Chapter 10

I silently cursed myself over and over for wandering all the way to the guest house where Sasha was staying.

Even after all this time, her face remained bright.

“Sorry, I must have come here by mistake.”

I turned to leave the guest house, but Lady Kidman stopped me.

“Duchess!”

I couldn’t ignore her, so I looked at Sasha.

She didn’t speak right away and slowly approached me.

‘What is this…?’

Sasha stepped closer, careful not to let her heels click, her face still bright—but there was something unsettling about her.

The atmosphere around her was nothing like what I’d seen before.

What is happening now?

The closer Sasha got, the tighter I clenched my dress.

Before long, even her radiant smile began to fade.

“Lady Kidman…?”

As the mood suddenly chilled, I called out to Sasha.

“Did you know?”

Lady Kidman spun lightly in front of me, the fading smile returning to her face as she tilted her head.

“Ahahaha! You really don’t know, do you?”

“Lady Kidman. What are you doing?”

I felt a wave of discomfort.

Dropping my polite facade, I looked at Sasha with a serious expression.

“Do you know what Edward says to me every night?”

“……”

Even at my warning, Sasha wouldn’t stop.

“He tells me I’m his only love. He says he can’t even get excited for you.”

My mind reeled at the filthy words spilling from such a beautiful mouth.

No one would believe she was a lady raised in a noble house.

“What are you saying right now?”

Unable to bear the humiliation, my voice grew louder.

“Didn’t you hear? Edward says you don’t excite him at all. Since his body doesn’t respond, he can’t even touch you. Naturally, there won’t be any heirs.”

Sasha giggled, continuing to insult me.

“How crude and rude your words are, Lady Kidman.”

“Oh, I’m truly sorry if I offended you, Duchess.”

But Sasha didn’t care. Even as she spoke her apology, she smiled.

After a moment, she returned to her calm, collected manner.

From a distance, she’d look like any girl quietly smiling.

‘They say she’s brilliant at business, but it seems she’s just as skilled at hiding her true feelings.’

After regaining her composure, Sasha spoke to me again.

“But, Duchess. You should know one thing.”

“……”

“In all of this, Edward is the real victim. If it weren’t for the Duke of Scarlett, His Majesty, and you, he could have been happy.”

There was a deep anger in Sasha’s voice.

“…If you’re so upset, go complain directly to His Majesty, Lady Kidman.”

With some effort, I took a deep breath and calmly answered Sasha.

She frowned at my lack of reaction but quickly returned to her usual expression.

“Hmph, I believe in Edward. In the end, I’ll be the one left at his side. Someone like you, who just lucked into a family and a position, could never understand.”

“…I don’t care, Lady Kidman.”

I tried to hold back, but once my mouth opened, the words poured out as I listened to Sasha’s sharp voice.

“What did you say?”

“If you want to become His Grace’s second wife, just say so. As the primary wife, I’ll graciously accept you and your relationship with him.”

Despite feeling sorry for Sasha, I had no intention of seeking her forgiveness.

I pitied her, but I hadn’t chosen this marriage either. I was too busy tending to my own wounded heart to worry about theirs.

I’m a victim, too. This marriage is painful for me, too…

I bit my lip, swallowing the words I couldn’t say.

“That won’t be necessary. Second wife—please. Edward’s going to divorce you anyway, and once he does, he’ll come back to me.”

“Then just wait for that, Lady Kidman.”

I didn’t back down in my exchange with Sasha.

Something ached inside, but I endured it.

“I plan to. I’m a noblewoman too—there’s no way I’d stoop to being a second wife, right? All I have to do is wait, and the position of Duchess will be mine.”

Sasha fell silent and straightened my messy hair.

Her gentle touch only made me more uncomfortable.

“Well then… Duchess? Let’s get along from now on.”

“All right. If that’s what you want, Lady Kidman, let’s get along.”

With a relaxed smile to the very end, I gave Sasha my answer and left the guest house.

Once I was out of her sight, far from the building, I sank down alone deep in the garden, away from the servants’ eyes.

“Haa, haa…”

My legs shook so badly I could hardly stand.

Hiding behind a large tree, I clasped my trembling hands and took deep breaths.

Hearing those words from Sasha herself, things I’d only imagined, felt like knives stabbing straight into my heart. It hurt so much now, I couldn’t even cry.

‘He tells me I’m his only love. He says he can’t even get excited for you.’

I tried to stay calm, but Sasha’s words kept echoing in my ears.

Edward isn’t aroused by me. He probably shows burning desire to Sasha, doesn’t he? The cruel truth that I meant nothing to Edward hit me with painful clarity.

‘What should I even do now?’

I had no intention of getting up from the secluded garden.

I wanted to go somewhere no one could find me. Edward, Sasha, my father, my brothers—somewhere none of them could reach.

“What are you doing here, madam?”

“…Your Grace?”

The one who found me, as I tried to regain my composure in solitude, wasn’t Betty, but Edward.

He looked down at me where I sat leaning against a tree, his brow slightly furrowed and his face full of disdain.

“I was resting. Is something wrong?”

I answered casually, even though his gaze weighed on me.

“What will the servants think if they see you like this? As the mistress of Winderton Castle, you should behave accordingly.”

“Ha. I’m trying to behave like the mistress, that’s why I’m here in a garden the servants rarely pass through, Your Grace. Don’t you see?”

At my sharp response, Edward let out a hollow laugh.

Then, as if fed up, he ran his hand through his neatly arranged hair, visibly irritated.

“Very well, madam. But please stop being troublesome.”

“Your Grace… why do you hate me so much?”

Tears welled in my eyes as I spoke.

Of course, I knew well why Edward hated me.

I knew it, but I just wanted to hear it again.

A normal person with pride would never say something like that.

“Do I really have to say it out loud?”

“Yes. Please tell me.”

As soon as he heard my firm words, Edward extended his hand.

When I took it, he pulled me up with force.

The sudden movement made me stumble, and I lost my balance.

“Agh!”

Unable to steady myself, I fell into Edward’s broad, solid chest.

His cool scent hit my nose, refreshing and sharp, as if it were clearing out my lungs.

“I-I’m sorry!”

I tried to push away from his chest, but his grip on my wrist only tightened.

He pulled me even closer so I couldn’t escape.

“If madam insists on knowing, then I shall tell you.”

“Y-Your Grace…”

Hearing Edward’s cold voice made tears threaten to spill.

“Because of your father and the emperor, I lost everything I ever wanted. I even had to make a Scarlett the duchess.”

“Don’t you think I’m a victim too?”

When Sasha said it, it hurt—but I didn’t cry.

It was just shocking, and I didn’t want to believe it.

But hearing the same thing from Edward brought tears pouring down.

His tone, filled with seething resentment, made my chest ache.

“A victim? A victim, you say…? How shameless can you be? How can you even think that way? To me, you’re nothing more than the shameless daughter of the House of Scarlett.”

Edward had finally said the words I least wanted to hear.