The Problem Is, My Ex-Boyfriend and I Are Both Dating Other People - Chapter 62

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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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Chapter 62

Noah slipped close to Bella’s side as they turned onto 12th Street.
“But Your Grace, doesn’t this look a bit suspicious rather than merely conspicuous?”
“It’s all the same.”
At Bella’s casual dismissal—as long as they were remembered, that was what mattered—Asta interjected.
“But why are we moving so noticeably?”
“I’ll explain, Asta.”
Noah caught Asta mid-stride and murmured something to him. Asta laughed softly. As the couple resumed their teasing banter, Bella shook her head and turned away.
It occurred to her too late that she hadn’t explained any of this to Richard before rushing out. A belated pang of guilt made Bella glance sideways at him, the one she’d pressed into service.
Had she hurt his feelings? Concerned, Bella reached out and tapped Richard’s arm lightly. When he turned to look at her, his expression held only bewilderment—no sign that their hurried departure had wounded his pride.
Even after everything, Richard remained every inch the knight.
Bella felt the truth of that anew and moved closer to his side.
“I’m going to make sure Daemon learns about this as quickly as possible. That’s why I want to show openly that this mansion he used as a secret residence has been ransacked.”
“I see.”
“Aren’t you going to ask why?”
“Why, then.”
Richard considered for a moment before answering.
“If it’s a problem that can’t be hidden, it’s better to lay it bare. Bella, I trust your judgment.”
He was right. Unfortunately, Daemon was no fool.
Even if they used the key to enter without leaving obvious signs, it was all but impossible that he’d left no countermeasures inside. Slipping in and out without leaving a trace was nearly impossible. It made far more sense to focus on what was possible rather than struggle with what was all but impossible from the start.
“Your choice isn’t a bad one, Bella. Not if you’re planning to declare war.”
With those words, Richard lifted the hem of his robe slightly and flashed a grin—mischievous, the way he used to smile long ago.
Bella found herself smiling back at him. It was unconscious. Only after her eyes met his—those gleaming, blood-red eyes—did she realize she shouldn’t have.
What was the point of vowing to keep her distance from Richard if she was going to do this?
‘No. No, I can’t.’
The gap between reality and her heart was too vast. That’s where this problem came from.
Even now, she wanted to kiss the corners of those glittering eyes, to pull him close and hold him tight. She wanted to beg him—say that she loved him, please don’t hate her.
That had always been the problem. The chasm between what was and what she longed for.
“There, Your Grace.”
At Love’s words, Bella shook off her thoughts and turned her head.
They had made it halfway down 12th Street. The grandest mansion on either side of the long avenue now stood directly before them—a splendor befitting Rowan, whom the Capital had deemed the most beautiful courtesan of the year.
“From here to there, all of these homes are occupied by courtesans or the paramours of distinguished gentlemen.”
Bella followed Love’s gesture and surveyed their surroundings. The exteriors could easily pass for noble estates, but they were all slightly smaller, and crucially, their walls were far too high.
Structures where the outside world could never see in. The brick walls made it impossible even to verify the existence of a back garden from the street. As for the windows—she’d known such places existed, but this was her first time seeing one in person, and Bella let out a hollow laugh.
“There isn’t a single window facing the street.”
“Well, when there are so many people who’d be ruined if they were discovered, you have to take precautions. Aha ha.”
“Troublub handles all the real estate transactions here?”
Where in the empire wasn’t Troublub tangled up?
‘But then again, this is the sort of reach you’d need to gather worthwhile gossip.’
There was a reason organizations that survived this long did so.
Bella was marveling silently at this when Love suddenly grew serious and asked her a question.
“Your Grace, who am I?”
“…Troublub.”
“No, that’s just my gossip-column name. I’m Love. You know my name perfectly well, so why won’t you use it? You’re breaking my heart.”
Love jabbed himself in the chest with his forefinger, pedagogically, and repeated: Love, love.
“That’s not even your real name.”
“Oh, but if the Empire’s one and only duke learns my true identity, my life becomes far too complicated. I have to maintain some anonymity. Still, please call me Love. If anyone overhears, they’ll think I actually hold a position in Troublub.”
The man who’d already exposed his most important asset—his face—yet insisted on hiding a mere name behind “Love” was radiantly earnest. Perhaps she should tell him that his identity had already been pieced together. Then maybe he’d consent to being called by his real name without fussing.
Bella observed Love—or rather, Fin Gerald—prattling on with barely concealed amusement.
He wasn’t some junior reporter for Troublub, and his experience was certainly substantial enough for him to be running around doing fieldwork like this.
As Richard had said, Troublub was funded by the investments of the Empire’s citizens. No matter how that worked, someone still needed to be at the helm to chart the course.
That was why Troublub had adopted the Elected Executive System. Every five years, Troublub elected five executives.
Fin Gerald was one of those executives—he’d been reelected three times, and was favored to win again in the next election. And Heart, following silently behind Richard like a dormouse, was a first-term executive, though still part of the current slate.
As Bella’s gaze shifted toward Heart, Love laughed and spoke.
“Love and Heart. Such affectionate nicknames. Every time you use them, love will bloom abundantly in your arid heart, Your Grace—like flowers blooming in a desert.”
Love brought his hands together and slowly opened them, miming the unfurling of a blossom. He clearly believed this with all his heart.
Bella shook her head. Even if she called him by his real name, Fin Gerald, he’d only whine that she should call him Love instead. She was certain of it.
Love, blissfully unaware of how little regard Bella held him in, continued.
“And to answer your first question: yes. It’s only natural that Troublub manages these discreet residences for distinguished gentlemen.”
When had he grown so playful? A bundle of keys dangled from his hand.
Bella accepted them slowly. Jingle—the sound of the keys clinking together was harsh against the darkened mansion entrance. The cacophony that had been deliberately stirred up moments before fell away like a lie, leaving only silence to settle upon the group.
Bella turned to look at those who had followed her this far.
Noah, Asta, Love and Heart, and Richard.
She raised her head, wondering how so many people had become entangled in this affair.
Despite the high walls and windows that faced nowhere near the street, such a number moving about meant someone was bound to notice. And even if they hadn’t, the rented carriage that had belonged to the Bella Estate household was trailing behind them, so there was no worry that word wouldn’t reach Daemon’s ears.
Bella’s decision came down to two reasons, primarily. One was that Richard had been right—this incident would be difficult to conceal.
But the other was that by exposing Bella’s Estate, she could shield Winston.
Richard had not once removed his Robe. According to Asta, he had slipped out using the back entrance, and if luck held, it wasn’t an impossible feat.
‘Richard will be angry when he finds out.’
As long as he didn’t know, that was enough. Bella thought this to herself and lowered her voice.
“You’ve all probably guessed, but we don’t know what’s in here. If luck’s against us, we could die. If luck’s with us, the odds of falling out of the Crown Prince’s favor are still high.”
As Bella spoke, her gaze lingered long on Love and Heart. Asta snorted. Bella had never expected her to turn back anyway. Richard and Noah were not considerations either.
“If you want to leave, this is your last chance.”
The two reporters who received her gaze blinked like innocent deer. As if they didn’t understand why she was looking at them. Seeing the pair who clearly had never even dreamed of leaving, Bella let out a hollow murmur.
“Just how far will you go for gossip?”
“I have risked my life for the people’s right to know.”
Watching the madman straighten his shoulders with pride, Bella thought to herself:
Don’t risk your life for that nonsense.

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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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