That was enough of an answer. Her whole body was stiff, but the moment she heard the Countess’ words, her entire body lost its strength. An odd feeling of weakness overcame Rowena as if she had exhausted herself after running as fast as she could. She feigned a smile in dismay with a face that looked anything but alive.

“I see.”

“By the way, why?”

“Nothing, I’m just curious.”

Rowena smiled thinly at the Countess, whose eyes lit up with curiosity, and quickly stood up, holding her parasol. The Countess, who stood up too, looked at Rowena with a silly look on her face.

“Are you leaving already?”

“Yes, I have another appointment soon. Thank you so much for telling me, Countess.” 

“I’ll lend you a carriage; you can use it if you like.”

“No need, Countess. I cannot be more indebted to you. It is not that much of a long distance, so I will just walk; the weather has gotten much warmer lately.”

Rowena naturally pulled away from the Countess who was holding her back and left the townhouse. Considering that the Countess would be watching her through the window, she pretended to go to the Duke’s mansion. She changed direction through an alley, where she found a public transportation carriage that was just unloading its passengers. Rowena got on the carriage and headed for the train station.

“Rowena!”

The person who she came to meet was her uncle, Jeremy. Jeremy took off his hat, got into the carriage, and kissed his happy nephew lightly on the forehead.

“Looking at your complexion, you seem to be doing well.”

“Of course. It’s very peaceful when staying calm just like you said, uncle.”

She answered lightly, but the earlier conversation she had with the Countess hung on her like a thorn in her throat. Melissa did a good job making up a backstory, but the fact is that Damian’s presence was discovered and… Killian’s second marriage.

That woman,  Chloe, and herself, and the mixed feelings that had been surging through her after hearing that the new lady didn’t have blond hair or green eyes were still lingering in her heart.

Jeremy’s brows furrowed at Rowena’s somehow clouded expression.

“I think something is going on, and you’re not telling me what it is.”

“… Uncle… Perhaps.”

A half-hearted attempt to cover it up would only make him more worried.

“We may not have to run away after all.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“It’s not official news… The Duke’s second marriage partner seems to have been decided.”

“What?”

“This time, she is the daughter of a marquis, and apparently, she doesn’t look anything like me.”

Rowena shrugged her shoulders, trying to look unconcerned.

“By the time the marriage talk is made official, I’ll be dumped again.”

And this time, the partner was not a “replacement.” Not a toy to be discarded in a heartbeat when he got tired of it, but a noblewoman who he would truly respect and love.

“Rowena.”

“I think I just need to hide Damian well until then. Although he doesn’t seem to have any interest in the child in the first place.”

“Rowena.”

“He’ll probably dump me before he gets married. I feel like an idiot for ever worrying about it. Ha ha ha ……”

“ROWENA!”

Jeremy said calmly, holding his niece’s shoulder as he mumbled faintly.

“Calm down.”

“Uncle-…

“…This makes me want to die.”

“…….”

“He really makes me miserable… He’s a terrible man.”