Chapter 10
“Haela, what on earth have you done?”
Unlike usual, he didn’t offer a greeting and got straight to the point. His face was not its usual gentle self, and his voice was full of rage. Haela straightened her head and struggled to pull herself together.
Kersian was very tall, and his hands were also large. Having been struck by those long, delicate-looking fingers, she felt a pain so sharp her mind momentarily went blank. A long, large shadow blocked the light. His face, shrouded in shadow, was stiff, and his cold gaze flickered with a sharp light; he looked extremely threatening.
She had suffered far worse things in her previous life, but this was the first time he had ever struck her. Thinking back, the only reason Kersian hadn’t laid a hand on her in the past life was that she had been completely obedient to him. She was startled by his action just now, but she wasn’t disappointed. However, the fear in her eyes grew a level deeper as she looked at him.
“What is the meaning of this sudden violence?” Haela asked, clenching her teeth.
She could taste the metallic tang of blood in her mouth. her startled heart was pounding like a hammer.
“The Betia Count family has built a deep friendship with our family for a long time. Count Betia is my father’s friend and like an uncle to me. Even though I already explained this, you couldn’t endure it and laid hands on them. It seems you care for neither me nor our family.”
Kersian had decided she was the guilty party without asking a single question and was interrogating her like this. Recalling how she couldn’t let go of him even while receiving such blatant favoritism, she felt pathetic and pitiful for her past self.
“And? What do you want me to do?”
“If word of today gets out, it will be bad for both you and our family. So, go to the Count’s mansion, apologize to them, and come back.”
“Do you truly mean that?”
“I do. Since this is something you caused, you must take responsibility.”
Haela let out a hollow laugh and bowed her head. Seeing this, Kersian assumed she was holding back tears. In her past life, what on earth did she see that made her believe he loved her? She had been no different from a blind person with her eyes wide open.
To Kersian, Count Betia was merely a trusted vassal, nothing more. Yet, the reason he was trying to make her bow with such lies must be because of Uriel.
“Kersian, I came to live in this strange land looking only at you. My last name is now Chaos, and of course, I am thinking of our family.”
Haela raised her head. Her eyes were not red, and her gaze was steady and calm. Meeting that gaze, even Kersian flinched for a moment.
“I know Count Betia is close to you, but you believed only their words and didn’t ask me a single question. Seeing you interrogate me, strike me, and even force an apology, it seems you don’t consider me family.”
“Don’t act like a spoiled child. You are the mistress of a family. I cannot understand this attitude of causing a scene over a small matter without thinking of the consequences and then acting as if you didn’t do it.”
“In your eyes, do I look like someone who would torment them for no reason?”
Kersian remained silent. From what he knew, Haela was weak and dull; she wasn’t capable of such things. If he hadn’t heard it from the butler and called other servants to confirm, he would have thought he had misheard. But it wasn’t just one person; several people couldn’t have seen it wrong.
“You could do such a thing in a fit of anger. However, this attitude of trying to escape the situation with a lie that will be discovered instantly is truly disappointing. Haela, please do not make me more disappointed.”
“I understand your point,” Haela continued in a calm voice. “You don’t seem to consider me family, and you don’t have a shred of trust. It seems the position of the Duchess is too heavy for me. So, if you want, I will leave.”
“What did you just say?” Kersian asked, his eyes wide.
His face was filled with shock rather than anger. Unlike him, Haela was very composed.
“I said if you want, I will step down from the position of mistress and leave.”
These were the words Kersian used to use to threaten her in her past life. However, one of the many doubts and regrets she held after returning was that she had come back to a point after marrying Kersian. How wonderful would it have been if it were before meeting Kersian, or at least before marrying him…
But even now, it was not too late.
“Even if you are angry, I cannot understand how you can throw out such words so recklessly. Was the vow we made so light to you?” Kersian said in an angry voice.
He looked quite startled and flustered by her previous words. Haela remained silent. Her face was so peaceful, which didn’t fit the situation, that it made the person looking at her feel flustered instead.
“Haela, say something.”
“You have no intention of listening to me, so what is the use of speaking?”
“Fine. Since you say I misunderstood, I am curious to hear what you have to say.”
She already knew that Kersian would not let her go easily. He had invested a lot into proposing and sacrificed for the marriage, but he hadn’t gained anything from her yet. However, seeing him change his attitude so easily now was nothing short of disgusting.
“I did not lay a finger on the daughter of Count Betia, and the person who struck her was Count Betia himself. I wonder who told you such nonsense.”
“What is the reason Count Betia struck his own daughter?”
“The young lady’s attitude toward me was very insolent. A father was merely disciplining his rude daughter, so I wonder how the story got so distorted.”
“I’ll ask one thing. Why did you call Count Betia and the young lady? Was it not to question them about what happened on the wedding day?”
“That’s right,” Haela admitted readily.
“I clearly made you understand, and you said you understood, so I thought it was over. Yet you did such a thing behind my back? I doubt if you are the person I knew.”
In the past, Kersian used to blame all the faults on her like this. As such things repeated, she felt wronged at first, but later she felt as if it were truly her fault. And now, it felt as if the resentment and anger she had suppressed all this time were about to explode. Haela did not avoid Kersian’s gaze and faced him boldly.
“On the wedding day, the daughter of Count Betia openly insulted me. I tried to confirm if it was a misunderstanding as you said, but it was not.”
At those words, Kersian frowned and tried to say something. Before he could open his mouth, Haela continued.
“If word of this gets out, people will think the daughter of Count Betia looks down on the Imperial Family. If she deceives the Imperial Family and gets away with it, you will also become a topic of gossip.”
At those words, Kersian completely shut his mouth. Seeing him unable to say anything, Haela sneered inwardly.
“If the news reached my father’s ears, it would cause even greater trouble, so I tried to issue an appropriate punishment before that. However, since Count Betia apologized and disciplined her, I didn’t issue a separate punishment. I only asked her to act with courtesy in the future. Was I wrong?”
“It seems the servants misunderstood and reported it incorrectly. I’m sorry.”
Kersian embraced Haela with a sorry face. As he held her, her entire body stiffened. She felt goosebumps as if insects were crawling all over her. Haela tried hard not to tremble while clenching her fists tight.
“Unlike the daughter of Count Betia, you wouldn’t have intended to insult me on purpose. You aren’t that kind of person, and you have no reason to do so.”
She tried her best to pull herself together and smiled.
“Even though you failed to control your subordinates and made me a laughingstock, I have no intention of holding you responsible.”
“……”
“However, I think I should issue an appropriate punishment to the guards who allowed such a thing to happen at the ceremony.”
“Do as you wish.”
“Thank you. And the servants who reported today’s matter tried to drive a wedge between us with lies, so it would be best to send them away without a letter of recommendation. That would be okay, right?”
He might value the knights, but to Kersian, servants were insignificant beings who could be replaced at any time. Aside from the butler, a few appropriate individuals would be kicked out. They were people who, despite being servants of the Duchy, had been loyal to Uriel instead of her.
“Of course. So, never bring up those words about leaving ever again.”
Kersian stroked Haela’s hair while holding her. With her head buried in his chest, Haela nodded obediently. At her submissive attitude, Kersian’s gaze softened. He couldn’t see it, but Haela’s face had turned stone cold, and her sunken gaze was shining sharply.
In her past life, Kersian was an actor and a brilliant con artist. But seeing him now while knowing it was a scam, she could think of nothing else but wanting to end this farce as soon as possible.
