TYWAUOM 119

Chapter 119

When Daphne treated Cliff, her old friend, like some stroke of fortune, Graham frowned. Then, all of a sudden, Daphne pointed her finger at Graham and Marisa, shifting her arrows toward the married couple.

“You two… especially you, Graham. How could you possibly marry Marisa? You told me you would love me forever! You should have kept looking for me. You should have protected me.”

“……”

“Marisa, you’re the same. Did you think I wouldn’t know? You liked Graham ever since you were a child. Be honest. Weren’t you secretly glad when I disappeared? Didn’t you laugh inside, thinking you had finally gotten your chance?”

“……”

“And do you think I ever imagined I would meet you like this? I was just as shocked! Never in my wildest dreams did I think Cliff would be connected to the two of you!”

Graham, who had stayed silent even through her absurd accusations, stiffened the moment Daphne started targeting Marisa. And as soon as she finished speaking, he spoke with an icy gaze and a low, deliberate voice that sent chills down her spine.

“Daphne, listen.”

“……”

“Don’t ever speak that way to Marisa again. After you left, Marisa was the one who kept me standing. To me, she’s more precious than anyone else in this world—she’s my wife. And yet you dare use such words about her… Watch your tongue, or I don’t know how I’ll react. Do you understand?”

“……”

“And let’s be honest. Has Cliff never once mentioned us? Never once said my name, Marisa’s name, or the Parden family? Can you swear to that?”

Startled by the side of Graham she had never seen before—the foolish boy she once knew now frightening in his seriousness—Daphne faltered and, almost involuntarily, nodded.

“… He… he did.”

“And yet you claim you never knew we were connected? In this Empire, there’s only one person who bears the name Graham Parden.”

“I only realized it late. That’s the truth. Actually, the Marquis… Cliff, he first approached me pretending to be a commoner. Back then, he never once mentioned your names.”

That much was true. When Cliff first met Daphne, he had deliberately hidden his identity. His acting had been flawless, but the clothes he wore and the air about him gave him away. It took Daphne less than two hours to realize the man in front of her was no peasant but a wealthy noble in disguise.

Of course, she had no intention of confessing this to Graham or Marisa. Instead, she squeezed out tears and lied smoothly.

“Graham, your name only came out of Cliff’s mouth after our relationship deepened! After he… after Cliff fell deeply in love with me!”

Her wide eyes spilled tears beneath strands of pale lemon-blonde hair, a picture of sincerity. But Graham remained unmoved.

“And so?”

“What? What do you mean ‘so’…?”

“No matter when you learned, the moment you did, you should have left him. Instead, you vanished only to reappear, shamelessly declaring you’d marry my closest friend? Have you lost your mind?”

“I had no choice. Truly, I couldn’t…”

“You never have a choice, do you? Nothing is ever your fault.”

Daphne hadn’t expected Graham to be so cold. Flustered, she stamped her feet helplessly, then tried appealing to old feelings.

“G-Graham, why are you acting like this? You weren’t this frightening before, right?”

“Do you think I’ll be swayed by that expression? Don’t delude yourself, Daphne. You’re no longer my precious first love. You’re no longer my childhood friend.”

“……”

“Right now, Cliff matters more to me than anything, and I will never betray him. So go and tell him the truth…”

But even that warning seemed useless. Graham looked ready to confess everything to Cliff himself, and Marisa silently stood by his side. Cornered, Daphne’s eyes briefly flicked to Marisa’s belly before she finally revealed the card she had been saving.

“I’m pregnant.”

The day she realized Cliff’s childhood friends knew her past, Daphne abandoned her act of purity and allowed him into her bed. Cliff, unable to resist despite his guilt, gave in to his desire. Just as she planned, Daphne soon confirmed she was with child.

“It’s Cliff’s baby.”

Though their relationship had been short, Daphne knew very well how obsessed Cliff was with family. Scarred by his own family’s ruin over land disputes, he had sworn countless times to be the perfect father to his future children.

