Chapter 4 …

The day that gave rise to the misunderstanding that I had committed adultery was my birthday.

Even though Ian had heard the rumor that the Marchioness had become crippled, he was still kind to me.

When he asked why I was walking alone on such a good day, I had asked him in return.

What was so good about it?

‘Because it’s the day you were born.’

His words, spoken without even the slightest hesitation, finally caused my already-fragile heart to crumble completely.

‘I celebrate your birth more than anyone else. And……’

‘…….’

‘Thank you for safely making it to your birthday.’

‘…….’

‘If being able to say that is what makes this a good day…… Oh, dear. I wasn’t trying to make you cry.’

The expression he wore as he reached out toward me, only to abruptly stop his hand in midair, was no different from the one he had worn when we were children.

The sunlight was dazzling.

I used those words as an excuse to hide my tears.

If only I had known that my mother-in-law had seen everything.

No…… If only I had realized a little sooner that even Carlisle insisting that I wear high heels on my birthday had all been part of the trap they had laid for me.

Would I then have been spared from watching Carlisle, who ultimately branded me an adulteress and stripped me of every last bit of the ducal family’s wealth except for the Sharoz mansion, remarry the daughter of a merchant as though he had been waiting for the opportunity?

And all that less than a week after my father had died.

‘If you’re that resentful, why don’t you remarry too? You happen to have a good match right beside you, don’t you? A crippled wife and a defective duke. If the two of you got together, you’d make the perfect couple.’

One dagger after another.

The merciless assault that came flying at me as though he had been waiting for the opportunity left even my heart in tatters.

Did you never love me, not even once?

Even though there was no subject in my question, he answered without hesitation.

‘Vanessa Sharoz. You should have asked that question back when you had a lot to offer.’

Then I would have gladly whispered that I loved you into your ear.

The violet eyes that had once shone like amethysts in his childhood had become dull, mixed with gray.

To the point that I wondered whether this really was the Carlisle Leonard I had known.

No.

Thinking back, those were the eyes he had already had from the moment he proposed marriage.

Once I realized it, the love inside me shattered.

It fell apart without leaving even a trace, as though it had never maintained its shape in the first place.

Like a flower that bloomed for only one season before withering away.

‘It’s a good thing you were so innocent. If you hadn’t gone to look at dresses when I told you to back then, you wouldn’t have stayed away from Ian. He kept getting in the way every time I tried to talk to you. I almost lost you, you know?’

That evening, a letter arrived at the last mansion that still belonged to me.

It contained documents transferring my title, bearing my unmistakable signature.

It wasn’t enough that I had been divorced after being branded an adulteress.

My father had died as well.

In a situation like this, I couldn’t afford to lose the ducal title too.

I intended to go to the Imperial Palace as soon as dawn broke.

If I requested a handwriting analysis, it would take some time, but at least the transfer of the title would be put on hold until the results came out.

Besides, I also possessed documents containing evidence of the corruption and illegal acts they had committed.

But an inexplicable sense of unease kept creeping over me.

In the end, I hurried out of the house before dawn, and the moment I stepped outside, I was killed.

As if they had been waiting for me to come out.

Without the slightest hesitation.

‘You can pay for your sins later, so get some rest, Vanessa.’

That was definitely Carlisle’s voice.

I don’t know how much wealth and glory he enjoyed in my previous life with everything he stole from me.

But the time for you to pay for your sins is now, Carlisle.

Having finished her thoughts, Vanessa deliberately lifted the corners of her lips.

“Oh, come to think of it, didn’t a restaurant owned by Dominuc Freya recently open near the capital?”

Estimating roughly when she had returned, she remembered something.

It was an upscale restaurant opened by the former Imperial head chef.

She had never been there before.

Before her marriage, she had been on bad terms with her father, and after marriage, she had been subjected to the ridiculous claim that they needed to save money.

It was the first time she had ever been told that she was extravagant with money.

And yet, despite saying that, they replaced the furniture, wallpaper, and tableware in the household whenever they felt like it, practically every other day.

That wasn’t all.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Even three meals a day weren’t enough for them; whenever they had the chance, they would go there to eat.

Even though every single expense had come out of her own pocket.

The days she had spent in the ducal household, living without wanting for anything, had gradually become like a dream.

From the moment she married, she had been completely isolated.

