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"Shit...!"
Furious, Feidan cursed and threw the newspaper down, jumping up from his seat.
The front pages of the newspapers scattered on the floor were entirely covered with Leticia.
It had been like this for a week already.
Today, even a story about Leticia's boutique was in the newspaper.
'I thought she would definitely fail, taking on an unknown male designer.'
Contrary to Feidan's expectations, Leticia was thriving, even gaining the title of savior of the Crown Prince.
The disgrace of 'a duchess who abandoned her husband and had an affair,' which he had intended, was long forgotten.
Unlike his own situation, where investors in his new business had turned their backs on him after the Founding Day celebration.
'Leticia and I both have discord, so why am I the only one suffering like this?'
Feidan was standing by the window, trying to calm his anger, when he saw a carriage entering the mansion's front gate.
Elise stepped out of the carriage.
"Tch, going out again in this atmosphere..."
Feidan watched her with disapproval, and then Elise, who had glanced up, met his gaze.
But Feidan ignored her and sat back down at his desk.
The two had been in a cold war since their argument on Founding Day.
At first, Elise had made it obvious that she was sulking, but after a few days, she started giving him looks that subtly hoped he would be the first to reach out and reconcile.
Feidan had been ignoring those looks.
'I've been too lenient with Elise all this time.'
That's why she ignored his words not to come to the Founding Day celebration and brazenly appeared before him holding another man's hand.
'I need to clip her wings while I have the chance.'
Since she's carrying my child, she can't go to another man.
He intended to suppress her so that she wouldn't dare to ignore his words again.
"Ha, I'm already busy with business, and now I have to deal with a battle of wills with a woman..."
Indeed, a woman who quietly supports her husband is more suitable for the position of mistress of the house.
It was when Feidan unconsciously thought of that 'suitable person' that there was a knock.
Knock-knock—
"Your Excellency, a letter has arrived."
'Who could it be at this hour?'
Usually, official letters arrived in the morning.
A late afternoon arrival meant it was a private letter.
Feidan was puzzled but let the servant in.
"Come in."
The servant who entered the study hesitated for a moment with a troubled expression before handing him the letter.
"It's a letter from the Duchess."
The names of Leticia and Feidan were written on the front of the letter in a familiar handwriting.
Feidan's eyes turned strange as he received the unexpected letter.
The next morning.
Idris, who was having breakfast with me as usual, paused when he heard the name that came out of my mouth.
"You're going...where today?"
"To the Farnese Duke's residence."
At that, Idris was taken aback.
"Why on earth?"
It was a completely different reaction from just a few seconds ago when I was talking about having had a good meeting with Her Majesty the Empress yesterday.
I added an explanation.
"Now that the Founding Day celebration is over, and Feidan's much-touted new business seems to have failed, there's no point in dragging it out any longer. I'm thinking of trying to have a nice divorce."
"Do you think he'll agree to that? Judging from his actions so far, he seems like the type to refuse a divorce just because you ruined his plans."
He seemed to have perfectly grasped Feidan's character after just a few meetings.
'Well, it's an accurate analysis.'
But I'm not just going there to be nice, either.
"Have you forgotten how that man treated you?"
"I know better than anyone what kind of person he is."
Knowing that, why bother?
Idris's dissatisfied golden eyes seemed to be asking that.
I smiled sweetly as if to soothe his worries.
"Don't worry too much. I don't think he'll accept my proposal willingly, but Wig is coming with me, so he won't be able to do anything rash."
"Leticia, that gorilla is useless for his size. He's not really a threat to anyone."
"...You seem to be the only one who isn't afraid of Wig."
Regardless, Idris still seemed displeased that I was going to the Farnese Duke's residence.
Just then, the sound of a grandfather clock chiming the hour could be heard faintly.
I rinsed my mouth with water and decided to finish the meal.
"It's almost time for my appointment, so I'll get going first. You said you were going out today too, right? Have a good day."
As I got up from my seat, Idris's voice stopped me.
"I'll go with you."
"Didn't you say you had plans today?"
While I was blinking in surprise at the unexpected suggestion, Idris had already strode to my side.
"I can postpone them. It wasn't that important of an appointment to begin with."
"You don't have to change your plans because of me—"
"How can I send you there alone?"
From the look in his eyes as he said that, and from his lower voice than usual, I could still sense his displeasure with my choice.
"It's okay, I'll go with you."
But contrary to those displeased feelings, the hand that grasped mine was warm and firm.
At that warmth, I unconsciously paused.
"Why? Have you changed your mind and don't want to go?"
When he saw me just staring blankly at him, Idris looked at me with worried eyes.
With eyes that seemed like he would go to any lengths to solve the problem if I said I didn't want to go, if I said I was scared.
At that worry and concern, my chest felt a little ticklish for some reason, so I cleared my throat awkwardly and replied.
"How could I be scared when I have such a reliable ally? Let's go."
For some reason, the hand that was holding mine today, the warmth of that hand... kept bothering me.
A carriage with the Dellua crest was entering the Farnese Duke's residence.
Upon hearing the news, Feidan came down to the mansion's entrance to wait for the carriage.
'Even if we've argued, escorting is a gentleman's manner.'
Yesterday afternoon, the letter from Leticia stated, "I have something to discuss with you, so please tell me a convenient time. I will visit the ducal residence at that time."
'I've been ignoring her all this time when I told her to come back, but now the only reason she's coming on her own is because...'
She was upset and strayed because she thought she had been taken away by Elise, but now that she has finally defeated me, she feels empty.
So she's here to test me and see if she should come back to the ducal residence.
That's what Leticia was like, as far as he knew.
She generally respected his opinions, and even when her opinions clashed with his, she would soon bow her head and give in.
Because she loved him.
Leticia had said that she no longer loved him, but there was no way she could easily sort out her feelings after loving him for so many years.
'Of course, this time the period of defiance has been very long.'
He resented Leticia's actions of finally defeating him and ruining him, but if she now reflected on her mistakes and repented, he couldn't refuse to accept her.
'Embracing a sulking wife with a generous heart is also an essential qualification for a good husband.'
In that sense, escorting was his way of extending a hand of reconciliation first.
In the same vein, he had told Elise not to come out of her room.
Just then, the carriage arrived in front of the entrance.
The butler, who had been waiting, opened the carriage door, and Feidan reached out his hand to Leticia, who would be getting out of the carriage.
But...
"Oh, did you come out to escort me?"
It wasn't Leticia who got out of the carriage, but Idris.
Idris, who had been wearing a leisurely smile as if mocking Feidan, quickly wiped away his smile and added.
"Thank you for the thought, but I don't need it."
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