Chapter 53……………………………………
Silence. A very heavy silence. Even after some time had passed, the silence remained unchanged.
There had been moments of quiet during the trial before, but this was different. People blinked as if they had just heard something impossible.
The judge was no different.
“What did you just say?”
“My husband, Liandro Cassius, has a serious problem producing an heir.”
When I repeated the words exactly, not a single particle changed, a clear reaction finally appeared.
“A s-serious problem… producing an heir…?”
At that moment, it was easy to imagine the thought that crossed the minds of everyone present.
I ignored their difficulty in processing my words and continued with the shocking revelation.
“Since our marriage, he has consistently avoided sleeping with me. Every single day from our wedding night until I left the Cassius mansion. We have never once shared a proper marital night.”
Sharon assisted beside me.
“This fact can also be confirmed by Laura Emerson and Kaiden Moremo, the two witnesses. They were responsible for managing the bedrooms of the plaintiff and defendant, respectively.”
“I tried my best to resolve this issue. I asked him countless times, but he would never tell me anything.”
“Countless” was an exaggeration—but rounding up the actual number, it was about twenty times, so let’s leave it at that.
“Why would a husband who claimed to love me so much do this? Even now, I cannot understand it.”
A reason to avoid sleeping with the person you claim to love? Honestly, there was only one explanation.
“On top of this issue, combined with all the reasons Your Honor has already heard, I have chosen divorce. My decision will not change. I will divorce my husband.”
Having finished, I returned to my seat, and Sharon clapped, as if to awaken everyone from their stupor.
“I would like to question the two witnesses regarding this matter. Let’s start with the maid, Laura Emerson…”
“No need to hear more!”
A furious Parell shouted.
“How dare you make such absurd slanders against Viscount Cassius! This cannot stand! The crime of damaging the honor of the heir of the Cassius family is—”
Parell, who had been grinding his teeth at me, suddenly stopped mid-sentence. He had read something in my faint smile.
He whirled to face his master. The usually fearless Liandro Cassius’ face was pale.
Watching Parell contort with rage, I gained a certainty.
“So he didn’t tell, as I thought, Liandro.”
Before the trial began, I had a small doubt. Would Liandro Cassius ever openly admit such a shameful truth to another person?
Among the Cassius family, renowned for pride, Liandro was exceptionally proud. Raised as heir from birth, and having lost his mother early, he had desperately avoided showing weakness to others. The novels spoke of it.
“After becoming part of Riena’s family, he tried even harder to be the perfect older brother.”
There was even an episode where Riena nursed Liandro when he overstrained his health, embracing him as he was.
Could such a Liandro ever honestly reveal the intimate details of his marriage? Even with Riena, deeply involved in the trial, knowing everything?
Well, even if he had, there was little to worry about on our side. As long as Parell didn’t know we had the butler, he wouldn’t see this as a significant threat.
“At most, a few servants would collude to testify that we slept together often.”
Judging by Parell’s dramatic expression change, as expected, Liandro had hidden it. He reassured himself that I would never bring up such a sensitive topic.
Indeed, in this conservative society, very few noblewomen would dare to discuss such intimate matters in a public trial.
Moreover, the Wallis family had been particularly patriarchal. A true Edel, educated under a count’s couple, might have silently suffered.
“But if I had assumed that, I would have been wrong.”
Liandro, after living under the same roof for two years as husband and wife, did not know me. If he truly wanted to confront me, he would have needed to step forward, ready to throw himself into the mud.
In the end, Liandro’s obstacle was not a recording device or the butler’s defection—but his hypocrisy: trying to remain a “good person” until the end.
While Liandro and Parell fell into panic, Laura gave her testimony.
“For the past two years, I served Lady Edel, but I never once saw the two of them sleep in the same room. Not even on their wedding night.”
Even now, if I closed my eyes, that night came vividly to mind.
Liandro had sat on the bed facing me, hesitating for a long moment, before abruptly storming out of the bridal chamber.
“…I’m sorry. I can’t do this.”
Those were his only words.
The next day, and the day after, it was the same. Liandro always left me behind, and I remained alone.
Honestly, it was heartbreaking. Lonely. Painful. Even if I hadn’t truly loved him, being so openly rejected by my husband…
“But now, that too is behind me.”
After Laura’s testimony, the gallery erupted more than ever.
“Was that rumor really true?”
“What rumor?”
“You know, before, people said the young master of Cassius had… certain problems.”
“Oh, I remember.”
“Wasn’t it supposed to be proven false?”
“Unless you saw it with your own eyes, how could you know?”
The judge, lost in thought, failed to quiet the gallery. Riena, who might have calmed them, was no longer present.
Laura exited, and the butler stepped up. His testimony was even more detailed and shocking.
“Even after marriage, the Viscount used the bedroom he had as a child rather than the marital bedroom. And also…”
He hesitated briefly, then continued.
“In fact, he once consulted me about this. I cannot disclose all details, but he clearly said living as a husband with Lady Edel was difficult. He told me he did not love her in a romantic way.”
