Chapter 54

“Why is there no explanation? Is it true?”

Kate Jude kept rambling, but Edward could barely hear her words anymore.

What kind of lunatics dared to attach such a vulgar label to Diane Lina!

Was it this woman?

“Hey, who said that? Did you make it up?”

Edward’s eyes looked as if he might grab her by the collar.

But Kate Jude’s expression didn’t change at all.

“Make it up? Me?”

Edward began to approach her.

“It wasn’t me! I haven’t even seen that woman, so how could I make anything up?”

Kate Jude quickly replied.

Edward stopped and glared at her.

“So, is it true? Did you really have a woman like that—a commoner tutor…?”

“Hey, shut your mouth!”

Edward was known for being rude to anyone, but he had never spoken so harshly to Kate Jude, the daughter of Marquis Jude, who was close friends with his father, the previous Duke.

After all, because of the friendship between Marquis Jude and his father, the Marquis’s children were peers he met fairly often.

But that was only until she dared to attach a vulgar label to his woman.

How dare she!

“Edward…”

Kate looked shocked, as if she’d heard something she shouldn’t.

“I asked who said it!”

“Who? It’s a rumor all over Rettrang’s social circles—why blame me? They say that woman even tried to flirt with Viscount Anton, and my brother ran into her too.”

“What! Viscount Anton?”

He felt his blood rush to his head.

He wasn’t uninterested in social circles, but that didn’t mean he lacked information.

For a businessman, information was essential.

Viscount Anton was notorious for his womanizing.

And now Kate Jude was saying Diane Lina tried to flirt with him, but Edward knew how to interpret that.

That bastard Anton must have made a move on Diane Lina.

And what else?

Kate Jude’s brother?

This bothered him even more than Anton.

Anton was always like that—he could be dealt with. But the three sons of the Jude family were not so easy.

Was she talking about Lord Jude, who was the same age as his brother, or the youngest, who was younger than him? The second son was stationed elsewhere and had just come home on leave yesterday, so it couldn’t be him.

Which one was it!

He was already troubled by the men with the Wale surname, whether young or widowed, and now all sorts of people were getting involved.

“D*mn!”

That opera ticket—that was the problem.

“Edward?”

“When you say your brother, do you mean Lord Jude?”

“Oh, yes…”

Edward’s fist clenched so tightly his veins bulged.

Lord Jude, of all people.

D*mn, d*mn, d*mn!

Of all people, Diane Lina met Lord Jude.

His brother, the Duke, was already a headache, and now the heir of the Jude Marquisate too.

His neck stiffened, and he rolled his neck and let out a deep sigh.

First, he would have to track down the source of this absurd rumor that had spread through the social scene.

He’d have to find them and make them pay.

“I hope you’re not the one spreading those rumors. I won’t let it go if you are.”

“What are you talking about! I just came to check what I heard. Everyone’s talking about it—ask Duke Wale yourself, he was there that day and should know.”

She jumped at the accusation, so it seemed she hadn’t spread the rumors herself.

But what?

Ask Duke Wale?

His brother also knew?

Edward’s eyes flared.

“Edward, are you really in a special relationship with that woman?”

Kate Jude kept whining.

Why hadn’t she left yet?

“You, get out.”

“Just tell me if it’s true.”

“Why should I?”

“Well, I…”

“What?”

“I mean, I thought you might have a Professional Beauty. It’s not like you’d do anything with a commoner woman. But still…”

“Hahaha!”

Edward burst out laughing at Kate Jude’s words.

He simply couldn’t understand her.

She said she liked him?

He’d thought she was crazy from the first time he heard it.

She liked him.

But now, there was no doubt she was out of her mind.

To speak so carelessly about Diane Lina.

“Why are you laughing?”

“If you say ‘Professional Beauty’ about her one more time, you’ll have to personally tell your father that I’ll withdraw all of Marquis Jude’s investment from Agris Wale Hotel within a week. I don’t do business with fathers of crazy daughters.”

