I Am The Evil Duchess

S2: LV

"To what do I owe this pleasure."

Sitting across from each other in my study room, Alessio remained calm but the expression on his face remained hard and stoic.

"Believe me, I do not wish to even see your face, Bizeviron." He said, his eyes twitching, looking so annoyed.

"However, I do not have a choice but to come here and make myself uncomfortable and pissed in your presence."

"I missed the part where it's my problem." I reached for the glass of wine and gulped it in one go.

"Dahlia, where is she..."

"Stop calling my wife using that name."

Alessio smirked.

"Remember, before she was your wife, she was my lover."

"You already said it yourself Alessio, 'was'. I believe that you should move on for the thing between you and my wife ended in the past. She's my lover, my friend, my partner, my wife, and the mother of my children right now."

I saw how his hands balled into fists on top of his lap.

"If you still have an ounce left to live your life, I suggest you stop calling her that and refer to her as Duchess. I'm a jealous husband after all."

"..... I understand."

Sighing, I shifted on my seat and crossed my arms on my chest.

"Cressida is missing..." He didn't say anything and waited on what I'll say next.

"You know that Calix is the late Empress' lost son right?"

"I know."

"When? How did you find out?"

He sighed and looked away, setting his gaze somewhere else.

"Since he was 4. When he was still at the orphanage, I knew that he was my aunt's son, and the first prince."

"Did you let me take him?"

His eyes bore into mine, there was nothing but emptiness in them.

"No. I let Cressida take him."

'That's right... It was my wife who went there to get Calix.'

"I was about to get him when I saw Cressida at the orphanage, talking to him. My water spirit had told me that it's fine if she takes Calix with her."

"There are so many things that had happened in the mansion, the elders wanted to use Calix to gain power in the noble court, that is why I'm hesitant to take him with me, I am sure that my aunt doesn't want my cousin to be used like that."

"..... What would you do if I took advantage of him?"

Alessio snorted.

"What would you even do? You won't be able to use my cousin against me, I was relieved because he's with Cressida, I know that she won't hurt him, and she won't allow you to do anything that would hurt him."

I nodded.

Cressida loves Calix like he's her own son. She was heartbroken when she left, even though she doesn't want to.

When we signed the contract, it had a time limit. She needs to leave the Duchy once she fulfills her part which is to adopt Calix.

She will die if she doesn't leave...

"I need your help. My wife and son are missing... I have a rough idea who did this."

"Rough? I know that you're thinking about the Empress."