Why Is My Husband the Villainous Schemer! - Chapter 58

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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 58
In keeping with his usual nature, he would surely have preferred to eliminate any future complications altogether.
But what if, afterward, the whole truth unraveled before Asha?
He had no wish to leave traces of himself exposed to her in this manner.
Urigella’s face showed bewilderment, but Carcel tilted his head at her as if to say she was welcome to struggle further.
“A child is family property, after all. Linea has a pretty enough face that she’ll certainly make a respectable marriage.”
“You won’t simply hand over the child without receiving payment?”
“Well… there was a man who said he’d give two thousand Gold as a dowry alone if I had Linea marry him after she comes of age.”
Urigella did not conceal her avarice even now, citing a figure.
“If you offer higher than that man, then I’ll hand the child over.”
At those words, Carcel fell silent for a long time.
An angel and a demon were speaking simultaneously in both his ears, saying the same thing.
‘Just force her signature, bury it underground for life. If it goes to trial it becomes troublesome anyway—wouldn’t it be simpler to erase her existence from the start?’
“Matt.”
After a long silence, Carcel uttered a heavy word, and Matt clicked his tongue sympathetically.
Then he turned toward Urigella with a look of pity and offered advice.
“I’d recommend you sign right now. What the Duke just offered is essentially your last chance, so to speak…”
Carcel is not a man who says things twice.
Matt, knowing that her fate had already been decided, regarded Urigella with compassion.
“What do you mean?”
“Either sign now and secure your own safety, or refuse and spend the rest of your life buried underground, never seeing sunlight again.”
“What?!”
“You choose.”
Throughout all this, Carcel merely gazed at Urigella with an indifferent expression.
Those hollow eyes, devoid of any emotion, were inhuman, and Urigella suddenly came to her senses.
“If I just sign this, you’ll let me go, right?”
“One more thing.”
Matt produced another document.
“You must also execute a Confidentiality Agreement. Since the Duke is technically breaking the law to release you specially.”
At those words, Urigella clenched her teeth, barely suppressing her fury that rose to the crown of her head.
“Ah, if you’re buried around now, it’ll be spring—the temperature will be just right. Don’t you think?”
But at Carcel’s languid remark, she hastily reached for the fountain pen before her.
“Where should I sign?”
After Urigella came Earl Delmore.
And Carcel reached an easy “agreement” with Earl Delmore as well.
* * *
“Whew, today was so busy.”
I was scattered all day.
When I went to see my mother-in-law, she pulled some kidnapping stunt.
“But I’m glad all the preparations are done.”
Everyone was enthusiastically committed to Linea’s first birthday party tomorrow.
This birthday party held special significance.
For Linea, her eleventh birthday was essentially her first true celebration.
‘Even if she didn’t say it aloud, her eyes showed how much she was hoping for this.’
It took a while putting the child to bed today as well.
Linea, who would normally fall asleep with a snore, required three full bedtime stories before she finally crashed.
‘Linea’s dopamine levels must be skyrocketing.’
I’d kept the specific details of the event strictly confidential even from her.
Not knowing what would happen, the child spent today unable to properly study or eat, her mind spinning with imaginings of what her first birthday party might be like.
‘I should buy her a birthday gift too.’
I’d been too scattered to get one yet.
I planned to leave early tomorrow morning and purchase it then.
“Mmm.”
My body felt stiff, so I stretched languidly.
Knock, knock.
“Come in!”
Carcel then opened the door and stepped inside.
Since he didn’t bathe in this room, his hair was slightly damp from washing in another bath.
Perhaps it was because his damp hair had darkened, or perhaps it was because a familiar scent emanated from him in the night air.
‘The atmosphere feels oddly charged somehow.’
I felt inexplicably embarrassed to meet Carcel’s gaze.
“Ah, were you about to retire?”
“I need to wake up early tomorrow to buy Linea’s gift, and we’ll be hosting the birthday party all day, so…”
I spoke with my fists clenched tightly.
“This is Linea’s first birthday party—I’m going to pour all my energy into making it a success!”
“I noticed what you’d prepared, and it seemed impressive.”
Carcel laughed softly.
The corners of his eyes curved in a vertigo-inducing arc.
At the warmth toward me contained in that smile, I found myself clearing my throat awkwardly.
“Well, um. Thank you. I do hope Linea and the children enjoy it.”
“She certainly will. Your daughter will be happy simply knowing that Asha and her friends are celebrating with her.”
“You’ll be there too. …Actually, Linea wants not just her mother but her father as well.”
Perhaps it was Carcel’s gaze directed at me as I confessed something so embarrassing that made it worse.
His eyes, sharper than usual, were strangely both tender and fierce.
“In any case, that’s what Linea says!”
“Then what does Asha think—not as your daughter’s mother, but as herself?”
Carcel’s low voice asking as he looked down at me intently felt sensual tonight.
“Pardon? …I think it’s good too. A husband like you is…affectionate.”
A thin voice escaped between my lips.
Speaking such words mortified me, and tonight I desperately wanted to avoid his gaze.
The nape of my neck burned.
I offered a strained smile, carefully dodging eye contact with Carcel.
That was when—
“But Asha, your daughter will never have another father. You won’t have another husband either.”
“Why…why would that be?”
“Because I have no intention of surrendering to another man the opportunity to be Asha’s husband and your daughter’s father.”
Carcel looked down at me and smiled languidly.
‘When he looks like this, he really is Duke Rakan.’
To me, Carcel is only affectionate, but I harbored a vague certainty that he likely isn’t the same with everyone else.
“Asha?”
Carcel called my name.
I nodded belatedly, still flustered.
“Yes.”
“I actually have something for you. It’s also a birthday gift for your daughter.”
“What is it?”
Carcel’s upper body leaned slowly toward me.
“Are you ready to receive a gift?”
At his words, I extended both hands toward him with a smile.
“What is it? It’s not expensive, is it?”
At my words, Carcel merely smiled enigmatically before producing a sealed envelope from behind his back.
“Huh?”
“Take it. What’s inside is something you’ve been wanting for nearly two months.”
“Something I’ve wanted for two months? Surely not…!”
Carcel had stepped out briefly today on business.
Could it be he went out to handle something related to Linea?!
I took the envelope from Carcel and quickly drew out the documents.
The contents written on those documents were…
“Did Earl Delmore and my former mother-in-law really sign this?”
“Without question. I went and obtained it myself.”
I read through the unbelievable Custody Abandonment Document again and again.
“These aren’t people who would do this so willingly!”
“As I said, there are things more important to them than your daughter.”
“Carcel, didn’t you say you wouldn’t lie to me anymore?”
I pressed my lips together and glared at him sharply.
“You said you wouldn’t.”
“Then you didn’t get this by giving money to Earl Delmore’s family, did you? They’re not the sort to release Linea without payment.”
“I didn’t give them even a single Bronze.”
Carcel held up both hands before me with an innocent expression.
“Not even a single Bronze?”
As I looked up at him clutching the documents to my chest, Carcel nodded, appearing to suppress a smile.
“I simply kept them occupied and persuaded them with words until they signed. I didn’t use violence or anything like that, naturally.”
“I see.”
I read sincerity in the depths of his eyes.
That was a relief.
If he had sacrificed something for my sake, I would have felt too guilty to properly face him.
I set the documents down on the bed with a soft pat.
“Asha?”
To his puzzled expression, I opened my arms.
“Carcel, I’m so very grateful—can I hold you just once?”

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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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