly shaken Isabelle with pity and continued.

“Francis wouldn’t have given up the Rain Mine for no reason.”

“You and your wife conspired to deceive me…!”

Isabelle glared at Aster with fiery eyes. She thought it was strange that House Francis gave up the Rain Mine so easily, but she never expected such a scheme behind her back.

Normally, she would have sensed the Duke’s intentions, but recently, Isabelle had been troubled with matters about Alyssa.

What’s more puzzling was that none of Isabelle’s elders had contacted her until the approval was finalized.

“…Ha!”

Isabelle let out a belated, exasperated laugh. Camilla had been handling the letters these past few days. Under the pretext of lessening her burden, she secretly intercepted the elders’ letters.

But it was hard to believe this was Camilla’s doing alone. The letters delivered to Camilla were already filtered once.

There must have been a maid helping Camilla.

The fact that she hadn’t noticed until now made Isabelle’s fingertips feel cold. They were stealing from her while pretending to be loyal.

“What a cunning b*tch…”

To dare tamper with her letters. Letting this go would mean her prestige would fall to the ground.

“Just wait and see! I’ll repay this tenfold!”

Only after issuing a stern warning did she turn her back.

After Isabelle stormed off, Camilla, who had been listening from the next room, slightly opened the door and peeked out. When she gestured for him to come in, Aster entered the room.