Chapter 108
The enraged woman screamed, throwing whatever she could grab.
“That child is the Duke’s real son!”
“Really? Says who?”
“I gave birth to him! Who dares question that?!”
“Who’s going to believe the words of a Duchess who’s already lost everyone’s trust?”
But Dedrick wasn’t just trying to reveal that Axel wasn’t the Duke’s real son.
He was using that fact to destroy the Duchess’s credibility—and bring down Somerset along with her.
“You… you…!”
Dedrick’s cold voice cut through the air.
“Fabricating the truth isn’t hard. You’d know that better than anyone.”
“You’re doing great, Didi!”
At that moment, Dedrick flinched and quickly turned his head toward me.
“He noticed me again?”
“What is that monster?” Novembris whispered under his breath.
“Quiet. Dedrick’s sensitivity is part of it, but as you recover, your presence is getting stronger too,” he explained.
I quietly nodded.
Delani kept ranting.
“So you’re going to fake a bloodline connection between Somerset and His Grace? That’s a serious crime!”
“…”
Dedrick looked at me with wavering eyes, then turned away. He spoke in a tightly restrained voice.
“Why not? If you could play dirty, I can too.”
“You…!”
“But it’s strange.”
“What?”
“You’re so desperate to prove Somerset is his real son, but you haven’t said a word to defend Axel.”
Delani faltered. Gemma stood nearby, fidgeting anxiously, but couldn’t speak—overwhelmed by Dedrick’s force.
The scared boy from years ago was gone—he was a different man now.
“What do you want?!”
“Return the wardrobe. Do that, and I’ll stop.”
Delani stammered, shocked.
“I-It’s already gone! How can I…”
“Not my problem. If you can’t, then keep suffering.”
“…!”
“Funny.”
Dedrick sneered coldly.
“We haven’t even started, and you’re already falling apart.”
“…”
“Would it help if I gave you written proof of your affairs? Maybe then you’d squirm harder. I’m sure you remember how the secretary who wrote it conveniently died.”
Delani’s eyes widened in panic. Dedrick threw a document toward her.
“All the evidence is in there.”
As she frantically reached out to grab it—
ZAP!
A shock struck her hand like lightning.
BANG!
“KYAAAH!”
Delani screamed and pulled her hand back. Her fingertips were scorched black. She looked at the paper and then at Dedrick, terrified.
He casually leaned on his chin.
“Go ahead. Take it.”
The sound of her grinding teeth echoed.
“Gemma!”
“Y-Yes, madam!”
When Gemma touched the paper, a much larger bolt of lightning surged through her.
“AAAAARGH!”
The scream made Delani jump back in horror.
“KYAAAH!”
Cough, cough…
Thud.
Gemma collapsed, coughing out black smoke and trembling. She hadn’t lost consciousness, but she began to sob quietly.
“Even when I hand you the proof, you can’t take it.”
“Undo this spell!”
“Why would I?”
“How do you expect anyone to touch that?! You don’t want us to take it!”
“Frustrating, isn’t it? Feels unfair?”
“Of course…!”
“I felt that way too once. When I couldn’t even touch my mother’s keepsake.”
“Didi…”
“How does it feel now?”
Delani fell silent, lips pressed tight. But her bloodshot eyes showed no regret.
“This is just a taste.”
Dedrick stood and picked up the paper.
“I won’t stop until I personally take your life.”
But even now, Delani’s venomous tongue didn’t stop.
“No matter what you do, I’m still the Duchess! That will never change!”
“I don’t care about your pathetic title. I told you—I want your life.”
Her pupils shook. She couldn’t look into his cold, icy blue eyes and collapsed in fear.
“Pathetic.”
Delani bit her lip in humiliation.
Dedrick stepped closer and picked up a teacup, slowly pouring its lukewarm contents over her head.
The tea streamed down her face as she froze in shock, then screamed in fury.
“You—you bastard! Do you think the servants will stay quiet after this?! Your reputation will be ruined!”
“For this? Compared to what you did to me, this is nothing. They’ll probably say I went easy on you.”
“He’s right. This is barely payback,” I said softly.
No one would pity her now—not with her past revealed.
“Struggle all you want.”
With that, Dedrick calmly left the parlor.
Delani, left alone, couldn’t hold in her rage any longer. She began destroying everything in sight.
“AAARGH!”
She screamed and sobbed uncontrollably. I quietly watched her fall apart.
A moment later, Novembris spoke gently.
“Let’s go back. Your face is red. You’ve been outside too long.”
Already?
But I couldn’t go against him.
“…Okay.”
I wanted to be by Didi’s side today…
Feeling bitter, I took Novembris’s hand and stepped into the sanctuary portal.
***
Meanwhile…
“Ugh, damn it… hic.”
Somerset was sprawled out drunk at the Duke’s main hall entrance.
Ever since Dedrick returned to the estate, Somerset had been living outside—unable to stand seeing Dedrick’s smug face.
Especially since he was the one who had burned the wardrobe that Dedrick cherished most.
He knew that with his mother being crushed, he’d be next. Dedrick came back perfectly prepared, and all they could do was fall into his trap.
“He’s only doing all this for revenge,” he spat, scowling.
‘It’s the first time I’ve seen Mother so shaken.’
Except maybe once—when Dedrick had been sent to Herba Academy. After meeting with the Duke, Delani had been paralyzed with fear for days.
Besides the Duke himself, the only one who truly frightened her was Dedrick.
‘I can’t stay out here forever.’
No matter where he went, the nobles only talked about Dedrick. Somerset was at his limit.
They used to suck up to him, but now they were preparing to switch sides.
‘I should’ve killed that freak when I had the chance.’
It was too late now. With a deep sigh, he reeked of alcohol as he staggered through the hallway.
It was late—everyone was asleep. Somerset managed to enter without running into anyone.
Having drunk and slept all day, he wasn’t tired, so he reached for a bottle of brandy.
Then—
Click.
The door opened, but Somerset didn’t hear it through his drunken haze.
He only noticed someone had entered when the figure sat across from him.
His brow furrowed sharply.
“Hah. You couldn’t even come near my room when we were kids. Acting all grown-up now?”
But Dedrick’s face remained expressionless. With the moonlight behind him, his presence was chilling.
Despite being drunk, Somerset slowly sobered.
He was clearly afraid of Dedrick.
“You were the one who didn’t dare step foot in the estate all this time. And now you’re talking big?”
He sneered, but Somerset ground his teeth.
“If you’re here to pick a fight, leave.”
“That’s exactly why I’m here. Why would I leave?”
Dedrick stared at him. He thought back to when he was terrified of this man.
As Mary had said, Somerset had feared Dedrick’s anger back then.
‘And now, he can’t even look me in the eye.’
Just thinking that someone like him had burned Marilyn filled Dedrick with uncontrollable rage.
When his hostile glare met Somerset’s eyes, the man suddenly hiccuped.
“Hic!”
“You’re pathetic,” Dedrick muttered.
Somerset’s face turned red with shame.
