Chapter: 14
“Today is the day, right?”
“Yes. For sure.”
Raylie asked Ren again. There was no longer any reason for her to stay here. She was exhausted—utterly worn down.
The looks of disdain and contempt directed at her never ceased. There was no reason to endure this place any longer.
At last, the outcome had turned in her favor. It had taken quite a long time, and proving everything had been a headache—additional evidence, repeated statements, endless demands.
Ren had handled everything for her, but the amount of work was far too much to say he had done it alone.
Raylie brushed away her lingering doubts, stood up, and read through the letter.
[The documents will be delivered to the ducal residence today. Everything is ready, so you may leave.]
The letter was short, containing only what was necessary. Raylie smiled in satisfaction.
“I wonder how he’ll react.”
The divorce lawsuit was flawless. The fault lay entirely with Theo, and with the miscarriage included, there would be no issue in granting the divorce.
Most of all, it had been made public. It was nearly impossible for him to refuse the divorce now. Theo—the upright man who supposedly loved only one woman—was seen by all as a devoted romantic. The backlash alone would be immense.
Of course, the scandal had died down quickly after he interfered, but that was only because he hadn’t submitted any evidence himself. Meanwhile, Raylie had stayed here and sent every piece of necessary proof to the court.
That was the very reason she had been forced to remain here until now.
Raylie packed almost nothing. Even the clothes she wore were ones she had bought herself. She had no intention of taking anything that had passed through Theo’s hands.
Except for the money that was rightfully hers.
The amount was far larger than others imagined, but she didn’t care.
She was about to leave the mansion with her belongings when Theo rushed out and grabbed her hand.
“I’m leaving.”
You don’t know it yet, but everything is already over. Raylie forced herself to suppress the smile creeping onto her lips as she looked at him.
“…Raylie.”
She would erase the horrific life she had lived here.
“This is ridiculous.”
Theo roughly yanked her hand. The grip tightened as if he would never let go, crushing Raylie’s face in pain.
She tried to shake his hand off, but it was useless.
Even as Raylie’s eyes filled with resentment, Theo remained unmoved.
“Does what I went through here make any sense?”
At last, tears spilled from her eyes. Even now, he was unbearably selfish. Why, at this point, was he refusing to let her go?
She wasn’t sad.
They were closer to tears of joy—joy at finally releasing him and leaving freely.
“Raylie, you know this. I love you.”
“…Did you just say love?”
A hollow laugh escaped Raylie’s lips.
What, exactly, did he mean by love?
Loving her while keeping another woman by his side?
Or using her simply to bear his child?
“You say you love me? How can you even dare to use that word with me?”
Filthy man. She didn’t even want to treat him as human. She hated him so much she couldn’t bear to hear him say he loved her.
Raylie reached out and struck his chest. Her slender hand dealt no real blow, but Theo merely looked down at her as she struggled.
“Live well with Anna, the woman you love so dearly. I don’t love you anymore.”
“Raylie! You know it too—there’s no rule that says you must love only one person. If that were the case, no noble would keep a mistress.”
Shamelessly, he refused to acknowledge his wrongdoing. Even to the very end, he made Raylie miserable.
“I just wanted you to love only me! No—at the very least, I wanted you to love me for who I am…”
You only wanted the child that would come from me. You blinded me with false love and kept me by your side as nothing more than a tool—and now you speak of love?
Raylie’s teeth trembled at his words.
“I love you. I truly do. Raylie, so—”
“No. Perhaps it was blind love from the very beginning.”
Raylie pulled her hand free, wiped her tears, and stepped a few paces away. Grasping her reddened wrist, she spoke.
“Divorce me. I’ll leave this place.”
For the first time, Theo’s face twisted. Only when the word divorce was spoken did his expression finally change. Raylie let out a bitter chuckle.
“No! Don’t do this—please!”
She stepped back to avoid Theo as he tried to grab her again, retreating one step for every step he took toward her.
“Don’t make me any more miserable.”
She wanted to throw even the good memories they’d shared into the trash.
Now, she would leave this place and live happily.
For herself—and for the child who had left because of her foolishness.
“Let’s never see each other again.”
With that, everything ended—and something new began.
Raylie quickly boarded the carriage. She shut the door tightly so Theo couldn’t grab her again, and the carriage swiftly left the ducal estate.
“Raylie!”
Theo shouted as he watched the carriage disappear. The woman he never imagined could escape his grasp had left him.
He couldn’t believe the situation.
Still, he believed she would eventually return.
Sorry, Raylie, but I have no intention of divorcing you.
Theo stared blankly at the place she had left behind. She had taken nothing with her, yet his chest felt strangely empty.
You have nowhere else to go. You’ll come back.
He hadn’t grabbed her hand again because she no longer held any value. And divorce? The thought that she believed he would agree so easily seemed naïve to him.
