Chapter 22
“The Marquis, I mean—my husband’s in the same gentlemen’s club as him. But apparently, he hasn’t been showing up lately. Maybe he doesn’t know the meeting day changed?”
“The day changed?”
“Yes. The regular Friday meeting was moved to Wednesday. They said Fridays are better spent with family. Could you let the Marquis of Wolfhaze know for us?”
“Oh, really? Since when?”
“It’s been a while. Around three months, I think?”
My heart plummeted straight to the floor.
If these women had gathered today with the goal of wounding me, then that one sentence had accomplished it perfectly.
Hayden still attended the gentlemen’s club that met on Fridays.
Even today, he’d told me he’d be home late because of a club meeting.
Which meant only one thing—Hayden had lied to me.
“I’ll let him know myself,” I replied smoothly, with a calm smile.
Only then did the ladies lose interest in my so-called perfect husband.
Well, at least I had managed to keep up the image of a happy, flawless couple.
Even as bitter self-disgust welled inside me, I kept smiling.
By the time the afternoon waned and the meeting finally ended, I had played the role of the blissful Marchioness of Wolfhaze to perfection.
Even after parting with the ladies in the hotel lounge, I couldn’t bring myself to leave.
Tonight, of all nights, I couldn’t bear the thought of waiting for Hayden to come home.
Maybe the club just moved to another location?
It wasn’t necessarily the same one the Count of Dazellan attended.
Perhaps he’d joined another that met on Fridays.
Desperate to come up with excuses for him, I sank into one of the lounge sofas.
More than anything, I needed proof—proof that Hayden wasn’t spending his Friday evenings on something else.
The problem was, there was no way to get that proof without being discovered by either Hayden or others.
What should I do?
For a moment, I considered asking him directly.
But the thought of hearing an answer that would crush me stopped me cold.
All of this—
It was all because of that cursed rumor and that phone call.
Whoever made that malicious call had gotten exactly what they wanted.
I could no longer trust my husband.
Drawing a deep breath, I exhaled shakily, unable to steady myself.
My mind raced, but I couldn’t think clearly.
“Ah!”
I bit my nails so hard that the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.
Part of me wanted to investigate every gentlemen’s club that met on Fridays.
But that would only invite scandal—
and that was the last thing I needed.
“I didn’t expect to run into you here again.”
A familiar voice came from beside me.
Startled, I looked up—and there stood Eugene, leaning casually as he gazed down at me.
“Eugene.”
His sleek black hair, his neat, handsome features, and those strange violet eyes fixed on me.
The moment I saw him, an intense impulse seized me.
“Judging by your face, you didn’t come here hoping to see me again.”
Eugene smirked. I ignored pride and propriety alike.
“Help me.”
His dark brows twitched slightly.
“Please—do me a favor.”
The violet in his eyes deepened, his gaze sweeping over me—
and then stopped on my bloodied nails.
For an instant, his eyes gleamed, the corners crinkling.
“For you? Anything.”
A surge of unease came too late, but I had no room to reconsider now.
“Can you find out which gentlemen’s clubs meet on Friday evenings?”
“Of course. I can find that out.”
Eugene’s smile curved wider.
“But if I do—what will you give me in return?”
Eugene led me straight to his office.
Once there, he ordered Elder, who had been working on some paperwork, to investigate all gentlemen’s clubs that met on Fridays.
“Gentlemen’s clubs? Why the sudden interest? You hate those.”
Elder gave me a sidelong glance, then looked back at Eugene.
Eugene replied with a crooked grin.
“Call it a term of a deal.”
Catching on immediately, Elder glanced between us and shrugged.
“Well, if you’re interested, every club in the city will roll out the red carpet. It won’t be hard to get info, but it might take a bit of time.”
“If it’ll take time, maybe try lifting that heavy backside sooner rather than later.”
“Ooh, scary.”
Eugene’s mock-threat earned only a lazy surrender from Elder, who raised both hands and stood.
