SFML 08

Chapter 8

“I’m simply asking for a fence that will keep me safe while I take my revenge.”

“…Revenge?”

It was a surprisingly sharp word to come from such a slender woman.

When Rainer frowned in confusion, Cecilia nodded.

“Yes. Evan March, Rosena Osborne, and the Osborne Viscountcy as well. I’ll return to them everything I received. And while I do that, I want you—once you become a duke—to protect me.”

“…Ha.”

He’d felt it before, but this woman really didn’t know how to speak in circles.

Then again, that only meant her goal was crystal clear.

“So what do I get in return?”

“The title of Duke of Hayes, revenge for the abuse Elise Hayes inflicted on me… and…”

Cecilia paused and glanced around.

After confirming there was no one eavesdropping, she leaned forward and whispered quietly.

“The truth behind Lady Mariana’s death.”

“…!”

Shock rippled across Rainer’s face.

It was an expression he’d never shown before—he, who always seemed so composed.

“How could you possibly know about that…?”

“I don’t know for certain, of course. But I can help you uncover it.”

Revealing the truth behind Mariana’s death would also mean bringing Elise down.

In her previous life, Elise had tormented Cecilia and, in the end, tried to discard her miserably.

Naturally, Elise was also on Cecilia’s list of revenge.

“……”

Rainer was left speechless.

It felt as though a weakness he’d never revealed to anyone had been laid bare.

And yet… for some reason, he felt he could trust Cecilia.

It wasn’t simply because she’d predicted Gilbert’s death.

Within her calm eyes, waves surged—an unshakable resolve that she would see this through no matter what.

“…Very well. Let’s do as you suggest.”

After a moment of thought, Rainer straightened in his chair.

“What do you want me to do?”

It worked.

Cecilia clenched the hem of her dress, but her expression remained composed.

“First, as I said before, marry me. And then…”

She paused deliberately, the corner of her lips lifting slightly.

“Once you become a duke, adopt Evan as your son.”

“…What did you just say? Adopt Evan March?”

Rainer let out a disbelieving laugh at the absurd proposal.

At twenty-six, he was only four years older than Evan.

The idea of becoming Evan’s father was ridiculous enough—but that wasn’t even the biggest problem.

“Adopting your wife’s former fiancé? All of Brissen’s gossip papers will have a field day.”

Marrying Cecilia alone would already be a scandal.

Rainer frowned, but Cecilia merely shrugged calmly.

“If you leave him alone, Evan will become your nephew. Are you really going to give the Dowager Lady a chance to strike back?”

Having lost her only son, Gilbert, Elise would surely be desperate to reclaim the grandson she’d once driven away.

And once she found Evan, she’d stop at nothing to seize your ducal title.

“It’s better to make Evan your nominal heir. That way, the Dowager Lady won’t have any room to interfere.”

Faced with her logical explanation, Rainer fell silent.

Lost in thought, he slowly tapped the armrest with his fingers.

“Then wouldn’t it be simpler to just eliminate Evan March? There’d be no need to take such a dangerous risk.”

To Rainer, that seemed like the cleanest and most certain solution.

If Evan disappeared, the threat would vanish with him.

Rosena, left alone with the child, would struggle to raise it by herself.

It would serve as a form of revenge for their affair as well.

“No.”

Cecilia shook her head firmly.

“That would be far too easy.”

Her expression and voice turned cold.

If killing Evan were enough, she would have done it herself long ago.

But that wasn’t what she truly wanted.

“I intend to slowly tighten the noose around Evan and Rosena’s throats—until they fall to their knees at my feet, begging me to kill them.”

“……”

Cecilia’s hatred—her dream of their complete downfall—was transmitted to Rainer in full.

He studied her quietly for a moment.

This wasn’t anger that could be dismissed as mere jealousy or a lover’s quarrel.

It was deeper. Heavier.

What had happened between them to ignite such fury?

“What exactly happened between you and those two?”

At Rainer’s question, Cecilia said nothing.

Partly because she doubted he would believe her—but mostly because recalling the end of her previous life alone was painful enough.

“I can’t tell you yet. Instead…”

She calmly changed the subject.

“I’ll give you Evan March’s business. As compensation for your patience.”

“……”

Rainer gazed at Cecilia with a subdued look.

He didn’t know the reason, but it was clear she was reluctant to reveal what tied her to Evan and Rosena.

“Forget it. I don’t need some petty shop like that.”

He leaned lazily back against the chair.

He had already accumulated more than enough wealth.

If he wanted Evan’s business, he could simply build a bigger company of his own.

“Instead, I’ll take your story as my payment.”

“That’s—”

“Of course, only when you’re ready.”

Cecilia’s eyes widened.

Rainer met her emerald-green gaze and gave a small nod.

“I’ll be sure to collect proper compensation for my patience then.”

* * *

Meanwhile, Evan rubbed his forehead irritably.

“Rosena, please—enough already.”

“What? Did you just tell me to ‘enough’ myself?”

Rosena’s face twisted.

It had been days since Cecilia had called off the wedding.

Ever since then, Rosena had relentlessly pushed for marriage, while Evan kept making excuses.

The repeated arguments were wearing him down.

“It hasn’t even been a month since that wedding disaster. If I suddenly say I’m marrying you now, what do you think people will say?”

Try thinking for once.

Evan almost snapped at her, but instead shut his mouth and shook his head.

People’s gazes had already grown painfully sharp since that day.

For a businessman, reputation was everything.

And marrying Rosena—the very center of the scandal—now of all times?

He could already imagine the gossip.

“Ugh. That’s horrifying.”

Evan shuddered dramatically.

Right now, he just wanted to stay out of sight and lie low.

But Rosena didn’t see it that way.

“At this point, neither of us can find someone else anyway! If that’s the case, what’s wrong with doing it quickly? Are you saying I should wear my wedding dress with a belly showing?”

Her voice rose with urgency.

Her body was changing by the day.

If she was going to give birth anyway, she wanted to do it proudly.

She wanted to be the most beautiful bride at the one wedding she’d have in her lifetime.

Above all, she wanted to show everyone—including Cecilia—that Evan now belonged to Rosena Osborne.

It’s a shame about his status, but Evan isn’t such a bad choice.

Decent looks, top graduate of the Academy, and his own business.

Evan March was a fairly popular prospective groom in Brissen.

Rosena had even tried to marry him off to Cecilia because she didn’t want another woman to take him.

Now that things had come to this, she wanted to flaunt him as hers and wash away the humiliation she’d suffered.

Hah. Weren’t you the one who said you couldn’t marry me because I was a commoner?

Evan frowned as he looked down at her.

He knew perfectly well that just recently—before the pregnancy was revealed—she’d been going on blind dates with some nobleman, insisting she had to marry quickly.

Yet Rosena acted as if nothing had happened, clinging to Evan’s arm with an innocent expression.

“Evan, we don’t have time. We should go see a priest tomorrow at the latest—”

“Rosena!”

Finally pushed past his limit, Evan snapped.

Rosena flinched in surprise, and Evan let out a deep sigh before speaking curtly.

“I’m not saying I won’t marry you. Just wait a little. Why are you pushing me like this?”

“Pushing you? Do I look like I’m just throwing a childish tantrum?”

“Yes! I’m sick of it, so please stop! Lia never did this even once—”

“What? Lia?”

The moment Cecilia’s name slipped out, Rosena’s eyes turned vicious.

“What did you just say?”