The next day, as soon as dawn broke, Shupert came to see Esika.

Shupert sat across from her at the tea table with his eyebrows stiffly set.

And as soon as he sat down, he immediately brought up the subject.

“Esika, get a divorce.”

However, Esika merely sipped her tea with a calm expression.

She knew that Shupert was furious to the tips of his hair.

Word had spread that the grand duchess, Riona Klaus, had tormented and hated her daughter-in-law for three years, and recently it was discovered that she had hired someone to try to kill Esika, which was now under investigation.

On top of that, rumors spread that Duke Klaus had tried to frame Esika for adultery, but instead it was revealed that he himself had committed adultery and Yuri Anesis was carrying that man’s child in her womb…

It’s only natural that Shupert, who cares for Esika, would rush all the way to the capital Torres.

“If I had known Callian Klaus was that kind of person, I would have opposed your marriage to the very end. It’s not too late even now.”

Adultery is grounds for requesting a divorce.

Nevertheless, the reason many high-ranking nobles openly keep mistresses is because they know their wives cannot divorce them.

In prestigious noble families, it was considered shameful for a daughter to divorce and return to her parents’ home.

However, Brigitte was different.

Being a newly ennobled family of commoner origins, Baron Shupert Brigitte valued his sister’s happiness more than honor.

“The Klaus family doesn’t have the dowry to return to me now. Unless they sell the mansion they’re living in.”

“…What? You brought such a large sum of money!”

If divorced due to adultery, the wife’s dowry had to be returned.

And the dowry that Brigitte had prepared when Esika got married was an enormous amount that had temporarily shaken Brigitte’s finances.

“It was used for the grand duchess’s extravagance and investments. Along with all of Klaus’s remaining assets.”

In Tuchen, which is about to select its western base.

“Damn it, those bastards.”

Shupert gritted his teeth.

“Then… even if we have to give up the dowry…”

After thinking for a long time with a heavy expression, he opened his mouth.

“Don’t stay in this hellish place any longer, Esika.”

While scandals like widespread adultery or conflicts between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law among the nobles became gossip fodder for socialites…

There had never been such a big incident in high society as this Klaus scandal.

Who is Riona Klaus?

A princess from a defeated country who had an affair with the previous Duke Klaus, drove out the original duchess, and took the position of duchess herself.

And she raised her son with him, Callian Klaus, to be the envied second generation duke.

The story of her being a former mistress always followed her, but with her elegant attitude and meticulous political skills, she captivated the ladies of high society, and at some point, the rumors disappeared.

She was the most Klaus-like duchess, and there was no more suitable heir to the venerable Klaus family than her son, Callian Klaus.

But now everyone will say in unison:

‘No matter how much you try to hide it, you can’t deceive your roots.’

“This place doesn’t suit you.”

Despite Shupert’s voice filled with intense worry, Esika only smiled faintly.

A moment later, her lips parted.

“If I get divorced here, this marriage will just be a failed experience.”

At those words, Shupert’s eyebrows twitched.

“Even if you endure here, it can’t become a successful marriage. I know you love Callian Klaus passionately, but Esika, for the sake of your family who cares about you, now in this hell…”

“Elder brother, I no longer love Callian.”

At those words, Shupert’s eyes wavered.

He could still vividly remember when Esika had refused to eat or drink, begging to be allowed to marry Callian.

However, the Esika looking at him now with clear blue eyes was different from back then.

Unlike her immature and stubborn past self, a chillingly vivid darkness had taken residence in her eyes.

He had thought something had changed before, but now he was certain.

“So the reason I’m not divorcing isn’t because of Callian. Nor is it because I’m certain I can lead this marriage to success again.”

Esika’s hand movements as she set down her teacup were elegant.

“Father always used to say: A fool buys one pearl for a hundred ling, but a wise person gets ten pearls for one ling.”

“…Esika.”

“It’s a world where titles are bought and sold for money. How is this any different from pearls?”

Shupert’s heart sank at Esika’s chilling gaze.