Their banter made it clear—they weren’t in a typical boss-and-employee relationship.
“Whatever you want, you’ll have it within the hour,” Eugene said casually as Elder left. “He might look easygoing, but he’s good at his job.”
As the elevator doors closed behind Elder, Eugene leaned back comfortably on the sofa and jerked his chin toward the opposite seat.
I sat down and, without thinking, started biting my nails again.
“You still have that habit when you’re nervous,” Eugene said with a small laugh.
I lifted my gaze from the floor to him. When our eyes met mid-air, something strange twisted in my chest.
“You remember that?”
It was little more than a murmur to myself, and Eugene didn’t answer.
But I wondered—just as I hadn’t been able to forget him, maybe he hadn’t forgotten me either.
He picked up a cigarette from a silver case and held it between his lips.
After flipping open his lighter with a click, he glanced at me, then quietly set it back down without lighting it.
“If you want to smoke, you can.”
It felt absurd to have him offer me permission to smoke in his own office,
and I didn’t want that kind of consideration anyway.
Eugene shrugged and placed the unlit cigarette on the table.
“Nice necklace,” he remarked idly. “Very… marchioness-like.”
His words made me instinctively touch the pendant.
The fact that he saw right through my intention—wearing it purely for show—made me flush with embarrassment.
I resisted the urge to hide it, forcing my hand to stay still.
“Oh! Vivi must be waiting for me.”
I suddenly remembered I’d told her to wait outside. She’d surely start worrying if I didn’t return soon.
“Your attendant?”
When I nodded, Eugene picked up the phone on his side table.
“Should I tell her to wait? Or to go home?”
I bit my lip, unsure which was the lesser evil.
“What’s there to think about? You’re worried someone might find out you’re here with me?”
“Tell her… to go home.”
Before I even finished, Eugene had already dialed.
After a few brief instructions, he set the receiver down again and turned his gaze back to me—deep and unwavering, as if he could see right through me.
My heart pounded.
“What happened to that boldness you had before?” he murmured.
“Is this all that’s left now—a frightened marchioness?”
I let out a long, shaky sigh.
I never should have asked Eugene for help. The regret hit me hard.
How long had it even been since I’d shouted at him with such confidence?
Now, all I’d done was prove that it was nothing more than empty bravado.
“Or maybe,” he said, tilting his head, “this is just another side of married life?”
He chuckled to himself. I frowned, glaring at him.
“Is this fun for you?”
“Not really. If that’s what married life looks like, I’d rather stay ignorant.”
The teasing tone in his voice infuriated me.
I wanted to punch that smug mouth of his, but I couldn’t—not when I was the one asking for his help.
Maybe sensing my irritation, Eugene let out a low laugh.
I scowled and rummaged through my bag, pulling out a handkerchief, then placed it on the table between us.
He raised an eyebrow.
“The handkerchief I lent you.”
“Ah. I’d forgotten.”
Eugene smirked and picked it up.
“You took your time returning it.”
“…I wanted to wash it first.”
He lifted the handkerchief to his nose and inhaled deeply.
I froze, dumbfounded.
“What are you doing?”
“Nothing. It just… smells like you.”
He added that absurd excuse with a grin and slipped the handkerchief into his inner pocket.
“Are you insane?”
“What if I am?”
The words burst out of me before I could stop them, genuine disbelief coloring my voice.
Eugene didn’t even blink. His violet eyes slanted slightly as they raked over me—unyielding, piercing.
“You really are crazy, aren’t you?”
“Should a marchioness be using such vulgar language?”
“Then maybe don’t act like a lunatic!”
I snapped, eyes squeezed shut, and Eugene’s amused laugh rang through the room.
I couldn’t help it—I laughed too, breathless and incredulous.
My savior, the one who’d once disappeared from my life, had returned—
as a madman.
And with that, I reached a new conclusion.
I slowly shook my head.
(To be continued…)
