Chapter 1.10

Valentine unconsciously mirrored her smile.  

It didn’t seem so bad to become the owner of this woman and see her smile like this often.  

Moreover, Liz Garrett had clearly wavered at his employment offer just moments ago.  

Now, all that remained was to turn her into the perfect Isabel Winchester….  

“Thank you, Your Grace.”  

“Your Grace?”  

His smile hardened again.  

Just moments ago, she had shamelessly called him “dear” and “husband” while uttering seductive words.  

Was she now trying to create distance and play a game of push and pull with me?  

How utterly audacious.  

He shot Liz a cold glare.  

Startled, Liz shook her head quickly.  

“Oh, I’m sorry.”  

That’s better. 

Valentine smiled faintly.  

But Liz’s next words were unexpected.  

“Thank you for your understanding, Duke Valentine, Your Grace.”  

The added formality of her words made Valentine furrow his brows in displeasure.  

Liz’s eyes trembled slightly.  

‘I thought she was clever, but perhaps I should revise that evaluation.’  

Valentine let out an irritated sigh and extended his gloved hand.  

It seemed he would have to demonstrate proper etiquette himself.  

“Shall we go, Dear?”  

Liz’s eyes widened.  

She stared down at his hand for a long moment before cautiously placing her own hand on it.  

Valentine firmly intertwined his fingers with hers, ensuring she wouldn’t dare utter the word “last” again.  

“Careful.”  

“Oh, I’m sorry.”  

Isabel’s shoes were slightly too big for Liz.  

As a result, she stumbled occasionally, causing Valentine to tighten his grip on her hand each time.  

Liz had no choice but to hold onto Valentine’s hand tightly as they headed toward the outdoor banquet hall.  

Every time she looked at their clasped hands, her expression grew more complicated.  

The reason Liz hesitated when he extended his hand wasn’t simply because she was embarrassed to hold it.  

It was because she had noticed the gloves stained with the color of Isabel’s lipstick.  

The chaotic kiss finally came to mind, albeit belatedly.  

What should have been a sweet first kiss had left behind shock and shame.  

The peak of her humiliation had come moments after their lips parted, when she saw his displeased grimace.  

Even then, she had been unable to say a word.  

She had merely smiled until the ceremony ended, as Valentine had commanded.  

She had thought that was the bitter conclusion, but the true ending had come later.  

Right after the ceremony, Valentine had wiped his lips clean.  

Without even waiting for an attendant’s help. Using those silk gloves.  

For Liz, the lipstick had been so precious that her hands had trembled as she applied it.  

Yet, to Valentine, it had been nothing more than a dirty stain.  

So, when Liz had offered her formal thanks earlier, he had furrowed his brows in mockery.  

“Shall we go, Dear?”  

This remark was undoubtedly his way of mocking her insolence.  

‘If you’d just tell me exactly what I did wrong, I might be able to fix it.’  

Should I have addressed him as Duke Winchester?  

Did I make a mistake by calling him “Your Grace”?  

No, it must have been wrong to call him “dear” earlier.  

But that had been in front of others, so it should have been correct.  

Perhaps I should simply stick to calling him “Your Grace” from now on.  

As Liz was lost in thought, Valentine’s voice reached her ears.  

“We’ve arrived.”  

Snapping out of her reverie, Liz raised her head.  

The doors to the outdoor banquet hall opened, and a cool breeze brushed against her cheeks.  

Under the sunlight, guests held their glasses and laughed cheerfully.  

Servants scurried around, cleaning up broken glass at their feet.  

It was a world Liz had always seen, but this time it felt different.  

“We’ve been waiting for you two!”  

“A toast to the Winchester couple!”  

The guests surrounded them.  

Liz bit the inside of her lip nervously.  

This time, instead of serving these people, she would have to raise her glass alongside them.  

“It’s an honor to have you here.”  

Valentine naturally accepted a glass and placed another in Liz’s hand.  

Then, he leaned in and whispered softly,  

“When someone raises their glass, you meet it with yours. If you have nothing to say, simply take a sip. And under no circumstances…”  

Valentine wrapped his hand around Liz’s.  

The delicate glass in her palm felt as cold and sharp as a blade.  

“Do not apologize.”  

Valentine’s hand withdrew as he lightly grasped her shoulder. 

Though she knew it couldn’t be, it felt like a kind and supportive gesture.  

“…I’ll remember.”  

At every banquet Liz had attended, her words had been limited to meaningless apologies.  

Even when someone subtly touched her body or struck her for unjust reasons, the only words Liz could say were, “I’m sorry.”  

“To the Duchess of Winchester!”  

At that moment, a guest extended a glass to Liz for a toast.  

Valentine whispered one last time.  

