Chapter 124
The man once again dripped poison into Cliff’s ear. Eaten away by the venom of suspicion and jealousy, Cliff turned his doubts into conviction, even as he saw Marisa standing right beside Graham with his own eyes.
A secret tryst between the two of them. How delightful that must be. Damn them both!
Blood welled up on his lower lip as he bit down hard, followed by the ominous grinding of his teeth. The man who hissed like a snake caught sight of Cliff’s eyes glinting with jealousy, smirked, and quickly slipped away.
Cliff, trembling uncontrollably, didn’t even realize the man beside him had vanished. At last, he could no longer restrain himself and straightened up. His bloodshot eyes turned toward the thicket. And then—
“You filthy wretches!”
Thud!
“Cliff!”
“Argh!”
Cliff’s fist smashed into Graham’s cheek.
“I knew it! I knew this would happen!”
“……”
“I told you it wouldn’t end with just once! And now again!”
Marisa, staring at her husband’s swollen cheek, burst out angrily. Graham winced at the sting, lowering his eyes as his wife glared.
“…You’re right. It didn’t end with just once.”
“Are you seriously talking about yourself like you’re someone else?”
The way he immediately backed down only made her angrier, and Marisa shouted again. Graham, silenced, dropped his head further.
“This can’t go on.”
Pressing her fingers to her temple, she shook her head. Enough was enough. She could no longer pay off the endlessly growing debts of the Lloyd family. She could no longer endure meeting Daphne, who always came crying and begging for her husband’s help.
“Never see Daphne again.”
Marisa’s voice was cold as she laid down her decision. But Graham raised his head and opened his mouth as though it was impossible to comply just yet.
“But Marisa, the situation right now—”
“Graham!”
She cut him off sharply, stepping right up to him. Her unblinking gaze was so anxious and strained that Graham’s eyes widened.
“I’m sorry to the Marquis as well. It pains me too. I feel guilty, like it’s partly my fault.”
“……”
“But this isn’t right. How long are you going to let guilt control you? Graham, do you even know how much money has already gone into this? If this keeps up, even the Parden Count’s household will be at risk.”
“……”
“And do you know what rumors are spreading outside right now? Disgusting rumors about you and Daphne! They’re spreading out of control!”
“They aren’t true. Marisa, you know that. It’s—”
“True or not, it doesn’t matter anymore!”
Marisa screamed, this time grabbing Graham by the collar. She poured out the feelings she had bottled up for so long.
“I never said anything until now… but I’m uncomfortable too. Regardless of whether I trust you or not, I hate seeing you with Daphne.”
She knew her husband had no ulterior motives. But she couldn’t stand watching Daphne cling to him in tears again and again. And she certainly couldn’t ignore the rumors in society. Even knowing they were malicious lies, simply hearing them made her nerves fray.
“Even to me… sometimes you two look like something more. That’s why there are rumors. Do you understand?”
The memory of Graham and Daphne’s past—something she thought she’d long forgotten—suddenly resurfaced, and she could no longer bear it. Marisa’s words broke into sobs before she realized it. Graham, startled at the sight of her tears, pulled her into his arms.
“All right.”
“……”
“I won’t meet Daphne anymore. I’ll stop helping the Lloyd family as well. So please, Marisa…”
That his wife saw him and Daphne that way hurt more than a hundred rumors ever could. Graham promised to erase every thought in his head and follow her will.
“Please, don’t cry. I’ll do as you say.”
Graham kept his promise. He never saw Daphne again. Marisa still met her occasionally, but offered far less help, and so the Lloyd Marquisate slowly and quietly declined.
It’s Ian’s birthday soon, isn’t it? Can’t we at least go give him a present?
Walking through the palace corridors, Graham recalled what Aisha had asked him that morning. Ian and Sophia—the children were the ones he worried about most in the Lloyd family.
He let out a deep sigh as he walked on—then froze. A familiar figure appeared ahead. Recognizing Cliff, Graham hesitated, then decided to avoid him. Surely Cliff hadn’t forgiven him yet.
