My Husband Caught Me Having an Affair - Chapter 79

“Just like with Baron Bernard, if we want to uncover Nicolas’ intentions, I need to spend some time interacting with him. That’s why I’m telling you in advance—so you don’t misunderstand like last time.”

Ethan’s lips twisted slightly. “So, you still think I’m a fool, don’t you?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“The situation is different now. Back then, I didn’t know your true self. After everything that happened, do you really think I’d seriously suspect you of having an affair just because you’re meeting with another man again? At most, I’d be concerned that he’s some informant you’re hiding,” Ethan spoke in a stiff voice.

Honestly, he felt insulted. Camille seemed to think he was some clueless fool.

“Of course, I’m not oblivious to that. As you said, there’s probably another reason behind all of this.”

“Then why bring it up in the first place?”

“Because you’re someone who’s thorough about these kinds of matters. Even if you think, ‘It’s probably not the case,’ you wouldn’t completely erase the possibility from your mind that it might be an affair. I hate that.”

Camille emphasized again.

“I don’t want you doubting me like that again. Not about this, at least.”

“……”

For a moment, Ethan was at a loss for words, hesitating.

Why was that? Hearing those words made him feel strange. It was a peculiar feeling—almost a little excited, with a faint tickling in his chest.

Ethan cleared his throat softly and asked, “…Why?”

“Do I need a reason to hate it? I just hate it.”

“But surely there’s some reason. Like you said, it’s just a possibility, and I’m not seriously doubting you. So why—”

“I just hate it. Isn’t that enough? Wouldn’t you hate being accused of cheating with another woman?”

“…It wouldn’t be pleasant, I suppose.”

“See?”

“……”

“……”

An awkward silence filled the room.

***

‘…What is this atmosphere?’

Ethan seemed somewhat uncomfortable, avoiding Camille’s gaze.

Of course, from Ethan’s perspective, her words might have been hard to understand.

In truth, the fear of being accused of infidelity was almost a kind of trauma for Camille.

‘You’d have to experience being caught red-handed to really understand how I feel.’

Yes. Without experiencing it firsthand, one could never truly know what it felt like to receive her husband’s cold gaze in a compromising situation with another man, as if saying, “All you have to do now is take off your clothes.”

Or how utterly miserable it felt to come up with excuse after excuse.

Honestly, she never wanted to go through that again.

“Anyway, I don’t want you thinking I’m doing something suspicious again. As I said before, I’ve always done my best for Dumont. So please, no more doubts. Just leave this to me.”

At that, Ethan’s expression turned serious again. “Leave it to you? Are you telling me not to get involved?”

“Yes. If you get involved, Nicolas might get suspicious. Girard is already keeping a close eye on your movements. It’s best if I act alone, like with Baron Bernard.”

“……”

Ethan closed his mouth, thinking for a moment, then shook his head. “No way. That’s not happening.”

“Why not?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I can’t let you handle something so dangerous by yourself.”

“It’s not that dangerous. Nicola’s main objective is probably just to extract information from me—maybe about the whereabouts of the missing Baron Bernard or, at most, the Dumont ledger.”

“What if he figures out you’re trying to manipulate him? If he realizes you’ve discovered his true identity, who knows what he might do? No, it’s too risky.”

Ethan’s voice was more resolute than ever.

“Even if he did figure it out, I’d just make a swift retreat. Do you really think he’d harm me, his enemy’s wife?”

“We’re dealing with Girard. We can’t afford to be complacent.”

“I’ll be fine. Trying to silence me would be counterproductive. No matter what, he wouldn’t take such drastic measures—”

“I said no.”

Ethan cut her off. His expression was calm, almost emotionless, but his eyes blazed as if holding molten silver.

“This conversation ends here. There’s no room for reconsideration.”

With that, Ethan stood up.

Camille frowned. “Then what do you intend to do?”

“If he approaches you again, don’t engage—push him away. I’ll handle the rest. You don’t need to do anything more.”

“Ethan.”

“I said no.”

“Aren’t you underestimating me a bit too much?”

At that, Ethan spun around to glare at her. Camille met his gaze head-on without flinching.

“Do you really think of me as someone who needs to be protected all the time? You don’t realize that’s an insult to me?”

“Camille.”

“If it weren’t for me, you never would have known Girard was behind Baron Bernard. You wouldn’t have prevented the baron’s murder. It was the same with the Marcel Bache incident. Not just Ines, but countless innocent women could have been victims—maybe even at this very moment.”

“……”

Ethan ground his teeth audibly.

“Think about it again. There’s no reason to completely exclude me—it’s not that dangerous. My act isn’t sloppy enough to get easily found out. And even if it were, Girard wouldn’t try to eliminate me. Like I said, it’s too extreme, and he’d lose more than he’d gain.”

“Can you guarantee that?” Ethan interrupted.

“…What?”

“Can you guarantee, absolutely guarantee, that nothing will happen? That there’s not even a one-in-a-million chance that you’ll get hurt?”

“……”

For a moment, Camille was rendered speechless by Ethan’s intensity.

“You can’t guarantee it. There’s no such thing as ‘never.’ You’re too smart not to know that.”

“No, but… that’s just a theoretical scenario. Logically, the chances are zero—”

“Logically, no one expected my uncle to kill my father.”

At Ethan’s bitter words, Camille fell silent.

“……”

“Back then, and now—it’s the same. My uncle had no compelling reason to kill my father. It was a dangerous gamble, and he stood to lose more than he’d gain. And he did lose, ultimately. But it happened, and my father died. Dead people don’t come back. That’s what ‘never’ really means,” Ethan spoke in a low, raspy voice.

At that moment, the stubborn, obstinate look in his eyes took on a completely different meaning.

“You speak as if you know Girard well, but from what I know, Girard would kill anyone—however many it takes—if he thought it necessary. And I’d never risk something I can’t afford to lose, no matter how low the odds. So give it up. I won’t change my mind.”

“……”

Ethan left the office without another word.

Camille stood there alone, staring blankly at the closed door.

***

Back in her room, Camille collapsed onto her bed.

‘Was I being too naive?’

She knew Ethan had lost his father at a young age and had been deeply scarred by it.

She also knew that ever since, he had fought tirelessly to protect the family his father had left behind. He was so overprotective that even the kind Elodie eventually grew exasperated with him. But that was because his focus had been on Elodie.

In the original story, Ethan was almost obsessively protective of Elodie. Camille had never imagined he would act the same way toward her.

‘Why? I’m not Elodie. I’m Camille, the wife you ignored for five years, the wife you would’ve divorced long ago if I hadn’t altered the course of events.’

What was even more frustrating was that her heart had pounded at his desperate words and intense gaze.