Chapter 5.6

Was this how Icarus felt when he fell, his wings melted by the sun’s heat?

No, it must be a mistake. He must have misheard.

Liam reassured himself, looking at Yvonne. And seeing her face, already pale, turn ghostly white, he knew he hadn’t misheard.

“Did you have a child before? When?”

Liam slowly rose and questioned her. Terrified, Yvonne couldn’t speak, only trembling her lips and shoulders.

Even now, it seemed more pitiful than despicable, such was her appearance. But no matter how beautiful she was, this was a matter that needed addressing.

Liam sighed, forcing his facial muscles to relax, and softened his voice as much as possible.

“If I didn’t hear wrong, it sounds like you had a child before… And it doesn’t seem to be mine.”

Yvonne couldn’t deny it quickly. She hadn’t expected her past to be revealed this way, so she couldn’t respond immediately.

Seeing her like this, Liam was more convinced. This woman surely had secrets from her past he didn’t know.

“Tell me the truth, Jeanne. If you tell me everything honestly… I’ll let it go.”

“…”

“We’re married, aren’t we? You understood my past, so I can understand your minor past. So…”

Liam clasped Yvonne’s hand.

“Tell me the truth.”

It was all a lie. Liam just wanted to clearly know Yvonne’s past, so he was probing. It was difficult to investigate a woman’s past without knowing anything, but with even a small clue, he could uncover it all.

Yvonne didn’t realize Liam’s intentions. Until a moment ago, Liam had been quite intimidating, but considering his past actions, she thought maybe he would accept her past. 

Moreover, the guilt deeply rooted in her for deceiving him clouded Yvonne’s judgment. Yes, perhaps Liam would empathize with her misfortune and comfort her. Although deceiving him was wrong, she had her reasons. And wasn’t her misfortune not of her own making?

So, she thought it might be alright to reveal everything to this man. Yvonne decided to trust the man she had seen so far. After hesitating, she cautiously began to speak.

“In truth, I was originally a maid.”

“A maid?”

“Yes. In a rather distant countryside… I was working there and ended up having a high-ranking noble’s child against my will and was cast out.”

“Against your will?”

“I was grabbed suddenly while returning to my lodging…”

Recalling that time still made her heart race and filled her with dread. They were experiences she never wanted to endure again.

Yvonne clutched her collar tightly and barely continued speaking.

“I got pregnant after that one night. After being cast out, while looking for a place to rely on and heading to a relative’s house, I miscarried the child.”

“Where did you miscarry? After coming to Verno?”

“No. Before taking the train to Verno, I buried the child in the cemetery of Valence village. I couldn’t afford a proper gravestone. I couldn’t even give a name…”

“So you came to Verno alone?”

“I came with the head maid. The head maid was also cast out because of me… But then she fell ill… Monsieur Debroge said he would provide medicine if I married Earl Marlon in place of his daughter…”

“If what you’re saying is true, you’re not originally Jeanne de Debroge but a fake. I don’t understand. Everyone in the Debroge estate, including Earl Marlon, seems to believe you’re Jeanne de Debroge.”

“Our mothers were twin sisters. So, Jeanne and I looked alike.”

“…”

“Our eye colors were different, but Monsieur Debroge…”

“Ha, damn.”

A sharp, hollow laugh cut through the air.

Yvonne froze, unable to continue. She instinctively realized that Liam didn’t believe her words were true.

No, he might accept some of it as truth, but he had no intention of forgiving her.

“Are you telling me to believe this? It would be more believable if you said you were originally carrying my child and miscarried.”

Liam, who had risen from the bed, spoke as he roughly ran his hand through his hair.

Honestly, even though he felt deceived, part of him hoped Yvonne wouldn’t confess the truth.

He wished she would say it was nothing, that it was nonsense.

Even if she said something unbelievable, like she got pregnant after they married but lost the child, he was willing to believe it and let it go.

But…

“What? Your mothers were twins, so you look alike? And a noblewoman working as a maid? If you’re going to lie, at least make it believable.”

“It’s true. It’s really…”

“Fine. Let’s say it’s true. So who else have you been with?”

“Who else?”

“Besides me, who else have you been with?”

“No, no one. Really, except for you and that noble…”

“The guy you supposedly eloped with?”

