Chapter 17

It had been three years since her return. After eloping with Mikhail, who was Harriet’s fiancé, she had been living in virtual exile on a small island. She was finally back, thanks to her father, who had grown soft-hearted with age.

Aaron, who had been watching her suspiciously, seemed to have accepted her words as true, though his emotions were separate as he avoided her gaze.

“Well… Life abroad must have been lonely for you. How’s Mikhail?”

“He’s doing very well. He’s busy with work, so he couldn’t come back with me. Speaking of which.”

Marianne awkwardly laughed at the mention of her husband and quickly changed the subject.

“By any chance, does sister have a new man?”

“A new man?”

Aaron finally met her eyes at the unexpected question. Marianne, dropping the pretense of tears, got to the point.

“I heard rumors. She’s had many lovers during that time. Did she get hooked on one of them?”

“Little sister.”

“Does he know her secret?”

If Harriet had moved on from Mikhail and started anew, it made sense for their father to call her back now.

He must have wanted her to attend the wedding to quell the scandal and reconcile the sisters. While Marianne was happy to be back in her homeland, she was secretly anxious. She hoped Harriet Coco Vanetti had found someone less worthy than Mikhail.

“What are you trying to say? By that logic, you’re no different.”

Aaron growled softly as Marianne shrugged.

“It’s different in my case. At least I’m not an illegitimate child.”

Unlike herself, who was a branch of the Vanetti Earl family as a child, Harriet, despite being an illegitimate child, enjoyed the same wealth as her. 

Not only that, but she surpassed her in beauty and ability, making comparisons inevitable. So when she discovered Harriet’s illegitimacy, she was thrilled. In the old days, she would have been cloistered in a convent for life!

“I was foolish to think you might have changed, little sister.”

Aaron sighed heavily, shaking his head. Marianne realized she had gone too far but the damage was done. Having revealed her true self, she pressed Aaron for answers.

“So, what’s your answer to my question?”

“I don’t know. How would I know about trivial love affairs?”

Aaron, refusing to engage further, closed his eyes, pretending to sleep until they arrived.

“Marianne is returning this afternoon. Go meet her. Secretly.”

“Father?”

“You must move discreetly.”

The sudden command at dawn snapped him awake. For three years, her name had been taboo.

“If Harriet finds out, she’ll be shocked! She’ll be hurt. Can’t you just leave things as they are?”

“Leave it be? Until when? Until your older sister seduces every man in the capital? Until she finally brings disgrace to our family?”

“Father…”

“If she can’t move forward, we have no choice but to push her from behind.”

His father, who unilaterally informed him, waved his hand to dismiss him. Although they were father and son, he couldn’t understand his father’s thoughts. Last time, he told Ted to have a child and urged Harriet to marry quickly. Now he was bringing Marianne back to the country.

He had no idea what his father was planning, and it was frustrating. With a sense of foreboding that a storm was about to sweep through the capital, Aaron swallowed his unease.

* * *

Work was work, and family matters had to be dealt with separately. With a week left until the party, Harriet, though incredibly busy, visited Claire. Although she wasn’t visibly pregnant yet, Claire complained of difficulties every time Harriet visited.

“I started having morning sickness three days ago. It’s unbearable. Living in this exile makes me think only gloomy thoughts.”

“That’s why I came here despite being busy.”

Her brother’s illicit partner. The one causing her friend Olivia distress. She wanted to be harsh, but the other party was pregnant.

“If you’re really feeling stifled, you can take a walk on the beach. The doctor said light walks during pregnancy are fine.”

“What? Really?”

Claire’s eyes sparkled at the unexpected news. She seemed ready to run outside immediately, so Harriet set one condition.

“But only when there are no people around. Like early in the morning.”

“Tch. I knew it.”

Claire sat back down, twirling her long hair with one hand. Meanwhile, the clock on the wall chimed the hour from the first floor. Harriet, having knocked over Claire’s chess piece, packed her bag and stood up.

“Checkmate. I’ll be going now.”

“W-wait!”

At Claire’s urgent voice, Harriet turned around. Claire hesitated for a moment before making a request.

“Next time you come, bring some desserts. Madeleines, financiers, and some scones. From Bertol’s pastry shop.”

Harriet blinked quietly. Claire hurriedly added more details.

“Don’t forget the jam and butter.”

“If you ask the chef here—”

“It’s different from here.”

Claire whined, clasping her hands together with a desperate look, waiting for Harriet’s response. Harriet found herself feeling strangely about the situation.

