Chapter 82

The one glimmer of hope was that the key to unraveling everything lay with Yvonne.  

After secretly assigning someone to keep an eye on her for some time, Lennox finally received word from the tail when he could no longer bear the wait.  

Although she had been extremely cautious, making it impossible to follow her to the end, the tail managed to track her and Harriet to a clinic.  

When Lennox learned that Harriet had gone to a clinic, his first reaction was worry. He yhought he was ill. He grew anxious, blaming himself for not noticing.  

But when he heard the doctor’s response, everything changed.  

“Preg… pregnancy?”  

“Yes, that’s correct.”  

“Are you certain?”  

“I’ve been a doctor for decades. I can tell immediately if someone is pregnant.”  

The doctor, perhaps feeling insulted, cleared his throat and straightened his expression.  

“How far along is she?”  

“About…”  

Adjusting his glasses and checking the chart, the doctor replied,  

“She’s just over seven weeks.”  

“Seven weeks…”  

The veins on Lennox’s clenched fists, resting on his knees, bulged. Suppressing a scream, he forced a smile.  

“…I had no idea.”  

The doctor, seemingly understanding, clicked his tongue in pity as he scanned Lennox’s face.  

“Doctor… I have one more question.”  

“Go ahead.”  

Though the doctor responded calmly, his gaze carried the disdainful judgment of someone looking at a negligent husband who had failed to notice his wife’s pregnancy. Lennox ignored it and continued.  

“When do most women realize they’re pregnant?”  

“Well… some sensitive women notice early, but that’s rare. Generally, it takes about four weeks for symptoms to appear and for them to realize they’re pregnant.”  

“Four weeks…”  

Four weeks fit the timeline. Harriet had disappeared three weeks ago, shortly after announcing her business trip. If she had discovered her pregnancy at four weeks, it meant she had fled immediately.  

“Thank you for the information.”  

Lennox placed the envelope of money and the promissory note on the desk and pushed them forward before rising from his seat.  

“Excuse me… Mr. Harrington?”  

Summoning his last ounce of courage, the doctor offered some advice.  

“Excessive stress is toxic to pregnant women. I don’t know what happened between you two, but sometimes it’s best to let things go.”  

“Let things go…”  

What if it was something I couldn’t let go? 

Suppressing the words threatening to spill out, Lennox replied politely.  

“Thank you for the advice. I’m not angry with my wife, actually.”  

“Then…”  

The doctor, eyes wide with curiosity, waited for Lennox’s next words. Deliberately pausing, Lennox twisted his lips.  

“I was too busy with work to spend much time with her. My wife… grew tired of waiting and left, even though she was with child.”  

“Oh dear…”  

It wasn’t an uncommon story. As the doctor’s expression softened with sympathy, Lennox made his request.  

“Which is why I have a favor to ask, Doctor.”  

“A favor?”  

“Whenever my wife comes here for a check-up, please contact me. I won’t appear in front of her to avoid causing her stress, but I want to know how she’s doing.”  

“That’s…”  

Sensing the doctor’s hesitation, Lennox pressed further.  

“Of course, I’ll compensate you each time. I’m not stingy when it comes to such matters. I just want to ensure my wife is well.”  

Having someone investigate every detail was an option, but it would waste both time and effort. After a brief moment of hesitation, the doctor nodded in agreement, and Lennox smiled faintly.  

“Thank you.”  

***

The moving plans had to be postponed. It was because they couldn’t find a suitable place to hide.  

In the meantime, Yvonne occasionally visited Harriet, hired a lawyer on her behalf, and sometimes brought daily necessities and food. Thanks to her, Harriet could breathe a little easier.  

“Thanks for helping out until the weekend, Yvonne.”  

“It’s nothing. But I’m worried we haven’t found a suitable place yet, even though we’ve hired a lawyer.”  

“We’ll find one soon. At least my identity hasn’t been revealed yet.”  

Though Harriet lived on edge, no one recognized her. Gradually, the tension that had been tightly wound began to loosen naturally.  

“That’s true. The people here seem indifferent to rumors. Maybe it’s because this is a neighborhood with mostly older residents.”  

“That could be it. Even the owner here only goes into town once a week to shop for groceries.”  

“Well, that’s fortunate.”  

“Yes. And oddly enough, the atmosphere in the neighborhood has been quite pleasant lately. The drunkards who used to shout and cause a ruckus after dark have disappeared, and even the troublemakers have noticeably decreased.”  

