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Chapter 10
“Is that really true?”
Melvin asked Chloe, biting at the tip of his nail.
From what he had heard, Kaiden Verder had personally come to the estate for a date with Chloe.
“I mean, the carriage was enormous and so extravagant. Two sleek black horses were pulling it. You could tell they were top-quality breeds just by looking….”
Clara, unaware of how much her daughter was seething inside, continued describing Kaiden’s wealth. She didn’t forget to occasionally praise his striking looks as well.
“I really don’t know how Chloe managed to catch a man like that.”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
How could someone as plain as Chloe possibly be involved with such a perfect man? Especially when she supposedly had no interest in men at all.
“No matter how I think about it, something feels off.”
Melvin recalled the day he first met Kaiden. How he had casually inserted himself into their conversation.
If they were truly a couple—especially in a hotel—Chloe should have been with Kaiden from the start.
“But she was alone.”
The reason Melvin and Duur hadn’t approached Chloe was because she had been sitting alone. She had been calmly drinking by herself, not looking like she was waiting for anyone.
“I think he was sitting at a separate table behind us.”
He hadn’t paid much attention at the time because he was too worked up during their conversation, but there might have been someone wearing a gray suit similar to Kaiden’s sitting behind Chloe’s shoulder.
If they were dating, there would be no reason to sit separately like that.
“So what was Duur thinking, inviting the Verder heir to the wedding? All the attention meant for the bride and groom will go to him.”
“I already fought with Duur about that.”
She was angry that Duur had invited Kaiden Verder without consulting her. It even made her wonder if he still had feelings for Chloe.
No, that wasn’t even the real reason she was angry.
—
[“Duur, what exactly are you doing?”]
[“Me, Melvin…”]
[“Why are you investigating Kaiden Verder?”]
—
A divorced ex-husband investigating his ex-wife’s new partner—it was suspicious no matter how you looked at it.
And Duur hadn’t just gathered ordinary information. He had looked into disturbing details: when Kaiden’s last relationship had been, and when he had first met Chloe.
[“Do you still have feelings for Chloe?”]
[“Of course not. You know you’re the only one for me.”]
[“Then why?”]
Why invite Kaiden Verder to the wedding, and why investigate him?
[“If Kaiden Verder is truly Chloe’s lover, then he’ll come to our wedding. But if not…”]
Then Chloe would arrive alone, with some flimsy excuse that she had broken up with her partner.
[“I’ve known Chloe for seven years, through engagement and marriage. Do you really think I wouldn’t notice something off about her behavior?”]
“I know her surroundings better than anyone—there’s no way she actually has a man.”
Normally, Melvin would have snapped back that Duur had no right to claim he knew Chloe so well, or accused him of still being hung up on her. But she didn’t have the energy for that.
Because, deep down, she was also suspicious of Chloe and Kaiden’s relationship.
“Still, Melvin, didn’t the Verder heir personally come to this estate a few days ago?”
Clara’s words pulled Melvin out of his thoughts.
“That part does bother me a little…”
Could it be some kind of arrangement between the two? But why would Kaiden Verder—of all people—need Chloe, who had nothing to offer him?
“Hmph. We’ll see. Whether it’s real or fake, it’ll be exposed soon enough.”
—
“I’m screwed.”
After hearing Melvin and Clara’s conversation, Chloe collapsed onto the sofa.
“I know people are free to imagine things, but how can they suspect something like that? Even the young madam and young lady are too much.”
The maid who brought the news, Anne, spoke indignantly. She had been lingering near Clara’s room under the excuse of cleaning, and overheard everything.
“They must be jealous that the young lady is meeting Lord Verder.”
Judging by her expression, she seemed convinced that Chloe was truly dating Kaiden.
‘It’s not imagination—it’s real.’
Chloe swallowed her words.
‘Duur is one thing, but I never thought even Melvin would suspect it.’
How annoyingly sharp of them. Now she couldn’t even pretend she had broken up with Kaiden. That would expose the fact that they were never actually dating.
‘And if it’s exposed… it won’t end there.’
Given Melvin’s personality, he would likely spread it everywhere. He might even twist it into a story about a naïve divorced woman being toyed with by the Verder heir. If anyone could do it, it was Melvin.
Imagining herself being humiliated at her younger sister’s and ex-husband’s wedding for faking a relationship…
‘It’s humiliating, but… what choice do I have?’
Maybe she should just leave. Quit her job and move far away so people would forget she ever existed.
“Miss, dinner is ready. Please go downstairs before it gets cold.”
“Mm.”
Chloe stopped her thoughts and headed down to the dining room.
As she pushed aside the curtain and entered, a rich aroma filled the air. Although there were only five people in the household, the table was filled with a lavish spread—smoked turkey, salmon poke, red wine, and more. It seemed the chef had gone all out because Melvin was visiting after a long time.
But despite the abundance of food, the number of diners was modest. Only Melvin and Clara were seated.
“Where are Father and Mother?”
“Your father will arrive soon. Lady Ena said she didn’t feel like coming.”
Of course she didn’t. She simply didn’t want to sit at the same table with that detestable mother-daughter pair.
Chloe herself wanted to leave as well. But something stubborn rose within her because of what she had just heard.
‘This is my house—why should I leave?’
Her husband had been taken; was she now supposed to give up even the right to eat?
‘If I’m not here, they’ll just eat everything together, giggling about me.’
To Melvin, the tastiest dish wasn’t turkey—it was gossip about her.
‘They’ll definitely talk about me like I’m a dish on the table.’
She wouldn’t stand for that.
Chloe instructed the maid to send a separate meal to Ena’s room, then sat down at her seat. As always, the head of the household, Count Garett, sat at the head of the table, while Chloe’s seat was to his left—directly opposite Melvin.
As expected, Melvin’s eyes followed her. He seemed surprised she had chosen to eat with them.
Chloe ignored him and picked up her fork. She intended to enjoy the meal properly.
Her first target was the roasted salmon. She reached for it with onions meant to balance the flavor—
But just as her hand moved, Melvin took the entire plate.
“Mom, try this. The meat is really tender.”
He placed it in front of Clara.
Then he looked at Chloe’s awkwardly suspended hand.
“Oh, I thought you weren’t going to eat. Sorry.”
She had only just sat down. Was that really something to say?
“Mother said her gums have been hurting lately, so she can only eat soft foods…”
She covered her mouth with both hands, feigning regret and lowering her brows pitifully.
It was a petty, childish provocation.
Chloe wanted to dump the soup over his pretty face, but she restrained herself. She didn’t want to become someone equally childish.
“…It’s fine. I’ll eat something else.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
Melvin smiled sweetly, and Chloe smiled back. But under the table, her fists trembled.
‘Fine. It’s not like there’s only one dish.’
She would just eat something else.
But everything edible kept disappearing from her reach—swiftly taken by Melvin. Some for Clara, some for the bride’s skin health, some “accidentally” knocked over. Soon, Chloe had almost nothing left to eat.
“Melvin.”
Chloe finally called him.
“I’ll just starve.”
“Pardon?”
“Isn’t that what you wanted?”
She gestured at her nearly empty plate.
“Miss, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that…”
“Even if it wasn’t intentional, this is too much. You’re basically telling me to starve.”
Only a few remaining dishes were vegetables.
“If you don’t want to sit with me, just say so. It seems like we feel the same way anyway.”
“E-elder sister…”
With just a few words, Melvin’s brows drooped into a pitiful expression. His large eyes even began to glisten.
