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chapter 56
“Miss Elliot?”
Serrett blinked slowly, feeling uneasy after hearing repeated warnings to be careful around Lydia. He had just been warned by Regan, and now Christine was giving him the same caution—it felt strangely unsettling.
“You don’t know much about Lydia Elliot, do you, Serrett?”
“…….”
I know. I know what kind of person she is. I’ve experienced enough. Serrett looked at Christine with a bitter smile.
“The Crown Prince told me about her childhood,” Christine said.
“Her childhood?”
“The story of a poor white cat that died at Lydia’s hands.”
“Pardon?”
Serrett shivered, clasping his hands together at Christine’s words. Goosebumps ran down his spine, and the back of his head trembled.
“There was a cat that Duke Frextuster adored. The Duke cherished it very much.”
“…….”
Serrett’s heart began to race slightly as Christine continued.
“One day, that cat scratched Lydia Elliot’s hand and ran into Duke Frextuster’s arms.”
“The cat?”
Christine nodded lightly and continued.
“That night, the Crown Prince saw Lydia… with a stone in her hand…”
“Gah.”
Serrett covered his mouth with his hand, drawing in a sharp breath. Christine hadn’t even finished the story, but Serrett could already picture the scene, and he felt a sudden chill. Even though it was a warm day, his body felt icy.
So, Lydia had killed the cat. Brutally.
“The Crown Prince insisted I tell you this. It’s a dark secret of the royal family, but he thought you should know.”
“I see.”
Serrett’s body trembled faintly. The chill wouldn’t leave him, and he curled his body slightly.
He had already witnessed Lydia’s cruelty firsthand before his death. Most people would struggle to smile in front of someone dying from poison.
Yet Lydia had laughed so happily in front of the dying. Even now, recalling that expression made his skin crawl.
The look of happiness from having everything in her hands. Serrett vividly remembered the last face of Lydia he saw in his previous life, and his stomach churned.
“Be careful, Serrett.”
Christine left after leaving those words.
The story Christine shared left Serrett feeling unsettled. It reminded him once again that Lydia was a cruel and terrifying person.
“She’s just like Yuan. Cruel and terrifying.”
Indeed, they suited each other well. That must be why she actively participated in Yuan’s plan.
Even thinking that, Serrett felt a lingering unease. Something felt wrong.
He recalled past events from his previous life in a quiet corner of his mind.
Late one night, Lydia had come to his room with a pot of tea. At the time, Lydia was staying at the Duke’s residence, and Serrett had recently given birth.
The tea Lydia brought was brewed with the tea leaves Serrett liked—the same leaves that had vanished from the Duke’s residence after Lydia had ordered the servants to replace them.
A few days ago, Yuan had asked Serrett, who hadn’t been eating properly due to the child, if there was anything she wanted. That was when Serrett mentioned wanting this tea.
Serrett had felt a mix of gratitude and bitterness toward Yuan for arranging the tea. It hurt that it wasn’t brought by his own hand, but sent through his mistress.
“I’m helping Yuan take care of the child. The child is very cute,” Lydia said with a bright smile, adding that Yuan had been too tired and sent her in his place.
Serrett envied Lydia deeply—for being able to see his child, and for that vibrant expression on her face.
Because Yuan wouldn’t show him the child, Serrett had been withering away.
“Yuan was worried about you. He heard you wanted tea from the Cowett region, right? This tea is brewed with leaves from there.”
“…Yes.”
“It’s late at night, so it’s not ideal to drink it, but since Yuan sent it, take a sip. He even wrote a note.”
Lydia showed Serrett Yuan’s note, written neatly, expressing hope for her well-being. Serrett drank the tea without suspicion.
He didn’t know it was poisoned.
After drinking it, he felt dizzy as the medicine took effect, and Lydia said,
“Yuan put poison in the teapot. How does it feel to drink poison?”
The betrayal that washed over him in that moment was indescribable. How could someone be so cruel to him?
How worthless must he have seemed to Yuan Frextuster for him to send poison through another’s hands? Surely, there was no pity in that act.
Serrett’s mood sank as he recalled his past life. Then he remembered exactly why he felt uneasy.
Why did Yuan send poison through Lydia’s hands? If he didn’t want blood on his own hands, couldn’t he have used a servant or an aide?
To make someone he loved do such a horrifying act—there was no consideration for Lydia. It was utterly unlike Yuan Frextuster.
“Why? Why did Yuan send poison through Lydia?”
Biting his nails in thought, Serrett’s eyes landed on Yuan and Lydia.
