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Chapter: 9
“My Husband Took My Maid”:
Her cheeks puffed up to the fullest, hands firmly on her hips, eyebrows raised high in anger—it looked as if her beige hair could reach the sky.
It was Serena, sniffing like a mountain hare.
“Stepmom!”
“Hello, Serena. How have you been?”
“Waaah! You said you’d go with me to Salmon Province, so why did you go alone?! Did you have fun? Huh? How far did you explore? I was sooo bored!”
The little darling’s spoiled whining hadn’t changed at all.
She asked casually, “Didn’t the Duke play with you? He would have paid more attention to his cute daughter.”
“Daddy hasn’t shown his face in days! Even more than usual! It’s too much. Stepmom, you’ll play with me, right?”
“You were really bored, weren’t you?”
“Of course! Hmph, Stepmom. Don’t you remember our first meeting? You lifted me up when I was rolling around in the grass because I was bored!”
Aile almost let out a laugh at those words, completely forgetting herself.
How could she forget that astonishing encounter three years ago?
The child rolled left and right, scattering leaves, wearing an obviously expensive dress. The servants were flustered, and when Aile learned that this child was the little noblewoman, she immediately ran over and scooped Serena up.
“Huh! What—!”
“You can’t play like this. Understand? Your clothes and your face are all messy now.”
“Put me down!”
Serena, who didn’t yet know who Aile was, tried to resist but soon quieted down. After setting her on the ground, Aile suggested another game: shadow puppets against the shaded wall, creating endless stories.
Serena’s breath, once full of mischief, calmed, and her sparkling eyes captivated Aile. Time passed without them noticing.
Their meetings weren’t one-sided sacrifices; both of them, even if they didn’t speak of it, had felt lonely.
Recalling the old times, Aile smiled gently, making Serena’s eyes widen.
“Oooh, Stepmom’s smiling. That means you’ll play with me, right?”
“You’re something, Serena.”
“Hehe, Stepmom, you’re something too!”
Excited, Serena grabbed Aile’s hand and pulled her along.
Estelle, thinking Aile must still be tired despite the short trip, tried to intervene.
“Little Lady, Ma’am must rest. Now, please go back.”
“Next time, you’re coming to Salmon Province with me! Got it? I’ve already marked it, so it’s a must! No excuses!”
Sorry. Aile couldn’t answer that either.
Swallowing her frustration, she returned to her room.
‘Before Gerd notices, I’d better organize my bag first.’
Without taking off her coat or shawl, she quickly rummaged through her bag and found the documents. After removing all the books from the shelf and safely hiding the papers, she felt relieved.
That night.
For some reason, neither Gerd nor the Duke spoke. It wasn’t unusual that her husband, usually indifferent, didn’t come to greet her.
But what about Gerd? She couldn’t believe he didn’t know she had returned. It had been a long time, yet everything was quiet.
Unable to wait, she tugged on the bell cord and called for another maid.
“Where’s Gerd?”
“Ah… um… well… for now, the other maids and I will be attending to you.”
The answer was vague.
Even though there were other maids in the Duke’s mansion, Gerd was the most convenient for Aile. She worried about Gerd’s treatment after leaving the house.
She asked firmly, “Where is Gerd right now?”
“Ma’am…!”
“Speak quickly, or I’ll find him myself.”
As Aile stood abruptly, the maid squeezed her eyes shut and said,
“Oh…! Please calm down, Ma’am. Actually… Master took him with him.”
Her husband?
What did that mean?
Aile’s voice trembled as she asked again,
“Took him? When? Where?”
“…After you left for Salmon Province and right after the Duke returned. We haven’t seen Gerd since.”
“Not seen him? Does that mean he disappeared?”
“Yes. He probably didn’t leave the mansion, so he must be somewhere inside. Master had them prepare special items for him.”
“What?!”
Surprised, Aile’s reaction made the maid hesitate, then she added cautiously,
“Probably. Even meals were probably handled by discreet servants…”
Aile couldn’t believe it.
