Episode 2. An Unbelievable Conclusion
If we hadn’t gone to the banquet at the palace that day… would Eddie still be alive?
I couldn’t accept Eddie’s early death.
Yes, Eddie wasn’t always healthy.
From birth, he was a fragile child, often sick.
But he wasn’t so weak that he would suddenly die without warning.
Now, I began to feel that something was wrong.
Could it be… someone caused Eddie’s death?
Maybe this was just the desperate suspicion of a parent who couldn’t accept reality.
Even so, I almost hoped that was the truth.
Because if Eddie had been killed, then at least I could blame someone.
At least I could direct my grief and anger at the murderer.
But sadly, there were no signs of poison or violence on Eddie’s body.
‘But what if he was killed in a secret way?’
At the banquet, I remembered hearing a strange story.
That there were sorcerers who could kill someone silently, using curses, without ever laying a hand on them.
But who would want to kill my child? And why, inside such a closed-off duke’s household?
Even if Henderson and I had grown distant, I was still the duchess.
And Eddie was the young master of the house.
Eddie was warm, kind, and well-loved by everyone. No servant hated him.
If anything, the servants pitied me — the unloved wife — more than they disliked Eddie.
‘No. I must tell Henderson that Eddie’s death feels suspicious.’
But then I remembered his cold behavior at the funeral. Perhaps it was pointless.
Still, I put on a shawl, dragged my tired body, and walked toward Henderson’s chambers.
“…Henderson, it’s me. May I come in?”
No answer, even after I knocked twice.
‘Is he asleep?’
I was about to turn back when I heard footsteps from the far end of the hall.
Was it Henderson?
But he wasn’t alone.
Walking beside him was a woman I never expected to see — Helena.
Helena, with her long red hair and red eyes, a beautiful and sensual woman.
Helena, Eddie’s tutor.
Shocked, I froze where I stood. The two of them didn’t notice me, and entered his room together.
My chest tightened as I remembered small things I had ignored in the past.
“Riley. May I appoint someone I know as Eddie’s tutor?”
It was Henderson who had brought Helena, the count’s daughter, into our house.
“My lady… I don’t know if I should say this, but… I saw the master with Lady Helena in the garden. Alone. I thought you should know.”
Some had whispered of seeing them together.
Henderson, who was never close to women, spending time with Helena.
But I never suspected them.
Helena was clever and refined — perfect as a tutor.
Surely such a woman would not fall in love with a married man with a child.
That’s what I told myself. At least, until Eddie died.
Now… I wasn’t so sure.
‘Did Henderson… fall in love with her?’
Is that why he moved to a separate room? Is that why he now meets her in secret — on the very day of Eddie’s funeral?
The thought crushed me. My heart ached so painfully it felt hard to breathe.
I walked slowly toward his door, my hand trembling on the doorknob.
But I couldn’t turn it.
I didn’t have the courage to face them.
Instead, I pressed my ear against the door.
And then, I heard their voices.
“…The promised day is finally near.”
It was Helena’s sweet, silky voice.
She continued:
“We were so close… and then Eddie died. Won’t you tell the duchess the truth?”
“No. I can’t. After everything I’ve gone through to get here… I can’t tell her.”
It was Henderson, his voice heavy with irritation.
Clearly, there was a secret — a truth I didn’t know.
“Being a duke is such a heavy burden. You look thinner every day. Isn’t it because you can’t tell the duchess?”
“How could I? Riley would feel betrayed.”
“Henderson… if it’s too hard, you can lean on me. After all, we have a future together.”
His voice faded after that.
Maybe at that very moment, Henderson was resting his weary heart in Helena’s arms.
Their words burned in my mind.
A secret that would betray me if I knew.
A future they had promised to each other.
And Henderson… who had not touched me for a year.
I didn’t need to see them with my own eyes.
Just hearing those words was enough.
‘They love each other.’
My body gave out, and I sank to the floor, tears stinging my eyes.
People had always whispered about my marriage.
Why would Princess Riley of the Lopez Empire marry Henderson, the illegitimate son of a duke, a man with no power, no allies, no future?
I had rejected countless suitors — handsome, wealthy, powerful men.
Yet I chose Henderson.
Why?
Because after his father and half-brother died of illness, he was suddenly forced to become duke.
He had no support. No one respected him. He was an outcast.
And I… gave him my hand.
I became his strength. His ally.
That is who I was.
That is who I am.
Riley Weil Lopez.
I stopped my memories and looked at the woman speaking to me.
“Lady Riley… you don’t look well. I shouldn’t have asked to see you today.”
It was Helena, sitting across from me, concern in her voice.
The very woman who broke me last night.
“His Majesty is so cruel. To send the duke away at a time like this…”
Though she pretended to comfort me, her words rang hollow.
I bit down hard on my lip.
Henderson had boarded a ship early this morning, leaving for another country. He wouldn’t return for a week.
‘If only I had known he would leave today… I might have spoken to him once, at least.’
But last night’s shock had left me tossing in bed until dawn.
I didn’t think Henderson was cruel to leave.
It was Father’s command — the Emperor’s command.
