The Plan of the Terminally-Ill Wife's Divorce

Chapter 9

As I emerged from the underground prison, the night air felt incredibly refreshing. The guard I had sent out was hesitantly looking at me.

"It turned out this way, and I had hoped the nanny would be honest, but she..."

"Oh dear."

I pretended to wipe my eyes with my sleeve, and the guard seemed to mistake it for 'poor Miss Annette.'

When Annette was truly the unfortunate lady of the Porshe family, no one cared, but now people's attitudes change with just a few false tears.

I deliberately bit my lip.

"Please take care of the nanny until the end."

"Of course."

What punishment comes with stealing? Whatever it is, she won't be able to work in noble households again. She won't be able to secretly torment weak children anymore.

As I turned toward my room, someone emerged from the darkness.

"You seem to be feeling better."

"Your Grace?"

Darius's black hair and eyes blended into the night's darkness. The guard recognized the Duke and quickly bowed.

"It seems late to be visiting your family home for the last time."

He escorted me as if guiding me. I walked slowly away from the prison.

"I still wanted to hear the nanny's side. She was my nanny, after all."

"Did you find her story forgivable?"

"No."

I shook my head, feigning deep disappointment.

"She resented me to the very end."

"Oh, that's unfortunate."

We walked slowly back to my room. He was silent, and so was I.

"Thank you for walking me back."

"Did the maid really steal the necklace?"

My hand slipped from the doorknob.

That was a question I hadn't anticipated.

"Why do you ask that all of a sudden?"

"The person described in the initial reports was weak and faint-hearted. But the Annette I met is pleasantly resilient."

It was just the two of us in the corridor. In the silent stillness, Darius gazed at me intently.

"The Annette I know wouldn't just cry helplessly if a maid stole her necklace."

"So, if someone stole my necklace, would I run after them and kick them? Is that what I am?"

Yes, that's right. I'm the one who pulled Kaitlyn's hair. If something as precious as that necklace was stolen, I wouldn't just lie down and cry. I'd go out and find it myself.

"Nanny did torment you, she couldn't deny that. But she didn't seem to be lying about not stealing."

This was a crisis.

'The main characters are fundamentally on the side of justice.'

If he finds out I falsely accused the nanny, the goodwill I've built up might plummet. It was an unjust means.

Would he push to know if I was lying, if the nanny didn't steal the necklace?

Shouldn't he trust me more, now that we've agreed to live together?