Deceived 91

Chapter 91

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That night, Edmund did not return to his bedroom. He remained alone in his darkened study, waiting for the right moment as he regained his composure. Though he hadn’t slept a wink, he felt neither tired nor exhausted. Now that Blair had turned her back on him, his original purpose—which he had momentarily forgotten—had come back into sharp focus. It was as if revenge alone kept him breathing.

“Revenge… revenge.”

There were far too many justifications for Isabelle. He had no idea where to even begin. For a moment, he almost laughed. There were simply too many to count.

If Isabelle had committed any sin, it was that she had trampled on and taken away every single one of the few precious things Edmund possessed. Starting with his mother, then the innocence and dignity of a young boy, and now…

“I hope you have good luck in the future.”

As if. Not a chance. The more he thought of Blair’s farewell-like greeting, the more his teeth gritted. The reason the woman who had given him her whole heart had turned her back on him was obvious. Isabelle had whispered her slander with a sly tongue.

He knew Blair wouldn’t fall for such a ridiculous lie. So she must have heard a truth that had been conveniently embellished, but now nothing mattered. The only thing that mattered was the fact that this rift had originated solely from Isabelle.

She was the woman who was hell-bent on destroying the relationship between him and Blair—a relationship no one should ever have dared to intrude upon—the woman who never hesitated to find people’s weaknesses and pour poison into them.

Edmund felt a cold fury at the realization that Isabelle had once again reached into his life.

What was the most effective revenge against Isabelle? He had known the answer for a long time. It was to take away what was most precious to her; there was no punishment more perfect than that. Only now, having ascended to the title of Duke, did he finally hold the power to carry out that revenge.

Finally, as dawn broke and the sounds of activity began to echo through the mansion, he rang the bell. He waited for the butler, tapping his fingers on the desk. When Albert appeared, Edmund issued his command with the flawless composure befitting a Duke.

“Please bring my mother to the reception room.”

***

The reception room where the Duke received guests was connected to his study via a secret passage. Edmund sat at his desk, lit another cigarette, and only after moistening his throat with a glass of brandy did he rise leisurely from his seat.

Walking slowly through the secret passageway, he flung open the door to the reception room. Isabelle, seated at the coffee table, shot him a venomous glare. Since he had deliberately delayed his arrival, she—having taken her seat first—was now overcome with deep displeasure.

Edmund nonchalantly took the seat opposite her and nodded.

“Mother.”

“Is this the aristocratic etiquette you’ve learned—summoning your mother to the parlor first thing in the morning before she’s even had breakfast?”

“My etiquette is practical; it naturally adapts to the situation. After all, there are matters of great importance that cannot be put off.”

Having said that, Edmund twisted his lips into a smile and leaned back deeply into the chair. Isabelle, watching him, narrowed her eyes slightly.

“Serious matters?”

“I intend to restore the family’s honor. As the head of the Liberte family.”

Edmund wore a perfectly composed smile. Isabelle’s face twisted as if she had sensed some ominous sign.

“I have found a suitable match for Rufus. I’d like to formally proceed with the engagement this week and hold the wedding within this month. Fortunately, they’ve expressed a positive response, so it shouldn’t be difficult to make it happen.”

For a moment, Isabelle looked as if she couldn’t believe her ears. She blinked as if she’d misheard him and stared blankly at Edmund. But when she saw that his composed smile remained unchanged, all color drained from her face.

“What… did you just say?”

Her voice trembled as she struggled to suppress her surging fury. Facing the enraged Isabelle, Edmund explained kindly.

“The bride is the second princess of the Rorschach royal family.”

“…Rorschach?”

Since ancient times, Rorschach had been a matriarchal nation ruled by women, and most foreign male nobles were imported for political marriages. The majority were renowned for their beauty.

Every man who married there lost his surname. Under the queen’s coat of arms, they became subordinate under the woman’s name, and their children were also required to take the maternal surname. No man who came to Rorschach left anything behind in his own name.

Isabelle could not have been unaware of this fact. After all, she was the one who had sent Rufus to Rorschach to cure his impotence.

She had been seduced by the superstition that the mysterious medical arts of the East and the strong energy of its women could revive a man.

The outcome, of course, was disastrous. Far from being cured, the Rufus who returned from Rorschach was consumed by an even deeper sense of inferiority and shame.

“You intend to send my son—the eldest son of Liberte—to a matriarchal land?”

