Chapter 23
3. Dizzying Misunderstandings and Outrageous Lies
The moment Irene saw the coverless book sitting conspicuously on the duke’s desk, her face went deathly pale.
“W-Why is that here…?”
She had only just managed to forget about it, yet the sight of the book instantly brought that obscene dream rushing back. Irene’s face flushed a brilliant crimson. And of all people, he had to be the one interrogating her. She was going to lose her mind.
“Haa…”
Meanwhile, seated behind his desk, Dominic let out a long sigh that seemed to rise from the depths of his stomach.
“What exactly was your intention?”
“Pardon?”
“What was your intention in having Chloe read this kind of trashy novel?”
Standing rigidly beside the desk, Irene hurriedly waved both hands.
“There’s been a misunderstanding. I didn’t buy that book…”
“It was found in Miss Vanderberg’s room, yet you’re claiming it isn’t yours?”
“It is mine, but… wait a moment. You searched my room?”
“Don’t change the subject. From this point on, Miss Vanderberg, you’ll answer only my questions.”
His stern tone cut off any further objections as he fixed her with a piercing stare.
“What was your intention in making my sister read this garbage?”
Was it simply because of the summer heat? A bead of cold sweat slid slowly down Irene’s spine.
Judging by the look on his face, there wasn’t the slightest opening for her to talk her way out of this.
She had no choice. I’m sorry, Chloe, but I have to save myself first.
Irene swallowed hard before speaking carefully.
“I’m not the one who introduced them to her. Miss Chloe was already reading them.”
One of Dominic’s brows arched, and a smile spread across his face.
“Chloe?”
“Yes.”
His neatly shaped lips curved into something dangerous, and a chilling voice slipped through his teeth.
“That’s the most absurd thing I’ve heard.”
“It’s the truth!”
Wrongly accused, Irene couldn’t help raising her voice.
“G-Go to Miss Chloe’s library right now! It’s piled with stacks of dime novels—”
“I already know how deceitful your tongue can be. Stop trying to drive a wedge between us and answer only my questions.”
His icy reply snapped her mouth shut. Though the duke remained seated, the pressure he exuded was so overwhelming that Irene felt as though he were literally looking down on her.
Fixing the audacious tutor who dared pin such a vulgar hobby on the duke’s sister with a frosty glare, he continued his interrogation.
“So you didn’t buy this book yourself?”
“No.”
“Then who bought it and sent it to you?”
Chloe did! Of course, even if she answered honestly, she’d only be accused of trying to pull something. Knowing exactly how that would go, Irene merely let out a weary sigh, never imagining that brief silence would come back to haunt her.
Then—
“Irene Vanderberg. Are you an anarchist?”
“…Excuse me?”
“Or, if you’re not an anarchist yourself, are you sympathetic to their cause? Working with them? Selling them information?”
How did we get there?!
“W-What… what are you talking about?”
At that moment, Dominic rose abruptly from his chair and strode straight toward her. Each time Irene instinctively took a step back, he advanced without hesitation.
One step. Then another… The moment her back met the solid wall behind her, the tall man planted both hands against it, caging her in.
“Tell me the truth. If you confess now, I’ll hand you over to the city guard with your life still intact.”
The chilling warning hung over her head like a blade.
Unable to contain her disbelief, Irene’s jaw dropped.
His gaze dropped to her small mouth. Contrary to his expectations, however, the supposedly antisocial woman did not confess.
“Why would I… do something like that…? E-Even if, for the sake of argument, I had given those trashy novels to Miss Chloe… why would that suddenly make me—”
—as good as a traitor for introducing a duke’s daughter to dime novels?!
“It seems you’ve done an excellent job of winning Chloe’s favor with those provocative books.”
“Win her… Isn’t that exactly what you told me to do?!”
The indignant eyes glaring up at him trembled violently. He remained unmoved.
The way she had shown suspicion rather than reverence in his presence. Her smooth, eloquent tongue no matter the situation. The remarkable skill with which she had even coaxed the reclusive Chloe out of her shell. And then…
‘I look forward to watching men with immense wealth and power destroy themselves through their own bad choices.’
A sentiment so antisocial that only anarchists would sympathize with it.
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