TTMLPTWW ~ Chapter 166

“Henry Rukanosa. This is your last chance, so take care of it.”

The Duke clutched his hair, recalling the Dowager Duchess’s chilling voice.

He was under investigation, falsely accused of buying military weapons that the Organization had embezzled.

‘Because of the money I sent to the Organization to pay off Helene’s debt…’

The transaction record left in the Organization’s ledger served as decisive evidence.

Even before this, Cynthia had exposed his scandalous private life and left, resulting in a warning from the enraged Dowager Duchess.

His mother was a cold and ruthless person, even more so towards her children.

“I don’t know if you are qualified to be the head of the Rukanosa Dukedom.”

At this rate, the title would be passed to one of the Medea nobles from his mother’s side or a distant relative.

Then he would maintain a temporary title and continue a life that was only a facade.

The Duke looked around. The shabby house seemed to reflect his future.

Soon, the old wooden door creaked open.

Duke Rukanosa immediately jumped up from his seat.

Helene, in a wheelchair, entered the house and faced him.

“What brings you here?”

The Duke frowned and growled at her cold expression.

“Do you really need to ask?”

“Well, I don’t think you’re here to propose remarriage.”

“You don’t even use honorifics anymore.”

“I only use honorifics for those who deserve them.”

He was furious at Helene’s evasiveness, but she was the only one who could resolve this matter.

“…Testify that I paid off the debt you incurred by purchasing weapons from the Organization. I saying, tell the truth.”

Helene covered her mouth with her hand and smiled slyly.

“Either way, you paid the price, didn’t you? In your name.”

When she lowered her hand, her lips were curved upwards in a clear sneer. The Duke’s eyes widened.

“I wasn’t planning on dying alone.”

“So you framed me? I knew you were cunning, but…”

“Framing others is your specialty, isn’t it? I’m just returning the favor, so what’s the problem?”

Helene pointed to the newspaper on the table.

The past incident when he was isolated in the snowy fields, the cruel decision to order the advance that annihilated the soldiers was made by Duke Rukanosa… The war hero, unfairly accused, remained silent for the sake of the bereaved families and focused on taking responsibility and providing compensation.

The Duke’s face turned pale as he read the article.

“Don’t tell me… did you leak this article?”

“That’s right. I’m going to show you what happens when you make me your enemy.”

“How amusing. Are you going to claim that your affair with the Organization’s leader, using the media in this way, is also a false accusation?”

Helene waved her hand and laughed heartily. It wasn’t her usual elegant and composed laughter, but a frivolous one.

“No? I admit that. He was much more attractive than you. Of course, I didn’t sleep with anyone outside our marriage like someone else I know.”

Her laughter subsided, ending with a sigh-filled sentiment.

“Still, it was really… good.”

“With a man from the lowest of the low? Aren’t you ashamed?”

“I’m ashamed of my short-sighted choices in the past, but I’m not ashamed of people and emotions. It was a joy and a loss that I had to experience someday.”

The Duke flinched slightly as Helene stopped smiling and glared at him.

“The only decision I do regret is that the other person was you.”

The Duke was deeply offended. He felt like he had been evaluated as a man worse than a fundamentally vulgar member of the Organization.

“Then what are you going to do? Now you’re completely alone? There won’t be anyone to help you, no matter what happens.”

The Duke’s sarcastic words contained a threat: ‘If you don’t follow my will, you’ll suffer.’

“We’ll see.”

Knock-knock-

Just in time, the door opened, and a handsome Major and an old woman entered.

“Oh, you have a guest. Or, is it a guest…?”

The Duke frowned at Major Rodriguez, who tilted his head.

“…To think you’d bring another man into your house, how have you been hiding your true nature all this time?”

“Am I invisible?”

The old woman who asked in an elegant tone was Margo, the former butler who served Count Queensguard.

She was the witness who knew that Helene and Carlos were not royalty, as Carlos had told Helene in the past.

Having retired just before Count Queensguard’s title was restored, she had been living quietly and taking care of Helene.

“You only see what you want to see.”

Helene sighed deeply and tilted her head.

“Spread rumors that I’m a notorious villainess who consorts with bad men, do whatever you want. That’s what you’re good at, isn’t it? I don’t intend to manage my reputation anyway.”

