Chapter 2
If happiness was never meant to last this long, she should have savored it more while she could.
Raylie squeezed her eyes shut at the scene unfolding before her.
Theo’s confident introduction of Anna as his mistress felt so unfamiliar it was impossible to believe.
“…What exactly do you think you’re doing right now?”
Seeing Theo standing warmly beside another woman, smiling at her, made Raylie’s head spin. A shadow quickly fell over her face.
“Raylie, please don’t worry. Anna is nothing more than a mistress. You are the only woman who will carry on the Pritz family as my wife.”
Now she understood why he had been so obsessed with having a child. She didn’t want to believe it, but it was clear—he only needed her for her family name and power. Nothing more.
Even so, she couldn’t let him go. He had already taken up far too much space in her heart.
“…Since when? Since when has this been going on?”
“Oh my, you really didn’t know? It’s been over a year.”
At Anna’s words, Raylie’s brows knitted together. It had barely been a year since her marriage. Which meant their relationship had begun even before the wedding.
“Madam, the only one I love is you.”
A lie. A blatant deception.
And yet, she couldn’t say a word. She couldn’t ask why he had deceived her. She couldn’t tell them to leave immediately.
She had nowhere to go—and no courage to let him go.
“You’re not planning to bring her into this house, are you?”
“Of course not. Since you must take care of your health, I plan to provide her with a separate residence.”
Two households.
Theo drove another nail straight into Raylie’s heart without hesitation. Anna smiled at her, clinging to him as if to flaunt her superiority.
“Please take good care of me, Duchess Raylie.”
“I’m not feeling well, so I’ll excuse myself. I feel dizzy…”
At Raylie’s words, Theo hurried over and examined her, driven by fear that something might happen to the child.
Seeing his concern, a bitter laugh slipped from her lips.
The child… That’s what matters to you. The child I’m carrying…
Leaving Anna at the door, he supported Raylie all the way to her bedroom. Just as always, he gazed at her tenderly, held her hand, and kissed her.
“You are my only one, my lady.”
Though she knew his words were lies, she chose to believe them. That she was the only one he loved. Even after witnessing everything with her own eyes, she covered them and shut her ears.
After that, Theo visited Anna every day.
But he never stayed the night. He always returned to Raylie’s side to sleep, and though she knew, she pretended not to.
Her belly continued to grow larger.
While eating in her room, Raylie suddenly stopped mid-bite. She grabbed a tissue, spat out the food, and rummaged through the dishes.
Lately, everything tasted strange. And today, the smell and flavor were so repulsive she couldn’t eat another bite.
Again… something’s wrong.
She rose unsteadily and went to the kitchen. Seeing no maids, she tilted her head in confusion.
Then, in the living room, she spotted Anna sitting comfortably at the table as if it were her own home.
Theo had promised Raylie that Anna would never set foot in the ducal residence. This place was meant to belong only to him and Raylie.
When Anna noticed Raylie looking at her, she smiled brightly.
“Madam, why aren’t you eating—”
Setting her teacup down gracefully, Anna stood and approached. Judging by her clothes and jewelry, Theo had once again bought her whatever she wanted.
“Then why are you standing in my home?” Raylie asked.
“Oh my, didn’t the Duke tell you? He said you’re having a hard time with your pregnancy and asked me to stay by your side and take care of you.”
Clueless as to what that truly meant, Anna kept smiling. Raylie scoffed softly.
“Did my husband ask you to do a maid’s work? I might be grateful—but you accepted without even a shred of pride?”
Raylie walked past Anna, whose face had stiffened, and returned to the kitchen. She checked the food again, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
What on earth have they been doing to the food lately?
This wasn’t the first time. She’d vomited repeatedly, and once the pain had been so severe she’d had to summon a physician.
She frowned deeply while examining the ingredients. Everything looked normal.
“Oh! I added a tonic that’s supposed to be good for your health.”
“…Did you prepare this?” Raylie asked.
“It must not suit your taste. I worked so hard on it…”
Anna lowered her head and began to tremble. Raylie frowned at her sudden behavior.
“Anna, what’s going on?”
“Duke…”
At the sound of Theo’s voice calling from behind, Anna rushed into his arms, tears welling up in her eyes.
“I prepared special food for the Madam’s health, but she said it smelled disgusting and turned the kitchen upside down.”
“It does smell disgusting,” Raylie said flatly.
Theo frowned. “Raylie, that’s rather harsh. Anna was only thinking of you—”
Raylie calmly pointed at the dish she had brought.
“Then you eat it.”
Anna stared at her in shock. Theo, without suspicion, smelled the food and took a bite. His expression remained calm.
“…Madam, what exactly is strange about this?”
“Nothing seems strange to you?”
Raylie let out a hollow laugh. The stench and vile taste were still unmistakable to her, yet Theo showed no sign of lying.
“From now on, I’ll handle my meals myself. Don’t bother.”
“But Raylie, Anna went to all this trouble for you.”
“…So? Did I ask her to?”
Theo spoke as if she were being overly sensitive. Anna clutched his sleeve and shook her head.
“Couldn’t you be just a little more generous?”
“How much more generous do I have to be?” Raylie snapped. “There are plenty of maids. Why did you have to bring her here?”
“Raylie, that’s not fair. I did this all for you.”
Her teeth clenched at those words. She took a deep breath, thinking of the child inside her. When she met Theo’s gaze again, her lips pressed tightly together.
“Do as you please. Nothing Anna does will ever satisfy you anyway.”
With that, Theo left the kitchen, abandoning Raylie behind.
Anna began visiting the ducal residence daily—under the excuse of caring for Raylie.
“It’s such a shame the Duke can’t stay by your side more often.”
Raylie understood exactly why Anna said that. Theo had been sleeping alternately in the annex where Anna stayed and in his study—not the main house.
She probably doesn’t even know why he sleeps in the annex.
Anna likely believed he stayed because he loved her. Raylie had barred Theo from her bedroom the moment he brought Anna in.
There was no need to announce it. Just the thought of his touch made her skin crawl.
“For the child’s sake. I think it’s best we sleep separately for a while.”
“I’ll just sleep beside you.”
“No. I don’t think I can sleep with you.”
Theo had stiffened at her firmness, but in the end, fearing for the child, he complied.
“He should really be with you at times like this, shouldn’t he?” Anna pressed.
Raylie didn’t respond. It wasn’t worth answering. Anna seemed tireless, as though she studied how best to get under her skin.
“I’m sorry. You’re not feeling well, and yet last night the Duke came to my quarters again… He even brought flowers. How romantic.”
Anna knew exactly what bothered Raylie—and Raylie, too, had begun to see through Anna’s intentions.
She could feel it in her gaze.
Confidence.
Superiority.
Certainty of Theo’s heart.
None of it mattered to Raylie anymore.
“He whispers that he loves me every night.”
Shamelessly, Anna chattered on. Raylie silently sipped her tea.
Even without a reaction, Anna didn’t stop. She kept talking about the Duke, determined to provoke her.
When Anna’s tea had gone cold, Raylie finally smiled and asked,
“So what did he give you this time?”
“…Pardon?”
“Every time you spend the night together, he gives you something you want. Like payment.”
Raylie set her teacup down and gently stroked her belly.
Anna’s crooked smile trembled
