My Husband Caught Me Having an Affair - Chapter 36

“If Camille had intended to confront me about this, she would have come to me already. The fact that she hasn’t means she understands her position well. She knows I can’t completely dismiss my suspicions about her. Moreover, having her followed is also for her protection. That’s something I told you from the beginning, isn’t it?”

“……”

Jacques remained silent, his lips pressed into a firm line. Ethan’s words were painfully true. If it weren’t for Ines, Jacques wouldn’t have suggested stopping the surveillance. Despite everything, Camille is Ethan’s wife and the Duchess of Dumont. In the societal structure, commoners were at a severe disadvantage against the nobility, unable to resist or protest any mistreatment. This was a reality beyond Jacques’ trust in Ethan as an employer.

Additionally, the details of Camille’s involvement with Girard were still unclear. Given the stakes with Ines’ safety, Jacques had to consider the worst-case scenario. Yet, as Ethan pointed out, halting the surveillance wasn’t an option.

‘I’ll have to follow her myself for a while,’ Jacques decided. If he had to do it, he needed to be more vigilant than ever to avoid being caught. Given the uncertainty of what Camille might do to Ines, watching her directly seemed like the safest course of action.

***

The next day, Camille went out again, this time also without a maid. Typically, it was common practice for a lady of her status to be accompanied by at least one or two maids wherever she went. The fact that she wasn’t could mean she was planning something.

Jacques kept a considerable distance and followed her more cautiously than usual. He also instructed two of his subordinates to follow at a safe distance in case anything happened. Camille’s destination was the city’s shopping district, a place full of boutiques and jewelry stores frequented by the wealthy nobility. It was a place Camille often visited in the past.

The Duchess shopped diligently, moving from one store to another. Unlike before, when she would buy enough to fill her carriage each trip, today she bought much less.

Camille’s next stop was the residence of Viscountess Grandbert. She had the servants of the house carry in the items she had just purchased, about half of her total haul.

‘Were those gifts?’ Jacques wondered. Camille rarely gave gifts to anyone, mostly because she had few friends to give them to.

Jacques recalled that during a previous visit to the Grandbert Mansion, she had brought a lot of gifts, though he had inspected those thoroughly to ensure there was nothing suspicious. This time, he hadn’t had the chance. Camille stayed at the Grandbert Mansion for about two hours, likely having lunch. Jacques waited outside, eating a sandwich, until Camille emerged and got back into her carriage.

“Find out what they talked about inside,” Jacques instructed one of his men.

“Yes, sir.”

Previously, Jacques had bribed a maid at the Grandbert Mansion to gather such information. He left one of his men behind and continued to follow Camille’s carriage.

As he followed the carriage, Jacques felt a growing sense of unease.

‘No way…’

His instincts, honed by years of experience, rarely led him astray. His fears were soon confirmed when Camille’s carriage stopped in front of his house. She entered, surprisingly, with all the remaining items she had previously gifted to the Viscountess Grandbert.

Jacques paced outside, filled with anxiety. He wanted nothing more than to storm in, mission be damned. Logically, though, he knew Camille was unlikely to harm Ines in such an overt manner. If she intended harm, she would likely have someone else do it in a more discreet location.

Camille stayed much longer at Jacques’ home than she had at the Grandbert Mansion. When she finally emerged, Ines was with her.

“I had such a wonderful time today, Duchess,” Ines said, smiling brightly.

“I’m glad to hear that. I enjoyed myself as well. If you don’t mind, I’d love to come over again for tea. How does that sound?” Camille asked.

“Oh, I’d love that. But are you sure it’s alright? I mean, someone of your status spending time with someone like me…”

“What are you saying? True friendships know no social ranks. I genuinely want to see you, so there’s no need for you to worry,” Camille reassured her.

“Duchess…” Ines said, her eyes welling up with emotion.

“Alright then, take care,” Camille said as she prepared to leave.

“Yes, Duchess. Have a safe trip back,” Ines replied cheerfully.

Jacques watched the scene with furrowed brows. Although part of him was relieved, he felt more confused than anything else. Afterward, Camille returned directly to the mansion.

Jacques instructed his subordinate to continue the surveillance should the Duchess leave again, then hurried back to his own home.

“Oh, Jacques, you’re home early today!” Ines greeted him, her cheeks still slightly flushed. She was in the middle of unwrapping the gifts she had received from Camille. There were trinkets, fabrics, tea, and even books.

“What’s all this?” Jacques asked, eyeing the items.

“Well, you won’t believe it. The Duchess visited earlier,” Ines replied excitedly but then tilted her head, puzzled. “You don’t seem that surprised?”

“I am… surprised. But why did the Duchess come here?”

“She said she wanted to have tea with me.”

“That’s all?”

“Yes. At first, I was shocked and very nervous, but the Duchess said she rarely finds someone she can talk to comfortably. Most people are only concerned with her title as the Duchess of Dumont and don’t see her as a person.”

“……”

“She told me she thought I seemed like a genuinely pure person who would look at her without any prejudice. She said she wanted to be friends regardless of our social status.”

Jacques couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. It was surprising. He had always thought that describing Ines as “pure” was the most accurate way to characterize her.

Given his line of work, Jacques was well-acquainted with the darker sides of human nature. When he first met Ines, he was convinced she had some hidden flaws. He believed that her innocent demeanor couldn’t be her true nature.

By the time he realized he was wrong, he had already fallen deeply in love with her. Now, he couldn’t imagine life without Ines.

‘But… the Duchess recognized that?’ Jacques found it hard to believe. Could that really be possible?

Most nobles didn’t see commoners as people. To them, commoners were just tools, like a hairbrush or a carriage. Of course, Ethan was an exception. He recognized Jacques’ skills, paid him fairly, and treated him with respect. That’s why Jacques was so loyal to Ethan.

But Camille was different. Or at least, she had been. There were numerous servants who were left exasperated by her whims and temper. Could someone really change so completely?

If it were true, it wouldn’t be a bad thing. It was far better than the idea of Camille approaching Ines to threaten Jacques. However, Jacques couldn’t let his guard down just yet.

Quietly, so Ines wouldn’t notice, Jacques swallowed a groan. He was utterly perplexed and unsure of what to make of the situation.

***

According to his subordinate’s report, Camille’s conversation with Viscountess Grandbert was nothing out of the ordinary. They discussed typical topics that noblewomen usually talk about. It made sense; Camille knew she was being followed. She wouldn’t engage in suspicious activities at this point.

If it weren’t for Ines, Jacques wouldn’t be so vigilant and on edge. The problem was that he couldn’t remain entirely objective when it came to his wife.

The next day, Camille went out again, alone and without a maid, just like the previous day.

“She mentioned feeling watched at the mansion lately… that’s why she didn’t bring a maid with her. I thought her life was all about luxury and ease, but it seems she has her own struggles,” Ines had said the day before.

Jacques pondered whether to take those words at face value. Was Camille genuinely confiding in Ines, or was she planting information she knew Ines would relay to him? He couldn’t tell if he was being overly suspicious or not.

‘…This is exhausting,’ Jacques thought, rubbing his eyes.

Just then, something caught his attention. Camille had suddenly disembarked from her carriage in the middle of the street and started walking briskly in a specific direction. Jacques couldn’t believe his eyes for a moment but quickly composed himself and started following her discreetly.