HST 21

Chapter 21

A heavy pressure, as if her entire body were sinking beneath the bed, tightened around her throat.

If he finds out I’m not the mistress… he won’t let me live…!

But… Jane was human too. Though she was one of the people who cherished Rose more than anyone, when faced with death, the desire to live outweighed her loyalty to her mistress.

I’m… going to die.

Now, as she gasped for breath, the only thing left in her mind was the instinct to survive—nothing else remained. More than the fear of her identity being exposed to Eric, the danger to her own life felt far more urgent. Jane stretched out her hand desperately toward Eric behind her. With trembling hands, she reached out to him, begging for help—please save me, please help me.

Eric stared at her, trembling weakly like a baby bird, with a blank expression. His fragile and delicate fiancée, Rose. She used to act as if she would do anything if only he married her—so why, lately, had she been getting on his nerves so much? On top of that, because of Rose’s pointless testimony, he had even been mocked by Duke Pliche.

“You’ve got yourself quite the wife. Thanks to her, the noble Grand Duke Arteum’s life was spared.”

Recalling what had happened earlier that day, Eric’s cold eyes flickered.

“Do you know what I went through today because of you? You did something utterly unnecessary. Thanks to you, that arrogant Grand Duke Arteum survived.”

He roughly slapped away Jane’s hand as she clumsily tried to cling to him for help and continued speaking only what he wanted to say. If she had told him in advance that something like this would happen, he wouldn’t have been humiliated like that. He could have come up with some polished excuse in front of Duke Pliche!

“Why didn’t you tell me? That you gave that testimony in front of Duke Pliche.”

Jane couldn’t understand a word Eric was saying. She wasn’t Rose, after all—so no matter what he said while venting his anger, it made no sense to her. Unable to endure the pain, Jane struggled helplessly, still reaching out for help.

“Hh… hhk…”

Her sobbing filled Eric’s ears. Seeing the trembling maid, he hesitated.

“Don’t cry. I don’t want to hear it.”

The sniffling annoyed him. There was so much more he wanted to ask about what had happened that day, and yet she was crying.

“Tears are your weapon. You cry, and I end up backing off like this.”

Eric sprang to his feet. With a sharp glare, he stared at the back of Rose—or rather, Jane disguised as Rose. Irritated by Jane’s voice that grated on his nerves, he flung the robe he had been wearing straight at the maid’s face.

“It’s been three days, and you haven’t even apologized once.”

As Eric moved away from where he had been pressed up against her, the maid’s fit began to subside. Jane steadied her ragged breathing and forced herself to swallow her tears.

“They say you haven’t been in your right mind since the miscarriage—and I suppose that’s not entirely wrong.”

Eric hurled his words like daggers, hoping to wound her, hoping she would look at him even in rage. At his words, Jane flinched, almost turning around to scream. How could he shamelessly say something like that…!

The mistress’s miscarriage was entirely the Count’s fault…!

If she spoke up now, it would only make things worse for the Countess. Jane swallowed the words rising up her throat again and again. Perhaps annoyed by her continued silence, Eric, who had been watching her from a short distance, spoke in a low voice, his eyes filled with lust and anger.

“It doesn’t look like you have any intention of begging at my feet… In that case, you’ll have to be punished.”

Jane’s body jolted at his sharp tone.

“I’ll make sure to educate you thoroughly.”

The hair on her body stood on end. She had a very bad feeling. She could feel his sticky gaze crawling up her spine. Like a beast, Eric’s eyes gleamed as he closed in on her from behind.

As his hands slowly wrapped around her waist, an unpleasant sensation washed over her, as if snakes were crawling all over her body. Jane stood rigid, cold sweat dripping down her skin.

Creak—bang!

At that moment, someone opened the door and entered without a word.

“Oh my, Count, you were here?”

It was Doana’s voice. Half-dressed, Eric frowned at the sudden intruder. But when he realized it was Doana, the anger that had surged to his head slowly subsided. If it had been another maid, he would have exploded—but this was Doana, his mistress. Without scolding her for entering without knocking, he picked up his robe and put it on.

“What is it?”

He sat up on the bed and looked at Doana, his expression gentler than when he faced Rose. Doana raised an eyebrow as she looked at Eric and Rose lying together on the bed.

Why do you think I came?

The sight of the two of them in the same bed irritated her deeply. The person who should be by his side wasn’t Rose—it was her.

…Am I not enough for you? For someone with such weak stamina.

Doana felt deeply insulted that Eric had come to Rose even while spending passionate nights with her. She had already known from the maids’ gossip that he was a fickle man, but knowing and seeing were entirely different matters. The man she thought was already hers had been about to spend the night with another woman—it was unbearable to witness. How ridiculous. Eric’s wife was Rose, and Doana was nothing more than an adulteress—yet she acted exactly like the rightful lady of the house.

At least nothing seems to have happened.

Seeing Jane trembling on one side of the bed, Doana let out a sigh of relief. Jane was still properly dressed, which reassured her that she hadn’t arrived too late.

Don’t you dare. He’s my man.

She would never let Rose and Eric share a bed again—that was her goal. Eric had to look only at her and love only her. Doana rushed into the bedroom where Eric and the maid were and grabbed his arm with a dark expression, pressing herself against him and pulling at his hand.

“I think you need to come out for a moment.”

Her face looked urgent. Eric glanced briefly at the maid, who still hadn’t turned around.

