Chapter 7

“Please don’t misunderstand.”

“Pardon?”

“What I’m saying is that you shouldn’t assume you’ll become a Duchess just because you’re currently in a relationship with Young Master Jestione.”

Yulia blinked, confused by the sudden statement. She was too taken aback to respond.

“Lord Leonhardt has been destined to marry Lady Grace since childhood.”

But hadn’t he said he would break off the engagement? 

She kept her lips firmly shut. She trusted Resti. There was no need to argue with a maid.

“Nobles don’t marry commoners. And the position of Duchess requires many qualifications.”

“That’s true. Commoners should be content with being a mistress, anyway.”

Another maid, who had been silent, chimed in.

“We’re advising you not to have false hopes.”

Yulia couldn’t tell if this was genuine advice or a veiled threat.

“Why do you think Lord Leonhardt kept you a secret all this time? He just wanted to have some fun.”

“Fun?”

Yulia couldn’t hold back and asked sharply.

“He’s someone who has lived his entire life in the world of nobles. He’s just wandering for a moment.”

“Resti likes me.”

“Of course, he does.”

The older maid chuckled softly.

“But liking someone isn’t enough to make them a Duchess.”

“……”

“Becoming a mistress would be your best bet. Of course, you know that mistresses can be discarded at any time, right?”

“I’m not a mistress.”

“Once Lord Leonhardt gets married, you’ll have no choice but to become one.”

“Married?”

The word “married” echoed in her ears.

“Yes, married.”

“Resti is getting married?”

“Soon, I imagine.”

Yulia frowned slightly. He had said he would break off the engagement. So, wouldn’t she be the one he would marry? She suppressed her pounding heart and raised her head high.

“Then he’ll marry me.”

“With you?”

The maid burst out laughing as if she had just heard something ridiculous.

“That’s impossible. There’s no ring on your finger, after all.”

At those words, Yulia instinctively touched her bare finger.

“Resti is…”

“Don’t call Lord Leonhardt by that name. Only the Duke and Duchess are allowed to use it.”

“Resti is just Resti to me.”

“You’re living in a dream.”

The maids dried Yulia’s body, but for some reason, she felt a chill that made her shiver. Even though the towel was soft, they rubbed her so hard it felt as if she were being struck. The way they wrung her hair seemed rough, almost as if they were yanking it out.

“If you really think Lord Leonhardt will marry you, go ask anyone else.”

Leaving those mocking words behind, the maid exited the room. Yulia stood in a daze, staring at her empty hand. Then, she ran outside. She wanted to ask Resti directly about everything.

‘Am I really not the one you’ll marry?’

If not me, then who? Was it a lie when he said he’d break off the engagement? 

Her chest ached. As she paused, faint voices reached her ears.

“I didn’t expect the wedding preparations to be rushed like this.”

“It’s because the Young Master delayed it for too long. Nobles usually marry early, don’t they?”

“What made him change his mind?”

Yulia covered her mouth with her hand.

‘It’s a lie.’

It seemed they really were preparing for a wedding. The maid’s words weren’t false.

She blankly stared at her empty finger. She tried to recall if he had ever mentioned marriage, but all she could remember was that she had never even heard the word “marriage” from him.

And Resti… had never once told her he loved her.

Her stomach churned. Absentmindedly rubbing her abdomen, Yulia bit her lip hard.

‘I need to see Resti.’

She wanted to confirm everything with him.

Finding Resti in this vast mansion was harder than she thought. Moreover, most, if not all, of the servants were openly hostile toward Yulia.

“Excuse me, do you know where Resti is?”

How many times had she asked this question already? Some ignored her completely, while others responded curtly, saying they didn’t know. Each person had their own way of being cold to her. This time, she asked without much expectation, but to her surprise, the maid adjusted her round glasses and looked directly at Yulia.

“You must be the Yulia the head maid mentioned.”

“You know me?”

“How could I not?”

What did that mean? Had Resti said something about me? 

She tilted her head in confusion, and the maid’s lips twisted into a crooked smile.

“You should leave.”

“Pardon?”

“Staying here won’t change anything. Surely, you don’t expect the bride to suddenly be replaced with you?”

“Who is the bride?”

“Of course, it’s Lady Grace Flua Roastein.”

Yulia bit her lip. The maid, with an indifferent expression, adjusted her glasses once more. Her face seemed to challenge Yulia to say something, and Yulia clenched her fists tightly.

“I don’t believe you.”

“Whether you believe me or not is up to you. But don’t harbor unnecessary hopes. Remember, this is for your own good.”

For her own good. Yulia found those words laughable. Everyone who urged her to leave said the same thing. “Leave before you get hurt.” “You’ll only end up as a mistress.” “No nobleman would truly care for a commoner lady.”

She couldn’t tell if they were genuinely concerned for her or mocking her.

“This marriage was decided when Lord Leonhardt was born.”

“I won’t believe it until I hear it from Resti himself.”

“Then go ask him directly. Ask him if he’s getting married.”

The maid chuckled. Her overly confident expression made Yulia shrink back.

“Well, mistresses are quite common among nobles. If he wants to keep a commoner lover, marriage to a noble first would be the best way to do so.”

“……I’m not a mistress.”

Although she didn’t know much about the lives of nobles, she knew what it meant to be a mistress. She would face even worse scorn than she did now, and both she and her child would be treated as illegitimate. Moreover, the label of being a “homewrecker” would follow her for life.

‘And I’m carrying his child.’

Rather than let this child be branded as illegitimate, it would be better to raise the child without a father. Being born as an illegitimate child would mean a lifetime of ridicule and contempt. If Resti ended up marrying Grace, Yulia was certain Grace would despise her existence.

Love or not, mistresses were always treated that way.

Yulia glared at the maid in front of her. She cautiously placed her hand over her abdomen. Although there were no visible signs yet, she knew that a child was growing inside her—Resti’s child.

“If you don’t want to be a mistress, there’s only one solution.”

“What is it?”

“Leave. Lord Leonhardt won’t marry a commoner.”

Yulia didn’t want to continue the conversation. She had already heard enough of the same thing throughout the day. A commoner couldn’t become a Duchess. She wasn’t suitable. Grace and Resti had been promised to each other long ago. The wedding was being rushed to make her a mistress.

‘I don’t believe it.’

She wanted to hear it directly from Resti. Yulia straightened her back deliberately.

“If you’re not going to tell me where Resti is, I’ll leave.”

“Lord Leonhardt is in the lounge.”

The maid smiled faintly, as if she were looking forward to the truth being revealed.

“Allow me to guide you.”

The maid walked ahead, and Yulia followed her with a suspicious expression. It seemed she wasn’t lying about taking her to Resti, as a familiar voice drifted out from behind the door.

“He’s inside, speaking with Lady Grace. Don’t interrupt.”