I Only Want Your Child - Chapter 64

At the end of the letter, Lloyd had also written that what I told him last time had been a great help and thanked me for it.

Fortunately, it seemed the rampage of his ability had passed without incident.

After thinking for a long while, I asked Kate for writing paper and an envelope, then wrote a reply.

It was a brief response telling him that my condition had improved considerably, so he didn’t need to worry.

I folded the letter, placed it in the envelope, and handed it to Kate. Then, as usual, I burned Lloyd’s letter in the fireplace.

“Oh, right. I heard the gardener prepared the garden for winter today. Would you like to go take a look? The winter flowers that only bloom in the Baldomer region should be starting to blossom around now.”

I had been staring indifferently at the fireplace when I turned my head and smiled.

“Alright, let’s do that.”

Excited by my answer, Kate began preparing to go out.

Even then, I had no idea.

That after we left, someone entered that room.

And that someone retrieved Lloyd’s half-burned letter from the fireplace and took it away.

* * *

As Lloyd read the letter from Juliana, he eventually folded it neatly and tucked it into his clothes.

As carefully as though it were a treasure.

The contents were simple.

Just a few words saying that she had recovered considerably, so he didn’t need to worry.

It was a cold and concise reply, just like her.

So very like you.

The way she cut him off as though she held no lingering attachment or expectations toward him.

And yet the man she had chosen was Kallion.

That fact infuriated him.

He treasured every glance from her, every touch of her hand, while that man treated them carelessly.

That man had been given the undeserved privilege of standing beside her, yet couldn’t even take proper care of her.

It was so pathetic and contemptible.

And because of that, a spiteful feeling rose within him for no reason.

I tried to understand your choice.

I thought there had to be a reason for it.

But I can’t.

I can’t accept that the man you chose is that Baldomer, Juliana.

* * *

It was the day their agreed night together was drawing near.

Yet at that exact time, something completely unexpected happened.

It was discovered that information about the diamond mine project Baldomer had been pursuing had leaked to Silverstel.

The diamond mine was soon going up for auction, and because this confidential information had leaked, Silverstel entered the bidding.

Originally, the enormous diamond mine had been managed for generations by one of Baldomer’s vassal houses. Due to that vassal house’s financial troubles, Baldomer had planned to purchase it cheaply.

Since it was a mine belonging to a Baldomer vassal house, Baldomer had intended to acquire it quietly before information about the auction spread.

But when Silverstel entered the auction, Baldomer was thrown into chaos.

Confidential information regarding an important project that accounted for a significant portion of their finances had been leaked.

“Damn it!”

Kallion cursed under his breath and clenched his fist.

Suddenly, Lloyd’s face from the last time they met came to mind. The ease and meaningful smile he had shown in front of Kallion despite being nothing more than Silverstel’s second son.

Had he been so confident because he had something to rely on?

Then Juliana’s face suddenly overlapped with his.

No.

No matter how close she was to Silverstel’s second son, there was no way she would do something like this. She wasn’t a woman incapable of distinguishing between personal and official matters.

Just then, Layla cautiously approached him.

“Lord Kallion, there’s something I need to tell you.”

At the seriousness in her voice, Kallion turned a questioning gaze toward Layla.

She was carefully holding a thin paper envelope in both hands.

Kallion looked down at the envelope curiously and asked.

“What is that?”

As though she had been waiting for his question, Layla replied.

“I found it in Madam Juliana’s study.”

Kallion frowned as he accepted the paper envelope from Layla.

Then he checked its contents.

Inside was a piece of paper that had mostly burned away.

Looking at it alone, it was difficult to tell what kind of paper it had originally been.

Watching him, Layla continued in a grave voice.

“Madam burned a letter from Silverstel in the fireplace.”

Kallion’s expression hardened at Layla’s words.

“What…?”

“The envelope had no sender, so I didn’t suspect anything at first, but the person involved was written at the very end of the burned letter.”

Just as Layla said, most of the letter had burned, but a small portion at the very bottom remained.

At the end were the words ‘Lloyd de Silverstel.’

And above that, although most of the text had turned to ash, part of the letter could still be seen.

It said something about being grateful because the information she had given him had been a great help…

As Kallion stared rigidly at the letter, Layla cautiously added.

“Of course, we shouldn’t suspect Madam based on only part of the contents… but one of the businesses Silverstel’s second son is responsible for happens to involve mines…”

After saying that, Layla lowered her head with an extremely apologetic expression.