# 22
**Chapter Twenty-Two**
Mrs. Mayer's look was full of longing, but her expression remained elegant and steady.
In her smile, I saw Harold's face cross over—the kind that says, “I'm used to taking pain,” as he laughs.
Looking at that expression made me feel a slight pain in my chest.
“What does it matter if the reason you started volunteering was personal? Thanks to you, someone’s life was saved.”
I didn't plan to say it, for fear of sounding pathetic, but...
“Thanks to you, I didn’t starve to death and I’m still here.”
“…!”
Mrs. Mayer's eyes widened in surprise.
Publicly, people only knew that my family had abandoned me. Harold, as the hero's older brother, knew that I lived on the streets.
"how…?"
Her face was full of disbelief. You may not have imagined how a child could be left on dangerous streets.
Even the toughest parents would think twice before doing something like this. But Diana's biological father did so without hesitation.
“No wonder I thought you looked so fragile...”
She muttered to herself, still unable to get out of her shock. Honestly, though, I wasn't that skinny.
“Duchess, you are eating right, aren’t you?”
"naturally."
Most nobles stop eating once they feel moderately full, even when their tables are full of food.
But I eat until I physically can't do any more.
Harold would often stay after finishing his usual portion, watching me eat with an expression that seemed to ask, “How can she eat all this?” But I never wavered under his gaze.
The fear of starving to death leaves deep scars, and as a result, I've recently gained some belly fat...
I decided to stop thinking about it.
“But is it okay to share a personal story like this with me?”
Mrs. Mayer regained her composure and asked.
“What if I go and tell the others that the Duchess of Wessen once lived on the streets?”
“You won't, Mrs. Mayer.”
She wasn't the type to spread rumours. There was a reason she was so respected in social circles. If this story spreads, it will be because someone else knows about my past.
“I appreciate your confidence, but you never know what might happen, Duchess.”
“I will deal with the consequences myself.”
I smiled brightly, making it clear that I would not regret my decision.
“I just wanted to thank you properly.”
Mrs. Mayer looked at me with a secret expression.
“Mrs. Mayer, is something wrong?”
"Nothing, really. It's just…" She took a sip of her tea.
“I think I understand why the Duke married you.”
Oh, please.
If I didn't have the holy ability, Harold would have fired me on the spot. I couldn't tell her that, so I smiled instead. A smile is always the best option when you have nothing to say.
Our conversation continued without interruption. By the time we refilled the tea three times and finished most of the desserts, the sky outside the greenhouse had turned a deep orange.
“It's time for me to go back.”
“So soon? Why don’t you stay for dinner?”
dinner? I hesitated for a moment.
'Shall I stay?'
Before I could agree, a familiar voice answered from behind me.
“Mrs. Meier, I'm afraid that's not possible. My wife must come back with me.”
Harold?! Why was he here? I jumped to my feet in amazement.
“I came to pick you up, Diana.”
“Will you take me?”
“Yes. You were taking too long.”
His big, strong fingers slid between mine, interlocking tightly.
“Mrs. Mayer, I'm taking my wife now. I'd like to spend some quality time with her.”
“I understand that you are newlyweds and want to be together, but holding on to your wife so tightly is not ideal either, Duke.”
Mrs. Mayer narrowed her eyes in slight annoyance.
"Thanks for the advice, but don't worry. My wife is totally in love with my face."
...Sorry, I'm not that 'in love'.
“Isn't it, my dear?”
He let out a seductive smile that made my face heat up. My ears turned red, and I was too confused to deny it.
“Never trust a black-haired man based on appearance alone...”
Mrs. Mayer murmured to herself with a deeply sympathetic expression as she looked at me.
After saying goodbye, Harold and I took the carriage back to the duchy.
As the carriage swayed, I leaned my head against the window and stared blankly outside, her words echoing in my mind.
'Never trust a black-haired man based on appearance alone.'
In Korea, black hair was popular, but here, it wasn't. In romance novels, black-haired men were often the heroes. They were usually characterized by extreme obsession and possessiveness.
