Wicked Husband-Chapter 132 - 131

"No matter how much of a hero the Grand Duke is for saving the Empire, to resort to such cowardly, dishonorable tactics..." Luca’s voice rose in righteous fury. But then, suddenly, he stopped mid-sentence.

His eyes widened in shock as he spotted Eileen and Cesare standing together. He blinked and looked back and forth between the two, his face incredulous.

Though Luca had never seen Cesare in person, he had caught a glimpse of their wedding photo in La Verità. Even without knowing the man personally, it was impossible not to recognize the strikingly handsome figure in an imperial uniform, adorned with medals and ribbons, with dark hair and piercing crimson eyes.

Luca’s jaw dropped as he looked from Eileen to Cesare, his voice faltering as he stammered,

"Wait... is that... the Duchess and the Grand Duke?"

"...Eileen?"

Eileen nodded awkwardly, her hand half-raised as if to step forward and explain. But Cesare’s arm remained firmly around her waist, holding her in place. His voice was laced with an almost amused tone as he addressed Luca.

"And who do you think you are, speaking my wife’s name so freely?"

Luca blinked, struggling to process the words "my wife" that had just left the Duke’s mouth.

He knew the Grand Duchess of Erzet was named Eileen, but he’d dismissed the coincidence, assuming it was a common name. After all, Eileen wasn’t unique—there could easily be others with the same name.

The idea that the Duchess—the elegant and powerful Grand Duchess of Erzet—and the humble, impoverished pharmacist selling small remedies on the second floor of a rundown inn were the same person seemed utterly absurd.

Luca recalled the photo of the Duke and Duchess he had glimpsed in the newspaper—the famously striking Duke of Erzet and his equally breathtaking wife, who seemed like the perfect match for him. He had scoffed at the admiration others expressed for the Duchess’s beauty, dismissing the stories that painted her as a fairy or a lily. Yet, standing before him now, was the very Eileen he knew, though in an entirely different light.

Still in disbelief, Luca watched Eileen anxiously as she smoothed her bangs aside and carefully removed her glasses. As her face came into full view, his eyes widened in shock. His mouth opened and closed silently as if struggling to form words. Then, without warning, he dropped to his knees in the dirty, crowded street, his monocle slipping from his eye but going unnoticed in his haste.

"I... I beg your forgiveness..." He trembled, hunched low as if he were kneeling in the cold of winter. Eileen froze, startled by the sudden and dramatic display.

In hindsight, Luca’s reaction was understandable. He had insulted the Grand Duchess, spoken her name casually, and dared to accuse her of dishonorable actions—all in the presence of the Grand Duke himself. For Luca, a humble watchmaker, these were unthinkable transgressions.

Cesare looked down at the man kneeling at his feet with the faint, detached indifference of someone who had witnessed this kind of scene many times before.

Seeing his husband’s unbothered expression, Eileen felt an uncomfortable twinge of sympathy for Luca—and a growing sense of helplessness. She opened her mouth to intervene, but Cesare’s firm grip around her waist kept her rooted in place. It was as though the simple act of stepping forward was now beyond her control.

She looked up at Cesare, her eyes pleading, but unsure of how to put her thoughts into words. Cesare met her gaze, fully aware of her intentions, yet deliberately pretending not to understand.

With a hand on his arm, Eileen asked softly, "Can’t you forgive him?"

Cesare’s response was brief and direct. "Why?"

She had several reasons ready: Luca had been a loyal customer, his accusations had come from a place of misunderstanding, and he certainly hadn’t meant any harm. But Cesare likely already knew all of this. After all, Cesare knew almost everything about Eileen. If he was still asking, it must mean he wanted to hear something more specific.

Eileen wracked her brain, searching for the right words—those that might appeal to him, the words that seemed to resonate with him recently. She recalled the moments when she’d seen him smile, the words that had made him pause and soften his expression. Finally, she found the right phrase. Holding his hand with both of hers, she looked up at him and said, "It’s a request from your wife."

Cesare’s eyes widened in surprise before he let out a soft laugh. His uncharacteristic laughter rippled through the crowd, drawing a few curious looks, but to Eileen, it was exactly the response she’d hoped for. There was a quiet satisfaction in knowing she had chosen the perfect answer.

"A request from my wife—how could I refuse?" Cesare said with a smile, his voice low but warm.

With that faint, lingering smile, Cesare turned his attention back to Luca, who now looked years older in a matter of minutes. "Be more careful in the future."

Eileen felt Cesare’s grip finally release, and without hesitation, she hurried over to Luca, who was still kneeling in the street.

"Luca..."

Remembering that Luca had trouble with his knees, Eileen grew even more concerned as she saw him kneeling on the cold stone. She instinctively reached out to offer him a hand, but Luca, with surprising determination, clambered to his feet on his own. He bowed repeatedly, murmuring his gratitude for being spared. His words, though meant to show respect, left Eileen with an unexpected heaviness. She realized that, after today, they would likely never speak so freely again.

As his words slowed, Eileen quietly asked, "Your headaches... are they any better?"

The question seemed to snap Luca back to himself. He blinked, looking at her as if seeing her anew. Eileen hesitated but pressed on in a soft voice, "I’ll keep leaving the medicine with the innkeeper, so you can still pick it up there. Let me know if anything worsens. Oh, and thank you again for helping with the watch gift. And..."

She wanted to say more—wanted to comfort him or offer reassurance—but she couldn’t find the words. Instead, she held her emotions in check and offered a simple farewell. "Thank you."