Deceived 116

Chapter 116

***

"What else?"

Edmund retorted lightly.

"I was imagining you getting out of breath while riding something other than a horse."

"...Ed...!"

Blair looked at the man, whose remarks were growing increasingly lewd, with a startled expression. After all, he was going to be a father in ten months—wouldn’t it be better if he acted a little more decorously? She was on the verge of losing her mind as his true nature was revealed day by day.

“Please stop making lewd remarks in front of such a peaceful and beautiful landscape.”

“Then shall I whisper it quietly? Up close.”

His firm forearm brushed against Blair’s shoulder as he moved closer.

“You look like you’re hoping for a detailed explanation.”

“You must have misread that.”

“Well, it’s true that trying it out for yourself is better than just hearing an explanation.”

“No way. Let’s head back to the villa now.”

With her face flushed, Blair led the way, trotting toward the villa. Edmund chuckled softly as he strolled leisurely behind her.

***

Set against a backdrop of oak woods, the three-story villa was already bathed in the hues of evening.

One by one, warm lights began to glow from the windows, and as the sun set completely, even the porch lights came on brightly, as if to welcome them just as they reached the door.

Stepping inside the villa, Blair looked around at the cozy interior. With its large fireplace, soft-hued wooden furniture, and comfortable armchairs, the villa exuded a sense of comfort throughout—perhaps because it had been built for the family’s relaxation. It felt like a place where she could let her guard down for a moment.

“Where’s the bedroom?”

“Our bedroom is this way.”

Edmund led her, who was looking around, up the stairs to the second floor. The spacious bedroom, which took up the entire end of the hallway, offered an unobstructed view of the forest. Standing by the window, Blair’s gaze wandered from the dense woods to the riding arena, and then to the servants leading the horses—which had been frolicking on the plain—back to the stables.

“This is a truly wonderful place.”

“I’m glad you feel that way.”

“How long can I stay here?”

The man approached her from behind with heavy footsteps and slowly slipped Blair’s coat off her shoulders. Then, with the utmost naturalness, he pressed his lips to the nape of her neck.

“Until you say you’re tired of it.”

“That will never happen.”

“In that case, perhaps we should set up our honeymoon home here.”

Edmund’s light-hearted chuckle drifted gently over her shoulder. Blair took a deep breath, her gaze fixed outside the window.

“We can stay as long as we like, so don’t worry about anything else—just make yourself comfortable.”

Whether it’s a month or two. The tender whisper seemed to add that to her ear. Because if she truly wanted it, Edmund was the kind of man who would make it happen no matter what.

But was it really okay to let herself be swept away by this sweet moment, wrapped in such a comforting embrace, with her eyes and ears closed? Even though she was enjoying the present, she still couldn’t shake her anxiety—someday, when this dreamlike tranquility had all passed, she would have to face the reality she was currently turning away from.

“Your Excellency.”

Just then, footsteps echoed down the hallway, and someone knocked on the bedroom door.

“A message from Borsa. I think you should take it now.”

...From the capital?

Blair turned her head and glanced at Edmund standing behind her. For a split second, his face seemed to stiffen, but the moment their eyes met, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

“It seems to be a work-related message. I’ll be right back.”

“…Of course. Go ahead.”

“Dinner should be ready in 30 minutes; rest a bit until then.”

“I’ll go take a bath first. Just so you know, there’s no need to send a maid up.”

“Understood. I’ll be back soon, then we’ll go downstairs together.”

Edmund kissed her on the forehead and turned to leave. Blair watched the man’s back as he crossed the bedroom for a moment, then shuffled toward the bathroom once he closed the door behind him.

***

Once he reached the first floor, Edmund stood by the phone, glancing pointlessly up at the second floor—where Blair was likely—before finally picking up the receiver. Sure enough, it was a call from one of his aides working in Borsa.

“What’s going on?”

—I’m calling to report on the progress of the investigation into young master Rufus’s death.

