Chapter 20
Theodore was flustered.
“J-J-J-Jane?”
“How could you do this to me?!”
“Huh?”
Jane, her face soaked with tears, threw the torn pieces of paper at Theodore and shouted.
“When did I ever ask you for money? There were a few times, sure, but the rest you gave me on your own! You said you loved me! You said you loved me, so how could you frame my father for a crime?!”
Frame him?
Theodore didn’t understand what she was talking about, but he was getting angry too. Jane hadn’t explained anything and had suddenly slapped him—it made his irritation boil over.
And gave her money for nothing? When had she not acted hurt and distant whenever he didn’t give her any?
“Hey, Jane.”
“Don’t call my name! You said the banquet hall would be safe! I told you I didn’t want to go! You dragged me there anyway, did something awful to me, and then never once came to see me after that?!”
“When did you ever say you didn’t want to go?! You just pretended to refuse out of courtesy! And ‘something awful’? You were the one who took my pants off first!”
“I don’t know! I don’t know! Get away from me! I was stupid to ever love someone like you!”
Bang!
After saying her piece, Jane slammed the door shut without looking back.
“Jane! Open the door! Jane!”
He banged on the door over and over. Neighbors shouted about what kind of mess this was in the middle of the night, but Jane never showed her face.
“Ha… what the hell just happened?”
Sighing in disbelief, Theodore ran a hand through his wet hair. Then he noticed scraps of paper scattered at his feet.
“She dared throw this trash at me?”
Annoyed, he picked one up—and froze when he saw strange words on it.
[…accusation…]
“Accusation? What accusation?”
Could it be that Jane had been accused because of what happened at the banquet? If so, that meant Theodore himself might be accused next.
A chill ran down his spine.
He hurriedly gathered the torn pieces from the ground and pieced them together under a lit window.
The ink had run from the rain, and some pieces were missing, but he could still make out the general meaning.
“Karl is going to prison for embezzling the Elrosa family’s assets?”
What was this supposed to mean?
Karl hadn’t embezzled anything. Not long ago, Theodore had checked the account books himself while being beaten by Berengela. The one who had stolen the Elrosa family’s assets was clearly Theodore.
Karl’s only “crime” was carrying out what Theodore had ordered him to do.
But if Karl went to prison for that, Theodore should be going with him.
“What the hell is going on? Who did this…?”
The only people who knew Theodore had embezzled the Elrosa family’s assets were himself, Karl, Rachel, Berengela—and Jane.
Jane wasn’t the culprit. She loved her father dearly. She would never frame him like this.
Berengela had been stuck in the townhouse with Theodore the entire time, and Karl wouldn’t have reported himself.
That left only one person.
His scalp prickled as if struck by lightning.
“Rachel!”
Rachel had pinned Theodore’s crime on Karl!
His hands trembled with excitement.
“She knew I was having an affair and still framed Karl? To reduce my罪? Ha.”
He’d thought she was just a foolish woman who only worried about keeping him pleased.
His heart pounded wildly.
Jane’s face flashed through his mind—throwing water at him, slapping him.
“She took all the money and now gets angry because her father was arrested—what nerve!”
Honestly, Karl wasn’t completely innocent. He had helped with embezzlement and tax evasion.
And Jane was the one who received Theodore’s money. Since Jane and Karl were family, saying Karl stole the Elrosa family’s assets wasn’t entirely wrong.
Compared to that, Rachel hadn’t slapped him or thrown water on him despite knowing about the affair. She was elegant and composed. She didn’t nag him about his mistakes.
Instead, she quietly covered up her husband’s faults.
“Was Rachel always this amazing? Just like Mother said—Rachel really is the perfect wife. I’ll go see her first thing tomorrow. She’ll be waiting for me.”
What Rachel hadn’t anticipated was this—Theodore, full of misplaced romance, would actually grow more fond of her because of her plan.
Theodore stuffed the torn papers into his coat, smiling foolishly as he thought of Rachel.
Early in the morning, Graham was already in the garden, in a wonderful mood.
“I’m really excited to learn swordsmanship and properly protect you, Mom!”
“Me too! I’m excited as well!”
Rachel and Graham smiled at each other.
When Rachel asked Cian to train Graham, he immediately said he would come to the estate.
It didn’t matter that she might divorce and leave the house at any moment. If that happened, they’d just train somewhere else.
They were chatting peacefully while waiting for Cian when someone suddenly ran toward them.
“Your Grace, you arrived earlier than expected—”
“Rachel!”
It wasn’t Cian. It was Theodore.
Both Rachel and Graham stiffened.
Theodore spread his arms and tried to pull Rachel into a hug.
Rachel recoiled in disgust, and Graham stepped between them, holding out his wooden practice sword.
“Father, don’t bother my mother.”
