As soon as he left Harriet Dickinson’s house, Killian stepped into the carriage that was waiting for him. Genok, who had been waiting for him, opened his mouth slowly.

“What should I do? We can go and pick her up right now.”

“Let’s wait a little longer. We have some traps to lay, so head to the hotel instead.”

Killian, who ended this conversation, touched his throbbing temple. The carriage rattled along the rough, unpaved road.

“Haven’t we seen enough of this? Miss Philone seems to have noticed, and sooner rather than later.”

“Quiet.”

Killian leaned his elbows on the window sill as he cut off the conversation.

The air was cold and chilly, and Genok kept silent as he studied his expression. Killian closed his eyes as the headache rushed in again, and he gripped his cane with all his strength in the other hand that wasn’t supporting his chin.

Harriet Dickinson.

It was nice of you to be a friend to Rowena Philone when she had nowhere else to go and a being that she could rely on. But this is as far as it goes.

Rowena, Rowena.

He wanted to pull out that worthless tongue that was not afraid to speak her real name, which she had not known until a few days ago. If she’d accepted the blank check as he expected, she would be able to leave this place without facing a lousy ending. She was a woman he didn’t like until the end.

Suppressing his rising discomfort, Killian shifted the subject.

“Chloe Everdeen.”

“Chloe Everdeen signed the divorce papers and then disappeared. According to the sources I’ve planted, she’s gone back to the countryside to recuperate.”

“That would be good for her.”

Five years.

That was the amount of time it took Chloe Everdeen to get a position of a higher place than her father’s bank and become the largest shareholder. At the same time, it was enough time for Killian Devonshire to grow his power in all the ports of Ethelwood.

They held hands due to their mutual interests, and since the period was over, it was natural to part ways. But in the last year of their relationship, Chloe Everdeen began to cross a specific line little by little.

“Since we’re married already, I don’t think it’s a bad idea to become a real couple.”

“I love you, Killian. I’m your wife.”

It’s the same with all women, he starts with ignoring them, and they would leave eventually. Still, Chloe Everdeen, who he thought would be less of a headache, was still a pretty persistent woman.

Whenever she could find the time, she would enter his bedroom and try to seduce him.

She was a disgusting wife to him.

When her plan to attract his attention fails, she makes a show of it. It was his role to clean up the mess and keep the newspapers quiet.

And one day

“Oh my god!!!! The Duchess!”

On the last day of their marriage, she was found in a cold tub with her wrists slit. The doctors and nurses who came in secretly examined the Duchess’ condition in a hurry. Fortunately, she hadn’t lost a lot of blood and wasn’t in a critical condition.

The day his wife woke up, Killian presented her with two documents.