TCBCVF 83

~Chapter 83~

Behind me, Gregory let out a derisive snort, loud enough for me to hear.

“Hmph. Doesn’t matter. You’re my wife already.”

His cloying gaze clung to my back like a parasite.

Disgusting.

I bit my lip.

Why was he so confident—
as if he had something to rely on?

It felt like a thorn lodged in my chest, suffocating me.

That evening.

“What?!”

Evangeline dropped her cutlery with a loud clatter.

“Who registered a marriage with who?!”

Her eyes went round as saucers as she turned to the attendant who had brought the news.

He replied awkwardly,
“Documents of marriage registration for Lady Ansie and Lord Gregory were submitted to the Marriage Bureau.”

“Impossible!”

Bang!

Evangeline slammed the table with both hands and shot to her feet.

The attendant cautiously continued,
“And following that, Lord Gregory visited the Ansie townhouse and proposed to Lady Ansie…”

“No way! Lari would never—!”

Just then—

“What a vulgar display.”

Dietrich’s cold voice cut across the outburst.

“Sit down, Eva.”

“What?!”

Evangeline turned to glare at her brother, fuming.
But his face was terrifyingly calm.

“You’re not even angry?!” she demanded.

Dietrich didn’t so much as twitch an eyebrow.

“It’s Lady Ansie’s private matter.
Who she ties herself to is not for you or me to meddle in.”

“Now’s not the time for that nonsense about ‘rights’ and ‘qualifications’!”

Evangeline looked utterly aghast.
Shaking her head furiously, she stormed from the table.

“Fine. I’ll hear it directly from Lari.”

The dining hall fell into heavy silence.

“….”
“….”

Dietrich slowly lifted his gaze to the attendant.
The mask of composure slipped, revealing a face as cold as ice.

“Explain. In detail.”

The attendant swallowed hard.

When Dietrich was calm, that was when he was most frightening.
It felt like walking across a frozen lake—
one wrong step and the ice would shatter, dragging you into icy depths.

“Lord Gregory claims this:
though their relationship had been poor recently,
he insists that his feelings now for Lady Ansie are genuine.”

“And public opinion?”

“Mixed, Your Grace.
Many recall Lady Ansie sending him an annulment letter,
and repeatedly rejecting him in public afterwards.
But… it’s also true she once seemed affectionate toward him.”

“….”

After a moment’s silence, Dietrich nodded.

“Very well. You may leave.”

“Yes, Duke.”

The attendant bowed and exited.

Leaning back in his chair, Dietrich stared blankly into thought.

Why is this bothering me?

He understood why Evangeline was shocked.
She adored Lari and despised Gregory for his past behavior.
Of course she would be upset, seeing her friend in trouble.

But what he couldn’t understand—
was his own reaction.

Who Lady Ansie chooses to marry has nothing to do with me.

And yet—

His blue eyes darkened, deep as a storm.

Lady Ansie… becoming Lord Gregory’s wife…

The thought alone filled him with unbearable disgust.

His hand gripped the armrest tightly, tendons standing out.

Roughly three hours after Gregory’s disastrous spectacle,
the young lady herself suddenly arrived at the Ansie townhouse.

“Lari!”

Evangeline rushed in, clutching my shoulders.

“Are you all right?!”

Her blue eyes brimmed with worry as they searched my face.

“I’m sorry for coming without warning—I couldn’t stand waiting! What on earth happened?”

The words poured out of her like a flood.

Strangely, seeing her there eased some of the crushing pressure I’d felt all day.

“Well…”

I gave her a summary of what had happened.

“That man! Has he gone mad?!”

Evangeline stamped her feet in outrage.

“As if pestering you endlessly wasn’t enough—now a marriage registration?! A wedding?!”

Her voice rose higher and higher.
At this rate, I feared she might faint from fury.

I hurried to calm her.

“Please, take a breath, Eva.”

“How can I possibly stay calm?!” she all but shouted.

“I’m sure it’s some kind of mistake,” I said, trying to sound hopeful.

“It’s too late to visit the Bureau today,
but tomorrow I’ll go and confirm everything.
Just… wait until then, all right?”

“A mistake? What kind of ‘mistake’ turns you into a married woman against your will?!”

Evangeline stomped again, fuming.

“And to him, of all people? That insufferable Gregory?!”

“….”

Normally, I would have forced a smile.
But tonight, I couldn’t manage even that.

Still, I forced myself to sound steady.

“Thank you, truly, for worrying about me so much.”

“….”

Finally, Evangeline quieted a little.
She sighed deeply, then spoke in a gentler tone.

“I’m sorry. You must be more upset than anyone,
and here I am flying into a rage.”

“No, I’m grateful you were angry on my behalf.”

I reached to reassure her.

“Having you stand by me like this… it makes me feel less alone.”

“Phew…”

She exhaled, her gaze still full of worry.

“About tomorrow—do you want me to go with you to the Bureau?”

“That won’t be necessary.”

I quickly shook my head.
Her reputation was only just recovering.
She was too noticeable a figure.
If she were seen with me, tongues would wag.

I can’t risk dragging her into this mess with me.

Especially since she had always been openly hostile toward Gregory.
If he tried to claim our registration was valid,
he could twist it to say Evangeline was persecuting him.

Absolutely not.

I clenched my teeth.

I won’t let her be harmed because of me.

The thought made me ache with guilt.

Even if our “friendship contract” was void now,
the reason we had become friends was to help restore her standing.
And instead of helping, I was holding her back.

“I’m so sorry, Eva.”

I lowered my gaze, unable to meet her eyes.

“Because of me, you’re being dragged into scandal…”

“What kind of nonsense is that?!”

Evangeline shot upright like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

“Unbelievable! How can you even say that?!”

Her eyes blazed as she fired back:

“Would you ignore it if I were the one being dragged into something like this?!”

“Of course not,” I said firmly, without hesitation.
“Don’t say such absurd things.”

She was far too precious to me for that.
If anything, I’d fight with everything I had to clear her name.

“Then it’s the same for me.”

Evangeline’s answer was clear and unwavering.

“Lari, you’re my one and only friend.
You’re truly precious to me.”