Originally, I intended to use this only if my past came to light…

Watching him closely, Daphne realized Cliff would never abandon his own child. That knowledge made her pregnancy the trump card she was certain would protect her. And yet… the word perfect nagged at her. Those who chased perfection often destroyed flawed plans entirely, starting over from scratch.

Still… this is my safest bet.

That was why Daphne had kept her greatest weapon hidden until now. But after talking with Graham and Marisa, she decided which side of the table to play it on.

“Graham, Marisa—you’ll soon be parents too. To a child, parents are the most precious thing in the world. Without one, the child… is bound to be unhappy.”

Though they remained cold, Graham and Marisa couldn’t completely hide their compassion. When Daphne spoke of a lost first child, their first reaction had been sorrow.

Rene may have her flaws as a bride, but she’s still the Marchioness. And me? Pregnant, and having run away with another man? If my past is revealed, the marriage will likely collapse—and even if it doesn’t, Cliff will never cherish me as before.

Daphne couldn’t afford to lose Cliff. For her marriage, for her future, she desperately tried to stir their sympathy.

“Please, for this child’s sake, overlook it just this once. Let me give this baby a complete family. I beg you… I’ll even kneel. Help me, so this child can live as happily as yours will.”

Were Graham and Marisa older, more experienced, they might have seen through her pitiful act. But they were still young, inexperienced, clinging to memories of a childhood friend.

“…Stand up. It isn’t good to kneel while pregnant.”

In the end, Graham and Marisa chose to cover Daphne’s past. The guilt of deceiving Cliff weighed heavily on them, but the words pregnant and old friendship tipped the scale.

Yet, no secret remains hidden forever. Their silence that day was a choice they would come to regret.

Cliff and “Rene’s” wedding was a grand affair. As expected, whispers abounded about the obscure, possibly lowborn bride. But within less than a year, when Rene gave birth to Ian, the murmurs subsided somewhat. With time, while gossip remained behind closed doors, no one dared openly insult the Marchioness.

“Graham! How’s the Countess doing?”

“She says she feels much heavier than before. I’m worried.”

“That’s your fault. Another pregnancy, without considering her body? Two sons aren’t enough for you?”

Five years had already passed since Cliff’s wedding. In House Parden, after Edward came Daniel. Yet Graham and Marisa didn’t stop there—they conceived again, despite Marisa’s busy schedule managing both household and business affairs.

“Stay out of my family matters. Marisa and I planned long ago to have at least three children.”

“Fine, suit yourself.”

Meanwhile, in House Lloyd, four years after Ian’s birth, news of another child finally came. Cliff, anxious during the long wait, rejoiced as though flying when he heard the news. Graham and Marisa congratulated him, though shadows lingered on their faces.

“This time, I hope it’s a girl.”

“You too, Graham? Same here. Ian takes after me, perhaps—that’s why he seems too mature for his age. I’d love a sweet little girl who resembles Rene.”

“I’ll agree Ian is mature, but are you saying you’re mature?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Despite the secret weighing on them, House Lloyd and House Parden were so close they were almost called brother houses. Cliff, in particular, abandoned the chance to join the powerful old nobility and instead remained politically neutral, often supporting Graham. Thanks to him, House Parden gained influence among the rising noble faction.

“Remember our promise? If you have a daughter this time, we’ll wed her to Ian.”

“And if it’s another son?”

“Then he can marry my daughter.”

“So certain it will be a girl, are you?”

“I have a feeling.”

Unlike their husbands, who met almost every other day, Marisa and Rene rarely interacted outside of the biweekly family dinners. Though not close, raising sons of similar age drew them closer than before.

“Say, once the children are born, shouldn’t we increase our family dinners? Twice a week, perhaps. Let the children grow up closer.”

“No. There are political eyes everywhere. We already meet often enough.”

“You’ll never get anywhere worrying about that endlessly. Besides, Rene and your wife still feel a little distant.”

“…I’ll mention it to Marisa. But don’t expect too much.”

Cliff often wished his wife and Marisa could be as close as he and Graham were, and suggested more dinners. But Graham, burdened by the secret he carried, could only make excuses.