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Episode 6. Liner Hayes (2)
Liner frowned and looked at Harry.
“I assume you told her to leave politely, given the circumstances.”
Ever since he had grown close to the Crown Prince, guests had been frequenting the ducal residence. Lately, in particular, nobles lining up to marry their daughters to him—the Empire’s most eligible bachelor—had been constant. Of course, Liner rejected them all.
Who knew if they might be entangled with Elise somehow?
He didn’t want to create unnecessary connections during this period.
Harry, who knew this well, was visibly displeased that he had let the visitor in today.
“You should have known to turn her away at a level like this.”
“It’s not that…”
But Harry’s tone was different from usual. Soon, at the name and purpose of the visit he relayed, Liner’s eyes grew sharp.
“……Who did you say is here now, saying what?”
“I never thought I’d come here as a guest…”
At that moment, Cecilia was sitting in the ducal residence’s drawing room. Gilbert had gone down to the estate with Elise for his convalescence, leaving Liner alone in the capital’s ducal residence—the very place where Cecilia had lived with Evan and Elise in her past life. The surroundings weren’t much different from back then.
‘More importantly, will Sir Liner really agree to meet me?’
She had been thinking about it ever since turning her back on the Rosena duo. Who would be a sturdy fence to protect her from the Osborne Viscountcy? After much contemplation, the name that surfaced was Liner Hayes.
For one, marrying him would allow her to escape the Osborne family, and Viscount Dillon wouldn’t dare easily challenge a ducal house.
‘And with my memories from my previous life, I can also help him.’
Cecilia knew that Liner was not Elise biological son. In her past life, Elise had repeatedly warned her to be wary of Liner. Back then, she was just shocked by the dark side of the Hayes family, but now that knowledge had become her greatest weapon.
“I know the Grand Madam’s secret. It’s a matter that could allow Sir Liner to ascend to the dukedom as soon as tomorrow.”
The aide, who had been politely asking her to leave, had a change in his expression at Cecilia’s words. Seeing him immediately go to find his superior saying ‘wait a moment,’ it seemed to be a significant matter indeed. However, she still couldn’t be sure if Liner himself would appear.
‘What if he thinks I’m a madwoman?’
The Liner in Cecilia’s memory was always staring at her and Evan with cold eyes. Of course, in her past life, she had been firmly positioned as his opponent. Cowed by his silent sneers and overwhelming presence, Cecilia used to avoid facing him altogether. So much so that she didn’t even have a proper conversation with him in her previous life.
‘Can I really pull this off?’
Unconsciously tense, Cecilia tightly gripped the cuff link she was holding. Just then, the drawing room door opened.
The man all the Empire’s newspapers couldn’t stop praising these days revealed himself. The aide from earlier stood behind him.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sir Liner.”
Cecilia tried to rise from her seat to greet him properly. But Liner gestured for her to remain seated and settled into the sofa opposite her. His deep blue eyes scanned Cecilia slowly, as if appraising her.
‘For someone who caused such a scene at a wedding venue…’
Liner was also aware of Cecilia’s wedding scandal through newspaper reports. A woman who publicly exposed her fiance’s misdeeds and even kicked him in the shin… She was a completely different breed from the shy noble ladies he had seen. Yet, the Cecilia he faced was nothing like the image he had imagined. Soft silver-grey hair, transparent clear skin, a delicate impression—a face that, contrary to public knowledge, looked like it would cling and weep if her lover cheated.
Feeling a momentary interest in what this unexpected woman wanted from him, Liner spoke.
“So, the reason you came all the way here?”
Liner made a gesture inviting her to speak. The woman before him seemed to hesitate for a moment, biting her lip. She looked like a deer before a black panther.
“……”
As the silence lengthened, Harry, standing by the door, looked at Liner with a surprised expression. Liner wasn’t a man known for patience in dealing with ladies. By his usual temperament, it wouldn’t have been strange if Liner had stormed out by now. Of course, Cecilia had mentioned Elise first, but even considering that, this was an unusual reaction.
Finally, Cecilia took a short breath and spoke.
“I will make you the Duke of Hayes.”
For a moment, Liner’s eyebrow rose slightly. Although Harry had briefed him beforehand, hearing it from those small, full lips was even more astonishing. Even he, receiving praises from across the Empire, was biding his time with his head bowed. What could this delicate woman possibly do to be so confident?
“Well now… I’m not sure how to respond to such an impertinent proposal.”
Liner shook his head and smiled wryly. His attitude dismissed her words as mere jest.
But Cecilia didn’t falter and continued firmly.
“Of course, you must pay a fitting price for it.”
“A price?”
“Marry me, Sir Liner.”
For a moment, silence fell over the drawing room.
Liner let out a scoffing laugh, as if it were absurd. Usually, women who courted him boasted about their cooking or embroidery skills, hinting at marriage indirectly. Of course, he found those transparent attitudes unamising. Perhaps that’s why Cecilia’s blunt approach was反而 interesting. Naturally, he had no intention of taking it seriously.
“That’s quite an amusing joke.”
Liner leaned back against the sofa and crossed his long legs.
“Why don’t you try writing a novel? I think it would sell well.”
“I don’t mean to become your real wife. Just maintain a married life for three years. After that, I’ll leave cleanly.”
Cecilia replied calmly. Three years. That was the period she had set for her revenge. Through her past life’s experience, she already knew what would happen within that time frame. And she also knew what information Liner desperately needed right now.
“The Duke of Hayes has already passed away. Last month.”
Instantly, Liner’s hand stilled. But unlike him, Cecilia’s expression remained composed.
“The Grand Madam is hiding her son’s death and desperately searching for the grandson she discarded. Because she doesn’t want to pass the title to you.”
“So, has my mother found that grandson?”
Liner asked nonchalantly, but a slight tension seeped into his voice.
“Not yet. But she will soon find him if I leave here. Because Evan March is the Duke’s biological son.”
“……Who did you just say?”
“Evan March. My former fiance.”
An expression of disbelief spread across Liner’s face. Seeing his look demanding proof, Cecilia unhurriedly took the cuff link from her bosom and showed it.
“It’s a token the Duke gave to his lover, a maid. The only keepsake she left for her son.”
“……”
Liner narrowed his eyes, glaring at the cuff link in Cecilia’s hand. The letters ‘G.H’ engraved intricately glittered under the chandelier’s light. It was certainly too luxurious an item for a commoner to possess. It was also a flashy design that Gilbert would have liked.
But a cuff link like that could be made by anyone with the will to do so.
“……You can’t prove someone is the heir to a ducal house with just one item like that.”
Someone could have prepared it after finding out about Elise. There were plenty of fraudsters claiming to be hidden children or illegitimate offspring of noble families, eyeing their wealth.
Yet, despite Liner’s pointed remark, Cecilia spoke without flinching.
“Go to the public hospital in the western part of Brissen. There should be a record of a woman named Selah giving birth to a son 22 years ago.”
“Selah?”
“It’s the alias Evan’s biological mother used. She probably wanted to avoid the Grand Madam’s pursuit.”
Cecilia spoke with a tone of certainty. In her past life, Elise had ultimately found Evan based on this hospital record. Having heard it from the Grand Madam’s own mouth, she had no doubt about this information. Unfortunately, that maid had died of puerperal fever two days after childbirth, and the child was entrusted to the March orphanage.
“So, how about it? Do you feel like marrying me now?”
