Chapter 65
The fingertips of Kallion’s hand holding the burned letter trembled slightly.
It was only a tiny tremor, but Layla didn’t miss it.
“Now that I think about it, Madam’s behavior does seem connected to this incident. If it were an ordinary letter, there would have been no reason for both sides to hide the sender, nor any reason to deliberately burn the letter.”
After presenting her opinion in a clear and orderly manner, Layla let out a troubled sigh.
“I truly hope it isn’t true… I’m sorry I hesitated and only told you now…”
Seeing Layla shrink into herself, Kallion forced himself to regain his composure and squeezed out a reply.
“Thank you for telling me…”
Despite his words of gratitude, his face was twisted as though he had swallowed poison.
He desperately tried to tell himself that Juliana had no reason to do such a thing, yet all the pieces seemed to fit.
She had agreed to marry into an enemy house.
At first, he had thought she accepted the marriage because she genuinely liked him.
But now that he thought about it, too many things didn’t make sense.
Right.
Perhaps the person she truly liked had never been him, but Lloyd.
Had she only pretended to like him before their marriage?
For Baldomer’s downfall?
Perhaps she had been gritting her teeth and waiting for this very moment.
By managing the estate budget, she would naturally come to know Baldomer’s financial situation.
Even how much money was being invested into each business.
Without even realizing it, he had entrusted a deer’s neck to a lion.
Perhaps she had even bribed someone inside the estate.
She had been given a fairly substantial personal allowance, after all.
Even as he denied that it could be true, every action she had taken began to feel like preparation for this very moment.
“Damn it!”
Kallion’s clenched fist trembled with rage.
Layla remained beside him, quietly observing the situation.
* * *
Kallion shut himself inside his office after sending even Layla away.
Juliana might not be the culprit.
Perhaps that letter had merely been some filthy, vulgar exchange between secret lovers.
The thought made him feel unbearably sick, but he found himself wishing that were the case instead.
He didn’t want to believe that everything she had done while trying to become the lady of Baldomer had truly been for the sake of stabbing him in the back.
Please, let it only be a letter between lovers enjoying their secret affair.
Damn it.
Please, let it be nothing more than that.
He hoped Lloyd was merely her lover.
If, as Layla said, Juliana really had leaked Baldomer’s information.
As Baldomer’s heir and the one who effectively controlled Baldomer, he couldn’t forgive her.
Even if they were husband and wife only on paper.
The surest way to erase all these suspicions was.
“I should hear it directly from her.”
But then another doubt arose.
If she really had stolen the information, would she obediently admit it to him?
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
“Lord Kallion, it’s time to leave.”
He had arranged to meet with Silverstel regarding the mine.
Truthfully, Baldomer had far more to say, and Silverstel probably had no particular desire to meet with Baldomer.
Yet unexpectedly, Silverstel had readily accepted Kallion’s request for a meeting.
Was it confidence because they had nothing to hide?
Or…
“Lord Kallion?”
After a long pause, Layla called him again.
Kallion roughly dragged a hand down his face, then rose with his usual blunt expression.
“Let’s go.”
After leaving the office, he put on the coat Layla handed him and immediately headed toward the carriage waiting outside the estate.
As he crossed the corridor, he happened to run into Juliana coming through the estate entrance, apparently returning from a walk in the garden.
“……”
“……”
Juliana was the first to greet him with a slight nod.
Kallion’s brow furrowed at her calm appearance, no different from usual.
Did she really know nothing?
Or was even this all an act?
She seemed puzzled by the way he stopped and stared at her for so long, but soon she indifferently began walking again.
As she passed him coldly without the slightest hesitation, Kallion remained still for a long while, repeatedly clenching and unclenching his fist.
What had been written in that letter?
Was she truly completely unrelated to this incident?
He wanted to grab her and demand answers.
But he forced himself to endure it.
There was no point in arguing here when neither of them would get what they wanted.
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