My Husband Caught Me Having an Affair - Chapter 28

“It seems something did happen, after all.”

“No, nothing happened.”

“Tell me the truth. Something unpleasant happened, didn’t it? Was it Marchioness Leroy again?” Ethan asked, specifically mentioning Nadia.

I couldn’t help but be surprised. ‘How does he know? Did he see something?’

No, if he had seen it, he wouldn’t be asking. The fact that he said “again” meant this had happened before. Camille must have told Ethan about it in the past.

‘Not that it mattered; Ethan probably brushed it off back then. It’s obvious.’

So, upon hearing that I cried when asked about the ball, he must have concluded that Nadia had said something unpleasant again. It was a reasonable guess, and it did happen.

But I wasn’t about to admit it. I hadn’t cried because of that, and I didn’t want to look like a tattletale running to her husband about a fight with other women.

Besides, I didn’t like that Ethan was suddenly showing concern. Was he starting to feel sorry for Camille?

If he remembered, it must have been something Camille mentioned multiple times. Honestly, it felt like, ‘Why start caring now?’

“Just tell me. I won’t get mad. I’m right, aren’t I?”

I scoffed. “Mad? Even if your guess is correct, why would you get mad?”

“What? No, that’s not what I meant…”

“I don’t understand why you’re suddenly interested in this. You never cared before, whether I cried or not.”

I turned my back on him, my voice cold. “I’m tired. I’m going to sleep now. Please leave.”

“Camille. Wait.”

Ethan grabbed my shoulder, seemingly desperate. His large hand and strong grip made my heart skip a beat, and I couldn’t help but yell and shake him off.

“What are you doing!”

Ethan looked shocked, his eyes wide.

“You startled me by grabbing me like that,” I said defensively, feeling embarrassed.

As I’ve said many times, being alone in a dimly lit bedroom with a man was extremely nerve-wracking for me. The fact that the man was exceptionally handsome made it even more so.

Ethan remained silent, his gaze fixed on my hands as I adjusted my robe.

“Anyway, I’m going to sleep. You should go to bed, too.”

“……”

“Ethan?”

“…Alright.”

He said curtly, then turned abruptly and left the bedroom.

‘Did I go too far?’

I wondered if I had been too harsh, considering he might have come out of genuine concern.

“No, it’s not like he seriously cared about me,” I reassured myself.

Besides, my goal was to divorce Ethan. If he became more distant from me, it would be beneficial.

I took off my robe and crawled into bed.

***

Ethan returned to his study with a grim expression. As he opened the door, Jacques was waiting inside.

“Did you find out anything?”

“Yes, sir. You were right. It seems the Duchess had an argument with Marchioness Leroy at the ball last night.”

Ethan’s eyebrow twitched slightly at this. “What exactly were they arguing about?”

“According to witnesses, the Duchess made some derogatory remarks about the late Marquis Leroy, mocking the Marchioness’s situation. When Countess Mardere and Lady Laforette protested, the Duchess retorted that they had frequently insulted her in the past.”

“Frequently? Have those women been tormenting Camille regularly?”

“Actually, it appears that way,” Jacques began to explain. For the past five years, those three women had been consistently harassing Camille. Their comments were often borderline offensive, clearly intended to demean and ridicule her.

While Ethan maintained an expressionless face, his eyes grew sharper as he listened.

“And what happened next?”

“In the end, all three women bowed their heads and apologized to the Duchess.”

“That’s all?”

“Yes.”

Ethan stared silently at a spot on his desk. Jacques shrugged and continued, “It seems this incident is unrelated to what you were concerned about.”

Ethan looked at Jacques, his gaze intense. “How can you be so sure?”

“People said the Duchess remained calm throughout the entire exchange. It was Marchioness Leroy who appeared visibly upset. By all accounts, the Duchess came out on top in that confrontation.”

“Just because she appeared composed doesn’t mean she was unaffected. Have you confirmed this with Camille?”

“Well, no… not directly.”

Jacques felt slightly bewildered. He couldn’t understand why Ethan seemed so upset. Typically, Ethan would be indifferent to such matters, only showing interest during the recent infidelity suspicion.

‘Did something else happen?’ Jacques wondered. Ethan had appeared agitated since entering the study.

“So, what should we do about it?” Jacques asked.

“That’s enough for now. I’ll handle the rest,” Ethan replied.

Though curious about what Ethan intended to do, Jacques simply responded, “Yes, sir.”

As he turned to leave, Ethan suddenly asked, “By the way, Jacques, you’re married, aren’t you?”

‘What brought this on?’ Jacques thought, surprised. The way Ethan phrased it made it sound like an afterthought.

“Yes, I got married last year.”

“And how is your relationship with your wife?”

“It’s…fine, I suppose.”

“Do you… regularly… you know, engage in marital… activities?”

“……”

Jacques’ eyes narrowed in a curious manner. “Why are you asking this all of a sudden?”

“That’s none of your concern. Just answer the question,” Ethan replied uncomfortably.

It felt odd to be questioned about his marital life, but Jacques answered without further comment. “Well, I suppose as often as anyone else.”

“What does that mean exactly?”

“Maybe once every two or three days.”

“That much?” Ethan asked, surprised. “Do most people do it that frequently?” Ethan muttered to himself, seemingly unaware of Jacques’ scrutiny.

“We’re still newlyweds, after all. For people of higher status, things might be different. But why do you ask?”

“……”

Ethan remained silent again, and Jacques waited.

“So, you’ve never had your wife react with shock when you touched her?” Ethan asked.

Now Jacques felt he understood. The Duke and Duchess were known to have a distant relationship, and they still hadn’t produced an heir.

‘It was assumed the Duke kept his distance, but maybe it’s the other way around?’ Jacques thought. Or perhaps Ethan had made an attempt after a long time and was rejected. This would have been unimaginable with the Duchess in those old days, but lately, she had become increasingly difficult to read.

“Does the Duchess refuse to engage in marital relations?”

“…If that were the case, I wouldn’t feel so aggrieved.”

“Pardon?”

Ethan frowned, saying nothing. He hadn’t gone to Camille’s bedroom with any particular intention, and grabbing her shoulder had been a reflexive action. Yet, she reacted as if he had done something terribly inappropriate. It left him feeling quite frustrated.

The image of Camille tightly clutching her robe, as if to shield herself from him, was still vivid in his mind.

‘Damn it, who said I was going to lay a hand on her?’

He should have snapped back and corrected her misunderstanding on the spot. Now, he felt a strong need to release this pent-up frustration. Ethan stood up abruptly.

“Prepare the carriage.”

“At this hour?” Jacques asked.

Without replying, Ethan left the study. Jacques, puzzled, followed him out.