Chapter 64

“…”

Nodding in agreement, Harriet tucked her disheveled hair behind her ear.

“I admit I had my doubts because of what you said. But now that I’ve seen it’s not him, I feel relieved.”

Though she denied it, the suspicion that had smoldered like a spark in her heart was fortunately extinguished before it could grow.

“Have you told Father about this letter?”

“Not yet.”

“Then let’s hold off for now.”

“Hold off?”

“Yes.”

Nodding, Harriet candidly shared her thoughts.

“With Marianne still in that state, would the culprit show up if we went around with the letter? Besides…”

“…”

“I’m worried Mother might be shocked. Father had health issues recently, and I’m afraid he might collapse again. They’re both getting on in years.”

Her mother was already bedridden, deeply shocked by Marianne’s situation. Understanding the hidden meaning in Harriet’s silence, Mikhail slowly nodded.

“I understand what you mean. I’ll do that.”

“Thank you.”

Harriet gave Mikhail a weak smile as he stood up. Though she expected him to turn away and leave, Mikhail remained still. When Harriet slowly raised her head, Mikhail, wearing a complicated expression, was looking down at her.

“Mikhail?”

“I didn’t expect you to still smile at me.”

His voice was slightly choked with emotion. Harriet quietly observed her former fiancé and responded softly.

“When I thought you had completely betrayed me, I honestly thought it was all over.”

“Harriet…”

“For three years, I was consumed by betrayal, revenge, and humiliation, with many sleepless nights.”

“I…”

“I liked you. More than I thought.”

Whether picturing her days or feeling the belated sense of loss, Mikhail’s face twisted with guilt and sadness.

In contrast, Harriet, feeling as if a heavy burden had been lifted, stood up with a refreshed expression.

“But I’m okay now. Knowing you didn’t betray me of your own will. And I have someone who’s entirely on my side.”

“On your… side.”

“Thank you for telling me about the letter before my parents, Mikhail. I’ll do my best to find the culprit too.”

Returning to the friend she once was, Harriet smiled gently.

“Then I’ll be off…”

“Harriet.”

Her attempt to leave was halted by a desperate voice.

“Do you love him?”

“Him?”

Stopping in her tracks, Harriet turned her head. With an expression that seemed both knowing and uncertain, Mikhail parted his lips.

“Your husband.”

Harriet blinked quietly. Then she nodded.

“Yes. I love him.”

“Since… when?”

Mikhail staggered as if struck by a bullet. However, Harriet did not approach to support him as he had done for her. Gripping the couch’s backrest, Mikhail waited for her words.

“I don’t know. It might have been recent, or maybe since three years ago…….”

“Three years ago…?”

Mikhail repeated her words in shock.

“Three years ago means…”

It was the day he had fled, leaving Harriet at the altar. Mikhail, pale as a sheet, widened his eyes in disbelief.

“I won’t go into more detail. I don’t want to.”

Concluding the conversation plainly, Harriet waved her hand.

“Goodbye, Mikhail.”

* * *

After sending Mikhail off with a nonchalant face, Harriet quickly entered the room she used before and plopped down on the bed.

“To think it was true… Marianne’s claim.”

Mikhail, Marianne, and herself. What she thought was a one-act play featuring only the three of them had revealed another third party. The problem was that she didn’t know the name, face, or motive of this third party.

“Why? For what? To torment me?”

The most plausible possibility was someone who held a grudge against her. Having cut ties decisively while doing business, she couldn’t say there was no one who bore a grudge against her.

“For now… let’s write down some names.”

Feeling the ominous thudding of her heart, Harriet jumped up and took parchment and a pen from the corner drawer, spreading them out on the cherry wood desk. Then she began to write them down one by one.

“Marquis Vincent… Last time, he expected excessive treatment at the store, so I banned him from entering the department store… Countess Salinger… she verbally abused a sales clerk, so I kicked her out on the street…….”

As Harriet wrote down names and reasons one by one, the parchment soon filled up one side. Feeling a worsening migraine, she sighed heavily.

“There are too many suspects. It would be better if the culprit was among them.”