“Smile. You’re good at smiling.”  

Curious eyes watched her intently.  

Liz forced her lips into a wide smile.  

“Thank you, everyone.”  

It was the first time.  

The first time Liz had said something other than an apology at a banquet.  

After a brief silence,  

“Congratulations!”  

“To Winchester!”  

“Come, let’s toast!”  

The previously subdued music shifted, becoming lively and celebratory, as if welcoming the protagonists’ arrival.  

Words of congratulations flowed, and even those who had been watching from afar began to approach and strike up conversations.  

Before long, the atmosphere surrounding the couple turned into that of a cheerful, ordinary party—at least on the surface.  

“That necklace—isn’t it the ‘Song of the Sea,’ passed down through Winchester?”  

“Oh my, it suits you so perfectly!”  

“Thank you for the compliment, Lady Daphne.”  

Liz, though awkward, managed to participate in the conversations.  

Her experience as a maid had allowed her to memorize the names and faces of most notable figures, which proved fortunate.  

However, her nerves prevented her from drinking even a single sip of her wine.  

Noticing this, Valentine leaned in to whisper in her ear.  

“You’re doing well.”  

Valentine clinked his glass against Liz’s.  

The clear sound seemed to untangle the knots in her mind.  

“Drink.”  

His voice was gentle.  

For some reason, her chest felt tight with emotion.  

Yes. She was merely the Duchess of Winchester for a few hours.  

Surely it wouldn’t hurt to enjoy this fleeting moment.  

On impulse, Liz brought the glass to her lips.  

Though she had poured and served countless glasses, she had never tasted the wine herself.  

Now, the liquid slid down her throat. 

“Mmm….”  

The wine was sweet and smooth.  

The bubbling fizz tickled her tongue.  

It was incomparable to the cheap alcohol she had shared with her colleagues after work.  

Liz found herself intoxicated by the unfamiliar thrill.  

She even imagined Valentine’s expression looked pleased—though surely it was a mistake.  

“And so, about the coal mining rights…”

Valentine skillfully diverted attention whenever Liz’s identity seemed to become the topic of conversation.  

Gradually, Liz began to understand why Valentine was so confident in his actions.  

Whenever the focus shifted toward Liz, Valentine would subtly drop profitable information.  

The guests, eager for such hints, would pounce on the topic like dogs, tearing it apart and pulling at every thread.  

Investments, factories, related legislation, and lobbying efforts— the guests scrambled to extract even the slightest clue from Valentine’s words.  

Then.  

“Let go! Forget honor and just get yourself covered in soot…!”  

A commotion erupted near the entrance of the banquet hall.  

“What’s that?”  

“Oh, could it be….”  

The guests clicked their tongues as they seemed to guess the cause of the disturbance.  

Liz, too, furrowed her brows as she caught on to the situation.  

“Archibald Winchester, a collateral relative of the Winchesters, might show up today. He’s not an invited guest, so if he causes trouble, call security immediately.”

That had been the instruction Liz had received just a few hours ago, back when she was still the maid Liz Garrett.  

Valentine smiled faintly and set his glass down.  

“There’s always some conflict at a lively party. I’ll step out for a moment.”  

“Step out? What do you mean?”  

Startled, Liz grabbed his arm.  

“Then let me go with you.”  

“No. You stay here, Madame.”  

Liz stammered in her confusion.  

“B-But… Are you telling me to stay here alone?”  

It was an unthinkable request.  

Yet Valentine shook his head and leaned in to whisper near Liz’s ear.  

“You’ve done well so far. They won’t devour you.”  

To an outsider, it might have seemed like a tender exchange, but his voice was cold.  

Valentine removed Liz’s hand from his arm and turned away.  

Panicked, Liz grabbed him again and pleaded.  

“Duke, I mean, Your Grace….”  

At that moment, the air around Valentine grew icy.  

“I thought you were clever, but I’m disappointed.”  

Valentine whispered as if addressing a bothersome matter.  

Liz’s face flushed red.  

But Valentine lifted his head and pressed a kiss to Liz’s cheek.  

It was as if he wanted to transform her reddened face into an expression of excitement rather than humiliation.  

He whispered sweetly, loud enough for others to hear.  

“You’re too loving, my dear wife.”  

With that single comment, Valentine turned Liz’s anxiety into an illusion of affection.  

‘This isn’t right.’  

Liz’s heart sank, but the guests laughed and chimed in.  

“It’s just because they’re newlyweds.”  

“Of course! It’s only been a few hours since the wedding!”  

“Duke, you’re too much!”  

Playful remarks filled the air, and Valentine bowed his head with a smile.  

“Thank you for your understanding. Now then.”  

Valentine strode away briskly.