From the balcony where he stood, he could see the back of the mansion, near the greenhouse—an area rarely visited by party guests.
There, Yuan and Lydia were together.
Was Lydia really going to insist on sharing a bed as he had suggested? Serrett chuckled in disbelief.
But something felt off. Lydia clutched both of Yuan’s arms, crying in pain. Yuan lowered his head to look at her.
Suddenly, Lydia fainted while holding onto Yuan. Yuan, with a serious expression, hurriedly picked her up and left.
Seeing Lydia collapse, Serrett abandoned his curiosity and quickly left the balcony. A guest had fainted; he had to check on her.
Serrett left the ballroom and headed to the mansion.
In the lobby, he encountered the butler and servants. The butler was instructing a servant to fetch Dr. Kane.
Approaching the butler, Serrett asked,
“I saw Miss Elliot collapse. Where is she now?”
“She’s in the second guest room.”
“Understood. Handle it.”
Nodding at the butler’s reply, Serrett went up the stairs.
Outside the second guest room, Serrett saw Yuan through the slightly open door. Yuan, seated, looked serious.
Knocking once, Serrett entered.
“Serrett.”
Yuan stood, his face somber.
“What happened?”
Serrett looked at Lydia, asleep on the bed. What had been said to make her cry so desperately that she lost consciousness?
“She didn’t feel well,” Yuan said.
“Did you fight with Lydia?”
Serrett looked up at Yuan. Yuan frowned at the question.
“I saw them near the greenhouse. Lydia was crying.”
“It’s nothing serious.”
Yuan glanced at Lydia. A fleeting look of regret passed in his ash-colored eyes.
“Nothing serious, but she cries like that?”
“…What do you want to know?”
Yuan sighed.
Serrett didn’t even know what he wanted to know, or what he wanted to hear from Yuan.
“Anyone would be curious. If another woman cries so bitterly in front of her husband…”
“It’s Miss Elliot’s personal matter.”
Yuan’s face hardened, cutting off further questioning.
Since it was Lydia’s personal matter, Serrett fell silent. Some things hadn’t changed from his previous life.
“Then please stay by her side. I’ll return to the ballroom.”
With a bitter expression, Serrett turned from Yuan.
The sound of the door closing made Yuan swipe his hand over his face. He couldn’t help but notice that Serrett had just left.
Yet he could not speak of Lydia’s situation. Even though it could be used to threaten the Emperor, a certain courtesy had to be maintained.
“Ha.”
Yuan exhaled wearily and sat in his chair. His mouth felt dry as he watched Lydia asleep.
Though necessary, the act left a bitter aftertaste. Lydia’s face, crying in despair, would not fade from his mind.
‘I heard it from Your Majesty. Is that true? Really, I can’t have a child?’
Her voice echoed in his ears, sobbing.
Lydia had learned the truth about her condition. Yuan avoided her gaze, unable to answer.
This was not what he wanted. Leaning back in his chair, Yuan sighed.
He was still unsure why he had done this—for Serrett, or for the Frextuster family?
After a while, Lydia slowly opened her eyes.
Blinking to understand where she was, she noticed Yuan in the chair and sat up.
“Are you alright?”
Yuan stood and examined her face.
Lydia forced a bitter smile.
“Even at moments like this, you have to draw the line?”
Tears fell from her eyes.
“…….”
Yuan silently handed her a handkerchief.
Lydia pushed it away, burying her face in her hands as she sobbed, her shoulders shaking in deep sorrow.
Yuan said nothing, watching her quietly.
“You knew from the start, didn’t you?”
After a while, Lydia looked up at Yuan.
“Yes.”
“From the moment we talked about marriage?”
“Yes.”
Yuan nodded.
“Sniff….”
Hearing his answer, Lydia burst into tears again. After some time, she wiped her eyes and spoke.
“So that’s why you rejected me. Right? You married Serrett instead of me because I can’t have children.”
“That….”
Before Yuan could reply, there was a knock. The butler entered with Dr. Kane.
Dr. Kane greeted Yuan politely and approached Lydia, examining her.
“There’s nothing serious. I’ll give you some sedatives; take them and rest for a few days.”
After the examination, Dr. Kane spoke.
“Thank you for your help.”
Yuan nodded to Dr. Kane.
After bidding them farewell, Dr. Kane left.
Yuan instructed the butler to bring warm water. Once the butler left, only Yuan and Lydia remained.
“I’ll trouble you for just one day.”
Her voice lacked all energy. Yuan nodded.
“Thank you, Yuan.”
Lydia gave a faint smile.
Yuan left, carrying the weight of guilt with him.
