Chapter 6
Rainer frowned slightly as he turned to look at Harry.
“I’m pretty sure I told you to turn people away if possible.”
Ever since he had grown close to the Crown Prince, the Duke’s residence had never been short of visitors.
Lately in particular, nobles had been lining up, eager to marry off their daughters to him—the Empire’s most desirable bachelor.
Naturally, Rainer had rejected every single one.
There was no telling who might be entangled with Elise.
At this point, he had no intention of creating unnecessary connections.
That was why he found it displeasing that Harry, who knew all of this perfectly well, had still allowed a guest inside today.
“That’s something you should have filtered out on your own.”
“It’s not like that—”
But Harry’s tone was different from usual.
When he conveyed the name and reason for the visit, Rainer’s eyes sharpened.
“…Who said what, exactly?”
“At a place like this… as a guest, no less.”
At that same moment, Cecilia was seated in the reception room of the Duke’s residence.
Since Elise and the Duke had gone down to the estate together for Gilbert’s recuperation, Rainer was the only one staying at the capital residence.
In her previous life, this had been the place where Cecilia lived together with Evan and Elise.
The surroundings hadn’t changed much since then.
‘But will Lord Rainer really agree to see me?’
Ever since turning her back on Rosena and her daughter, Cecilia had been thinking nonstop.
Who would be the strongest shield—someone who could protect her from the Osborne Viscountcy?
After long deliberation, the name she arrived at was Rainer Hayes.
If she married him, she could escape the Osbornes, and even Marquis Dillon wouldn’t dare recklessly provoke a ducal house.
‘And with memories from my previous life, I can help him too.’
Cecilia knew that Rainer was not Elise’s biological son.
In her previous life, Elise had repeatedly warned her to be wary of Rainer.
Back then, Cecilia had only been shocked by the hidden side of the Hayes family.
Now, that knowledge had become her greatest weapon.
‘I know the secret of the Dowager Duchess of Hayes. It’s something that could put you in the ducal seat as early as tomorrow.’
The aide who had politely asked her to leave had visibly changed after hearing those words.
When he excused himself to consult his superior, it was clear the matter was serious.
Still, Cecilia couldn’t be sure whether Rainer himself would step in.
‘What if he thinks I’m a madwoman?’
In Cecilia’s memories, Rainer had always looked at her and Evan with cold, piercing eyes.
That was only natural—they had stood in direct opposition to him in her previous life.
Overwhelmed by his silent mockery and oppressive presence, Cecilia had always avoided being in the same space as him.
As a result, she couldn’t even remember having a proper conversation with him back then.
‘Can I really do this?’
Nervous, she unconsciously tightened her grip on the cufflink she was holding.
Just then, the reception room door opened.
The man endlessly praised in every newspaper across the Empire stepped inside.
The aide Cecilia had seen earlier stood behind him.
“Pleased to meet you, Lord Rainer.”
Cecilia stood, intending to show proper courtesy.
But Rainer motioned for her to stop and sat down on the sofa opposite her.
His deep blue eyes slowly swept over her, as if assessing her.
‘Considering the chaos she caused at her wedding…’
Rainer already knew about Cecilia’s scandal from the papers.
A woman who publicly exposed her fiancé’s disgrace—and even kicked him in the shin.
She was clearly nothing like the shy noble ladies he’d seen before.
Yet the Cecilia before him was nothing like what he had imagined.
Soft silver-brown hair, clear and luminous skin, a delicate appearance.
Contrary to her reputation, she looked like the sort of woman who would cling and sob if her lover cheated.
Curious about why such an unexpected woman had come to him, Rainer felt a flicker of interest.
“So, what brings you all the way here?”
He raised a hand, gesturing for her to speak.
The woman before him bit her lip, as if hesitating.
She looked like a deer standing before a black panther.
“……”
As the silence dragged on, Harry glanced at Rainer in surprise.
Rainer was not a man known for patience—especially not with women.
Under normal circumstances, it wouldn’t have been strange for him to storm out by now.
True, Cecilia had mentioned Elise first—but even so, this reaction was unusual.
At last, Cecilia took a short breath and spoke.
“I will make you the Duke of Hayes.”
Rainer’s eyebrow lifted slightly.
He had heard it from Harry already, but hearing it directly from those small, full lips was even more absurd.
Even he—praised throughout the Empire—was lowering himself and waiting for the right time.
What could such a fragile woman possibly do to sound so confident?
“Well now… I hardly know how to respond to such a generous offer.”
Rainer tilted his head and smiled faintly.
His attitude clearly dismissed her words as nothing more than a joke.
But Cecilia didn’t falter and continued firmly.
“Of course, you’ll need to pay an appropriate price.”
“A price?”
“Marry me, Lord Rainer.”
Silence fell over the reception room.
Rainer let out a short, incredulous laugh.
The women who courted him usually bragged about their cooking or embroidery, circling around the topic of marriage.
Their transparent intentions had never amused him.
Perhaps that was why Cecilia’s bluntness was oddly interesting.
Still, he had no intention of taking her seriously.
“That’s quite the amusing joke.”
Leaning back against the sofa, Rainer crossed his long legs.
“Why don’t you try writing a novel instead? It might sell well.”
“I’m not asking to be your real wife. Just stay married for three years. After that, I’ll leave cleanly.”
Cecilia replied calmly.
Three years.
That was the time limit she had set for her revenge.
From her experience in her previous life, she already knew what would happen within that period.
And she knew exactly what information Rainer needed right now.
“The Duke of Hayes has already passed away. Last month.”
Rainer’s hand froze mid-motion.
Unlike him, Cecilia remained composed.
“The Dowager Duchess is hiding her son’s death while desperately searching for the grandson she once abandoned—because she doesn’t want to pass the title on to you.”
“So,” Rainer asked casually, though tension crept into his voice,
“has my mother found that grandson?”
“Not yet. But once I leave here, she will. Evan March is the Duke of Hayes’s biological son.”
“…Who did you just say?”
“Evan March. My former fiancé.”
Disbelief spread across Rainer’s face.
At his silent demand for proof, Cecilia calmly reached into her clothes and took out a cufflink.
“It’s a token the Duke of Hayes gave to his lover, a maid. The only keepsake she left her son.”
Rainer narrowed his eyes, staring at the cufflink in Cecilia’s hand.
The finely engraved initials—G.H.—glittered under the chandelier’s light.
It was certainly far too luxurious for a commoner to possess.
The flashy design was something Gilbert would have liked.
Still, anyone determined enough could fabricate such an item.
“…A single object like that isn’t enough to prove succession to a ducal house.”
It could have been prepared by someone who learned of Elise’s situation.
There were plenty of swindlers who claimed to be hidden children or illegitimate heirs of noble families in pursuit of wealth.
But Cecilia remained unshaken.
“Go to the public medical clinic in western Brissen. There’s a record from twenty-two years ago of a woman named Sella giving birth to a son.”
“Sella?”
“It was Evan’s biological mother’s alias. She probably wanted to avoid the Dowager Duchess’s pursuit.”
Cecilia spoke with absolute certainty.
In her previous life, Elise had eventually found Evan using those hospital records.
She had heard it directly from the Dowager Duchess herself—there was no room for doubt.
Unfortunately, the maid had died of puerperal fever two days after giving birth, and the child had been entrusted to the March orphanage.
“So,” Cecilia asked softly,
“do you feel like marrying me now?”
