Divorce Manual

Chapter 110

"Are you crazy?"

Slap!

"Abella!"

Lily screams sharply as if she'll be torn apart, watching me raise my hand one more time.

As if answering the call, I sway my upper body around and answer calmly.

"Say one more word."

As I coldly stare at Lily with my hands raised, she, at least, seems to have figured out what I meant.

"......"

Seeing her becoming quiet after talking this entire time—

"It's nice."

Looking at her mouth, which has closed up like a clam, I lower my hand and sit down with a smile on my face.

"Pope, bring a cold towel for Hon Farhan."

As the short man falls back on his chair, Pope quickly walks into the main building.

I reach out to ask if the Farhan members, who've been standing this whole time, will sit down.

"Shall we continue what we were talking about?"

"Um... Abella."

Phillip, coughing through his clenched fists, looks at me after glancing at Lily and Cadrick.

"I think that this kind of disrespect to your mother who raised you is too much. It's all thanks to her that you are sitting there..."

"Father."

I pick up the tea cup, interrupting Phillip, who is struggling to establish his fatherly authority with a weak voice.

"Yes?"

"Do I have to explain what I couldn't show Lady Cordelia and Lady Biate?"

My eyes scan Lily from head to toe as I speak to Phillip.

I then put down the tea cup with a grin after seeing Lily's distorted face. It's a stellar achievement! I turn my head, not giving her another glance.

"If it wasn't for me, would the things that the baron enjoys exist today?"

"......"

"Hon Farhan would still be living with the count. I'm sorry, but building a mansion in the capital with the Farhan name would have been impossible, even if my father had been reborn ten times."

All of the Farhan members keep their mouths shut at my words, which are based mostly on facts.

"But it would not have been possible for you to be here right now if it had not been for Baron Farhan."

"..."

Cadrick says softly, biting the molars under his swollen cheeks.

"So you sold my name and thought that I would tolerate anything you did without saying anything."

"..."

"Isn't that too much?"

Shaking my head, I chuckle.

"You sold me to extort property from the duke's family, deceived people... Oh, I don't know who said this, but these days, you're even reaching out to the crown prince as well."

Phillip, who's blushing at my provocation, coughs vainly and turns his head.

"That's not it. We're all on you and His Excellency-"

Lily interrupts.

"I don't think I've ever given you permission to speak. The baroness doesn't seem to understand what I'm saying."

"......"

After being spoken to like a stranger, Lily's face becomes as red as a tomato.

It's actually the first time she's seen it, huh?

It's my first time seeing you here, too.

I have no intention of prolonging this boring argument.

I'm going to threaten them then let them go.

"So, let's not say that it's for me or His Excellency."

"..."

"Otherwise, the only way to prove your statement is to expose everything."

"What?"

"I am an illegitimate child. Dad, haven't you ever thought of that? I'm not sure I'm my father's biological child—"

"......"

"I often think about it these days. Wouldn't it be better if I have nothing to do with Farhan?"

Then, I might be able to sever this crazy relationship.

"What do you mean, Bella?"

"No, then it will be that Baron Farhan had taken me in and raised me with a good heart. You will be free from scandals like this.

"And so will you."

Should I say that he's being quite smart or am I being too nice to them?

I grin, looking at Cadrick who has said something quite smart.

"Oh, it's just a what if? I was just brainstorming, so don't worry too much about it, Dad."

"......"

"If I am not my father's daughter, whose daughter am I, right?"

"That...Of course."

Phillip awkwardly clears his throat.

"Alright then, now that you see I'm fine..."

"I heard that a guest has arrived."

Just as I'm about to give them a bid goodbye, an unwelcome voice comes from behind.

At the same time, the Farhans hurriedly stand up from their seats.

Just by looking at their reactions, I can predict the protagonist whose voice I heard from behind me.

"Your Grace."

I get up from my seat and turn around.

"You've been sick, so you should have probably met them later."

Without giving a single glance to the Farhans, Charles comes straight up to me and hugs me as if to lend his support.

Because it's an unfamiliar kindness, I feel like I could die.

Oh, that's right. I'm sick.

As if belatedly aware of the pain, I wince as my body quivers.

Unlike before when I was slapping Cadrick's cheek, I show signs of weakness that weren't there before.

I can feel Charles's friendly expression and the Farhans's expressions in front of me because of my change of attitude.

"I'm late because of work. I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

It's either he's acting or I'm really sick. He acts so naturally that I can't figure out what he's thinking.

Lejan must not have said anything.

