Chapter 102
“Are you an idiot?”
Elaina strode briskly down the corridor. She was so furious that every step she took sent her heels crashing loudly against the wooden floor.
Idiot. Fool. The most arrogant man to ever walk this earth. Bastard.
They said that when anger grows too deep, tears follow—and Elaina was experiencing it firsthand.
“You said it meant nothing. That I was just a hindrance.”
He’d claimed he would provide generous alimony, acting as though they would never see each other again.
“And now you say it was all to protect me?”
She clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into the soft flesh of her palms. She wanted to storm straight to the grand duke’s residence, grab him by the collar, and shake him until he told her everything he had been hiding and enduring on his own.
She was furious. She had believed—truly believed—that she had been of help to Lyle. For ten long years, he had wandered without a home, and she wanted to be the shade where he could finally rest. No—she thought she already was that person to him.
But that damned man hadn’t relied on her even a little.
He would shoulder all the danger himself. Endure it alone. Bear it all on his own. And she was supposed to remain ignorant, simply being “protected”?
By what right did he decide all of that by himself?
“Sniff… hic…!”
Overwhelmed by resentment, her tears finally spilled over.
Why didn’t he understand?
Just as he worried about her, she too feared that Lyle might get hurt.
At last, Elaina collapsed into a corner of the corridor and burst into tears like a child. By a cruel twist of fate, it was the very spot where Lyle had once proposed to her.
As the weather turned chilly, the Harvest Festival Ball was held. Normally, attention would be drawn to the debutantes who had been presented just weeks earlier, but unfortunately—or perhaps fortunately—the star of the evening was someone else.
That person was Elaina Grant.
Or perhaps, in the near future, Elaina Winchester once more—the Grand Duchess.
After suddenly fleeing the grand duke’s residence and returning to her family home, she had shut herself indoors for over a month. As a result, rumors about the couple’s relationship ran rampant.
And yet, despite refusing to attend any social events—or even go out at all—Elaina had suddenly announced her intention to attend the Harvest Festival Ball. Thanks to that, this year’s ball was more crowded than ever, packed to the point where there was barely room to stand.
Those in attendance remembered clearly what had happened around this time the previous year. In their memories, Elaina had always been the proactive one in her relationship with Grand Duke Grant. After all, if it hadn’t been for her determination, it would have been impossible for the declining Grant family to form a marital alliance with the powerful Winchester family.
People had whispered that it was a ridiculous match from the start, but surprisingly, the marriage between the mismatched pair had gone rather smoothly.
Elaina looked genuinely happy, and by her side, the dark and gloomy air that had once clung to Lyle Grant gradually faded. Ever since taking Elaina as his wife, it was as if divine favor had descended upon him—nothing but good fortune followed.
“Men are all the same. Once their purses grow full, they start entertaining other thoughts.”
“No matter what, isn’t this too cruel? The Grant family only recovered this much thanks to the Grand Duchess and the Winchester family.”
Many sensed that something fatal had gone wrong between Lyle and Elaina. The easiest conclusion to draw was another woman. The fact that Elaina had returned to the Winchester household without taking anything with her spoke volumes about how sickened she was by the Grant family.
They cast sidelong glances toward one corner of the ballroom.
There stood Lyle Grant, dressed in a black tailcoat.
Despite being husband and wife, the two had not arrived together. Lyle had entered alone, and there was not a single trace of Elaina by his side.
That alone confirmed it—something was wrong between them. The gossipmongers expected Elaina to appear pale and broken. After all, how deeply wounded her pride must be, betrayed by the man she had once fallen for without even considering his status.
But contrary to their expectations, Elaina appeared holding her father’s hand, looking anything but pitiful or haggard.
“L-look at that.”
At Elaina’s entrance, a noblewoman gasped and grabbed the shoulder of the person beside her.
As always, Elaina appeared dazzlingly beautiful. She wore a gown that began in soft lavender at the top and gradually deepened into pink toward the hem. Her hair was swept up, revealing the graceful line of her neck, adorned with a pink necklace. Her relaxed, confident smile remained unchanged.
