This Villain Is Mine Now - Chapter 2

Diane blinked in confusion.

Elaina must have mistaken her for someone else.

Of course, there is no one else named Diane but her.

But she wouldn’t dare embarrass Elaina Winchester, so instead of asking if she had the wrong person, Diane opted for an awkward nod.

“Sorry? Oh, yes. Of course I recognize you.”

“Oh, good! I thought I was the only one who recognized Diane again. What are you doing here by yourself?”

It’s weird.

Had she and Lady Winchester ever been on such friendly terms?

Diane narrowed her eyes in confusion, unsure of how to respond to Elaina’s smiling face.

Diane’s hesitant response made Elaina’s heart sink. If she looked away, the man behind her might join the conversation.

“Everyone else is waiting for you, too, Diane.”

“Sorry? Everyone…… else?”

“That’s where all the young ladies from this year’s debutante are. I can’t tell you how disappointed we were that we didn’t get to talk to you that day. Come with me, and I’ll introduce you to everyone.” 

Elaina pushed Diane hard. She didn’t want the word no to come out of her mouth.

Diane didn’t have time to say no, but Elaina had her backed into a corner. As soon as Diane nodded, Elaina quickly grabbed her wrist, fearing Diane would change her mind.

“Let’s go, then.”

Elaina whirled around. Inevitably, she came face to face with the man standing behind her. Wordlessly, Elaina made eye contact with the man who had been watching her.

“I apologize for my tardiness in greeting you, Your Grace the Archduke of Grant.”

Elaina bowed gracefully and lowered her eyes.

***

Lyle Grant.

By all rights, he should have been the heir to the House of Grant. He would have been, had it not been for his grandfather’s treason a decade ago.

The traitorous Grant family had fallen, and Lyle Grant and his father had ridden the battlefield to beg the Emperor for forgiveness.

In the meantime, his father was killed by enemy soldiers. People assumed that young Lyle Grant would soon die as well, but they were wrong.

A few months ago, the decade-long war against the immigrants had finally ended. A brave soldier who had infiltrated the enemy’s main camp had made a great contribution by decapitating the commander himself. His name was Lyle Grant.

The Emperor rewarded the war hero with the title of Archduke and a small grant of land. It was a title in name only, and the land was nothing more than a useless mountain of stone in the Mabel Mountains.

But it was a good thing, somehow.

Lyle Grant was completely irrelevant in Elaina’s life.

But not for Diane. Lyle Grant was the worst thing to ever happen to her life.

Every night, her dreams revealed to her a secret side of Diane that no one else could know.

That Diane, known as the Marchioness’s daughter, was actually the maid’s daughter, or that the Marquis and Marchioness, who seemed to care so much for their youngest daughter, were actually abusing her.

In the book, the Marquis of Redwood proposes marriage to Archduke Grant.

It’s no secret to everyone in the capital that the newly restored Grant family isn’t exactly a proper family.

Nevertheless, the Marquis is so desperate for the position of Archduchess that he pushes his daughter to this precipice.

Diane, despite being in love with someone else, never rebelled and became the wife of Archduke Grant.

In a loveless marriage, Diane grew increasingly dry.

「“Why on earth can’t you do it? You don’t love me!”

“Love? Is that what you still want? How long are you going to tire people out?”

“What…?”

“This marriage wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for your family’s money in the first place. Love is a collateral that wasn’t written in the contract with your father.”

“Honey, I’m so tired to death, I don’t want to stay in this marriage any longer!”

“Tired to death? You always say that, but you’re always just saying it. Do you know what that means? You’ve had it easy, you’ve been pampered. I’m tired of your constant demands for a divorce.”」

Diane confessed that she had a man she loved and begged him to please let her go. But he refused without blinking an eye.

「“I know. You married me with another man in mind. You can see him all you want, I don’t care, but no divorce.”」

Archduke Grant’s response was a blunt one, and he roughly loosened the tie around his neck and placed it in her hands.

As he walked out the door, he turned to the devastated Diane.

「“If you want a divorce so badly, you’d be better off dead.”」

Diane despaired when she heard that.

There was nowhere to run and no hope left.

So,

Diane died.

The day Diane asked for a divorce was the day the newspaper broke the news that the man she loved had finally succeeded in his long-standing research.

On a sunny afternoon, with the newspaper next to her, Diane used her husband’s tie to kill herself.

Bad luck was never this bad.

If she hadn’t known better, Elaina couldn’t pretend she hadn’t seen the moment when Lyle and Diane met.

Lyle Grant glared at her, there was a viciousness to his gaze.

I’d never seen anyone look at me with such malice. Elaina wanted to flee at once, but instead she straightened her back and met his gaze.

A relaxed smile on her lips. She didn’t want to appear weak in front of him, even if it was a lie. Only Diane’s breath caught in her throat as the two stood toe to toe.

“……Lady Winchester.”

Elaina’s name came out of Lyle Grant’s mouth after what seemed like forever.

“You know who I am? I’m honored, Your Grace.”

She smiled warmly and continued, “I thought you had something to say to Lady Redwood, or am I interrupting?”

“I’m glad you realize you’re interrupting, then please give us some space.”

“Ah. That would be difficult, as there are several people waiting for me and Lady Redwood at the moment, so if you don’t mind, I’d like to ask Your Grace to make a concession this time.”

There was a collective gasp from those around them. Elaina’s words were a little harsh, even for an archduke in the name only.

“Or perhaps Your Grace would like to join us, though you might find it a bit boring with all women.”

Lyle’s eyebrow twitched at Elaina’s words. Inviting a man to a gathering of women was a comment that could be considered insulting, depending on the listener.

“What do you mean?”

“Sorry? It’s exactly what I said.”

Elaina smiled, as if there was nothing to it.

‘Coincidence, I suppose.’

Lyle closed and opened his eyes slowly. There was no way she knew of the deal between him and the Marquis of Redwood. The sight of Elaina hiding Diane Redwood behind her back, as if to protect her from him, was strangely disturbing, but Lyle forced himself to ignore it.

“What do you say? Do you want to come with us?”

“No.”

Lyle answered and turned on his heel as if he had no regrets. He had come here to see Diane Redwood in the first place, so there was no more business here today.

As soon as Lyle’s back was turned, Elaina quickly left the room with Diane. Or rather, she ran away.

Elaina took Diane to the center of the crowd and introduced her to everyone.

The people who usually thought Diane was unfriendly were surprised, but they greeted her with smiling faces, unable to act that way in front of Elaina. But soon, they realized. Diane Redwood was not the arrogant, stiff person they thought she was.

Diane was just timid and soft-spoken, afraid to talk to others. Now that they knew this, the young ladies felt sorry for her and were even kinder to her.

“Today…… I’ve enjoyed it so much.”

Diane, who had been the first to leave during the ball at the Marchioness’s request to return, turned to Elaina with a blushing face.

“Uh…… me too, Diane.”

Elaina’s breath caught in her throat as she watched Diane smile as she was led away by the Marchioness’s hand, glancing back several times.

‘I can’t do that.’

She’d already meddled in Diane’s life. She couldn’t just walk in and pretend she didn’t know her now.

Elaina waved at Diane, who continued to stare at her, and bit her lip.