Chapter 19

Luces Family Club.

The largest social club in the capital.

All of the capital’s most powerful men belonged to, or at least aspired to, the Luces Club. Even those with little interest in central society, such as the Marquis of Rowissum.

Even though the Luces Club was the largest in size, it didn’t accept just anyone as a member.

Status, education, and respectable wealth.

To become a member of the Luces Club, at least two of these three conditions had to be met.

Even if you are a family that satisfies the conditions, you cannot join right away.

Three letters of recommendation from three different members of the club are required, followed by an in-depth interview with the chairman and vice chairman.

The process can take several months. But for Luces Club, the rigorous application process was definitely worth it.

Being a family-based club, the connections made through the Luces Club are tight and strong.

It’s no exaggeration to say that the political, economic, and social currents of the capital were all dominated by the Luces Club.

Once you were a member, you could ride the currents for generations, so enduring the rigorous admission process was worthwhile.

Of course, not all members were equal. Even within the elite gathering at the Luces Club, invisible barriers often divide people.

The club hadn’t accepted new members for a long time. The crowd was the same every time.

Even the people who came to the regular meetings, nervous about falling out of step with the crowd, were mostly steeped in mannerisms.

They came out of anxiety, only to find that it was the same old routine as last week.

There was no vitality in the club lounge, where people immersed themselves in their own interests. People quietly formed cliques based on their class affiliations and engaged in small talk.

Yet, this week, there was something to break the monotony. The news that Count Crestwell had finally divorced Marlena had arrived.

This was evident by the fact that Marlena was staying in a hotel instead of moving into the Duke’s mansion and by her frequent trips to government offices and banks.

Count Alonso claimed to have heard of the divorce through his contacts at the Eveleth Daily, confirming that the Duke and Duchess of Crestwell’s marriage was over.

None of the club’s members favored Marlena.

Most of them had frowned upon her undignified behavior as a maiden.

It was a good thing Oscar had married her and mellowed her out, or else her noble honor would have fallen to the ground.

“She has a rather unique temperament.”

“Yes, she has a lively charm. On the other hand, Duke Crestwell is a reserved gentleman….”

“Both of them are finally returning to their true positions. It’s something to congratulate.”

They nodded approvingly as they elegantly talked about Marlena.

It was said that Oscar was the one who first requested the divorce. The predominant reaction was, “It was about time.”

It was a testament to how much Oscar had worked on his image in front of people of his own class.

Meanwhile, Oscar Crestwell, the Duke, was trying to figure out how to effectively shut Marlena down.

By delaying the enforcement of the alimony and cutting her off from the press, he could slowly tighten the screws on her in other ways.

The people at the Luces Club would be more than willing to cooperate with Oscar.

In their eyes, Marlena is just as much of an eyesore as she is in his, so he just needs to grease the skids.

That’s the power of a reputation built over time. The value of hard work.

Oscar faintly smiled as he looked around at the scene where his worth wasn’t greatly diminished despite the scandal of divorce.

If only he’d known, he wouldn’t have had to bring his marriage to Marlena this far.

A very shallow pang of regret dampened his toes. But more than that, there was a sense of relief and a greater sense of security after confirming the atmosphere within the Luces Club.

‘Who should I persuade first to come over to my side? ’

Oscar raises his glass of champagne and considers who to approach first.

Suddenly, he heard a voice from the front desk of the club lounge.

“Countess Balthus is entering.”

A moment of silence fell over the lounge, where members chattered in hushed tones amongst themselves. They craned their necks to look toward the entrance, forgetting their dignity.

‘Count Balthus’

Visibly depressed after the deaths of his wife and son in quick succession, he had been confined to his southern estates for recuperation. He hadn’t been seen in the capital for seventeen years.

Being of such a short-lived bloodline, Count Balthus suffered one misfortune after another. Eventually, his physical condition deteriorated greatly.

It was said that he had become too weak to leave his estate.

That was the last society heard of him, and from then on, he lost contact with his connection in the capital.

It was not unreasonable that a mental illness could lead to a physical one, so everyone left Count Balthus to recover alone.

Has he improved and returned to the capital? Of course, that couldn’t have been possible.

