Wicked Husband-Chapter 20 - 19

An Eileen who was about to be sold by her father and whisked off to a foreign country would naturally come to Cesare for help.

Cesare’s original plan was not to meet her at his estate but to intervene three days later, when the old swine would come to take Eileen away.

"Seeing your face always makes me feel weak."

Cesare played with his pocket watch in one hand and twisted Eileen’s hair with the other. Lotan sighed as he watched those brown locks being played with left and right.

"Wouldn’t it have been better if you hadn’t even allowed her to see Baron Elrod if you were feeling ’so weak’?"

"Now that wouldn’t do. I can’t deny my bride’s wishes, can I?"

Though he replied calmly, Lotan knew very well what kind of man his master was. He could’ve been more tactful, but he deliberately showed Eileen that disgusting sight to further alienate her from her father.

Regardless of who they were, Eileen simply could not let go of her blood family. The late Baroness was also not of sound mind. She was a fragile woman, mentally unstable, and abused her only child for a long time. For better or worse, Eileen loved her mother with all her heart.

Lotan admired Eileen’s purity, but it always made him feel conflicted when he saw her hurt. His desire to protect the girl clashed with the thought that she should be a little more ruthless.

Those feelings intensified whenever he saw her getting caught up in things that were beyond her understanding.

And yet, for all his reluctance, deep down he also wanted the girl to become the next Grand Duchess. So he stopped complaining and moved on to another topic.

"What are you going to do with Marlena? I don’t think she’ll back down so easily.

When the lab closed, Eileen asked the innkeeper to take care of her customers. She assured them that the inn would still sell the medicine, so there was no need to worry, even though the door was temporarily closed.

One thing Eileen failed to realise was that her clients loved her. So when she suddenly closed the clinic and disappeared, everyone scrambled to find out what had happened to her, fearing the worst.

Her clients had no idea that Eileen was the daughter of the infamous Baron Elrod and a favourite of Duke Erzhet. They only knew her as a clever but poor apothecary with an eccentric love of plants.

When Eileen suddenly disappeared, Marlena was the first to launch an investigation. She knew that the girl was a talent in the making, but she couldn’t have foreseen that she would be going up against Cesare.

Once she carried a nobleman’s child, was forced to abort it, and then was banished from Fiore Street. It was Cesare who reached out to her, offering her a chance for revenge and helping her get back on her feet.

With Cesare’s help, Marlena made a glorious comeback. In return, she became the Duke’s eyes and ears.

"Just let her meet Eileen. Marlena is useful in so many ways."

Lotan was surprised at Cesare’s gentle permission. Perhaps sensing his confusion, Cesare continued with her brief explanation.

"After all, isn’t Eileen going to make her social debut soon?"

Being the most famous dancer in Fiore, her influence was such that it stepped out of the shadows, and reached the capital’s social circle.

Marlena was often invited to noble balls, where she was treated as an honoured guest. When Eileen arrives on the scene, she will serve as his little bride’s trump card.

"I’ll let Marlena know that she has your permission to meet young Miss."

Marlena would be satisfied with this. Lotan felt relieved, considering it fortunate that things were finally going in a positive direction.

The fumes that Eileen had inhaled today was no stranger to Fiore’s patrons. But to her, who had no tolerance, it was a potent dr*g.

Lotan suspected Cesare intentionally let her inhale the smoke. Then he stopped, thinking he was belittling his master too much.

"Oh, I almost forgot..."

Cesare ordered leisurely.

"Have them announce my marriage in tomorrow’s papers."

That meant declaring it to the entire empire so that Eileen couldn’t change her mind.

Whether she liked it or not, from tomorrow onward, Eileen would become a storm that swept throughout the Trion Empire.

"Yes, Your Excellency."

What could Lotan do if it was the will of his master? He could only obediently follow. He hoped that Eileen would not suffer too much.

