ETDO Chapter 10

“Preferences, you say. I wonder what kind of preferences is Her Ladyship referring to?”

Ethan asked sarcastically, but Lady Wellington remained unyielding.

“Preferences regarding women.”

“Oh! Impressive. I can’t help but be amazed.”

Clap! Clap! Clap!

A dry, slow clapping sound echoed. Anyone could tell it was dripping with sarcasm. Perhaps because it was a fight between two strong personalities, even their sharp mockery seemed novel to my eyes.

“But you see, Ethan, no matter how much you may be interested in her, it won’t work this time. That woman is already married to your brother.”

Eavesdropping intently with my ear pressed against the rose vines that grew lushly along the pillar, my mouth gaped in astonishment.

What? 

Ethan harbors feelings for someone? 

I froze in place, stiff as a rusted iron doll stuck in motion.

‘No way! That’s ridiculous!’

The man who had made his dislike for me crystal clear from the first moment we met, who even expressed displeasure by the fact that he had to be a witness at our wedding, and the one who glared at me as if he wanted to kill me throughout the entire ceremony?!

Stunned, I sat clutching my champagne glass and crouched down, unsure how to interpret this shocking statement. Honestly, it was such preposterous nonsense that it wasn’t even worth considering. Anyone else, maybe, but Ethan? Never.

In my memory, Ethan had always treated me like some dirty impurity clinging to Arthur’s side. What could she possibly have seen to draw such a conclusion?

If Lady Wellington’s words were true, the Ethan I saw and the Ethan she saw must be entirely different people. It was just utter nonsense.

“You have a rather interesting hobby of eavesdropping, don’t you?”

“!”

I jumped in surprise. As I whipped my head towards the sound, Ethan stood leaning against the pillar, looking at me with a playful smirk.

While I was lost in my shocked contemplation, Lady Wellington seemed to have already left. But how did this man know I was here? I was practically hidden from view from his position.

“While others may not notice, I can hear everything. Especially the gasp of surprise you let out after your rustling.”

His response was as if he’d read my mind. Suppressing my flustered feelings, I tried to respond calmly. I wanted to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings.

“Ah, well, I wasn’t eavesdropping on purpose. I was sitting here resting first, and then you two…”

“I know.”

Ethan replied curtly. Tense and with my eyes darting around, I wanted to escape this awkward and uncomfortable situation as quickly as possible, so I abruptly stood up. However, forgetting that I hadn’t properly put my shoes back on, I stumbled pathetically as soon as I took a step.

“Ahh!”

Thud!

In the blink of an eye, Ethan caught me just before I hit the ground. He seemed to have been quite far away, but he’d somehow rushed over. He was so fast that I found myself in his arms before I could even process what had happened.

Thanks to him, I’d avoided a spectacular tumble to the floor. Breathing a sigh of relief, I became flustered upon realizing Ethan was still holding my waist.

“Um… Thank you… but… could you please let go now…?”

However, Ethan continued to hold me tightly, gazing at me intensely.

“Why did you marry Arthur?”

“Pardon?”

We were so close that our breaths mingled. With his firm chest blocking my view, the same intense musk scent as Arthur’s flooded my senses.

The dizzying scent combined with the sudden, strange question made me break out in a cold sweat. I subtly squirmed, trying to express my discomfort.

“Do you really love him? Or was it because he paid off your family’s debts? Arthur and I have never kept secrets from each other. And you’re the first person he runs off with. It’s hard to believe he’d marry you so hastily without even telling me.”

“Are you saying I put him under some kind of spell like some witch in a fairy tale?”

I retorted, dumbfounded.

“It’s certainly a possibility.”

Ethan’s sharp gaze pierced my face. At his absurd comment, which wasn’t even worth responding to, I struggled to free myself from his embrace.

“What do you want? Money?”

I turned my head sharply and glared at him.

The thinking of rich people was always so one-track. With the exception of Arthur, there wasn’t a single exception. For them, the world revolved solely around money. The possibility that someone could prioritize other things simply didn’t exist in their minds. Of course, even if that were true, I, who desperately needed financial help, wasn’t really in a position to criticize.