The woman in front of her didn’t seem hungry; she just looked lonely. It was strange. The caretakers must have been kind to Claire as instructed, and the discreet maids working here must have been polite.

For the first time, she seemed less like a greedy, shameless mistress and more like a woman of a similar age.

“Well? You’ll bring them, right?”

“If I have time.”

It must have been a misconception. Harriet gave a vague answer and quickly left the room. She heard some curses behind her, but she ignored them.

As she descended the stairs, she ran into the caretaker’s wife, who was preparing refreshments for the two of them.

“Leaving already?”

“I have a lot of work. Goodbye.”

“She’s more affectionate and gets lonely more than you’d think.”

The affectionate voice stopped Harriet in her tracks as she was about to walk past.

“She pretends not to, but she eagerly waits for you when you come. I try to be friendly and take good care of her, but I’m not her age, nor someone she can comfortably confide in.”

Instead of turning her head, Harriet gripped the stair railing.

“She’s a woman who seduced a married man and got pregnant. It’s easy to deceive people.”

“Miss…”

“Be kind, but don’t be fooled.”

With a cold warning, Harriet hurried down the stairs. When she got into the waiting carriage, the coachman asked for the destination.

“Shall we go straight to the department store?”

Harriet was about to nod but interlocked her fingers instead. After a moment of consideration, she changed her destination.

“Let’s go somewhere else.”

The carriage arrived at none other than Eugene’s private clinic. Even though she had only been there once, it felt familiar. She didn’t know why this place came to mind.

“Will you be staying long?”

“No, I’ll be out soon. Wait here and give the horses some water.”

“Understood.”

Harriet hesitated for a moment after opening the carriage door, then knocked on the clinic door. There was no response from inside, so she turned the doorknob, and it opened. Harriet looked around the empty waiting room.

“Eugene?”

She called his name cautiously, but there was no one there. No patients, no nurses, and no Eugene. She hesitated, wondering whether to wait or leave, when she felt a presence behind her.

“Patient?”

Startled, she turned around to see a familiar face. Harriet, relieved, called his name.

“Eugene.”

“It was you.”

Eugene smiled gently. Embarrassed by his welcoming smile, Harriet quickly spoke.

“I stopped by on my way.”

“I see. Come in. I was just returning from a late lunch. The restaurant is nearby, so I went to get some takeout and forgot to lock the door.”

“What if a thief had come in?”

“Well, there’s nothing to steal. The medical charts are safely in the safe.”

Eugene shrugged and opened the clinic door. With a polite gesture inviting her in, Harriet followed him inside. Eugene closed the door and took out a teacup and a jar of tea leaves from a corner of the wall.

“Is there a tea you like?”

When he tried to take out one for her, Harriet shook her head.

“I’m fine. I won’t be staying long.”

“Still, it would be awkward for me to drink alone, so please join me.”

Eugene quickly brewed the tea with skilled hands and led her to the couch. It was the same spot she had sat last time.

“So, do you have any concerns? Something on your mind? Like insomnia?”

“Concerns?”

“That’s usually why people visit a psychiatrist.”

His words hit the mark, and Harriet averted her gaze, picking up the teacup.

“I just stopped by on my way. To see your face.”

It wasn’t entirely a lie. She wanted to see him again, to confirm if the comfortable and safe feeling was real, and if he really did resemble Mikhail. Eugene, watching her quietly, smiled faintly.

“I was waiting to hear from you. I thought about contacting you first, but I was worried it might be overwhelming.”

“It wouldn’t have been overwhelming. I might have missed it because I was busy.”

It was indeed comfortable. Just like when she was with Aaron, there was no unnecessary tension or probing, and all her nerves relaxed. Feeling the warmth of the teacup in her hands, Harriet gently steered the conversation.

“Do you remember the story I told you about my friend?”

“Ah, yes.”

“She’s a bit confused now. The situation is a little different from what she expected.”

Eugene’s face briefly took on a serious expression, then he returned to his role as a doctor. Listening intently, he leaned back deeply into the couch.

“In what way is she different?”

“She thought it was the worst, but it’s not.”

“She hoped for the worst, but it wasn’t. So she’s confused.”

Eugene accurately pointed out the fact, and Harriet, intending to deny it, surrendered to his perceptive gaze.

“Maybe.”

“If it’s hard because of that person, can’t she just not see them anymore?”

“It’s not a situation where that’s possible.”

“That’s tough.”