The Secret Affairs of the Fake Duke Couple - Chapter 70

“You’ve been through a lot, Duchess. You can go home now.”

The Chief of Police said.

Jane, who had fallen asleep after intense questioning in the Chief’s office, opened her eyes slightly.

“What do you mean?”

Jane’s voice was weak after days of not sleeping or eating properly.

“It’s exactly as I said. We found evidence that the Rose Faction tried to use the Duchess, and your innocence has been proven. If we caused any offense during the investigation, please forgive us. It was all for the royal family.”

The Chief’s attitude was very polite, as if he had heard something.

The dismissive attitude he had shown throughout the investigation was nowhere to be seen.

When Jane blinked in bewilderment, the Chief approached her.

“Shall I help you up?”

“That won’t be necessary.”

Jane refused his outstretched hand and slowly stood up, bracing herself on her knees.

Though full of doubts, she could check how the situation had unfolded after going out.

Before leaving, she looked around the Chief’s office one last time.

She had been confined here for four full days. As a Duchess, she wasn’t treated harshly, but the arrogance of the investigators treating her as a potential criminal had grated on Jane’s nerves.

Not knowing how things had turned out, Jane had repeated the same words.

She had never met separately with the Rose Faction. She had not colluded with them.

It felt like being a parrot.

Hoping to never come here again, Jane took a step.

“This way, please. They’re waiting for you.”

To avoid the reporters camped out at the main entrance, the Chief guided Jane to the back door.

Jane quietly followed him without asking who was waiting for her.

The Chief opened the back door. Amidst the police carriages lined up, there was a person who particularly stood out.

“Cain…”

He frowned sharply and strode over to Jane in one breath. His shadow fell over Jane’s body.

Thanks to that, Jane was able to open her eyes properly, which had been squinting in the light.

“Did things… work out well?”

“Is that all you have to say?”

Cain was angry, as if things hadn’t gone well. Not knowing what else to ask, Jane hesitated.

Cain silently stared at Jane before lifting her chin. His brow furrowed as he examined her face from various angles.

“Can you walk?”

“Of course. I walked here too. They treated me surprisingly kindly… Ah, Cain!”

Cain picked Jane up in his arms.

“From now on, you only say what I want to hear. Otherwise.”

Cain whispered in Jane’s ear.

“Even I don’t know how basely I might behave.”

* * *

Shaa-aa, the sound of water could be heard. It was the sound of Jane washing in the bathroom.

Even though it was the middle of the day, Cain, holding a vodka in his hand, kept glancing at the bathroom door.

His nerves were on edge, worried that he might hear a sound other than water.

For example, the sound of someone collapsing.

Cain made no attempt to hide his concern for Jane. That was only natural for a human being.

Despite Cain’s request, it seemed an intense interrogation had taken place, judging by Jane’s disheveled appearance.

Her lip skin was all peeled off, her cheeks were sunken, and her eyes lost focus and wavered several times.

And yet she asks if things were resolved well?

Cain roughly mussed his hair as he recalled the first words Jane had uttered upon seeing him.

Who was worrying about whom?

Just as he was resolving to give her a piece of his mind about knowing her place, the water sound stopped.

Cain reflexively put down his glass and sprang to his feet. Then he paced anxiously in front of the bathroom door.

A short while later, the bathroom door opened and steam flowed out. Jane, who was coming out while drying her hair with a towel, stopped in surprise.

“Cain, why are you here?”

Jane’s cheeks were flushed pink from the bath. They looked luscious.

Cain snatched the towel from Jane’s hand and grabbed her wrist. He couldn’t even pull her forcefully. Her wrist wasn’t even half the size of his.

“Sit down.”

Cain sat Jane on the sofa and went behind her. Then he wrapped her wet hair in the towel.

“Cain, what are you doing…”

“Just be quiet.”

I don’t know what I’m doing either.

Cain muttered inwardly and started moving his hands.

Despite his words, his gentle touch dampened the towel, and Jane’s hair became just fluffy enough.

“I can do it myself.”

As if anyone wouldn’t know that.

Cain didn’t reply.

“Please call Hailie.”

“I gave her time off. Hailie was also questioned while you were at the police station.”

This was news to Jane. As she startled and tried to turn her head, Cain applied pressure to his hands wrapped around her head.

“Can’t you stay still?”

“Hailie was questioned? What do you mean?”

Cain briefly explained the process of how Jane was released.

To prove that Jane had no connection to the Rose Faction, testimonies from people around her were needed.

Hailie, Nathan, hotel staff who had encountered Jane, coachmen, all voluntarily went to the police station to assert her innocence.