Theodore’s arms flailed awkwardly in the air. He coughed in embarrassment.
“Ahem. Graham, this isn’t bothering her—it’s affection.”
Affection?
Rachel snorted, incredulous. Graham shook his head seriously.
“Mom doesn’t like it. If Mom doesn’t like it, that means you’re bothering her.”
“Alright, alright. Put the stick down. What do you think you’re doing to your father?”
Though he scolded him, there was something like joy in Theodore’s voice.
Is this man insane? Did he finally lose his mind?
Still, she had planned to meet him eventually. This worked.
“Graham, Mom has something to talk about with Dad. Can you go inside for a bit? I’ll call you when His Grace arrives.”
“But, Mom—”
“Please. I need to talk to him alone.”
“….”
Graham slumped his shoulders. After standing still for a long moment, he finally nodded.
“…If Dad bothers you, tell me. I’ll protect you.”
“Okay. If he bothers me, I’ll scream, and you come save me. Deal?”
“Yes. Promise!”
Only after linking pinkies did Graham go inside the estate.
As soon as the child disappeared, Theodore approached Rachel.
“Rachel, I missed you.”
“Why are you acting so creepy? I thought you were hiding—how did you even get here?”
“It was you, wasn’t it? You framed Karl for tax evasion.”
“Yes.”
“Ha. I knew it. It was you.”
Theodore looked deeply moved.
“Thank you. You really are the only one for me. I’ve been wandering outside too much, haven’t I? I was stupid. I admit it. I’ll end things with that woman. I want to start over with you.”
…What nonsense is he saying now?
She laughed in disbelief.
“I have no intention of starting over with you.”
“Oh—sorry. We’re already married, right? Haha, silly me! Fine! Let’s live well together like this!”
“Stop talking trash. Do you have a bird brain?”
“…Bird brain?”
“I have no intention of living well with you. I was going to talk to you anyway—since you’re here, let’s do it now.”
“Talk about what?”
“Divorce.”
Only then did Theodore’s rambling mouth snap shut.
Rachel called a passing servant and had them bring the divorce papers she had prepared in advance. After confirming everything was in order, she threw them at Theodore.
“Here. Take them.”
“R-Rachel, why are you doing this all of a sudden? You love me, don’t you?”
“Love? I never did. I don’t know where you got that idea.”
“You gave me cufflinks! You framed Karl for me!”
Theodore blinked blankly and shook his head.
“No. You’re not in your right mind right now. Let’s talk later. Divorce? How could we divorce?”
“What are you talking about? Go cling to your beloved Jane’s skirt. Don’t do this here—it’s filthy.”
“Rachel!”
It seemed Theodore had misunderstood her framing Karl as an act of love.
She hadn’t expected that.
After cheating for so long, now he wanted to “clean up that woman” and “live well like before.”
Cian was right. You never know how people’s hearts will turn. It was good she had filed for annulment.
Rachel removed the wedding ring from her left ring finger and threw it at Theodore. Clink! It bounced off him and fell onto the grass.
“If you don’t want to sign the papers, don’t. We’re finished anyway. I already filed for marriage annulment with the Noble Council and the Temple.”
“What? Our marriage is annulled? That makes no sense!”
“Where else would it be? You’ll have to return the assets you took from my parents, my dowry, and pay compensation and child support.”
“An annulment? You think the Noble Council and the Temple would annul a perfectly fine marriage?!”
“They already have.”
A calm voice came from behind them.
It was Cian.
Rachel almost ran toward him in relief.
Cian approached in a neat knight-training uniform.
Theodore stammered.
“Y-Your Grace… what brings you here?”
“Do I need to explain my business to you?”
Cian answered coldly and approached Rachel, greeting her with refined courtesy.
“Lady Rachel. It has been a while.”
Lady Rachel.
That meant the annulment had been approved.
Rachel’s face lit up, while confusion spread across Theodore’s.
“Your Grace! Why are you calling my wife ‘Lady’? If you insult my wife any further, I’ll report you to the Noble Council!”
Cian chuckled lightly.
Reporting someone who practically was the Noble Council—it was laughable.
“Unfortunately, you cannot.”
“Under noble law, disputes among nobles are judged by the Noble Council! Even you are not an exception!”
“Yes. ‘Any noble’ may report me to the Council. But you are the exception. You cannot.”
“W-What do you mean—!”
Cian smiled faintly at Rachel, then turned to Theodore.
His sword slid smoothly from its sheath and cut through the air. Slash. It brushed past Theodore’s waist.
“Y-Your Grace…”
Something palm-sized dropped to the ground with a dull thud. Theodore collapsed to his knees.
Cian sheathed his sword and looked down at him calmly.
“Theodore. From this moment on, you are no longer a noble.”
The noble insignia cut off by Cian’s sword rolled across the dirt.
