Contract Marriage with the Devil Duke (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 53

Upon arriving at the room on the top floor, Orentia quickly steadied her ragged breathing. Her lack of regular exercise was showing—her heart was pounding as if it might burst from her chest.

The room was utterly barren. There wasn’t a single proper piece of furniture; books were haphazardly piled in one corner. Moreover, the portrait of the late Grand Duke James Belial stood alone near the wall. Dust had accumulated all around, suggesting it had been neglected for some time.

The moment Orentia entered the room and saw James Belial’s portrait, she was startled. His strong jawline, straight and well-groomed eyebrows, and sharp eyes were far too similar to Dimidius’s. It was as if she were seeing the man from her prophetic dream—or as if she had just unmasked him again last night. It was truly astonishing.

‘They look just like twins…’

Now she finally understood why Dimidius had seemed so distressed after watching the play during the Belial Estate’s masquerade festival. Seeing actors who looked exactly alike portraying a loving father and son must have made him sick to his stomach. She began to suspect that Dimidius harbored some deep resentment toward James Belial.

After staring at James Belial’s portrait for a long while, Orentia turned to the Head Butler and asked,

“Can you tell me why the two of them didn’t get along?”

A moment of heavy silence passed.

The Head Butler seemed to be carefully choosing his words.

After a long pause, he slightly bowed his waist and replied,

“I’m terribly sorry, my lady, but that is not something I can speak of.”

It was likely for the same reason he hadn’t mentioned why most of the portraits had been burned earlier on the staircase. She could understand his reluctance to easily disclose Dimidius’s past—after all, Dimidius must have kept it tightly hidden all this time. Naturally, it was only to be expected.

But even so, did she really have the right to ask Dimidius directly?

After all, theirs was merely a five-month contractual arrangement.

With a resigned expression, Orentia nodded and walked around the room a bit more. She noticed an old-looking notebook among the pile of books. Absentmindedly, she picked it up and gazed at the neat handwriting inside.

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