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Chapter 55
Richard, who was kicked out of the room, stood in front of the door and apologized, saying, “I’m sorry.”
Still, when Elisha did not open the door, Richard left a farewell message and disappeared.
Only then did Elisha, who regained control over her emotions, sit in front of the dressing table again.
When she saw that the makeup had been wiped away by the tears, she was saddened again. Seeing that tears started to flow even though it wasn’t something to cry about, it seemed to be the effect of pregnancy hormones.
Anne and other maids, who had been stepping back from the Duke’s conversation for a while, approached Elisha after reading the atmosphere.
Anne, who was combing Elisha’s hair and examining Elisha’s complexion through the mirror, blabbed to relieve her mood.
“I don’t understand His Grace. You’re so beautiful, so why would he say it doesn’t suit you?”
“That’s right! No, and even if it doesn’t suit you, he just has to say that it suits you.”
“His Excellency must be ignorant of the latest fashion trends. So, don’t take his words too seriously, Madam.”
When Anne started, the other maid next to her also responded and badmouthed Richard.
Elisha felt better about the maids trying to relieve her feelings.
But at the same time, she was embarrassed about crying and getting angry at Richard over a trivial matter.
‘He gave me his honest opinion but I was acting like a child…’
She felt a little sorry for making the maids curse at Richard for just this reason.
‘But I can’t control my emotions, what should I do?’
Elisha rationalized her actions, avoiding the regret stabbing her in her chest.
‘Yeah, it was Richard who made the child in my belly, right?’
It wasn’t his intention, but anyway, now that he’s a father, it’s something he should bear.
It would have been better if he didn’t make his pregnant wife sad in the first place.
“It’s done, madam.”
Anne and the maids finished the make-up and helped Elisha up.
Elisha left the room with the maids. As expected, Richard was not in front of the door.
As she was about to go down the stairs, Elisha glanced around in the direction of Richard’s office.
However, she quickly turned her gaze away and went down the stairs.
A carriage with Count Arden’s symbol on it passed through the iron gate of Duke Rubellin’s estate and went inside.
Eventually, the carriage that arrived in front of the Duke’s mansion stopped, and Ansel got off.
Grayson, the butler, who was waiting, bowed his head and greeted him.
“It’s been a while, my Lord. You’ve grown up to a new height I’ve never seen before.”
After Richard went to war, Ansel had visited several times during Elisha’s stay at the Duke’s residence, so he was acquainted with Grayson.
Ansel replied to his greeting with a smile.
“It’s been a long time, Grayson. It’s been quite a long time, and yet you’re still the same as before as if you haven’t aged a day.”
“As soon as you became a businessman, you started saying things you don’t mean.”
Grayson answered, but there was a smile on his lips as if he was pleased with Ansel’s words.
“Madam is waiting for you. Please come this way.”
Grayson led Ansel across the mansion to the back door. There was a garden where he would meet Elisha.
Ansel and his aide followed Grayson out to the backyard.
The backyard of the Duke’s mansion, as always, was full of well-maintained, multicolored flowers.
The scent of flowers carried in the spring breeze made Ansel’s mood more relaxed.
As he was heading to the greenhouse, drunk with the beautiful scenery and the scent of flowers, he suddenly felt a cool gaze from behind. Ansel was puzzled and looked up to the side where the gaze was felt.
‘Duke of Rubellin.’
Richard was there.
Richard was standing on the central balcony of the mansion, looking down at Ansel with cool eyes.
The blood-red eyes under the jet-black hair were creepy even in broad daylight.
There was also a chill atmosphere surrounding him, so that momentum increased.
The last time Ansel saw Richard was at a banquet held at the Count of Arden’s mansion eight years ago.
So it was the first time he met Richard since he became an adult.
Ansel bowed slightly to Richard.
But Richard didn’t seem to want to receive his greeting, and he just stared at him.
‘Even when he was young, he wasn’t a friendly person, but after returning from the battlefield, he became colder.’
Surprised, Ansel quietly followed Grayson.
‘How is Elisha living with a man like that? Surely, she didn’t come back to the duke reluctantly after getting caught trying to get a divorce, right?’
As he was busy being worried about Elisha’s marriage, he arrived in front of the greenhouse. Grayson opened the door and stepped back.
Ansel entered the greenhouse with his assistant.
As they went inside through the lush flower trees, they saw a tea table in the center. A familiar face was sitting in front of it.
