Wicked Husband-Chapter 35 - 34

Struggling to regain her composure amidst the smoke, tears welled up in Eileen’s eyes as she managed to respond.

"Th-thank you..."

Despite smoking being common among soldiers and the Grand Duke’s knights, Eileen had never encountered the smell of tobacco before. As a result, those around her, including Cesare, who occasionally smoked, would refrain from the habit for hours before meeting her. Their attentiveness stemmed from their knowledge of her aversion to smoking.

This encounter marked the first time in Eileen’s life that she’d been directly exposed to smoke. Despite witnessing Eileen’s distress, Ornella continued smoking. Feeling overwhelmed by the smoke and intimidated by Ornella, Eileen wanted to escape as quickly as possible. She hurriedly tried to excuse herself, "Then..."

"Ah, wait a moment," Ornella interrupted.

As Eileen turned to leave, Ornella raised a hand, halting their departure. Eileen and the footman could only wait patiently.

Trapped in the acrid smoke, Eileen’s coughs rasped in her constricted throat. Ornella, meanwhile, leisurely lit another cigarette. With a dismissive flick of her wrist, she tossed the spent butt onto the floor. The ever-observant footman retrieved it with a handkerchief. Only then did Ornella, finally brushing off her clothes, turn to Eileen.

Strangely captivated, Eileen found herself drawn to Ornella’s smile. It bloomed like a flower pushing through cracked pavement, beautiful despite the harsh environment. In that moment, a peculiar thought bloomed in Eileen’s mind: ’This woman is a Lily.’ Eileen thought to herself, considering how fitting the nickname "Lily of Traon" seemed for Ornella.

Ornella leaned in, her face inches away from Eileen’s.

"Does the plainness reveal itself a little more clearly now?"

Surprised by the unexpected gesture as Ornella reached for her bangs, Eileen instinctively took a step back.

"Were you startled? I’m sorry," Ornella said, a hint of a smirk playing on her lips.

"Utterly baffling, wouldn’t you agree, Miss Eileen? Why His Excellency would choose you..." Ornella’s voice dripped with amusement. "Marrying out of pity? That’s quite a stretch, wouldn’t you say?"

Ornella paused, her perfectly sculpted brows knitting together as she gave Eileen a pointed once-over. Suddenly, Eileen became acutely aware of her attire. Neat enough, Eileen thought, a flicker of doubt creeping in as she compared her simple dress to Ornella’s likely designer attire. Eileen’s dress, crafted from a fabric that felt more like rough twine than silk, consisted of only a few, faded ribbons.

In stark contrast, Ornella’s dress announced itself with a whisper of wealth. Made from a material that shimmered like moonlight on a calm lake, it flowed around her form with a life of its own.

Moreover, Ornella emitted a pleasant fragrance. The scent, a captivating blend of flowers that almost danced with the lingering tobacco smoke.

Eileen remembered the moment she had placed the clock box on the Grand Duke’s sofa. It was a terribly mismatched, shabby box.

"It must be tough for you too, Miss Eileen. A marriage between different social classes should be handled delicately... Have you prepared the dowry?"

"Uh..."

Eileen was rendered speechless. It was a problem she hadn’t even considered. Unless she was being sold off, brides were generally expected to prepare a dowry.

Of course, Eileen’s marriage was somewhat involuntary, but it was still with the Grand Duke himself. She couldn’t just go empty-handed.

Looking at Eileen’s pale face, Ornella clicked her tongue as if she found it annoying.

"Your mother passed away, and you have no suitable noble connections. I guess no one taught you even these basic things."

Her words were painfully accurate. Nobody had taught Eileen about the realities of marriage. She had just been thinking vaguely about getting married, without actively considering the preparations. She had barely even thought about how to handle her father.

"This is a big problem. Oh, and come to think of it, you haven’t even received a ring yet. Doesn’t seem like things are progressing properly."

Ornella exclaimed in surprise as she looked at Eileen’s empty left hand. Eileen quickly covered her left hand with her right, feeling ashamed.