“That’s a relief. I’ve been worried about leaving you here alone.”  

Yvonne sighed in relief, then glanced at the divorce papers Harriet was working on.  

“How’s that coming along?”  

“Not well…”  

Harriet admitted honestly, rubbing her face with her hands.  

“This is my first time writing something like this, so even with the lawyer’s help, I don’t know how to go about it.”  

“You said you signed a contract when you got married.”  

“They said it has no legal effect without notarization. Honestly… I didn’t expect things to escalate to court.”  

At the time, Harriet truly believed they weren’t deeply attached to each other. She hadn’t realized how deeply Lennox felt for her and assumed they would naturally proceed toward divorce when the time came. That’s why they had written the contract.  

But everything had changed. Feelings had shifted, and Harriet had discovered all the things Lennox had done. On top of that…  

“And now there’s a child. They said divorces involving children are much more complicated than those without.”  

Harriet murmured, gently stroking her slightly rounded belly.  

“He’ll probably claim custody too.”  

“Can’t you just expose what your husband has done?”  

Yvonne cautiously suggested. Harriet sighed quietly. Initially, she had planned to keep everything a secret for Yvonne’s safety. However, as Yvonne helped her more and more, Harriet naturally ended up sharing her past. Fortunately, while Yvonne was shocked, she believed Harriet’s story.  

“Even if I wanted to, I have no evidence.”  

Publicly, Lennox was a flawless gentleman, businessman, and Duke. He was young, handsome, scandal-free, and came from a good family with excellent capabilities.  

Most people who knew him praised his character and admired his impeccable manners.  

“But… I believed you.”  

“That’s because it’s you. Would you have believed me without any evidence if we hadn’t known each other for so long?”  

Harriet’s sharp remark made Yvonne fall silent.  

“Lennox meticulously erased all evidence of the things he’s done, including what happened three years ago. If I hadn’t overheard his conversation with Eugene, I might never have suspected anything.”  

“Harriet…”  

Yvonne’s face hardened with sympathy.  

“I don’t know if I should say this, but… what about reconciling with him?”  

“…What?”  

“I’m not saying you should forgive him outright. But confronting him, demanding an apology, might help ease your mind.”  

“Well…”  

“His methods were wrong, but he didn’t directly harm anyone around you. He set traps, yes, but the people who fell into those traps were at fault too. Even if she was about to become his sister-in-law, it was wrong for another woman to drink alone with him so close to the wedding.”  

“…You’re not entirely wrong.”  

Surprisingly, Harriet nodded in agreement.  

“That’s why I gave him a chance. I did.”  

“A chance…?”  

“Yes. A chance to confess honestly and ask for forgiveness.”  

But Lennox never admitted his wrongdoing. He acted as if he didn’t even recognize it as a sin.  

“You don’t know what kind of person he is, Yvonne.”  

Harriet’s temple throbbed as she recalled Lennox’s cold smirk when Eugene begged him to confess everything and ask for forgiveness.  

“It’s getting late. If you stay any longer, it’ll be dark soon.”  

At Harriet’s polite dismissal, Yvonne hesitated but eventually stood up.  

“Then I’ll come again next week.”  

“Okay. But don’t overwork yourself.”  

As she escorted Yvonne to the door, Harriet added with concern,  

“Make sure no one follows you when you come.”  

“Of course.”  

Yvonne replied with a look that said, “Why even mention it?” She stepped out of the house but suddenly turned back.  

“Harriet, if…”  

“If what?”  

“If Marianne wakes up, everything will change, right? Her testimony would settle everything.”  

“…Yes.”  

But when Harriet last saw Marianne, there was no sign of her waking up. As she recalled Marianne and the riding accident, Harriet muttered,  

“That accident… it was strange.”  

The timing had been too perfect. The horse Marianne had been riding was a gentle mare, but it suddenly reared up as if startled. And then, almost immediately after the accident, Lennox had arrived.  

“Harriet?”  

Yvonne called her cautiously, seeing the serious expression on her face. Harriet shook her head, pushing the thoughts aside, and gently nudged Yvonne.  

“It’s nothing. Hurry home; it’s late.”  

“Alright. Let me know if anything happens.”  

Yvonne left the house, her face uneasy, as if she were leaving a child alone by the water.