“Going somewhere?”
Contrary to his expectations, Cliff acknowledged him. Startled, Graham stopped. Cliff smirked, arms crossed, and jerked his chin for him to follow. Graham wondered if he was about to get hit again, but reminded himself they were in the Imperial Palace. At the very least, he could defend himself to avoid public scandal.
“You’re looking well.”
In a secluded corner of the palace gardens, Cliff sneered. Graham, unable to meet his friend’s eyes, lowered his head—then stopped when he saw Cliff’s hand. Unless one looked closely, it was hard to notice, but the skin was deathly pale, the fingers trembling faintly even without exertion.
When Graham raised his head to look at Cliff’s face, he felt it instantly—something was terribly wrong.
“Where’s Daphne? I heard she met your wife yesterday. She never came home last night.”
Unaware of Graham’s scrutiny, Cliff asked abruptly. Graham studied the unstable flicker in his friend’s eyes before answering quickly, knowing it was a dangerous question.
“I don’t know.”
“And you expect me to believe that?”
It was the truth, but Cliff only scoffed. Trust in Graham was long gone. Graham thought to insist again, but feared it would backfire, and kept silent.
“Forget it. What’s the point of looking for a filthy woman like that. Pah!”
Spitting on the ground, Cliff twisted his lips into a sneer. Graham’s eyes widened in shock at the disgusting words about Daphne.
“Cliff, watch your mouth.”
“How tender you are.”
“……”
“I should have realized what you two were from the start. Damn it.”
“……”
“No need to pretend anymore. I don’t care. Roll around with that filthy wench all you like… Or wait, have you already tumbled in bed together?”
“You—!”
Graham roared, unable to contain himself at Cliff’s lewd laughter. His friend wasn’t just ruined by drink and gambling—there was something far worse.
“Cliff… what have you gotten yourself into!”
Despair washed over Graham as he seized Cliff by the collar. Up close, Cliff’s once-clear blue eyes were now clouded and vacant, confirming Graham’s fears.
“Let me go, you bastard!”
Thud.
Cliff shoved him off. But his arms were weak—wasted, unsteady, dulled by intoxication. Panting, he glared.
“Don’t look at me with that face. Don’t you dare!”
Graham could only stare in silence. Shock and rage were swallowed by guilt—guilt that he had, in part, driven his friend to this.
“Those eyes of yours… tch.”
Cliff spat again, this time dark blood mixed in. Yet he hardly seemed surprised, as if used to the sight of it, and straightened himself with labored breaths. At length, avoiding Graham’s gaze, he muttered:
“René… no, Daphne. I’ll accept your relationship with my wife. But in return…”
“……”
“You’d better compensate me. Hand over money—everything you’ve got.”
“What?”
Even considering his condition, the words were unthinkable. Graham stared at him, pale and wide-eyed in disbelief. Cliff, insulted by that look, scowled and—unable to suppress the symptoms of his addiction—spat out more.
“Why so shocked? You sleep with another man’s wife, you pay the price. Frankly, if money settles it, isn’t that cheap? Hah?”
“You bastard—!”
Crack!
The first time Graham had been too stunned to strike. But not the second. His fist shot forward without hesitation. Cliff crumpled easily. Graham leapt onto him, raising his fist again.
“You really are… utterly beyond saving.”
Blood trickled from Cliff’s nose. Pity never came—only disgust. Despair, anger, grief, and frustration tangled in Graham’s trembling voice. To think his friend had fallen this far, ruined by forbidden drink, spewing filth like this. The man pinned beneath him was no longer Cliff. Tears spilled down Graham’s face as he glared.
“I don’t feel sorry for you anymore. You’re insane. How dare you say something like that—”
“……”
“If you mean to live this way, then just die already! Stop tormenting others and just die!”
Cliff’s face twisted at the words, then went blank. His eyes turned vacant, expressionless. When Graham finally seemed to calm a little, Cliff tilted his head slightly, his voice chillingly devoid of emotion.
“So? Are you going to give me the money?”
<3