"Well, I happen to need a new maid."

Ornella grabbed the ribbon on Eileen’s dress. With gloved hands, she pulled on the ribbon, and it came undone easily.

Eileen watched as the ribbon Ornella pulled came apart messily. Ornella dropped it as if she had touched something dirty, then tucked her hands away.

"I’ll make sure you’re compensated properly."

Eileen bit her lip. She could feel the awkward gaze of the attendant beside her.

Being a lady-in-waiting to the Empress was an honorable position, a dream for any noble girl. Yet, for Eileen, it felt like a slap in the face, a blatant insult highlighting the abyss between her meager circumstances and the grandeur of the Grand Duchess’ court. Being a lady-in-waiting, a position coveted by every noble girl, was a cruel reminder of the poverty that clung to Baron Elrod’s name, a stark contrast to the life that awaited her as Grand Duchess of Erzet. The comparison to a lady-in-waiting felt like a cruel joke, a gilded cage for someone whose beauty was as unattainable as a lily blooming in a barren wasteland. But this was likely to happen more often in the future. Eileen steeled herself, the bargain struck. From the moment she agreed to become the Grand Duchess of Erzet, she had resolved to navigate this new world, whatever trials it may bring.

Facing it was more distressing than expected, but Eileen managed to hold herself together. She furrowed her brow to hold back tears and then mustered up some courage to respond timidly.

"Thank you for your consideration. But... I’ll manage."

"Accepting help when you’re struggling isn’t something to be ashamed of, Miss Eileen."

But hearing the lecture about her naivety made her lips seal shut again.

’What am I going to do about the dowry...’

Even if she sold the brick house and all the potions in her laboratory, it wouldn’t come close to a dowry befitting a Grand Duke’s bride. And her laboratory was still off-limits, not that she could enter it anyway.

As Eileen’s shoulders slumped further, Ornella’s voice suddenly softened.

"Lady Elrod. If you ever need anything, just let me know. I’ll help however I can. We’re family now, after all, part of the same royal household."

Puzzled by the sudden kindness, Eileen quickly understood. The sound of sturdy footsteps approached from behind. Even just the sound of the leisurely footsteps revealed who it was.

"Your Excellency Grand Duke Erzet!"

Cesare was walking through the hall. He was just walking along the colonnade, but perhaps it was the way his coattails billowed in the wind that made him impossible to ignore. His uniform was impressive, but even his coat suited him perfectly.

As Eileen stared blankly, Ornella walked confidently toward Cesare. She looked deeply moved.

"It’s been three years. Have you been well?"

"It’s been a while, Lady Farbellini."

Cesare greeted her briefly, and Ornella’s cheeks turned slightly pink. She looked adorable. Eileen watched her from behind. The excited look in her eyes, the raised voice, and the shy gestures all revealed it.

’Ornella likes Cesare.’

It was only natural since she had originally wanted Cesare for her betrothal. Eileen could somewhat understand Ornella’s feelings. It must have been frustrating to see someone you used to love with someone as insignificant as her.

Eileen would have likely felt quite displeased if she had heard the news that Cesare was marrying someone like her.

Ornella and Cesare together made quite the picture. They were both so stunningly beautiful that it was almost startling.

Feeling like a blemish on a perfect picture, Eileen watched them. Ornella pulled out a handkerchief to cover her mouth. Turning her head slightly, she coughed softly and then apologized.

"Sorry. I think I underdressed a bit. The weather today is chillier than I expected..."

She trailed off in a soft whisper. Cesare’s direct action of unbuttoning his frock coat was the reason. But Ornella’s eyes, which had been filled with anticipation, quickly turned bewildered.

"Eileen."

He called out to her as he took off his coat. He waited until she hesitantly approached him, then draped the coat over her shoulders.

The ample coat enveloped her. Eileen looked up at him, still in a daze, as Cesare adjusted his slightly disheveled cuffs and spoke.

"Put it on. It’s cold."

***