“Well, if I only wanted money, wouldn’t I be using Arthur to do whatever I please right now?”

“That’s not entirely illogical.”

Ethan smirked, pulling up the right side of his lip. It seemed more like mockery than agreement, so I countered with a sharp voice.

“What amazing brotherly love. To the point of interfering in the affairs of your adult brother and his wife.”

“Well? Isn’t it natural for the only two brothers in the world to be interested in each other?”

“Is that interest mutual?”

Annoyed by Ethan’s refusal to release me, I shot back sharply. He suddenly grinned.

“What about you?”

“What?”

I furrowed my brow, confused by the bizarre turn in the conversation. What was with this sudden riddle game? And in such an inappropriately close position, no less.

“I know you’ve been secretly observing me. So, what about you? With a twin who looks exactly like your husband, how does it feel? Does it feel like you have two husbands?”

“What?!”

I raised my voice in shock, then immediately panicked. If someone heard me and came looking while we were in this strange position, it would be a disaster!

Flustered, I struggled with all my might to push him away. Unexpectedly, Ethan released me without resistance.

“Wh-What kind of absurd nonsense are you…?”

Flushed, I huffed and puffed as I quickly put my shoes back on.

This man, he was a crazy lunatic with a deceptively normal facade. 

I suddenly felt sorry for his handsome face, so similar to Arthur’s. What a waste of a heavenly bestowed, otherworldly beauty–it belonged to a lunatic.

“You can just be honest with me.”

I unconsciously clenched my fists. Crack! A suspicious sound came from the champagne glass.

“I’ll be going now, Duke Berwick.”

I gritted my teeth, barely managed a curt greeting, and spun around. Just then, a leisurely voice reached my ears.

“Why? Are you attracted to me right now?”

I stomped my feet and left without looking back.

Crazy bastard. 

I thought he was just a cold, unpleasant person, but he was clearly out of his mind. It was like something had happened to him on the battlefield.

Fuming, I made my way back to the ballroom. Lady Wellington and him were perfect for each other, they should just get married. Anyone could see they were a match made in heaven: an arrogant and rude lady and a cold-hearted lunatic, a fantastic combination.

As I stepped back into the ballroom, the heated air washed over me. I quickly snatched a glass of wine from the tray of a servant who was passing by.

Feeling the need to calm myself, I took large gulps of the chilled white wine. As the icy liquid slowly went down my throat, I felt a bit more composed.

“Lily! There you are!”

A delighted voice came from behind me. Holding my glass in hand, I turned around. Arthur stood there, beaming, and quickly wrapped his arms around my waist.

“Arthur!”

“I’m sorry! I left you alone for so long…”

Arthur’s face crumpled. He looked like a puppy being scolded by its owner, and I chuckled.

“It’s okay. I understand. I saw you having a serious conversation with His Majesty. I’m not that harsh a wife to a working husband.”

I looked up at him and caressed his face. As if relieved, Arthur placed a hand over his heart and feigned a sigh of relief. I laughed.

“Is that wine?”

Arthur gestured towards the slightly yellowish, transparent liquid in my hand.

“Yes. Do you want some?”

“Won’t you get drunk if you drink that?”

He looked worried, knowing that I didn’t particularly enjoy alcohol and that my face flushed easily after just a couple of drinks.

“Are you afraid I will?”

“No, it’s more that…”

He trailed off. I tilted my head inquisitively, and Arthur brought his lips close to my ear and whispered.

“I’m worried that other guys will covet you because you’re so beautiful. You’re already breathtakingly beautiful, but if your face gets all flushed like that…”

His words were so sweet. It felt like I was falling in love with my husband all over again. My man, a blessed mascot of good fortune with heavenly looks, wealth, manners, gentlemanly, and overflowing love for his wife. I tried to push away the thought of the other man, identical in appearance but a lunatic at heart, and asked Arthur.

“Are all the important matters taken care of now?”

“Yes, now we can relax and enjoy ourselves with some drinks.”

I gazed into his blue eyes and stood up on my tiptoes slightly. Arthur automatically bent down and brought his ear closer.

“Then we should go and finish what we couldn’t earlier.”

“?”

Arthur’s eyes widened, and he tilted his head in confusion.