Chapter 1
* * *
Helena stepped into the parlor.
Edward was staring at a point over the window.
“Did your conversation with the Duke of Sussex go well?”
A calm question rang.
Edward glanced back.
Helena walked gracefully to his side.
Through the window, she could see carriages with the emblems of the Countess of Brierton and the Duke of Sussex running away.
Edward muttered in a sour voice.
“When the Countess of Brierton is involved?”
Helena stared at her husband.
She couldn’t figure out what Edward was feeling at the moment.
He seemed a little dissatisfied, proud, satisfied, and sad.
“You look like your child is leaving you.”
Helena smiled quietly inside.
“What would you do if the two had good feelings for each other? Are you going to disagree?”
“No, I don’t really know. I was just worried that Enoch might get hurt because of his hasty curiosity.”
Edward continued, shrugging his shoulders.
“Of course, Enoch is already an adult, and I have no right to interfere with his choices, but…….”
But for saying so, Edward’s voice had a longing note.
“Hmm.”
Helena, who was looking at her husband as if she were observing him, soon closed her eyes and smiled.
“You look pretty upset for saying that, don’t you?”
“It’s just….”
Edward, who slurred at the end of his speech, crumpled his brows.
“My one and only dear younger brother grows up and meets a woman, so if I say I don’t feel emotional, it would be a lie.”
“You are upset.”
“Of course, as you said. I feel like I’m giving up my child who was raised in my arms.”
After a few complaints, Edward continued in a rather soft tone.
“……but he may need the Countess of Brierton.”
“Oh, do you think so?”
“Honestly? He always looked like he wasn’t interested in the world.”
The grumbling voice was filled with an indescribable affection for his younger brother.
“Now he can express his anger, annoyance, and even smile.”
“…….”
Helena leaned her head on her husband’s shoulder instead of answering.
She had watched Edward’s countenance with Enoch many times before he succeeded to the throne as crown prince.
What was Edward feeling for his brother?
Brotherly affection, guilt, and sorry.
“…… Enoch always treated me like nothing.”
Edward sighed and opened his mouth.
She knew Enoch was considerate of Edward in his own way.
However, Edward’s calm attitude was on his mind.
‘Would it have been better if he had complained or been angry that he had been having such a hard time because of his brother?’
But then.
“As you said, I’m glad the Duke looked quite happy unlike before.”
Helena nodded and affirmed Edward’s words.
Edward glanced at Helena.
“Does it look like that to you, too?”
“Yes, so don’t worry too much.”
Helena gave an unpleasant glance.
“You’re always so serious.”
“……is that so?”
“Of course. Perhaps the Duke would feel burdened by your fear.”
The acrimonious criticism made Edward look rather awkward.
“As you said, the Duke is already an adult.”
“Helena.”
“If the duke chose something, and if he was sure that the choice was right. We just have to trust and support him.”
For a moment Edward looked caught off guard.
Helena continued quietly.
“I know you feel indebted to the Duke about his childhood. But you can’t live forever tied to your childhood, right?”
“……yes.”
“Most of all, the Duke wouldn’t want you to do that.”
Helena nailed it again.
“So stop worrying like a child on the water, okay?”
“…….”
Edward, who had been listening for a long time, nodded silently.
“Yes, I will.”
“All right.”
Helena smiled as if to cheer up.
Edward frowned.
“Oh, I feel like the men in my family are being led by women.”
Enoch, who had not even had a relationship, let alone married, was already showing signs of being caught by the Countess…
‘Well, I’m married, though. I’m better.’
With that self-justification, Edward smirked after his wife.
* * *
In the late hours of the night.
Charlotte stood in front of the Viscount Gott’s mansion with a blank face.
“……Ryan.”
The cold air scattered the low voice.
Now Charlotte was becoming increasingly isolated.
The money she had received as Ryan’s mistress was long gone.
Life was only getting worse, and there was no sign of improvement.
She couldn’t help but come to Gott’s mansion to see Ryan again, but the result was simply disastrous.
“No, my family is also in a state of turmoil!”
The mother of the Viscount Gott, who chased her, raised her voice to Charlotte.
“Are you out of your mind to ask for money? You have no sense of shame!”
“Please, Ryan will definitely try to support me.”
Charlotte clung desperately to the elder Viscountess Gott.
“Let me see Ryan just once. If you’ll do that, I’ll step down quietly…”
“Outrageous!”
A sharp cry struck Charlotte like a whip.
“Didn’t this happen because of you in the first place?”
“Viscountess!”
“Why are you hitting my precious son like this!”
The Viscountess glared at Charlotte, disgusted, as if she were seeing something dirty and repulsive.
“If it weren’t for you, my sons wouldn’t have had to suffer like this!”’
“Ha, but Ryan loved me. Ryan is…!”
“What? Love?”
The Viscountess snorted.
“Let’s listen to it. You’re saying all sorts of things. My son hates you, he doesn’t even think about meeting you!’
‘……what?’
Charlotte froze on the spot.
The madam continued, twisting her lips.
“I’m Ryan’s mother! Don’t you think I know him?”
“Well, still……!”
“So you should stop trying to get to him
and stop bothering us. Got it?”
Viscountess Gott, who warned with her eyes wide open, turned around and entered the house.
“What an unlucky person!”
At the end of the cry.
Bang!
The gate was closed.
Charlotte stumbled on the spot because her whole body was drained.
“Oh, no.”
Actually, Charlotte knew.
So on the defensive, before camping in front of the mansion of Viscount Gott.
She had been following Ryan all the time to meet him.
“Why wouldn’t you contact me these days?”
Charlotte, who was desperately clinging to Ryan, stopped.
Ryan, who always smiled when he looked at her, looked so cold.
Her voice trembled automatically.
“Well, are you really trying to abandon me like this? Huh?”
In response to the desperate Charlotte, Ryan replied in a tone of annoyance.
“Oh, stop it.”
“Ryan!”
There was also a limit to pretending to be friendly to try to restore the relationship with Ryan somehow.
Charlotte’s face hardened with despair.
Ryan continued, shaking his head.
“Were we even close to each other?”
“Ryan, how could you say that to me……!”
“Never mind, let’s never see each other again.”
Ryan, who jumped up from his seat, looked down at Charlotte coldly.
“Because just thinking about how to get Ines back is killing me.”
“Ines? Does Ines matter now? Our relationship is!”
“Charlotte.”
Charlotte, who was raising her voice like a fit, was horrified.
It was because Ryan stared at her with a ferocious expression.
Clenched his fist tightly, he looked like he was going to give her a slap right away.
“I mean it, don’t you understand?”
Ryan spat out every word.
“I don’t want to see you anymore.”
At the end of the sentence, Ryan left.