Chapter 84

At the same time, Harriet woke to the sound of knocking. At first, she thought it might be the neighbors, but as the knocking grew louder, it became clear it was her door.  

“Is it Yvonne?”

There had been no threats during the past period. Not even a suspicious person.  

“…Yvonne?”  

Harriet, still half-asleep, got out of bed before she could even process the strangeness of it all. She yawned deeply, grabbed her nightgown, and approached the door. The moment her hand grasped the doorknob and opened it—  

“It’s been a while.”  

“….”  

Harriet froze at the sight of the face peeking through the crack in the door.  

“So this is where you’ve been hiding all this time.”  

“…Lennox.”  

Harriet staggered backward, her body stiffening as her face turned pale. Lennox narrowed his eyes and scanned the surroundings. He made a brief, dismissive comment.  

“Quite shabby. Old, worn-out, and even chilly.”  

“….”  

“If you were going to stay somewhere, you could have chosen a place a little more decent.”  

“How… how did you find this place?”  

“How did I find it? That’s a rather hurtful question.”  

Lennox frowned and brushed past her, sitting down at the dining table. He spread his hands out in front of him as if to show off.  

“I came to fetch my runaway wife. Like this.”  

He spread his arms wide as if inviting an embrace. Harriet froze, unable to move or react. 

Should I run out the door?  

But the impulse to flee fizzled out the moment it crossed her mind, like ice water being poured over her. As soon as she turned her head, she met the eyes of the men standing guard outside the door.  

Lennox was not a careless man. He had already blocked every possible escape route. Harriet clenched her teeth and asked in a steady voice.  

“I asked how you found this place.”  

“Finding you wasn’t that difficult. I don’t know what you think of my intelligence network and resources.”  

Lennox smiled faintly and added,  

“Well, your secretary, Miss Yvonne, was quite helpful.”  

Though he was smiling, his eyes were cold. Harriet swallowed dryly.  

“I thought the divorce papers would have reached you by now.”  

“Oh, these?”  

Lennox pulled out a document from his coat and nodded.  

“Yes, I received them tonight. How could I possibly sit still after receiving such a gift from my runaway wife?”  

“….”  

“A contract marriage, so let’s divorce when it expires?”  

Lennox let out a low, bitter laugh. But no one else in the room could laugh. His chilling laughter seemed to freeze everything to the bone.  

“Don’t be ridiculous, Coco.”  

“….”  

The mask was off, and the beast bared its teeth, growling.  

“Do you think you can erase everything with a single contract? After all we’ve been through, after everything I’ve done to get here?”  

Each word he spat out was filled with fury. The wind slammed the slightly ajar door shut, and Harriet realized she was completely trapped.  

How he found this place and how long he had been watching her no longer mattered.  

“That’s your problem. I want a divorce now.”  

“Why?”  

Lennox’s manic laughter disappeared in an instant. He crossed his long legs and rested his hands on his knee, his gaze demanding an explanation. Harriet glared at him in the dim light and replied firmly.  

“Because I’m tired of you.”  

“…What?”  

“I’m tired of you. Playing at love was fun for a while, but I don’t see what’s so special about you anymore.”  

She knew it wasn’t wise to provoke the feral beast in front of her, but she couldn’t stop herself. She was furious at his smug attitude, as if he were an innocent husband dealing with a troublesome wife.  

“I see.”  

After a long silence, Lennox finally spoke.  

“My wife, you seem to prefer something more intense and rough. I must have been unaware.”  

“….”  

“I apologize. From now on, your days will be nothing but thrilling.”  

Lennox stood up and strode toward Harriet. She backed away until her back hit the wall.  

“I’m not going with you.”  

“Is there another man?”  

His soft voice was probing. Harriet scoffed and glared up at him. In the darkness, his gleaming gray eyes looked down at her like a predator eyeing its prey.  

He already knew the answer.  

“…What if there is?”  

She gritted her teeth and retorted, only to be met with a cold smile. When his large hand brushed against her lower abdomen, Harriet stiffened even more than when he had first entered.  

“Our poor child will have to endure whispers of being illegitimate for the rest of their life, won’t they, Coco?”  

Lennox whispered into her ear as he wrapped his arm around her waist.  

“If you’ve had your fun, it’s time to go home, darling.”  

