Penelope forgot her earlier resolve not to be surprised by anything Blade might say and stood there, momentarily stunned.

“Did you just say… you want to kill my husband?”

It was impossible to read the Duke’s true intentions. But the cold glint in his eyes, the murderous aura emanating from him—those were undeniably real.

“Yes. I want to kill your husband.”

“Why… what could possibly be the reason?”

“Because that man killed the person I loved most in this world.”

Ned had taken yet another life—after murdering Penelope’s parents… and Penelope herself. If it was true, then he was far more of a monster than she had ever imagined.

But what truly shocked Penelope wasn’t the news of a third murder.

It was the look on Blade’s face as he said “the person I loved most in this world”—
A look so fragile, it seemed as though he might shatter at any moment.

‘They say he’s a man without blood or tears… but this… this is too emotional.’

His expression, as he recalled someone dear to him, was filled with unbearable pain.

‘It must’ve been the woman he loved.’

To think that a man known as a cold-blooded power player—on the battlefield and in business alike—
was carrying a love this deeply carved into his heart… It was almost unbelievable.

Even though the face he remembered only flickered briefly and disappeared, Penelope felt that sorrow pierce into her own heart.

So she knew.
Blade’s hatred toward Ned was real.
And the claim that Ned had killed his lover—was without a doubt, the truth.

It was the kind of expression only someone who had truly lost the one they loved could wear.
She recognized it instantly—because she had seen it before, staring back at her from the mirror after her parents died.

“I found out on the Iris that Ned Remzier had killed someone who was precious to me.”

Blade even knew Ned’s full name from before his marriage. That meant he had already thoroughly investigated him.

“Before I could uncover the truth, the Iris was caught in a typhoon and sank. And I died in that accident as well. Just like you, I came back to life afterward.”

“The Iris sank?”

“Yes. It happened in an instant. Everyone on board must have died—except me.”

“My god.”

Penelope covered her mouth with both hands and let out a quiet gasp. The largest and safest ship, built with the latest technology, had sunk.
If what he said was true, then even if Ned and Deva hadn’t tried to kill her, Penelope would have died anyway.
Conversely, it meant Ned and Deva were caught in the accident and had likely died as well.

“Is it possible… that everyone on board came back to life?”
“No. If that many people had returned, the world would’ve turned upside down by now. It seems the only ones who came back are the two of us.”

Penelope hadn’t seen any mark on Ned’s hand either. If this tattoo truly was a symbol for those who had been resurrected, then Ned didn’t belong among them. More than anything, Ned’s unchanged, pathetic behavior was the clearest proof—he knew nothing.

“I learned that the man who caused the death of someone precious to me was your husband. That’s when I decided I would take revenge.”

“And what does that have to do with sending me those anonymous photos?”

“Because I needed to see Ned Remzier fall. Completely.”

Grit.

The sound of grinding teeth filled the air. Even the mention of Ned’s name unleashed the brutal malice of a predator ready to tear its prey apart in Blade’s eyes.

“I know that bastard is parading around with the title of Count Utterback, living off your fortune. Without you, Penelope Utterback, Ned Remzier is nothing. I thought that if you divorced him, he would come crashing down.”

Penelope clenched her skirt tightly in her fist.

Everyone had assumed that the family line continued because she had married Ned.

But Blade was the first to recognise that she was the true Count, and that it was Ned who was tarnishing the Utterback name.

“But now that everything’s out in the open, I suppose my plan’s finished.”

“No. Your Grace’s plan hasn’t even started. And I didn’t come here to stop you.”

“Then why did you seek me out?”

For a brief moment, curiosity flickered in Blade’s eyes.
No—perhaps something more.
Penelope thought she saw something like hope, just for an instant.
But she brushed it off as a mistake. She didn’t have the luxury to worry about every flicker of emotion in Blade Gunner’s gaze.

Now that she had confirmed he had returned just like her, and that they shared a common enemy, it was time to say what truly mattered.