“Doesn’t Rorschach suit Rufus perfectly? It’s as if he’s finally being embraced by the arms of the woman he could never possess.”

“You… you… you really…”

“I can’t very well let him spend his life in this mansion, flirting with maids. Rufus has nothing but the family name and a pretty face, so he must sell even that to secure a position. A role as Princess Rorschach’s lapdog isn’t actually such a bad deal.”

Edmund paused for a moment, as if giving Isabelle time to process this, then curled the corners of his mouth upward once more.

“We can’t just let the eldest son of the Liberte family, who’s already twenty-six, go to waste like this. Won’t you give Rufus a chance to fulfill his duties as the eldest son? Even if those duties are fulfilled in a woman’s arms.”

Isabelle couldn’t breathe, as if she were having a heart attack. Her face was deathly pale; it wouldn’t have been surprising if she’d dropped dead right then and there. After remaining silent for a long while, Isabelle opened her trembling lips.

“Are you… out of your mind?”

“As you can see.”

“This can’t be… this can’t be happening. How dare you? I… I won’t agree to this. I will never allow it. My son, Rufus, Rufus is…”

Isabelle swallowed hard as she struggled to continue. As if the mere mention of her son’s name gave her strength, she clenched her trembling hands into fists.

“You’ve been acting duke for barely a day. And yet you intend to sell Rufus off like livestock?”

“I’m telling you this as early as possible. I thought it was the proper thing to do.”

“Send him abroad? Rufus? I’ll call the family lawyer immediately. I’ll gather everyone and expose every single thing you’ve done. How dare you pull off such a scheme…!”

“Don’t worry, Mother. The eldest son’s wedding is always considered a joyous occasion. The lawyers will congratulate us as well.”

“My son, no matter what happens…!”

Isabelle, who had been screaming at the top of her lungs, suddenly flinched. Furrowing her brows as if a thought had struck her, she scrutinized Edmund intently.

“You’re seeking revenge.”

Edmund, who had been responding without a moment’s hesitation, finally laughed out loud. How could someone so brilliant have taken so long to realize this?

“You’re seeking revenge because I told your wife about the observation ceremony.”

He slowly closed and then opened his eyelids. The Initiation Ceremony. If Isabelle’s malice had been added to that already repulsive custom, it was no wonder Blair felt betrayed. It all made sense now—why her reaction toward him had changed.

Isabelle burst into a snicker, as if she had reclaimed the hilt of her sword.

“Listen carefully. If Blair felt betrayed by you, it’s not my fault. It’s just that the trust you gave her was shallow. Your woman trusted you only as much as you allowed her to.”

“…….”

“Tormenting me and Rufus is just an excuse to cover up your own guilt. That kind of shallow comfort won’t last long. It’d be better for you to stop right now.”

It struck him as funny all over again. It was the most straightforward and helpful thing he’d ever heard from Isabelle in his entire life. But to take it at face value…

“Isn’t that a bit unfair?”

“…What did you say?”

“Since you destroyed everything I had left, I intend to shatter your world in the same way.”

Edmund reached out and picked up his teacup.

“Of course, this is only the beginning.”

Then he calmly took a sip of tea. As he slowly moistened his throat, Isabelle snatched the teacup and hurled it across the room. Shards of glass rolled across the floor, leaving a sharp, shattering sound in their wake.

“How dare you…! How dare you try to send my son to such a barbaric country…!”

Isabelle’s face flushed crimson as she pushed her chair aside and stood up. Edmund didn’t bat an eye.

“A barbarian country. You once sent him to that mysterious Eastern land to treat his condition, and now you’ve changed your mind as easily as flipping a coin.”

“You can’t keep your mouth shut…!”

“It’s convenient. Actually, sometimes I envy you. That way of thinking that changes however it pleases you.”

Edmund lowered his gaze as if deep in thought, then met Isabelle’s eyes again.

“I’ve thought long and hard about the reason. It’s probably because of attachment. After all, you’d rationalize anything for the sake of someone you love.”

“What do you know, talking so smugly! You’re just like your father! This damn….”

Shuddering, Isabelle glared at Edmund with eyes flushed crimson. Her pupils were as red as a ghost’s.

“I spent my whole life trying to understand and love him. But I failed. I failed time and time again. Do you know why?”

“…….”

“A man with an empty heart could never know love.”

Isabelle laughed. Edmund couldn’t tell if what was flowing from her contorted face was laughter or tears.

“Not a single drop of love flows through the veins of a Liberte.”

Her voice fell like a curse.