The Esika before him now no longer seemed like the childish youngest sister he had known.

Esika’s red lips moved.

“I may not be as capable a merchant as Father or Brother, but I’m confident I can recoup my losses several times over.”

She smiled faintly and urged Shupert.

“So please believe in me once more.”

Staring blankly at Esika, Shupert thought.

‘Could it be… the Klaus family…?’

Shupert was a capable merchant. He had made hundreds of deals a year and was adept at reading people’s capabilities.

The Esika before him seemed confident she could achieve whatever she wanted.

‘This isn’t the look in the eyes of an ordinary person. Since when… did she change this much?’

**

Callian’s room enveloped in darkness. Riona knocked and opened the door to enter.

A strong smell of alcohol permeated the room, and the curtains fluttered in the wind blowing through the open window.

Riona’s heart ached at the sight of Callian sitting desolately in a chair on the balcony.

Riona approached Callian’s side and stopped.

“…Duke.”

Callian did not turn to look at Riona.

Callian, who had always prioritized Riona above all else in the world, now just sat there as if he couldn’t hear her words.

Looking at Callian with wavering eyes, Riona slowly knelt before him.

Then Callian turned his hardened face to look at his mother.

“…”

No matter how much Callian wanted to ignore Riona, he couldn’t ignore her kneeling before him.

“Stand up.”

Callian grasped Riona’s delicate wrist.

Seeing Riona’s already fair skin looking even paler made Callian’s heart ache as well.

Callian exerted force to seat Riona in his place.

The sight of tears rolling down his mother’s cheeks was quite painful.

“I… just wanted the duke to do well. But for things to turn out like this, I have no face to show the duke. It’s all my fault… *sob*…”

Riona looked up at Callian and sobbed.

Callian heaved a deep sigh.

There’s no use regretting spilled milk.

“Mother, you shouldn’t have done that to Esika.”

Riona’s clenched fist twitched.

Callian, who never said anything unpleasant to her, now invariably criticizes her when it comes to Esika.

“And I… shouldn’t have done that to her either. It was wrong.”

“Duke, don’t blame yourself.”

Riona, who had been sitting, spread her arms and embraced her standing son’s waist.

“It’s all this mother’s fault. The duke has done nothing wrong.”

Yes, if she had known things would turn out this way, as Callian said, she wouldn’t have escalated the situation.

Damn Yuri Anesis! This situation is originally because of Esika, who brought her in as a childhood friend.

Because of those two damned women, the Klaus family has been completely ruined.

“…”

After standing still for a moment, Callian placed his hand on Riona’s shoulder and pulled himself away from her.

Then he opened his lips with furrowed brows.

“Today… I heard Esika’s elder brother came to see her. He must have urged her to divorce.”

At the word divorce, Riona’s eyes wavered for a moment.

“Surely not. He must have just come to comfort his sister and see if she’s doing well. Divorce… there’s no way, is there?”

Noble families consider a daughter’s divorce dishonorable.

“They are the Brigitte family. They value practicality over honor…”

At Callian’s words, Riona began to grow anxious.

If they demand a divorce, the Klaus family had no dowry to return.

Callian rubbed his forehead with a pained expression.

Of course, Callian didn’t care about the dowry at all.

“It’s all my fault. If only I hadn’t slept with Yuri that day.”

Fierce regret was boiling inside him. If Esika really demands a divorce…

Callian didn’t have the confidence to let Esika go.

Esika Klaus… his true love realized too late.

Even if she despised him, he wanted to keep Esika by his side.

After sitting silently for a moment with her fist tightly clenched, Riona opened her mouth.

“Callian…”

There was still no news about Tuchen’s selection of its western base, and now they were in a position where they had to hold onto Esika somehow.

So Riona had no choice.

“This mother will help. To make Esika give up thoughts of leaving Klaus.”

She decided to change direction, albeit reluctantly.

“If we treat her well with our best efforts, she will soon soften.”

At Riona’s words, Callian’s eyes wavered.