Chapter 9
“How did you know I got a proposal?”
“…Heup.”
Fay clamped both hands over his own mouth.
He blinked several times and darted his eyes around.
Then, when our gazes met, the fur on my favorite’s ears bristled upright.
“I– I heard it!”
“Who did you hear it from?”
“Greg…”
Greg was the duke’s aide, the one I’d often run into whenever I went to his office.
But.
“Greg wasn’t there when we were talking.”
“…”
My favorite clutched at his clothes and silently mouthed words without sound.
“…Ah! I didn’t hear it from Greg!”
“Not Greg?”
“Uncle! I heard it from Uncle who was with Greg!”
“Really?”
“Mhm!”
“Could you tell me when you heard it?”
“…Can’t it be a secret?”
His ears drooped as he bowed his head low.
Ugh. My inner fangirl yanked me by the hair in that moment.
“If you don’t want to tell me, you don’t have to. I was just curious whether you knew before I went to see the duke.”
“Mmm.”
Fay pursed his lips and cautiously looked up at me, almost as if testing my reaction.
“It’s fine to keep it a secret as much as you want.”
I placed my hand gently on his soft head.
It feels like putting my hand on a cloud.
As I stroked him, his curly hair obediently shifted under my touch.
“…Really, I can keep it secret?”
“Yeah. It’s fine.”
Of course, it did sting a little that he’d made a secret from me.
“But everyone has their own secrets.”
Just like how I wasn’t the beautiful Helen with blonde hair and red eyes, but someone else entirely.
Respecting Fay’s secrets was only natural, the same way I cherished my own.
“…On my way to see Helen for a snack earlier, I ran into Uncle. That’s when I heard it.”
“I see. Thanks for telling me.”
“Mhm.”
I pressed a light kiss to his cheek.
Yes, that was completely selfish indulgence.
At that moment, Belle returned with snacks, and we chattered away about other things.
But I wasn’t oblivious.
I knew Fay had lied.
The next day.
I stood in front of the duke’s office.
Why does this feel like I’m reporting in every day?
Scratching my cheek awkwardly, I stepped inside.
Cold golden eyes met mine the moment I entered.
Even without words, I could hear his thought.
You again.
The weary disgust written on his face was plain as day.
The duke set down his documents and took a seat on the sofa. I followed, sitting where I had yesterday.
“Looks like you’ve already made up your mind.”
“Yes. That’s right.”
He gazed at me steadily.
Even through his expressionless face, I could feel the pressure—answer quickly.
“But before that, there’s something I’d like to ask you.”
“What is it?”
“The reason you proposed to me, Your Grace.”
“I told you I wouldn’t explain that.”
I pressed on regardless.
“It’s because of Fay’s request, isn’t it?”
“…”
The duke’s brow twitched.
“So it is.”
His reaction cemented what I had already been fairly certain of.
“Did Fay tell you that?”
“If he had, I wouldn’t need to ask you.”
“…”
“It doesn’t make sense otherwise. You say you dislike me, and yet you proposed. That’s strange, isn’t it? So when I was alone, I thought long and hard about what reasons there could be.”
I smiled as I met his gaze.
“Then I remembered you saying, ‘You managed to win him over quite well.’”
Of course, what tipped me off most was Fay’s odd reaction.
If only Fay had asked you to hire me, or just let me stay with him, that would’ve been easier…
But as a fan, I knew my favorite’s heart well enough.
If I were just hired or a guest, I could leave whenever I wanted—or be forced to.
But the seat of the duke’s wife was different.
You couldn’t just quit at will, nor easily separate for other reasons.
Fay wanted to stay with me forever, so he pulled such a cheeky little stunt!
Beaming, I cupped my cheek in my hand.
Though honestly, I’m surprised.
I suspected he’d listened to Fay’s request, but half of me doubted it.
The duke hated me—why would he grant such a favor, even for his nephew?
Especially when I recalled the way he acted back when I first asked him formally to take me in.
Even when I asked Fay about it before, I never thought the two of them were close.
Their relationship was just as the novel Silent Night had written.
Does he actually love Fay? Or…
I stole a glance at him.
…did he simply act out of duty?
After all, when I lost my mother, the father I first met was a man like that.
He hired an auntie to cook, bought me whatever I asked for without hesitation—
but when I was rushed to the ER with a raging fever, he never came.
Maybe that’s why I couldn’t pin down the duke’s motive.
I hoped it was love, but…
“Have you satisfied your curiosity?”
His sudden voice jolted me from my thoughts.
Startled, I shrank back, knocking my knee against the table.
The teacup rattled, toppled, and a little tea spilled on the surface.
“S–sorry.”
I fumbled in my pockets for a handkerchief, only to realize I’d forgotten it.
Of course I left it behind now of all times.
Then the duke sighed and pulled out a handkerchief.
When I saw it, my eyes went wide.
That’s…
The neon hot-pink handkerchief Fay and I had picked out together.
He actually carries that around?
While I stared dumbfounded, the duke calmly wiped the table and neatly folded the cloth to one side.
“Let’s move on to the main point.”
His quiet voice snapped me back.
“You’re right. I’ve been wasting your precious time.”
Ahem. After a little cough, I met his eyes again.
“I thought about it a lot, late into the night.”
Protecting Fay’s happiness was something I desperately wanted.
But there was another wish just as important to me.
To build a warm, happy family with someone I love.
A family where laughter filled the nights, not loneliness.
That’s not something I could ever build with a man who hates me.
Though his golden eyes should’ve been warm, only chill came from them. I opened my mouth.
“Let’s get married, Your Grace.”
I asked myself countless times—
Would I regret this choice?
But no matter how I weighed it, my answer stayed firm.
Fay was the one I had admired and loved for so long.
He was also the one who saved me.
So right now, I wanted to focus only on protecting my favorite’s happiness.
“That’s my answer.”
His face didn’t change a bit. As though he had expected this all along, his expression remained calm.
“We’ll submit the marriage papers a week from now, when we head to the capital. Until then, you’ll enjoy all the privileges of being the duchess. But remember one thing.”
He handed me two papers.
One was the marriage certificate. The other, a written contract.
“There will be no relations between you and me.”
“That’s exactly what I want. Let’s add a few more terms, too.”
As expected of Fay’s guardian—his thorough preparedness impressed me so much I gave him a thumbs-up.
“…”
A vein twitched in his brow. I ignored it and passionately explained the terms I wanted added.
“I’m someone who wants to grow old and die together with the person I truly love.”
“You mean with me?”
“Eh, of course not! Don’t worry, I wouldn’t dream of asking something like that of you!”
I cheerfully denied it, then cautiously asked when I saw his face.
“Um… Did I say something wrong?”
“No. Nothing.”
His words said no, but his face looked like he’d just bitten into poison.
I nervously rolled my eyes, then spoke again.
“Then… may I continue?”
“Go ahead.”
His expression darkened further.
Am I even allowed to say this?
I hesitated, but steeled myself.
If there was a contract, it had to be clear.
“I’d like us to be free to part ways at any time.”
“That’s fine.”
“…Really?”
“Why are you asking?”
Because your face looks like you’re about to murder someone.
“No reason. Forget it.”
As long as I’m not the one who dies, it’s fine.
I waved it off and signed both the marriage paper and the amended contract.
“Then, I look forward to it, dear husband.”
I extended my hand as if for a handshake.
“We’re done here. You may leave.”
Instead of taking my hand, he waved me off.
Kicking me out the moment business was over—
What a rude…
…blessing in disguise, thank you very much!
I was hungry anyway, and Fay must be too.
“Then have a nice day!”
With light steps, I left the duke’s office.
