The Husband I Thought Was Dead Has Returned - Chapter 17

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Husband Who Should Have Died Returns Episode 017
After Chloe was whisked away by Countess Malate, I spent a delightful afternoon with my little boy. I finally unveiled the word cards I’d completed.
“Look at this. What do you think it is?”
“Bwaa bwee!”
“Horse! You say horse. Clop, clop. Neeeigh!”
Hayden blinked his eyes.
“Neeeigh!”
Oh my, oh my. I beamed without even realizing it.
“That’s right! How does a horse cry? Neeeigh!”
“Neeeigh!”
Goodness, my child was a genius. Of course—not just anyone could be the male lead. Showing his brilliance from this age! That’s how it’s done!
“Now, this is a tiger. A very scary animal. Roooar!”
“Raaar!”
Though his pronunciation was a bit garbled, little Hayden was earnestly mimicking me. He grabbed his own feet and kicked about, bursting into laughter. Watching his eyes crinkle with joy, I couldn’t help but laugh along.
He was absolutely adorable!
“Oh, you did so well! A genius, a complete genius! Our Hayden is the best!”
“Kyaa! Mama! Mama!”
“Yes, eat lots of food today, Mama!”
I pulled Hayden into a tight embrace and rubbed my face all over his cheeks. Though he tugged at my hair and pushed back with his feet, forcing me away.
“Now, this is a monkey! Ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh! You make your hands like this.”
I placed my right hand on my head and my left hand on my chin, making scratching motions.
“Ooh ooh ooh, ooh… Cherez.”
I hadn’t expected to see Cherez just then. I slowly lowered my hands.
Cherez covered his mouth and coughed. He was clearly holding back laughter.
Oh no. My dignity. If only he’d arrived during the roar! Cherez scooped up Hayden, who was scrambling toward him like a little monkey climbing his legs. Then he planted a kiss on the child’s cheek.
Hayden grabbed both of Cherez’s ears and began his ascent.
Cherez slipped his hands into Hayden’s armpits and hoisted him high into the air.
“Are you planning to become a monkey in the future?”
“…Cherez!”
At my cry, Cherez let out a low chuckle. Ugh.

* * *
After being dragged away by Countess Malate, Chloe had been quiet for days. Now she had fixated on something new.
She spoke to me as I was making additional word cards for Hayden to play with.
“Duchess, allow me to review the household ledgers.”
“The ledgers?”
What fresh nonsense was this?
“Yes. I am your lady’s maid, after all. It’s only natural for a maid to inspect the household accounts. Someone must do it for the Bereidan Duchy, mustn’t they?”
“…Wouldn’t you prefer to focus on your watercolor painting?”
Chloe shook her head firmly.
It was a domain I myself had never involved myself in. From the beginning, I had decided not to fulfill the role of Duchess in this household.
Such matters could become a source of shame for the Bereidan Duchy.
But Chloe wanted to examine them? Borgus would faint if he knew.
“Chloe, that’s a realm I haven’t touched yet either.”
“Why not? You’re the Duchess.”
“If my assistance were needed, Cherez would have asked me first.”
“That’s exactly the problem! Because the Duchess shows no interest, I have to look into it myself!”
Chloe crossed her arms with a pouty expression. Where did such confidence come from?
“I think this matter requires direct discussion with Cherez!”
Before I could stop her, Chloe sprang from her seat and left the room. I clicked my tongue. This too was of my own making.
I placed Chloe’s brush in the water basin and finished the remaining cards. Now for a plant series instead of animals.
I would never create such a dark history again. No more ridiculous laughter.

* * *
Cherez pressed his fingers to his temples.
Chloe’s endless whining and unreasonable demands had given him a headache. Yet the ledger was an entirely different matter from a pink ribbon.
“No, Chloe. Don’t make me say it twice.”
“Cherez, I’m doing this for Bereidan’s sake! What if the Duchess is embezzling money?”
Chloe clenched her fists tightly.
“That’s not your concern, Chloe.”
Cherez spoke without lifting his eyes from the documents.
Borgus exhaled heavily. His ears were ringing from the noise. He rolled up a tissue and stuffed it in his ear, gritting his teeth.
He had merely wanted to test the daughter of Hejest, yet it was he and Cherez who were suffering the consequences. It seemed Chloe had brought calamity upon the Bereidan Household. She was particularly detrimental to one’s mental health.
At Cherez’s firm refusal, Chloe clenched her teeth. She puffed out her cheeks and stormed from the study.
She could not give up here. Only she cared for the welfare of the Bereidan Household. As a member of House Maleight and a descendant of a loyal family to the Duchy, she could not ignore this matter.
Lunchtime.
Everyone had left their posts. Chloe slipped into the study. As she pulled out the ledger, her eyes gleamed.
“Just as I thought!”
What Chloe discovered was the budget allocated to the Duchess.
“What is this? The Duchess’s budget is this large? It’s absurd! And yet she walks around looking like that?”
Chloe trembled with indignation.
Indeed, money was leaking away carelessly. Chloe examined the other entries meticulously. Most were organized clearly and the discrepancies were accounted for.
Then what she needed to verify was only the personal budget allocated to Roana.
Chloe snorted and waited for Cherez. The moment he returned, she thrust the ledger at him.
Cherez’s brow furrowed as the ledger was shoved before his eyes at the doorway.
“What are you doing?”
“Look at this! The Duchess has been allocated this much budget! And it’s not a small amount!”
“However—”
“Yet look at how she dresses! She’s clearly embezzling the money. Isn’t she sending it to Hejest?”
Chloe spoke triumphantly, praising herself for making this discovery.
Cherez snatched the ledger from her hands.
“Who gave you permission for this?”
His voice was glacial. Entering the study without authorization was bad enough, but opening the ledger without permission was a grave overstepping of bounds.
Cherez swallowed a curse internally.
He wanted to throw her out immediately, but he was the one who had permitted her to become a lady’s maid. Moreover, the image of Countess Malate looming behind her made him hesitate.
Cherez spoke through gritted teeth.
“Get out.”
“Cherez, I was doing this for you! Someone needs to verify whether the Duchess is spending money recklessly!”
“I’ll handle it myself. Don’t you understand that this is not your place to meddle?”
Chloe puffed out her cheeks. Cherez could not restrain himself and snapped.
“Listen carefully from now on, Chloe. If you want to involve yourself in the Bereidan Household’s finances, fine. Then I’ll involve myself in House Maleight’s finances too.”
At those words, Chloe deflated, the air leaving her cheeks.
“What? What did you say?”
“I will personally oversee every single coin that flows in and out of this household. What you’re doing is an overreach, but I am not.”
Chloe swallowed hard as she met Cherez’s gaze, recognizing the absolute sincerity in his eyes. She took a step backward.
It was as though she could hear the sharp, cutting voice of Countess Malate echoing in her ears.
“That, that is… I was only thinking of the Bereidan Duchy!”
“Get out.”
Cherez cast Chloe out. He exhaled a deep sigh, and as his hand swept through his hair, the weight of exhaustion clung to him.
It seemed he would need to find a way to remove Chloe legitimately, without damaging his relationship with Countess Malate.
Bringing Chloe into the household had been his gravest mistake.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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