CHAPTER 14
“I should’ve just taken credit for the patriotic medal instead of giving it up…”
Adele thought regretfully. She walked a few more steps, feeling pale and exhausted, then let out a small, bitter laugh.
“If I ignore it now, what will I do later? Once he becomes a Duke, he’ll definitely divorce me…”
“Susan.”
“Yes, my lady?”
“Have you ever thought about living somewhere else?”
“…Pardon?”
“It might not be as nice as here, but I’ll make sure you don’t go hungry.”
“My… my lady?”
“I’m not forcing you.”
“I’ll go with you.”
Susan’s firm answer surprised Adele. She looked at her maid.
“Really?”
“Yes, really.”
“Are you sure about this?”
“My parents were always trying to sell me off since I was young. I have a younger sibling, but she’ll probably end up as a maid for some noble family too. There’s nothing I can do about that.”
“It might be a hard life. We may have to wander for a while.”
“Better that than serving that woman Ana.”
Even though Susan was just a maid, her loyalty gave Adele strength—like gaining an army of a thousand.
Since the family had just received recognition with the patriotic medal, Adele thought she might be able to ask her sister (the Crown Princess) not to send her back to the Milliam family. For the first time in her life, she felt a strange courage rising inside her.
“Let’s go back, Susan.”
“Yes!”
When Adele returned to the main house, Ben greeted her, surprised.
“Are they still together?”
“Yes.”
“Then take me to them. I have something to say.”
When Adele arrived at the office, Ethan was holding Ana in his arms, comforting her.
“The Countess is here,” a servant announced outside the open door.
Ethan jumped up in shock and quickly pushed Ana away.
“This late? Ana, I think you should leave now.”
“No. I think it’s better that she hears this with both of us present.”
The man she had once trusted and loved looked awkward and flustered, as if he’d been caught cheating. He looked so small. Had he ever seemed so insignificant before? He used to seem like a giant, like the sun itself.
“You were looking for me earlier, but I’m sorry—it got late.”
Adele sat directly across from Ethan and Ana.
“I’ll bring tea.”
“No need. I won’t be long.”
Adele waved away the servants.
“Just now…”
She stared at her hand on the table, took a short breath, and looked Ethan in the eyes.
“I overheard your conversation just now. I didn’t mean to, but the door was open. Please understand.”
Ethan’s face turned pale.
“W-What did you hear?”
“Ana asked you to divorce me, and you said you couldn’t because of the Duke title you’re about to receive.”
Oddly, once she started speaking, her nervousness faded, and she became calmer.
“Adele, t-that’s…”
Ethan reached out, but Ana grabbed his hand instead. Adele’s heart still ached watching it.
That’s what it meant to be lovers—being able to stop him openly and still not be scolded.
Adele could only watch her world crumble.
“I’m going to the capital tomorrow to meet my sister, the Crown Princess. I’ll ask her to let you still become a Duke, even if we divorce.”
“What are you saying?”
Ethan’s voice had dropped, and Adele flinched, but she glanced at his hand still held tightly by Ana and kept speaking.
“If you don’t believe me, I’ll ask her to write a formal letter. If you prepare the divorce papers now, I’ll get my family’s seal while I’m there. The Milliam baron would welcome the divorce anytime.”
“Is that true?”
Ana asked, her voice rising slightly. Adele looked at her for the first time. She was dressed better now, truly looking like a noblewoman. Her beauty made her look elegant. With some training, she’d probably be good at managing the estate too.
‘Ah… Herbon…’
Adele suddenly remembered the people of the estate—the boy from the orchard who was about to attend school in the capital, the scholarship she had promised, the unwed mother Hena who had just given birth, and the children’s library they hadn’t even started building.
“Is that true?” Ana asked again.
Adele snapped out of her thoughts. She decided to leave everything to Ben now—he could handle those small tasks. She would think about herself now.
“I know I won’t get any money from the divorce since I can’t have children. But at least let me take my belongings with me.”
“I asked a question. Is it true or not?”
Ana shouted, and Adele suddenly stood up. Even if she was leaving with nothing, she refused to be humiliated any further.
“And Count…”
She looked directly at Ethan, but her words were for Ana, who stared back with a bold, challenging glare.
“I’m still the mistress of this house. For the sake of the family’s dignity, I will punish this woman.”
“W-What?”
“Ana Lowell. You’re not a noble, not even an official mistress. How dare you act so recklessly toward me, the lady of the Deverian family? I won’t tolerate it anymore.”
Adele shouted for the butler and ordered Ana to be locked up in a building on the estate grounds.
When Duke Sonnier left Herbon, Ana had blamed Adele for purposely taking her to a shameful place and humiliating her. Back then, Adele didn’t punish her to avoid being called a jealous wife. But now, she had no reason to hold back.
“Keep her there for three days. Only water. She’s not allowed to see anyone.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Ben obeyed Adele’s command without even looking at the Count. It was the Countess’s right to handle such matters. Adele gave Ethan a formal bow and turned to leave. Finally, Ethan came to his senses and tried to follow.
But Ana didn’t let him go.
“Ethan, say something! She’s locking me up!”
“Let go.”
“What?”
“I said let go!”
Ethan threw off her hand—one he hadn’t even realized he was still holding—and ran after Adele. She was already walking fast, and he only caught sight of her near the front gate.
“Adele!”
She used to always smile and turn back when he called her name. But not this time—she kept walking. He ran to her and grabbed her wrist.
Their eyes met. But her eyes were empty, no longer warm or trying to read his thoughts. He was confused. The woman who spoke back in the office—her voice, her expression—it all felt unfamiliar.
“Let go. You’re hurting me.”
“Sorry… but this is too sudden.”
“Sudden?”
“Yes! What did the Duke say to you earlier?”
“Why are you asking that now?”
Adele thought his once-beautiful blue eyes now looked black. She had never seen this look in them before.
“Because otherwise… there’s no way you’d say goodbye to me. There’s no way you’d talk about divorce.”
“I didn’t bring up divorce first. You did.”
“It was the Duke, wasn’t it? He told you to divorce me, right? He said he’d take you in?”
Adele stared at this unfamiliar man. If he had just shouted at her, she wouldn’t feel so scared. But his quiet obsession was even more terrifying.
“It must be that. That’s the only way you’d leave me. That’s why I didn’t want to leave you two alone.”
“Count, what are you saying…”
“Tell me the truth. Did he whisper something to you? Did he say that when your sister dies, he’ll make you Empress?”
At that moment, Adele raised her free hand and slapped Ethan hard across the face.
Even though his head jerked from the hit, he didn’t back down.