Only the sound of polished shoes echoed in the stifling silence.

Stepping into the club’s lounge was a woman dressed in a luxurious suit with simple lines…….

“Marlena Crestwell?”

Someone carelessly called Marlena’s name, followed by her estranged husband’s last name.

The room fell silent. Frozen gazes were fixed on Marlena.

Count Balthus? Marlena Crestwell?

Some of the members recalled that Marlena was Count Balthus’s great-niece, but only a few.

There had been no interaction between Marlena and Count Balthus to that extent.

Countess Marlena Balthus, looking unusually regal and beautiful today, smiled and looked around the room.

She had always been a member of the Luces Club as part of the Crestwell family, but she had never shown her face in the club until now.

Oscar has done a good job of ‘policing’ her.

She entered Luces’s lounge in her new identity as Countess Balthus, not as Crestwell.

“Hello, everyone. Countess Balthus, greetings.”

Oscar’s well-crafted gentlemanly mask cracked.

Oscar’s friend, the Viscount Ram, whispered.

“Oscar, what is it, Countess Balthus? Is that her? Did you know?”

He couldn’t have known. He had no clue.

‘This can’t be.’

In Oscar’s eyes, Marlena continued to behave recklessly.

Pushing for divorce out of impulse and pride, not understanding even when given a chance, now having to live off of Oscar’s alimony, yet constantly provoking Oscar at every turn…

He’s never even considered the possibility that he’s been played by her.

Because Marlena is stupid.

She’s shortsighted enough to give up her family name and inheritance to secure her marriage to a man who doesn’t love her.

It was something Oscar had believed in for a long time.

And she was obsessed with immediate money and alimony, acting as if she had no idea of Oscar’s chains that would ensnare her.

Oscar glanced at Marlena, who was surrounded by people.

The entire Luces Club, energized by the arrival of a new face, was swarming around her, asking her questions.

It seemed as though Marlena’s disdainful existence had become a thing of the past, easily changing her attitude like flipping the palm of her hand.

Oscar gritted his teeth.

How could she be so light? How could she, a noblewoman…….

“What happened to Count Frederick Balthus?”

“He died a few days ago.”

“Oh my god, I didn’t hear the news of his death.”

“He didn’t want his passing to be publicized in the capital, so it was done quietly among the family of Count Balthus.”

“Ah, like that.”

“He went in peace, fully prepared, but he wanted me to fulfill his wishes by making my debut in the capital’s social circles as the new Countess Baltus.”

“Ahh, I am sorry for your loss, even if it is belated.”

“I’m sure the count will be watching you.”

“I’m sorry for your loss, too.”

“I’m sure he’s resting in peace, with so many people wishing him well.”

Marlena handled herself with impeccable grace.

It was a far cry from the one-dimensional, brusque way she had treated Oscar.

She did it on purpose. Only in front of Oscar.

A cold sweat trickled down his spine as the realization dawned.

‘I’ve been tricked.’

It wasn’t that Marlena was ignorant of Oscar’s influence. Nor had she thought too little of it.

There was a part of him that believed.

An inheritance.

Only then did Oscar know the truth in detail.

Marlena had been bringing up the topic of divorce for several months, constantly disappearing somewhere, knowing it would provoke jealousy in Oscar even without his reaction.

Her contact with Count Balthus had already been established by then.

So she suddenly brought up Serwen’s name to induce a divorce, and…….

And now, without losing a penny herself, she aimed to seize Oscar’s alimony and the property as Countess Baltus!

The Viscount Ram muttered low so that only Oscar could hear.

“I hadn’t noticed. I’d heard she was in and out of the bank and government offices, but I didn’t think it was about the inheritance process, of course, or about divorcing you.”

Funny enough, it was.

The news of Oscar’s divorce spread through Eleveth Daily, causing such a big stir that no one suspected Marlena of handling the inheritance as well.

As a result, no one knew about the inheritance under the name of Countess Baltus.

If they had looked closely, they would have known. But who would pay attention to Marlena’s movements? Even Oscar, who lived with her, didn’t know about it.

‘Damn it, damn it! ’

Oscar suppressed his anger inwardly.