***

Was it because she was nervous or because she was so tired? Regardless, Eileen managed to unintentionally fall asleep in Cesare’s arms.

Thinking about it, too much had happened in one day. She was even about to collapse from exhaustion from the preparations at the Grand Duke’s residence.

When she opened her eyes, she found herself in a bedroom on the second floor of a brick house. Eileen breathed a sigh of relief as she felt the comfort of her familiar surroundings. Cesare seemed to have brought her home while she was asleep.

Eileen opened her eyes, still wrapped in the blanket, and looked up at the ceiling.

Despite the blur, she remembered Cesare gently laying her down as she dozed off. She must have fallen asleep with her head in his lap.

’It was something I did when I was a kid...’

But to think she used him as a pillow... What shameful behaviour! Pulling the covers over her face, she buried herself in them.

’This is why I’m still treated like a child.’

Still, when she awoke from her deep slumber, her mind became clear. Eileen reflected much on yesterday’s events.

Even though she saw her father being intimate with another woman... The result was better than she had expected. It seemed that she had been shocked enough to the core to be able to let it all go.

Eileen calmly recounted the events of the previous day. Everything was separated into segments, far and wide in between. One recollection remained clear as day.

""Who would’ve thought that you had the balls to sell your daughter while f*cking around, Baron Elrod."

That vulgar remark made quite an impression on her. Who would’ve thought that his Grace had such a mouth on him.

Then again, Cesare was a soldier. He must’ve spouted many obscenities in the head of battle.

Except for Senon, all of Cesare’s knights had foul mouths. Diego and Michele were no exception, and even Lotan sometimes cursed. Of course, they tried not to show it in front of a noble lady like Eileen.

In the utmost secrecy of her room, Eileen imitated Cesare in a whisper.

"F*ck..." 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Then she quickly covered her mouth and looked about. It wasn’t the same. When it came out of Cesare’s mouth, even that word sounded so refined.

Eileen got up from her bed and put her hand to her lips as if to scold her for saying something bad. She went downstairs and found her father’s bedroom door closed. It looked like he had finally come home.

’Is he still sleeping?’

Both Eileen and her father needed time to process the events of yesterday. With one final look at his door, Eileen let out a small sigh and headed towards the kitchen.

"...?"

She turned to the window, thinking she heard a commotion outside. With the curtains drawn, she couldn’t check, and she didn’t have the energy for another surprise. So she let it go.

First she drank some water to soothe her dry throat. Afterwards, she took some bread from the cupboard and cut a large slice. Then she realised that she had nothing else to serve for breakfast, as she had been too busy to go shopping the last few days.

Not wanting to starve, she took a bite of bread and chewed slowly. Then she covered her face with glasses and bangs, ready to go shopping.

As she opened the door with a large basket in hand...

Eileen froze, clutching the door.

"She’s finally out! Lady Elrod! Lady Elrod!"

"Lady Eileen! Look here!"

"Please tell us your thoughts on your marriage to His Excellency, Grand Duke Erzet!"

"Is it true that you threatened to commit su*cide if the Duke didn’t marry you?"

"Hey, don’t push me!"

"Move it! I was here first!"

As if waiting for the door to open, the crowd began to shout like mad. They swarmed in like bees, asking questions. But they couldn’t lay a finger on Eileen.

The whole brick house was surrounded by the Grand Duke’s soldiers. Soldiers armed with rifles mercilessly shoved away reporters and bystanders who approached beyond a certain line.

’What on earth is going on?’

Even seeing it with her own eyes, Eileen couldn’t believe it. Hesitating, she stepped back, and the reporters grew more agitated, even attempting to push past the soldiers.

Bang!

A gunshot cracked through the air like thunder. The frenzied crowd, like demons unleashed, fell silent as if banished by an exorcism. Amidst the quiet, a low voice cut through the tension.

"Will all of you shut the f*ck up already?"

Michele, who fired the gun, raised an eyebrow and continued.

"Our lady seems very surprised."