Why Is My Husband the Villainous Schemer! - Chapter 28

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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 28
I was startled by how fiercely she’d shouted.
“Oh… well, we can see each other again next time. You too, Lynea.”
Carcel blinked rapidly at the child’s spirited declaration, visibly taken aback.
But soon he broke into a broad grin and nodded.
“Until next time, then.”
“Yes!”
With that, Lynea suddenly whimpered and scrambled into the carriage ahead of me.
“My, what’s gotten into her?”
Lynea’s uncharacteristic behavior made me tilt my head in confusion.
Carcel extended his hand toward me this time.
“I’ll be waiting to hear from you. As for the contract… we won’t count that as a date. It’s business, after all.”
He spoke with such solemnity that I nearly laughed.
“Of course. Next time we’ll just meet to revise the contract. I’ll contact you tomorrow.”
At the Earl’s Residence, my mother-in-law’s watchful eye was always a concern.
While mail addressed to Lynea might slip through, every piece meant for me was being scrutinized.
‘I’ve received torn-open letters more than once.’
I took his offered hand and climbed into the carriage.
Was it too soon to say that his firm grip felt reassuring today?
‘This is why people need to fall in love at the right time.’
As a lifelong single, even the smallest gesture made me imagine futures.
Of course, in Carcel’s case, he was making his intentions perfectly clear, so my feelings weren’t mere fantasy.
Because of the way he’d been acting, I found myself thinking it might be all right to lean on him.
Even me, who hated relying on anyone.
Carcel squeezed my hand once, then released it.
“I really should go now!”
I waved at him with a smile as he closed the carriage door.
But he only nodded, saying nothing.
Through the carriage window, I could see him waving back as we slowly pulled away.
I let out a small sigh as Carcel’s figure receded into the distance.
Then I felt a gaze.
Lynea, sitting across from me, was stealing glances in my direction.
“Hmm? What is it?”
Lynea’s cheeks flushed pink. She shook her head vigorously.
“Nothing at all.”
I asked her carefully, noticing how different she seemed today.
“How was it for you?”
Naturally, I meant about the house, but also about Carcel.
Honestly, I think I was already starting to develop feelings for him.
If this were my previous life, I wouldn’t have been thinking about marriage yet.
‘But I probably would have thought I’d start dating soon.’
As we parted today, a small pang of regret lingered in my chest.
Like watercolor spreading through clear water, the desire to talk with him more, to know him better, seemed to bloom across my heart.
After a moment of silence, Lynea finally spoke.
“…It seemed like the Marquis really likes Mother very much.”
She could see that too?!
Flustered, I stumbled over my words.
“W-what?”
“He seemed scary at first, but he actually wasn’t…”
Lynea trailed off uncertainly at first, but then became clearer in expressing her thoughts.
“You two suit each other well. The Marquis and Mother.”
“Oh, um…”
Why did it make my face so hot to hear that we were well-matched?
Was it because I’d never introduced a crush or boyfriend to anyone before?
I felt embarrassed just from having a child—and such a young one at that—tell me that Carcel and I matched well.
“Th-thank you.”
It was heartening that Lynea was now expressing her thoughts to me so clearly.
‘Lynea must have grown up reading between the lines. She knows this meeting was created for my sake.’
I’d wondered why she would say such a thing…
Because she understood that I’d arranged this meeting to see if Carcel could be a good stepfather.
She might be saying these things for my sake.
“Lynea, I’m saying this just to be sure—you don’t need to force yourself to do or feel anything for me. Understand?”
Lynea nodded enthusiastically at my words.
Then she spoke again.
“It’s just that Mother seemed at ease around the Marquis… and I’d like it if I could have a kind father…”
As she spoke, Lynea trailed off, seemingly caught between embarrassment and the unfamiliarity of the words “mother” and “father.”
This time, I felt my face truly flush.
Feeling like steam might rise from my skin, I fanned myself absently and turned my gaze out the window.
“Th-that’s good to hear.”
It seemed Carcel had made a good impression on Lynea.
I couldn’t meet Lynea’s eyes all the way until we arrived at the Earl’s Residence.
When we entered the house, thankfully my mother-in-law still hadn’t returned.
Instead, I spotted Mary and a maid linked arm-in-arm, carrying mail in their hands.
“Wait a moment.”
I called the two of them to a stop.
At first they tried to ignore me and keep going, but the maid soon whispered something to Mary.
‘From the sound of it—something about silver coins—she must want payment to stop.’
But what could I do?
The only person I had silver coins for was Mary.
“Is there any mail for Lynea or me?”
I pulled two silver coins from my pocket and jingled them meaningfully.
At that, Mary and the maid began rifling through the mail they held.
“There’s one piece addressed to Miss Lynea.”
I extended my hand toward Mary as she spoke.
As Mary approached, I made sure to note the names on the other pieces of mail.
‘Nothing for me.’
When I gestured with my fingers for her to hand it over, Mary finally gave me the mail addressed to Lynea.
Once I provided the coins, her grip loosened and I was barely able to obtain the letter.
“Thank you. I’m always indebted to you, Mary.”
Mary looked momentarily puzzled, as if wondering how I knew her name.
But instead of answering her unspoken question, I passed them with the warmest smile I could manage.
“Give me one of those.”
The maid beside her demanded one of the two coins, but Mary greedily refused to share.
‘A silver coin or two might be good money, but your greed is going to bring trouble down on you.’
My mother-in-law knows information is leaking out. If Mary had any sense of restraint, she would never accept payment from me.
‘In the original story, Mary is one of my mother-in-law’s closest confidants, after all.’
Because of her greed and practical nature, Mary soon abandons Lynea and switches her loyalty to my mother-in-law.
Of course, no one in this household bears no responsibility for the abuse Lynea suffered.
But there are degrees.
Mary was the one who actively covered up the abuse, helped it happen, and turned a blind eye.
‘Even if Lynea doesn’t hate Mary, I won’t stand by and watch her prosper.’
I intended to continue sowing doubt among the servants that Mary had a connection with me.
Since the economic bonds between my mother-in-law and the maids are strong, creating cracks in that could give me someone loyal when the time comes.
‘One piece of evidence is consistent statements from witnesses and the victim.’
I was already keeping a daily diary.
I recorded the abuse inflicted on Lynea and the wrongdoings done to me with precise dates and times.
I’ve been actively cultivating connections in society to gather testimony from those around us.
Of course, evidence like this would be meaningless without backing.
‘But now I have Carcel.’
I was beginning to have a little faith that he would support me actively.
I couldn’t stop thinking about the kind way Carcel had treated Lynea today.
“Mother, who sent the letter?”
Invitations don’t come to Lynea very often.
So she asked me with a slightly excited expression.
Only then did I look at the sender’s name on the invitation and my eyes widened.
“Lucian?”
It was an invitation from the Crown Prince.
* * *
Meanwhile, at that very moment, Carcel was visiting the Duke’s Residence for the first time in a while.
The reason was to see his mother, who lived there.
‘Fortunately, the young lady seemed to take to me as well.’
Children usually ran away screaming or cried when they saw him.
Lynea Delmore, Asha’s adopted daughter and the child she wanted to take with her from the Earl’s household, had seemed afraid of him at first.
‘But later she even asked to see me again.’
Though not Asha’s biological daughter, Lynea and Asha resembled each other.
Of course, they didn’t share a single genetic feature, but there was something similar in their aura, their presence.
‘Mother will certainly object.’
And Carcel’s prediction proved correct.

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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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