Chapter 6
“Who delivered this letter?”
Karsein lifted the letter slightly and asked Bert.
“It was Enoxia.”
“Enoxia? So it was first sent to the Silent Alley tavern?”
“Yes. According to her, there was another note included with the letter… It said that if this wasn’t delivered to Your Grace immediately, she would return to the tavern and cause a proper disturbance this time…”
Bert spoke with a slightly troubled expression.
Who could have imagined hearing such a thing early in the morning?
“What ‘tone’? That’s a direct threat.”
So that’s what it was.
Karsein let out a small laugh once more at Chloe’s boldness.
And seeing that—
Bert’s eyes widened in shock.
Bert Valteren was Karsein’s adjutant.
Which meant—
Whether he wanted to or not, he knew the Grand Duke well.
His habits.
His personality.
Even his usual expressions.
Karsein rarely smiled.
And to be precise—
It was almost impossible to see him smile genuinely.
At most, it was a faint, mocking smirk.
But now—
For the first time—
He laughed out loud.
After reading the letter.
And then—
He read it again.
And laughed once more.
This time—
It wasn’t mockery.
It was closer to a real smile.
“Why… are you laughing?”
Bert couldn’t hold back his curiosity and carefully asked.
“Chloe Enrite…”
Karsein placed the letter on the desk and tapped it lightly with his long fingers.
Then muttered,
“She really is an amusing woman.”
“What do you mean…?”
Karsein had met Chloe at the gathering last night—
But he hadn’t said anything about what had happened.
So Bert had assumed—
That the Grand Duke had simply dealt with her as usual.
But then—
At dawn—
A letter from her suddenly arrived.
And not only that—
The Grand Duke laughed.
And even called her amusing.
And then—
“She rejected the gold that rolled right to her… so why did she change her mind so quickly?”
“Y-Your Grace… were you rejected?”
Bert’s blue eyes shook in confusion.
Did His Grace… confess to her?
That thought alone was unbelievable.
But Karsein didn’t even look at him.
He simply tapped the letter again—
And gave an order.
“Send a reply.”
“If she wants an affair, tell her to come to me herself—with the resolve to give me what I want.”
Did it arrive safely…?
Chloe spent the entire morning restless.
She had sent the letter somehow—
But she felt uneasy.
Tense.
What if it reaches the wrong person?
Even though she had stayed up all night, her mind felt clear.
She didn’t eat breakfast.
She only drank several cups of hot tea while sitting in the reception room.
Soon—
A reply arrived.
Which meant—
Her letter had reached him.
That was a relief.
But at the same time—
“He wants me to come to him directly? To the Grand Duke’s residence…?”
Chloe frowned as she read the reply again and again.
And—
“If I must be ready to give him what he wants…”
It sounded like a transaction.
If she wasn’t willing—
She shouldn’t come at all.
“He said he’d let me use him if I left quietly… and now he changes his words?”
Clenching her teeth, Chloe glared at the letter.
What should I do?
She grabbed her silver hair with both hands.
Even if I go… what does he want?
As she kept thinking—
Her eyes moved restlessly.
“Sister!”
A bright, cheerful voice suddenly rang out.
“I heard you skipped breakfast today. Is something wrong? Let’s have lunch together and talk.”
Roeni entered the reception room as if nothing had happened.
And then—
Lucian followed behind her.
“There you are.”
“You look exhausted. How much did you drink last night?”
In truth—
Lucian had already given Chloe a reason.
He said he wanted to spend time with his father and went back to the main house.
Of course—
She already knew it was a lie.
That’s why she had gone to the gathering herself.
“Sister…?”
Roeni looked at her with innocent eyes.
As if she knew nothing.
And Lucian—
“Chloe… are you okay? You don’t like the smell of alcohol, right? I’m sorry. My father kept pouring drinks all night… I couldn’t refuse.”
With tired eyes and a guilty expression—
He spoke softly.
Chloe’s vision blurred for a moment.
She had grown up well with her stepmother.
She had always been close to her younger sister.
And when she turned twenty-one—
“Roeni… I think I’ve fallen in love.”
She had told Roeni first.
“Really? What kind of person is he?”
Roeni had been happier than anyone.
Even proudly saying—
That it was thanks to her debut ball that Chloe met him.
Yes… that’s how it was.
But now—
The image of them kissing passionately burned in her mind.
Her eyes turned red.
What should I do now?
She couldn’t show her collapse here.
This humiliation—
This betrayal—
Was not something that could be resolved so easily.
How… how do I drag them down to ruin?
Even if she grabbed her sister’s hair—
Even if she struck her fiancé—
Nothing would change.
The fact remained—
They had betrayed her.
And that truth—
Would stay with her forever.
Like a scar burned into her heart.
Her fingers trembled.
Her lips trembled.
But Chloe endured it again.
“It’s fine. I’m not angry.”
She forced a smile.
“I skipped breakfast because my stomach isn’t feeling well, Roeni.”
“Really? Maybe something you ate last night didn’t sit well?”
Roeni covered her mouth and blinked her soft purple eyes.
She was still beautiful.
Even after spending the night out.
Chloe stood up.
“Sorry, but I don’t think I can have lunch either. I should go see a doctor.”
“By yourself? You can just call the physician.”
Roeni tilted her head, concerned.
“Shall I go with you, Chloe?”
Lucian spoke gently, as always.
He extended his hand toward her.
“That’s what a husband should do.”
At that moment—
Chloe remembered another man.
Standing in the falling snow.
Extending his hand in the same way.
And suddenly—
All her hesitation disappeared.
That’s right.
She was the one who rejected Karsein’s hand.
And she was the one who proposed the affair first.
So now—
What she had to do—
Was not something as simple as slapping them.