“I want a divorce, too. So please, Duke Blade Gunner—make a deal with me.”

What Penelope proposed might have sounded like a negotiation, but in truth, plea would have been the more accurate word.

Though she called it a deal, it was really a one-sided request—a desperate need for the power Blade held.

And yet, despite knowing she was at a disadvantage, Penelope didn’t let herself grovel because she was confident that he would accept.

“I need to divorce my husband and uncover the truth about my parents’ wrongful deaths. And I intend to take back everything that Ned and Deva stole from me. To do all of that, I need your strength, Your Grace.”

“So you’re saying you want to use me?”

“Yes—but also no.”

Penelope shook her head.

“What I mean is, let’s use each other. In other words, let’s make a ‘deal.’”

“And just how much do you know about me, Count?”

“Only what I’ve heard in rumors.”

“Rumors, huh. If you’ve really heard the right ones, then you shouldn’t be making such a proposal to me.”

“Then I suppose I have heard correctly. Because you’re exactly the kind of person I’ve been looking for.”

Penelope wasn’t well-versed in high-society gossip. However, she had at least heard what businessmen said about Duke Gunner.

Apparently, not even his business partners were spared if they made a mistake.

She had also heard that he would discard anyone without hesitation the moment they ceased to be profitable.

He was the kind of tyrant who had to control everything himself, down to the last detail.

Because of this, no one in his company dared to oppose him.

If that was how he treated his allies, she could only imagine how ruthless he would be towards his enemies.

And that was exactly why she had to join forces with Duke Gunner.

“Because what I want is perfect revenge. And I believe you, Your Grace, know better than anyone how to utterly, and completely, destroy someone.”

“And you trust me?”

Penelope hesitated. She didn’t know how to answer.

Even if Blade had truly returned from the dead like she had, he had still sent her that suspicious envelope.

To help her divorce Ned for revenge? If he truly wanted vengeance, wouldn’t it have been easier to ruin her along with Ned?

So no, Penelope couldn’t fully trust the contradiction that was Blade Gunner.

But what she could believe in was that they hated the same man.

Her proposal wasn’t built on goodwill toward Blade but on mutual resentment toward Ned.

Penelope held out her hand again, revealing the flower bud tattoo etched into her skin.

“What I believe in is your hatred, Your Grace. And the fact that, right now, there are only two people in this world who share this secret.”

“Just the two of us, huh…I like that. Very much.”

Blade’s lips curled upward in satisfaction.

“If you’ve heard the rumors about me, then you must know—I never step into a deal where I take a loss. There are no exceptions.”

His eyes now gleamed with the sharp calculation of an experienced businessman.

“I don’t want to be treated like someone useless, just handing everything over to you, Your Grace.
So please—give me a chance to prove my worth.”

Penelope’s blue eyes sparkled just as they had in the days when she graced competition stages with her violin—filled with unwavering confidence in herself.

“Confident, aren’t you? Then tell me, Penelope Utterback—what is it that you do best?”

“I…”

Penelope was about to say violin without hesitation but then she paused.

Music was the only skill she had. But after losing her parents on stage, she had developed a traum crippling stage fright. She had become afraid of performing in front of others.

Could a skill you couldn’t show to others still be called a skill?

The question lingered in her mind, but even so, Penelope had no choice but to answer.

“The violin. I can play the violin.”

“I see.”

Blade replied lightly, as though he’d expected it all along, and picked up the promissory note Penelope had handed him earlier.

“Now that I look at it, this is quite a sum. It’ll help my company—I’ll accept this investment.”

“Good. I meant it when I said I wanted to invest.”

Gunner Trading was a solid company. If Penelope wanted to escape Ned’s shadow and become independent, she needed to start managing her assets and getting involved in business.

And investing in the Duke was an excellent first step.

“Since the dowry is a little excessive, I’ll give you something else in return—along with that dance.”

“Something else?”

“A chance to take the violin back from Deva Hoffman.”