She remembered how, after she finished eating alone, they would deliberately enter the mansion together, chatting happily from the entrance as though to show her what she was missing.

Ironically, after turning back time, even those memories had become fuel for her desire for revenge.

‘This time, I’ll show them exactly what it means to spend money.’

She intended to show them exactly what would happen when the daughter of a duke deliberately spent money without restraint.

The more extravagant she became, the more they would hound Carlisle for letting her slip through his fingers.

After all, they had always wanted money that would never run dry.

The more they agonized over the wealth and prosperity they had lost right in front of their eyes, the stronger her desire for revenge would become.

“Where did you hear that…… Never mind. Fine. Once you’re done with your business, prepare yourself and come. I’ll be waiting.”

After her father finished speaking, Vanessa entered the ducal residence and lightly tidied herself up.

Then, when she reached the drawing room, she naturally curved her lips into a smile.

It would have been nice if she could erase even the relationship they had shared as childhood friends, but there was nothing she could do about that.

Still, how fortunate was it that she had returned just before accepting his proposal?

She could call off the marriage.

“Vannet! I was originally going to contact you before coming, but I couldn’t stand not seeing you.”

When the door opened, instead of the mature face that had once been filled with coldness, the youthful face of a young man filled with excitement appeared before her.

Back then, she had thought his hair was dazzling, as though it had been crafted from sunlight.

His gently curved eyes had also seemed like violet amethysts that emitted their own light.

But now……

They were as bland as purple paint spread over bright yellow wallpaper.

There was no emotion.

No excitement.

No fluttering of her heart.

“Carlisle! You should have contacted me before coming. If you had, I would have been late coming back.”

Vanessa smiled brightly, her eyes curving as much as possible.

To anyone watching, it would have looked as though she was delighted by his visit.

But the words hidden within were enough to make Carlisle puzzled.

“……Huh? Haha. Then I would have gone to meet you.”

“Yes. That’s what I meant. I wanted you to come meet me. It felt frustrating when you weren’t there.”

“…….”

“I missed you very…… much, too.”

Did he know?

How much she had missed him—the version of him from this time.

How much she had hated him.

How desperately she had wanted to return to that moment and set everything right.

How much she had regretted it all.

In the silence, Vanessa quietly stared at Carlisle, who was wearing an awkward smile in front of her.

By this point, he would normally have snapped at her, asking what she had a mouth for if she wasn’t going to speak.

But instead of getting irritated, he avoided her gaze.

The smile on Vanessa’s lips grew even deeper.

‘I’ve gained so much.’

The leg she had lost.

Her honor.

Her reputation.

All of it had returned to her hands.

Enough to make Carlisle Leonard have no choice but to whisper words of love to her.

Facing the youthful Carlisle made it so difficult for her to suppress her laughter that she was almost troubled by it.

‘Carlisle Leonard, in this life, your wife will be the commoner your mother wanted so desperately.’

And you will lose even that paltry marquisate of yours.

Suppressing her laughter inwardly, Vanessa gently curved her eyes at Carlisle.

“Carlisle.”

“Yes, Vannet.”

“Do you love me?”

Perhaps he had never expected such a question to come out of nowhere.

His violet eyes widened before soon curving softly.

With a smile that looked clearer and more innocent than anything else, he answered.

“……Very much. I love you so much that I can’t believe you and I are lovers.”

Pfft.

An unmistakable scoff escaped Vanessa’s lips.

Perhaps Carlisle thought that her laugh had come from happiness at having her love confirmed, because he immediately opened his mouth.

“Oh, right. For the wedding dress, what do you think about Sovina Salon? I looked around at a few places, but that one seemed the best. Apparently, everyone has been getting their dresses made there these days.”

“The wedding dress?”

“Ah.”

At Vanessa’s words, Carlisle let out a small exclamation and blushed shyly.

“I was thinking…… maybe we should start planning our wedding soon. We’ve been together for quite a long time, from when we were children until now. And more than anything…… I’ve come to want to be with you as husband and wife.”

“Isn’t this a little sudden?”

“……You’re too beautiful for me to leave you alone.”

Unlike the sweet words he so easily threw out, his eyes were filled with annoyance.

The way his eyes quickly curved into a smile when their gazes met was almost enough to make her laugh bitterly.

‘I really was completely out of my mind.’

Only now was she realizing the way Carlisle had been looking at her all this time.