CHAPTER 155…………………………………….
“Here are the things you mentioned last time.”
“Thanks, Xerox.”
Adele, sitting in the study, took the documents Xerox handed her.
When Caiden, who was there with her, immediately scowled, Xerox startled and stepped back. Caiden’s gaze had never been gentle toward him, but today it was unusually sharp.
It was as if he were some insect that mustn’t even touch Adele’s fingertips—his glare was icy.
Just a look from him was enough to dig into a person’s mind and leave marks.
“Did I mess up again?”
No matter how much he thought, the only thing he’d done in this room was breathe.
Xerox cautiously edged backward, keeping his eyes on them.
It was a bit far to talk with Adele, but Caiden’s glare was definitely less severe now.
“For now, the place that handles the most goods in the capital is indeed the Oren Trading House. Most of its branches are closed due to the princess’s situation, but back when the duke was in power, it was remarkable.”
“When did the duke start losing his mind like that?”
“About three years ago, when his daughter’s condition worsened. Losing an only daughter at such a young age left the duke inconsolable.”
“…Then that woman must have taken over the trading house from that point.”
Adele scrolled through the documents, rolling her finger across them. What she really wanted to know wasn’t in these papers anyway.
“If Chloe was running the trading house, she must have handled things that weren’t for sale as well?”
“Probably. Any rare artifacts that were difficult to put on the market, I’d imagine she dealt with them. Are you looking for something specific?”
“…No, you can go.”
Xerox’s curiosity flared briefly, but Caiden growled fiercely.
What, you’re not leaving?
Under the pressure of Caiden’s glare, Xerox hesitated and quickly retreated, almost running.
Well, if it was something Adele wanted, the fastest way to find it would be to dig through the Sergio family’s warehouse—no need to look elsewhere.
What kind of family is the Sergio family anyway?
They’re the kind that builds a warehouse over treasures, not the kind that keeps treasures in a warehouse.
If those treasures existed somewhere in the world, they’d find them somehow and stash them in the warehouse.
“…Caiden, stop it already. If you keep this up, Xerox will shrivel up and die.”
“But sister…”
“This isn’t a disease.”
As soon as Xerox left the room, Adele sighed and shot Caiden a sharp look.
Does he really think a pregnant woman’s body turns to pudding?
Since that day, he seemed to have taken it upon himself to make sure not even a speck of dust touched her.
“But sister, you have to be careful. If you’re too close to germs like Xerox, and the air gets contaminated, it could be bad for the baby…”
“It’s not contagious.”
“Hmm…”
Adele cut him off, but Caiden still looked skeptical.
He had never been able to leave his sister alone, and now with an unknown nephew, all his attention was focused there.
The problem was that most of his common sense was extremely exaggerated and extreme.
“You’ll get caught by Father at this rate. Stop it.”
“I was just…”
“Uncle Caiden, what do you think about your niece wanting to get some sleep now?”
“Ah, got it.”
Seeing Caiden flustered like that… Adele couldn’t help but find it amusing. The boy had only ever looked that panicked once—at his own wedding—but now he kept swallowing dryly several times a day.
Was it really that surprising?
Even Adele herself couldn’t fully feel it or adjust to it, so her younger brother’s reactions reminded her anew that a new life was growing inside her.
If Caiden, usually fierce, reacted this way, she couldn’t help but wonder how another person she knew would react.
That man… no, what about your dad?
Adele placed her hand on her belly as she looked at the dim evening moon.
According to the original plan, she would have talked about the baby in the Glass Garden, so by now they would have been together.
He’s usually so indifferent, but maybe he would have been a little excited. Not dramatically, but he would have at least stayed by her side if she touched her belly.
…Yes, surely he would have.
“My little one.”
She softly called to the child in her womb.
The child hadn’t done anything wrong, yet she felt as if her stubbornness had taken away the warmth of its father.
She had rarely felt guilt in her life, but strangely, when she thought of the baby, everything felt like it needed apology.
When Adele looked up at the sky, the moonlight had quietly spread, as soft as the man’s hair.
“There isn’t much time left now.”
