My Husband Caught Me Having an Affair - Chapter 22

“……”

Ethan remained silent, his gaze lowered, lost in thought.

‘He’s been acting strange today. Is something wrong?’ I wondered, but couldn’t think of anything specific. Shaking my head, I decided not to dwell on it. There were already plenty of things to worry about.

The carriage was filled with silence all the way to the Viscount Rochefort’s estate.

***

With my hand resting on Ethan’s arm, we entered the ballroom, and all eyes turned towards us. There were murmurs and gasps of surprise from various corners of the room. Even without hearing their words, I could guess the topics of their whispered conversations. They were undoubtedly astonished to see us together, debating the truth behind the rumors.

“Everyone seems quite surprised,” I whispered to Ethan, bringing my face close to his. Although Camille was quite tall, Ethan’s height made me have to look up significantly.

“We expected this reaction. Just act natural and composed,” Ethan instructed.

“I know,” I replied, pressing closer to him. I felt Ethan flinch slightly.

“…What are you doing?” he asked.

“You told me to act natural,” I reminded him.

“But we don’t usually stand this close,” he pointed out.

“Really? Well, I thought it would be best to look as affectionate as possible. Wasn’t that the plan?” I tilted my head and looked up at him.

“……”

When our eyes met, Ethan quickly looked away.

“Your expression is too stiff. People might get the wrong idea. Try to smile a bit,” I suggested.

“……”

Despite my words, Ethan’s face remained rigid. I sighed quietly.

“Duke Dumont, Duchess,” a voice called out. I turned to see Viscount Rochefort approaching us. He seemed a bit out of breath, having hurried over upon seeing us.

“Ah, Viscount Rochefort. Thank you for inviting us today,” I said with a bright smile.

“No, no, the pleasure is mine. It’s an honor to have you here,” Viscount Rochefort replied, bowing his head and then glancing at Ethan.

I nudged Ethan’s side. A slight crease appeared between his brows.

“…Thank you for the warm welcome, Viscount Rochefort,” Ethan said reluctantly.

“Oh, not at all. It’s my pleasure, Duke,” Viscount Rochefort replied, bowing repeatedly. I couldn’t help but worry he might strain his neck with such enthusiastic nodding.

“He’s been looking forward to this event for days. He doesn’t attend these gatherings often, so he must be excited,” I added.

“What are you…?” Ethan started to protest, frowning. I jabbed him in the side again.

“Oh, there’s no need to be embarrassed. We’re here to enjoy ourselves,” I said, meeting Ethan’s eyes with a cheerful smile. He sighed softly and said nothing.

Viscount Rochefort looked at us with a somewhat bewildered expression.

“Is something wrong?” I asked.

“No, it’s just that you two seem so close,” he replied.

“Well, of course. We are married, after all,” I said.

“Ah, yes. Indeed, you are,” Viscount Rochefort agreed with a chuckle.

‘It seems our plan is working,’ I thought. Since we entered the ballroom, people’s gazes had remained fixed on us. Those nearby were discreetly listening in on our conversation, even if they didn’t openly stare.

‘To onlookers, it might seem like I’m the one clinging to Ethan… but that’s nothing new.’

This should help dispel the rumors about me having an affair with Liam and being confined to the house.

“By the way, where is the Viscountess?” I asked.

“Oh, she was around here just a moment ago… I’m sorry, please wait a moment. I’ll go find her right away,” Viscount Rochefort said, ready to dash off.

“No, that’s not necessary. She must be busy hosting the event. I’ll greet her when we meet later. Don’t worry about it,” I reassured him.

“Oh, thank you for your understanding,” he replied.

“Viscount Rochefort, may I have a word?” Ethan interjected.

Viscount Rochefort blinked in surprise. “Of course, Duke. What is it?”

Ethan looked back at me. “I have some business matters to discuss with the Viscount. Can you wait for a while?”

“Of course. Don’t worry about me,” I said with a smile.

Ethan and Viscount Rochefort moved to a corner of the ballroom.

‘Now, then…’

As I turned to find something to drink, a group of women approached me, as if they had been waiting for this moment.

“Duchess Dumont,” greeted three young women around Camille’s age.

One had red hair with freckles scattered across her nose, another had droopy eyes with a beauty mark below her lip, and the third was tall and voluptuous, much like Camille. All of them matched the descriptions Audrey had given me.

“Ah, Marchioness Leroy, Countess Mardere, Lady Laforette,” I greeted them, meeting each of their eyes.

“It’s been a while. Are you well now?” Marchioness Nadia Leroy asked with a smile.

“Yes, thanks for your concern,” I replied.

“We were really worried. The last time we saw you at a party, you looked perfectly fine. It wasn’t a serious illness, was it?” Nadia asked, her heavily made-up eyes widening in mock concern.

‘Oh, look at this one,’ I thought, barely suppressing a bitter smile.

Marchioness Nadia Leroy also appeared in the original story. She lost her husband a few years after they married. In her maiden days, she was nearly as prominent a socialite as Camille. But Ethan had chosen Camille, and Nadia, begrudgingly, settled for the Marquis Leroy. Since then, she had subtly tormented Camille and, after the Marquis died in an accident, openly flirted with Ethan. Naturally, Ethan never reciprocated and always rejected her coldly.

‘She’s harbored ill feelings towards Camille for a long time. She probably thought she was no less than Camille but ended up losing Ethan and becoming just a marchioness. No wonder she’s bitter.’

In high society, it was common to insult someone with a smiling face, but Nadia’s comment was barely disguised. It was almost an outright jab. Camille, naive as she was, wouldn’t have had the knack for dealing with such underhanded comments.

‘If the insults were too subtle, Camille wouldn’t understand, or if they were blatant, she wouldn’t know how to counter them. She’d just turn red with anger, and Nadia would feign innocence, saying she didn’t mean it that way, then laugh behind her back.’

I could easily picture the scenario.

As I remained silent, Countess Berenice Mardere and Lady Marianne Laforette joined in.

“Today’s dress is quite different from what you usually wear. Is it because it’s been a while since you attended a party?”

“Perhaps it’s because you’re attending with the Duke. He’s such a dignified man.”

“Oh my,” they giggled, covering their mouths.

They’re getting along splendidly. They must have been bored while I was confined.

But too bad for them. They’re not dealing with the same Camille anymore.

“You’re unusually quiet today. Are you still feeling unwell?” Nadia asked, feigning concern.

I shook my head slightly and smiled. “No, as I said, I’m perfectly fine now.”

“Oh, that’s a relief,” Nadia said, her voice dripping with insincerity.

“All thanks to him. He took such good care of me, ensuring I could focus solely on my recovery. Whenever I couldn’t sleep at night due to the fever, he would change the cold compresses himself and hold my hand until I fell asleep. I’m really grateful to him,” I said.

“……”

The women’s eyes widened in disbelief. It was only natural. Anyone who knew Ethan even a little would know that such a scenario was impossible.

“That’s… surprising. I never imagined the Duke could be so tender,” Berenice said, blinking in astonishment.

“He might seem aloof, but he’s actually very warm to those he cares about,” I replied.

This wasn’t a lie. In fact, Ethan was destined to be an incredibly affectionate father to Elodie.

“Even so, it’s hard to believe given the Duke I’ve seen. To be honest, it’s not easy to accept,” Nadia said, frowning slightly. The other two women nodded quickly.

“I understand why Marchioness Leroy would find it hard to believe. That’s why I mentioned ‘those he cares about,’” I said with a sweet smile.

Nadia’s face hardened at my words.