Deceived 87

Chapter 87

***

It was an agonizing wait.

After Edmund stepped into the conference room, Blair remained seated before the round table, unable to move.

Letting time slip away without knowing anything was quite a torment. The tea she hadn't even taken a few sips of had grown cold, and the focus in her eyes, staring into space, gradually blurred. Amidst this, the second hand of the wall clock turned indifferently, yet the man she waited for cast not even a shadow.

Thinking of Edmund inevitably made her chest tighten. Blair let out a deep sigh and covered her face with both hands.

‘I shouldn’t have brought it up.’

Only now did the self-reproach hit her. What had she been thinking, bringing up such a topic with a man already facing such a weighty matter? Her sudden hurt had gotten the better of her, and she'd blurted it out without thinking.

Foolishly, hadn't her desire to know even a fragment of his heart pushed him away instead? If only she’d been a little more honest. Instead of talking about contracts or succession titles, she should have just said she was anxious, asked if he felt the same way. Then she wouldn’t be blaming herself now, stuck in this endless, answerless wait.

Blair never thought the glimpses she’d seen of Edmund were false. She believed the gaze that had stared at her blankly when she suddenly came to in the blue dawn, the gesture of his hand reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, and the kiss that had fallen softly on her forehead could not have been false.

She simply hadn't been certain. Because Edmund was a man who always spoke only the truth.

His words were always cold and precise, leaving no room for falsehood. Yet, they carried no emotion either. That was why, even as he held her with such desperate urgency, he never whispered "I love you," and never once promised a future. Blair clung to him, her hands cut by that sharp truth, yet she still couldn't let go.

‘What about the will?’

The torrential rain that had poured down relentlessly throughout the funeral had stopped today, as if by magic. For once, the sky over Eldenvale was clear, not a cloud in sight. Bright sunlight, a rare sight here, bathed the mansion in light.

Perhaps there was good news for Edmund. Blair sincerely hoped so. She wished his path would be smooth, that he would no longer be wounded by futile battles, that a future would come where he need not confront anyone.

It was then that a knock sounded on the door of the bedroom, shrouded in heavy silence. Blair froze, her shoulder twitching as she stared at the now cold teacup in her hand. Only for a moment. She pushed back her chair, rose, and moved with steps that felt almost hurried. Forcing her pounding heart to calm, she flung the door open.

"...Ah."

But the face standing outside the door was not the one she had hoped for.

"Duchess."

It was Isabelle. She was dressed elegantly as always, but her face was strangely heavy with sorrow. After a brief glance at Isabelle, Blair quietly shifted her gaze to scan the hallway. Edmund was nowhere to be seen.

"Were you alone?"

"...Yes, Madam. What brings you here?"

"My husband's will was just read aloud. If you'd stayed in your bedroom, you wouldn't have heard yet."

Isabelle lowered her eyes, a sad smile on her lips. Blair, overcome with bewilderment, didn't know what to say.

"By the way, aren't you feeling stifled?"

"Ah..."

"You've been holed up inside the mansion for days now. A young person like you probably needs some fresh air."

Isabelle turned her head naturally toward the window at the end of the hallway as she continued.

"There's a really nice cafe in Eldenvale. You must have felt stifled during the funeral too. Why don't we go out together to change the mood?"

Blair couldn't answer right away, studying Isabelle's expression carefully. There was not a trace of joy in her face. It was a stark contrast to how overjoyed she had been when she announced she would throw a party for Rufus. Therefore, she could guess everything.

It was Edmund. Not Rufus, but he had inherited the title.

Her heart began to race violently. Relief washed over her, yet a subtle unease followed. She should be happy about this, yet inexplicably, a chill settled in a corner of her heart.

If Isabelle had left the conference room, Edmund would surely return here soon.

What kind of eyes would the man who had finally become a Duke look at her with? The thought of facing him made her heart ache and tighten. The conversation they'd shared just hours ago still floated in her mind. Unfinished, leaving behind a dizzying confusion.

"I thought it would be nice for us to have tea together outside for once... but if you don't want to, I suppose there's nothing to be done."

Isabelle's soft voice pulled her back to reality from her thoughts. It was a request almost impossible to refuse. Perhaps she just wanted to escape this place for a moment.

After a brief hesitation, Blair made her decision.

"No. I'll hurry and get ready."

"I'll wait here."

Isabelle smiled, lifting the corners of her mouth. The moment the bedroom door closed, the smile vanished from her wrinkled face, which must have been breathtakingly beautiful in her youth, as if it had never been there.

***

It wasn't exactly a comfortable spot.

Their destination was an open-air cafe in downtown Eldenvale. Every seat on the sun-drenched terrace was set with crisp white tablecloths and fresh flowers. The view was splendid too; turning one's head revealed Eldenvale's magnificent panorama.

But there was no time for admiration.

Sitting across from Isabelle, of all people, sipping tea was a constant state of tension. She knew she clearly had some intention, but she rarely revealed it, which made her uncomfortable.

Blair moistened her throat with tea that carried a faint hint of rose. The warm, fragrant liquid seemed to ease the pent-up tension, but only briefly.

"Did I mention? My husband and I used to come here often when we were young."

Isabelle broke the silence, smiling faintly as she looked at Blair. Blair, who had been bringing the teacup back to her lips, paused and met her gaze.

"How splendid he was. Truly, he was a magnificent man, Will."

She was speaking of William Liberte, the Duke who had passed away not long ago.

"It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say every marriageable woman in society wanted him back then. The sole heir to the House of Liberte, his noble character was beyond reproach, ah. That man. He was such a splendid man. I fell for him at first sight at a ball."

A bittersweet smile flickered in Isabelle's blue eyes as she recalled that distant past. Within it lay a longing for one who could never return. Yet Blair knew that beneath that surface lay the scorched embers of old sorrow and anger.

"Think about it, dear. Everyone envied me for marrying such a perfect man. Truth be told, I had my worries before the wedding... but not at all. Will was truly perfect."

"......"

"I once thought I had the world. I was so happy. For a while."

Isabelle suddenly fell silent, recalling someone. Her lips trembled as if gritting her teeth, and her gloved, clenched fist also quivered slightly. Cracks began to form on her face, once as elegant and beautiful as an old portrait.

"Duchess..."

"Don't call me that anymore."

“…What?”

“That title is yours now.”

Isabelle’s calm voice fell onto the table.

“It was settled in the will. Edmund—that woman’s son—has taken everything William had.”

Blair didn't know what to say. Thank you? The woman before her had lost her husband and the title of Duchess, and her precious son, Rufus, had received nothing?

"But my husband was no ordinary man. He didn't simply leave his inheritance to Edmund; he attached conditions."

"Madam, I..."

"He only granted him one year as acting duke. If he fails to produce an heir within that time, everything belonging to Liberte will revert to the Crown."

Isabelle suddenly burst into laughter. Her consistently composed face contorted, followed by a long, thin laugh. Blair, frozen stiff as ice, could only watch. A cold shiver ran down her spine.

"Isn't it strange? It means that to preserve the name of Liberte, another woman's body is needed!"

Her cold laughter finally trembled like sobs.

"Still, I wish he had thought of Rufus just a little. Perhaps I knew this would happen. I told you, didn't I? Edmund is truly capable of anything to get what he wants."

Isabelle, who had been muttering to herself, suddenly looked Blair straight in the eye.

"Even willingly accepting the first night's observation ritual."