Chapter 8: Verification (2)
“I only want a fence to keep me safe while I take my revenge.”
“…Revenge?”
The word was sharp, far too sharp to come from such a delicate woman.
Reiner frowned, puzzled, as Cecilia nodded firmly.
“Yes. Evan March, Rosena Osburn, and even the Osburn barony. I will return to them what they’ve done to me. And in the meantime… I hope Your Grace will protect me as a duke.”
“…Hah.”
He had felt it before, and he felt it again now: this woman did not mince words. She never danced around her intent.
It was a testament to how clear her goal was.
“So, what do I gain from this?”
“Duke Hays’ title, revenge for all the suffering Elise Hays inflicted on me, and…”
Cecilia paused, scanning the room as if to ensure no one was eavesdropping. Then, leaning in, she whispered conspiratorially.
“The truth behind Lady Mariana’s death.”
“…!”
Shock flashed across Reiner’s face. It was a look he rarely wore—he was usually composed, always in control.
“How do you… know that?”
“Of course, I don’t know everything for certain. But I can help you.”
Revealing the truth about Mariana’s death would also topple Elise. In her previous life, Elise had inflicted immense pain on Cecilia, abandoning her in misery in the end. Naturally, Elise was also a target of Cecilia’s revenge.
“….”
Reiner was at a loss for words, disoriented by the exposure of a weakness he had shown to no one. Yet somehow… he felt he could trust Cecilia. Not merely because she had predicted Gilbert’s death, but because in her calm eyes he saw a tide of unyielding resolve, a certainty that she would see this through.
“…Very well. We’ll do it your way.”
After a moment’s thought, Reiner straightened in his seat. “What do you want me to do?”
Perfect. Cecilia clenched the hem of her dress, yet her expression remained composed.
“First… marry me. Then…”
She paused, letting her words hang in the air, a subtle smirk tugging at her lips.
“When you become a duke, adopt Evan as your heir.”
“…What? Adopt Evan March?”
Reiner burst into incredulous laughter. He was twenty-six—only four years older than Evan. The notion of him becoming Evan’s father was preposterous.
And that wasn’t even the largest issue.
“Your wife’s former fiancé as your adopted son? The gossip in Brisen will explode. People will have a field day.”
Even just marrying Cecilia would already make them the talk of the town. Reiner frowned, but Cecilia shrugged indifferently.
“If you leave him be, Evan would just be your nephew. Do you really want to give the matriarch another chance to interfere?”
Elise, having lost her only son Gilbert, would stop at nothing to reclaim her grandson. Once she found him, she would use any means to strip Reiner of his dukedom.
“It’s better to make Evan your nominal heir. That way, the matriarch has no room to meddle.”
Reiner fell silent at the logic, fingers drumming slowly on the armrest as he considered her words.
“Then… wouldn’t it be easier to simply get rid of Evan? There’s no need for such a risky scheme.”
To Reiner, this seemed simpler and more foolproof. If Evan vanished, the threat would vanish with him. Rosena, left without the father of her child, would suffer through raising the child alone. Justice, in a sense, would be served.
“No.”
Cecilia shook her head firmly. “That would be too easy.”
Her voice grew icy, her eyes sharper. If eliminating Evan alone were her goal, she would have done it long ago. But what Cecilia truly desired was more than that.
“I will slowly, relentlessly strangle the lives of both Evan and Rosena. Until they beg me at my feet, pleading to be killed.”
Her hatred, a deep and consuming fire, radiated toward Reiner. He stared at her for a long moment, trying to measure the weight of it. This was no mere matter of jealousy or romantic grievance—her anger was heavy, profound, almost unbearable in its intensity.
“What on earth did they do to you?” Reiner finally asked.
Cecilia did not answer. Partly because some things could not be shared, and partly because even recalling the final moments of her previous life was excruciating.
“Not now. Instead…”
She shifted the topic quietly. “I’ll give you the business operated by Evan March. As payment for your patience.”
“….”
Reiner’s eyes darkened as he studied her. For reasons unknown, it was clear she did not wish to disclose what had transpired with Evan and Rosena.
“Fine. That little shop of his.”
Reiner reclined lazily, already content with his wealth. If he wanted Evan’s business, he could simply start a company far larger than that.
“But in return, I want to hear your story.”
“That is…”
“When you’re ready.”
Cecilia’s eyes widened. Reiner, emerald green, regarded her quietly, then nodded lightly.
“My reward for patience will be duly claimed when the time comes.”
Meanwhile, Evan rubbed his forehead, irritation written across his face.
“Rosena, please, take it easy.”
“What? Evan, you just told me to take it easy?”
Her face contorted. Days had passed since the marriage to Cecilia had fallen apart. Rosena had been pressing for a marriage ever since, and Evan kept making excuses.
Repetition was exhausting. Evan felt like he was about to lose his mind.
“The wedding ended less than a month ago. If I agree to marry you immediately in this situation, what will people think?”
He shook his head, not daring to speak further. Ever since that day, the looks people gave him had grown sharper, a daily trial for a businessman whose reputation was everything. And now, to marry Rosena—the subject of scandal—would only make it worse.
‘Ugh. Horrible,’ Evan thought, shivering dramatically. He just wanted to stay low, unseen, beneath the radar.
But Rosena had other plans.
“Since it’s already like this, neither of us can find another partner. So why not just do it quickly? Why do you want me to wear the wedding dress all bloated and uncomfortable?”
Her voice rose with impatience. Her body was changing day by day, and if she was to have this child, she wanted to face the world proudly, beautiful, and the star of a wedding that only happened once in a lifetime. Most importantly, she wanted to show, definitively, that Evan March belonged to her now, to everyone—including Cecilia.
‘His status is lacking, but otherwise, he’s a decent match,’ she thought. Evan was reasonably attractive, top of his class at the academy, and a successful entrepreneur. A desirable groom in Brisen, indeed. She had once tried to marry him off to Cecilia to prevent another woman from taking him. Now, she would flaunt him as her own, reclaiming her dignity.
‘Ha… and yet he said we couldn’t marry because I’m a commoner,’ Evan mused, frowning as he looked down at her.
He knew well that, not long ago, she had hurried to set up meetings with other nobles before her pregnancy was known. Yet now, she tugged at his arm with a naive smile, as if nothing had happened.
“Evan, there’s no time to waste. We should go see the priest tomorrow—”
“Ah, Rosena!”
At her insistence, Evan finally snapped, losing his patience. Rosena flinched, and he sighed heavily, his tone brusque.
“I’m not saying I won’t marry you. Just wait a little. Why are you rushing me?”
“Rushing? Do I look like I’m throwing a tantrum?”
“Yes! It’s exhausting, so please, just stop! Ria never acted like this—”
“What? Ria?”
The moment Cecilia’s name slipped out, Rosena’s eyes hardened like steel.
“What did you just say?”