“What confidence do you have to…”

Helene smiled sweetly as she saw the Duke unable to retort in embarrassment.

“You made a lot of money with the perfumes I created, including ‘The Duchess’s Scent,’ right? So, you have to pay the usage fee for that time. All rights belong to me.”

“Usage fee?”

“Cynthia helped me patent it through an international lawyer. It means that you have to get my permission and pay the usage fee to sell it in the future. I have the rights to everything, including the recipe, the name, and even the perfume bottle design.”

‘The Duchess’s Scent’ and related products were already a major source of income for the Dukedom, being exported not only to the Republic but also to several other countries, and it was the only achievement recognized by the Dowager Duchess.

“I heard that the product value is already in the tens of billions?”

At Helene’s additional words, the Duke, who had been looking despondent, walked out of the house with staggering steps.

“Those who gain a new life must start with revenge. I will help you with your revenge.”

Helene recalled Cynthia’s bright voice.

When Helene said that she didn’t particularly want revenge, Cynthia, who had been dreaming of a sisterly collaboration revenge drama, said this with great disappointment.

“Well, if you destroyed the man you liked with enough firepower to blow up a city, I guess you wouldn’t feel that way. Then let’s take over Duke Rukanosa’s business and guild. You succeeded with the perfume you created.”

That sounded quite interesting, so she decided to agree.

After the Duke left, Helene was smiling to herself when Major Rodriguez, who had been quietly approaching and standing by, spoke to her.

“I’ve been thinking about it, and I thought I should tell you.”

“What is it?”

As Madame Margo, sensing that it was an important story, left the room, Major Rodriguez carefully opened his mouth.

Snow was falling again outside in the dark. Fluffy snowflakes sparkled and scattered like sugar powder.

Inside the window with the lights on, something that was neither sadness nor a smile was cast on Helene’s lips as she listened to the Major’s story.

After his story ended, Helene said nothing else.

“I see.”

The sweet and bitter emotion held in her lips eventually turned into a smile.

“Thank you for telling me.”

Although he only realized it after she left, the time she had spent with him was not meaningless at all.

The fact that she meant something to that person.

That was enough.

“Please tell Cynthia thank you too. If it weren’t for her, I would have already given up and let go of everything.”

Because she had lost everything and even lost her legs, but Cynthia had given her the hope that she could stand up again.

Cynthia had a lot to do in the future.

1. Take over Duke Rukanosa’s business, which was a mega-hit with Helene’s item, ‘The Duchess’s Scent.’

2. Make Helene a powerful conglomerate CEO, and then freeload off the benefits of being the sister of a conglomerate CEO.

3. Invest in Nadia’s dessert cafe and get free desserts every day.

4. Set up a giraffe sanctuary and appoint Stan as the director of the sanctuary, and appoint the Chief as the head of the animal protection organization, as he loves animals.

5. Build friendships and become part of the in-crowd by engaging in various social activities with the Grand Princess and many other friends.

But why all this?

Masera started to become obsessed, saying that she should stay by his side and not go anywhere.

“The dreams I’ve been having lately are ominous.”

It was practically the same as being banned from going out.

It was partly because she was the official successor of the Bariesa Dynasty and her safety was at risk, but it seemed that superstitious reasons were a big part of it.

‘I’ve been wandering around as much as I wanted, and nothing really happened…’

Cynthia, who possessed innate good luck, had no idea how many plots and assassination attempts had been thwarted.

“Today is the pre-opening of Nadia’s dessert shop, so I have to go don’t I? I also have to go rescue giraffes with the repentant Organization members.”

She asserted her busy schedule, but Masera was unusually firm, unlike his usual self.

“No.”

He even dared to talk back.

Cynthia, who had been sitting alone in her room, lost in thought, got up from her seat.

She wasn’t the type to listen obediently to others in the first place, and she was a person who couldn’t stand being still.

But.

Click.

“???”

Click, click, click.

Cynthia’s expression changed to one of bewilderment as she turned the doorknob that wouldn’t open.

“Did you… just imprison me?”

Has the male lead of the angst-filled tragedy started to finally show his true colors?