“Go on.”

- The constable arrested the women who were with the deceased at the scene and secured their statements. Although there are some suspicious aspects regarding their identities, it appears they are ordinary citizens caught up in an accidental incident rather than robbers.

Listening to the report in silence, Edmund lowered his gaze. Perhaps because he had ordered them never to contact him here unless it was an urgent matter, the voice continued to convey only the essential details concisely.

Fortunately, the funeral arrangements had not yet been finalized. There were still matters to settle with the Rorschach side, so the defense team and the financial officer were coordinating the details. Since the Lady of the House was in a highly unstable state, proper consultations with the church had not yet taken place.

“I see.”

-There's a possibility that the funeral schedule will be delayed longer than you anticipated, but I will look into it further for now.

“Just keep me updated on the progress.”

- Understood, Your Excellency.

Click.

The moment he hung up the phone, an overwhelming wave of exhaustion washed over him. While it was a relief that Blair would have time to settle down, it ultimately meant he had merely bought time to conceal the truth. Edmund pressed his fingertips against his eyebrows and let out a deep sigh.

Rufus’s death and the funeral. Now that he had become the de facto head of the dukedom, there was no way he could avoid being there, no matter what excuse he gave. No matter what happened, he had to stand there and face Isabelle, who had lost her son.

But what about Blair? Edmund didn’t want her to attend the funeral, even if the sky were to fall. Rufus’s miserable end, Isabelle’s madness, the stench of death, and even the whispered gossip of the mourners layered on top of it all—there was no reason for her to have to endure any of it.

To drag that fragile body—which had only just begun to find stability after being so anxious—back down to reality. Into his world, this cesspool of a world.

However, as the duke’s wife—just like him—she, too, found it difficult to completely withdraw from the formalities.

His finger, which had been pressing between his eyebrows, suddenly stopped.

With Rufus’s sudden death, the revenge Edmund had long harbored had lost its direction.

A sense of emptiness remained where his goal had once stood, but Edmund was not the kind of man to dwell on such a void for long. Just as he was about to plan his next move as if it were the natural course of events, a thought suddenly struck him.

What, exactly, was the goal he truly sought now?

At some point, Edmund had begun to question whether bringing down the Duke’s family was the right thing to do. He had come this far fueled by hatred and anger, but he was no longer alone. By his side was the woman he intended to spend the rest of his life with, and she was carrying his child.

So what possible meaning could there be in leaving nothing but ruins behind?

Wouldn’t it be wiser to cut out the rotten parts and build a new space on top of them—one that no one could ever trespass upon?

The more he thought about it, the more resolute he became. For the first time, the realization that he needed a home for her and their child began to take shape.

Edmund made his way upstairs to the bedroom where Blair was. Since it was their shared bedroom, there was no need to knock. However, he didn’t forget to knock on the bathroom door, so as not to startle the woman who might be in the tub.

***

“…Ed?”

Blair, who had been soaking in the bath with her eyes half-closed, hurriedly grabbed the edge of the tub. She’d heard a knock at the door and wondered who it was, but when she recognized the familiar voice that followed, she let out a sigh of relief.

“May I come in for a moment?”

“Oh… yes, but what’s the matter…?”

Before she could finish her sentence, Edmund stepped into the bathroom and slowly closed the door behind him. Blair looked up at him with wide eyes as he rolled up his shirt sleeves.

“What’s going on?”

“You said you didn’t need a maid to help you bathe.”

“I... I did. I’m sure I did.”

“So I came to help you instead.”

She certainly didn’t need a husband to lather her hair with soap. Unable to bring herself to say so, Blair raised her arm to discreetly cover her chest, but Edmund, paying no heed, approached and perched on the edge of the bathtub. Then, scooping bathwater from a mother-of-pearl bowl, he carefully poured it over her shoulders.

“I can do this on my own.”

“What if you were to slip and fall on the bathroom floor? I decided right from the start that I’d have to attend to you myself.”