Alex, having returned with a woman and child, naturally demanded a divorce from Olivia. Olivia was dumbfounded that his return alive had become a threat to her position, but there was nothing she could do. And so, before long, Olivia found herself standing in the courtroom.
“The defendant’s side, speak.”
“The defendant’s history with men and the scandals arising from it are all the plaintiff’s forced claims. Until now, the defendant……”
Alex ultimately drove Olivia into being the greatest femme fatale of the age in the courtroom. It was because she would not accept his demand for divorce.
Even though it was the other side that had committed adultery, it was not easy for Olivia, who had fallen out of favor among the nobles who dominated the courtroom, to survive. Moreover, there was one greatest obstacle standing in her way. Madam Brown, who had appeared as a witness, had lent strength to Alex’s claims.
“You were closer to the defendant than anyone, so you would know. Just tell us the truth as it is.”
“……At first, I believed her words that she would protect the ducal title. But using that as an excuse, she proposed to numerous men at the parties she attended. The love letters and party invitations they sent still remain at the residence.”
To men without titles, Olivia was the most perfect prey. At the words brought out by Madam Brown, who knew better than anyone that difficult situation, Olivia realized she had now crossed a river from which there was no turning back.
Not long after Madam Brown’s testimony ended, the courtroom began to stir. Both the onlookers and the jury were all nobles of the council, so Olivia could not help but feel the dark shadow of defeat. And so, today as well, she was on her way out after finishing a court battle that had reached no verdict.
“Mother.”
“Sophia, would you remove that thing from in front of me.”
“B-but, even so……”
Since Alex’s return, Madam Brown had refused not only face-to-face meetings but even conveying words through the servants. Olivia, looking at Madam Brown who consistently ignored her, gave a light nod to Sophia, who did not know what to do, to signal that it was alright.
“Sophia, I’m fine, so take Mother and go in first.”
“Even the head maid treats Mother so carelessly.”
“That’s not it, so don’t misunderstand for no reason.”
Alex sneered as he watched Sophia supporting Madam Brown and heading inside after hearing Olivia’s words. Olivia looked at Rose and the child standing far behind him. To think he would bring his son to a place like this.
She did not care about the behavior of the two, who were desperate not to be overlooked, but the child was different. As Olivia’s brow began to furrow, Alex thrust his face forward and drew her gaze.
“You still haven’t given up?”
“What is it that I should give up?”
“That seat. The name of Duchess.”
Masha, standing behind Olivia, let out a hollow laugh. Alex’s gaze seemed to linger there for a moment, but soon the arrow turned toward Olivia, who showed not the slightest agitation.
“Do you think Mother will look out for you forever? Can you not read the situation?”
“She never looked out for me. Even more so after you returned.”
Alex’s behavior, subtly trying to remove Rose and the child from her sight, was utterly ridiculous. Olivia let out a small sigh and spoke.
“What exactly is the problem? I have already offered to willingly accept even that child, and even that woman.”
“What are you going to do by holding onto an empty seat?”
Why could he not understand that it was his own family that had lined up suitors to sell that seat? Olivia, looking at Alex with whom she simply could not communicate, lost her words.
“You don’t know love. That’s why you say crazy things like you’ll accept them.”
“If that kind of thing is love, then I’d rather not know it.”
Alex, who had turned to walk away, hesitated for a moment, then wrapped his arm around Rose’s shoulder and left. Olivia, who had been quietly watching this, asked Masha, who came to her side and looked at her with concern.
“My life’s goal was just one thing: becoming a Duchess. If I give that up, what is left for me?”
“Madam……”
“If only Alex had not returned, I could have lived much better.”
Olivia covered her lips with slightly startled eyes. It was a small voice no one could hear, but the inner thoughts she had unknowingly let out left a guilt far greater than she had expected.
* * *
The servants of the ducal residence, having finished their afternoon duties, were gathered in the kitchen sharing snacks. Sophia sat Dorothy down as she came in last and pressed her, having gone to Olivia’s bedroom.
“She seemed fine for a few days, and now it’s like this again. How is Madam?”
“Masha is delivering meals to the room.”
She was also cleaning the room every day during bath time. At the following words, Sophia pressed her head and let out a sigh.
“Should I consider it fortunate that she is keeping that room……. My heart pounds wondering when an order to vacate that room might come down.”
“Even without that, the Duke and that woman are coming and going from the main building at all hours. Old Madam is just letting it be, too.”
Sophia felt a heavy responsibility as the head maid. No matter what anyone said, for the past three years, the true master of the ducal residence had been Olivia. The reality that such a person could not make a single peep even while being treated like this was simply disheartening.
“Public opinion about Madam has now worsened beyond recovery.”
“What is this, you read the newspapers too?”
“I asked Masha for it. I thought the serious face was probably because of this.”
Dorothy spread a crumpled newspaper from her apron pocket onto the table. The other servants crowded around her.
“Read it, what does it say?”
“The love story of a great noble and a country girl. Everyone likes that woman? They must be insane.”
Everyone sighed. Having experienced a reality quite different from fantasy, they looked at each other with subtle eyes. Most of the servants found it distasteful that Rose was already acting as if she were the Duchess.
“They started serializing a romance novel about the two of them a while ago.”
“This is it! I saw it when I went to the bookstore yesterday. It’s already out as a book, too?”
Another maid took the newspaper and read it with sparkling eyes. Sophia, who had been watching disapprovingly, turned to Dorothy in shock.
“Wh-what? Then what about our Madam?”
“A Madam who is a noble to the bone would be the villain interfering between the two out of greed for the position.”
“Good heavens!”
Sophia clutched her chest and shut her eyes tightly. A maid sat Sophia down on a chair and confided something in a small voice.
“Even without that, about the rumors of Madam’s men. That matter Old Madam testified about in court a few days ago. Everyone thinks it’s true.”
“Everyone knows those are all lies the Duke made up to win the lawsuit!”
“I also heard it while I was out. They’re dead set on bringing Madam down somehow.”
“If it weren’t for our Madam, those people would have been tossed around under Count Lambert.”
“If Madam weren’t a noble, no, if she weren’t a woman……”
“Such hypotheticals are meaningless.”
Dorothy spoke coldly at the servants’ continued words. Such talk was utterly useless now. Truly, for this to happen just when they were finding their own peace after the war’s end. The servants each fell silent with somber faces.
“Emergency, emergency!”
It was then. The chef, who had gone out briefly for some air, threw open the back door and came running in. The butler was with him.
“What’s the matter?”
“Everyone move aside. No, everyone help! Old Madam has ordered a dinner banquet to be prepared.”
“What?”
A banquet at a time like this? At Madam Brown’s eccentric behavior, everyone asked the chef if it was really true. But he knew nothing more. Everyone’s gaze turned to the butler who had followed the chef. As if he had been waiting, he pushed up his glasses and opened his mouth, and at his shocking statement, the kitchen turned silent.
“Oh, dear God.”
Sophia clutched her chest once again.
* * *
“What did you just say?”
“……Old Madam said to have dinner together.”
Olivia, who had been soaking in the bathtub, fell into thought with a blank face at Dorothy’s words. Wondering if she had misheard something, she turned to Masha, whose jaw was already about to drop. Seeing their reactions, Dorothy could not hide her restlessness, as she still had words left to deliver. Sensing this, Olivia spoke first.
“Tell me. Dorothy.”
Dorothy, biting her lip, looked back and forth between Olivia and Masha, and finally opened her mouth.
“……To be precise, she said to tell you that the person in the annex is inviting you.”
The time had finally come. Olivia quietly closed her eyes.