Harold, although no hero, was no exception to this trait.
'No wonder she looked at me with pity.'
It would be really difficult to deal with a very possessive person in real life.
Since Harold and I were not married out of love, it didn't matter much.
“You are lost in thought.”
“I wasn't thinking anything silly.”
I responded immediately, smiling at Harold's amused tone.
“I was just thinking about Ms. Mayer's comment about men with black hair and why she might have said that.”
“Oh, that? Because Mrs. Mayer’s younger sister was in love with a man with black hair.”
“Was he handsome?”
"naturally."
Was he possessive too?
“Mrs. Mayer seems to have taken a great liking to you, judging by her sudden disdain for me.”
"truly?"
I smiled brightly at the good news, but Harold's expression didn't look particularly pleased.
He didn't seem upset, but he didn't look thrilled either. Why was that?
“Harold? Wouldn’t it be a good idea to get along with her for business reasons?”
“It is.”
“Then why is that face…”
“Personally, I don't like Mrs. Mayer.”
"What? How can you not love someone so amazing?"
She was my savior!
"We often competed for the same things. There were times when I tried to take what was mine."
Yes. Knowing how possessive Harold was it made it logical that he wouldn't have good feelings towards her.
“Have you ever had something taken away from you?”
“No, never.”
Leaning against the window, Harold fixed his gaze on me.
“And it will never work.”
Vincent swallowed his drink and slammed the cup onto the table. A pale-faced employee rushed to clean up the shards and replace them with a new cup. The two young nobles sitting nearby were sipping their drinks as if this was a common occurrence.
“Ah, so annoying.”
“You've been saying that a lot lately.”
“Aren’t you upset? I had to lower my head and apologize to my illegitimate daughter!”
"Oh, that's awful. I'm surprised you didn't bite your tongue."
“I almost did. Damn.”
Vincent's nose wrinkled in annoyance.
His brown-haired friend patted him on the shoulder.
"Cheer up. How long do you think that stupid Duchess's arrogance will last?"
"True. With the Duke's incurable illness, it's only a matter of time before you hit rock bottom."
Vincent laughed wryly at the thought of that.
“Vincent, how about a game to lift your spirits?”
“Oh, I ran out of money last time. I can’t.”
“Totally broke?”
“There's a little left, but what's the fun in that?”
Vincent grumbled, running a hand through his hair. His father had already begun to look down on him for wasting money on games.
One of his friends, who suggested a game, approached with a kind smile.
“Remember the new arcade in the neighborhood?”
“Oh, you mean ‘Land of Nice’ or something?”
“They have a pawn shop there. You can use the stuff as collateral, borrow some money, and get it back later.”
"Hmm. Doesn't look bad. Vincent, why are you still sitting there? Let's go!"
The two young nobles urged him to go, and their persistence persuaded him to follow them to the games hall.
At the pawn shop, Vincent hands over a pocket watch and his coat, receiving a bag of money in return. The weight of the bag brought a smile to his face.
“Today feels like a winning day.”
Trusting an intuition he had never felt before, Vincent entered the game room.
Meanwhile, the pawn shop employee quietly entered the manager's office.
Inside, Anis' Guild Leader, wearing a crow mask, was smoking and reviewing papers.
“Master, Young Lord Vincent has arrived.”
"actually?"
The union leader stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and left the office. He was curious to see what reckless fool had managed to provoke Harold—the man was more diabolical than Satan himself.
He approached Vincent with long strides, and greeted him with feigned enthusiasm.
"Ah, congratulations! I heard this is already your third win?"
Vincent looked at him and nodded politely.
“Thanks. Hmm, luck seems to be on my side today.”
Unable to contain his joy, Vincent's lips twitched with a proud smile.
The Guild Leader's eyebrow twitched as he held back a sigh.
What a poor man.
He did not know that his friends had sold him for money, that this huge gaming hall was a hell specially designed for him, or that he had been branded by a man crueler than any devil. Vincent happily played his games.
The guild leader silently wailed.
'Seriously, how did he manage to provoke Harold?'
Soon, Vincent will never smile again.