Lying there like that without even thinking of apologizing.

To him, today was Rose’s last chance. If she begged for his forgiveness, he might reconsider the divorce—just once.

I can’t overlook this anymore. Throw that girl out immediately.

Cedric’s voice echoed in Eric’s head. Though divorce didn’t entirely appeal to him, her behavior today helped him make up his mind.

What a truly disappointing woman.

She had begged so desperately for him to stay by her side, only to engage in such pointless pride games. Never once did it occur to him that it wasn’t Rose lying there, but Jane; he simply thought his wife was being stubborn.

If I say we should divorce, you’ll cling to me, won’t you?

With cold eyes, he stared at Rose. Sensing his gaze drifting toward Rose instead of herself, Doana gently turned his face toward her and pressed herself against him, smiling with crescent-shaped eyes. The desire that had cooled flared up again—this time not for Rose, but for Doana. Without saying a word, he left the room with her.

Click.

Silence fell over the room, filled with a chill. Only then could Jane breathe freely. Eric leaving with Doana was a stroke of incredible luck—but at the same time, it left a bitter taste. Left behind alone, Jane’s shoulders slumped pitifully. Even though she wasn’t the real Rose, Eric’s actions—assaulting his ailing wife and then abandoning her to go off with his mistress—made her teeth tremble with rage.

Meanwhile, Rose nearly stumbled backward when a huge pet dog suddenly charged at her.

“Finn!”

The furious voice of the Grand Duke echoed through the reception hall. He had told Neran to keep the dog under control—how had it barged in here? Finn was a rather ferocious creature, one that didn’t easily take to people other than the Duke and Neran. And yet, it had suddenly rushed at Rose. Worry surged—what if it bit her?

Just as Finn burrowed into Rose’s arms, its body lifted into the air, then landed on the floor with a yelp.

“Are you hurt?”

Rose nodded blankly at the Duke, who was staring at her with a grave expression.

“Ah… I’m fine. I was just a little startled.”

But just now… what was that? It had all happened so fast she couldn’t be sure, but she had definitely seen Finn’s body lift into the air.

Did I imagine it?

A perfectly fine dog wouldn’t suddenly float up into the air—unless it had jumped down on its own.

“Woof! Woof woof!”

Finn’s loud barking rang out as it ran toward the open door. But something about its movement felt strange. Its body was facing the door, yet it looked as if it were struggling to come this way instead. Its front paws flailed, as though it were being dragged.

“Whine… whiiine.”

Finn’s cries sounded pitiful. Tilting her head at the strange scene, Rose watched its movements closely.

It really looks like it’s being pulled by something invisible…

That couldn’t be possible. There was no leash on Finn’s neck, and no one else was around. Still, Rose couldn’t shake the eerie feeling.

“Come here, Finn.”

Through the open doorway, the butler Neran strode in and lifted Finn—whose body was nearly as big as his own torso—straight up.

“I’ll take him away, Your Grace.”

Golden eyes flashed sharply at the Grand Duke. Though his tone was polite, his gaze was fierce. Neran glanced at Rose, then turned his back to her and mouthed words at the Duke.

I told you not to do that!

Neran was practically cursing him with his eyes. But the Duke merely scoffed and ignored him. Anger boiled up inside Neran at the Duke’s blatant dismissal.

I can’t even have a single peaceful day!

He glared daggers at the Duke. Unlike ordinary noble households, Neran and the Duke weren’t bound by a simple master-servant relationship—that was why he could bare his teeth like this.

“Woof! Woof woof!”

Unable to hold back, Finn barked again from Neran’s arms. Finn’s eyes weren’t on the Grand Duke or Neran, but on Rose.

Why me…

Rose felt afraid of Finn, panting with sparkling eyes as it stared at her. She liked dogs well enough, but—

It’s way too big. It’s kind of scary.

Finn’s massive body wasn’t something she could easily find cute. Cold sweat trickled down her back as she watched it, looking as if it might leap at her at any moment.

“We should take Finn out quickly, Neran.”

“Then I’ll see you later, Your Grace.”

With a stiff, prickly tone, Neran addressed the Duke and left the room with Finn. Rose couldn’t help but be surprised at how boldly Neran treated the Grand Duke.

I never imagined there was someone who could treat the Grand Duke of Arteum so casually.

And he was merely a butler employed at the estate. It was unimaginable at House Wens. Butler Gwen would speak honestly to Eric, but never with such sharp eyes and clipped words. Gwen always lowered himself and bowed his head—that was the way of House Wens.

Could it be that Sir Neran is some distant cousin of the Duke?

She didn’t know the details, but it was clear their relationship wasn’t an ordinary one. Still looking dazedly at the door, Rose turned to the Duke and asked,

“Your Grace, didn’t that seem strange just now?”

“What seemed strange?”

“It looked like the dog was being pulled.”

At her words, the Duke’s index finger twitched. She hadn’t missed even that fleeting moment.

Sharp.

The Duke’s keen gaze fixed on Rose. A cool air settled over the room. It was the end of summer, and autumn hadn’t yet reached the North—yet the chill made Rose shiver.

It suddenly feels… colder in here.

Hugging her arms unconsciously, Rose felt the inexplicable cold as the Grand Duke quietly studied her. His stiff expression softened slightly as his brows twitched, and he spoke in a low, subdued voice.