Chapter 89

“Welcome back.”  

Lennox, who had stepped out of the carriage first, nodded briefly in response to the butler’s greeting. He immediately extended his hand to Harriet.  

She took his hand and slowly descended from the carriage. Although the walk had started pleasantly, she felt a bit tired by the time they returned.  

“Are you very tired?”  

“It’s been a while since I walked… I guess my stamina has dropped.”  

The unspoken words, “because of you,” hung in the air. Whether he understood or not, Lennox smiled faintly, bent down, and scooped her up, supporting her under her knees and shoulders.  

“Ah!”  

Startled by the sudden motion, Harriet pushed against his chest.  

“What… what are you doing?”  

“You seem too exhausted to climb the stairs.”  

“I can walk on my own. Put me down.”  

Flustered, Harriet struggled to free herself from Lennox’s arms, but her efforts were futile. He effortlessly adjusted his grip on her, as if handling a kitten with its claws out.  

“What if something happens to our baby because of this?”  

“…”  

When he kissed her forehead, Harriet was so exasperated she gave up struggling and let her body go limp.  

Lennox, as if he found her endearing, kissed her cheek as well and carried her up the stairs.  

The butler, who had been watching the couple’s retreating figures with a pleased expression, turned around and gasped when he saw a messenger boy rushing toward him.  

“Your Grace! Madame!”  

“What is it?”  

“An urgent message just arrived.”  

“From whom?”  

“The Earl, Sir.”  

The butler hesitated, glancing between Lennox, who raised an eyebrow, and Harriet, who froze in shock, before continuing cautiously.  

“Madame Marianne Chasselot… has regained consciousness.”  

***

As soon as they heard the news, Harriet and Lennox rushed to the Vanetti Estate.  

Margaret, startled by the unexpected visit from her daughter after months of absence, rose to her feet to greet her.  

“Harriet!”  

“Mother…”  

“You heartless girl. Not even a single letter…”  

“I’m sorry.”  

Although she had her reasons, Harriet felt heavy-hearted when she thought of how Margaret must have worried, anxiously waiting for news of her.  

“You’re healthy, right?”  

“Yes, of course…”  

As she answered, Harriet cast a sidelong glance at Lennox, who stood beside her. He appeared completely unbothered, as if he wasn’t afraid of her revealing the truth.  

He had likely visited this place multiple times while she was confined. Margaret, who had been somewhat wary of Lennox even after his marriage to Harriet, now seemed far more comfortable around him.  

“I can’t tell you how worried I was, thinking something terrible had happened to you two.”  

“We’re sorry for causing you concern.”  

“There’s no need for you to apologize. If anything, we should apologize. Thank you for understanding, even after learning everything. You’ve had to endure so much.”  

Margaret’s words left much unsaid. One part referred to Harriet’s origins, and another to the matter involving Marianne.  

The Vanetti family, despite their wealth and influence in both business and society, had always been a family plagued by scandals.  

A firstborn son who fathered his first child with his mistress while married. A daughter with a notorious reputation for her affairs, later revealed to be illegitimate. Another daughter who stole her sister’s fiancé. And a youngest child who abandoned the path laid out for him to become an artist.  

Though people smiled and flattered them in public due to their wealth and power, they would gossip and point fingers behind their backs. Harriet knew this better than anyone.  

Thinking about it, she let out a bitter smile. She was, after all, the one most aware of how the Diorne Ducal family viewed “Harriet Coco Vanetti.”  

“It was my first pregnancy, and I was very nervous. I was scared of losing the baby. That’s why I acted the way I did.”  

Harriet lied smoothly, embracing Margaret.  

“I’m truly sorry for worrying you, Mother.”  

“It’s alright… Seeing you safe and sound puts my mind at ease.”  

Margaret stroked her daughter’s back before pulling away and holding Harriet’s hands tightly.  

“The baby is healthy, right?”  

“Yes, very healthy. You, on the other hand, look thinner than before. Are you unwell?”  

“No, it’s just that I’ve lost weight with age.”  

“I’m glad to hear that. I also heard Theo’s child was born.”  

“Oh, yes, that’s right.”  

Margaret wiped a tear from the corner of her eye and nodded warmly.  

“The baby looks just like Theo did when he was little. You’ll love seeing him.”  

“Really? I’m curious now.”  

Harriet smiled faintly, responding gently. Margaret didn’t seem to know that Harriet had taken care of Claire. Though there had been disputes with the child’s biological mother, now wasn’t the time to bring it up.  