“What?”

“What? Did you think I wouldn’t know any rumors about you?”

“What rumors…”

“They say you didn’t fall ill but eloped and returned? With the private tutor who taught you.”

“I never…!”

Yvonne reflexively shook her head to deny it but then paused. She hadn’t done such a thing, but ‘Jeanne’ had.

Realizing this, Yvonne grabbed Liam’s hand with trembling hands.

“I can explain. I can. I can explain everything… Ah!”

“Shut up.”

Liam harshly slapped away Yvonne’s hand. The pain was as sharp as the sound of their skin colliding.

But what hurt more was Liam’s cold, piercing gaze as he looked at her.

“I’m barely holding back from strangling you right now.”

“…”

“You said it never happened, and now you can explain? Were you planning not to say anything until I brought it up? Or did you have so many affairs that you couldn’t even remember?”

“No, it’s not.”

“What do you mean, no? You got pregnant after one night of an unwanted relationship? That’s laughable. With how reserved you are even with me, if you got pregnant, just how much did you do? Hmm?”

“Liam…”

“Ha, I was so fond of you… I’ve been acting like an idiot… Damn!”

Unable to control his anger, Liam threw a pot on the nightstand.

It was a herb pot Yvonne had carefully tended and repotted. The ceramic shards and soil scattered across the floor in an instant. Still not satisfied, Liam stomped on the broken pot.

Yvonne, frozen by his rough and violent demeanor she had never seen before, belatedly tried to stop him.

“Li, Liam… Please don’t. What if you get hurt…”

“Shut up! Who do you think caused this?”

“Ah!”

Liam immediately pushed Yvonne away. As a result, she was thrown to the floor. Something seemed to crumble under her palm, followed by a sharp pain.

“Ugh…”

Yvonne checked her hand. A shard of the pot’s ceramic was deeply embedded in her dry palm, drawing blood.

Liam also witnessed this. Surprised by the unexpected situation, he tried to approach to check on Yvonne but stopped himself.

She was the woman who had deceived him. Even expressing concern for her well-being was a luxury. Liam clenched his fists tightly, grabbed his coat, and left.

That day, he did not return.

* * *

Gabriel was flustered seeing Liam suddenly appear at his house late at night.

After getting married, he would refuse to hang out with Gabriel or discuss business with important figures, insisting he had to see his wife every day.

A man who tried so hard to stay glued to his wife every morning, suddenly showing up and drinking was bewildering.

Moreover, he had already smoked six cigars, which he had quit for months since getting married. In such a short time, he had already gone through that many.

‘Something must have happened… but I can’t ask.’

Liam’s aura was that ominous.

Liam knew Gabriel was anxious, but he wasn’t in the right mind to calmly explain the situation. The conversation he had with Yvonne kept replaying in his mind.

‘So I wasn’t the first.’

The cigar in his hand snapped again. He lit a new one, took a puff, and sipped his drink.

In fact, it was Natong who first told him about the rumors of ‘Jeanne de Debroge’. Initially furious at losing Yvonne, Natong changed his approach.

“Did you know, Monsieur Arthus? Mademoiselle Debroge actually eloped and returned.”

“If you’re jealous, just say so. Don’t try to belittle my wife with baseless lies.”

“Oh, no. I am grateful to you. They say she eloped with the private tutor who was teaching her bridal manners and then returned. I almost paid a high price for such a defective item, but you took her, so I am grateful.”

“Defective item?”

“Of course, a woman who is not a maiden is defective. Who knows? Maybe she got pregnant during that time?”

At that time, Natong seemed to be trying to provoke him out of spite. He had already confirmed on their first night that Yvonne wasn’t very experienced.

So he dismissed it as nonsense…

“I can explain. I can. I can explain everything… Ah!”

The woman’s pitiful voice clung to his ears.

Explain? Explain what? That she had multiple lovers?

“Damn…”

Liam was furious. It was infuriating to think she hid not being a maiden, and he assumed she understood his past because of it. Yet, his cold rationality urged him to show leniency towards Yvonne.

After all, who was he to judge her virginity? No matter how wild Yvonne had been, could it be worse than him?

‘But hiding the fact she carried another man’s child and miscarried is unforgivable.’