~Chapter 1~
1. My Friend and My Husband
The garden of the Hamilton Ducal House was one of the Empire’s three great gardens.
Its mistress, Duchess Cecilia Hamilton, was the woman who ruled over it.
I liked to take solitary walks through this vast and beautiful place.
…Was that the problem?
Was that why I had ended up witnessing that scene?
“Did you know? The servants here say lovers are born in the ducal garden.”
Ding—
My head rang as I stared at the scene unfolding before me.
“Haa… Your Grace…”
“Tiana. My love. I missed you.”
From deep within the maze-like garden came familiar voices—one male, one female.
Following a strange premonition, I approached almost unconsciously.
And there they were.
The two people who should never have been together.
My one and only friend, Tiana… and my husband, Caiden.
“Ah, Your Grace… please, wait—!”
“You don’t need to worry. No one’s coming.”
Their lips were already locked, their hands intertwined in ways that left no room for misunderstanding.
My husband was devouring my friend with blatant hunger.
And Tiana… she was flushed, letting out soft, broken sounds under his touch.
The moment I saw them, I understood.
…I had just lost the two people closest to me in the world.
*****
“….”
I sat on the sofa in my office, completely still.
What… did I just see?
The images and sounds replayed endlessly in my mind.
My husband’s lips on my friend.
Tiana’s body melting into his arms, breathless and trembling…
Perhaps because of the shock, I felt half detached from reality.
It all felt like a distorted dream.
Knock knock.
The door opened and Camilla, the head maid, entered with tea.
“I’ve brought your tea as you requested, my lady. Was your walk pleasant?”
“…Ah, yes. It was fine.”
She studied my face carefully.
“Are you feeling unwell? You don’t look very well.”
“I’m alright, Camilla. Just a little tired. I’ve been busy with work.”
“…If you say so.”
Still concerned, she added softly,
“You should not push yourself too hard, my lady. You know it is thanks to your efforts that the ducal house is still standing.”
“…Yes. Thank you for your concern.”
“I’ll pour the tea for you. It’s hot, so please be careful. Then, rest well!”
After preparing everything, she bowed and left the office.
Click.
The door closed.
I picked up the teacup with folded arms.
Warm steam rose gently into the air.
“…So it was an affair, huh.”
Tiana Emel—my only friend since childhood, a fallen noble’s daughter.
Caiden—my husband of three years.
I could never forget the moment Caiden proposed to me.
“Cecilia, I swear I will love only you for the rest of my life.”
He slipped the ring onto my finger, promising eternal love.
I truly loved him.
And I believed he loved me just as deeply.
That was why I refused far better marriage prospects as the daughter of House White and chose instead to enter the declining Hamilton Ducal House.
After marriage, I was genuinely happy.
Choosing his outfits every morning. Sitting across from him at every meal.
Even rebuilding the collapsing ducal house together as his wife.
…Though somewhere along the way, he had grown slightly distant.
I thought it was just marriage settling into routine.
I never once imagined he would betray me.
Let alone after three years… with my best friend.
“…Ha.”
A hollow laugh escaped me.
Unbelievable.
How could they do this to me?
Even if Caiden strayed, it should never have been Tiana.
And Tiana… how could she betray me after a lifetime of friendship?
And yet, both of them benefited the most from me and my house.
If they had even a shred of conscience, they shouldn’t have done this.
My thoughts began to spiral into anger, but I forced myself to calm down.
Now was the time to think rationally.
What should I do now?
Fortunately, I was the only one who knew.
I had gone to the garden alone. No servants accompanied me.
Neither of them would know they had been seen.
Then I still have time.
I could respond properly.
Just as I was thinking this—
Knock knock.
The office door opened before I even responded.
There were only two people in this house who would enter like that without permission.
Tiana… and Caiden.
And there she was.
Tiana, peeking her head in with a bright smile.
“Cecilia, I’m here.”
Her voice was innocent, as if she knew nothing at all.
*****
Tiana Emel.
My dear friend had a small frame, jet-black hair like ebony, and clear blue eyes.
She always wore pure white dresses, giving her a soft and innocent impression.
Come to think of it… Tiana had been strange for a while.
A few months ago, she began staying in the ducal house.
Her family had fallen into ruin, and she was constantly burdened with debt. Loan sharks visited her home frequently.
I had been helping her repay some of it, but recently her father had apparently returned to gambling.
Debt inherited from a father who had disappeared without trace.
And she, simply because she was his daughter, carried it all.
I felt sorry for her.
So I allowed her to stay safely in the ducal house until things were settled.
But then—
“Hey, Cecilia. I want to give a gift to His Grace for letting me stay here. What should I get him?”
On her first day, Tiana had asked me for advice.
A gift for my husband, Caiden.
She said she wasn’t sure of his tastes, so she needed my help.
Even though I was the one effectively managing the house… and the one who had allowed her to stay.
Still, I thought it was harmless.
I never told her the internal affairs of the house in order to preserve Caiden’s pride.
But her behavior grew stranger with time.
I once saw her chatting warmly with Caiden.
Another time, she prepared his breakfast and chose his clothes in my place while I was exhausted.
Whenever I suggested tea with her, she would say she had gone for a walk.
And then she said it.
“Did you know? The servants say lovers are born in the ducal garden.”
I should have noticed then…
But I ignored everything because she was my friend. Because I believed neither of them would betray me.
I shut my eyes tightly.
“Cecilia? Why are you drinking alone without me?”
Tiana’s clear voice pulled me back.
“I just wanted to rest alone for a bit after work,” I said, forcing a calm smile.
Even now… I wanted to believe her one last time.
I wanted to deny what I had seen in the garden.
I wanted to believe my lifelong friend would never betray me like this.
I smiled gently at her.
“What is it, Tiana?”
“Cecilia,” she sang softly, tilting her head.
Whenever she wanted something, she always spoke like that.
“I have a favor to ask.”
“What is it?”
Her next words chilled me to the bone.
Shattering the last fragment of hope I had left.
“It’s almost the Duke Hamilton’s birthday, right?”
“….”
“So… could you have a dress made for me? I think I’ll need one if I’m attending the birthday banquet.”