“By the way…”  

Taking a deep breath, Harriet finally brought up the main topic after her lengthy preamble.  

“Is it true that Marianne has woken up?”  

“Yes, it is.”  

Margaret nodded with a shadowed expression.  

“At first, she was agitated, and your father had to calm her down for quite some time.”  

“Is she in her bedroom?”  

“Yes. Mikhail came by, with a lawyer.”  

“Ah…”  

Now that she thought about it, there was still a knot to untangle between those two. Harriet briefly exchanged glances with Lennox before rising from her seat.  

“I’ll come back another time.”  

“There’s no need.”  

As she was gathering her coat, someone appeared at the staircase leading to the second-floor bedroom.  

“…Mikhail?”  

“It’s all settled.”  

After a brief conversation with the lawyer, Mikhail sent him off and approached Harriet.  

“It’s been a while, Harriet.”  

“Yes… It has been.”  

“Your Grace.”  

Mikhail greeted Harriet and then gave a slight bow to Lennox. Lennox returned the bow in kind.  

While the two men exchanged silent greetings, Harriet glanced at the departing lawyer and cautiously asked,  

“Did you… get divorced?”  

“We reached an agreement and settled it amicably.”  

“Ah…”  

Harriet held back from saying she was relieved, glancing at Margaret’s expression.  

“I have no excuse to offer you, Mother.”  

“No, it’s my fault for not raising my daughter properly. I’m sorry.”  

Margaret shook her head with a bitter smile.  

“Forget all the ties to our family, and I hope everything you do from now on goes well.”  

“…I’m sorry, and thank you.”  

Mikhail bowed deeply before bidding farewell to the three of them.  

“Well then.”  

It felt like this was the end. Watching his retreating figure, Harriet impulsively called out to him.  

“Mikhail.”  

Mikhail stopped abruptly and turned his head.  

“Live well, wherever you go. Be happy.”  

Only now did she realize that what had happened three years ago wasn’t entirely his fault. However, shattered glass could never be pieced back together. Even if it were glued perfectly, it would always bear the scars of its breakage.  

Most importantly, there was an undeniable fact in the midst of it all. While the catalyst might have been Lennox and Marianne’s temptation, it was ultimately Mikhail who made the final choice.  

“…Alright.”  

After a long pause, Mikhail gave an unreadable smile and turned to leave.  

Harriet closed her eyes briefly, watching him exit and shut the door behind him.  

“I’ll go see Marianne now.”  

“I’ll…”  

“You stay here.”  

She firmly rejected Lennox’s attempt to follow her and ascended the stairs.  

***

“…You’re here.”  

As soon as she opened the door, she heard a voice that made her pause. Marianne, sitting up against the headboard of her bed, greeted her.  

“It’s been a while, Sister.”  

“Yes… It has been.”  

Marianne’s calm demeanor, as if everything that had happened was just a dream, prompted Harriet to respond just as evenly.  

“Come, have a seat.”  

Marianne went a step further, pointing to the chair by her bedside. Harriet nodded and sat in the chair Marianne had indicated.  

“I thought I’d never see you again.”  

As soon as Harriet sat down, Marianne confessed candidly.  

“No, I actually thought you’d hand me over to the authorities.”  

“What’s the point of doing that now?”  

Even if Marianne had set a trap, not everything could be considered a crime. It wasn’t as if she had been forced into anything. Besides, Mikhail and Marianne were already divorced. Harriet had no intention of dragging Mikhail back into the fray after he had barely escaped the chaos.  

“You have something to ask me, don’t you?”  

“Yes, two things.”  

“Go ahead.”  

“The first…”  

Taking a deep breath, Harriet handed her a piece of paper.  

“This letter… It’s the one you received, right?”  

“…Yes. But how did you…”  

Marianne’s eyes trembled as she looked at Harriet in shock. Harriet closed her eyes tightly.  

She wanted to confirm it one last time, directly from the person involved.  

“Did you find out who sent it?”  

Marianne grabbed Harriet’s arm.  

“Who was it? Tell me!”  

Despite searching endlessly over the years, Marianne had never found a clue. Desperate, she clung to Harriet for answers, but Harriet remained silent.  

“Sister!”  

“Now for the second question.”  

Harriet coldly pushed Marianne’s hand away and clasped her own hands together on her lap.  

“It’s about the time you fell from the horse.”