My Husband Caught Me Having an Affair - Chapter 66

“Don’t worry. I have no intention of leaving until the first commission is completely finished. Of course, that doesn’t mean I’ll wait forever for you to find Gabriel Blanchard. If it seems hopeless, I’ll cancel the commission. Naturally, I won’t ask for the advance payment back.”

Arthur looked at me sharply, as if trying to read my intentions.

“Are you leaving alone, Duchess?”

“Yes.”

“What exactly are you trying to escape from?”

“I’ll leave that to your imagination. It’s not a difficult guess.”

“……”

“I’m prepared for it to take a year or two to find Blanchard, so there’s no need to rush the arrangements for my departure. Security should be your top priority.”

Arthur might be a criminal, but he had his own philosophy and principles. At the very least, he was not someone who would con or exploit a woman.

Moreover, he wasn’t someone Ethan could easily capture. If he were, the Alveni police would have caught him long ago. Entrusting my escape to him was, without a doubt, the best choice I could make.

I checked the time.

“It’s five minutes to go. Father Dreyfus will soon enter the confessional. Let’s meet here at the same time next week. I’ll hear your answer then.”

With those words, I rose from my seat.

“Wait a moment.”

I turned back to Arthur.

“So who are you, really?”

“Wasn’t the ring I showed you an answer to that question?”

“Indeed, there’s only one woman in the world who could possess that ring. But what I’ve heard about her so far doesn’t match the impression you’re giving me now.”

I chuckled at Arthur’s words. “It’s amusing to hear that from you, Baron. After all, you’re someone who hides a completely different identity in the shadows beneath your public persona.”

“……”

Arthur’s lips twitched. It was hard to tell if it was a smile or a grimace.

I left him there and entered the confessional.

***

The next day, the finished dresses I had ordered from the boutique arrived.

“So, which one will you wear to the banquet tomorrow? The cream one or the purple one?” Lola, my dress maid, asked while holding up both dresses.

“I don’t know. Either is fine,” I answered indifferently.

My head was filled with thoughts about whether Nicolas would appear tomorrow as expected, whether he would be in his previous disguise or something new, and how I would lead the conversation.

The two dresses I ordered were merely a pretext. Honestly, I didn’t care which one I wore.

“Oh, come on. It’s a rare occasion for you to attend a banquet. You should wear the dress that makes you shine the most.”

“It’s not that rare. Besides, I can always wear the other one next time. What’s there to worry about?”

“But, madam…”

Lola’s face fell slightly.

Marie, standing nearby, spoke up in exasperation, “Well, next time might be different, right? What if you suddenly want a different dress for the next banquet?”

“Then I’ll order a new one.”

“Now, now. Just try them on for us, please. Once we pair them with jewelry and do your hair, I’m sure you’ll feel which one is right.”

At Marie’s suggestion, I frowned. “Why do we have to go that far…”

“Because we want you to look more beautiful than anyone else, anywhere, anytime, madam. See? Lola was all excited about having something to do, but now she looks like she’s about to cry.”

Marie whispered the last part quietly. Sure enough, Lola looked very disappointed.

I sighed softly. “Fine. Do whatever you want. But I’m not lifting a finger. I’ll just stand here.”

“Of course, madam. Isn’t that right, Lola?”

“Yes, of course. Just leave it all to us, madam!” Lola’s eyes sparkled.

True to my earlier declaration, I stood still in front of the mirror, letting the maids do all the work. I wore whatever they dressed me in and allowed them to add any accessories they chose.

Meanwhile, I kept running through my plans in my head, revising and refining them.

“How do you like it, madam? Which do you prefer, the first or the current one?”

“I don’t know. I told you to do as you like.”

“But it’s most important that you like it, madam. Are you sure there’s nothing you prefer?”

“No, nothing.”

To be honest, I hadn’t even looked properly.

Lola sighed as if finally giving up. She and the other maids then launched into a fierce debate over whether to use pearls or diamonds for the necklace.

I was lost in my thoughts when I suddenly noticed how quiet it had gotten around me. I looked up and realized the maids, who had been right beside me, had stepped back and bowed their heads.

“What are you doing?”

Marie gestured with her eyes behind me.

When I turned, I saw Ethan standing at the door.

I stared at him blankly before my eyes widened in surprise.

“…Ethan? Why are you here… When did you arrive?”

Ethan was silently staring at me.

His expression was a mix of mild surprise and confusion.

“Ethan?”

It wasn’t until I called his name again that he seemed to snap out of it.

He stiffened slightly and shook his head.

“Are you busy?”

“Huh? No, not really…”

The maids, heads still bowed and hands folded, quickly shuffled out of the dressing room, leaving just Ethan and me.

‘Come to think of it, it’s been a while since I’ve seen him…’

This was the first time since I had fainted at the riding grounds.

I later found out that Ethan had carried me home himself through the pouring rain.

I had wondered if I might have been too harsh that day without knowing what he’d done, and I had felt a little guilty.

But apologizing after all this time would be awkward.

‘Besides, it’s not like I didn’t apologize because I didn’t want to. It was a strategic decision.’

Ethan was still silently staring at me, more precisely at my reflection in the full-length mirror.

At the moment, I was dressed and accessorized, ready to attend a banquet.

“I’m going to a banquet at Count Lenucci’s tomorrow. I was just deciding between two dresses,” I explained, feeling awkward for no reason.

“I see,” Ethan muttered quietly.

“Do you have something to say?”

“……”

Ethan remained silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, “Are you feeling better now?”

“Huh?… Oh, yes.”

He must have been referring to the cold I had after being caught in the rain.

“I’m fine now. I even went out yesterday.”

“To the church?”

“Yes. Viscountess Grandbert has been volunteering at the orphanage at Yena Church for a long time. I thought it was a good cause, so I joined her.”

I took the opportunity to mention what I had prepared in advance.

“The children were so sweet. They smiled so brightly as they hugged me; it was adorable.”

“…Is that so?”

Ethan’s expression looked strangely surprised.

“Yes. I even thought it would be nice to have a child like that.”

“……”

Ethan, who had been wandering aimlessly around the room, froze. He stared at me, as if doubting whether he had heard me correctly.

“I’d like a daughter, if possible. Boys are cute too, of course, but it seems like it would be fun to dress up a little girl in pretty clothes.”

“……”

Ethan’s expression grew increasingly perplexed as I continued.

“What is it?”

“No…” He shook his head again before asking, “Did you just say you’d like to have a child?”

“Yes. Preferably a girl.” I emphasized once again.

‘If I suddenly say I want to adopt Elodie, it might seem strange, so I need to prepare the ground like this first.’

“……”

Ethan’s face was complicated, as if he didn’t know how to respond.