Chapter 047
Alejandro kept his word. Within just two days, our engagement was announced in the official weekly magazine.
Goodbye to my glamorous single life…
Somehow, I ended up being engaged.
Well, that doesn’t mean we’ve become anything special, but still…
“Your face is going to fall off, miss.”
Rebecca clicked her tongue. Everyone in the office, whose numbers were gradually increasing, was staring at me.
“Ahem.”
“You don’t have to be so obvious…”
I heard Viviana mumbling. Wh-what did I show?!
“Ahem. I’ll go get some fresh air!”
I jumped up from my seat.
“I think a mousse cake would be nice.”
“Huh?”
“Aren’t you going to dear Elizabeth’s?”
“H-how do you know that…?”
“It’s where you’re going, after all.”
These ghostly people are really something.
“Tomorrow is the publication day for the gossip magazine; everyone knows that, right? Please be careful.”
Rebecca smoothly redirected everyone’s attention. Tomorrow is the day the second gossip magazine will be released, featuring an article about Duke Sidney and Alejandro.
Currently, all of high society’s attention is focused on Alejandro since he announced his engagement to me.
As soon as I stepped outside the building, people turned to look at me.
“You’re Lady Regnis!”
“That explains it. I told you before, didn’t I? Something’s off between the two of them.”
I could hear everything.
I hurriedly dashed into dear Elizabeth’s, almost fleeing.
Casper stared at me with a surprised expression. At the sound of the door shaking, all the guests turned their heads toward me. Please stop looking at me.
“I came to buy a cake.”
While Casper wrapped the cake, I took a breath. I fiddled with my cheeks again.
Other thoughts, other thoughts.
Once the gossip magazine comes out tomorrow, the first thing I’ll do is take the Duchess out. I don’t know how Duke Sidney will react.
I need to make my move before Duke Sidney does.
I had already planned several strategies and finished discussions with Alejandro.
The name of Duke Sidney’s wife is Karina. And Karina’s family is the Count of Develin family. The Develin family has a long history. In contrast, the Duke of Sidney doesn’t have that kind of honor. They originally rose through commerce and received their noble title.
They bought their title by offering money to the royal family. Of course, I don’t know how much money it takes to buy a dukedom, but could that money be everything in life?
I planned to send Karina to Develin.
Of course, the Develin family would need justification to protect Karina. Develin received money from Sidney. If they weren’t going to pay it back, they had to let Karina go.
But above all, there’s the royal family.
Alejandro will provide justification to Develin.
“Protect Karina at the request of my fiancée. I will push for a divorce from Duke Sidney, and I will guarantee this in my name.”
The Develin family is prestigious, but they have already fallen to the sidelines. Thus, they sold their daughter for money. But Alejandro reached out to them.
To the Develin, this will feel like a new opportunity.
It seems that sending Rebecca directly would be the best way.
Without Rebecca, I feel a bit uneasy.
I clicked my tongue lightly. Should I talk to Rebecca?
Anyway, it’s goodbye to Duke Sidney now.
* * *
Duke Sidney’s villa on the outskirts of the capital.
“Ah! Your Grace, please don’t! People are watching.”
“Why are you worried about such things? They have no eyes and no ears.”
Duke Sidney chuckled as he wrapped his arm around the slender waist of a woman. What a perverse taste, doing that in front of everyone in the living room.
The servants swallowed their curses and lowered their heads.
If the noble Duchess of Sidney found out about this, she would surely faint. Contrary to popular belief, Duke Sidney was not a gentleman.
He liked women and indulged in alcohol, cigarettes, and occasionally even drugs. Thanks to the strict upbringing of the late Duchess, he didn’t show it outside, but how could a rotten man hide his stench?
He had been living with a mistress even before marriage, and now that the Duchess was pregnant, things were even more chaotic.
The servants of the Duke sighed in unison.
The Duke, oblivious to his shamelessness, was indulging in his mistress’s skirts right in front of everyone. A filthy beast. That was the nickname the servants secretly called Duke Sidney.
Anyway, it was at that moment when that filthy beast was doing something unsightly.
“Your Grace! Your Grace!”
The shout of a breathless servant was heard. Duke Sidney lifted his head. His face was glistening.
“What is it! Did I not say no one should disturb me while I’m here?”
“I, I think you must see this!”
In the servant’s hand was a crumpled gossip magazine. It was a gossip piece written in elegant script, stating “Red Carpet.” Upon realizing its identity, Duke Sidney’s eyebrows twitched.
“You disturbed me for such gossip? What on earth could it be…?”
Duke Sidney jumped up from his seat after checking the article. The first article was about Alejandro. Everyone already knew that the Red Carpet was associated with the Crown Prince line.
So it was nothing special, especially for Duke Sidney. What was more important right now was—
“Damn it! These filthy bastards!”
Raw curses spilled out uncontrollably. The headline alone had provoked Duke Sidney’s temper.
[Duke Sidney, leaving his pregnant wife for another woman. A beast or a man? Let’s dig deeper.]
Duke Sidney stood up abruptly. At that moment, amusingly, the pants that had barely been draped around his waist fell down. Duke Sidney’s face turned bright red. Bending down to pull up his pants, he shouted.
“Get the carriage ready right now! Has this paper reached my wife?”
“I don’t know! I rushed to you as soon as I saw this.”
“Ugh.”
“Wait a minute, darling! Honey, are you leaving me like this?”
The woman who had been sprawled on the floor jumped up. Adjusting her expensive dress, which was inappropriate for the situation, she clung to Duke Sidney.
“This is perfect! You can get a divorce! I’m right here, honey!”
“Shut your damn mouth!”
Duke Sidney barked angrily and pushed the woman away. No matter how out of his mind Duke Sidney was, he had no intention of seating this woman in the Duchess’s position.
He needed to meet Count Develin quickly to resolve the situation. Count Develin was not a fool. If Duke Sidney promised an appropriate compensation, he would turn a blind eye to this incident.
Without the support of her family, the Duchess of Sidney would have nowhere to go. Karina had to be kept in the Duke’s household. Karina had perfectly fulfilled her role as the Duchess, and now Duke Sidney was finally wearing the attire of a noble.
Those who had previously looked down on the Sidney family now kept their mouths shut. This was all thanks to the honor of Develin and Karina.
Duke Sidney clenched his teeth and tightened his pants.
This damn magazine company! How dare they tarnish the Sidney name and think they could get away with it!
The Red Carpet must pay the price for this incident as well! Duke Sidney pointed a finger at his mistress.
“There’s no way I’m ruining the family! Hey, keep this woman here! Don’t let her go spreading any strange rumors!”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
The servants nodded their heads in a businesslike manner. The woman, suddenly abandoned, sank helplessly to the floor. Everything she had built was nothing more than a sandcastle. With a single gesture from Duke Sidney, it all came crashing down.
Tears streamed down her pale cheeks.
“Ah…”
Suddenly, Viviana’s words from earlier came to mind.
‘If that’s the case, why don’t you find something you can do yourself? It’s too unrealistic. Us, a Duchess?’
At that time, she thought it was a realistic dream. But now she understood. There was no dream more unrealistic than hers.
The magnificent chandelier had shattered, and the stage had come to an end.
Now it was time to leave in solitude.