Sharon followed up.
“If this is true, a contradiction arises. The defendant has continuously claimed during the trial that he loved the plaintiff.”
She glanced at Liandro.
“He loves her but does not see her romantically, and they never shared a bed… How is this even possible?”
Parell, sensing danger, rushed to rebut.
“Your Honor! These are just the words of two people!”
“They were the closest observers of the plaintiff and defendant.”
“Laura Emerson is the plaintiff’s most trusted confidante.”
“Mr. Moremo, the butler, has been a faithful servant of the Cassius household for decades. This is a sincere confession from him.”
“That does not mean it is necessarily a confession of conscience…”
“If not conscience, what gain would Moremo have in siding with the plaintiff?”
Sharon, seizing the moment, attacked sharply.
“Money? As you know, my client has not demanded a single penny in alimony. Her family, the Wallis count, is even better off financially.”
Exactly. I was penniless, indebted to Terrence.
“Honor? You all know the truth. No family welcomes a servant who has betrayed their master, no matter how noble the confession.”
Once a traitor, always a threat.
“He stands here, giving up not only decades of loyalty but even the future. As someone who once served the same house, do not distort his sincerity, Attorney Phillips.”
Even a three-year-old could see the truth. The butler had nothing to gain by supporting me. Aligning with the enemy of the great Cassius family only meant trouble.
“….”
Parell seemed at a loss for words.
Then, an unexpected commotion erupted.
“Lies!”
It was a sudden incident—unexpected for both sides.
“Don’t pretend to be poor! You sold all the gifts Liandro gave you!”
A young woman in the middle of the gallery leapt up, shouting.
“You even hired your lawyer with that money! No conscience? And you slander Liandro so cheaply?”
From her appearance and words, she was likely a noblewoman, possibly a follower of Liandro or Riena.
In truth, distinguishing between them was unnecessary. Most of Riena’s young female followers adored her brother; older ones liked the Duke.
“Terrence said he removed pro-Cassius people from the guest list….”
Apparently, he hadn’t filtered them all.
After all, it would be impossible to track all Riena fanclub members.
An unforeseen incident.
“Ugh, this trial… just remove her quickly.”
The judge shook his head at the repeated intrusions. Even he seemed wary of the Cassius family and their followers.
“Don’t be fooled! Liandro is innocent! I saw her sell the ring at the jewelry store!”
As the woman was dragged out, I picked up my handbag from the floor and approached Liandro.
“Is this the ring you mean?”
Liandro, head bowed, lifted his gaze. His blue eyes widened in shock at the ring I held.
On my right middle finger shone a large emerald: the Princess of Spring. Liandro had won it at auction and gifted it to me.
Incidentally, he had given his sister a necklace called the King of Spring. The value comparison was obvious.
I placed the ring on Liandro’s desk and a wooden box next to it.
“See? These are all the jewels you gave me and that I took out.”
Liandro’s pupils practically trembled as he looked inside the wooden box.
“No… that can’t be! I saw it with my own eyes!”
The young female follower screamed and left. She had indeed seen the Princess of Spring at the jewelry store.
Of course.
“I sold them once, then bought them back!”
It was when I had thought to dispose of the jewels from Cassius Castle that an idea struck me.
Even if the trial ended in our favor, Liandro would cling pathetically again. His behavior was predictable.
“At that moment, just throw the jewels in his face. Say, ‘Take this and leave!’”
“….”
“Isn’t that a bit childish, Tey?”
“Perfect. Let’s do it.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I want to see that scene too.”
“We really think alike! But the jewels I had initially sold…”
“They can be repurchased. I will assist with the cost, don’t worry.”
“Thank you! I will repay you!”
“Haha, no need.”
The demonstration in front of Terrence, despite the embarrassment, achieved great results. With his help, I successfully repurchased all the jewels I had sold.
Luck also favored me. None of the jewelers sold the pieces to anyone else.
“They must have expected to buy them back if Liandro and I reconciled.”
I met that expectation, adding a premium, and the jeweler’s face lit up with a smile. They even agreed to keep it secret, wanting to surprise my husband.
Again, the commotion caused by the young woman had been a genuine unexpected incident. But…
“Victory always goes to those who can even turn unexpected situations to their favor.”
By now, I could hear the murmurs of the gallery.
“That’s the famous ring. I saw it at that auction too.”
“Then what the woman said earlier?”
“Must have been lying. Like the head maid.”
“My goodness! Again?”
“There’s no rule it can’t happen twice.”
“Unbelievable…”
As the empire’s most powerful family, they swallowed their words, but the next events were obvious.
Unlike the Duke, who was seasoned, and Riena, who was cunning, Rehaim simply stared at the floor with a deadpan expression.
I delivered the final blow to Liandro with trembling eyes, alternating between the jewelry box and myself.
“I don’t want to keep anything you gave me.”
Honestly, returning these expensive jewels seemed wasteful. But so what? Money could be earned again in the mines, and the satisfaction was worth it.
“The only gift you can give me is divorce.”
Despair spread across Liandro’s face.