***

Despite dragging her away, Lennox handled Harriet as if she were a fragile ornament.  

Even when descending the stairs of the shabby building, he didn’t let her walk on her own. Instead, he effortlessly lifted her into his arms like a princess. When it was time to board the carriage, he escorted her as though he were serving a queen.  

But as soon as the carriage door closed and the coachman flicked the reins, an icy silence fell.  

“I didn’t even pack my things.”  

“You should’ve packed the essentials when I gave you time to change.”  

“You’re being unreasonable. Changing clothes and packing in ten minutes?”  

Harriet’s exasperated protest was met with a faint smile from Lennox, who turned her words back on her.  

“Disappearing during a business trip wasn’t unreasonable?”  

“….”  

She had no response to that. Harriet turned her head away, unwilling to answer. Lennox frowned at her avoidance, grabbing her chin and forcing her to face him.  

“Coco.”  

His voice was gentle, but his gaze was cold and sharp. In the swaying carriage, Lennox whispered quietly.  

“Since you came back, I’ve devoted myself to you. Even when you had no feelings for me, I tried to make you look my way.”  

Harriet let out a bitter laugh.  

Yes, he had devoted himself. He had used Marianne to seduce Mikhail and ruin their marriage. He had set traps for every man she tried to date, forcing her to break up with them.  

“So tell me. Why did you leave me?”  

“I already told you. I’m tired of you.”  

Harriet had no intention of explaining herself. She would remain silent until he admitted his sins and confessed.  

Lennox tightened his grip on her chin.  

“Fine. You’ll never get bored again. Now that I know all my efforts were in vain, I’ll do things my way.”  

“What are you going to do?”  

Before she could finish her question, Lennox withdrew his hand as if avoiding filth. He closed the carriage curtains and crossed his arms, closing his eyes.  

“I’m asking you. What are you going to do? I said I want a divorce.”  

“The fact that you think you’re in a position to ask that is laughable.”  

“….”  

“Keep quiet and try to sleep until we arrive, Coco. You won’t be getting much rest from now on.”  

It was a polite yet chilling warning. Not that it made sense coming from the man who had dragged her out of bed and forced her into a carriage.  

Harriet clenched her lips and closed her eyes.  

***

“Madame!”  

The butler and head maid, who had been waiting anxiously, rushed to greet her as soon as she stepped down from the carriage after a half-day journey.  

“We heard you were returning this morning. Are you all right?”  

“You’re not hurt anywhere, are you?”  

There had been countless rumors surrounding the disappearance of the Duchess of Diorne. From claims of a kidnapping for ransom to whispers that she had taken her own life out of despair after a secret about her birth was exposed, and even speculation that the Duke had quietly disposed of his wife, who had become a burden.  

The wild stories concocted by gossips were even published as if they were facts. Although the Duke’s household quickly suppressed the articles, the seeds of doubt had already been sown, spreading like wildfire across a dry field.  

“Well…”  

Harriet hesitated, unsure how to respond to the mix of surprise, concern, curiosity, and pity in their expressions. Before she could say anything, Lennox stepped in protectively, shielding her.  

“The Duchess seems tired.”  

“Oh, yes.”  

The two servants, sensing his unspoken command to remain calm, responded politely.  

“The bath is ready. Once you’ve washed and changed, we’ve prepared a light meal for you.”  

“Thank you.”  

Though Harriet didn’t want to comply with Lennox’s words, her body was undeniably weary after the long carriage ride, especially in her current condition. She glanced at the two servants before heading toward the stairs.  

“Madame.”  

“Ah!” 

As she began to ascend, Lennox suddenly swept her into his arms, just as he had when they left the shabby building earlier. Startled by the attention, Harriet pushed against his shoulder.  

“Put me down.”  

“….”  

“I said, put me down!”  

Ignoring her protests, Lennox carried her up the stairs without a word.  

It was only in front of the bathroom door that Harriet finally managed to escape his grasp. The moment her feet touched the floor, she darted into the bathroom and locked the door behind her.  

Something felt off. It was similar to before, yet strangely different. Pressing herself against the door, she issued a warning.  

“If you’re thinking of coming in…”  

“I’ll wait outside. Just wash up and come out. If you try anything foolish, you’ll regret it.”  

Before he even finished speaking, Lennox cut himself off and walked away, his footsteps growing distant.