Elisha used to see his face every time he came down to the islands.
However, they have not met since three years ago when Albert was sick and Elisha began to act as a full-fledged lord.
Meanwhile, Elisha lost her youthful appearance and had matured.
Now, the title of ‘Madam’ was more appropriate than ‘Young mistress.’
A smile spread across Ansel’s face as he faced Elisha. It was the same with Elisha who saw him.
“Hi, Ansel.”
“Long time no see, Elisha.”
The two sat facing each other with a table between them.
Anne, who brought the tea, put it down on the table and stepped back. Elisha skillfully brewed her tea and placed it in front of Ansel.
“Did you arrive in the islands yesterday?”
“Uhu. I left immediately after receiving your letter.”
He was merely stating the truth, but Elisha, the party who had blown up his favor, felt uncomfortable.
“You took care of so much for me, but I’m so sorry that I barely sent you a letter and disappeared, Ansel.”
“That’s the reward for your kindness, so it’s up to you to accept it or not. I’m fine, so don’t keep it in your heart.”
Elisha has often done Ansel a favor, even after saving him from Christian eight years ago.
Occasionally, when I met him at the islands, she would help and advise Ansel as he was studying business management.
Ansel relieved Elisha’s regret, saying it was in return. At those words, Elisha’s expression became more comfortable.
Ansel added, holding the teacup while it was cooling down.
“But I’ll keep the villa in order, so if you change your mind, talk to me anytime.”
“Thanks. It’s reassuring to have a place to go.”
Elisha smiled and tilted her teacup.
Similarly, Ansel, who was quenching his thirst, recalled the appearance of Richard he had seen in the backyard a while ago and asked Elisha.
“Then are you happy, right? In this marriage.”
Somehow, Ansel’s voice asking that felt heavier than before.
When asked out of the blue, Elisha thought for a moment and opened her mouth with a faint smile.
“Actually, I don’t know what happiness is. But one thing is certain.”
“…”
“I don’t feel unhappy about my life at the Duchy.”
If only the fate of the original could be avoided, just like Richard, who feared the existence of Harnes in the original, was now faithful to his father’s duty.
“And with Richard… Although not a fiery lover, I think we can live well like old friends. I have been thinking like that so far.”
A faint smile spread across Ansel’s lips as he quietly listened to Elisha’s story.
“…He seems like a good person.”
“Huh. It’s because of his expressionless face, you know, he’s actually very gentle.”
At Elisha’s words, Ansel doubted his ears.
“Gen… what? Where the hell are you looking?”
Where was the gentleness of that man who exuded a dangerous aura as if he would crush people with his eyes?
Ansel couldn’t understand it, but it was the man’s wife who said so, so he accepted it.
Above all, the real purpose of Ansel’s visit was not to talk about Richard but to tell a story about ‘Elissa’.
Before bringing up the story, Ansel looked for refreshments to neutralize the bitter taste of the tea. But there were no refreshments on the table.
‘There is no way that Elisha could have forgotten the cookies.’
Ansel was puzzled but he suddenly remembered that he had not yet given the gift he had prepared for Elisha.
He motioned for his aide, who was waiting at a distance, to come closer.
The aid put the small box he had been carrying since he got off the carriage in front of Elisha.
Elisha looked at the box with puzzled eyes.
“What’s this?”
“A gift. I remember you used to like chocolate cookies.”
“Ah…”
Contrary to Ansel’s expectation that she would immediately eat them, Elisha looked somewhat embarrassed.
“I’m sorry, I’ll just take your heart’s intention this time.”
“Why?”
“Um, I was going to talk about it after I was in a more stable period.”
After a moment of silence, Elisha said.
“Actually, I’m going to have a baby.”
Ansel’s eyes shook violently at the news of Elisha’s pregnancy. It was entirely unexpected news.
But at the same time, it was also understandable that Elisha suddenly changed her mind about the divorce.
Ansel, who quickly settled his confused mind, congratulated her with a labored smile.
“Congratulations, Elisha.”
“Thank you. By the way, what’s the story you wanted to talk about?”
“Ah, that…”
Ansel, who was blurring the end of his speech, shook his head as if it were nothing.
“No, it’s nothing. It’s all right. I’m just here to see your face.”
He couldn’t talk to Elisha, who was already at a time when she should relax, about what he saw in the villa of Sorneti.
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