Clear and transparent eyes. Beyond those eyes, Chloe was projected. She who maintained her composure even after finding her prey.

“What… what are you saying? What kind of nonsense is this?”

Helena shouted in a burst of anger.

But Chloe noticed that it was the slowly blossoming expectation at the corner of her mind.

“I mean exactly what I said.”

Then, there should be no hesitation in telling the truth. If Helena truly desires that position, she will maintain her integrity to achieve her dream.

“I’m considering divorcing Callis. If that happens, you’ll naturally become the Duchess.”

“I know the royal family has already rejected your request! Who are you trying to fool?”

Helena, having lost her composure, reverted to her usual self.

Chloe was then able to confirm.

“No need to worry about that. I’ve found a way. All that’s needed is evidence to support it.”

In truth, the Emperor’s assistance would make evidence unnecessary.

But Chloe needed proof that their marriage was not a sham.

To show that the divorce was not just for a mere commoner.

If evidence backing the reason for the divorce is found, she can prevent public opinion that she got an easy divorce with the Emperor’s help.

“Are you worried that I’ll deceive you? Helena, you know how much I detest this place.”

“……”

“I have no reason to stay here anymore. Unless you desire to be by Callis’s side.”

Chloe whispered quietly.

So quietly that neither the passing wind, the singing birds, nor the marching ants could hear.

“Then, if this leaks, it will expose Callis’s lies! He will be criticized! You’re not aiming for that, are you?”

“The article you wrote didn’t get much attention, did it? Plus, this time the royal family will also be in the line of fire, so there’s no need to worry.”

“Even so, this is a contract that betrays Callis! If I betray him, then I……”

Whether it was a collision of instinct and reason, Helena was mumbling to herself loudly.

Likewise, her hands were scattering around as if they didn’t care about the direction of the wind.

Chloe grasped her seemingly endlessly lonely, tiny hand.

“Betrayal?”

“……”

“Isn’t what Callis did by planning to marry another woman for his benefits betrayal? Isn’t keeping me as the real wife after he returned betrayal? Not only that, but parading me around proudly in front of high-borns instead of you.”

“……”

“Isn’t that betrayal, Helena?”

Helena couldn’t answer right away.

“Desiring the one you love is natural. I understand that as well.”
I couldn’t even yell at the woman who carelessly claimed to understand me.

“So, take it. The position of a duchess.”

“…….”

“Be Helena Argen with pride. Not just a nominal wife, but the real wife of the Duke’s family.”

She was already ensnared by the devil’s whispers.

Helena, who had lit a scented candle, suddenly looked at the calendar.

It was the sixth night since Callis had left the mansion. If all went as planned, he would arrive tomorrow afternoon.

‘Long time no see!’

The mansion without Callis felt empty.

Chloe was still treating the Duke’s family as her own domain and flapping her wings, and it was even more annoying without Callis to stop her.

And the strange thing was that the servants kept their distance from Helena.

It wasn’t that they didn’t treat her, but they weren’t as kind as when she was with Callis.

‘Is it because I was embarrassed at my birthday party?’

Maybe the servants had also figured out Helena’s position.

They might think she’s just a powerless commoner woman, no matter how much the Duke loves her.

‘As for Callis…’

Those who used to babble that she should be treated well as the Duke’s beloved woman changed, making Helena uneasy.

Could she be sure that Callis wouldn’t change?

‘So, take it. The position of a duchess.’

Suddenly, Chloe’s arrogant voice brushed against her mind.

‘Be Helena Argen with pride. Not just a nominal wife, but the real wife of the Duke’s family.’

Pronunciation that clashed especially hard. The faintly mixed sound of breathing.

The devil’s persuasion.

Helena rose from her seat as if bewitched. Her silent footsteps soon headed toward Callis’s study.

Books tightly packed. Helena moved the candlelight here and there to extinguish it.

‘Fifth shelf, fourth slot.’

Callis had once firmly told her to know the location of the key in case of danger.

The fourth slot on the fifth shelf. She pulled out the book furthest to the right and opened it, revealing a key in a hollowed-out section.

Helena, now holding the key, headed in the opposite direction.

A decoration that looked like an expensive antique, attached next to the bookshelf.

It looked like a mailbox with an antique design, but it was actually a safe.

Helena matched the key she had just found to the hole in the safe. The inserted key twisted its tail, and with a clunk, the jaws opened.