My Husband Caught Me Having an Affair - Chapter 89

As I flipped over the envelope, I noticed a luxurious emblem featuring flowers and fish engraved on it.

It was the crest of the Alveni Imperial Family.

“This is an invitation from the Imperial Palace. It says they’re holding a banquet to celebrate the birth of the Imperial heir.”

Come to think of it, the capital had been abuzz a few days ago with news that Crown Princess Charlotte had given birth to a son.

I pulled out the invitation from the envelope and checked its contents. The banquet was scheduled for three days from now.

In the original story, Ethan was famous for rarely attending social events. However, invitations from the Imperial Palace were the exception.

The current Emperor, Henry VII, had steadfastly trusted the Dumont family since the previous Duke’s time. It was largely thanks to Ethan’s father, Philip, that Henry VII had ascended to the throne.

Similarly, Ethan had been able to establish himself as the Duke of Dumont at a young age, thanks to the Emperor’s unwavering support.

Thus, Ethan’s consistent attendance at Imperial events was mutually beneficial, serving as a demonstration of the strong bond between the Dumonts and the Imperial Family.

“Am I going too?”

“Of course. Your name is on the invitation,” Ethan replied as if my question was unnecessary.

In the original story, Ethan always attended such events alone after divorcing Camille. Of course, after Elodie grew older, he would sometimes bring her along.

Still, it was customary for couples to attend banquets together. I didn’t particularly dislike the idea of going; my concern lay elsewhere.

“If it’s a banquet for the birth of the Imperial heir… the Duke of Girard will likely attend too, won’t he?”

At my words, Ethan’s expression subtly hardened.

“…He probably will. Why do you ask?”

As expected. In the original story, the first appearance of Marlon Girard had also been at an Imperial banquet.

“If the Duke of Girard attends, it would be wise to set some guidelines beforehand.”

“Guidelines?”

“Yes. If we meet him this time, the Duke of Girard will undoubtedly be watching us closely. He must be eager to know whether you’re aware that he used Baron Bernard to try to steal the ledger.”

From Girard’s perspective, he likely had no information beyond his failed attempt to assassinate Liam.

While he might suspect Ethan of thwarting the plan, he couldn’t know for sure how Ethan managed it—whether through Liam’s confession or some other means.

“Speaking of which, is Baron Bernard still safe? Could Girard have already silenced him without anyone noticing?”

“There’s no need to worry. I receive weekly reports on his condition.”

“That’s a relief. Keep him secure; he could be a crucial bargaining chip when the time comes.”

“……”

Ethan looked at me with a peculiar expression, as if wondering whether I had somehow read his mind.

In the original story, Ethan spent years meticulously gathering evidence of Girard’s schemes.

This was because Marlon Girard was the type of man who could cut ties and escape unscathed from one or two incidents. Ethan understood that perfectly.

Even after obtaining Liam’s confession, Ethan didn’t immediately confront Girard. It was clear he wanted irrefutable evidence to ensure Girard couldn’t escape.

Furthermore, Liam’s personality made it unlikely he would testify against Girard publicly. He would probably react defensively, saying something like, “Are you trying to get me killed?”

[Whether it was evidence or witnesses, a single piece wasn’t enough. To ensure Girard couldn’t escape, irrefutable proof—like evidence of his attempt to assassinate Philip, Ethan’s father—was necessary to trap him completely.]

This had also been described in the original story.

“…So, what exactly do you mean by setting guidelines?”

“I think we should stick to the image people generally have of us. It would be unwise to disrupt it.”

“What image do you mean?” Ethan asked, raising an eyebrow.

I raised my index finger. “The perception is that I’m a shallow woman who loves luxury and being adored by others, and you secretly despise me for it. Moreover, because of the recent infidelity scandal, your disdain and mistrust of me have only grown.”

“……”

Ethan’s brow furrowed deeply at my words.

“So, while we’ll attend the banquet together because it’s an important occasion, you’ll act as if being around me is intolerable. Let’s go with that approach.”

“…Is that really necessary?” Ethan asked, his voice slightly strained and his face clearly uncomfortable.

“Yes. It’s the only narrative that makes sense. I’ve also hinted at this dynamic to Nicolas Sadun, and maintaining consistency will ensure Girard doesn’t grow suspicious. It’s better to avoid giving him any reason to believe we’re plotting something.”

“……”

Despite my explanation, Ethan still looked unconvinced.

I tilted my head. “What’s wrong? Was my explanation unclear?”

“No, it’s not that… But…”

Ethan trailed off, hesitating before sighing deeply.

“Fine. We’ll do as you suggest.”

“Great. Then I’ll prepare accordingly.”

After saying that, I suddenly remembered something and added, “Oh, but don’t overdo it. Just be mindful of others watching and keep it subtle. Your usual cold and indifferent demeanor will be enough. And if I happen to act in a way unbecoming of a duchess, just throw in an occasional disdainful look. That should do it.”

“……”

Ethan fell silent, his expression indescribably complex.

***

The day of the banquet at the Imperial Palace arrived.

Since this was an event involving the Imperial Family, I naturally paid more attention to my attire than I would for a typical banquet.

‘If I want to keep up the facade of being the old Camille, I should wear something extravagant and eye-catching. But considering the setting, I feel a bit hesitant.’

Avoiding Girard’s suspicion was important, but I didn’t want to damage the Dumont family’s image in front of the Imperial Family either.

‘How about this: I’ll go with the concept that Ethan forced me to dress more modestly than usual.’

Of course, that didn’t mean dressing poorly. Camille had always been passionate about her appearance, and her beauty was her greatest strength.

The only reason Camille could pull off such overly extravagant dresses—so much so that they made you think, “Wow, this is too much”—was because she possessed such radiant and exceptional beauty.

‘Even if I act shallow, people should at least think, “Well, with that face, she’s fit to stand beside Ethan.”’

Thus, I spent more time and effort than ever on my appearance. While I usually left it to Lola, this time I actively gave input.

The result was highly satisfying.

I wore a silver silk dress adorned with gemstones arranged like a galaxy across the chest, perfectly complementing Ethan’s hair color. My hair was neatly styled up, highlighting my neck and shoulders, and I completed the look with pearl earrings and a necklace. My makeup was light and natural, exuding elegance.

‘With this look, even Ethan might be speechless.’

Admiring myself in the mirror, I felt proud.

Based on his past reactions, Ethan seemed to prefer this understated style over my previous flamboyant looks. Since I had put in extra effort today, I hoped even someone as stoic as Ethan might show some reaction.

But my expectations were entirely wrong.

From the moment I descended to the first-floor hall to when we boarded the carriage, Ethan showed no reaction whatsoever.

To be precise, he didn’t even look at me.

In the carriage, Ethan kept his head turned toward the window.

Frowning slightly, I stole a glance at him.

‘Is he already getting into character before we’ve even arrived?’

Of course, I hadn’t been expecting much of a reaction, but being completely ignored to this extent was undeniably deflating.

‘…No, what am I even thinking? This is just Ethan being Ethan.’

It was clear now that the things he’d said a few days ago—about wanting to have a child or apologizing for the past—were purely out of a sense of responsibility to maintain our marriage.

He may have reevaluated me after the past six months, but it obviously hadn’t developed into anything romantic.

‘Honestly, that’s only natural. Even in the original story, he never had any relationships with women his whole life. He’s just a man who doesn’t have a romantic bone in his body.’

Though I had already suspected as much, I now felt a renewed certainty. With a small sigh, I turned to look out the window.

The carriage was entering the imperial palace grounds.