He had brought her in despite all criticism solely because she was the daughter of the Traila family.
But he didn’t know.
Raylie had prepared everything before leaving.
Anna, who had apparently been watching for some time, naturally approached Theo.
“My lord. From now on, I’ll take good care of you.”
She gently slipped her arm through his. Her touch had never bothered him before.
But this time, it felt strangely unpleasant.
“Go rest, Anna. You must be tired.”
Theo removed her arm and forced a smile.
“…My lord.”
He turned his head away from Anna’s expectant gaze.
He knew exactly what that look meant.
Why am I feeling this way?
He had never once considered making Anna the duchess. He had given his side only to Raylie—because she was Raylie, because she was from the Traila family.
“Your Grace!”
A servant rushed over breathlessly, holding a newspaper.
“What’s all the commotion?”
“T-this—please look!”
Theo’s face crumpled as he read the front page.
“What is this?!”
The True Face of Duke Theo Albert of the Printz Family
The Duke’s Hidden Mistress—Who Is She?
Theo trembled with rage.
He had already suppressed this once. Yet again, the scandal was splashed across the front page.
Worse still, the attached evidence left no room for denial.
How meticulously had this been prepared?
Was this why Raylie had stayed here all this time?
Theo ground his teeth as he stared in the direction Raylie had departed.
Everything he had built—his reputation—was about to collapse from a single scandal.
And the Traila family would not remain silent.
No matter how discarded she was, Raylie was still the daughter of the Traila family. Now that it was in the papers, they would not stay quiet.
Behind him, Anna skimmed the article, a faint smile curling on her lips.
I never expected this, but she’s impressive.
She hadn’t believed Raylie at the time. She’d thought it was just empty talk—but Raylie had truly acted and left.
Theo had silenced the previous article, so Anna assumed this one would fade too. But the photos and testimonies told her otherwise.
Hmm. This isn’t so bad.
It was actually an opportunity.
Now that their relationship was exposed, there was no need to hide.
Who would marry a man who loved another woman? Especially now that even the duchess had left.
That seat belonged to no one but her.
“Your Grace, since things have turned out this way, officially—”
“Anna. Stop. Say no more. I’d rather not be deeply disappointed in you.”
“…Your Grace?”
Theo’s expression darkened further. Seeing tears well in Anna’s eyes, he sighed and rubbed his face roughly.
Gently cupping her cheek, he spoke softly.
“Anna, you were someone who was happy just receiving my love, without desiring anything else. That’s why I loved you. I hope you haven’t changed…”
To Anna, it sounded like he was telling her not to be greedy—this place was not hers.
“Anna, I have no intention of divorcing Raylie.”
“Do you truly mean that?”
Her hands trembled as she clutched her dress.
Was he aware of what he was saying?
Abandon me…?
She had thought Raylie would be the one abandoned. He always said Raylie was merely necessary for the Printz family.
Anna pressed her lips tightly together.
She never imagined she would be the one cast aside.
“Your Grace, be honest with me. You’re planning to bring in another woman, aren’t you?”
“No. There will only ever be one duchess—Raylie.”
Unbelievable.
What he wanted wasn’t a woman to continue his bloodline? Wasn’t that why Raylie had been needed?
“Ha!”
Anna let out a bitter laugh.
Raylie had been the duchess only because she was the eldest daughter of the Traila family—useful for the future.
When Duke Beritter died, only Raylie and Leta would remain.
Anna had believed he would love her forever for saving her from that hellish home.
But Raylie left.
And yet, he still believed Raylie would return.
Raylie’s words echoed in Anna’s mind. Perhaps she had known everything all along.
As Anna stared at Theo with betrayal and fury, her eyes suddenly widened.
That is…?
She blinked repeatedly, doubting her own sight.
“…Y-Your Grace!”
The unmistakable crest was still there.
Anna urgently grabbed Theo’s collar.
“Anna, stop. I don’t want to talk anymore today. Go inside and rest—”
“Look behind you!”
Theo whipped his head around.
A white carriage was approaching the ducal estate.
And engraved upon it was the emblem of the imperial family.
Theo swallowed hard.
The carriage door opened—
And the man who stepped out was none other than the Crown Prince.
Theo hurriedly bowed.
“I greet the Light of the Empire, His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“….”
As he bowed, Theo saw the crumpled documents in the Crown Prince’s hand.
The signature caught his eye.
Raylie Chartia.
Divorce petition…?
Theo’s head snapped up.
…Raylie!
Golden eyes filled with killing intent met his gaze.
The Crown Prince smiled gently.
“I was going to come yesterday… but I came today instead.”
The papers crumpled further in his grip.
Though he smiled, the pressure in the air grew razor-sharp.
“You should consider yourself lucky to have gained one more day of life.”
Theo’s body stiffened.
He couldn’t utter a single word.