Agris Wale Hotel was the largest, most luxurious resort hotel in the kingdom, built by the sea.

Since the early days of Wale Corporation, not only his father but also Marquis Jude had invested, and they had invested again this time.

Of course, unlike the early days, Wale Corporation no longer needed the Marquis’s capital, but it was easier to proceed quickly with investment, so unless there was a major issue, he’d planned to keep accepting it.

But seeing her now, he wondered if it was time to pull the Marquis’s capital out of Wale Corporation.

As always, Edward’s threats were never empty.

As he spoke, he was already calculating what would happen if he withdrew the Marquis’s investment.

Kate Jude’s face flushed red and pale.

“So it’s true.”

Whatever she thought was true, he didn’t care anymore.

“Get out. Your minute is long past. My time is worth a million gold per minute, so if you want to stay, pay up. Ah! Since I’ll be returning the investment, maybe I should deduct it from there? In that case, you can stay a bit longer.”

Kate Jude glared at Edward.

“Don’t do something you’ll regret.”

“I’ve never done anything I regret. Lady Jude. Goodbye.”

Edward pressed the call button.

“My guest is leaving. Escort her out immediately. Or you’ll have to pack your bags and leave this hotel yourself.”

The butler’s fierce gaze turned to Kate Jude.

Lady Jude was difficult, but his boss, President Wale, was a hundred times scarier.

As Kate Jude was ushered out, Edward felt a surge of irritation as he was about to call James.

James was in Agris.

He wanted to find out exactly what happened at the opera house, but if he had someone other than James investigate, it could take ages.

He drummed his fingers on the desk for a while, then abruptly stood up.

He remembered someone who was more informed about social news than anyone, and also quite objective.

Where was that house?

He’d never visited in person before, but since he’d bought that house for them, and had recently bought more land for them, he quickly recalled the address.

* * *

Diane woke for the first time around noon.

She saw medicine and soup on the side table.

Rodin must have brought them.

She took the medicine and fell asleep again, waking just before 4 p.m.

She still felt weak, but thankfully the worst of her headache had subsided.

She couldn’t tell if her weakness was from the aftereffects of the fever or simply because she hadn’t eaten since last night.

She tried to eat the soup, but it was already cold, so after a few spoonfuls she set it down.

‘Four o’clock…’

It was nearly time for her reading lesson.

She forced herself up.

She felt a bit dizzy, but not enough to collapse like in the morning.

Today’s lesson was in the study, so if she went slowly, she’d make it on time.

She felt sorry for Leon, but decided she would just listen to him read today as she entered the study.

“Ah! Your Grace.”

Unexpectedly, it was not Leon but the Duke reading in the study.

On the table in front of the sofa where the Duke sat were tea and cookies, and judging by the half-eaten state, he’d been there for a while.

“Teacher, are you all right?”

The Duke rose from the sofa, his eyes slightly wide as if he hadn’t expected her.

“Yes, I came for Young Master’s lesson.”

She remembered being held in the Duke’s arms that morning.

She quickly bowed her head to avoid his gaze.

She was grateful, but more embarrassed.

“I think it’s best not to have the lesson today. I’ve already told Leon.”

“Oh! Thank you.”

Diane was sincerely relieved.

She really wasn’t well enough for a lesson today.

Just then—

Growl.

Embarrassingly, Diane’s stomach made a loud, clear sound.

Her face turned bright red.

She felt like her fever was coming back.

She glanced at the Duke.

He was smiling.

She’d hoped he would pretend not to notice, but he just smiled.

“You must be hungry.”

Far from pretending, he pointed out the source of the sound.

“No, I… Yes.”

How mortifying.

In the morning, she’d nearly fainted in front of him.

Now her stomach was growling.

She really needed to leave this house.

“If you’d like, have some cookies here. Rodin brought plenty.”

“No, thank you!”

Diane shook her head firmly.

“There’s still over an hour until dinner. What if you collapse in front of me again? You’re not exactly light.”

“Excuse me?”

Diane found herself glaring at the Duke in surprise.