~Chapter 46~
Inside a certain mansion, everything looked fancy but was actually fake.
There was a leather chair that was supposed to be a hundred-year-old antique, but it didn’t even have a maker’s mark.
The chandelier looked like crystal at the top, but it was really just glass.
Almost everything in the house was a copy, because the owner—Count Fox—didn’t have the money for the real thing.
Count Fox stood in front of the mirror, taking deep breaths to calm his racing heart.
He had to go to court soon.
But the trial wasn’t on his mind.
He wasn’t worried about losing. He was just nervous because he hadn’t gone out in a while since his name was all over the newspapers.
It’s fine. After today, Lily will be back with me. With her, I can get my reputation back in society.
He was so sure he would win for a reason.
He held a “real” piece of fine paper, something that didn’t fit in his fake mansion. It was written in Marquis Hedwig’s handwriting, telling Count Fox exactly what to do at court. That made him feel secure.
Even though Marquis Hedwig had once messed up and given his only daughter to Count Fox, he was still the cleverest old fox in the senate.
“Master, let me help you with your coat.”
It was a dark blue frock coat—but it didn’t match his pants at all.
How can I show myself to people dressed like this? Even a silk top hat wouldn’t help.
“Who picked this out?”
“Uh… the butler, sir…”
Count Fox’s bad temper was nothing new. The servants hurried to find out who was to blame—today it was the butler.
“You. What’s wrong with you?”
He slapped the butler’s cheek.
“Do you think this looks good? I know you dress like a beggar, but I’m important. I’ll be meeting Judge Garmir today—his nephew runs a bank! Don’t you know that?”
“I’m sorry, sir.”
“You don’t even sound sorry. Useless parasites like you just waste my money.”
Count Fox threw the coat in the butler’s face and kicked him out.
The butler quietly gathered the coat. The passing maids only thought, At least it wasn’t me this time.
There was only one reason servants stayed after such treatment: Count Fox refused to write them a letter of recommendation, so they couldn’t easily find other jobs.
But there’s a time when your dignity is worth more than money. No law says you have to stay and be insulted forever.
Yes, revenge was needed.
The butler went to his own shabby room, searching for something. He checked behind the old fireplace—a perfect hiding spot, since the master made the servants clean everything else.
Here it is.
He found what he’d hidden: the divorce papers Lily left behind.
“You burned that paper, didn’t you? The divorce papers?”
“I put it in the fireplace and checked for ashes—there was nothing left.”
A complete lie.
The butler heard the sound of horses and carriage wheels—Count Fox was leaving for court.
He thought for a long time, then put the divorce papers in his pocket and stood up.
“Where are you going, sir?” another servant asked.
“Just going out for a bit.”
No one really cared where he was going. In the capital, people minded their own business.
The courthouse was even bigger than a ballroom.
It was decorated for nobles, but thick ropes blocked off the area in front of the judge’s bench.
Lily waited behind the curtain in the witness hallway, looking out.
So many people have come just to watch.
It was the biggest scandal in society, so it was packed.
She heard people whispering on the walls:
“I never thought I’d see Lily Hedwig in person.”
“Any time she was rumored to attend, theater and concert tickets always sold out.”
Suddenly, there was noise from the hallway behind her.
“You can’t meet the witness before the trial!”
“What? I can’t even see my wife? Do you know who I am? My father-in-law served on the senate for three terms—”
She heard Count Fox’s voice—one she couldn’t forget.
“Lily!”
Her heart dropped. She thought she was ready, but not for this.
Count Fox pushed past security and found her. Lily shut her eyes, bracing for violence.
But instead, he hugged her tight. It was for show, since so many people were watching.
“Lily, my love! You must have suffered so much! How did you get kidnapped? Now that I’m here, everything will be fine. The evil duke will face the law.”
Lily’s pale face went even paler as she tried to push him away.
“P-please go. We shouldn’t meet like this before the trial.”
“What? After so long, how can you talk like that?”
He almost lost his temper, but forced himself to smile for the crowd.
“I’m just being honest because it’s me. Who else will care for you like I do?”
“I wasn’t kidnapped. I went to the duke by my own choice, and you know that.”
“Lily…”
He looked at her like he didn’t believe a word she said.
Lily tried to get away, but he only hugged her tighter and rubbed her back.
“I know why you’re saying that. Don’t worry. But who else would put up with you?”
Lily could feel every touch on her back. It was awful.
Finally, she raised her hand and slapped his cheek.
“What the—!”
Now he lost control and was furious.
Blake wandered the courthouse’s maze-like back halls.
How is the court so big, but the back so confusing?
He was worried about Lily. His instincts told him something was wrong.
“Hey, where’s the witness room?” he asked a passing guard.
“Huff… Witness room? Someone else just asked. It’s over there—I’m busy, so find it yourself.”
Someone else was looking for the witness room?
Blake rushed to the place the guard pointed out. As he got close, he heard shouting through the thin walls:
“You can’t meet the witness before the trial!”
“I can’t even see my wife—!”
Blake’s instinct was right.
Just as he arrived, Lily slapped Count Fox.
“What the—!”
Count Fox was raging.
Guards tried to stop Blake, but they couldn’t.
Just as Count Fox tried to push Lily, Blake grabbed him by the collar and threw him backward.
Count Fox crashed into a table, cursing loudly.
“Blake!”
Lily called out in relief and shock.
“I knew it. Are you all right? Lucky your guardian is quick,” Blake said.
Lily agreed, but frowned.
“The trial hasn’t even started. You shouldn’t be here, either.”
“Not even a little praise?”