For now, there was no choice but to have Yvonne investigate each person. As she reached a conclusion, a sudden thought crossed her mind.

“But… what if it’s someone who holds a grudge against Mikhail?”

In that case, the scope widened. It might be better to hope Marianne wakes up as it was better than wrongly suspecting innocent people.

Just as her enthusiasm waned, she heard footsteps from the entrance and urgent steps followed.

“Madam! Master! Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. This person twisted their ankle during a walk.”

“Father, Mother!”

Harriet, opening the door, found the Earl and Countess Vanetti. As Franz said, Margaret was being carried in by him.

Franz, lifting his head, looked up at Harriet.

“Harriet, you’re here.”

“Did you come to see us?”

“Yes… But Mother, are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

Margaret smiled and pointed to her left ankle. Following her gesture, Harriet looked puzzled.

“It’s bandaged?”

“A passing doctor helped us.”

“Oh…”

Harriet placed a hand on her chest and sighed in relief.

“I insisted on bringing him here to repay him, even though he refused.”

At Margaret’s words, Harriet naturally turned her head to look behind her. She saw the man who was just entering.

“Ah, thank you.”

The man, who was greeting the maid taking his coat, felt her gaze and looked at Harriet.

Both of them called each other’s names almost simultaneously.

“…Eugene Gray?”

“Duchess…”

“Do you know each other?”

Surprised, Margaret looked between the two. The answers came almost at the same time.

“He’s Lennox’s friend.”

“She’s my friend’s wife.”

“Oh…”

Nodding, Margaret smiled.

“This is quite a coincidence.”

“Yes…”

“I’ll change clothes and come out, so both of you wait in the drawing room for a moment. I’ll have the head maid bring some warm tea.”

There was no time to refuse. As soon as Margaret finished speaking, Franz carried her up the stairs.

Left alone suddenly, an awkward silence filled the spacious entrance hall.

“First… thank you for helping my mother.”

“Don’t mention it. Anyone would have done the same.”

“Please, come inside.”

Since he was a guest, Harriet courteously led him to the drawing room.

The drawing room was warm with the heat from the fireplace. Eugene couldn’t help but smile at the warmth, contrasting with the increasingly cold weather outside.

“It’s warm here.”

“We always keep the fireplace burning. Would you like a blanket if you’re cold?”

“No, it’s fine.”

Eugene declined Harriet’s offer with a shake of his head and took a sip of the tea the head maid brought. As the warm tea flowed down his throat with its fragrance, he felt his heart naturally calm and settle.

“Still, I was surprised. To think the doctor who helped my mother was you.”

“I was surprised too. What a coincidence.”

“Indeed.”

Harriet agreed with a smile. The world seemed smaller than she thought. Fateful encounters happened one way or another. Meeting an acquaintance was a welcome distraction from the thoughts that had been troubling her. It felt like escaping from a suffocating room, even though she would have to return eventually.

“By the way, is the clinic doing well?”

“Yes. These days, I only take appointments. Otherwise, it’s hard to have personal time.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Harriet added softly with a bright expression.

“Mental illness is just as serious and important as physical illness.”

“I’m glad you understand.”

“Nowadays, it seems like there are more people with mental illnesses than physical ones in society. The fact that it doesn’t show easily on the surface is a truly fatal drawback.”

Eugene almost spat out his tea at her candid words and coughed, clearing his throat. Harriet smiled at his reaction.

“You pretend not to know, but the story of the Vanetti family is famous.”

“I didn’t expect you to talk about it so calmly.”

“What’s there not to be calm about? It’s already all out in the open.”

Harriet shrugged and drank her tea.

“Having it exposed like this is refreshing. Is it because my mind is strange?”

“Of course not.”

Eugene chuckled at her quiet joke and shook his head.

“But you still don’t look entirely relieved.”

“…”

“Is something troubling you?”

Instead of answering, Harriet quietly looked down at her teacup. Her reflection seemed lighter than before, as if she had put down a heavy burden, but there was still a hint of worry. Eugene wasn’t wrong to say so.