Thanks to their active cooperation with the investigation, Cain capturing the person who had passed Jane the note, and finally guaranteeing her status in the name of Hastings, Jane was able to leave the police station.

However, Cain deliberately withheld two additional facts from Jane.

The fact that he had nearly gotten into a big fight with the Queen in the process, and that he had injured his shoulder while sweeping away the remnants of the Rose Faction in the Delpion region.

“I see…”

Jane’s voice was as faint as mist.

“I owe a debt to many people.”

“Don’t think unnecessary thoughts. And stay still. You’re interfering with drying your hair.”

Jane found Cain’s touch burdensome but obediently entrusted her body to him.

Rest was more desperately needed than expected, and her body was gradually becoming languid.

“…Jane, meal… Jane, are you list…?”

Cain’s voice grew fainter and fainter until it could no longer be heard. And at that moment, Jane’s head drooped.

“Completely knocked out.”

Cain quickly extended his hands forward to support her and prevent her from falling over.

Her gaunt cheeks were quite concerning, but sleep seemed more urgent than eating. He clicked his tongue softly and moved Jane to the bed.

Cain also lay down beside Jane. He wasn’t the only one who needed rest.

He rubbed his heated eyelids. At the sound of snoring breaths, he turned to his side. He observed Jane sleeping with her head resting on her arm.

She had been unexpectedly quiet, despite his expectation that she would bombard him with questions as soon as they left the police station.

Perhaps she lacked the energy to ask questions. Or maybe she was sick of being questioned after being interrogated so much.

Recalling Nathan’s report, Cain’s eyes deepened.

One of the reasons he had approached Jane was losing its power.

‘It seems true that she’s had nothing to do with the Rose Faction.’

What remained was the fact that the Rose Faction was trying to use Jane somehow.

That was confirmed by this incident. However, their method wasn’t what Cain had expected.

‘Were they planning to get rid of Jane if necessary? Killing two birds with one stone by driving a wedge between the raccoon and me.’

It had almost gone according to their wishes.

Cain’s eyes, which had softened slightly, sharpened again.

Perhaps I should have killed that bastard after all.

Cain gritted his teeth as he recalled the man who had given Jane the note.

Feeling a sharp sensation even in her sleep, Jane tossed and turned. Cain smoothed out the wrinkles between his brows and examined Jane.

Jane, who had been very tired, groaned. Cain gently patted her stomach. Soon after, he too fell asleep.

* * *

Cain’s consciousness gradually awakened to the soft touch on his shoulder.

He tightly gripped Jane’s wrist as she felt his shoulder and lifted his eyelids.

“…What time is it.”

His voice was completely hoarse.

“Evening.”

Cain checked the curtained window. If it were daytime, a faint light would have shone through, but not a speck of light entered through the window.

Complete night had fallen.

“When did you wake up?”

Cain released Jane’s wrist.

Jane rubbed her reddened wrist.

Unaccustomed to someone touching his body while half-asleep, Cain had gripped too tightly, causing her wrist to throb.

Cain flinched as he was rising to get water. His shirt had caught on his toes. He must have taken off his shirt while half-asleep, as it felt a bit chilly.

That’s why Jane discovered the large bruise on Cain’s shoulder.

“It’s nothing.”

He answered before Jane could ask, heading towards the table where the water jug was placed. Each time he moved, his finely divided muscles moved organically.

It was a massive body that seemed unlikely to fall to any storm.

The bruise on such a body was even more concerning.

“When did you get hurt? How? What did the doctor say? What about medicine? Are you applying anything? Are you uncomfortable?”

Had she regained energy from sleeping?

Cain chuckled as he drank water, amused by Jane’s barrage of questions.

“Cain, tell me.”

Jane sat up in bed and looked up at him. The concern in her eyes made something other than Cain’s shoulder throb.

“I got hurt two days ago while catching the guy who approached you. No bone damage, the bruise will fade in a few days. The medicine is somewhere around, and I’m not uncomfortable. Now it’s my turn to ask questions.”

Cain put down the water glass and strode over.

“Are you hungry?”

Jane shook her head.

“How do you feel?”

“I’m fine.”

“Good.”

What’s good about that?

As Jane tilted her head in confusion, Cain put one knee on the bed. His half-naked upper body suddenly came close to Jane’s face.

Jane took a deep breath. As Cain’s body scent deeply permeated Jane’s lungs, something deep inside her was strongly stimulated.

“Cain…”

“There’s a place I’d like you to look at other than my shoulder.”

Cain gently bit Jane’s earlobe.