My Husband Caught Me Having an Affair - Chapter 69

Not long after I started waiting in the lounge, I heard a knock at the door.

“Who is it?”

There was no response; instead, the door opened, and a man stuck his head in.

“Oh, someone’s here. I thought it would be empty since it’s so secluded.”

He was a tall man with bright blonde hair, a natural smile on his lips that suggested he was simply a cheerful person.

The man stepped inside without hesitation and closed the door behind him. I narrowed my eyes, making my displeasure obvious.

“Are you really coming into a room where there’s a woman alone?”

“Hm? Is that not allowed? My apologies. I’m not well-versed in the customs of Alveni.”

His speech had an unfamiliar accent, and it sounded slightly awkward.

“I suppose you’re from abroad.”

“Yes. I’m from Nikea. My name is Alberto Bucci.”

Nikea was a country far to the south of Alveni, known for its open and cheerful people.

The man who introduced himself as Alberto sat down right next to me without any hesitation, causing me to frown.

“This is a bit inappropriate.”

“Hm? What’s wrong? Ah, are you perhaps wary of me? Don’t worry. Even though I may not be familiar with the customs here, I certainly wouldn’t be indecent toward a lady I just met.” Alberto laughed casually as he spoke.

“It’s not that I think you’d do something inappropriate. It’s just about appearances.”

“You shouldn’t worry about that. No one saw me come in here.”

“Even if that’s true, it still matters. We never know who else might come by.”

Although I said that, I knew it was unlikely anyone would come. His claim that no one had seen him was probably also true.

He raised his hands in an exaggerated gesture and shook his head. “Alright, alright. You’re a cautious one.”

Alberto stood up and moved to sit across from me on the sofa.

“Now, no one will misunderstand if they happen to come in, right?”

He smiled, a grin that perfectly suited his handsome features. His eyes, which were focused on me, were a deep, dark hazel.

‘…Remarkable. If it weren’t for the name and eye color, I almost wouldn’t have recognized him.’

Alberto Bucci, like Clements Kaunis, was an alias Nicolas used in the original story.

Compared to the last time I saw him at Viscount Grandbert’s banquet, his appearance was entirely different now.

Even if they stood side by side, one would struggle to tell they were the same person.

‘His expression, his voice, his mannerisms… Everything is completely different. He must have padded his clothes to alter his build, and his height… Elevator shoes, perhaps? Thankfully, colored lenses don’t exist in this era.’

I only barely recognized him because I knew what to look for. It was truly an impressive disguise, just as the original story described.

Feigning a sigh, I rested my hand against my cheek. “This still isn’t enough. Due to some circumstances, I’m being extremely cautious right now.”

“Circumstances? What circumstances?”

Alberto—or rather, Nicolas—raised his eyebrows.

“Just some issues. Either way, I can’t be seen being close with a man right now.”

“Oh… Is it because of your husband?”

I nodded.

“Where is your husband now?”

“Probably at home. He dislikes social gatherings.”

“Then there’s no need to worry, right?”

“You don’t seem to understand how quickly gossip spreads here. Is it different in Nikea? I doubt it.”

“Well, people love to gossip everywhere. But still, it’ll be fine. If anyone comes, I’ll hide quickly—perhaps behind those curtains.”

Nicolas jumped up and pretended to hide behind the curtains. I covered my mouth with my hand and laughed softly.

“You certainly are entertaining.”

“I hear that often. And it’s nice to see you laugh. You have a lovely smile.”

“I get that a lot too.”

“Haha, I thought as much.”

After that, we continued talking in a friendly atmosphere. Nicolas shared stories from his time in Nikea, and I made a show of laughing and pretending to enjoy myself.

“Oh, how amusing. It’s been so long since I laughed like this.”

I let out a deep sigh, and then continued, “My husband is such a cold person that talking to him is no fun at all. Not that we really talk much in the first place.”

“That’s hard to believe. How could anyone neglect someone as beautiful and charming as you?”

“You’re quite good with words. But it’s true. And despite his indifference, he’s so strict that he can’t bear to see me talking to another man.”

“That’s hard to imagine in Nikea. It’s not like you’re having an affair.”

“……”

I paused, pretending to be flustered.

“Wait… Are you saying that the circumstances you mentioned earlier were…”

“Yes, well. It’s nothing to brag about, but there was… something. Of course, I didn’t do anything inappropriate for a married woman, just… Well, you know.”

“I understand. With your beauty, it’s no wonder men would pursue you. Unless all the gentlemen in Alveni are blind.”

“Oh, stop it.” I waved my hand, laughing.

“I’m serious. But anyway, what happened?”

“That’s all there is to it. I got close with a gentleman, and, well, as you said, he was quite persistent. And to be honest, I didn’t entirely dislike it. My husband never showed any interest in me, and I felt lonely… You understand, right?”

“Of course. I completely understand. I would’ve done the same if I were you.” Nicolas nodded earnestly.

“So I ended up spending a lot of time with him, but one day, my husband showed up. It turned out he’d been suspicious and had me followed.”

“That’s terrible. Following his own wife?”

“My thoughts exactly. It was a nightmare. He put me under house arrest for over two months. Can you believe that? Two whole months!” I held up two fingers and raised my voice.

“Honestly, it’s lucky that’s all that happened. From what you’ve said, your husband seems like someone who could’ve done worse.”

“Maybe. But nothing really happened with that gentleman. We just exchanged a few letters, had tea together… That was all. Truly.”

I tried to look innocent.

“I believe you. But I doubt your husband did.”

“Who knows? Maybe the person he had watching me reported something.”

“And what happened to the gentleman? I doubt your husband left him alone.”

“You’re right. At first, he had him thrown into the dungeon. He was released soon enough, though.”

“And after that?”

“I don’t know. People say he hasn’t been seen in the capital for a long time… Maybe my husband chased him away. He’s certainly capable of that.”

“Hmm… I see.”

Nicolas still had a faint smile on his lips, but his eyes were thoughtful.

“Anyway, I haven’t heard from him since. Not that I would’ve met him even if he had tried to contact me. I never want to go through that again.”

“I understand. I don’t blame you.”

“Now you see why I’m being so cautious? If my husband found out I was here with you, who knows what he’d do. It’s only recently that I was allowed to attend social events again, and even now, I can’t come as often as I used to.”

“I see. I understand.” Nicolas scratched the back of his head awkwardly. “I apologize for causing trouble. If I’d known how risky it was, I wouldn’t have come in.”

“No, it’s fine. I actually had fun. No one knows we’re here together, right? So, tell me more about Nikea.”

I smiled brightly, but Nicolas shook his head.

“No, I think it’s best I leave. As you said, someone could come in at any moment.”

With that, Nicolas stood up. I looked at him with wide eyes.

“Are you really leaving?”

Without answering, Nicolas smiled and left the room.

As soon as the door closed, I dropped the disappointed expression and leaned lazily against the sofa.

‘That should do it.’

Judging by his demeanor, Nicolas seemed to think there was no more information to glean from me. It was unlikely he’d try to approach me again.

Nicolas might have been reckless, but he wasn’t foolish enough to be completely irrational. He wouldn’t go to extreme lengths to find out about Liam’s whereabouts.

For now, the issue with Nicolas was settled. Next, I’d have to wait for Arthur to find Gabriel.