Gerd was strong, young, and attractive, often catching the attention of male servants. Yet Gerd had always refused to entertain them. Now her husband had taken Gerd, and no one had seen him since.
Even without trying, she could imagine what had happened, and it drove her mad.
Although distant, Gerd was still Aile’s maid.
The Duke, who had never dared touch her, seized the opportunity while his wife was away and took Gerd.
At first, Gerd had resisted, but ultimately she gave in and became his mistress. Could she look at her former mistress the same way afterward?
Aile, her eyes dead, said weakly,
“Fine… go ahead…”
“Ma’am…”
Though unspoken, the maid’s thoughts matched Aile’s: the Duke likely took Gerd out of interest as a woman.
In wealthy noble households, this was all too common. Only the lady’s feelings were hurt; the servants bore the brunt.
“Hurry.”
“Yes.”
The maid cautiously left, glancing back at a shocked Aile. She was usually calm, so any sign of anger was worrisome. Once a gentle person loses control, it’s irreversible.
Left alone, hot tears rolled from Aile’s eyes.
‘You… are too much.’
If he had openly asked for Gerd, she might have been annoyed. But this… it was like he toyed with someone over something that would inevitably come out, just to make her miserable!
‘Enough. Once I get a divorce and leave this house, all this suffering will disappear. No more imagining.’
She retrieved the hidden documents and began writing tirelessly.
For the property division, she asked for nothing. She would leave quietly and live as she wished. The divorce papers emphasized this strongly.
She had already written a letter to the Duke, expressing everything she wanted to say. It was a bit frustrating that he had taken her close maid without hesitation!
There was no way Gerd had done anything wrong to be taken.
‘He wouldn’t have taken her to interrogate her. She’s always treated me well, even knowing I’m mistreated by my husband.’
Aile, a shadow-like Duchess, wasn’t someone who lived in ignorance.
Finally, after completing the divorce papers, she sealed them with the letter. Though pretending calm, her fingers trembled as she pressed the sealing wax.
When should she leave?
She would tell her parents about the divorce only after leaving for Salmon Province.
The Duke’s support had kept her here; her parents would naturally oppose it. Worst case, she could be held back by the Rubon House, undoing everything.
That was why she avoided consulting her family. Only her grandfather might have sided with her, being kindhearted.
Sitting on the bed with her knees drawn up, she lowered her head.
Even though she wanted to sob, no tears came. The thought of her husband taking Gerd instead of any other maid was too shocking and absurd.
How should she live from now on? Could she move forward with this wound?
She would have to find the answer herself.
She didn’t go to greet the Duke, nor did he seek her out. He must have known she returned to the mansion, yet he didn’t contact her to dine together, nor return Gerd.
Aile stopped even glancing toward his office, feeling the onset of a real cold war between them.
‘So, even appearances no longer matter.’
Finally, she might be able to end this tiresome love.
With a hollow smile, she began preparing to leave the house.
Ten days had passed since returning from Salmon Province.
Impatient, Aile looked over the luggage she had packed herself.
When leaving, the Duke had given her a generous amount of gold coins.
One coin went to the divorce papers, four coins were for the knights who had taken care of her, and the remaining change bought a small suitcase for her modest belongings.
Inside were a few sets of light underwear, a simple single-layer dress with outerwear, and a few folded thin coats. No winter clothes—she would have to earn and buy those herself. Winter was far off, so she could manage.
She planned to return the remaining coins. They were in a small pocket in a visible place. The only money she would take was the silver change used to buy the suitcase.
‘Of all days, he happens to be away from the mansion today.’
She had planned to leave with the scheduled ship, but the Duke was gone from early morning.
The maid said he had been called away for urgent patrol around the island. Perhaps a response to the pirate troubles they heard about in Salmon Province?
Although she worried, she shook her head.
‘…Not my concern. Let’s shake it off and leave.’
Gerd’s whereabouts remained unknown.
That was probably the answer.
Ruflion had shown through his actions what he thought. He had treated her with all the courtesy he owed a wife and now expected her to leave on her own. There was no reason to linger.