I smile vaguely thinking of his arrogance when Charles pulls me by my waist into his arms and lightly kisses my temple.

To others, it may look like the sweetest, welcoming greeting in the world, but this is my first greeting.

It's too strange.

Even the corners of my mouth that are forced to smile to the point of trembling at the awkwardness seems to sprout goosebumps.

"It seems that the baron and his wife are very worried about you."

"As you already know, they care about me a lot. They were just about to die from not seeing my face, isn't that right, Father?"

"Yes, yes."

Phillip Farhan bows his head crookedly, and Lily is still looking at me with a lively gaze.

Her stare seems to be measuring whether the words I had said so far are bluffs or not.

You're probably the most curious about whether Charles knows if I'm an illegitimate child or not, right?

"It seems that he was worried about what happened at Lapel. He was wondering if I was reprimanded by Your Grace because of that 'fact'."

"Ah."

The Farhans hold their breath at my careful choice of words. Charles glances at them and then looks down at me.

"I already knew everything about you, but it doesn't seem like the baron knows."

"I didn't say anything because I was afraid that you would be worried for nothing, but that seems to have caused more concern for him."

Charles smiles at my soft voice, as if he is acting, and looks at Phillip.

"I don't remember being that sloppy, Baron."

"Yes, that's right."

Lily bites down on her lip at the sight of Philip bending and twisting his body in gratitude to the duke's courtesy.

It is almost certain that the fan she is holding onto may become an unrecognizable mess.

How angry she must be.

I mean, Abella, who even pretended to die, would have thought that it's too easy.

Using the pretext that Charles doesn't know that Abella is an illegitimate child, she could have threatened to do something, but that plan is all messed up.

You deserve to be angry.

In addition, her son was even beaten by me all of a sudden.

Even if they feel resentful toward me, there's nothing they can say.

However, it is necessary to make them aware that everything they enjoy comes from me and the Duke of Diago.

"Then, I'm not feeling well."

"Ah yes."

Philip Farhan shakes his head, and then gives an incomprehensible answer that I can't tell whether he is being respectful or slanderous.

"Oh, and don't worry too much about the scandal about the duchess. It's a matter of her honor, so I'll take care of it."

In other words, he means, 'I'll clean up your shit.'

Of course, it's his lovely little sister who puts the shit right in front of his nose.

From that point of view, it is only right for him to get rid of it.

One way or another, I and Abella are victims.

"I hope your anxiety eases a little bit, Dad."

"Yes, yes."

Phillip smiles awkwardly, dusting his behind, and then follows Lily up from his seat.

"Then, I won't go far and see you off."

Tilting my head, I look at the Farhans.

"Then, be healthy."

After the final greeting, I turn around without hesitation.

I slightly link my arm with Charles's and lift my head, as if I'm trying to put on a lovely act.

As if there is a compulsion to respond to my efforts, Charles lightly pats the back of my hand and tucks my hair back.

"Your face doesn't look well."

"..."

"I don't think you have been sleeping."

"..."

"Before returning to Lapel, I have to get some urgent work done."

"Have you solved all of it?"

"Almost."

"That's fortunate."

"I think we can leave tomorrow. Your body—"

"It's okay. I'll be happy to be able to go back to Lapel."

I lightly hang onto his arm and smile, thinking how there would be no more Farhans to deal with.

Even if I try to talk to him, there would only be silly words.

As the whispers and tickling laughter between the two of us continue, it is clear that the Farhans's ears would pick it up.

They'll try to eavesdrop on everything.

Well then.

"And Your Grace, please stop asking me to take over the finances."

"Wife, the discussion is not over."

"No matter how much Falcon and Edgar help, it's too much of a responsibility for me. I am also not feeling well right now."

"Let's do it when your body gets better. You will do it well. All the duchesses have been able to do it, and you are even more brilliant than them."

I can feel my hair standing up as he sweetly sweeps his hand across my cheek after saying that I'm smart.

I barely manage to swallow the saliva down her throat, feeling goosebumps running up my arms, and then look behind me.

I can see the Farhans's eyes looking at us while they show an expression of embarrassment.

It must be frustrating.

Because you have never imagined that I would seize the real power of the duke.

I haven't even thought about the impact those words would have on me in the future, so maybe it's the same for them.

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T/N: Somebody calls the Academy Award for Best Acting by a surprise character because my boi Charles ran in and changed the script on them all. Lol Also they literally stood there and acted out a scene for her parents lol i can't with these dramatic bishes