My Husband Caught Me Having an Affair - Chapter 32

“Then I’ll be on my way. Do whatever you were planning to do or not, it’s up to you.”

The door closed. Soon, the sound of the coachman’s “Yah” was followed by the carriage starting to move again.

‘… A complete defeat.’

He had thought he would always remain vigilant and never let down his guard. But had he, even for a moment, sympathized with Camille’s pitiful appearance? That brief lapse had allowed a fatal weakness to be exposed.

Whether Camille’s words were sincere or not, one thing was certain: she was no longer the woman she used to be, and she was someone not to be underestimated.

His mouth tasted bitter. He felt like abandoning everything and going home to see his wife, Ines. But that wasn’t an option.

Jacques sighed and reluctantly began walking back.

***

I leaned back against the carriage seat, mulling over what had just happened.

‘I wonder if it worked.’

Jacques, unlike the more emotionally driven Victor, was logical and cold, perhaps even more so than Ethan. That’s why I believed approaching him with rational persuasion rather than emotional appeal was the correct strategy.

However, convincing Jacques with logic alone was a daunting task from the start.

In the end, it was the same as with Ethan. I had to explain as plausibly as possible where I could, and for the rest, I had to target his weaknesses to prevent rebuttal.

‘Everyone knows how Ethan has always neglected Camille, after all.’

I played the role of the ‘poor wife neglected by her husband,’ thinking that a man like Jacques, especially as a subordinate, would find it difficult to press hard against such an emotional appeal. And indeed, it worked as anticipated.

But unlike with Victor, that alone wasn’t enough. I had to provide Jacques with just enough plausible explanations to satisfy him.

This led to the narrative that ‘initially, I was indeed immature, and only later did I decide to change. Meeting Liam was the decisive turning point.’

Of course, when scrutinized closely, it was a response full of holes. So, I played the part of the pitiful woman to prevent Jacques from having the chance to think too much about it.

Still, I couldn’t say it was all entirely an act. The more I talked, the more I found myself empathizing with Camille’s situation, and I genuinely felt anger towards Ethan and Jacques’s treatment.

The fact that Jacques didn’t deny my claims about being neglected or the attempt to follow me only fueled my frustration.

From the moment Jacques got into the carriage, it was clear he was underestimating me, expecting to see how I would react. He didn’t think for a moment that he might lose in a battle of wits and words.

From Jacques’s perspective, it was probably a given. But that didn’t mean he could look down on me.

After all, I am still the Duchess of Dumont, the person he serves.

‘Having grown up with Confucian values, insubordination is something I can’t tolerate.’

Telling him to get out of the carriage midway was honestly unplanned. Acting on a momentary impulse, I left him behind, but it might have been more effective as a shock treatment.

Of course, I couldn’t be too optimistic that this would stop the surveillance.

‘I’ll have to keep a close eye on things for a while.’

I looked out the window, reaching my conclusion.

***

The Chevillotte Estate was located on the outskirts of the capital. Upon stepping out of the carriage, a group of about a dozen servants immediately bowed to welcome me.

“Welcome, miss! Are you feeling better now?”

“Miss? How can you address the Duchess as such!”

“Oh, right. I’m sorry, madam.”

“Did you come alone? Where is your maid?”

The flurry of questions from the servants left me momentarily overwhelmed.

“Ah, well, I wanted to come alone today,” I replied.

“Why? Are those people still disrespecting you, miss—no, madam?” a large maid with red hair asked, her eyes flashing with anger.

“No, it’s not like that. I just wanted some quiet time to think,” I explained.

“Really? Are you sure nothing is wrong?” another maid inquired.

“Nothing is wrong. Don’t worry,” I assured them with an awkward smile.

“Enough pestering her. Step back, all of you,” ordered a white-haired butler, waving his hand dismissively. He then bowed to me apologetically. “My apologies, Duchess. You must be tired from the journey. Please, come inside.”

“Ah, yes. Thank you.”

I followed the butler into the mansion. Two things surprised me upon arriving at the Chevillotte Estate.

First, the mansion was much larger, and the number of servants was much greater than I had expected. The original story mentioned Camille’s family was relatively poor for their status. When Ethan demanded alimony during the divorce, it was enough to bankrupt the Chevillotte family.

‘Well, it’s his in-laws, so Ethan must have supported them. But still…’

Second, it seemed Camille was quite popular with the servants at her family estate. I already knew her brother, Olivier, adored her, treating her like a precious gem.

But I hadn’t expected the servants to be so fond of her too. At the Dumont Estate, she was far from being a good mistress.

‘I thought she grew up spoiled and unmanageable because her brother doted on her excessively… but maybe she was just a bit of a pampered darling.’

Considering how pretty she was, it made sense that those who had known her since childhood would find her whims endearing.

‘Now that I think about it, Camille’s situation is even sadder. Raised like a delicate flower in a greenhouse, only to be abandoned in a cold tundra. It’s no wonder she might have gone astray.’

Following the butler’s lead, I entered a room where a man sitting in an armchair turned to greet me with a bright smile.

“Cam! You’re here.”

‘Cam? Ah, that must be Camille’s nickname.’

Judging by his hair and eye color, which matched Camille’s, this must be Olivier.

“You said you were very sick. Are you feeling better now? Come closer and let me see your face,” Olivier said, reaching out with trembling hands.

He looked even more frail than I had imagined, suffering from heart disease. His cheeks were hollow, and his arms were as thin as Camille’s. This made him appear much older than his actual age. Though he had just turned forty, he looked old enough to be mistaken for a father rather than a brother.

Olivier’s pale face flushed slightly as he seemed genuinely pleased to see his sister after such a long time.

‘I knew he wasn’t well, but I didn’t expect it to be this bad…’

Seeing him in such a state pained me, especially since I, too, had succumbed to illness in my past life. It made sense why he collapsed upon hearing about Camille’s infidelity and subsequent expulsion.

‘Foolish Camille. Instead of impulsively seeking solace in another, she should have considered how her actions would affect her brother.’

Suppressing my complex emotions, I ran to Olivier and hugged him. “Brother! How have you been? I’ve missed you so much,” I said, smiling brightly.

‘He must have been worried sick about me. Showing him a cheerful side will ease his mind.’

“Oh, my. Haha, you little rascal. Even though you’re the Duchess of Dumont, you shouldn’t act so recklessly,” Olivier said, though his expression was one of pure delight.

I pouted playfully. “What does it matter? Here, I’m just your little sister.”

“Yes, you’re right,” he said, laughing, placing a hand on my cheek. “Let’s see. You’ve lost weight. You must have been very sick. I’m sorry. I couldn’t visit because of my own health.”

It was absurd to hear him apologize with his gaunt face. During my confinement, Olivier had sent countless letters.

‘If I had known he was in this state, I would have written back more diligently.’

I had always known Olivier was devoted to his sister, but it was only now, seeing him in person, that I truly understood.

“No, it wasn’t that bad. I just avoided going out because I didn’t want to risk infecting anyone. I’m sorry I took so long to visit. I was worried you might catch it,” I explained.

“Don’t say that. Health is the most important thing. I’m glad you’re fully recovered now,” Olivier said with a hearty laugh. “Are you hungry? I’ll have a meal prepared right away. Noah, please.”

“Yes, Master,” the butler said, bowing.

So, his name was Noah. I quickly committed it to memory.

“Let’s catch up over dinner.”

“Yes, that sounds good,” I replied.

Olivier stood up, using his cane for support. I took his arm and helped him steady himself.

***

The main dish for lunch today was roast suckling pig. Apparently, it was Camille’s favorite dish, and Olivier had specifically requested the chef to prepare it.