But what truly caught everyone’s eye was her left ring finger.
“T-there’s… a ring.”
“That ring—that’s definitely…”
It was the former grand duchess’s ring, the one Lyle Grant had given her when he proposed. Because of its significance, Elaina often wore it to important social events, and those with keen eyes recognized it immediately.
“What does this mean? If things had truly soured between her and the grand duke, she would never have worn that ring.”
As they spoke, their gazes naturally drifted to one person.
Lyle Grant, who had entered the ballroom separately as though they were strangers, stared at Elaina with a stiff expression, clearly taken aback by the situation.
People stared back and forth between Elaina and Lyle in stunned silence. A man who appeared having erased all traces of his wife, and a woman who arrived wearing her engagement ring. Whatever the truth, it was certain that something would happen here tonight.
After entering, Elaina scanned the room as if searching for someone. Then her gaze stopped. Smiling brightly, she greeted her father and walked toward him.
Click. Click.
With every step she took toward him, an eerie silence fell over the ballroom.
At last, she stopped in front of the man.
Elaina spoke to the man who stubbornly kept his mouth shut.
“It happens to be one of my favorite songs. If you’re not too busy, would you care to dance with me, Your Grace?”
Her eyes curved into a gentle crescent as she smiled.
A slow waltz in three-four time.
Moving his feet in rhythm, Lyle thought that he had experienced a situation like this once before.
Unlike himself, who couldn’t bring himself to smile, Elaina looked to be in high spirits. Unable to endure her reaction, Lyle finally spoke.
“Didn’t you hear the story from Nathan?”
“A story? What story would that be?”
She smiled faintly, lifting the corners of her lips. Lyle fell silent. That was the way she smiled when she was truly angry.
“That ridiculous story about how all of this was supposedly done to protect me?”
“Elaina.”
“You misjudged me, Your Grace.”
She addressed him as she had before marriage. Holding Lyle’s hand, she gently spun once.
“If I hated danger, I never would’ve married you in the first place. What really makes me angry is—”
Pretending it was a mistake, Elaina stepped hard on Lyle’s foot. For today, Lady Marbella had made her the highest heels she possibly could.
“That you never even considered trusting me.”
Lyle stared at her in silence. Her golden eyes—so long unseen—were scolding him.
“If you’re going to resent me, do it after everything is resolved. For now, just do as I say.”
Trust her?
If he could, he would have. No—right now, Lyle wanted nothing more than to tell her everything.
But his primal instincts rejected the idea.
Elaina did not understand his fear.
If he were to lose her, just like he had lost his entire family back then…
The mere thought made him a coward. This wasn’t a matter of trust for him.
As their eyes met, the emotions that had wavered within him gradually settled. With a gaze that had gone cold and still, Lyle spoke.
“Give up Nathan’s right to use the drug.”
“No. That will never happen.”
“Listen to me.”
“If you wanted an obedient wife, you shouldn’t have married me in the first place.”
Looking straight up at him, Elaina continued.
“Elaina.”
“You want to protect me? Then do so. But don’t assume I’ll cooperate with you. The last time I obediently followed your wishes was when I signed the divorce papers.”
She continued in a stubborn voice.
“I don’t know why you’re so terrified, but I’m not a child, Your Grace. I’m not so fragile that I need someone to protect me.”
“Only children need protection? That’s not true. I— No. Let me rephrase. Give up the drug usage rights.”
Elaina frowned.
“You really are stubborn. At this rate, asking you to dance was pointless.”
They were only running parallel lines, never finding common ground.
The music was nearing its end. Elaina let out a deep sigh.
“Fine. To be honest, I expected you to react this way.”
Leaning close, she whispered into Lyle’s ear.
“I gave you a chance—at least once. You’re the one who didn’t take it. So don’t be too surprised by whatever I do from here on out.”
With those words, Elaina stepped away from him. Facing Lyle, who stared at her with a rigid expression, she lifted her skirts and offered a graceful bow.
